The World Health Organization on Tuesday called for a halt to the sale of live wild mammals in food markets to prevent the spread of disease.

"Animals, particularly wild animals, are the source of more than 70 per cent&nbsp;of all emerging infectious diseases in humans, many of which are caused by novel viruses. Wild mammals, in particular, pose a risk for the emergence of new diseases," WHO said in a statement.

<img alt="vf" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9689586b-97fc-49e2-a6e6-72227a3ea50b" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Ey1q_6lU4AEsF4G.jpg" />

It said some of the earliest known cases of Covid-19 had a link to a wholesale traditional food market in Wuhan in China, with many of the initial patients stall owners, market employees or regular visitors to the market.

Scientists suspect, but have not proven, that the new coronavirus passed to humans from bats via pangolins, a small ant-eating mammal whose scales are highly prized in traditional Chinese medicine.

The interim guidance was drawn up alongside the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

"The guidance calls on countries to suspend the sale of captured live wild mammals in food markets as an emergency measure," the WHO said.

"Animals, particularly wild animals, are the source of more than 70 percent of all emerging infectious diseases in humans, many of which are caused by novel viruses. Wild mammals, in particular, pose a risk for the emergence of new diseases," it said.

"Traditional markets, where live animals are held, slaughtered and dressed, pose a particular risk for pathogen transmission to workers and customers alike," said the guidance.

It also called on governments to close sections of food markets selling live wild mammals unless adequate risk assessments were in place.

Some of the earliest COVID-19 infections were found in people who had exposure to Wuhan’s seafood market, where bats, snakes, civets and other wildlife were sold. China temporarily shut down all such markets in January, warning that eating wild animals posed a threat to public health and safety.

(With inputs from agencies)

&nbsp;

The World Health Organization on Tuesday called for a halt to the sale of live wild mammals in food markets to prevent the spread of disease. "Animals, particularly wild animals, are the source of more than 70 per cent of all emerging infectious diseases in humans, many of which are caused by novel viruses.

The World Health Organization on Tuesday called for a halt to the sale of live wild mammals in food markets to prevent the spread of disease. "Animals, particularly wild animals, are the source of more than 70 per cent of all emerging infectious diseases in humans, many of which are caused by novel viruses. Wild mammals, in particular, pose a risk for the emergence of new diseases," WHO said in a statement. It said some of the earliest known cases of Covid-19 had a link to a wholesale traditional food market in Wuhan in China, with many of the initial patients stall owners, market employees or regular visitors to the market. Scientists suspect, but have not proven, that the new coronavirus passed to humans from bats via pangolins, a small ant-eating mammal whose scales are highly prized in traditional Chinese medicine. The interim guidance was drawn up alongside the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). "The guidance calls on countries to suspend the sale of captured live wild mammals in food markets as an emergency measure," the WHO said. "Animals, particularly wild animals, are the source of more than 70 percent of all emerging infectious diseases in humans, many of which are caused by novel viruses. Wild mammals, in particular, pose a risk for the emergence of new diseases," it said. "Traditional markets, where live animals are held, slaughtered and dressed, pose a particular risk for pathogen transmission to workers and customers alike," said the guidance. It also called on governments to close sections of food markets selling live wild mammals unless adequate risk assessments were in place. Some of the earliest COVID-19 infections were found in people who had exposure to Wuhan’s seafood market, where bats, snakes, civets and other wildlife were sold. China temporarily shut down all such markets in January, warning that eating wild animals posed a threat to public health and safety. (With inputs from agencies)

COVID-19: WHO calls for halt on sale of live wild animals in food markets

Two demonstrators and a policeman were killed Tuesday in violent clashes between Islamists and police in Pakistan, hours after authorities arrested the head of an Islamist party in the eastern city of Lahore, a senior official and local media reported.

The policeman was killed in overnight clashes with the supporters of Saad Rizvi, the head of the Tehreek-e-Labiak Pakistan who was arrested on Monday, a senior police officer Ghulam Mohammad Dogar said. Ten policemen were also wounded in these clashes in the town of Shahadra near Lahore.

Two Islamists were reportedly killed in the eastern Punjab province. The violence began Monday after police arrested Rizvi for threatening protests if the government did not expel France's ambassador over depictions of Islam's Prophet Muhammad.

According to Dogar, the arrest was aimed at maintaining law and order. But Rizvi's detention quickly sparked violent protests by Islamists in cities around the country. The protesters blocked highways and roads in several cities.

The deadly clashes come two days after Rizvi in a statement asked the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan to honor what he said was a commitment it made in February to his party to expel the French envoy before April 20 over the publication in France of depictions of Islam's Prophet.

However, the government has said it only committed to discussing the matter in Parliament.

The reaction from Rizvi's supporters against his arrest was so swift that police in the eastern city of Lahore could not clear a main highway and roads. Thousands of people were stranded in their vehicles.

Monday's clashes initially erupted in Lahore, the capital of eastern Punjab province.

Rizvi's supporters later clashed with police in the southern port city of Karachi and they continued rallying on the outskirts of the capital Islamabad, disrupting traffic and inconveniencing residents.

Rizvi emerged as the leader of the Tehreek-e-Labiak Pakistan party in November after the sudden death of his father, Khadim Hussein Rizvi. His supporters have previously held violent rallies in Pakistan to pressure the government not to repeal the country's controversial blasphemy laws.

Rizvi's party wants the government to boycott French products and expel the French ambassador under an agreement signed by the government with Rizvi's party in February.

Tehreek-e-Labiak and other Islamist parties have denounced French President Emmanuel Macron since October last year, saying he tried to defend caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad as freedom of expression.

Macron's comments came after a young Muslim beheaded a French school teacher who had shown caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad in class.

The images had been republished by the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo to mark the opening of the trial over the deadly 2015 attack against the publication for the original caricatures. That enraged many Muslims in Pakistan and elsewhere who believed those depictions were blasphemous.

Rizvi's party also has a history of staging protests and sit-ins to pressure the government to accept its demands. In November 2017, Rizvi's followers staged a 21-day protest and sit-in after a reference to the sanctity of the Prophet Muhammad was removed from the text of a government form.

Two demonstrators and a policeman were killed Tuesday in violent clashes between Islamists and police in Pakistan, hours after authorities arrested the head of an Islamist party in the eastern city of Lahore, a senior official and local media reported.

Two demonstrators and a policeman were killed Tuesday in violent clashes between Islamists and police in Pakistan, hours after authorities arrested the head of an Islamist party in the eastern city of Lahore, a senior official and local media reported. The policeman was killed in overnight clashes with the supporters of Saad Rizvi, the head of the Tehreek-e-Labiak Pakistan who was arrested on Monday, a senior police officer Ghulam Mohammad Dogar said. Ten policemen were also wounded in these clashes in the town of Shahadra near Lahore. Two Islamists were reportedly killed in the eastern Punjab province. The violence began Monday after police arrested Rizvi for threatening protests if the government did not expel France's ambassador over depictions of Islam's Prophet Muhammad. According to Dogar, the arrest was aimed at maintaining law and order. But Rizvi's detention quickly sparked violent protests by Islamists in cities around the country. The protesters blocked highways and roads in several cities. The deadly clashes come two days after Rizvi in a statement asked the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan to honor what he said was a commitment it made in February to his party to expel the French envoy before April 20 over the publication in France of depictions of Islam's Prophet. However, the government has said it only committed to discussing the matter in Parliament. The reaction from Rizvi's supporters against his arrest was so swift that police in the eastern city of Lahore could not clear a main highway and roads. Thousands of people were stranded in their vehicles. Monday's clashes initially erupted in Lahore, the capital of eastern Punjab province. Rizvi's supporters later clashed with police in the southern port city of Karachi and they continued rallying on the outskirts of the capital Islamabad, disrupting traffic and inconveniencing residents. Rizvi emerged as the leader of the Tehreek-e-Labiak Pakistan party in November after the sudden death of his father, Khadim Hussein Rizvi. His supporters have previously held violent rallies in Pakistan to pressure the government not to repeal the country's controversial blasphemy laws. Rizvi's party wants the government to boycott French products and expel the French ambassador under an agreement signed by the government with Rizvi's party in February. Tehreek-e-Labiak and other Islamist parties have denounced French President Emmanuel Macron since October last year, saying he tried to defend caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad as freedom of expression. Macron's comments came after a young Muslim beheaded a French school teacher who had shown caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad in class. The images had been republished by the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo to mark the opening of the trial over the deadly 2015 attack against the publication for the original caricatures. That enraged many Muslims in Pakistan and elsewhere who believed those depictions were blasphemous. Rizvi's party also has a history of staging protests and sit-ins to pressure the government to accept its demands. In November 2017, Rizvi's followers staged a 21-day protest and sit-in after a reference to the sanctity of the Prophet Muhammad was removed from the text of a government form.

3 killed in Pakistan in clashes between police, Islamists

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday told Russia to end its "unjustified" military build-up around Ukraine at a meeting with Kiev's top diplomat.

"Russia must end this military build-up in and around Ukraine, stop its provocations and de-escalate immediately," Stoltenberg said.&nbsp;

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Tuesday&nbsp;NATO and the West must act quickly to prevent an escalation of violence between&nbsp;Ukraine&nbsp;and Russia, adding that&nbsp;further sanctions against Moscow and more military help to Kyiv could help.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-accuses-us-other-nato-countries-of-turning-ukraine-into-powder-keg-377269" hreflang="en">Russia accuses US, other NATO countries of turning Ukraine into 'powder keg'</a>

"At the operational level, we need measures which will deter Russia and which will contain its aggressive intentions. This could be ... a new round of sanctions which would raise the price of Russian aggression," Kuleba told a news conference alongside NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg.

"This could be direct support aimed at strengthening&nbsp;Ukraine's defence capabilities. Because we do know that Russia spares no effort to prevent third countries from cooperating with&nbsp;Ukraine&nbsp;in the defence sector. Russia is working hard to undermine our defence capabilities."

Meanwhile,&nbsp;Russia on Tuesday warned the United States to ensure its warships stayed well away from Crimea "for their own good", calling their deployment in the Black Sea a provocation designed to test Russian nerves.

Moscow annexed Crimea from&nbsp;Ukraine&nbsp;in 2014. Two US&nbsp;warships are due to arrive in the Black Sea this week amid an escalation in fighting in eastern&nbsp;Ukraine&nbsp;where government forces have battled Russian-backed troops in a conflict in which Kyiv says 14,000 people have been killed over the years.

The deployment comes as the West sounds the alarm over what it says is a big and unexplained build-up of Russian forces close to&nbsp;Ukraine's eastern border and in Crimea. Russia has said it moves its forces around as it sees fit, including for defensive purposes.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov was cited by Russian news agencies on Tuesday as warning US&nbsp;warships in the Black Sea to keep their distance, saying the risk of unspecified incidents was very high.

"There is absolutely nothing for American ships to be doing near our shores, this is purely a provocative action. Provocative in the direct sense of the word: they are testing our strength, playing on our nerves. They will not succeed," Ryabkov was cited as saying.

"We warn the United States that it will be better for them to stay far away from Crimea and our Black Sea coast. It will be for their own good."

The Pentagon has declined to discuss the ships' deployment, saying only that the US&nbsp;military routinely sends vessels to the region.

Russia's Black Sea Fleet is based in Crimea and it has powerful missile and radar facilities on the peninsula.

(With inputs from agencies)

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday told Russia to end its "unjustified" military build-up around Ukraine at a meeting with Kiev's top diplomat. "Russia must end this military build-up in and around Ukraine, stop its provocations and de-escalate immediately," Stoltenberg said.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday told Russia to end its "unjustified" military build-up around Ukraine at a meeting with Kiev's top diplomat. "Russia must end this military build-up in and around Ukraine, stop its provocations and de-escalate immediately," Stoltenberg said. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Tuesday NATO and the West must act quickly to prevent an escalation of violence between Ukraine and Russia, adding that further sanctions against Moscow and more military help to Kyiv could help. Also read| Russia accuses US, other NATO countries of turning Ukraine into 'powder keg' "At the operational level, we need measures which will deter Russia and which will contain its aggressive intentions. This could be ... a new round of sanctions which would raise the price of Russian aggression," Kuleba told a news conference alongside NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. "This could be direct support aimed at strengthening Ukraine's defence capabilities. Because we do know that Russia spares no effort to prevent third countries from cooperating with Ukraine in the defence sector. Russia is working hard to undermine our defence capabilities." Meanwhile, Russia on Tuesday warned the United States to ensure its warships stayed well away from Crimea "for their own good", calling their deployment in the Black Sea a provocation designed to test Russian nerves. Moscow annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. Two US warships are due to arrive in the Black Sea this week amid an escalation in fighting in eastern Ukraine where government forces have battled Russian-backed troops in a conflict in which Kyiv says 14,000 people have been killed over the years. The deployment comes as the West sounds the alarm over what it says is a big and unexplained build-up of Russian forces close to Ukraine's eastern border and in Crimea. Russia has said it moves its forces around as it sees fit, including for defensive purposes. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov was cited by Russian news agencies on Tuesday as warning US warships in the Black Sea to keep their distance, saying the risk of unspecified incidents was very high. "There is absolutely nothing for American ships to be doing near our shores, this is purely a provocative action. Provocative in the direct sense of the word: they are testing our strength, playing on our nerves. They will not succeed," Ryabkov was cited as saying. "We warn the United States that it will be better for them to stay far away from Crimea and our Black Sea coast. It will be for their own good." The Pentagon has declined to discuss the ships' deployment, saying only that the US military routinely sends vessels to the region. Russia's Black Sea Fleet is based in Crimea and it has powerful missile and radar facilities on the peninsula. (With inputs from agencies)

NATO chief tells Russia to end its 'unjustified' Ukraine military build-up

Iran's foreign minister said Tuesday that Israel made a "very bad gamble" if it believed its alleged sabotage at the Natanz nuclear plant would stop efforts to lift US sanctions.

"If they thought that they can stop Iran from following up on lifting sanctions from the Iranian people, then they made a very bad gamble," Mohammad Javad Zarif&nbsp;told a joint press conference with his visiting Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.

"The&nbsp;Israelis thought the attack will weaken our hand in the Vienna talks but in contrary it will strengthen our position," Zarif said.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/we-will-take-our-revenge-from-the-zionists-iran-blames-israel-for-natanz-incident-376980" hreflang="en">'We will take our revenge from the Zionists': Iran blames Israel for Natanz incident</a>

Iran has accused arch-foe&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;of sabotaging its key Natanz nuclear site on Sunday and has vowed revenge for the attack.

The incident occurred amid diplomatic efforts by&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;and the United States to revive Tehran's 2015 nuclear deal with major powers, an accord Israel fiercely opposed, after former US&nbsp;President Donald Trump abandoned it three years ago.

Meanwhile,&nbsp;Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said&nbsp;Moscow expects the Iranian nuclear deal to be saved and condemns EU sanctions against Iran.

"We expect that it will be possible to preserve the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action," Lavrov said after talks with Iran's Zarif.&nbsp;He also blasted recent EU sanctions on Iran, saying they sparked "a huge amount of questions".

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The incident occurred amid diplomatic efforts by&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;and the United States to revive Tehran's 2015 nuclear deal with major powers, an accord Israel fiercely opposed, after former US&nbsp;President Donald Trump abandoned it three years ago.

Last week,&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;and the global powers held what they described as "constructive" talks to salvage the deal, which has unravelled as&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;has breached its limits on sensitive uranium enrichment since Trump reimposed harsh sanctions on Tehran.

Iranian authorities described the incident a day earlier as an act of "nuclear terrorism" and said Tehran reserved the right to take action against the perpetrators.

On Monday, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif explicitly blamed Israel. "The Zionists want to take revenge because of our progress in the way to lift sanctions... We will not fall into their trap...We will not allow this act of sabotage to affect the nuclear talks," Zarif was quoted by state TV as saying.

"But we will take our revenge against the Zionists."

Multiple Israeli media outlets have quoted unnamed intelligence sources as saying the country's Mossad spy service carried out a successful sabotage operation at the underground Natanz complex, potentially setting back enrichment work there by months.

Israel - whose existence&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;does not recognise - has not formally commented on the incident. The White House said the United States was not involved in the attack and had no comment on speculation about the cause of the incident.

In a letter to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Zarif said those involved "committed a grave war crime" and "any power with knowledge of, or acquiescence in, this act must also be held accountable as an accomplice to this war crime."

Iranian nuclear energy chief Ali Akbar Salehi said an emergency power system had been activated at Natanz to offset the outage. "Enrichment of uranium has not stopped at the site."

Advanced centrifuges

A spokesman for&nbsp;Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation, Behrouz Kamalvandi, said the facility was hit by an explosion.

"It is a power grid issue. The explosion was not powerful enough to destroy everything but the ceiling collapsed in one of the control rooms," Kamalvandi told state TV.

The incident took place a day after Tehran, which has insisted it wants only peaceful nuclear energy not nuclear bombs from the enrichment process, launched new advanced centrifuge machines at Natanz.

Referring to&nbsp;Iran's first generation of enrichment machines more vulnerable to outages, Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said that: "all of the centrifuges that went out of circuit at Natanz site were of the IR-1 type".

"Our nuclear experts are assessing the damage but I can assure you that&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;will replace damaged uranium enrichment centrifuges in Natanz with advanced ones."

Modernised centrifuges can refine uranium to higher fissile purity at a much faster rate, helping accumulate a stockpile that could shorten&nbsp;Iran's route to a nuclear weapon, if it chose to develop them, than the IR-1 that still predominates in Natanz's production halls.

The 2015 deal only allows&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;to enrich with up to 5,060 IR-1 machines, in a plant designed to house around 50,000, but it has begun enriching at Natanz with hundreds of advanced centrifuges including the IR-2m.

Despite strong Israeli opposition, US&nbsp;President Joe Biden's administration is committed to rejoining the deal if the Islamic Republic returns to full compliance with restrictions on nuclear fuel production.

Asked by reporters about the Natanz outage, a German Foreign Ministry spokesman, warned that such incidents could adversely affect the nuclear negotiations.

Khatibzadeh said nuclear talks would resume on Wednesday in Vienna. Diplomatic headway has been made, delegates said on Friday.&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;insists all US&nbsp;sanctions crippling its oil-based economy must be lifted first before it stops accelerating enrichment and restores caps on the process.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;had never given up efforts to develop nuclear weapons and that Israel would never allow Tehran to do so. Israel sees the&nbsp;Iranian enrichment drive as a existential menace.

There have been sporadic episodes of sabotage and outages at&nbsp;Iranian nuclear installations over more than a decade, for which Tehran has blamed Israel, including a fire last July that broke out at&nbsp;Iran's Natanz site.

In 2010, the Stuxnet computer virus, widely believed to have been developed by the United States and Israel, was discovered after it was used to attack Natanz, causing damaging breakdowns of centrifuge cascades that refine uranium.

Iran&nbsp;also accused Israel of responsibility for last November's ambush killing outside Tehran of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, who was considered by Western intelligence services as the mastermind of a covert&nbsp;Iranian nuclear weapons programme. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied involvement in his death.

Iran's foreign minister said Tuesday that Israel made a "very bad gamble" if it believed its alleged sabotage at the Natanz nuclear plant would stop efforts to lift US sanctions.

Iran's foreign minister said Tuesday that Israel made a "very bad gamble" if it believed its alleged sabotage at the Natanz nuclear plant would stop efforts to lift US sanctions. "If they thought that they can stop Iran from following up on lifting sanctions from the Iranian people, then they made a very bad gamble," Mohammad Javad Zarif told a joint press conference with his visiting Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov. "The Israelis thought the attack will weaken our hand in the Vienna talks but in contrary it will strengthen our position," Zarif said. Also read| 'We will take our revenge from the Zionists': Iran blames Israel for Natanz incident Iran has accused arch-foe Israel of sabotaging its key Natanz nuclear site on Sunday and has vowed revenge for the attack. The incident occurred amid diplomatic efforts by Iran and the United States to revive Tehran's 2015 nuclear deal with major powers, an accord Israel fiercely opposed, after former US President Donald Trump abandoned it three years ago. Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow expects the Iranian nuclear deal to be saved and condemns EU sanctions against Iran. "We expect that it will be possible to preserve the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action," Lavrov said after talks with Iran's Zarif. He also blasted recent EU sanctions on Iran, saying they sparked "a huge amount of questions". The incident occurred amid diplomatic efforts by Iran and the United States to revive Tehran's 2015 nuclear deal with major powers, an accord Israel fiercely opposed, after former US President Donald Trump abandoned it three years ago. Last week, Iran and the global powers held what they described as "constructive" talks to salvage the deal, which has unravelled as Iran has breached its limits on sensitive uranium enrichment since Trump reimposed harsh sanctions on Tehran. Iranian authorities described the incident a day earlier as an act of "nuclear terrorism" and said Tehran reserved the right to take action against the perpetrators. On Monday, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif explicitly blamed Israel. "The Zionists want to take revenge because of our progress in the way to lift sanctions... We will not fall into their trap...We will not allow this act of sabotage to affect the nuclear talks," Zarif was quoted by state TV as saying. "But we will take our revenge against the Zionists." Multiple Israeli media outlets have quoted unnamed intelligence sources as saying the country's Mossad spy service carried out a successful sabotage operation at the underground Natanz complex, potentially setting back enrichment work there by months. Israel - whose existence Iran does not recognise - has not formally commented on the incident. The White House said the United States was not involved in the attack and had no comment on speculation about the cause of the incident. In a letter to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Zarif said those involved "committed a grave war crime" and "any power with knowledge of, or acquiescence in, this act must also be held accountable as an accomplice to this war crime." Iranian nuclear energy chief Ali Akbar Salehi said an emergency power system had been activated at Natanz to offset the outage. "Enrichment of uranium has not stopped at the site." Advanced centrifuges A spokesman for Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation, Behrouz Kamalvandi, said the facility was hit by an explosion. "It is a power grid issue. The explosion was not powerful enough to destroy everything but the ceiling collapsed in one of the control rooms," Kamalvandi told state TV. The incident took place a day after Tehran, which has insisted it wants only peaceful nuclear energy not nuclear bombs from the enrichment process, launched new advanced centrifuge machines at Natanz. Referring to Iran's first generation of enrichment machines more vulnerable to outages, Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said that: "all of the centrifuges that went out of circuit at Natanz site were of the IR-1 type". "Our nuclear experts are assessing the damage but I can assure you that Iran will replace damaged uranium enrichment centrifuges in Natanz with advanced ones." Modernised centrifuges can refine uranium to higher fissile purity at a much faster rate, helping accumulate a stockpile that could shorten Iran's route to a nuclear weapon, if it chose to develop them, than the IR-1 that still predominates in Natanz's production halls. The 2015 deal only allows Iran to enrich with up to 5,060 IR-1 machines, in a plant designed to house around 50,000, but it has begun enriching at Natanz with hundreds of advanced centrifuges including the IR-2m. Despite strong Israeli opposition, US President Joe Biden's administration is committed to rejoining the deal if the Islamic Republic returns to full compliance with restrictions on nuclear fuel production. Asked by reporters about the Natanz outage, a German Foreign Ministry spokesman, warned that such incidents could adversely affect the nuclear negotiations. Khatibzadeh said nuclear talks would resume on Wednesday in Vienna. Diplomatic headway has been made, delegates said on Friday. Iran insists all US sanctions crippling its oil-based economy must be lifted first before it stops accelerating enrichment and restores caps on the process. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday Iran had never given up efforts to develop nuclear weapons and that Israel would never allow Tehran to do so. Israel sees the Iranian enrichment drive as a existential menace. There have been sporadic episodes of sabotage and outages at Iranian nuclear installations over more than a decade, for which Tehran has blamed Israel, including a fire last July that broke out at Iran's Natanz site. In 2010, the Stuxnet computer virus, widely believed to have been developed by the United States and Israel, was discovered after it was used to attack Natanz, causing damaging breakdowns of centrifuge cascades that refine uranium. Iran also accused Israel of responsibility for last November's ambush killing outside Tehran of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, who was considered by Western intelligence services as the mastermind of a covert Iranian nuclear weapons programme. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied involvement in his death.

Iran's foreign minister says Israel made 'very bad gamble' by sabotaging Natanz site

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory of NASA has released an image of a sea&nbsp;of dark dunes, sculpted by the wind into long lines, surrounds Mars' northern polar cap and covers an area as big as Texas.

In this false-color image, areas with cooler temperatures are recorded in bluer tints, while warmer features are depicted in yellows and oranges. Thus, the dark, sun-warmed dunes glow with a golden color. This image covers an area 19 miles (30 kilometres) wide.&nbsp;

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasas-hubble-telescope-clicks-haunting-image-of-a-dying-galaxy-377173">NASA's Hubble telescope clicks haunting image of a dying galaxy</a>

This scene combines images taken during the period from December 2002 to November 2004 by the Thermal Emission Imaging System instrument on the Mars Odyssey orbiter. It is part of a special set of images marking the 20th anniversary of Odyssey, the longest-working Mars spacecraft in history. The pictured location on Mars is 80.3 degrees north latitude, 172.1 degrees east longitude.

For two decades, the longest-lived spacecraft at the Red Planet has helped locate water ice, assess landing sites, and study the planet’s mysterious moons.

NASA’s 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft launched 20 years ago on April 7, making it the oldest spacecraft still working at the Red Planet. The orbiter, which takes its name from Arthur C. Clarke’s classic sci-fi novel “2001: A Space Odyssey” (Clarke blessed its use before launch), was sent to map the composition of the Martian surface, providing a window to the past so scientists could piece together how the planet evolved.

But it’s done far more than that, uncovering troves of water ice, serving as a crucial communications link for other spacecraft, and helping to pave the way not just for safer landings but also future astronauts.

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory of NASA has released an image of a sea of dark dunes, sculpted by the wind into long lines, surrounds Mars' northern polar cap and covers an area as big as Texas.

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory of NASA has released an image of a sea of dark dunes, sculpted by the wind into long lines, surrounds Mars' northern polar cap and covers an area as big as Texas. In this false-color image, areas with cooler temperatures are recorded in bluer tints, while warmer features are depicted in yellows and oranges. Thus, the dark, sun-warmed dunes glow with a golden color. This image covers an area 19 miles (30 kilometres) wide. Also Read | NASA's Hubble telescope clicks haunting image of a dying galaxy This scene combines images taken during the period from December 2002 to November 2004 by the Thermal Emission Imaging System instrument on the Mars Odyssey orbiter. It is part of a special set of images marking the 20th anniversary of Odyssey, the longest-working Mars spacecraft in history. The pictured location on Mars is 80.3 degrees north latitude, 172.1 degrees east longitude. For two decades, the longest-lived spacecraft at the Red Planet has helped locate water ice, assess landing sites, and study the planet’s mysterious moons. NASA’s 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft launched 20 years ago on April 7, making it the oldest spacecraft still working at the Red Planet. The orbiter, which takes its name from Arthur C. Clarke’s classic sci-fi novel “2001: A Space Odyssey” (Clarke blessed its use before launch), was sent to map the composition of the Martian surface, providing a window to the past so scientists could piece together how the planet evolved. But it’s done far more than that, uncovering troves of water ice, serving as a crucial communications link for other spacecraft, and helping to pave the way not just for safer landings but also future astronauts.

NASA releases stunning image of magical 'sea of dunes' on Mars

Microsoft&nbsp;Corp said on Monday it would buy artificial intelligence and speech technology firm Nuance Communications Inc for about $16 billion, as it expands cloud solutions for healthcare customers.

The deal comes after the companies partnered in 2019 to automate clinical administrative work such as documentation. It shows&nbsp;Microsoft's ambition to extend its leadership into an industry where digital transformation has picked up speed during the pandemic. Healthcare providers have invested more in technology to improve productivity and digital health services.

"This acquisition brings our technology directly into the physician and patient loop, which is central to all healthcare delivery. The acquisition will also expand our leadership in cross-industry enterprise AI and biometric security,"&nbsp;Microsoft&nbsp;CEO Satya Nadella said on an investor call.

Nuance's technology includes a conversational AI tool versed in specialised medical terms, freeing physicians from note-taking and allowing better patient-physician interactions in person or in the telemedicine appointments that have taken off during the pandemic, executives said.

Microsoft's offer of $56 per share represents a premium of 22.86 per cent&nbsp;to Nuance's closing price on Friday. The shares gained 16 per cent&nbsp;to close at $52.85 on Monday.

Nuance, known for pioneering speech technology and helping launch Apple Inc's virtual assistant, Siri, has gone through strategic reviews led by Chief Executive Mark Benjamin.

Once offering voice recognition technologies across industries, the company now focuses on healthcare and enterprise AI after spinning off and selling a number of less profitable business units.

The company said it serves 77 per cent&nbsp;of US&nbsp;hospitals, providing intelligent solutions including clinical speech recognition, medical transcription, and medical imaging.

"Nuance's strong position at the edge (medical dictation and transcription) will ultimately tie healthcare customers more strongly into&nbsp;Microsoft's Azure Cloud and intelligent services,” Forrester analyst J.P. Gownder wrote in a note on Monday.

With operations in 28 countries, the Burlington, Massachusetts-based company reported $1.5 billion in revenue in fiscal-year 2020, with two-thirds of it coming from healthcare.

Benjamin will remain CEO of Nuance and will report to Scott Guthrie, executive vice president of Cloud and&nbsp;AI at&nbsp;Microsoft, the company said.&nbsp;

The deal follows&nbsp;Microsoft's recent $7.5 billion acquisition of gaming company ZeniMax Media, and reports that&nbsp;Microsoft&nbsp;was in talks to buy messaging platform Discord, which also allows live audio events.

Once closed, the deal for Nuance would be&nbsp;Microsoft's second-biggest, after its $26.2 billion acquisition of LinkedIn in 2016. Including net debt, the all-cash transaction is valued at $19.7 billion.

Goldman Sachs is the financial adviser to&nbsp;Microsoft, while Evercore advised Nuance.

Last year, the Redmond, Washington-based giant integrated Nuance Communication's Dragon Ambient eXperience program into its Teams communications software, which enables remote transcription of medical conversations."

'No brainer'

Like other technology heavyweights,&nbsp;Microsoft&nbsp;has been a big beneficiary of the economic dislocations during Covid-19.

The company's earnings jumped by 33 percent in the latest quarter to $15.5 billion and included a boost from cloud computing and personal computing, including its Xbox video games.&nbsp;

Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives called the Nuance tie-up a "trophy" deal for the company founded by Bill Gates, which is on a "strategic offensive" in search of targets to buy.

"For Nadella &amp; Co, this is the right acquisition at the right time with&nbsp;Microsoft&nbsp;doubling down on its healthcare initiatives over the coming years," he said in an analysis. "The Nuance deal is a strategic no brainer in our opinion for MSFT and fits like a glove into its healthcare endeavors."

(With inputs from agencies)

Microsoft Corp said on Monday it would buy artificial intelligence and speech technology firm Nuance Communications Inc for about $16 billion, as it expands cloud solutions for healthcare customers.

Microsoft Corp said on Monday it would buy artificial intelligence and speech technology firm Nuance Communications Inc for about $16 billion, as it expands cloud solutions for healthcare customers. The deal comes after the companies partnered in 2019 to automate clinical administrative work such as documentation. It shows Microsoft's ambition to extend its leadership into an industry where digital transformation has picked up speed during the pandemic. Healthcare providers have invested more in technology to improve productivity and digital health services. "This acquisition brings our technology directly into the physician and patient loop, which is central to all healthcare delivery. The acquisition will also expand our leadership in cross-industry enterprise AI and biometric security," Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said on an investor call. Nuance's technology includes a conversational AI tool versed in specialised medical terms, freeing physicians from note-taking and allowing better patient-physician interactions in person or in the telemedicine appointments that have taken off during the pandemic, executives said. Microsoft's offer of $56 per share represents a premium of 22.86 per cent to Nuance's closing price on Friday. The shares gained 16 per cent to close at $52.85 on Monday. Nuance, known for pioneering speech technology and helping launch Apple Inc's virtual assistant, Siri, has gone through strategic reviews led by Chief Executive Mark Benjamin. Once offering voice recognition technologies across industries, the company now focuses on healthcare and enterprise AI after spinning off and selling a number of less profitable business units. The company said it serves 77 per cent of US hospitals, providing intelligent solutions including clinical speech recognition, medical transcription, and medical imaging. "Nuance's strong position at the edge (medical dictation and transcription) will ultimately tie healthcare customers more strongly into Microsoft's Azure Cloud and intelligent services,” Forrester analyst J.P. Gownder wrote in a note on Monday. With operations in 28 countries, the Burlington, Massachusetts-based company reported $1.5 billion in revenue in fiscal-year 2020, with two-thirds of it coming from healthcare. Benjamin will remain CEO of Nuance and will report to Scott Guthrie, executive vice president of Cloud and AI at Microsoft, the company said. The deal follows Microsoft's recent $7.5 billion acquisition of gaming company ZeniMax Media, and reports that Microsoft was in talks to buy messaging platform Discord, which also allows live audio events. Once closed, the deal for Nuance would be Microsoft's second-biggest, after its $26.2 billion acquisition of LinkedIn in 2016. Including net debt, the all-cash transaction is valued at $19.7 billion. Goldman Sachs is the financial adviser to Microsoft, while Evercore advised Nuance. Last year, the Redmond, Washington-based giant integrated Nuance Communication's Dragon Ambient eXperience program into its Teams communications software, which enables remote transcription of medical conversations." 'No brainer' Like other technology heavyweights, Microsoft has been a big beneficiary of the economic dislocations during Covid-19. The company's earnings jumped by 33 percent in the latest quarter to $15.5 billion and included a boost from cloud computing and personal computing, including its Xbox video games. Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives called the Nuance tie-up a "trophy" deal for the company founded by Bill Gates, which is on a "strategic offensive" in search of targets to buy. "For Nadella & Co, this is the right acquisition at the right time with Microsoft doubling down on its healthcare initiatives over the coming years," he said in an analysis. "The Nuance deal is a strategic no brainer in our opinion for MSFT and fits like a glove into its healthcare endeavors." (With inputs from agencies)

Microsoft bets big on health with $19.7 billion purchase of Nuance

Regeneron is pursuing US&nbsp;approval for its COVID-19 monoclonal antibody cocktail as a preventative treatment after it helped cut the risk of symptomatic infections in households where someone else is ill, the US&nbsp;drugmaker said on Monday.

REGEN-COV, a combination of casirivimab and imdevimab, protected household contacts from exposure to SARS-CoV-2, with 72 per cent&nbsp;protection against symptomatic infections in the first week, and 93 per cent&nbsp;after that, according to trial data released by the company.

In a separate trial, Regeneron also said the treatment reduced overall risk of progressing to symptomatic COVID-19 by 31 per cent, and by 76 per cent&nbsp;after the third day.

Regeneron has enlisted Switzerland’s Roche and its massive biotech facility in South San Francisco to make around 2 million doses annually. The cocktail already has emergency US&nbsp;approval for mild to moderate COVID-19 patients, and the companies are hoping the latest trials convince regulators to expand deployment.

“These data suggest that REGEN-COV can complement widespread vaccination strategies, particularly for those at high risk of infection,” said Myron Cohen, who leads monoclonal antibody efforts for the US&nbsp;National Institutes of Health-sponsored COVID Prevention Network.

A challenge in breaking infection chains, he said, is that some 10% of unvaccinated people in the study who didn’t get the Roche-Regeneron drug while living in a household with an infected individual developed symptomatic infection even with efforts to reduce transmission.

‘HIGH-RISK SETTINGS’

“REGEN-COV could help control outbreaks in high-risk settings” where people haven’t been vaccinated, Cohen said.

In the separate trial, Regeneron said the cocktail also cut symptomatic infection risk and helped nearly halve the total weeks that patients experienced symptoms, with the viral burden - the amount of virus present - cut by more than 90 per cent.

“These data pave the way for REGEN-COV to be used before patients become symptomatic,” Katharine Bar, co-principal investigator and a professor at the University of Pennsylvania hospital, said.

(With inputs from agencies)

Regeneron is pursuing US approval for its COVID-19 monoclonal antibody cocktail as a preventative treatment after it helped cut the risk of symptomatic infections in households where someone else is ill, the US drugmaker said on Monday.

Regeneron is pursuing US approval for its COVID-19 monoclonal antibody cocktail as a preventative treatment after it helped cut the risk of symptomatic infections in households where someone else is ill, the US drugmaker said on Monday. REGEN-COV, a combination of casirivimab and imdevimab, protected household contacts from exposure to SARS-CoV-2, with 72 per cent protection against symptomatic infections in the first week, and 93 per cent after that, according to trial data released by the company. In a separate trial, Regeneron also said the treatment reduced overall risk of progressing to symptomatic COVID-19 by 31 per cent, and by 76 per cent after the third day. Regeneron has enlisted Switzerland’s Roche and its massive biotech facility in South San Francisco to make around 2 million doses annually. The cocktail already has emergency US approval for mild to moderate COVID-19 patients, and the companies are hoping the latest trials convince regulators to expand deployment. “These data suggest that REGEN-COV can complement widespread vaccination strategies, particularly for those at high risk of infection,” said Myron Cohen, who leads monoclonal antibody efforts for the US National Institutes of Health-sponsored COVID Prevention Network. A challenge in breaking infection chains, he said, is that some 10% of unvaccinated people in the study who didn’t get the Roche-Regeneron drug while living in a household with an infected individual developed symptomatic infection even with efforts to reduce transmission. ‘HIGH-RISK SETTINGS’ “REGEN-COV could help control outbreaks in high-risk settings” where people haven’t been vaccinated, Cohen said. In the separate trial, Regeneron said the cocktail also cut symptomatic infection risk and helped nearly halve the total weeks that patients experienced symptoms, with the viral burden - the amount of virus present - cut by more than 90 per cent. “These data pave the way for REGEN-COV to be used before patients become symptomatic,” Katharine Bar, co-principal investigator and a professor at the University of Pennsylvania hospital, said. (With inputs from agencies)

Regeneron to seek US approval for COVID-19 cocktail to be used for prevention

The UK&nbsp;variant of the novel coronavirus does not increase the severity of Covid-19 compared to other strains, according to research published Tuesday that also confirmed its increased transmissibility.&nbsp;

The strain, known as B.1.1.7, was identified in Britain late last year and has become the most common strain in the United States, according to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

But two studies published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases and The Lancet Public Health journals found no evidence that people with B117 experience worse symptoms or a greater risk of developing long Covid than those infected with different variants.

Also see|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/pints-and-primark-britons-mark-lockdown-easing-with-a-sup-and-a-shop-377060">Pints and Primark: Britons mark lockdown easing with a sup and a shop</a>

The research found however that the variant was associated with a higher viral load and reproduction rate than normal variants.

Authors of the first study looked at data from 341 patients who tested positive for Covid-19 late last year when B117 was running rampant across southeast England.

They found that 58 percent of those patients had B117, while 42 percent had non-B117 Covid-19.

Of those infected with B117, 36 percent became severely ill or died, compared with 38 percent of those with non-B117, suggesting that there was no association between B117 and heightened risk of severe infection.

Patients with the variant tended to be younger, and infections of B117 occurred more frequently in ethnic minority groups, the data showed.

“Our data, within the context and limitations of a real-world study, provide initial reassurance that severity in hospitalised patients with B.1.1.7 is not markedly different from severity in those without,” the researchers said in the study.

The authors also analysed the transmissibility by looking at data generated by PCR testing. They found that samples of B117 tended to contain greater quantities of the virus than non-B117 swabs.

Commenting on the first study, Sean Wei Xiang Ong, Barnaby Edward Young and David Chien Lye from the National Centre for Infectious Diseases, Singapore, said that the findings were in contrast to three previous studies suggesting that B117 was deadlier than other variants.

However they said the Lancet study had the benefit of having used whole-genome sequencing as well as a good variety of patient and disease outcomes.

"The finding that lineage B117 infection did not confer increased risk of severe disease and mortality in this high-risk cohort is reassuring but requires further confirmation in larger studies," said the experts, who were not involved in the research.

A second study analysed self-reported data from 36,920 British users of a Covid-19 symptom app who tested positive between September 28 and December 27 last year.

They found that the B117 variant had a reproduction rate 1.35 times higher than normal coronavirus variants, but also found no evidence of increased disease severity.&nbsp;

The UK variant of the novel coronavirus does not increase the severity of Covid-19 compared to other strains, according to research published Tuesday that also confirmed its increased transmissibility.

The UK variant of the novel coronavirus does not increase the severity of Covid-19 compared to other strains, according to research published Tuesday that also confirmed its increased transmissibility. The strain, known as B.1.1.7, was identified in Britain late last year and has become the most common strain in the United States, according to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But two studies published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases and The Lancet Public Health journals found no evidence that people with B117 experience worse symptoms or a greater risk of developing long Covid than those infected with different variants. Also see| Pints and Primark: Britons mark lockdown easing with a sup and a shop The research found however that the variant was associated with a higher viral load and reproduction rate than normal variants. Authors of the first study looked at data from 341 patients who tested positive for Covid-19 late last year when B117 was running rampant across southeast England. They found that 58 percent of those patients had B117, while 42 percent had non-B117 Covid-19. Of those infected with B117, 36 percent became severely ill or died, compared with 38 percent of those with non-B117, suggesting that there was no association between B117 and heightened risk of severe infection. Patients with the variant tended to be younger, and infections of B117 occurred more frequently in ethnic minority groups, the data showed. “Our data, within the context and limitations of a real-world study, provide initial reassurance that severity in hospitalised patients with B.1.1.7 is not markedly different from severity in those without,” the researchers said in the study. The authors also analysed the transmissibility by looking at data generated by PCR testing. They found that samples of B117 tended to contain greater quantities of the virus than non-B117 swabs. Commenting on the first study, Sean Wei Xiang Ong, Barnaby Edward Young and David Chien Lye from the National Centre for Infectious Diseases, Singapore, said that the findings were in contrast to three previous studies suggesting that B117 was deadlier than other variants. However they said the Lancet study had the benefit of having used whole-genome sequencing as well as a good variety of patient and disease outcomes. "The finding that lineage B117 infection did not confer increased risk of severe disease and mortality in this high-risk cohort is reassuring but requires further confirmation in larger studies," said the experts, who were not involved in the research. A second study analysed self-reported data from 36,920 British users of a Covid-19 symptom app who tested positive between September 28 and December 27 last year. They found that the B117 variant had a reproduction rate 1.35 times higher than normal coronavirus variants, but also found no evidence of increased disease severity.

UK coronavirus variant not linked to more serious infections: Study

A new species of marsupial frog has been discovered in Peru's Amazon jungle, the state service for natural protected areas said on Monday.

The new species belongs to the Gastrotheca genus of tailless frogs found in South and Central America.

"The Cordillera de Colan National Sanctuary made an important discovery for&nbsp;science: a new species of marsupial frog registered for the first time in this protected area in the Amazon region," said the SERNANP service.

The discovery was made a few weeks ago during a study in the humid tundra and mountainous woodland area of the Cordilleras de Colan, an Amazon region in the north of Peru close to the Ecuador border that sits at 3,100 meters altitude.

"This new species is distinguished by having a thick granular skin on the back, a green dorsal coloration without a pattern, turquoise iris and a belly without spots, specks or dots," said SERNANP.

The Cordillera de Colan National Sanctuary spans more than 39,000 hectares and includes six areas of threatened wildlife.

Peruvian authorities say the area is of great biological importance as several unique species live there.

It has thus been classified as a priority site for conservation.

A new species of marsupial frog has been discovered in Peru's Amazon jungle, the state service for natural protected areas said on Monday. The new species belongs to the Gastrotheca genus of tailless frogs found in South and Central America.

A new species of marsupial frog has been discovered in Peru's Amazon jungle, the state service for natural protected areas said on Monday. The new species belongs to the Gastrotheca genus of tailless frogs found in South and Central America. "The Cordillera de Colan National Sanctuary made an important discovery for science: a new species of marsupial frog registered for the first time in this protected area in the Amazon region," said the SERNANP service. The discovery was made a few weeks ago during a study in the humid tundra and mountainous woodland area of the Cordilleras de Colan, an Amazon region in the north of Peru close to the Ecuador border that sits at 3,100 meters altitude. "This new species is distinguished by having a thick granular skin on the back, a green dorsal coloration without a pattern, turquoise iris and a belly without spots, specks or dots," said SERNANP. The Cordillera de Colan National Sanctuary spans more than 39,000 hectares and includes six areas of threatened wildlife. Peruvian authorities say the area is of great biological importance as several unique species live there. It has thus been classified as a priority site for conservation.

New species of frog unearthed in Peruvian Amazon jungle

Police shot and killed a Knoxville, Tennessee, high school student on Monday after they said he opened fire on them in a campus bathroom, wounding an officer.

The gunfire, which erupted at about 3:15 p.m. at Austin-East Magnet High School on the east side of Knoxville, marked the latest in a rash of shootings in the United States since mid-March.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/one-dead-and-police-officer-injured-at-knoxville-high-school-377180/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The wounded police officer was struck by a round in the upper leg and was in serious condition following surgery at the University of Tennessee Medical Center, Knoxville police officials said. He was expected to survive.

“He is conscious and in good spirits. ... He’s going to be OK. I thanked him for putting his life on the line to protect students and staff at the school. He said he’d rather be hurt than anybody else,” Mayor Indya Kincannon told CBS News.

Knoxville police said they responded to Austin-East after getting reports of a gunman at the school and found the suspect in a bathroom.

“As officers entered the space, the suspect reportedly fired shots, striking an officer. The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene and has since been identified as a student at Austin-East,” David Rausch, director of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, told an evening news conference.

Knoxville Police Chief Eve Thomas, speaking at the same news conference, called the incident “chilling.” Police had initially reported multiple gunshot victims in the attack.

Austin-East was locked down following the gunfire and parents who rushed to the scene were directed to pick up their children at a rear entrance. Police later established a reunification site for students and their parents at a baseball field.

A mother who had been separated from her daughter was waiting near the school and told reporters she was greatly relieved to receive a text message from the girl that she was safe.

Agents from the US&nbsp;Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were assisting in the investigation, the bureau’s Nashville office said on Twitter.

The Austin-East community has been shaken by gun violence this year. Four other students at the school were killed in recent months in shootings in the city, according to media reports.

In shootings across the United States since mid-March, a man opened fire last week at a Texas cabinet-making plant where he worked, killing one person and wounding six before he was arrested, authorities said.

Eight people were slain at Atlanta-area spas, 10 people at a supermarket in Boulder, Colorado, and four people, including a 9-year-old boy, at a real estate office in the Southern California city of Orange.

(With inputs from agencies)

Police shot and killed a Knoxville, Tennessee, high school student on Monday after they said he opened fire on them in a campus bathroom, wounding an officer. The gunfire, which erupted at about 3:15 p.

Police shot and killed a Knoxville, Tennessee, high school student on Monday after they said he opened fire on them in a campus bathroom, wounding an officer. The gunfire, which erupted at about 3:15 p.m. at Austin-East Magnet High School on the east side of Knoxville, marked the latest in a rash of shootings in the United States since mid-March. The wounded police officer was struck by a round in the upper leg and was in serious condition following surgery at the University of Tennessee Medical Center, Knoxville police officials said. He was expected to survive. “He is conscious and in good spirits. ... He’s going to be OK. I thanked him for putting his life on the line to protect students and staff at the school. He said he’d rather be hurt than anybody else,” Mayor Indya Kincannon told CBS News. Knoxville police said they responded to Austin-East after getting reports of a gunman at the school and found the suspect in a bathroom. “As officers entered the space, the suspect reportedly fired shots, striking an officer. The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene and has since been identified as a student at Austin-East,” David Rausch, director of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, told an evening news conference. Knoxville Police Chief Eve Thomas, speaking at the same news conference, called the incident “chilling.” Police had initially reported multiple gunshot victims in the attack. Austin-East was locked down following the gunfire and parents who rushed to the scene were directed to pick up their children at a rear entrance. Police later established a reunification site for students and their parents at a baseball field. A mother who had been separated from her daughter was waiting near the school and told reporters she was greatly relieved to receive a text message from the girl that she was safe. Agents from the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were assisting in the investigation, the bureau’s Nashville office said on Twitter. The Austin-East community has been shaken by gun violence this year. Four other students at the school were killed in recent months in shootings in the city, according to media reports. In shootings across the United States since mid-March, a man opened fire last week at a Texas cabinet-making plant where he worked, killing one person and wounding six before he was arrested, authorities said. Eight people were slain at Atlanta-area spas, 10 people at a supermarket in Boulder, Colorado, and four people, including a 9-year-old boy, at a real estate office in the Southern California city of Orange. (With inputs from agencies)

Student shot dead, officer injured in shooting at US high school

US&nbsp;Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday named Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley as the State Department’s first chief diversity officer, a position created to make the US&nbsp;diplomatic corps more representative.

The appointment is part of the Biden administration’s efforts to put diversity, equity and racial justice at the top of the national agenda after nationwide protests against police brutality and racial bias last year.

Introducing Abercrombie-Winstanley, Blinken said the department and the country were at a “moment of reckoning” on racial equality, referring to the Black Lives Matter movement and attacks against Asian-Americans.

Abercrombie-Winstanley, a career diplomat since 1985 who served as US&nbsp;ambassador to Malta, will report directly to Blinken, he said.

Promoting diversity inclusion was the job of every department official, but the new officer would hold department leadership accountable on that score, Blinken said.

The lack of diversity at the highest levels of the department was “alarming,” he added, but could be traced through its history and seen in the portraits of former secretaries that line the corridor to his office.

“It’s hard not to notice that almost every one of the secretaries along the hallway is a white man,” Blinken said.

With 76,000 employees globally, racial and ethnic minorities are underrepresented at the department, particularly in senior ranks, according to an independent federal watchdog report released last year. Abercrombie-Winstanley is Black.

“The truth is this problem is as old as the department itself. It’s systemic,” Blinken said. “It goes deeper than any one institution or any one administration, and it’s perpetuated by policies, practices and people to this day.”

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday named Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley as the State Department’s first chief diversity officer, a position created to make the US diplomatic corps more representative.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday named Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley as the State Department’s first chief diversity officer, a position created to make the US diplomatic corps more representative. The appointment is part of the Biden administration’s efforts to put diversity, equity and racial justice at the top of the national agenda after nationwide protests against police brutality and racial bias last year. Introducing Abercrombie-Winstanley, Blinken said the department and the country were at a “moment of reckoning” on racial equality, referring to the Black Lives Matter movement and attacks against Asian-Americans. Abercrombie-Winstanley, a career diplomat since 1985 who served as US ambassador to Malta, will report directly to Blinken, he said. Promoting diversity inclusion was the job of every department official, but the new officer would hold department leadership accountable on that score, Blinken said. The lack of diversity at the highest levels of the department was “alarming,” he added, but could be traced through its history and seen in the portraits of former secretaries that line the corridor to his office. “It’s hard not to notice that almost every one of the secretaries along the hallway is a white man,” Blinken said. With 76,000 employees globally, racial and ethnic minorities are underrepresented at the department, particularly in senior ranks, according to an independent federal watchdog report released last year. Abercrombie-Winstanley is Black. “The truth is this problem is as old as the department itself. It’s systemic,” Blinken said. “It goes deeper than any one institution or any one administration, and it’s perpetuated by policies, practices and people to this day.”

US State Department names former ambassador Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley as first chief diversity officer

US President Joe Biden&nbsp;promised flexibility in a rare meeting Monday with opposition Republican lawmakers, as well as Democratic allies, to push his more than $2 trillion infrastructure bill.

The massive project is a daring bid to rebuild the United States and also cement Biden's place in history as a president who restored the role of the central government in shaping the often fragmented country.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-joe-bidens-2000000000000-infra-plan-374856/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The White House meeting between Biden and eight members of Congress was meant to show that the new president has made good on his promise to end the divisiveness that turned Washington into a permanent dog fight under Donald Trump.

Four senators and four members of the House of Representatives were invited -- half of them from each party.

"It's a bipartisan meeting here," Biden told reporters in the Oval Office. "I'm prepared to negotiate."

Biden so far has zero support from Republican lawmakers for his giant spending plan, which would pour money into everything from reconstructing the ragged highway system to bringing broadband internet to farming communities and fixing household water supplies.

To pay for this, Biden is proposing a jump in the corporate tax rate from 21 to 28 percent.

What a senior Biden administration official called "a bold once-in-a-generation investment in America" is a must win for a president who has surprised many with his appetite for going big.

Consciously modeling himself on Franklin Roosevelt, or FDR, and his 1930s New Deal program to lift the United States out of the Depression, Biden wants to transform post-Covid America.

Rather than a traditional infrastructure package focusing exclusively on the obvious targets like roads and bridges, Biden wants funds to flood into green technology, schools and every other aspect of the wider economy in a bid to "own the future."

"America's no longer the leader of the world because we're not investing," Biden said last week, referring to the ever-fiercer competition with China.

Polls show broad support from voters for the idea, even if members of Congress are opposed.

Republicans, stung at the way the Democrats forced a $1.9 trillion economic relief bill through Congress in March, say the corporate tax increase will hammer US competitiveness.

Mitch McConnell, the senior Republican senator, said Monday that "less than six percent of this proposal goes to roads and bridges" and would mean "one of the biggest tax hikes in a generation."

Biden insisted Monday that he is ready to negotiate over both the "extent" of the project, "as well as how we pay for it."

However, the White House has made clear there can be no fundamental reduction in the make-up of the package, rejecting Republican complaints that it contains too many leftist pet projects, as opposed to real infrastructure goals.

"We will not be open to doing nothing. Inaction is simply not an option," Biden said last week.

The White House warns that if Republicans don't come aboard, the Democrats will try to pass the mega-bill alone, using a special budget process that allows them to get around the fact that they have only the thinnest of majorities in Congress.

Even this, however, is uncertain. The Democrats would need every one of their senators to hold firm and already at least one -- Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia -- says he opposes the 28 percent tax rate.

Republicans have characterized Biden as paying only lip service to the idea of bipartisanship, while planning to ram the package through anyway.

But Psaki insisted that Biden had already proven his goodwill.

"You don't use the president of the United States' time, multiple times over... if you did not want to authentically hear from the members attending about their ideas about how to move forward this package," she told reporters.

(With inputs from agencies)

US President Joe Biden promised flexibility in a rare meeting Monday with opposition Republican lawmakers, as well as Democratic allies, to push his more than $2 trillion infrastructure bill.

US President Joe Biden promised flexibility in a rare meeting Monday with opposition Republican lawmakers, as well as Democratic allies, to push his more than $2 trillion infrastructure bill. The massive project is a daring bid to rebuild the United States and also cement Biden's place in history as a president who restored the role of the central government in shaping the often fragmented country. The White House meeting between Biden and eight members of Congress was meant to show that the new president has made good on his promise to end the divisiveness that turned Washington into a permanent dog fight under Donald Trump. Four senators and four members of the House of Representatives were invited -- half of them from each party. "It's a bipartisan meeting here," Biden told reporters in the Oval Office. "I'm prepared to negotiate." Biden so far has zero support from Republican lawmakers for his giant spending plan, which would pour money into everything from reconstructing the ragged highway system to bringing broadband internet to farming communities and fixing household water supplies. To pay for this, Biden is proposing a jump in the corporate tax rate from 21 to 28 percent. What a senior Biden administration official called "a bold once-in-a-generation investment in America" is a must win for a president who has surprised many with his appetite for going big. Consciously modeling himself on Franklin Roosevelt, or FDR, and his 1930s New Deal program to lift the United States out of the Depression, Biden wants to transform post-Covid America. Rather than a traditional infrastructure package focusing exclusively on the obvious targets like roads and bridges, Biden wants funds to flood into green technology, schools and every other aspect of the wider economy in a bid to "own the future." "America's no longer the leader of the world because we're not investing," Biden said last week, referring to the ever-fiercer competition with China. Polls show broad support from voters for the idea, even if members of Congress are opposed. Republicans, stung at the way the Democrats forced a $1.9 trillion economic relief bill through Congress in March, say the corporate tax increase will hammer US competitiveness. Mitch McConnell, the senior Republican senator, said Monday that "less than six percent of this proposal goes to roads and bridges" and would mean "one of the biggest tax hikes in a generation." Biden insisted Monday that he is ready to negotiate over both the "extent" of the project, "as well as how we pay for it." However, the White House has made clear there can be no fundamental reduction in the make-up of the package, rejecting Republican complaints that it contains too many leftist pet projects, as opposed to real infrastructure goals. "We will not be open to doing nothing. Inaction is simply not an option," Biden said last week. The White House warns that if Republicans don't come aboard, the Democrats will try to pass the mega-bill alone, using a special budget process that allows them to get around the fact that they have only the thinnest of majorities in Congress. Even this, however, is uncertain. The Democrats would need every one of their senators to hold firm and already at least one -- Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia -- says he opposes the 28 percent tax rate. Republicans have characterized Biden as paying only lip service to the idea of bipartisanship, while planning to ram the package through anyway. But Psaki insisted that Biden had already proven his goodwill. "You don't use the president of the United States' time, multiple times over... if you did not want to authentically hear from the members attending about their ideas about how to move forward this package," she told reporters. (With inputs from agencies)

US President Joe Biden vows flexibility in landmark $2 trillion infrastructure bill

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