Two officers were injured near the US Capitol on Friday after being rammed by a vehicle less than three months after Congress came under attack from an extreme-right mob, police said.

The US&nbsp;Capitol complex was placed on lockdown after the shooting and staff were told they could not enter or exit buildings.

"A suspect is in custody. Both officers are injured. All three have been transported to the hospital," the US Capitol Police said on Twitter.

Television footage showed a blue sedan that had crashed into a security barrier on one of the streets leading to Congress, as what appeared to be the injured officers were loaded onto gurneys and into ambulances.

Also see|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics-tear-gas-explosives-and-gunfire-trump-supporters-storm-capitol-clash-with-police-354961">In pics-Tear gas, explosives and gunfire: Trump supporters storm Capitol, clash with police</a>

It comes as the Washington region remains on edge nearly three months after an insurrection by supporters of then-president Donald Trump&nbsp;stormed the Capitol as Congress was voting to certify Joe Biden’s presidential win.

Five people, including a Capitol Police officer, died in the assault inspired by Trump's groundless claims that he had lost the November presidential election due to massive fraud.

Since then security officials have said there is an ongoing threat from extreme-right groups and Trump supporters.

More than 300 people have been charged in the January attack, including members of armed extremists groups like the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, and 100 more are expected to be charged, according to Justice Department court filings.

In recent weeks some security has been loosened, with the number of armed National Guard troops at the&nbsp;Capitol&nbsp;reduced and a security fence that created a broad perimeter around the&nbsp;Capitol&nbsp;complex removed.

CBS News reported that security officials had already warned congressional staffers of a threat before the car-ramming.

Text messages sent to staffers inside told them to avoid windows and said no one could enter or leave the building.

"If you are outside, seek cover," the messages said.

But the danger on Friday was limited as Congress was in recess for the Easter holiday and relatively few people were in the building.

Security officials, including the&nbsp;Capitol&nbsp;Police and National Guard, were faulted for reacting slowly&nbsp;to the&nbsp;crowds who stormed the&nbsp;Capitol&nbsp;on January 6.

Several hundred rioters broke down doors and windows and poured into the halls of the legislature, some calling for physical attacks on various members of Congress and on then-vice president Mike Pence, who was there to preside over a session to formally declare Joe Biden the winner of the election.

While the incident remains under investigation, some have alleged that Trump and supporters encouraged the attack and that Trump officials held back on deploying additional law enforcement and troops to fight back the attackers.

Two officers were injured near the US Capitol on Friday after being rammed by a vehicle less than three months after Congress came under attack from an extreme-right mob, police said.

Two officers were injured near the US Capitol on Friday after being rammed by a vehicle less than three months after Congress came under attack from an extreme-right mob, police said. The US Capitol complex was placed on lockdown after the shooting and staff were told they could not enter or exit buildings. "A suspect is in custody. Both officers are injured. All three have been transported to the hospital," the US Capitol Police said on Twitter. Television footage showed a blue sedan that had crashed into a security barrier on one of the streets leading to Congress, as what appeared to be the injured officers were loaded onto gurneys and into ambulances. Also see| In pics-Tear gas, explosives and gunfire: Trump supporters storm Capitol, clash with police It comes as the Washington region remains on edge nearly three months after an insurrection by supporters of then-president Donald Trump stormed the Capitol as Congress was voting to certify Joe Biden’s presidential win. Five people, including a Capitol Police officer, died in the assault inspired by Trump's groundless claims that he had lost the November presidential election due to massive fraud. Since then security officials have said there is an ongoing threat from extreme-right groups and Trump supporters. More than 300 people have been charged in the January attack, including members of armed extremists groups like the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, and 100 more are expected to be charged, according to Justice Department court filings. In recent weeks some security has been loosened, with the number of armed National Guard troops at the Capitol reduced and a security fence that created a broad perimeter around the Capitol complex removed. CBS News reported that security officials had already warned congressional staffers of a threat before the car-ramming. Text messages sent to staffers inside told them to avoid windows and said no one could enter or leave the building. "If you are outside, seek cover," the messages said. But the danger on Friday was limited as Congress was in recess for the Easter holiday and relatively few people were in the building. Security officials, including the Capitol Police and National Guard, were faulted for reacting slowly to the crowds who stormed the Capitol on January 6. Several hundred rioters broke down doors and windows and poured into the halls of the legislature, some calling for physical attacks on various members of Congress and on then-vice president Mike Pence, who was there to preside over a session to formally declare Joe Biden the winner of the election. While the incident remains under investigation, some have alleged that Trump and supporters encouraged the attack and that Trump officials held back on deploying additional law enforcement and troops to fight back the attackers.

Officers hurt near US Capitol after being rammed by vehicle

Microsoft Corp on Wednesday said it has won a deal to sell the US&nbsp;Army augmented reality headsets based on its HoloLens product and backed by Azure cloud computing services.

The contract could be worth up to $21.88 billion over 10 years, a Microsoft spokesman said.

Over the past two years, Microsoft has worked with the Army on the prototyping phase of what is called the Integrated Visual Augmentation System, or IVAS. The company said on Wednesday that the Army had moved into the production phase of the project.

In a blog post, Microsoft&nbsp;Technical Fellow Alex Kipman said the headsets are designed to deliver "enhanced situational awareness, enabling information sharing and decision-making in a variety of scenarios."

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The headsets will be manufactured in the United States, a Microsoft spokesman told Reuters.Microsoft was also in line to win the $10 billion JEDI cloud computing contract with the Pentagon, but the contract remains in dispute in a lawsuit filed by Amazon.com Inc. Pentagon officials told U.S. lawmakers in February that the Defense Department may jettison the contract if the dispute lingers in the courts.

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We would much rather Microsoft used today to stand up for Transgender people everywhere on Transgender Day of Visibility, instead of building weapons of war. <a href="https://t.co/kHZycRhpvM">https://t.co/kHZycRhpvM</a>
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After Microsoft announced a $480 million contract in 2018 to supply prototypes to the Army, at least 94 workers petitioned the company to cancel the deal and stop developing "any and all weapons&nbsp;technologies."&nbsp;

On Wednesday, the workers' group said on Twitter, "We would much rather Microsoft used today to stand up for Transgender people everywhere on Transgender Day of Visibility, instead of building weapons of war."

(With inputs from Agencies)

Microsoft Corp on Wednesday said it has won a deal to sell the US Army augmented reality headsets based on its HoloLens product and backed by Azure cloud computing services.

Microsoft Corp on Wednesday said it has won a deal to sell the US Army augmented reality headsets based on its HoloLens product and backed by Azure cloud computing services. The contract could be worth up to $21.88 billion over 10 years, a Microsoft spokesman said. Over the past two years, Microsoft has worked with the Army on the prototyping phase of what is called the Integrated Visual Augmentation System, or IVAS. The company said on Wednesday that the Army had moved into the production phase of the project. In a blog post, Microsoft Technical Fellow Alex Kipman said the headsets are designed to deliver "enhanced situational awareness, enabling information sharing and decision-making in a variety of scenarios." The headsets will be manufactured in the United States, a Microsoft spokesman told Reuters.Microsoft was also in line to win the $10 billion JEDI cloud computing contract with the Pentagon, but the contract remains in dispute in a lawsuit filed by Amazon.com Inc. Pentagon officials told U.S. lawmakers in February that the Defense Department may jettison the contract if the dispute lingers in the courts. We would much rather Microsoft used today to stand up for Transgender people everywhere on Transgender Day of Visibility, instead of building weapons of war. https://t.co/kHZycRhpvM — Microsoft Workers 4 Good (@MsWorkers4) April 1, 2021 × After Microsoft announced a $480 million contract in 2018 to supply prototypes to the Army, at least 94 workers petitioned the company to cancel the deal and stop developing "any and all weapons technologies." On Wednesday, the workers' group said on Twitter, "We would much rather Microsoft used today to stand up for Transgender people everywhere on Transgender Day of Visibility, instead of building weapons of war." (With inputs from Agencies)

Microsoft wins $21.9 billion deal to sell AR headsets to US Army

A young couple accidentally vandalised a painting worth about $500,000 at a gallery in Seoul, its exhibition head said on Friday.

CCTV footage showed the couple using acrylic paint and a brush that were part of a display near the artwork to splatter a new addition to the piece, which is one of about 130 at the 'Street Noise' exhibition at Lotte World Mall.

Gallery staff called police after discovering the new dark green-coloured marks on Sunday&nbsp;afternoon at 14:10 local time (0510GMT), about 30 minutes after the couple left the area, the organizer said.

Police accessed the CCTV footage, secured the paint pot and brush to take fingerprints and tracked down the couple in the shopping mall where the gallery is located.

"They confessed that they thought they were allowed to do that (as participatory art) and made a mistake," exhibition head Kang Wook said. "We are in discussion with the artist to decide what to do."

The 240cm by 700cm sized 'untitled' graffiti artwork made by Jon One in 2016 as a live painting performance in front of an audience in Seoul is worth about $500,000, Kang added.

The gallery has since put a black wire barrier around the display and additional "Do Not Touch" signs explaining that the paint pots and brushes are part of the artwork.

Some visitors were seen taking pictures in front of the damaged artwork on Friday morning, and the exhibition organizer said the incident has generated increased interest in the show.

"After seeing the news report, I was curious, so I came earlier than planned. Damaging original artwork is a serious wrongdoing. I think it should be restored," visitor Lee Seon-mi said at the gallery.

A young couple accidentally vandalised a painting worth about $500,000 at a gallery in Seoul, its exhibition head said on Friday. CCTV footage showed the couple using acrylic paint and a brush that were part of a display near the artwork to splatter a new addition to the piece, which is one of about 130 at the 'Street Noise' exhibition at Lotte World Mall.

A young couple accidentally vandalised a painting worth about $500,000 at a gallery in Seoul, its exhibition head said on Friday. CCTV footage showed the couple using acrylic paint and a brush that were part of a display near the artwork to splatter a new addition to the piece, which is one of about 130 at the 'Street Noise' exhibition at Lotte World Mall. Gallery staff called police after discovering the new dark green-coloured marks on Sunday afternoon at 14:10 local time (0510GMT), about 30 minutes after the couple left the area, the organizer said. Police accessed the CCTV footage, secured the paint pot and brush to take fingerprints and tracked down the couple in the shopping mall where the gallery is located. "They confessed that they thought they were allowed to do that (as participatory art) and made a mistake," exhibition head Kang Wook said. "We are in discussion with the artist to decide what to do." The 240cm by 700cm sized 'untitled' graffiti artwork made by Jon One in 2016 as a live painting performance in front of an audience in Seoul is worth about $500,000, Kang added. The gallery has since put a black wire barrier around the display and additional "Do Not Touch" signs explaining that the paint pots and brushes are part of the artwork. Some visitors were seen taking pictures in front of the damaged artwork on Friday morning, and the exhibition organizer said the incident has generated increased interest in the show. "After seeing the news report, I was curious, so I came earlier than planned. Damaging original artwork is a serious wrongdoing. I think it should be restored," visitor Lee Seon-mi said at the gallery.

South Korean couple vandalise painting worth $500,000 by 'mistake'

General Motors reported a modest rise in car sales in North America for the first quarter, but its operations continue to be hampered by a shortage of computer chips.

GM said on Thursday that it sold 642,250 cars and light trucks in the first three months of the year, up just 4% even though sales a year ago slowed sharply as the coronavirus pandemic took hold.

By contrast, Toyota Motor Corp. showed a strong rebound in sales compared with a year ago. The Japanese company reported that sales in North America jumped 22% in the first three months of 2021, to 603,066 cars and light trucks. Its March sales were a record high for that month.

Toyota’s big jump helped it outsell Ford Motor Co., which has also been hit by the semiconductor shortage. Ford’s sales in the first quarter were up just 1%, to 521,334. Stellantis — the company formed by the merger of Fiat Chrysler and France’s Peugeot SA — reported its U.S. sales increased 5% in the first quarter.

Ford and GM both enjoyed substantial increases in sales to individual customers at dealerships while reporting declines in sales to fleet operators like rental car companies and governments.

GM and Ford have had to halt or slow production at a handful of plants. GM has resorted to making some vehicles without parts containing computer chips with the intention of installing those components before sale when supply improves.

In a statement, GM said it hoped its strategy for building cars without some components would help it “quickly meet strong expected customer demand during the year.”

That approach to building cars “underscores the dire nature” of the semiconductor shortage, an analyst at CFRA Research, Garrett Nelson, said in a report. “One of the key questions is how much better the U.S. auto sales recovery can get from here.”

The chip shortage is reflected in GM’s unusually low inventory of 334,628 vehicles. That is about 76,000 less than at the end of the fourth quarter and is half the number of vehicles its dealers held in stock a year ago. Ford’s inventory was 56,100 lower than at the end of 2020.

GM’s sluggish sales were confined to its Chevrolet brand, whose sales fell 2% in the first quarter. That included a 13% decline in sales of its full-size Silverado pickup truck, a critical profit-maker for the company. The Buick, Cadillac and GMC brands reported strong sales in the quarter.

Toyota also reported a drop in sales of its full-size pickup, the Tundra. But the decline was more than offset by big increases in sales of its RAV4, Highlander and 4Runner sport-utility vehicles and cars from its Lexus luxury brand.

Also on Thursday, Honda Motor reported its first-quarter sale

General Motors reported a modest rise in car sales in North America for the first quarter, but its operations continue to be hampered by a shortage of computer chips.

General Motors reported a modest rise in car sales in North America for the first quarter, but its operations continue to be hampered by a shortage of computer chips. GM said on Thursday that it sold 642,250 cars and light trucks in the first three months of the year, up just 4% even though sales a year ago slowed sharply as the coronavirus pandemic took hold. By contrast, Toyota Motor Corp. showed a strong rebound in sales compared with a year ago. The Japanese company reported that sales in North America jumped 22% in the first three months of 2021, to 603,066 cars and light trucks. Its March sales were a record high for that month. Toyota’s big jump helped it outsell Ford Motor Co., which has also been hit by the semiconductor shortage. Ford’s sales in the first quarter were up just 1%, to 521,334. Stellantis — the company formed by the merger of Fiat Chrysler and France’s Peugeot SA — reported its U.S. sales increased 5% in the first quarter. Ford and GM both enjoyed substantial increases in sales to individual customers at dealerships while reporting declines in sales to fleet operators like rental car companies and governments. GM and Ford have had to halt or slow production at a handful of plants. GM has resorted to making some vehicles without parts containing computer chips with the intention of installing those components before sale when supply improves. In a statement, GM said it hoped its strategy for building cars without some components would help it “quickly meet strong expected customer demand during the year.” That approach to building cars “underscores the dire nature” of the semiconductor shortage, an analyst at CFRA Research, Garrett Nelson, said in a report. “One of the key questions is how much better the U.S. auto sales recovery can get from here.” The chip shortage is reflected in GM’s unusually low inventory of 334,628 vehicles. That is about 76,000 less than at the end of the fourth quarter and is half the number of vehicles its dealers held in stock a year ago. Ford’s inventory was 56,100 lower than at the end of 2020. GM’s sluggish sales were confined to its Chevrolet brand, whose sales fell 2% in the first quarter. That included a 13% decline in sales of its full-size Silverado pickup truck, a critical profit-maker for the company. The Buick, Cadillac and GMC brands reported strong sales in the quarter. Toyota also reported a drop in sales of its full-size pickup, the Tundra. But the decline was more than offset by big increases in sales of its RAV4, Highlander and 4Runner sport-utility vehicles and cars from its Lexus luxury brand. Also on Thursday, Honda Motor reported its first-quarter sale

Toyota sales surge, but GM and Ford’s rebounds are weaker

OPEC and its allies, including Russia, announced Thursday they would gradually increase oil production over the next three months.

In agreeing to modest output increases, Saudi Arabia appears to have yielded to pressure from Russia and other producers who are eager to raise output. They want to take advantage of what they see as a likely growing global thirst for oil as economies slowly expand after pandemic lockdowns.

The group, known as OPEC Plus, has been withholding 8 million barrels a day from the market.

On this occasion, the Saudis “decided to go with the consensus of the members,” said Helima Croft, a commodity strategist at RBC Capital Markets, an investment bank.

Under the agreement, OPEC Plus will increase production by 350,000 barrels a day in both May and June and by 441,000 barrels a day in July. Over the same period, Saudi Arabia will gradually unwind additional cuts of 1 million barrels a day that it has been making voluntarily.

Prince Abdulaziz said during a news conference after the meeting that OPEC Plus wanted to test out increased production but would still be able to change plans if demand failed to materialize.

“We can freeze; we can increase; we can decrease,” he said.

For now, the oil market has accepted the prospect of increases that would amount to less than 1% of global consumption per month. Larry Goldstein, an oil analyst at the Energy Policy Research Foundation, said that the approach to relaxing cuts was “very modest and conservative” and would tend to bolster prices over the coming months.

In addition, Croft said, OPEC’s willingness to increase output is seen as a vote of confidence in the global economic recovery.

OPEC and its allies, including Russia, announced Thursday they would gradually increase oil production over the next three months. In agreeing to modest output increases, Saudi Arabia appears to have yielded to pressure from Russia and other producers who are eager to raise output.

OPEC and its allies, including Russia, announced Thursday they would gradually increase oil production over the next three months. In agreeing to modest output increases, Saudi Arabia appears to have yielded to pressure from Russia and other producers who are eager to raise output. They want to take advantage of what they see as a likely growing global thirst for oil as economies slowly expand after pandemic lockdowns. The group, known as OPEC Plus, has been withholding 8 million barrels a day from the market. On this occasion, the Saudis “decided to go with the consensus of the members,” said Helima Croft, a commodity strategist at RBC Capital Markets, an investment bank. Under the agreement, OPEC Plus will increase production by 350,000 barrels a day in both May and June and by 441,000 barrels a day in July. Over the same period, Saudi Arabia will gradually unwind additional cuts of 1 million barrels a day that it has been making voluntarily. Prince Abdulaziz said during a news conference after the meeting that OPEC Plus wanted to test out increased production but would still be able to change plans if demand failed to materialize. “We can freeze; we can increase; we can decrease,” he said. For now, the oil market has accepted the prospect of increases that would amount to less than 1% of global consumption per month. Larry Goldstein, an oil analyst at the Energy Policy Research Foundation, said that the approach to relaxing cuts was “very modest and conservative” and would tend to bolster prices over the coming months. In addition, Croft said, OPEC’s willingness to increase output is seen as a vote of confidence in the global economic recovery.

OPEC and its allies agree to gradual increases in oil production

In a first, astronomers&nbsp;have&nbsp;detected X-Rays from Uranus&nbsp;using Chandra X-ray Observatory. This result may help scientists learn more about this enigmatic ice giant planet in our solar system.

Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun and has two sets of rings around its equator. The planet, which has four times the diameter of Earth, rotates on its side, making it different from all other planets in the solar system.

Since Voyager 2 was the only spacecraft to ever fly by Uranus, astronomers currently rely on telescopes much closer to Earth, like Chandra and the Hubble Space Telescope, to learn about this distant and cold planet that is made up almost entirely of hydrogen and helium.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uranus-wasnt-always-tilted-find-out-what-actually-happened-291104">Uranus wasn't always tilted: Find out what actually happened!</a>

In the new study, researchers used Chandra observations taken in Uranus in 2002 and then again in 2017. They saw a clear detection of X-rays from the first observation, just analysed recently, and a possible flare of X-rays in those obtained fifteen years later.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/U6_gHa32dew" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

The main graphic shows a Chandra X-ray image of Uranus from 2002 (in pink) superimposed on an optical image from the Keck-I Telescope obtained in a separate study in 2004. The latter shows the planet at approximately the same orientation as it was during the 2002 Chandra observations.

What could cause Uranus to emit X-rays? The answer: mainly the Sun. Astronomers have observed that both Jupiter and Saturn scatter X-ray light given off by the Sun, similar to how Earth's atmosphere scatters the Sun's light.

While the authors of the new Uranus study initially expected that most of the X-rays detected would also be from scattering, there are tantalising hints that at least one other source of X-rays is present. If further observations confirm this, it could have intriguing implications for understanding Uranus.

One possibility is that the rings of Uranus are producing X-rays themselves, which is the case for Saturn's rings. Uranus is surrounded by charged particles such as electrons and protons in its nearby space environment.

If these energetic particles collide with the rings, they could cause the rings to glow in X-rays. Another possibility is that at least some of the X-rays come from auroras on Uranus, a phenomenon that has previously been observed on this planet at other wavelengths.

On Earth, we can see colorful light shows in the sky called auroras, which happen when high-energy particles interact with the atmosphere. X-rays are emitted in Earth's auroras, produced by energetic electrons after they travel down the planet's magnetic field lines to its poles and are slowed down by the atmosphere. Jupiter has auroras, too.

The X-rays from auroras on Jupiter come from two sources: electrons traveling down magnetic field lines, as on Earth, and positively charged atoms and molecules raining down at Jupiter's polar regions. However, scientists are less certain about what causes auroras on Uranus. Chandra's observations may help figure out this mystery.

Uranus is an especially interesting target for X-ray observations because of the unusual orientations of its spin axis and its magnetic field. While the rotation and magnetic field axes of the other planets of the solar system are almost perpendicular to the plane of their orbit, the rotation axis of Uranus is nearly parallel to its path around the Sun. Furthermore, while Uranus is tilted on its side, its magnetic field is tilted by a different amount, and offset from the planet's center. This may cause its auroras to be unusually complex and variable. Determining the sources of the X-rays from Uranus could help astronomers better understand how more exotic objects in space, such as growing black holes and neutron stars, emit X-rays.

A paper describing these results appears in the most recent issue of the Journal of Geophysical Research and is available online. The authors are William Dunn (University College London, United Kingdom), Jan-Uwe Ness (University of Marseille, France), Laurent Lamy (Paris Observatory, France), Grant Tremblay (Center for Astrophysics | Harvard &amp; Smithsonian), Graziella Branduardi-Raymont (University College London), Bradford Snios (CfA), Ralph Kraft (CfA), Z. Yao (Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing), Affelia Wibisono (University College London).

NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center manages the Chandra program. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory's Chandra X-ray Center controls science from Cambridge Massachusetts and flight operations from Burlington, Massachusetts.

In a first, astronomers have detected X-Rays from Uranus using Chandra X-ray Observatory. This result may help scientists learn more about this enigmatic ice giant planet in our solar system.

In a first, astronomers have detected X-Rays from Uranus using Chandra X-ray Observatory. This result may help scientists learn more about this enigmatic ice giant planet in our solar system. Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun and has two sets of rings around its equator. The planet, which has four times the diameter of Earth, rotates on its side, making it different from all other planets in the solar system. Since Voyager 2 was the only spacecraft to ever fly by Uranus, astronomers currently rely on telescopes much closer to Earth, like Chandra and the Hubble Space Telescope, to learn about this distant and cold planet that is made up almost entirely of hydrogen and helium. Also read| Uranus wasn't always tilted: Find out what actually happened! In the new study, researchers used Chandra observations taken in Uranus in 2002 and then again in 2017. They saw a clear detection of X-rays from the first observation, just analysed recently, and a possible flare of X-rays in those obtained fifteen years later. The main graphic shows a Chandra X-ray image of Uranus from 2002 (in pink) superimposed on an optical image from the Keck-I Telescope obtained in a separate study in 2004. The latter shows the planet at approximately the same orientation as it was during the 2002 Chandra observations. What could cause Uranus to emit X-rays? The answer: mainly the Sun. Astronomers have observed that both Jupiter and Saturn scatter X-ray light given off by the Sun, similar to how Earth's atmosphere scatters the Sun's light. While the authors of the new Uranus study initially expected that most of the X-rays detected would also be from scattering, there are tantalising hints that at least one other source of X-rays is present. If further observations confirm this, it could have intriguing implications for understanding Uranus. One possibility is that the rings of Uranus are producing X-rays themselves, which is the case for Saturn's rings. Uranus is surrounded by charged particles such as electrons and protons in its nearby space environment. If these energetic particles collide with the rings, they could cause the rings to glow in X-rays. Another possibility is that at least some of the X-rays come from auroras on Uranus, a phenomenon that has previously been observed on this planet at other wavelengths. On Earth, we can see colorful light shows in the sky called auroras, which happen when high-energy particles interact with the atmosphere. X-rays are emitted in Earth's auroras, produced by energetic electrons after they travel down the planet's magnetic field lines to its poles and are slowed down by the atmosphere. Jupiter has auroras, too. The X-rays from auroras on Jupiter come from two sources: electrons traveling down magnetic field lines, as on Earth, and positively charged atoms and molecules raining down at Jupiter's polar regions. However, scientists are less certain about what causes auroras on Uranus. Chandra's observations may help figure out this mystery. Uranus is an especially interesting target for X-ray observations because of the unusual orientations of its spin axis and its magnetic field. While the rotation and magnetic field axes of the other planets of the solar system are almost perpendicular to the plane of their orbit, the rotation axis of Uranus is nearly parallel to its path around the Sun. Furthermore, while Uranus is tilted on its side, its magnetic field is tilted by a different amount, and offset from the planet's center. This may cause its auroras to be unusually complex and variable. Determining the sources of the X-rays from Uranus could help astronomers better understand how more exotic objects in space, such as growing black holes and neutron stars, emit X-rays. A paper describing these results appears in the most recent issue of the Journal of Geophysical Research and is available online. The authors are William Dunn (University College London, United Kingdom), Jan-Uwe Ness (University of Marseille, France), Laurent Lamy (Paris Observatory, France), Grant Tremblay (Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian), Graziella Branduardi-Raymont (University College London), Bradford Snios (CfA), Ralph Kraft (CfA), Z. Yao (Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing), Affelia Wibisono (University College London). NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center manages the Chandra program. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory's Chandra X-ray Center controls science from Cambridge Massachusetts and flight operations from Burlington, Massachusetts.

Scientists discover X-rays coming from Uranus for the first time

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European Union denounces China's 'harassment' of foreign journalists Iran rejects meeting US at nuclear deal talks in Vienna More than 40 people dead as Taiwan 

European Union denounces China's 'harassment' of foreign journalists Iran rejects meeting US at nuclear deal talks in Vienna More than 40 people dead as Taiwan train derails in tunnel Britain adds Bangladesh, Kenya, Pakistan, Philippines to 'red list' Chinese embassy's Aesop fable analogy backfires on Twitter Myanmar protesters urge 'guerrilla strikes' as internet blackout widens Indonesia's 'One Map' initiative risks conflicts by ignoring indigenous land Ukraine accuses Russia of massing troops on border; Moscow warns 'measures' Ethiopia: Researchers identify 1,900 people killed in Tigray

Top 10 world news today: EU denounces China's 'harassment', 48 dead in Taiwan train crash and more

A tweet by the Chinese embassy in Ireland in which it used an analogy of Aesop's fable drew criticism on social networking platform Twitter.

The tweet by the embassy lost its meaning in the translation of the author navigated through English allegories to portray Chinese strength.

After reading the tweet several people questioned ''who is the wolf?'' as Aesop's fable of the wolf and the lamb is a story of tyrannical injustice in which the lamb is falsely accused and killed. Several Twitter users also accused China of wolf warrior diplomacy.

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Who is his audience with this tweet? First of all, it's his bosses. He needs to show he's working, and he needs to fit the very clearly signaled from the top mood of sarcastic aggression in defense of China this week.
— James Palmer (@BeijingPalmer) <a href="https://twitter.com/BeijingPalmer/status/1377404594049806336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 31, 2021</a></blockquote>
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PLOT TWIST <a href="https://t.co/PVx8cuUV3b">https://t.co/PVx8cuUV3b</a>
— Stephen Dziedzic (@stephendziedzic) <a href="https://twitter.com/stephendziedzic/status/1377416508649840641?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2021</a></blockquote>
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So, to be clear, the West is the Wolf. But China is not a lamb! The west thinks China is a lamb. But China is actually a larger wolf that looks like...a lamb? 
 
Shit. That doesn't work. Give us a minute. <a href="https://t.co/TlhfUVVTra">https://t.co/TlhfUVVTra</a>
— The Relevant Organs (@relevantorgans) <a href="https://twitter.com/relevantorgans/status/1377411411937165314?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2021</a></blockquote>
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China has a pugnacious approach to international affairs,&nbsp;dubbed “Wolf Warrior” diplomacy in both Western and Chinese media,&nbsp;after two popular Chinese movies in which the action hero outguns and outsmarts nefarious US&nbsp;special agents.

It&nbsp;engages in international disputes ranging from fistfights with Taiwanese officials to trade sanctions and threats of conflict,&nbsp;the belligerent and aggressive style of communication of some of its foreign officials has earned it the nickname.

This year was meant to be an important one for Sino-EU ties. Until the virus emerged in Wuhan in December, the EU had started to make progress with Beijing after tense summits in 2016 and 2017 ended without any joint declarations. Last year, the European Commission dubbed China an economic competitor and “systemic rival.”

The last time China policy was discussed by the EU’s 27 envoys in Brussels in March, Ireland’s envoy expressed concern that China’s “huge propaganda machine” may win the narrative on trade, cooperation, and the summit.

Spurred by Xi’s calls for the country to be more imposing, Chinese diplomats have pushed back against criticism of its handling of the outbreak, in every forum from social media to TV, newspaper op-eds, and diplomatic correspondence.

&nbsp;

A tweet by the Chinese embassy in Ireland in which it used an analogy of Aesop's fable drew criticism on social networking platform Twitter. The tweet by the embassy lost its meaning in the translation of the author navigated through English allegories to portray Chinese strength.

A tweet by the Chinese embassy in Ireland in which it used an analogy of Aesop's fable drew criticism on social networking platform Twitter. The tweet by the embassy lost its meaning in the translation of the author navigated through English allegories to portray Chinese strength. After reading the tweet several people questioned ''who is the wolf?'' as Aesop's fable of the wolf and the lamb is a story of tyrannical injustice in which the lamb is falsely accused and killed. Several Twitter users also accused China of wolf warrior diplomacy. Who is his audience with this tweet? First of all, it's his bosses. He needs to show he's working, and he needs to fit the very clearly signaled from the top mood of sarcastic aggression in defense of China this week. — James Palmer (@BeijingPalmer) March 31, 2021 × PLOT TWIST https://t.co/PVx8cuUV3b — Stephen Dziedzic (@stephendziedzic) April 1, 2021 × So, to be clear, the West is the Wolf. But China is not a lamb! The west thinks China is a lamb. But China is actually a larger wolf that looks like...a lamb? Shit. That doesn't work. Give us a minute. https://t.co/TlhfUVVTra — The Relevant Organs (@relevantorgans) April 1, 2021 × China has a pugnacious approach to international affairs, dubbed “Wolf Warrior” diplomacy in both Western and Chinese media, after two popular Chinese movies in which the action hero outguns and outsmarts nefarious US special agents. It engages in international disputes ranging from fistfights with Taiwanese officials to trade sanctions and threats of conflict, the belligerent and aggressive style of communication of some of its foreign officials has earned it the nickname. This year was meant to be an important one for Sino-EU ties. Until the virus emerged in Wuhan in December, the EU had started to make progress with Beijing after tense summits in 2016 and 2017 ended without any joint declarations. Last year, the European Commission dubbed China an economic competitor and “systemic rival.” The last time China policy was discussed by the EU’s 27 envoys in Brussels in March, Ireland’s envoy expressed concern that China’s “huge propaganda machine” may win the narrative on trade, cooperation, and the summit. Spurred by Xi’s calls for the country to be more imposing, Chinese diplomats have pushed back against criticism of its handling of the outbreak, in every forum from social media to TV, newspaper op-eds, and diplomatic correspondence.

Wolf Warrior diplomacy: Chinese embassy's Aesop fable analogy backfires on Twitter

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Hubble Telescope has released a stunning image of the Veil Nebula&nbsp;bringing out fine details of the it’s delicate threads and filaments of ionised gas.

To create this colourful image, observations taken by Hubble's&nbsp;Wide Field Camera 3&nbsp;instrument through 5 different filters were used. The new post-processing methods have further enhanced details of emissions from doubly ionised oxygen (seen here in blues), ionised hydrogen and ionised nitrogen (seen here in reds).

The Veil Nebula lies around 2100 light-years from Earth in the constellation of Cygnus (The Swan), making it a relatively close neighbour in astronomical terms. Only a small portion of the nebula was captured in this image.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-resolves-the-mystery-of-blue-ring-nebula-reveal-stellar-missing-link-344087">NASA resolves the mystery of Blue Ring Nebula, reveal stellar missing link</a>

The Veil Nebula is the visible portion of the nearby Cygnus Loop, a supernova remnant formed roughly 10,000 years ago by the death of a massive star. The Veil Nebula’s progenitor star, which was 20 times the mass of the Sun, lived fast and died young, ending its life in a cataclysmic release of energy. Despite this stellar violence, the shockwaves and debris from the supernova sculpted the Veil Nebula’s delicate tracery of ionised gas,&nbsp;creating a scene of surprising astronomical beauty.

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Astronomers suspect that before the Veil Nebula’s source star exploded it expelled a strong stellar wind. This wind blew a large cavity into the surrounding interstellar gas. As the shock wave from the supernova expands outwards, it encounters the walls of this cavity — and forms the nebula’s distinctive structures. Bright filaments are produced as the shock wave interacts with a relatively dense cavity wall, whilst fainter structures are generated by regions nearly devoid of material. The Veil Nebula’s colourful appearance is generated by variations in the temperatures and densities of the chemical elements present.

The blue coloured features, outlining the cavity wall, appear smooth and curved in comparison to the fluffy green and red coloured ones. This is because the gas traced by the blue filter has more recently encountered the nebula’s shock wave, thus still maintain the original shape of the shock front. These features also contain hotter gas than the red and green coloured ones.&nbsp;The latter excited longer ago and have subsequently diffused into more chaotic structures.

Hidden amongst these bright, chaotic structures lie a few thin, sharply edged, red coloured filaments. These faint hydrogen emission features are created through a totally different mechanism than that which generates their fluffy red companions, and they provide scientists with a snapshot of the shock front. The red colour arises after gas is swept into the shock wave,&nbsp;which is moving at almost 1.5 million kilometres per hour, and the hydrogen within the gas is excited by particle collisions right at the shock front itself.

Despite utilising six full Hubble fields of view, these new WFC3 images cover just a tiny fraction of the nebula’s outer limb. Located on the west side of the supernova remnant, this section of the outer shell is in a region known as&nbsp;NGC 6960&nbsp;or&nbsp;more colloquially the Witch’s Broom Nebula.

&nbsp;

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Hubble Telescope has released a stunning image of the Veil Nebula bringing out fine details of the it’s delicate threads and filaments of ionised gas.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Hubble Telescope has released a stunning image of the Veil Nebula bringing out fine details of the it’s delicate threads and filaments of ionised gas. To create this colourful image, observations taken by Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3 instrument through 5 different filters were used. The new post-processing methods have further enhanced details of emissions from doubly ionised oxygen (seen here in blues), ionised hydrogen and ionised nitrogen (seen here in reds). The Veil Nebula lies around 2100 light-years from Earth in the constellation of Cygnus (The Swan), making it a relatively close neighbour in astronomical terms. Only a small portion of the nebula was captured in this image. Also read| NASA resolves the mystery of Blue Ring Nebula, reveal stellar missing link The Veil Nebula is the visible portion of the nearby Cygnus Loop, a supernova remnant formed roughly 10,000 years ago by the death of a massive star. The Veil Nebula’s progenitor star, which was 20 times the mass of the Sun, lived fast and died young, ending its life in a cataclysmic release of energy. Despite this stellar violence, the shockwaves and debris from the supernova sculpted the Veil Nebula’s delicate tracery of ionised gas, creating a scene of surprising astronomical beauty. Astronomers suspect that before the Veil Nebula’s source star exploded it expelled a strong stellar wind. This wind blew a large cavity into the surrounding interstellar gas. As the shock wave from the supernova expands outwards, it encounters the walls of this cavity — and forms the nebula’s distinctive structures. Bright filaments are produced as the shock wave interacts with a relatively dense cavity wall, whilst fainter structures are generated by regions nearly devoid of material. The Veil Nebula’s colourful appearance is generated by variations in the temperatures and densities of the chemical elements present. The blue coloured features, outlining the cavity wall, appear smooth and curved in comparison to the fluffy green and red coloured ones. This is because the gas traced by the blue filter has more recently encountered the nebula’s shock wave, thus still maintain the original shape of the shock front. These features also contain hotter gas than the red and green coloured ones. The latter excited longer ago and have subsequently diffused into more chaotic structures. Hidden amongst these bright, chaotic structures lie a few thin, sharply edged, red coloured filaments. These faint hydrogen emission features are created through a totally different mechanism than that which generates their fluffy red companions, and they provide scientists with a snapshot of the shock front. The red colour arises after gas is swept into the shock wave, which is moving at almost 1.5 million kilometres per hour, and the hydrogen within the gas is excited by particle collisions right at the shock front itself. Despite utilising six full Hubble fields of view, these new WFC3 images cover just a tiny fraction of the nebula’s outer limb. Located on the west side of the supernova remnant, this section of the outer shell is in a region known as NGC 6960 or more colloquially the Witch’s Broom Nebula.

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope captures stunning image of Veil Nebula

Photo-sharing application Instagram has launched another feature inspired by TikTok. Instagram Reels already mimics TikTok in several ways, and now, it's getting one more feature from the popular video app: duets.

As per The Verge, Instagram has now launched a video feature called Reels Remix. The feature is similar in nature to the popular TikTok feature called Duet.

This new feature would let users upload a video next to another user's video. The feature was introduced by TikTok and is quite famous among creators who share dance and music videos.

To remix a reel, tap the three-dot menu on a reel and select "Remix this Reel." From there, you can record your reel or upload pre-recorded footage.

There is also a volume control option available in the new feature. You can also control the volume for the original audio or your recorded audio, and add a voiceover, along with other editing functions.

Only new reels will have remixes enabled automatically, but if you already have a reel that you want people to be able to remix, you can manually turn that on by tapping that three-dot menu on your own video and selecting "Enable Remixing." If you want to turn off remixing on all your reels, you can do so via your broader profile settings.

Instagram launched Reels in India in July 2020. The Facebook-owned application came up with a short video feature after TikTok, which was hugely popular in India, was banned by the government.

The photo-sharing platform introduced Reels with a similar format but did not launch a standalone app for it. The feature is available within the app. Instagram has added a Reels button to the home screen and even ensured the videos made the cut for its global Lite app.

Photo-sharing application Instagram has launched another feature inspired by TikTok. Instagram Reels already mimics TikTok in several ways, and now, it's getting one more feature from the popular video app: duets.

Photo-sharing application Instagram has launched another feature inspired by TikTok. Instagram Reels already mimics TikTok in several ways, and now, it's getting one more feature from the popular video app: duets. As per The Verge, Instagram has now launched a video feature called Reels Remix. The feature is similar in nature to the popular TikTok feature called Duet. This new feature would let users upload a video next to another user's video. The feature was introduced by TikTok and is quite famous among creators who share dance and music videos. To remix a reel, tap the three-dot menu on a reel and select "Remix this Reel." From there, you can record your reel or upload pre-recorded footage. There is also a volume control option available in the new feature. You can also control the volume for the original audio or your recorded audio, and add a voiceover, along with other editing functions. Only new reels will have remixes enabled automatically, but if you already have a reel that you want people to be able to remix, you can manually turn that on by tapping that three-dot menu on your own video and selecting "Enable Remixing." If you want to turn off remixing on all your reels, you can do so via your broader profile settings. Instagram launched Reels in India in July 2020. The Facebook-owned application came up with a short video feature after TikTok, which was hugely popular in India, was banned by the government. The photo-sharing platform introduced Reels with a similar format but did not launch a standalone app for it. The feature is available within the app. Instagram has added a Reels button to the home screen and even ensured the videos made the cut for its global Lite app.

Instagram launches TikTok Duet style feature called Reels Remix

An ambitious&nbsp;Indonesian project to create a single database of the country's land area and stop conflicts is destined to flounder unless it includes maps created by indigenous communities, advocates said on Friday.

The One Map policy, rolled out a decade ago and meant to be completed by late 2020, aimed to merge 85 thematic maps of the sprawling archipelago's 34 provinces into one map, with local communities involved to help settle conflicting claims.

But to date, the One Map portal is only accessible to government authorities and does not include maps created by indigenous groups, said Rukka Sombolinggi, secretary general of the Indigenous Peoples Alliance of the Archipelago (AMAN).

"The process was meant to be participatory but we haven't been consulted at all," she said, adding that AMAN had submitted maps covering about 11 million hectares (27 million acres) of indigenous land.

"We have been campaigning for decades to have our customary lands recognised and to include indigenous land on government maps ... the failure to include our land in One Map is very frustrating and makes us even more fearful of losing our land."

Indonesian President Joko Widodo has introduced legislation to issue titles for the landless, and pledged to return nearly 13 million hectares of land to indigenous people after a 2013 court ruling that removed customary forests from state control.

But progress has been slow, and indigenous groups have criticised the government's recognition of only "clean and clear" land that excludes areas that are disputed.

Jokowi, as the president is popularly known, has ordered government officials to resolve land conflicts quickly, and to favour communities with prior claims on land that was given to palm oil concessions and mining developers.

Authorities are identifying all indigenous land under dispute and will resolve any conflicts, said Dodi Slamet Riyadi, a senior government official leading the One Map policy.

While "urgently needed", the One Map policy has been delayed by the identification of more than 77 million hectares of land under dispute, the addition of 72 new thematic maps, and movement restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic, he added.

"All of the spatial data is not accessible by the public now because we cannot guarantee the quality ... we are focusing on data quality improvements and hope to make it accessible to the public," he said.

In addition to the lack of indigenous maps, the so-called "omnibus" job creation bill passed in October to boost investment but criticised by labour unions and environmentalists for diluting protections, may worsen land disputes, said Adi Pradana at the World Resources Institute&nbsp;Indonesia&nbsp;(WRI).

"The One Map, as well as the Omnibus law, could overlook the participatory maps and participatory conflict resolution process, thus exacerbating conflicts on the ground," said Pradana, whose thinktank is compiling data for the One Map in four provinces.

WRI works with local authorities, civil society groups and communities to help resolve disputes and recognise customary land, said Pradana, WRI's One Map initiative governance manager.

A similar approach is needed for the One Map project, he added.

"The process is not transparent and inclusive now," Pradana said. "The government needs to be more transparent on One Map to get more public support and reduce conflict."

An ambitious Indonesian project to create a single database of the country's land area and stop conflicts is destined to flounder unless it includes maps created by indigenous communities, advocates said on Friday.

An ambitious Indonesian project to create a single database of the country's land area and stop conflicts is destined to flounder unless it includes maps created by indigenous communities, advocates said on Friday. The One Map policy, rolled out a decade ago and meant to be completed by late 2020, aimed to merge 85 thematic maps of the sprawling archipelago's 34 provinces into one map, with local communities involved to help settle conflicting claims. But to date, the One Map portal is only accessible to government authorities and does not include maps created by indigenous groups, said Rukka Sombolinggi, secretary general of the Indigenous Peoples Alliance of the Archipelago (AMAN). "The process was meant to be participatory but we haven't been consulted at all," she said, adding that AMAN had submitted maps covering about 11 million hectares (27 million acres) of indigenous land. "We have been campaigning for decades to have our customary lands recognised and to include indigenous land on government maps ... the failure to include our land in One Map is very frustrating and makes us even more fearful of losing our land." Indonesian President Joko Widodo has introduced legislation to issue titles for the landless, and pledged to return nearly 13 million hectares of land to indigenous people after a 2013 court ruling that removed customary forests from state control. But progress has been slow, and indigenous groups have criticised the government's recognition of only "clean and clear" land that excludes areas that are disputed. Jokowi, as the president is popularly known, has ordered government officials to resolve land conflicts quickly, and to favour communities with prior claims on land that was given to palm oil concessions and mining developers. Authorities are identifying all indigenous land under dispute and will resolve any conflicts, said Dodi Slamet Riyadi, a senior government official leading the One Map policy. While "urgently needed", the One Map policy has been delayed by the identification of more than 77 million hectares of land under dispute, the addition of 72 new thematic maps, and movement restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic, he added. "All of the spatial data is not accessible by the public now because we cannot guarantee the quality ... we are focusing on data quality improvements and hope to make it accessible to the public," he said. In addition to the lack of indigenous maps, the so-called "omnibus" job creation bill passed in October to boost investment but criticised by labour unions and environmentalists for diluting protections, may worsen land disputes, said Adi Pradana at the World Resources Institute Indonesia (WRI). "The One Map, as well as the Omnibus law, could overlook the participatory maps and participatory conflict resolution process, thus exacerbating conflicts on the ground," said Pradana, whose thinktank is compiling data for the One Map in four provinces. WRI works with local authorities, civil society groups and communities to help resolve disputes and recognise customary land, said Pradana, WRI's One Map initiative governance manager. A similar approach is needed for the One Map project, he added. "The process is not transparent and inclusive now," Pradana said. "The government needs to be more transparent on One Map to get more public support and reduce conflict."

Indonesia's 'One Map' initiative risks conflicts by ignoring indigenous land

The European Union on Friday condemned the "harassment" of foreign journalists in China after a BBC correspondent left the country in the face of legal threats and pressure from authorities.

John Sudworth said he had quit China for Taiwan,&nbsp;along with his Irish journalist wife,&nbsp;after a "full-on propaganda attack" from the authorities due to his reporting on Xinjiang rights abuses and the coronavirus pandemic.&nbsp;

"This is the latest case of foreign correspondents being driven out of China as a result of continuous harassment and obstruction to their work, coming on top of the expulsion of at least 18 correspondents last year," a spokesperson for EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a statement.&nbsp;

"The EU has repeatedly expressed its concerns to the Chinese authorities at the undue working restrictions imposed on foreign journalists&nbsp;and reported related harassment."

"Foreign correspondents play an important role in imparting information across frontiers and contributing to strengthening mutual understanding between the EU and China."

Press freedom groups say the space for reporters to operate in China is increasingly tightly controlled, with journalists followed on the streets, suffering harassment online and refused visas.&nbsp;

At least 18 foreign correspondents were expelled by China last year, during a tit-for-tat row with the United States that decimated the international press presence in the country.

China's foreign ministry on Wednesday said Sudworth had not given any notice of his departure, and it strongly condemned the&nbsp;BBC's reporting on Xinjiang, COVID-19 and Hong Kong.

"We never threatened him," foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a regular daily news briefing. "We don't know why he left because he didn't say goodbye."

Announcing Sudworth's move, the&nbsp;BBC&nbsp;said in a statement that he remained its China correspondent.

"John's work has exposed truth the Chinese authorities did not want the world to know," it said.

Last month, China barred the&nbsp;BBC&nbsp;World News from being aired in response to what the Chinese embassy in London called "relentless fabrication of 'lies of the century' in reporting China."

One flashpoint was a&nbsp;BBC&nbsp;report in February that women in Xinjiang's internment camps for Uighurs were subject to rape, sexual abuse and torture.

China has repeatedly said the&nbsp;BBC's report was false and it has also forcefully denied other claims of human rights abuses in Xinjiang raised by western governments and rights groups.

Sudworth was not one of the&nbsp;BBC&nbsp;journalists credited in the Xinjiang report, though he has been criticised by name by the Chinese foreign ministry as well as Chinese state and Communist Party-backed media for his reporting.

Retaliation

Chinese state media recently reported that unnamed people and entities in Xinjiang were preparing to sue the&nbsp;BBC&nbsp;over reports related to the region. The state media reports did not include details of a suit and no corresponding notices were made public on local court sites.

"I think those people are trying to protect their own rights and interests through legal means, but such acts have nothing to do with the Chinese government," spokeswoman Hua said.

The Foreign Correspondents' Club of China said that Sudworth had left at short notice on March 23 with his wife Yvonne Murray, a journalist for Irish broadcaster RTE.

It said Sudworth had spent the past two years on visas of one-, three- and six-month durations - shorter than the usual one-year for foreign correspondents.

"Abuse of Sudworth and his colleagues at the&nbsp;BBC&nbsp;form part of a larger pattern of harassment and intimidation that obstructs the work of foreign correspondents in China and exposes their Chinese news assistants to growing pressure," an FCCC statement said.

"We urge China to live up to its stated commitment to facilitate unhindered reporting in China. In particular, the FCCC calls for an end to dangerous, personal attacks on individual reporters and foreign media outlets."

China expelled more than a dozen foreign journalists working for US&nbsp;media organisations in 2020. That year saw a “rapid decline in media freedom”, the FCCC said in a report this month.

Several foreign correspondents have relocated to Taiwan from China. A foreign ministry spokeswoman in Taiwan said she could not comment on individual cases but said: "We welcome all reporters from media outlets to come to Taiwan and enjoy the freedom of the press and speech."

The European Union on Friday condemned the "harassment" of foreign journalists in China after a BBC correspondent left the country in the face of legal threats and pressure from authorities.

The European Union on Friday condemned the "harassment" of foreign journalists in China after a BBC correspondent left the country in the face of legal threats and pressure from authorities. John Sudworth said he had quit China for Taiwan, along with his Irish journalist wife, after a "full-on propaganda attack" from the authorities due to his reporting on Xinjiang rights abuses and the coronavirus pandemic. "This is the latest case of foreign correspondents being driven out of China as a result of continuous harassment and obstruction to their work, coming on top of the expulsion of at least 18 correspondents last year," a spokesperson for EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a statement. "The EU has repeatedly expressed its concerns to the Chinese authorities at the undue working restrictions imposed on foreign journalists and reported related harassment." "Foreign correspondents play an important role in imparting information across frontiers and contributing to strengthening mutual understanding between the EU and China." Press freedom groups say the space for reporters to operate in China is increasingly tightly controlled, with journalists followed on the streets, suffering harassment online and refused visas. At least 18 foreign correspondents were expelled by China last year, during a tit-for-tat row with the United States that decimated the international press presence in the country. China's foreign ministry on Wednesday said Sudworth had not given any notice of his departure, and it strongly condemned the BBC's reporting on Xinjiang, COVID-19 and Hong Kong. "We never threatened him," foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a regular daily news briefing. "We don't know why he left because he didn't say goodbye." Announcing Sudworth's move, the BBC said in a statement that he remained its China correspondent. "John's work has exposed truth the Chinese authorities did not want the world to know," it said. Last month, China barred the BBC World News from being aired in response to what the Chinese embassy in London called "relentless fabrication of 'lies of the century' in reporting China." One flashpoint was a BBC report in February that women in Xinjiang's internment camps for Uighurs were subject to rape, sexual abuse and torture. China has repeatedly said the BBC's report was false and it has also forcefully denied other claims of human rights abuses in Xinjiang raised by western governments and rights groups. Sudworth was not one of the BBC journalists credited in the Xinjiang report, though he has been criticised by name by the Chinese foreign ministry as well as Chinese state and Communist Party-backed media for his reporting. Retaliation Chinese state media recently reported that unnamed people and entities in Xinjiang were preparing to sue the BBC over reports related to the region. The state media reports did not include details of a suit and no corresponding notices were made public on local court sites. "I think those people are trying to protect their own rights and interests through legal means, but such acts have nothing to do with the Chinese government," spokeswoman Hua said. The Foreign Correspondents' Club of China said that Sudworth had left at short notice on March 23 with his wife Yvonne Murray, a journalist for Irish broadcaster RTE. It said Sudworth had spent the past two years on visas of one-, three- and six-month durations - shorter than the usual one-year for foreign correspondents. "Abuse of Sudworth and his colleagues at the BBC form part of a larger pattern of harassment and intimidation that obstructs the work of foreign correspondents in China and exposes their Chinese news assistants to growing pressure," an FCCC statement said. "We urge China to live up to its stated commitment to facilitate unhindered reporting in China. In particular, the FCCC calls for an end to dangerous, personal attacks on individual reporters and foreign media outlets." China expelled more than a dozen foreign journalists working for US media organisations in 2020. That year saw a “rapid decline in media freedom”, the FCCC said in a report this month. Several foreign correspondents have relocated to Taiwan from China. A foreign ministry spokeswoman in Taiwan said she could not comment on individual cases but said: "We welcome all reporters from media outlets to come to Taiwan and enjoy the freedom of the press and speech."

European Union denounces China's 'harassment' of foreign journalists

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