Germany's lead data protection regulator for Facebook said on Tuesday that it was taking action against the social network to prevent the collection of personal data from users of its WhatsApp messaging app.

The regulator in the city-state of Hamburg said that it had opened emergency proceedings against Facebook after WhatsApp earlier this year informed users that they would need to consent to new data terms or stop using the service.

"We have reason to believe that the data sharing policy between WhatsApp and Facebook is being impermissibly enforced due to the lack of voluntary and informed consent," said Hamburg's data protection officer Johannes Caspar.

Caspar, who leads domestic oversight of Facebook under Germany's federal system as its country office is in Hamburg, said he was opening a formal administrative procedure "to prevent an illegal mass exchange of data", with a view to reaching a decision before May 15.

A WhatsApp spokesperson said: “Our recent update includes new options&nbsp;people will have to message a business on WhatsApp, and provides further transparency about how we collect and use data.

"To be clear, by accepting WhatsApp’s updated terms of service, users are not agreeing to any expansion in our ability to share data with Facebook, and the update does not impact the privacy of their messages with friends or family."

The regulatory action opens a new front in Germany over Facebook's privacy policies, with the national antitrust regulator already waging a legal battle over data practices it alleges reflect an abuse of the social network's market dominance.

Since 2018, online privacy has been subject to a European Union rulebook, called the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Under the GDPR, Ireland leads oversight of Facebook because the company's European headquarters is there.

Caspar said that he was seeking to impose a three-month freeze on WhatsApp's collection of user data, citing "extraordinary circumstances" foreseen in the GDPR. The measures can be extended by the European Data Protection Board, a forum that groups regulators from the bloc's 27 member states.

Germany's lead data protection regulator for Facebook said on Tuesday that it was taking action against the social network to prevent the collection of personal data from users of its WhatsApp messaging app.

Germany's lead data protection regulator for Facebook said on Tuesday that it was taking action against the social network to prevent the collection of personal data from users of its WhatsApp messaging app. The regulator in the city-state of Hamburg said that it had opened emergency proceedings against Facebook after WhatsApp earlier this year informed users that they would need to consent to new data terms or stop using the service. "We have reason to believe that the data sharing policy between WhatsApp and Facebook is being impermissibly enforced due to the lack of voluntary and informed consent," said Hamburg's data protection officer Johannes Caspar. Caspar, who leads domestic oversight of Facebook under Germany's federal system as its country office is in Hamburg, said he was opening a formal administrative procedure "to prevent an illegal mass exchange of data", with a view to reaching a decision before May 15. A WhatsApp spokesperson said: “Our recent update includes new options people will have to message a business on WhatsApp, and provides further transparency about how we collect and use data. "To be clear, by accepting WhatsApp’s updated terms of service, users are not agreeing to any expansion in our ability to share data with Facebook, and the update does not impact the privacy of their messages with friends or family." The regulatory action opens a new front in Germany over Facebook's privacy policies, with the national antitrust regulator already waging a legal battle over data practices it alleges reflect an abuse of the social network's market dominance. Since 2018, online privacy has been subject to a European Union rulebook, called the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Under the GDPR, Ireland leads oversight of Facebook because the company's European headquarters is there. Caspar said that he was seeking to impose a three-month freeze on WhatsApp's collection of user data, citing "extraordinary circumstances" foreseen in the GDPR. The measures can be extended by the European Data Protection Board, a forum that groups regulators from the bloc's 27 member states.

German regulator taking action against WhatsApp  over 'illegal' data collection

The AstraZeneca and Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccines have come under suspicion of causing very rare but serious blood clots in a handful of cases among the millions vaccinated in the drive to bring the Covid-19 pandemic under control. &nbsp; &nbsp;

Questions have persisted for weeks on whether the highly unusual&nbsp;blood&nbsp;clots among those getting the AstraZeneca vaccine were more frequent than in the general population, and what causes them if they were.

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Here is what we know about the two vaccines, which are based on the same technology.&nbsp;

What happened?

The European Medicines Agency last week said unusual blood clots should be listed as a very rare side effect of the AstraZeneca vaccine, while stressing that overall benefits of the shots in preventing Covid-19 outweighed the risks.&nbsp;

The clots occur in veins in the brain, called cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST),&nbsp;as well as the abdomen and arteries.&nbsp;

They are uncommon both for where they appear in the body and because they occur together with low levels of blood platelets, which help the blood to clot.&nbsp;

Paradoxically, this can mean the patient has both haemorrhages as well as blood clots.

There were 222 cases of these atypical thromboses out of 34 million AstraZeneca injections carried out in the European Economic Area (EU, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein) and Britain, as of April 4, according to the EMA. And there were 18 deaths, as of March 22.&nbsp;

Most of the cases reported were in women under 60 years of age within two weeks of vaccination.

In the US, where more than 6.8 million single-shot J&amp;J vaccine shots have been administered, health authorities on Tuesday recommended that use of the jab be paused while they investigate six reported cases of CVST that also occurred with low levels of blood platelets. &nbsp;

All those cases involved women between the ages of 18 and 48 and one case was fatal, officials said.

Suspected causes

Both of these vaccines, as well as the Russian Sputnik V jab, are based on a technique known as "viral vector".&nbsp;

The vaccines use a common-cold causing adenovirus, modified so it can't replicate, as a "vector" to shuttle genetic instructions into human cells, telling them to create a protein of the coronavirus.

This trains the immune system to be ready for the live coronavirus

AstraZeneca opted for a chimpanzee adenovirus, J&amp;J for a human adenovirus.&nbsp;

"Whilst a causal link between certain Covid-19 vaccinations, platelet abnormalities, and blood clots has not, so far, been confirmed, the index of suspicion is rising that these rare cases may be triggered by the adenovirus component of the AstraZeneca and J&amp;J vaccines," said Eleanor Riley, an immunology professor at Edinburgh University.&nbsp;

What mechanism?&nbsp;

Although nothing has been proven, Peter Marks of the US Food and Drug Administration said the "probable cause" of the clots could be an unusual reaction to the vaccines.

The FDA has also said that while in normal circumstances an anticoagulant drug called heparin is used to treat these blood clots, in this case administering heparin may be dangerous.

That might be because the disorder resembles a rare reaction to heparin itself, in which the body forms antibodies in response to the thinner, and in turn triggers platelets to form dangerous clots.

A team of German and Austrian scientists made the connection between this previously-known immune response to heparin and the AstraZeneca vaccine in March.

And the EMA said this was "one plausible explanation", calling for more research.&nbsp;

What have the regulators said?

The CDC is recommending pausing using J&amp;J's single-dose vaccine "out of an abundance of caution" to ensure that the health care providers are aware of potential side effects and can plan for "proper recognition and management."

Britain's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, meanwhile, made its recommendation for an alternative vaccine to AstraZeneca's to be used for people under 30 after reviewing 79 cases of rare&nbsp;clotting coupled with low platelets, with 19 fatalities - 13 women and six men. Eleven of the deaths were of people under the age of 50 and three were under the age of 30.

Balancing risk

The European agency has said no specific risk factors for this type of reaction have been confirmed for the AstraZeneca vaccine, but different countries have opted to restrict access to the jab by age.&nbsp;

The reasoning is that the older people get, the more they risk developing a serious form of Covid, and the more it is in their interest to be vaccinated, despite potential side effects.&nbsp;

For example, Britain has said it will not administer AstraZeneca to the under 30s, while France is not using it on the under 55s. &nbsp;&nbsp;

In the US, health authorities said the suspension of the J&amp;J vaccine was "out of an abundance of caution".&nbsp;

People who have had the shot within the past three weeks were asked to report to their doctors if they experience severe headaches, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath.

Ian Douglas, Professor of Pharmacoepidemiology at London School of Hygiene &amp; Tropical Medicine, said it was important to underscore how rare these events appear to be.&nbsp;

"To put this into perspective, it's similar to the chance of being struck by lightning in any given year in the UK," he told the Science Media Centre in response to the US announcement.

"On the other hand, the risks from Covid-19 are substantial." &nbsp;

The AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines have come under suspicion of causing very rare but serious blood clots in a handful of cases among the millions vaccinated in the drive to bring the Covid-19 pandemic under control.

The AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines have come under suspicion of causing very rare but serious blood clots in a handful of cases among the millions vaccinated in the drive to bring the Covid-19 pandemic under control. Questions have persisted for weeks on whether the highly unusual blood clots among those getting the AstraZeneca vaccine were more frequent than in the general population, and what causes them if they were. Here is what we know about the two vaccines, which are based on the same technology. What happened? The European Medicines Agency last week said unusual blood clots should be listed as a very rare side effect of the AstraZeneca vaccine, while stressing that overall benefits of the shots in preventing Covid-19 outweighed the risks. The clots occur in veins in the brain, called cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST), as well as the abdomen and arteries. They are uncommon both for where they appear in the body and because they occur together with low levels of blood platelets, which help the blood to clot. Paradoxically, this can mean the patient has both haemorrhages as well as blood clots. There were 222 cases of these atypical thromboses out of 34 million AstraZeneca injections carried out in the European Economic Area (EU, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein) and Britain, as of April 4, according to the EMA. And there were 18 deaths, as of March 22. Most of the cases reported were in women under 60 years of age within two weeks of vaccination. In the US, where more than 6.8 million single-shot J&J vaccine shots have been administered, health authorities on Tuesday recommended that use of the jab be paused while they investigate six reported cases of CVST that also occurred with low levels of blood platelets. All those cases involved women between the ages of 18 and 48 and one case was fatal, officials said. Suspected causes Both of these vaccines, as well as the Russian Sputnik V jab, are based on a technique known as "viral vector". The vaccines use a common-cold causing adenovirus, modified so it can't replicate, as a "vector" to shuttle genetic instructions into human cells, telling them to create a protein of the coronavirus. This trains the immune system to be ready for the live coronavirus AstraZeneca opted for a chimpanzee adenovirus, J&J for a human adenovirus. "Whilst a causal link between certain Covid-19 vaccinations, platelet abnormalities, and blood clots has not, so far, been confirmed, the index of suspicion is rising that these rare cases may be triggered by the adenovirus component of the AstraZeneca and J&J vaccines," said Eleanor Riley, an immunology professor at Edinburgh University. What mechanism? Although nothing has been proven, Peter Marks of the US Food and Drug Administration said the "probable cause" of the clots could be an unusual reaction to the vaccines. The FDA has also said that while in normal circumstances an anticoagulant drug called heparin is used to treat these blood clots, in this case administering heparin may be dangerous. That might be because the disorder resembles a rare reaction to heparin itself, in which the body forms antibodies in response to the thinner, and in turn triggers platelets to form dangerous clots. A team of German and Austrian scientists made the connection between this previously-known immune response to heparin and the AstraZeneca vaccine in March. And the EMA said this was "one plausible explanation", calling for more research. What have the regulators said? The CDC is recommending pausing using J&J's single-dose vaccine "out of an abundance of caution" to ensure that the health care providers are aware of potential side effects and can plan for "proper recognition and management." Britain's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, meanwhile, made its recommendation for an alternative vaccine to AstraZeneca's to be used for people under 30 after reviewing 79 cases of rare clotting coupled with low platelets, with 19 fatalities - 13 women and six men. Eleven of the deaths were of people under the age of 50 and three were under the age of 30. Balancing risk The European agency has said no specific risk factors for this type of reaction have been confirmed for the AstraZeneca vaccine, but different countries have opted to restrict access to the jab by age. The reasoning is that the older people get, the more they risk developing a serious form of Covid, and the more it is in their interest to be vaccinated, despite potential side effects. For example, Britain has said it will not administer AstraZeneca to the under 30s, while France is not using it on the under 55s. In the US, health authorities said the suspension of the J&J vaccine was "out of an abundance of caution". People who have had the shot within the past three weeks were asked to report to their doctors if they experience severe headaches, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath. Ian Douglas, Professor of Pharmacoepidemiology at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said it was important to underscore how rare these events appear to be. "To put this into perspective, it's similar to the chance of being struck by lightning in any given year in the UK," he told the Science Media Centre in response to the US announcement. "On the other hand, the risks from Covid-19 are substantial."

Blood clots are latest curse of coronavirus vaccines. All you need to know

Russia and India are committed to adhering to timelines and other obligations under the S-400 missile deal, Russian ambassador Nikolay Kudashev said on Wednesday amid apprehensions of possible US sanctions against New Delhi over procurement of the weapons systems.

The envoy also said that both Russia and India do not recognise bilateral sanctions as they are "illegal tools" of "unlawful and unfair" competition and pressure.

During his visit to India last month, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said there was no discussion with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on the possibility of American sanctions against India over its S-400 deal with Russia as there has been no delivery of the missiles.

At the same time, Austin urged all allies and partners of the US to avoid buying Russian equipment that may invite US sanctions.

"Together with India, we do not recognise bilateral sanctions as they are illegal tools of unlawful and unfair, should I say, competition, pressure and even blackmail. It was clearly stated by the two foreign ministers in the course of their exchange," Kudashev said.

"With regard to S-400 and broader agreements, both sides are committed to the agreed timelines and other obligations. This contract is being successfully fulfilled," he added.

The US has already imposed sanctions on Turkey under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) for purchase of S-400 missile defences from Russia.

Kudashev also said that the world order should be free from "unilateral approaches, illegal sanctions, double standards" and interference in domestic affairs of sovereign states.

"Collective international law based solutions should prevail over zero-sum games," he said, in his initial statement.

Ahead of Austin's high-profile India visit, Senator Robert Menendez, Chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in a letter urged the US Defence Secretary to take up with Indian leaders the issue of New Delhi procuring Russian S-400 missile defence system.

In October 2018, India had signed a USD 5 billion deal with Russia to buy five units of the S-400 air defence missile systems, despite a warning from the Trump administration that going ahead with the contract may invite US sanctions.

India made the first tranche of payment of around USD 800 million to Russia for the missile systems in 2019. The S-400 is known as Russia's most advanced long-range surface-to-air missile defence system.

Following the US sanctions on Turkey, there have been apprehensions that Washington may impose similar punitive measures on India.

The supply of S-400 missiles to India by Russia is expected to begin later this year.&nbsp;

Russia and India are committed to adhering to timelines and other obligations under the S-400 missile deal, Russian ambassador Nikolay Kudashev said on Wednesday amid apprehensions of possible US sanctions against New Delhi over procurement of the weapons systems.

Russia and India are committed to adhering to timelines and other obligations under the S-400 missile deal, Russian ambassador Nikolay Kudashev said on Wednesday amid apprehensions of possible US sanctions against New Delhi over procurement of the weapons systems. The envoy also said that both Russia and India do not recognise bilateral sanctions as they are "illegal tools" of "unlawful and unfair" competition and pressure. During his visit to India last month, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said there was no discussion with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on the possibility of American sanctions against India over its S-400 deal with Russia as there has been no delivery of the missiles. At the same time, Austin urged all allies and partners of the US to avoid buying Russian equipment that may invite US sanctions. "Together with India, we do not recognise bilateral sanctions as they are illegal tools of unlawful and unfair, should I say, competition, pressure and even blackmail. It was clearly stated by the two foreign ministers in the course of their exchange," Kudashev said. "With regard to S-400 and broader agreements, both sides are committed to the agreed timelines and other obligations. This contract is being successfully fulfilled," he added. The US has already imposed sanctions on Turkey under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) for purchase of S-400 missile defences from Russia. Kudashev also said that the world order should be free from "unilateral approaches, illegal sanctions, double standards" and interference in domestic affairs of sovereign states. "Collective international law based solutions should prevail over zero-sum games," he said, in his initial statement. Ahead of Austin's high-profile India visit, Senator Robert Menendez, Chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in a letter urged the US Defence Secretary to take up with Indian leaders the issue of New Delhi procuring Russian S-400 missile defence system. In October 2018, India had signed a USD 5 billion deal with Russia to buy five units of the S-400 air defence missile systems, despite a warning from the Trump administration that going ahead with the contract may invite US sanctions. India made the first tranche of payment of around USD 800 million to Russia for the missile systems in 2019. The S-400 is known as Russia's most advanced long-range surface-to-air missile defence system. Following the US sanctions on Turkey, there have been apprehensions that Washington may impose similar punitive measures on India. The supply of S-400 missiles to India by Russia is expected to begin later this year.

Russia, India committed to S-400 missile deal: Russian envoy

Among Covid patients, a lack of exercise is linked to more severe symptoms and a higher risk of death, according to a study covering nearly 50,000 people who were infected with the virus.

People physically inactive for at least two years before the pandemic were more likely to be hospitalised, to require intensive care, and to die, researchers reported Tuesday in&nbsp;the&nbsp;British&nbsp;Journal&nbsp;of&nbsp;Sports&nbsp;Medicine.&nbsp;

As a risk factor for serious Covid disease, physical inactivity was surpassed only by advanced age and a history of organ transplant, the study found.

Indeed, compared to other modifiable risk factors such as smoking, obesity or hypertension, "physical inactivity was the strongest risk factor across all outcomes," the authors concluded.&nbsp;

The pre-existing conditions most associated with severe Covid-19 infection are advanced age, being male, and having diabetes, obesity or cardiovascular disease.

But up to now, a sedentary lifestyle has not been included.

To see whether a lack of exercise increases the odds of severe infection, hospitalisation, admission into an intensive care unit (ICU), and death, the researchers compared these outcomes in 48,440 adults in the United States infected with Covid-19 between January and October 2020.

The average age of patients was 47, and three out of five were women. On average, their mass-body index was 31, just above the threshold for obesity.&nbsp;

Around half had no underlying illnesses, such as diabetes, chronic lung conditions, heart or kidney disease, or cancer. Nearly 20 percent had one, and more than 30 percent had two or more.&nbsp;

All of the patients had reported their level of regular physical activity at least three times between March 2018 and March 2020 at outpatient clinics.

Some 15 percent described themselves as inactive (0–10 minutes of physical activity per week), nearly 80 percent reported "some activity" (11–149 minutes/week), and seven percent were consistently active in keeping with national health guidelines (150+ minutes/week).

After allowing for differences due to race, age and underlying medical conditions, sedentary Covid-19 patients were more than twice as likely to be admitted to hospital as those who were most active.

They were also 73 percent more likely to require intensive care, and 2.5 times more likely to die due to the infection.&nbsp;

Compared to patients in the habit of doing occasional physical activity, couch potatoes were 20 percent more likely to be admitted to hospital, 10 percent more likely to require intensive care, and 32 percent more likely to die.

While the link is statistically strong, the study -- which is observational, as opposed to a clinical trial -- cannot be construed as direct evidence that a lack of exercise directly caused the difference in outcomes.&nbsp;

The findings also depend on self-reporting by patients, with a potential for bias.

Among Covid patients, a lack of exercise is linked to more severe symptoms and a higher risk of death, according to a study covering nearly 50,000 people who were infected with the virus.

Among Covid patients, a lack of exercise is linked to more severe symptoms and a higher risk of death, according to a study covering nearly 50,000 people who were infected with the virus. People physically inactive for at least two years before the pandemic were more likely to be hospitalised, to require intensive care, and to die, researchers reported Tuesday in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. As a risk factor for serious Covid disease, physical inactivity was surpassed only by advanced age and a history of organ transplant, the study found. Indeed, compared to other modifiable risk factors such as smoking, obesity or hypertension, "physical inactivity was the strongest risk factor across all outcomes," the authors concluded. The pre-existing conditions most associated with severe Covid-19 infection are advanced age, being male, and having diabetes, obesity or cardiovascular disease. But up to now, a sedentary lifestyle has not been included. To see whether a lack of exercise increases the odds of severe infection, hospitalisation, admission into an intensive care unit (ICU), and death, the researchers compared these outcomes in 48,440 adults in the United States infected with Covid-19 between January and October 2020. The average age of patients was 47, and three out of five were women. On average, their mass-body index was 31, just above the threshold for obesity. Around half had no underlying illnesses, such as diabetes, chronic lung conditions, heart or kidney disease, or cancer. Nearly 20 percent had one, and more than 30 percent had two or more. All of the patients had reported their level of regular physical activity at least three times between March 2018 and March 2020 at outpatient clinics. Some 15 percent described themselves as inactive (0–10 minutes of physical activity per week), nearly 80 percent reported "some activity" (11–149 minutes/week), and seven percent were consistently active in keeping with national health guidelines (150+ minutes/week). After allowing for differences due to race, age and underlying medical conditions, sedentary Covid-19 patients were more than twice as likely to be admitted to hospital as those who were most active. They were also 73 percent more likely to require intensive care, and 2.5 times more likely to die due to the infection. Compared to patients in the habit of doing occasional physical activity, couch potatoes were 20 percent more likely to be admitted to hospital, 10 percent more likely to require intensive care, and 32 percent more likely to die. While the link is statistically strong, the study -- which is observational, as opposed to a clinical trial -- cannot be construed as direct evidence that a lack of exercise directly caused the difference in outcomes. The findings also depend on self-reporting by patients, with a potential for bias.

Are you active? Coronavirus patients with sedentary habits more likely to die, says study

US&nbsp;President Joe&nbsp;Biden&nbsp;on Tuesday&nbsp;described the most recent shooting death of a Black man in Minnesota by a police officer as "God awful" and said he and members of the Congressional Black Caucus were meeting to deliver "real change."

The mayor of Brooklyn Center, Minnesota announced the resignation of that town's police chief and of the officer who fatally shot at Daunte Wright, a 20-year old Black man who had struggled with police after a traffic stop.

Mayor Mike Elliott told reporters they resigned after the Brooklyn Center city council passed a resolution to dismiss both the chief, Tim Gannon, and the officer who shot Wright, Kim Potter, a 26-year veteran of the police force.

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The moves followed two nights of protests in the city of 30,000 people just miles from Minneapolis, a city already on edge with the trial of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer charged with murdering George Floyd.

Brooklyn Center Mayor Mike Elliott said he was "appreciative" that Potter submitted her resignation but that he had not asked for it nor accepted it. It wasn't immediately clear what that would mean.

Gannon has said he believed Potter mistakenly grabbed her gun when she was going for her Taser. She can be heard on her body camera video shouting "Taser! Taser!"

However, protesters and Wright's family members say there's no excuse for the shooting and it shows how the justice system is tilted against Blacks, noting Wright was stopped for expired car registration and ended up dead.

Elliott said the city had been moving toward firing Potter when she resigned. He said he hoped her resignation would "bring some calm to the community," but that he would keep working towards "full accountability under the law".

"We have to make sure that justice is served, justice is done. Daunte Wright deserves that, his family deserves that," Elliott said.

Activists who attended the news conference called for sweeping changes to the Brooklyn Center Police Department and sharply criticized the acting police chief, Tony Gruenig, for not yet having a plan.

Elliott said the department has about 49 police officers, none of whom live in Brooklyn Center. He said he didn't have information on racial diversity at hand but that "we have very few people of colour in our department".

The modest suburb just north of Minneapolis has seen its demographics shift dramatically in recent years. In 2000, more than 70 per cent of the city was white. Today, a majority of residents are Black, Asian or Latino.

Wright was stopped for having expired license plates. Police then tried to arrest him on an outstanding warrant after failing to appear in court on charges that he fled from officers and possessed a gun without a permit during an encounter with Minneapolis police in June.

Former US&nbsp;President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama issued a statement on Tuesday calling for a "full and transparent investigation" following "yet another shooting of a Black man."

Body camera footage released Monday shows Wright struggling with police when an officer shouts, "I'll Tase you! I'll Tase you! Taser! Taser! Taser!" She draws her weapon after the man breaks free from police outside his car and gets back behind the wheel.

After firing a single shot from her handgun, the car speeds away, and the officer is heard saying, "Holy (expletive)! I shot him." Wright died of a gunshot wound to the chest, according to the medical examiner. Protests began within hours.

In her one-paragraph letter of resignation, Potter, a 26-year veteran,&nbsp;said, "I have loved every minute of being a police officer and serving this community to the best of my ability, but I believe it is in the best interest of the community, the department, and my fellow officers if I resign immediately."

Wright's father, Aubrey Wright, told ABC's "Good Morning America" on Tuesday that he rejects the explanation that Potter mistook her gun for her Taser.

"I lost my son. He's never coming back. I can't accept that. A mistake? That doesn't even sound right. This officer has been on the force for 26 years. I can't accept that," he said.

Chyna Whitaker, mother of Daunte's son, said at a news conference that she felt police "stole my son's dad from him."

The Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association, the police union, said in a statement Tuesday that "no conclusions should be made until the investigation is complete."

Prosecutors in Hennepin County, where the shooting occurred, said they have referred the case to nearby Washington County -- a practice county attorneys in the Minneapolis area adopted last year in handling police deadly force cases. The Washington County Attorney's office did not immediately return a request for comment.

Elliott, the mayor, called for the governor to move the case to the attorney general to prosecute.

Asked to comment, John Stiles, spokesman for the attorney general's office, said the attorney general has confidence in Washington County Attorney Pete Orput's review of the case.

Ben Crump, the Wright family's attorney, spoke outside the Minneapolis courthouse where a fired police officer is on trial in Floyd's death. Crump compared Wright's death to Floyd's, who was pinned down by police when they tried to arrest him for allegedly passing a counterfeit $20 at a neighbourhood market last May.

Daunte Wright "was not a threat to them," Crump said. "Was it the best decision? No. But young people don't always make the best decisions. As his mother said, he was scared."

Potter has experience with investigations into police shootings. She was the police union president and one of the first officers to respond after Brooklyn Center police fatally shot a man who allegedly tried to stab an officer with a knife in 2019, according to a report from the Hennepin County Attorney's Office.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

US President Joe Biden on Tuesday described the most recent shooting death of a Black man in Minnesota by a police officer as "God awful" and said he and members of the Congressional Black Caucus were meeting to deliver "real change.

US President Joe Biden on Tuesday described the most recent shooting death of a Black man in Minnesota by a police officer as "God awful" and said he and members of the Congressional Black Caucus were meeting to deliver "real change." The mayor of Brooklyn Center, Minnesota announced the resignation of that town's police chief and of the officer who fatally shot at Daunte Wright, a 20-year old Black man who had struggled with police after a traffic stop. Mayor Mike Elliott told reporters they resigned after the Brooklyn Center city council passed a resolution to dismiss both the chief, Tim Gannon, and the officer who shot Wright, Kim Potter, a 26-year veteran of the police force. The moves followed two nights of protests in the city of 30,000 people just miles from Minneapolis, a city already on edge with the trial of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer charged with murdering George Floyd. Brooklyn Center Mayor Mike Elliott said he was "appreciative" that Potter submitted her resignation but that he had not asked for it nor accepted it. It wasn't immediately clear what that would mean. Gannon has said he believed Potter mistakenly grabbed her gun when she was going for her Taser. She can be heard on her body camera video shouting "Taser! Taser!" However, protesters and Wright's family members say there's no excuse for the shooting and it shows how the justice system is tilted against Blacks, noting Wright was stopped for expired car registration and ended up dead. Elliott said the city had been moving toward firing Potter when she resigned. He said he hoped her resignation would "bring some calm to the community," but that he would keep working towards "full accountability under the law". "We have to make sure that justice is served, justice is done. Daunte Wright deserves that, his family deserves that," Elliott said. Activists who attended the news conference called for sweeping changes to the Brooklyn Center Police Department and sharply criticized the acting police chief, Tony Gruenig, for not yet having a plan. Elliott said the department has about 49 police officers, none of whom live in Brooklyn Center. He said he didn't have information on racial diversity at hand but that "we have very few people of colour in our department". The modest suburb just north of Minneapolis has seen its demographics shift dramatically in recent years. In 2000, more than 70 per cent of the city was white. Today, a majority of residents are Black, Asian or Latino. Wright was stopped for having expired license plates. Police then tried to arrest him on an outstanding warrant after failing to appear in court on charges that he fled from officers and possessed a gun without a permit during an encounter with Minneapolis police in June. Former US President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama issued a statement on Tuesday calling for a "full and transparent investigation" following "yet another shooting of a Black man." Body camera footage released Monday shows Wright struggling with police when an officer shouts, "I'll Tase you! I'll Tase you! Taser! Taser! Taser!" She draws her weapon after the man breaks free from police outside his car and gets back behind the wheel. After firing a single shot from her handgun, the car speeds away, and the officer is heard saying, "Holy (expletive)! I shot him." Wright died of a gunshot wound to the chest, according to the medical examiner. Protests began within hours. In her one-paragraph letter of resignation, Potter, a 26-year veteran, said, "I have loved every minute of being a police officer and serving this community to the best of my ability, but I believe it is in the best interest of the community, the department, and my fellow officers if I resign immediately." Wright's father, Aubrey Wright, told ABC's "Good Morning America" on Tuesday that he rejects the explanation that Potter mistook her gun for her Taser. "I lost my son. He's never coming back. I can't accept that. A mistake? That doesn't even sound right. This officer has been on the force for 26 years. I can't accept that," he said. Chyna Whitaker, mother of Daunte's son, said at a news conference that she felt police "stole my son's dad from him." The Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association, the police union, said in a statement Tuesday that "no conclusions should be made until the investigation is complete." Prosecutors in Hennepin County, where the shooting occurred, said they have referred the case to nearby Washington County -- a practice county attorneys in the Minneapolis area adopted last year in handling police deadly force cases. The Washington County Attorney's office did not immediately return a request for comment. Elliott, the mayor, called for the governor to move the case to the attorney general to prosecute. Asked to comment, John Stiles, spokesman for the attorney general's office, said the attorney general has confidence in Washington County Attorney Pete Orput's review of the case. Ben Crump, the Wright family's attorney, spoke outside the Minneapolis courthouse where a fired police officer is on trial in Floyd's death. Crump compared Wright's death to Floyd's, who was pinned down by police when they tried to arrest him for allegedly passing a counterfeit $20 at a neighbourhood market last May. Daunte Wright "was not a threat to them," Crump said. "Was it the best decision? No. But young people don't always make the best decisions. As his mother said, he was scared." Potter has experience with investigations into police shootings. She was the police union president and one of the first officers to respond after Brooklyn Center police fatally shot a man who allegedly tried to stab an officer with a knife in 2019, according to a report from the Hennepin County Attorney's Office. (With inputs from agencies)

'God awful': Biden condemns latest police shooting of Black man in Minnesota

Facebook-owned photo-sharing platform Instagram has rolled out new features on the occasion of Ramzan.

The platform has launched three new stickers created for Ramzan that started today and will continue until May 12. The new stickers can be used in Instagram Stories.

Instagram&nbsp;frequently launches stickers to celebrate festivals, and commemorate important events around the world.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-ramazan-the-pandemic-377389/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Tara Bedi, Public Policy and Community Outreach Manager, Instagram, Facebook India, posted the stickers on her Instagram account and spoke about the new features.

Instagram worked with Hala AlAbbasi, an illustrator from Bahrain, to create the three stickers for the occasion."Ramzan Mubarak, Ramadan Kareem! Today we`re launching new themed product features, while celebrating acts of kindness around in this #MonthofGood," Bedi wrote in the caption.

"Stickers: We worked with @haluulie to create 3 new stickers so that you can share the traditions of Ramadan on Instagram. Hala AlAbbasi, an illustrator in Bahrain, was inspired by her favourite aspects of the holiday, and chose to reflect on the "beautiful moments that we share together," added Bedi.

"Hala hopes that her stickers will be used throughout Ramadan to mark moments of celebration, from greetings to special suhoors and iftars, all the way to celebrating Eid. Swipe to see all 3 stickers," the post further read.

The three stickers include the moon, iftar food, and a mosque in colourful illustrations. Instagram has also placed the stickers under `Featured` so they appear on top in the sticker stray.

The recently-released stickers will also be visible through a multi-author story on Instagram. So if you have people you follow, use any of the stickers, they'll appear together in a collated story in your feed.

How to use the stickers:

1. Open the camera on your Instagram application.

2. Take a photo or record a video that you wish to put up as a story.

3. Tap on the sticker icon available on the top bar.

4. The new stickers will be visible under `Featured`.

5. Select any as per your liking or all of the stickers and place them on your story.

Facebook-owned photo-sharing platform Instagram has rolled out new features on the occasion of Ramzan. The platform has launched three new stickers created for Ramzan that started today and will continue until May 12.

Facebook-owned photo-sharing platform Instagram has rolled out new features on the occasion of Ramzan. The platform has launched three new stickers created for Ramzan that started today and will continue until May 12. The new stickers can be used in Instagram Stories. Instagram frequently launches stickers to celebrate festivals, and commemorate important events around the world. Tara Bedi, Public Policy and Community Outreach Manager, Instagram, Facebook India, posted the stickers on her Instagram account and spoke about the new features. Instagram worked with Hala AlAbbasi, an illustrator from Bahrain, to create the three stickers for the occasion."Ramzan Mubarak, Ramadan Kareem! Today we`re launching new themed product features, while celebrating acts of kindness around in this #MonthofGood," Bedi wrote in the caption. "Stickers: We worked with @haluulie to create 3 new stickers so that you can share the traditions of Ramadan on Instagram. Hala AlAbbasi, an illustrator in Bahrain, was inspired by her favourite aspects of the holiday, and chose to reflect on the "beautiful moments that we share together," added Bedi. "Hala hopes that her stickers will be used throughout Ramadan to mark moments of celebration, from greetings to special suhoors and iftars, all the way to celebrating Eid. Swipe to see all 3 stickers," the post further read. The three stickers include the moon, iftar food, and a mosque in colourful illustrations. Instagram has also placed the stickers under `Featured` so they appear on top in the sticker stray. The recently-released stickers will also be visible through a multi-author story on Instagram. So if you have people you follow, use any of the stickers, they'll appear together in a collated story in your feed. How to use the stickers: 1. Open the camera on your Instagram application. 2. Take a photo or record a video that you wish to put up as a story. 3. Tap on the sticker icon available on the top bar. 4. The new stickers will be visible under `Featured`. 5. Select any as per your liking or all of the stickers and place them on your story.

Instagram launches new stickers on Ramzan, here's how to use them

Lunar exploration company iSpace will transport a United Arab Emirates rover to the moon in 2022, the Japanese company said on Wednesday, as the&nbsp;UAE&nbsp;pushes for rapid expansion in the space exploration business to diversify its economy.

The&nbsp;UAE&nbsp;is using its space programme to develop its scientific and technological capabilities and reduce its reliance on oil.

The Gulf state's, and the Arab world's, first interplanetary probe entered Mars' orbit in February. It is now sending data about the Martian atmosphere and climate.

The Rashid lunar rover will be designed entirely by Emiratis. The&nbsp;UAE&nbsp;had originally intended to send it into space by 2024.

Japanese company iSpace, founded in 2010, aims to provide commercial transportation to the moon with a wider mission to ultimately incorporate the moon into the earth's economy.

The 2022 launch will be iSpace's first mission of this kind and will use a Falcon 9 rocket from Elon Musk's SpaceX, to be launched from Florida.

Dubai's Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center (MBRSC) will build the Rashid lunar rover. It will remain on the moon after data collection is completed, said Emirates Lunar Mission manager Hamad al-Marzooqi.

The SpaceX rocket will deliver an iSpace lander to the moon's orbit. The lander will propel itself to the moon's surface and the&nbsp;UAE&nbsp;rover will then emerge from the lander and drive off to explore, said iSpace Founder and CEO Takeshi Hakamada.

The lander will also be carrying a solid-state battery designed by Japanese company NGK Spark Plug&nbsp;to be tested in the lunar environment.

The lunar mission is part of the Gulf state's broader vision for a Mars settlement by 2117.

Under the agreement, iSpace said it would also provide the Emirates Lunar Mission with wired communication and power during the cruise phase and wireless communication on the moon.

The&nbsp;UAE&nbsp;launched a National Space Programme in 2017 to develop local expertise. Its population of 9.4 million, most of whom are foreign workers, lacks the scientific and industrial base of the major countries which have space programmes.

Hazza al-Mansouri became the first Emirati in space in 2019 when he flew to the International Space Station. This week the&nbsp;UAE&nbsp;selected the first Arab woman to train as an astronaut.

(With input from agencies)

Lunar exploration company iSpace will transport a United Arab Emirates rover to the moon in 2022, the Japanese company said on Wednesday, as the UAE pushes for rapid expansion in the space exploration business to diversify its economy.

Lunar exploration company iSpace will transport a United Arab Emirates rover to the moon in 2022, the Japanese company said on Wednesday, as the UAE pushes for rapid expansion in the space exploration business to diversify its economy. The UAE is using its space programme to develop its scientific and technological capabilities and reduce its reliance on oil. The Gulf state's, and the Arab world's, first interplanetary probe entered Mars' orbit in February. It is now sending data about the Martian atmosphere and climate. The Rashid lunar rover will be designed entirely by Emiratis. The UAE had originally intended to send it into space by 2024. Japanese company iSpace, founded in 2010, aims to provide commercial transportation to the moon with a wider mission to ultimately incorporate the moon into the earth's economy. The 2022 launch will be iSpace's first mission of this kind and will use a Falcon 9 rocket from Elon Musk's SpaceX, to be launched from Florida. Dubai's Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center (MBRSC) will build the Rashid lunar rover. It will remain on the moon after data collection is completed, said Emirates Lunar Mission manager Hamad al-Marzooqi. The SpaceX rocket will deliver an iSpace lander to the moon's orbit. The lander will propel itself to the moon's surface and the UAE rover will then emerge from the lander and drive off to explore, said iSpace Founder and CEO Takeshi Hakamada. The lander will also be carrying a solid-state battery designed by Japanese company NGK Spark Plug to be tested in the lunar environment. The lunar mission is part of the Gulf state's broader vision for a Mars settlement by 2117. Under the agreement, iSpace said it would also provide the Emirates Lunar Mission with wired communication and power during the cruise phase and wireless communication on the moon. The UAE launched a National Space Programme in 2017 to develop local expertise. Its population of 9.4 million, most of whom are foreign workers, lacks the scientific and industrial base of the major countries which have space programmes. Hazza al-Mansouri became the first Emirati in space in 2019 when he flew to the International Space Station. This week the UAE selected the first Arab woman to train as an astronaut. (With input from agencies)

Japanese firm iSpace to send UAE's lunar rover in 2022

US President Joe Biden on Tuesday told his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to lower tensions on the Ukrainian border and suggested they hold their first summit.

The White House and the Kremlin reported only the second conversation between the two since Biden took office in January. Western officials urged Moscow to end the build-up and Russia, in words recalling the Cold War, said its "adversary" should keep US&nbsp;warships well away from the Crimea region.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-the-russia-ukraine-conflict-explained-377141/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Russia seized Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and fighting has increased in recent weeks in eastern Ukraine, where government forces have battled Russian-backed separatists in a seven-year conflict that Kyiv says has killed 14,000 people.

In a sign of concern about tensions spinning out of control in the Ukraine crisis, Biden phoned Putin to propose they meet in a third country while underlining US&nbsp;commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

"President Biden also made clear that the United States will act firmly in defense of its national interests in response to Russia's actions, such as cyber intrusions and election interference," the White House said in a statement.

"The president voiced our concerns over the sudden Russian military build-up in occupied Crimea and on Ukraine’s borders, and called on Russia to de-escalate tensions," it said.

In the first public Russian description of the build-up, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Moscow had moved two armies and three paratrooper units to its western border as part of a large snap drill meant to test combat readiness and respond to what he called threatening military action by NATO.

Shoigu said on state TV that the three-week exercise, which he called successful, was due to wrap up in the next two weeks.

Shoigu said NATO was deploying 40,000 troops and 15,000 pieces of military equipment near Russia's borders, mainly in the Black Sea and the Baltic regions.

The Western alliance denies any such plans.

A senior U.S. State Department official told reporters: "We know Russia's capacity. This enormous build-up that they've made militarily ... to take aggressive action, but we don't know their intentions obviously," the official said.

Russia has regularly accused NATO of destabilizing Europe with its troop reinforcements in the Baltics and Poland since the annexation of Crimea.

Two US&nbsp;warships are due to arrive in the Black Sea this week in response to what U.S. and NATO officials say is the largest massing of Russian forces - with thousands of combat-ready troops - since Moscow seized Crimea from Ukraine.

"We warn the United States that it will be better for them to stay far away from Crimea and our Black Sea coast," Ryabkov said. "It will be for their own good. He called the US&nbsp;deployment a provocation designed to test Russian nerves.

Blinken met Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in Brussels after Group of Seven foreign ministers condemned what they said was the unexplained rise in Russian troop numbers.

Echoing NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, who met Kuleba earlier, Blinken said Moscow's military actions on Ukraine's doorstep were "very provocative".

"Russia must end this military build-up in and around Ukraine, stop its provocations and de-escalate immediately," Stoltenberg said at a news conference with Kuleba.

Kyiv has welcomed the show of Western support, but it falls short of Ukraine's desire for full membership of NATO.

Kuleba said Kyiv wanted a diplomatic solution, though he also appealed for further economic sanctions against Moscow and more military assistance to Ukraine.

Separately, two diplomats said Stoltenberg would chair a video conference with allied defense and foreign ministers on Wednesday. Blinken and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin were to be present at NATO headquarters to brief the other 29 allies on Ukraine, as well as on Afghanistan, the diplomats said.

In contrast to former president Donald Trump's reluctance to criticize Putin, Biden came into office in January openly attacking what he says is the Kremlin's meddling in US elections, &nbsp;mounting of a huge cyber attack last year, and the jailing of opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

Biden said in a March interview that he agreed Putin is a "killer."

The White House has promised retaliatory actions but has yet to make public any details.

In a surprise move Tuesday, Biden also used the call to suggest a summit with Putin somewhere other than in the United States or Russia.

"President Biden reaffirmed his goal of building a stable and predictable relationship with Russia consistent with US interests, and proposed a summit meeting in a third country in the coming months to discuss the full range of issues facing the United States and Russia," the White House statement said.

Putin similarly held a summit in Finland in 2018 with Trump, who caused a furor at home by appearing to ignore his own intelligence community's assessment and to accept the Russian leader's denials of election meddling.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said that the summit was being proposed for "the coming months," which would mean "this summer."

However, she expressed US skepticism over how much could be achieved in relations with Putin's Russia.

"What we're working toward is predictable and stable. We're not looking for an establishment of trust as much as a predictability and stability," she told reporters.

Moscow earlier Tuesday responded to criticism of its troop deployments by saying they were "training exercises" and said Russia felt threatened by the western NATO alliance.

In its readout of the Biden-Putin call, the Kremlin said "both sides expressed their readiness to continue dialogue on the most important areas of ensuring global security."

It also said that Biden proposed a summit "in the near future" but did not say whether the idea had been accepted.

Amid fears in Ukraine that Russia could launch a large-scale assault, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba met in Brussels with top officials of NATO nations including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who voiced his strong support for Kiev.

(With input from agencies)

US President Joe Biden on Tuesday told his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to lower tensions on the Ukrainian border and suggested they hold their first summit.

US President Joe Biden on Tuesday told his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to lower tensions on the Ukrainian border and suggested they hold their first summit. The White House and the Kremlin reported only the second conversation between the two since Biden took office in January. Western officials urged Moscow to end the build-up and Russia, in words recalling the Cold War, said its "adversary" should keep US warships well away from the Crimea region. Russia seized Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and fighting has increased in recent weeks in eastern Ukraine, where government forces have battled Russian-backed separatists in a seven-year conflict that Kyiv says has killed 14,000 people. In a sign of concern about tensions spinning out of control in the Ukraine crisis, Biden phoned Putin to propose they meet in a third country while underlining US commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. "President Biden also made clear that the United States will act firmly in defense of its national interests in response to Russia's actions, such as cyber intrusions and election interference," the White House said in a statement. "The president voiced our concerns over the sudden Russian military build-up in occupied Crimea and on Ukraine’s borders, and called on Russia to de-escalate tensions," it said. In the first public Russian description of the build-up, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Moscow had moved two armies and three paratrooper units to its western border as part of a large snap drill meant to test combat readiness and respond to what he called threatening military action by NATO. Shoigu said on state TV that the three-week exercise, which he called successful, was due to wrap up in the next two weeks. Shoigu said NATO was deploying 40,000 troops and 15,000 pieces of military equipment near Russia's borders, mainly in the Black Sea and the Baltic regions. The Western alliance denies any such plans. A senior U.S. State Department official told reporters: "We know Russia's capacity. This enormous build-up that they've made militarily ... to take aggressive action, but we don't know their intentions obviously," the official said. Russia has regularly accused NATO of destabilizing Europe with its troop reinforcements in the Baltics and Poland since the annexation of Crimea. Two US warships are due to arrive in the Black Sea this week in response to what U.S. and NATO officials say is the largest massing of Russian forces - with thousands of combat-ready troops - since Moscow seized Crimea from Ukraine. "We warn the United States that it will be better for them to stay far away from Crimea and our Black Sea coast," Ryabkov said. "It will be for their own good. He called the US deployment a provocation designed to test Russian nerves. Blinken met Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in Brussels after Group of Seven foreign ministers condemned what they said was the unexplained rise in Russian troop numbers. Echoing NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, who met Kuleba earlier, Blinken said Moscow's military actions on Ukraine's doorstep were "very provocative". "Russia must end this military build-up in and around Ukraine, stop its provocations and de-escalate immediately," Stoltenberg said at a news conference with Kuleba. Kyiv has welcomed the show of Western support, but it falls short of Ukraine's desire for full membership of NATO. Kuleba said Kyiv wanted a diplomatic solution, though he also appealed for further economic sanctions against Moscow and more military assistance to Ukraine. Separately, two diplomats said Stoltenberg would chair a video conference with allied defense and foreign ministers on Wednesday. Blinken and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin were to be present at NATO headquarters to brief the other 29 allies on Ukraine, as well as on Afghanistan, the diplomats said. In contrast to former president Donald Trump's reluctance to criticize Putin, Biden came into office in January openly attacking what he says is the Kremlin's meddling in US elections, mounting of a huge cyber attack last year, and the jailing of opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Biden said in a March interview that he agreed Putin is a "killer." The White House has promised retaliatory actions but has yet to make public any details. In a surprise move Tuesday, Biden also used the call to suggest a summit with Putin somewhere other than in the United States or Russia. "President Biden reaffirmed his goal of building a stable and predictable relationship with Russia consistent with US interests, and proposed a summit meeting in a third country in the coming months to discuss the full range of issues facing the United States and Russia," the White House statement said. Putin similarly held a summit in Finland in 2018 with Trump, who caused a furor at home by appearing to ignore his own intelligence community's assessment and to accept the Russian leader's denials of election meddling. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said that the summit was being proposed for "the coming months," which would mean "this summer." However, she expressed US skepticism over how much could be achieved in relations with Putin's Russia. "What we're working toward is predictable and stable. We're not looking for an establishment of trust as much as a predictability and stability," she told reporters. Moscow earlier Tuesday responded to criticism of its troop deployments by saying they were "training exercises" and said Russia felt threatened by the western NATO alliance. In its readout of the Biden-Putin call, the Kremlin said "both sides expressed their readiness to continue dialogue on the most important areas of ensuring global security." It also said that Biden proposed a summit "in the near future" but did not say whether the idea had been accepted. Amid fears in Ukraine that Russia could launch a large-scale assault, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba met in Brussels with top officials of NATO nations including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who voiced his strong support for Kiev. (With input from agencies)

Biden tells Putin to ease tensions on Ukrainian border, proposes summit

China has opened a 5G signal base at the Ganbala radar station in the remote Himalayan region of Tibet which is the world's highest manually operated radar station at an elevation of 5,374 meters, the Chinese military's official website reported on Monday.

The mountain is located in Nagarze County in Tibet which is in the vicinity of borders with India and Bhutan.

At the end of last year, the People's Liberation Army started to coordinate with civilian enterprises to launch 5G base station construction in Ganbala to solve the difficulty of network access for the border defence troops, the website said.

The stable and high-speed 5G signal enables the soldiers in the deep mountains to keep up with the information society, leaving the monotonous and boring life on the border, it said.

It is part of efforts to improve training and on-duty conditions for soldiers stationed in border areas, it added.

Radar operator Lin Linghui told the website said that serving in the military on plateau areas means that he could not get together with family members often, but he could now have video chat with his family freely and witness the growth of his child.

China has opened a 5G signal base at the Ganbala radar station in the remote Himalayan region of Tibet which is the world's highest manually operated radar station at an elevation of 5,374 meters, the Chinese military's official website reported on Monday.

China has opened a 5G signal base at the Ganbala radar station in the remote Himalayan region of Tibet which is the world's highest manually operated radar station at an elevation of 5,374 meters, the Chinese military's official website reported on Monday. The mountain is located in Nagarze County in Tibet which is in the vicinity of borders with India and Bhutan. At the end of last year, the People's Liberation Army started to coordinate with civilian enterprises to launch 5G base station construction in Ganbala to solve the difficulty of network access for the border defence troops, the website said. The stable and high-speed 5G signal enables the soldiers in the deep mountains to keep up with the information society, leaving the monotonous and boring life on the border, it said. It is part of efforts to improve training and on-duty conditions for soldiers stationed in border areas, it added. Radar operator Lin Linghui told the website said that serving in the military on plateau areas means that he could not get together with family members often, but he could now have video chat with his family freely and witness the growth of his child.

China opens 5G signal station at world's highest radar location near Tibet border

Hoping to capitalise on a surge in demand for home deliveries, a&nbsp;Singapore&nbsp;technology company has deployed a pair of robots to bring residents their groceries in one part of the city state.

Developed by OTSAW Digital and both named "Camello", the robots' services have been offered to 700 households in a one-year trial.

Users can book delivery slots for their milk and eggs, and an app notifies them when the robot is about to reach a pick-up point,&nbsp;usually the lobby of an apartment building.

The robots, which are equipped with 3D sensors, a camera and two compartments each able to carry up to 20 kg (44 lb) of food or parcels ordered online, make four or five deliveries per day on weekdays and are on call for half day on Saturday.

They use ultraviolet light to disinfect themselves after every trip, said OTSAW Digital's chief executive, Ling Ting Ming.

"Especially during this pandemic period, everybody is looking at contactless, humanless," he said.

For the time being, staff accompany the robots on their rounds to ensure no problems arise.

Tashfique Haider, a 25-year-old student who has tried out the service, said it could be particularly helpful for the elderly so they wouldn't have to carry goods home.

But a passerby worried the technology might be too much trouble for some.

"The younger customers will like it. I don't think they (the older generation) will, because these are gadgets that younger people like," said 36-year-old housewife Xue Ya Xin.

Similarly,&nbsp;Domino's Pizza Inc and Nuro Inc, a Silicon Valley startup, said on Monday they will launch a robotic pizza delivery service in Houston this week as they seek to satisfy increasing online orders during the pandemic.

With small, low-speed vehicles to carry packages instead of people, Nuro has been pulling ahead of other autonomous vehicle startups in gaining regulatory approvals. It won US&nbsp;clearance last year to start unmanned delivery services.

Nuro recently secured a $500 million including an equity investment from Woven Capital, the mobility investment arm of a Toyota Motor Corp subsidiary, which made its total valuation more than $5 billion, a person familiar with the matter said.

The delivery service will begin at a Domino's outlet in Houston before expanding to serve customers in many other locations as part of a long-term partnership, said Cosimo Leipold, Nuro’s head of partner relations.

"It’s generally difficult for large companies to hire enough drivers to fill their delivery demand," Leipold said in an emailed statement to Reuters.

Leipold said Nuro, which has already partnered with retailers Kroger Co, Walmart Inc and CVS Health Corp to deliver groceries and prescriptions, said its weekly deliveries had nearly tripled in the first three months of the pandemic.

Houston, the fourth-largest US&nbsp;city, has one of the country's highest road fatality rates. "Houston’s roadways create challenging scenarios for our technology to work with," Leipold added.

Nuro and&nbsp;Domino’s&nbsp;had said in 2019 they expected to launch robot pizza delivery late that year. "Nuro and&nbsp;Domino’s&nbsp;have taken a measured approach to prioritize a smooth and safe deployment," Leipold said.

Nuro, founded by two former Google engineers in 2016, previously raised $940 million from the SoftBank Vision Fund.

(With input from agencies)

Hoping to capitalise on a surge in demand for home deliveries, a Singapore technology company has deployed a pair of robots to bring residents their groceries in one part of the city state.

Hoping to capitalise on a surge in demand for home deliveries, a Singapore technology company has deployed a pair of robots to bring residents their groceries in one part of the city state. Developed by OTSAW Digital and both named "Camello", the robots' services have been offered to 700 households in a one-year trial. Users can book delivery slots for their milk and eggs, and an app notifies them when the robot is about to reach a pick-up point, usually the lobby of an apartment building. The robots, which are equipped with 3D sensors, a camera and two compartments each able to carry up to 20 kg (44 lb) of food or parcels ordered online, make four or five deliveries per day on weekdays and are on call for half day on Saturday. They use ultraviolet light to disinfect themselves after every trip, said OTSAW Digital's chief executive, Ling Ting Ming. "Especially during this pandemic period, everybody is looking at contactless, humanless," he said. For the time being, staff accompany the robots on their rounds to ensure no problems arise. Tashfique Haider, a 25-year-old student who has tried out the service, said it could be particularly helpful for the elderly so they wouldn't have to carry goods home. But a passerby worried the technology might be too much trouble for some. "The younger customers will like it. I don't think they (the older generation) will, because these are gadgets that younger people like," said 36-year-old housewife Xue Ya Xin. Similarly, Domino's Pizza Inc and Nuro Inc, a Silicon Valley startup, said on Monday they will launch a robotic pizza delivery service in Houston this week as they seek to satisfy increasing online orders during the pandemic. With small, low-speed vehicles to carry packages instead of people, Nuro has been pulling ahead of other autonomous vehicle startups in gaining regulatory approvals. It won US clearance last year to start unmanned delivery services. Nuro recently secured a $500 million including an equity investment from Woven Capital, the mobility investment arm of a Toyota Motor Corp subsidiary, which made its total valuation more than $5 billion, a person familiar with the matter said. The delivery service will begin at a Domino's outlet in Houston before expanding to serve customers in many other locations as part of a long-term partnership, said Cosimo Leipold, Nuro’s head of partner relations. "It’s generally difficult for large companies to hire enough drivers to fill their delivery demand," Leipold said in an emailed statement to Reuters. Leipold said Nuro, which has already partnered with retailers Kroger Co, Walmart Inc and CVS Health Corp to deliver groceries and prescriptions, said its weekly deliveries had nearly tripled in the first three months of the pandemic. Houston, the fourth-largest US city, has one of the country's highest road fatality rates. "Houston’s roadways create challenging scenarios for our technology to work with," Leipold added. Nuro and Domino’s had said in 2019 they expected to launch robot pizza delivery late that year. "Nuro and Domino’s have taken a measured approach to prioritize a smooth and safe deployment," Leipold said. Nuro, founded by two former Google engineers in 2016, previously raised $940 million from the SoftBank Vision Fund. (With input from agencies)

New normal? Robots being used for home deliveries due to surge in COVID cases

April 13 in history: Jallianwala Bagh massacre, launch of world's first satellite navigation system and more

French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian on Monday arrived in New Delhi for his official visit, said the Ministry of External Affairs.

The French minister will&nbsp;be in India for a four-day visit during which he will&nbsp;be meeting External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and will&nbsp;be expected to call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well.

"During his stay in New Delhi, Mr. Le Drian will hold talks with Minister of External Affairs, S Jaishankar on April 13, 2021, on bilateral, regional, and international issues of mutual interest. He will also meet the Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Prakash Javadekar at a panel discussion on Climate Change," according to a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs. He will also participate in the Raisina Dialogue.

The French Minister and Jaishankar will also discuss the main regional and international issues including Myanmar, Iran, and the peace process in Afghanistan.

India and France enjoy a strategic partnership since 1998 which has been marked by regular high-level exchanges and growing cooperation in diverse areas.

"Mr Le Drian`s visit will pave the way for further strengthening of the partnership across trade, defence, climate, migration and mobility, education and health sectors in the post-Covid context," the MEA said. Diplomatic sources told ANI that Indo-Pacific will be the key focus of discussions between the two ministers and Minister Drian is set to announce France joining the Indo-Pacific Oceans initiative launched by PM Modi.

Sources further said that France will push for the EU Indo-Pacific strategy during the talks. India and France will discuss joint initiatives that have come to fruition including the new trilateral with Australia.

French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian on Monday arrived in New Delhi for his official visit, said the Ministry of External Affairs. The French minister will be in India for a four-day visit during which he will be meeting External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and will be expected to call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well.

French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian on Monday arrived in New Delhi for his official visit, said the Ministry of External Affairs. The French minister will be in India for a four-day visit during which he will be meeting External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and will be expected to call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well. "During his stay in New Delhi, Mr. Le Drian will hold talks with Minister of External Affairs, S Jaishankar on April 13, 2021, on bilateral, regional, and international issues of mutual interest. He will also meet the Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Prakash Javadekar at a panel discussion on Climate Change," according to a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs. He will also participate in the Raisina Dialogue. The French Minister and Jaishankar will also discuss the main regional and international issues including Myanmar, Iran, and the peace process in Afghanistan. India and France enjoy a strategic partnership since 1998 which has been marked by regular high-level exchanges and growing cooperation in diverse areas. "Mr Le Drian`s visit will pave the way for further strengthening of the partnership across trade, defence, climate, migration and mobility, education and health sectors in the post-Covid context," the MEA said. Diplomatic sources told ANI that Indo-Pacific will be the key focus of discussions between the two ministers and Minister Drian is set to announce France joining the Indo-Pacific Oceans initiative launched by PM Modi. Sources further said that France will push for the EU Indo-Pacific strategy during the talks. India and France will discuss joint initiatives that have come to fruition including the new trilateral with Australia.

French Foreign Minister Le Drian arrives in India

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