President Ram Nath Kovind is undergoing check-up at the Army's Research and Referral hospital here after complaining of chest discomfort on Friday morning, the hospital said.

It said he is undergoing routine check-up and is under observation.

"President of India visited Army Hospital (R&amp;R) following chest discomfort this morning. He is undergoing routine check-up and is under observation," the hospital said in a medical bulletin.

"His condition is stable," it added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is currently on a two-day visit to Bangladesh, enquired about the President`s health. "PM Narendra Modi spoke to Rashtrapati Ji`s son. He enquired about the President`s health and prayed for his well-being," PMO tweeted.&nbsp;

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PM <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a> spoke to Rashtrapati Ji's son. He enquired about the President's health and prayed for his well-being.
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President Ram Nath Kovind is undergoing check-up at the Army's Research and Referral hospital here after complaining of chest discomfort on Friday morning, the hospital said.

President Ram Nath Kovind is undergoing check-up at the Army's Research and Referral hospital here after complaining of chest discomfort on Friday morning, the hospital said. It said he is undergoing routine check-up and is under observation. "President of India visited Army Hospital (R&R) following chest discomfort this morning. He is undergoing routine check-up and is under observation," the hospital said in a medical bulletin. "His condition is stable," it added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is currently on a two-day visit to Bangladesh, enquired about the President`s health. "PM Narendra Modi spoke to Rashtrapati Ji`s son. He enquired about the President`s health and prayed for his well-being," PMO tweeted. PM @narendramodi spoke to Rashtrapati Ji's son. He enquired about the President's health and prayed for his well-being. — PMO India (@PMOIndia) March 26, 2021 ×

President Kovind under observation at Army hospital after chest discomfort

Amid the surge of Covid-19 cases along with other mutated variants, India has reported the presence of a `double mutant` coronavirus variant, triggering fear among many. 
 
However, health experts on Friday said that the double mutant variant may be less dangerous than expected as the most vulnerable patients are having only mild illnesses. 
 
The experts emphasised that as per the current evidence, new variants are observed from few states. But, details about its epidemiology are yet to be known.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-confirms-new-double-mutant-coronavirus-variant-372926">India confirms new double mutant coronavirus variant</a> 
 
"There is no need to panic about the strains and mutation as it`s a completely natural and unavoidable process. Covid appropriate behaviour and accepting vaccines remains the solution for any strain," Harshal R Salve, Associate Professor at Centre for Community Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), New Delhi, told IANS. 
 
Also, they are hopeful that the present vaccines available may help us protect against the recently reported variant too. 
 
"There is a strong possibility that the vaccine may be effective in protecting against a new variant," said Neha Gupta, Infectious Diseases Specialist at Medanta - The Medicity Gurgaon. 
 
This week, the Union Health Ministry said that a total of 771 variants of concerns (VOCs) have been detected in a total of 10,787 positive samples shared by the states and union territories, including a new double mutant variant. 
 
These include 736 samples positive for viruses of the UK (B.1.1.7) lineage, 34 samples of the South African (B.1.351) lineage and one sample of the Brazilian (P.1) lineage. 
 
"Though VOCs and a new double mutant variant have been found in India, these have not been detected in numbers sufficient to either establish or direct relationship or explain the rapid increase in cases in some states," the Health Ministry said. 
 
The government said that an analysis of the samples collected from Maharashtra showed "an increase in the fraction of samples with the E484Q and L452R mutations" compared with December last year. 
 
"Such (double) mutations confer immune escape and increased infectivity," the health ministry said in a statement. 
 
These mutations have been found in about 15-20 per cent of samples and do not match any previously catalogued VOCs. 
 
These have been categorised as VOCs but require the same epidemiological and public health response of `increased testing, comprehensive tracking of close contacts, prompt isolation of positive cases and contacts as well as treatment as per National Treatment Protocol" by the states and Union Territories, according to the Health Ministry. 
 
According to Jeremy Kamil, a virologist at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport in the US, the E484Q is similar to E484K -- a mutation seen in the B.1.351 (South Africa) and P.1 (Brazil) variants, the BBC reported on Thursday. 
 
India reported 59,118 coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, the highest single-day spike since October 2020, taking the total tally to 1,18,46,652 on Friday. Cases have been increasing by leaps and bounds for the past two weeks. 
 
With the death of 257 people in the last 24 hours, the fatality toll has reached 1,60,949 in India. The active caseload in the country has mounted to 4,21,066.

Amid the surge of Covid-19 cases along with other mutated variants, India has reported the presence of a `double mutant` coronavirus variant, triggering fear among many.

Amid the surge of Covid-19 cases along with other mutated variants, India has reported the presence of a `double mutant` coronavirus variant, triggering fear among many. However, health experts on Friday said that the double mutant variant may be less dangerous than expected as the most vulnerable patients are having only mild illnesses. The experts emphasised that as per the current evidence, new variants are observed from few states. But, details about its epidemiology are yet to be known. Also read| India confirms new double mutant coronavirus variant "There is no need to panic about the strains and mutation as it`s a completely natural and unavoidable process. Covid appropriate behaviour and accepting vaccines remains the solution for any strain," Harshal R Salve, Associate Professor at Centre for Community Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), New Delhi, told IANS. Also, they are hopeful that the present vaccines available may help us protect against the recently reported variant too. "There is a strong possibility that the vaccine may be effective in protecting against a new variant," said Neha Gupta, Infectious Diseases Specialist at Medanta - The Medicity Gurgaon. This week, the Union Health Ministry said that a total of 771 variants of concerns (VOCs) have been detected in a total of 10,787 positive samples shared by the states and union territories, including a new double mutant variant. These include 736 samples positive for viruses of the UK (B.1.1.7) lineage, 34 samples of the South African (B.1.351) lineage and one sample of the Brazilian (P.1) lineage. "Though VOCs and a new double mutant variant have been found in India, these have not been detected in numbers sufficient to either establish or direct relationship or explain the rapid increase in cases in some states," the Health Ministry said. The government said that an analysis of the samples collected from Maharashtra showed "an increase in the fraction of samples with the E484Q and L452R mutations" compared with December last year. "Such (double) mutations confer immune escape and increased infectivity," the health ministry said in a statement. These mutations have been found in about 15-20 per cent of samples and do not match any previously catalogued VOCs. These have been categorised as VOCs but require the same epidemiological and public health response of `increased testing, comprehensive tracking of close contacts, prompt isolation of positive cases and contacts as well as treatment as per National Treatment Protocol" by the states and Union Territories, according to the Health Ministry. According to Jeremy Kamil, a virologist at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport in the US, the E484Q is similar to E484K -- a mutation seen in the B.1.351 (South Africa) and P.1 (Brazil) variants, the BBC reported on Thursday. India reported 59,118 coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, the highest single-day spike since October 2020, taking the total tally to 1,18,46,652 on Friday. Cases have been increasing by leaps and bounds for the past two weeks. With the death of 257 people in the last 24 hours, the fatality toll has reached 1,60,949 in India. The active caseload in the country has mounted to 4,21,066.

Is the 'double mutant' variant found in India more dangerous?

In a decision that marked an important victory for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s climate change agenda, Canada’s Supreme Court ruled that the federal government’s imposition of carbon taxes in provinces that oppose them was constitutional.

Citing Parliament’s power to legislate on matters related to “peace, order and good government,” the court said that fighting climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions was a matter of “national concern” protected under the constitution.

“This matter is critical to our response to an existential threat to human life in Canada and around the world,” the court wrote in its 6-3 decision. “Climate change is real. It is caused by greenhouse gas emissions resulting from human activities and it poses a grave threat to humanity’s future.”

The concept of carbon pricing has been widely endorsed by economists and, according to the World Bank, some form of it has been carried out or is in development in 64 countries, either through direct taxes on fossil fuels or through cap-and-trade programs.

Setting minimum carbon prices as a way to reduce emissions and encourage efficiency is a cornerstone of Trudeau’s climate change program. During the 2015 election campaign that first brought him to power, Trudeau emphasized the need for provinces to implement carbon pricing, an approach opposed by his Conservative predecessor, Stephen Harper.

Several U.S. states have carbon pricing programs, notably California. Money and tax credits to address climate change are expected to underpin much of President Joe Biden’s coming spending proposals, which aides and documents suggest could cost as much as $4 trillion over the next decade.

But several people familiar with the forthcoming infrastructure package in the United States said that there are no plans to price carbon emissions. Instead, the president plans to greatly raise fuel efficiency standards for cars, forcing automakers toward electric vehicles through regulation, not legislation. Similarly, Biden plans to reimpose strict emissions regulations on electric power plants to move the sector away from coal.

Republicans in Congress remain firmly opposed to a carbon tax and have voted repeatedly and nearly unanimously over the years to bar the government from imposing one.

Like Republicans in the United States, conservative premiers in the oil-producing provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan have long strenuously campaigned against carbon pricing. They were joined by Doug Ford, another Conservative, who canceled the carbon pricing program in Ontario shortly after he became premier of Canada’s most populous province in 2018.

Court challenges by those three provinces of Trudeau’s carbon pricing law ultimately led to the Supreme Court’s decision.

“We certainly would hope that this brings an end to the jurisdictional and partisan battle around climate action here in Canada,” said Keith Brooks, programs director at Environmental Defence, an advocacy group. “People, including premiers who don’t like carbon pricing, use it as a political wedge and to sow division but also misinformation.”

While the Supreme Court decision’s detailed the dangers of climate changes to Canada and its coastlines, Arctic region and Indigenous people in particular, none of the three provinces that started the legal challenges dispute its effects. Their objections instead focused on the argument that Trudeau’s program had overstepped the federal government’s constitutional powers.

In 2019, Trudeau set a minimum price for carbon. It will become 40 Canadian dollars ($31.71) a metric ton April 1 and will reach 170 dollars a ton in 2030. Most provinces have their own programs to meet those targets, either through a direct charge on fuels and industry emissions or by setting a cap on emissions and then creating a marketplace for industries that exceed the limit to buy emission permits from other businesses who fall below the cap.

The federal government has only stepped in when a province, like Ontario under Ford, refused to price carbon. In those cases, it placed a tax on fuel and set other fees for industrial emissions.

Individual Canadians receive carbon tax rebates from the government to compensate for the surcharge on fuel. A review by Parliament’s budget watchdog found that most households are paid more in rebates than they spend on carbon taxes. Households can boost that bonus by further cutting emissions by using more efficient or electric vehicles or improving their heating systems.

Jason Kenney, the premier of Alberta, who cancelled his province’s program, told reporters that he was disappointed with the decision but declined to say if his province will come up with a carbon pricing system to replace the federally imposed one.

“We’re going to consult with Albertans and talk to our allied provinces to determine the best way forward,” he said.

The Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the law in part because the federal plan only kicks in if provinces do not set up their programs, thus maintaining the shared jurisdiction the two levels of government hold on environmental issues.

It also concluded that setting a single national minimum price for carbon is necessary for effectively reducing greenhouse gases, or GHGs, which makes federal involvement essential.

“Addressing climate change requires collective national and international action,” the court wrote. “This is because the harmful effects of GHGs are, by their very nature, not confined by borders.”

In a decision that marked an important victory for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s climate change agenda, Canada’s Supreme Court ruled that the federal government’s imposition of carbon taxes in provinces that oppose them was constitutional.

In a decision that marked an important victory for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s climate change agenda, Canada’s Supreme Court ruled that the federal government’s imposition of carbon taxes in provinces that oppose them was constitutional. Citing Parliament’s power to legislate on matters related to “peace, order and good government,” the court said that fighting climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions was a matter of “national concern” protected under the constitution. “This matter is critical to our response to an existential threat to human life in Canada and around the world,” the court wrote in its 6-3 decision. “Climate change is real. It is caused by greenhouse gas emissions resulting from human activities and it poses a grave threat to humanity’s future.” The concept of carbon pricing has been widely endorsed by economists and, according to the World Bank, some form of it has been carried out or is in development in 64 countries, either through direct taxes on fossil fuels or through cap-and-trade programs. Setting minimum carbon prices as a way to reduce emissions and encourage efficiency is a cornerstone of Trudeau’s climate change program. During the 2015 election campaign that first brought him to power, Trudeau emphasized the need for provinces to implement carbon pricing, an approach opposed by his Conservative predecessor, Stephen Harper. Several U.S. states have carbon pricing programs, notably California. Money and tax credits to address climate change are expected to underpin much of President Joe Biden’s coming spending proposals, which aides and documents suggest could cost as much as $4 trillion over the next decade. But several people familiar with the forthcoming infrastructure package in the United States said that there are no plans to price carbon emissions. Instead, the president plans to greatly raise fuel efficiency standards for cars, forcing automakers toward electric vehicles through regulation, not legislation. Similarly, Biden plans to reimpose strict emissions regulations on electric power plants to move the sector away from coal. Republicans in Congress remain firmly opposed to a carbon tax and have voted repeatedly and nearly unanimously over the years to bar the government from imposing one. Like Republicans in the United States, conservative premiers in the oil-producing provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan have long strenuously campaigned against carbon pricing. They were joined by Doug Ford, another Conservative, who canceled the carbon pricing program in Ontario shortly after he became premier of Canada’s most populous province in 2018. Court challenges by those three provinces of Trudeau’s carbon pricing law ultimately led to the Supreme Court’s decision. “We certainly would hope that this brings an end to the jurisdictional and partisan battle around climate action here in Canada,” said Keith Brooks, programs director at Environmental Defence, an advocacy group. “People, including premiers who don’t like carbon pricing, use it as a political wedge and to sow division but also misinformation.” While the Supreme Court decision’s detailed the dangers of climate changes to Canada and its coastlines, Arctic region and Indigenous people in particular, none of the three provinces that started the legal challenges dispute its effects. Their objections instead focused on the argument that Trudeau’s program had overstepped the federal government’s constitutional powers. In 2019, Trudeau set a minimum price for carbon. It will become 40 Canadian dollars ($31.71) a metric ton April 1 and will reach 170 dollars a ton in 2030. Most provinces have their own programs to meet those targets, either through a direct charge on fuels and industry emissions or by setting a cap on emissions and then creating a marketplace for industries that exceed the limit to buy emission permits from other businesses who fall below the cap. The federal government has only stepped in when a province, like Ontario under Ford, refused to price carbon. In those cases, it placed a tax on fuel and set other fees for industrial emissions. Individual Canadians receive carbon tax rebates from the government to compensate for the surcharge on fuel. A review by Parliament’s budget watchdog found that most households are paid more in rebates than they spend on carbon taxes. Households can boost that bonus by further cutting emissions by using more efficient or electric vehicles or improving their heating systems. Jason Kenney, the premier of Alberta, who cancelled his province’s program, told reporters that he was disappointed with the decision but declined to say if his province will come up with a carbon pricing system to replace the federally imposed one. “We’re going to consult with Albertans and talk to our allied provinces to determine the best way forward,” he said. The Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the law in part because the federal plan only kicks in if provinces do not set up their programs, thus maintaining the shared jurisdiction the two levels of government hold on environmental issues. It also concluded that setting a single national minimum price for carbon is necessary for effectively reducing greenhouse gases, or GHGs, which makes federal involvement essential. “Addressing climate change requires collective national and international action,” the court wrote. “This is because the harmful effects of GHGs are, by their very nature, not confined by borders.”

Canada Supreme Court rules federal carbon tax is constitutional

Japan on Friday finalised loans and a grant totalling around 233 billion yen (USD 2.11 billion) for several key infrastructure projects, including for the fourth phase of the Delhi Metro.

The financial assistance included a grant of 4.01 billion yen for a project for the improvement of power supply in strategically-located Andaman and Nicobar Islands, according to the Japanese Embassy.

It said notes on the loans and the grant were exchanged between CS Mohapatra, an additional secretary in the Department of Economic Affairs of the Finance Ministry, and Japanese Ambassador Satoshi Suzuki.

The grant of 4.01 billion yen is Japan's first ever official development assistance (ODA) to a project in the Andaman and Nicobar islands.

"Due to its geopolitical location, Andaman and Nicobar Islands play a crucial role in our shared vision for a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific," an official from the Japanese Embassy said on the condition of anonymity.

"Cooperation between Japan and India on these crucial islands demonstrate the commitment of both countries to realising a stable, peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific," the official added.

Both India and Japan have been expanding cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region bilaterally as well as under the framework of the Quad grouping. Besides India and Japan, the Quad comprises the US and Australia.

The loans included 52.03 billion yen for phase two of the Bengaluru Metro Rail project and 119.97 billion yen for phase four of the Delhi Metro.

Japan has been supporting the Delhi Metro project from its beginning and has cumulatively extended 705,206 million Japanese Yen (approximately Rs 47,000 crore) in ODA loans since 1997.

According to the embassy, Japan has also decided to extend a loan of up to 11.30 billion yen for phase two of the Himachal Pradesh crop diversification promotion project.

The project aims at promoting agricultural productivity and sustainable crop diversification to higher-value crops and thereby improving farmers' income.

Another loan of 45.816 billion yen is being given for phase two of the Rajasthan rural water supply and fluorosis mitigation project.

The project aims at providing a sustainable and safe water supply by constructing water treatment plants and related facilities, including a vast distribution network in Jhunjhunu and Barmer districts in Rajasthan.&nbsp;

Japan on Friday finalised loans and a grant totalling around 233 billion yen (USD 2.11 billion) for several key infrastructure projects, including for the fourth phase of the Delhi Metro.

Japan on Friday finalised loans and a grant totalling around 233 billion yen (USD 2.11 billion) for several key infrastructure projects, including for the fourth phase of the Delhi Metro. The financial assistance included a grant of 4.01 billion yen for a project for the improvement of power supply in strategically-located Andaman and Nicobar Islands, according to the Japanese Embassy. It said notes on the loans and the grant were exchanged between CS Mohapatra, an additional secretary in the Department of Economic Affairs of the Finance Ministry, and Japanese Ambassador Satoshi Suzuki. The grant of 4.01 billion yen is Japan's first ever official development assistance (ODA) to a project in the Andaman and Nicobar islands. "Due to its geopolitical location, Andaman and Nicobar Islands play a crucial role in our shared vision for a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific," an official from the Japanese Embassy said on the condition of anonymity. "Cooperation between Japan and India on these crucial islands demonstrate the commitment of both countries to realising a stable, peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific," the official added. Both India and Japan have been expanding cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region bilaterally as well as under the framework of the Quad grouping. Besides India and Japan, the Quad comprises the US and Australia. The loans included 52.03 billion yen for phase two of the Bengaluru Metro Rail project and 119.97 billion yen for phase four of the Delhi Metro. Japan has been supporting the Delhi Metro project from its beginning and has cumulatively extended 705,206 million Japanese Yen (approximately Rs 47,000 crore) in ODA loans since 1997. According to the embassy, Japan has also decided to extend a loan of up to 11.30 billion yen for phase two of the Himachal Pradesh crop diversification promotion project. The project aims at promoting agricultural productivity and sustainable crop diversification to higher-value crops and thereby improving farmers' income. Another loan of 45.816 billion yen is being given for phase two of the Rajasthan rural water supply and fluorosis mitigation project. The project aims at providing a sustainable and safe water supply by constructing water treatment plants and related facilities, including a vast distribution network in Jhunjhunu and Barmer districts in Rajasthan.

Japan to provide loans and grant of $2 billion for infra projects in India

Twenty Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan's air defence identification zone on Friday, in the largest incursion yet reported by the island's defence ministry and marking a dramatic escalation of tension across the Taiwan Strait.

The island's defence ministry said the air force deployed missiles to "monitor" the incursion into the southwestern part of its air defence identification zone. It also said its planes warned the Chinese aircraft, including by radio.

It marked the largest incursion to date by the Chinese air force since Taiwan's defence ministry began disclosing almost daily Chinese military flights over the waters between the southern part of Taiwan and the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands in the South China Sea last year.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-taiwan-sign-first-agreement-under-biden-administration-after-china-law-373392" hreflang="en">US, Taiwan sign first agreement under Biden administration after China law</a>

China claims almost the entirety of the resource-rich sea, and was accused by the United States this week of efforts to "intimidate and provoke others" by parking its vessels near Whitsun Reef.

Some of the Chinese aircraft flew in the airspace to the south of Taiwan and passed through the Bashi Channel which separates the island from the Philippines, Taiwan's defence ministry said in a statement.

China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory, has stepped up military activities near the democratic island in recent months, a move Taiwan says jeopardizes regional stability.

The presence of so many Chinese combat aircraft on Friday's mission - Taiwan said it was made up of four nuclear-capable H-6K bombers and 10 J-16 fighter jets, among others - was unusual and came as the island's air force suspended all training missions after two fighter jet crashes this week.

&nbsp;Beijing routinely says such exercises are nothing unusual and are designed to show the country's determination to defend its sovereignty.

Earlier on Friday, Taiwan and the United States signed their first agreement under the administration of new president Joe Biden, establishing a Coast Guard Working Group to coordinate policy, after China's passing of a law that allows its coast guard to fire on foreign vessels.

While the United States, like most countries, has no formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, it is bound by law to help Taiwan defend itself and is the island's main arms supplier.

Twenty Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan's air defence identification zone on Friday, in the largest incursion yet reported by the island's defence ministry and marking a dramatic escalation of tension across the Taiwan Strait.

Twenty Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan's air defence identification zone on Friday, in the largest incursion yet reported by the island's defence ministry and marking a dramatic escalation of tension across the Taiwan Strait. The island's defence ministry said the air force deployed missiles to "monitor" the incursion into the southwestern part of its air defence identification zone. It also said its planes warned the Chinese aircraft, including by radio. It marked the largest incursion to date by the Chinese air force since Taiwan's defence ministry began disclosing almost daily Chinese military flights over the waters between the southern part of Taiwan and the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands in the South China Sea last year. Also read| US, Taiwan sign first agreement under Biden administration after China law China claims almost the entirety of the resource-rich sea, and was accused by the United States this week of efforts to "intimidate and provoke others" by parking its vessels near Whitsun Reef. Some of the Chinese aircraft flew in the airspace to the south of Taiwan and passed through the Bashi Channel which separates the island from the Philippines, Taiwan's defence ministry said in a statement. China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory, has stepped up military activities near the democratic island in recent months, a move Taiwan says jeopardizes regional stability. The presence of so many Chinese combat aircraft on Friday's mission - Taiwan said it was made up of four nuclear-capable H-6K bombers and 10 J-16 fighter jets, among others - was unusual and came as the island's air force suspended all training missions after two fighter jet crashes this week. Beijing routinely says such exercises are nothing unusual and are designed to show the country's determination to defend its sovereignty. Earlier on Friday, Taiwan and the United States signed their first agreement under the administration of new president Joe Biden, establishing a Coast Guard Working Group to coordinate policy, after China's passing of a law that allows its coast guard to fire on foreign vessels. While the United States, like most countries, has no formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, it is bound by law to help Taiwan defend itself and is the island's main arms supplier.

'Largest ever incursion': Twenty Chinese military aircraft enter Taiwan

He had already been banned from Twitter, but on his podcast he could give full voice to his hateful conspiracy theories.

The podcaster argued that the man in Atlanta who had confessed to killing eight people at massage parlors last week, including six women of Asian descent, was the one who had truly been victimized — the casualty of a supposed Jewish plot.

“Your heart goes out to the guy,” he said.

The remarks, emblematic of a long-standing online network of white supremacists and pro-Nazi groups, weren’t hidden in some dark corner of the internet, but could be found on Google Podcasts, the search giant’s official podcast app that was released for Android in 2018 and expanded to Apple devices last year.

As leading social networks like Facebook and Twitter have taken some steps to limit hate speech, misinformation and incitements to violence in recent months, podcasts — historically fueled by a spirit of good-natured anarchy — stand as one of the last remaining platforms for the de-platformed.

After Twitter last November suspended the account of Steve Bannon, the onetime adviser to former President Donald Trump, for suggesting that several officials be beheaded, he continued to enjoy large audiences with his podcast, available on both Apple and Google’s services.

But even in the world of podcasting, Google Podcasts — whose app has been downloaded more than 19 million times, according to Apptopia — stands alone among major platforms in its tolerance of hate speech and other extremist content. A recent nonexhaustive search turned up more than two dozen podcasts from white supremacists and pro-Nazi groups, offering a buffet of slurs and conspiracy theories. None of the podcasts appeared on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Stitcher.

Google Podcasts is also one of the few remaining homes of Alex Jones, the “Infowars” broadcaster, who was banned in 2018 from Apple, Spotify and Stitcher for repeated violations of their policies on hate speech and harassment. Google, citing its own policies, terminated Jones’ YouTube account. Last year, it removed the Infowars app from the Google Play Store for spreading misinformation about the coronavirus.

But Jones’ programs are still available on Google Podcasts.

Told of the white supremacist and pro-Nazi content on its platform and asked about its policy, a Google spokesperson, Charity Mhende, compared Google Podcasts to Google Search. She said that the company did not want to “limit what people are able to find,” and that it only blocks content “in rare circumstances, largely guided by local law.”

That hands-off approach to moderation recalls the original position of social networks like Facebook and Twitter, which have become more vigilant in recent years in their attempts to rein in the spread of harmful content.

Both Facebook and Twitter barred Trump from posting after the Jan. 6 attack at the Capitol that left five dead and more than 100 injured.

On Thursday, Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Alphabet, Google’s parent company, joined the CEOs of Facebook and Twitter in testifying before Congress about the spread of extremism and disinformation. He said in written testimony that Google was committed to “providing trustworthy content and opportunities for free expression across our platforms, while limiting the reach of harmful misinformation,” but did not mention podcasts.

Jessica Fjeld, the assistant director of the Cyberlaw Clinic at Harvard’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society, said she was surprised that Google had taken such a “hard-line” posture against regulating its platform.

She compared Google Podcasts’ positioning to that of Parler, the largely unregulated social network that was a hotbed for disinformation and extremist groups before the largest tech companies turned away from it.

“Google is perfectly well aware of how to moderate content if it cares to,” said Fjeld. “It seems like they’ve made a decision to embrace an audience that wants more offensive content rather than constrain that content for the sake of safety and respect.”

Google Podcasts, like most other podcast players, including Apple’s, doesn’t host content on its own servers. (Spotify and Audible are prominent exceptions to this rule). Instead, it aggregates RSS feeds — a standardized web format that allows users to receive regularly updated content — that are hosted by third parties.

When Apple bans a podcast, such as Jones’, it removes the RSS feed from its directory. Google Podcasts says it’s unwilling to take that step except in a narrow set of cases.

The services’ content policy compares its function to Google Search’s aggregation of links. Unless a podcast violates the rules that apply to links appearing in Google Search, most of which are based on legal restrictions, it will remain on Google Podcasts. Google does draw distinctions when it comes to which podcasts it will promote, and thus make easier to find. It says it does not recommend content that is “inappropriate, insensitive, or offensive in nature,” and goes on to cite specific areas of concern, including content that is harassing, hateful, deceptive or dangerous.

Though the company likens its podcast platform to search, Google Podcast’s own product description notes significant differences, including the ability to manipulate playback speed, create playlists and download and store content.

But there is at least one connection between Google Podcasts and Google Search. In 2019, Google began integrating podcasts into search results using its own platform, making it possible to play content directly from the results page. All podcasts, including those featuring hate speech, currently benefit from this feature under Google’s policy.

In the early days, content moderation in podcasting was virtually nonexistent. Apple, the industry’s largest and most influential player, which added support for podcasts to iTunes in 2005, at first paid little attention to the nascent ecosystem, opting to serve largely as a delivery vehicle.

The company’s benign neglect was a boon for many creators. Popular comedians (Adam Carolla, Marc Maron) and public radio exiles (Kaitlin Prest, “The Heart”; Nick van der Kolk, “Love + Radio”) took advantage of the medium’s low barrier to entry to find audiences. Many prized freedom of expression, unburdened by the Federal Communications Commission that regulates radio and television broadcasters.

“Everyone who had an idea had a place to explore it,” said Johanna Zorn, a longtime public radio producer and the co-founder of the Third Coast International Audio Festival. “There was suddenly a variety of voices and experiences that would never have existed otherwise.”

But not all of those voices, part of a chorus of more than 1 million podcasts in existence today, were virtuous. And with more popularity — 80 million Americans listened to a podcast at least once a week in 2020, according to Edison Research — came more scrutiny.

Many provocative podcasts, including several hosted by fringe and far-right figures, exist on nearly all the platforms. But the decision to ban Jones signaled a new willingness among leading services to take action against content they consider beyond the pale.

Noah Shanok, the co-founder and former CEO of Stitcher, which was the first podcast platform to ban Jones, said he believes that podcasts provide a unique form of passive, “lean back” entertainment that benefits from curation.

“The more you move in that direction, the more onus there is to police content,” he said.

Experts debate whether dangerous speech poses the same threat on podcasts that it does on social media. Keri Hoffman, CEO of PRX, a nonprofit network that distributes “This American Life” and other popular programs, noted that while social media allows users to send near-real-time messages to potentially billions of users, podcasts, which take more work to discover, have more limited reach.

“If radio was like talking into a great big pipe, podcasts are like talking into a cocktail straw,” she said.

But the insular, self-selecting nature of podcast communities presents its own challenges.

Michael Edison Hayden, a senior investigative reporter with the Southern Poverty Law Center, said that podcasts were a “fundamental building block” of the deadly “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017, helping organizers who had been banned from more mainstream platforms cultivate a national following.

“Podcasts were instrumental in radicalizing and galvanizing that movement,” he said.

For Hoffman, the health of the ecosystem depends on finding some balance between free expression and safety.

“I really believe the openness of podcasting has been key to its success story so far, and will be in the future,” she said. “But there have to be some guardrails.”

He had already been banned from Twitter, but on his podcast he could give full voice to his hateful conspiracy theories. The podcaster argued that the man in Atlanta who had confessed to killing eight people at massage parlors last week, including six women of Asian descent, was the one who had truly been victimized — the casualty of a supposed Jewish plot.

He had already been banned from Twitter, but on his podcast he could give full voice to his hateful conspiracy theories. The podcaster argued that the man in Atlanta who had confessed to killing eight people at massage parlors last week, including six women of Asian descent, was the one who had truly been victimized — the casualty of a supposed Jewish plot. “Your heart goes out to the guy,” he said. The remarks, emblematic of a long-standing online network of white supremacists and pro-Nazi groups, weren’t hidden in some dark corner of the internet, but could be found on Google Podcasts, the search giant’s official podcast app that was released for Android in 2018 and expanded to Apple devices last year. As leading social networks like Facebook and Twitter have taken some steps to limit hate speech, misinformation and incitements to violence in recent months, podcasts — historically fueled by a spirit of good-natured anarchy — stand as one of the last remaining platforms for the de-platformed. After Twitter last November suspended the account of Steve Bannon, the onetime adviser to former President Donald Trump, for suggesting that several officials be beheaded, he continued to enjoy large audiences with his podcast, available on both Apple and Google’s services. But even in the world of podcasting, Google Podcasts — whose app has been downloaded more than 19 million times, according to Apptopia — stands alone among major platforms in its tolerance of hate speech and other extremist content. A recent nonexhaustive search turned up more than two dozen podcasts from white supremacists and pro-Nazi groups, offering a buffet of slurs and conspiracy theories. None of the podcasts appeared on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Stitcher. Google Podcasts is also one of the few remaining homes of Alex Jones, the “Infowars” broadcaster, who was banned in 2018 from Apple, Spotify and Stitcher for repeated violations of their policies on hate speech and harassment. Google, citing its own policies, terminated Jones’ YouTube account. Last year, it removed the Infowars app from the Google Play Store for spreading misinformation about the coronavirus. But Jones’ programs are still available on Google Podcasts. Told of the white supremacist and pro-Nazi content on its platform and asked about its policy, a Google spokesperson, Charity Mhende, compared Google Podcasts to Google Search. She said that the company did not want to “limit what people are able to find,” and that it only blocks content “in rare circumstances, largely guided by local law.” That hands-off approach to moderation recalls the original position of social networks like Facebook and Twitter, which have become more vigilant in recent years in their attempts to rein in the spread of harmful content. Both Facebook and Twitter barred Trump from posting after the Jan. 6 attack at the Capitol that left five dead and more than 100 injured. On Thursday, Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Alphabet, Google’s parent company, joined the CEOs of Facebook and Twitter in testifying before Congress about the spread of extremism and disinformation. He said in written testimony that Google was committed to “providing trustworthy content and opportunities for free expression across our platforms, while limiting the reach of harmful misinformation,” but did not mention podcasts. Jessica Fjeld, the assistant director of the Cyberlaw Clinic at Harvard’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society, said she was surprised that Google had taken such a “hard-line” posture against regulating its platform. She compared Google Podcasts’ positioning to that of Parler, the largely unregulated social network that was a hotbed for disinformation and extremist groups before the largest tech companies turned away from it. “Google is perfectly well aware of how to moderate content if it cares to,” said Fjeld. “It seems like they’ve made a decision to embrace an audience that wants more offensive content rather than constrain that content for the sake of safety and respect.” Google Podcasts, like most other podcast players, including Apple’s, doesn’t host content on its own servers. (Spotify and Audible are prominent exceptions to this rule). Instead, it aggregates RSS feeds — a standardized web format that allows users to receive regularly updated content — that are hosted by third parties. When Apple bans a podcast, such as Jones’, it removes the RSS feed from its directory. Google Podcasts says it’s unwilling to take that step except in a narrow set of cases. The services’ content policy compares its function to Google Search’s aggregation of links. Unless a podcast violates the rules that apply to links appearing in Google Search, most of which are based on legal restrictions, it will remain on Google Podcasts. Google does draw distinctions when it comes to which podcasts it will promote, and thus make easier to find. It says it does not recommend content that is “inappropriate, insensitive, or offensive in nature,” and goes on to cite specific areas of concern, including content that is harassing, hateful, deceptive or dangerous. Though the company likens its podcast platform to search, Google Podcast’s own product description notes significant differences, including the ability to manipulate playback speed, create playlists and download and store content. But there is at least one connection between Google Podcasts and Google Search. In 2019, Google began integrating podcasts into search results using its own platform, making it possible to play content directly from the results page. All podcasts, including those featuring hate speech, currently benefit from this feature under Google’s policy. In the early days, content moderation in podcasting was virtually nonexistent. Apple, the industry’s largest and most influential player, which added support for podcasts to iTunes in 2005, at first paid little attention to the nascent ecosystem, opting to serve largely as a delivery vehicle. The company’s benign neglect was a boon for many creators. Popular comedians (Adam Carolla, Marc Maron) and public radio exiles (Kaitlin Prest, “The Heart”; Nick van der Kolk, “Love + Radio”) took advantage of the medium’s low barrier to entry to find audiences. Many prized freedom of expression, unburdened by the Federal Communications Commission that regulates radio and television broadcasters. “Everyone who had an idea had a place to explore it,” said Johanna Zorn, a longtime public radio producer and the co-founder of the Third Coast International Audio Festival. “There was suddenly a variety of voices and experiences that would never have existed otherwise.” But not all of those voices, part of a chorus of more than 1 million podcasts in existence today, were virtuous. And with more popularity — 80 million Americans listened to a podcast at least once a week in 2020, according to Edison Research — came more scrutiny. Many provocative podcasts, including several hosted by fringe and far-right figures, exist on nearly all the platforms. But the decision to ban Jones signaled a new willingness among leading services to take action against content they consider beyond the pale. Noah Shanok, the co-founder and former CEO of Stitcher, which was the first podcast platform to ban Jones, said he believes that podcasts provide a unique form of passive, “lean back” entertainment that benefits from curation. “The more you move in that direction, the more onus there is to police content,” he said. Experts debate whether dangerous speech poses the same threat on podcasts that it does on social media. Keri Hoffman, CEO of PRX, a nonprofit network that distributes “This American Life” and other popular programs, noted that while social media allows users to send near-real-time messages to potentially billions of users, podcasts, which take more work to discover, have more limited reach. “If radio was like talking into a great big pipe, podcasts are like talking into a cocktail straw,” she said. But the insular, self-selecting nature of podcast communities presents its own challenges. Michael Edison Hayden, a senior investigative reporter with the Southern Poverty Law Center, said that podcasts were a “fundamental building block” of the deadly “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017, helping organizers who had been banned from more mainstream platforms cultivate a national following. “Podcasts were instrumental in radicalizing and galvanizing that movement,” he said. For Hoffman, the health of the ecosystem depends on finding some balance between free expression and safety. “I really believe the openness of podcasting has been key to its success story so far, and will be in the future,” she said. “But there have to be some guardrails.”

On Google podcasts, a buffet of hate

Myanmar activists have called for major anti-coup protests this weekend as the junta marks Armed Forces Day, after a firebomb attack on deposed civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi's party headquarters.

Myanmar's security forces have killed more than 300 people in attempts to crush opposition to a February&nbsp;1 coup, with nearly 90 per cent&nbsp;of victims shot dead and a quarter of them shot in the head, according to data from an advocacy group and local media.

The killings have drawn outrage and prompted some sanctions from Western countries, including the United States. The use of lethal force against civilians had also been condemned by some Southeast Asian neighbours, which tend to be restrained in their criticism.

"Crimes against humanity are committed daily," said the non-profit Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) group, which has been recording the deaths as well as nearly 3,000 people arrested, charged or sentenced since the coup.

Nearly 3,000 people have been arrested since the coup, according to a local monitoring group, but the junta earlier this week released more than 600 from Yangon's Insein prison.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/myanmar-coup-united-states-plans-to-impose-sanctions-on-two-conglomerates-373040/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

On Friday a senior official from the jail, notorious for being the holding site of longtime political prisoners, said another 322 people have been freed.

It comes on the eve of Saturday's Armed Forces Day, when the military will put on a show of strength with its annual parade.

Fears have been swirling that the day could become a flashpoint, as security forces continue to crack down on activists, protesters and political allies of Suu Kyi.

Before dawn on Friday, the Yangon offices of her National League for Democracy (NLD) were hit by a Molotov cocktail, which caused a brief fire.

The attack left only minor damage, but the party has been in disarray since the coup, with many of its top leaders including Suu Kyi in detention and some of its MPs in hiding.

Activists issued a call for nationwide protests against the junta on Saturday.

"The time has arrived again to fight the military's oppression," prominent activist Ei Thinzar Maung posted on Facebook.

The protest movement has included widespread strikes and civil disobedience by government workers, which has hamstrung the functioning of the state.

This has infuriated the authorities, who have used tear gas, rubber bullets and live rounds to break up street demonstrations, and arrested people suspected of supporting the civil disobedience campaign.

Also see|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/red-for-the-ones-who-bled-myanmar-falls-silent-for-a-day-as-sign-of-protest-372893">Red for the ones who bled: Myanmar falls silent for a day as sign of protest</a>

Security forces once again Friday deployed lethal arms in the southern city of Myeik against protesters wielding shields and homemade rifles, who moved quickly to carry the injured off the streets.

At least three people were killed, including a woman who was in her house, said a resident near the crackdown, who witnessed the melee.

"They shot all the people along the road while they chased to arrest protesters on motorbikes," he told AFP, saying security forces were still indiscriminately shooting in the area.

Friday's killings will push the death toll since the coup to more than 320, according to The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), a local monitoring group.

To protect themselves from violence, some activists have come up with creative ways to protest, including staging "human-less" rallies, using objects or dummies in place of people.

In Mandalay, Myanmar's second-largest city, doctors' white coats with black ribbons spray-painted on them were hung at a medical clinic's entrance,&nbsp;in apparent mourning for those killed in the unrest.

US ambassador to Myanmar Thomas Vajda on Friday visited the site where 23-year-old Nyi Nyi Aung Htet was shot down last month and laid a wreath of white roses at the spot where he died.

"May we all remember their courage and dedication to a better future for Myanmar," read its message.

Myanmar&nbsp;has been rocked by almost daily protests since the army overthrew Aung San Suu Kyi's elected government and installed the junta. Suu Kyi, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 for her campaign to bring the democratic civilian rule to&nbsp;Myanmar, and other members of her National League for Democracy (NLD) are being held in detention.

Myanmar activists have called for major anti-coup protests this weekend as the junta marks Armed Forces Day, after a firebomb attack on deposed civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi's party headquarters.

Myanmar activists have called for major anti-coup protests this weekend as the junta marks Armed Forces Day, after a firebomb attack on deposed civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi's party headquarters. Myanmar's security forces have killed more than 300 people in attempts to crush opposition to a February 1 coup, with nearly 90 per cent of victims shot dead and a quarter of them shot in the head, according to data from an advocacy group and local media. The killings have drawn outrage and prompted some sanctions from Western countries, including the United States. The use of lethal force against civilians had also been condemned by some Southeast Asian neighbours, which tend to be restrained in their criticism. "Crimes against humanity are committed daily," said the non-profit Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) group, which has been recording the deaths as well as nearly 3,000 people arrested, charged or sentenced since the coup. Nearly 3,000 people have been arrested since the coup, according to a local monitoring group, but the junta earlier this week released more than 600 from Yangon's Insein prison. On Friday a senior official from the jail, notorious for being the holding site of longtime political prisoners, said another 322 people have been freed. It comes on the eve of Saturday's Armed Forces Day, when the military will put on a show of strength with its annual parade. Fears have been swirling that the day could become a flashpoint, as security forces continue to crack down on activists, protesters and political allies of Suu Kyi. Before dawn on Friday, the Yangon offices of her National League for Democracy (NLD) were hit by a Molotov cocktail, which caused a brief fire. The attack left only minor damage, but the party has been in disarray since the coup, with many of its top leaders including Suu Kyi in detention and some of its MPs in hiding. Activists issued a call for nationwide protests against the junta on Saturday. "The time has arrived again to fight the military's oppression," prominent activist Ei Thinzar Maung posted on Facebook. The protest movement has included widespread strikes and civil disobedience by government workers, which has hamstrung the functioning of the state. This has infuriated the authorities, who have used tear gas, rubber bullets and live rounds to break up street demonstrations, and arrested people suspected of supporting the civil disobedience campaign. Also see| Red for the ones who bled: Myanmar falls silent for a day as sign of protest Security forces once again Friday deployed lethal arms in the southern city of Myeik against protesters wielding shields and homemade rifles, who moved quickly to carry the injured off the streets. At least three people were killed, including a woman who was in her house, said a resident near the crackdown, who witnessed the melee. "They shot all the people along the road while they chased to arrest protesters on motorbikes," he told AFP, saying security forces were still indiscriminately shooting in the area. Friday's killings will push the death toll since the coup to more than 320, according to The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), a local monitoring group. To protect themselves from violence, some activists have come up with creative ways to protest, including staging "human-less" rallies, using objects or dummies in place of people. In Mandalay, Myanmar's second-largest city, doctors' white coats with black ribbons spray-painted on them were hung at a medical clinic's entrance, in apparent mourning for those killed in the unrest. US ambassador to Myanmar Thomas Vajda on Friday visited the site where 23-year-old Nyi Nyi Aung Htet was shot down last month and laid a wreath of white roses at the spot where he died. "May we all remember their courage and dedication to a better future for Myanmar," read its message. Myanmar has been rocked by almost daily protests since the army overthrew Aung San Suu Kyi's elected government and installed the junta. Suu Kyi, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 for her campaign to bring the democratic civilian rule to Myanmar, and other members of her National League for Democracy (NLD) are being held in detention.

Myanmar activists call for anti-coup protest as junta marks Armed Forces Day

A spectacular display of lights that streamed across the night sky over the US Pacific Northwest triggered several conspiracy theories on Thursday.

However,&nbsp;the National Weather Service (NWS) said it&nbsp;was probably debris from a&nbsp;SpaceX&nbsp;mission re-entering the atmosphere.

"While we await further confirmation on the details, here's the unofficial information we have so far. The widely reported bright objects in the sky were the debris from a Falcon 9 rocket 2nd stage," NWS Seattle tweeted.&nbsp;

Videos posted on social media showed a thick cluster of glowing dots with blazing trails of light moving slowly across the sky before fizzling out, with users speculating the phenomenon might be a meteor shower or even, jokingly, an alien invasion.&nbsp;

Local media reported multiple sightings just after 9 pm local time, with videos posted online from Washington state and Oregon.&nbsp;

NWS Seattle said the sight was more likely to be caused by space debris rather than a meteor or similar object because the latter would be moving far faster, a conclusion backed up by several meteorologists quoted by local media.&nbsp;

Jonathan McDowell from Harvard's Center for Astrophysics also pointed to the Falcon 9 rocket stage as the source of the firework-like display.

"The Falcon 9 second stage from the Mar 4 Starlink launch failed to make a deorbit burn and is now re-entering after 22 days in orbit," he tweeted, referring to a rocket launched on March 4 to carry 60 Starlink internet relay satellites into orbit.&nbsp;

A deorbit burn is a firing of a spacecraft’s thrusters to slow the vehicle and begin its descent, according to NASA's website.&nbsp;&nbsp;

McDowell tweeted that while "we could predict this rocket stage would re-enter today", the speed at which it was travelling meant it was difficult to predict where it would be seen.&nbsp;

There were no immediate reports of damage, with NWS Seattle saying there were no expected impacts on the ground.&nbsp;

A spectacular display of lights that streamed across the night sky over the US Pacific Northwest triggered several conspiracy theories on Thursday. However, the National Weather Service (NWS) said it was probably debris from a SpaceX mission re-entering the atmosphere.

A spectacular display of lights that streamed across the night sky over the US Pacific Northwest triggered several conspiracy theories on Thursday. However, the National Weather Service (NWS) said it was probably debris from a SpaceX mission re-entering the atmosphere. "While we await further confirmation on the details, here's the unofficial information we have so far. The widely reported bright objects in the sky were the debris from a Falcon 9 rocket 2nd stage," NWS Seattle tweeted. Videos posted on social media showed a thick cluster of glowing dots with blazing trails of light moving slowly across the sky before fizzling out, with users speculating the phenomenon might be a meteor shower or even, jokingly, an alien invasion. Local media reported multiple sightings just after 9 pm local time, with videos posted online from Washington state and Oregon. NWS Seattle said the sight was more likely to be caused by space debris rather than a meteor or similar object because the latter would be moving far faster, a conclusion backed up by several meteorologists quoted by local media. Jonathan McDowell from Harvard's Center for Astrophysics also pointed to the Falcon 9 rocket stage as the source of the firework-like display. "The Falcon 9 second stage from the Mar 4 Starlink launch failed to make a deorbit burn and is now re-entering after 22 days in orbit," he tweeted, referring to a rocket launched on March 4 to carry 60 Starlink internet relay satellites into orbit. A deorbit burn is a firing of a spacecraft’s thrusters to slow the vehicle and begin its descent, according to NASA's website. McDowell tweeted that while "we could predict this rocket stage would re-enter today", the speed at which it was travelling meant it was difficult to predict where it would be seen. There were no immediate reports of damage, with NWS Seattle saying there were no expected impacts on the ground.

'Alien invasion': Spectacular display of lights across US sparks conspiracy theories

While the world has been riveted by the escapades of NASA's Perseverance&nbsp;Mars&nbsp;rover, a group of Swiss primary school children has been eagerly preparing their own mission to the red planet.

Some of Switzerland's top space experts, including the country's only astronaut, Claude Nicollier, evaluated the detailed mission plan the children had developed over nine months. They were given the all-clear for lift-off on March 8.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/perseverance-searches-for-life-on-mars-369682/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The children "exploded with joy" when they heard, their teacher at the Vivalys private school near Lausanne, Sebastien Roussel, said.

"It was like watching the NASA engineers' ecstatic reaction when Perseverance touched down."

Their destination? A Mars space station conveniently situated a bus-ride away in a secluded wooded area on the outskirts of Lausanne in western Switzerland.

Here, the 16 eight- and nine-year-olds will spend three days carrying out experiments similar to some conducted by actual astronauts, including attempting to grow plants to sustain them on the long journey.

And while the idyllic, snow-sprinkled surroundings are far less hostile than the windswept, dusty surface of Mars, the children wear suits and helmets whenever they step outside.

In a bid to simulate a true space mission, all the children's meals consist of freeze-dried space food. Initial plans for them to sleep on site were meanwhile scrapped due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

During the months of preparation, the children participated in workshops on astronomy and rocket engineering hosted by students at the neighbouring EPFL -- among the most prestigious technical universities in Europe.

The mission required them to use mathematics to calculate the distance to Mars, and they have also sharpened their language skills, learning how to spell the names of the planets.

The first experiment the team embarks upon after arriving at the space station is launching home-made paper rockets into space.

Perseverance's images from Mars have also left some children eager to see humans walk on the red planet.

While the world has been riveted by the escapades of NASA's Perseverance Mars rover, a group of Swiss primary school children has been eagerly preparing their own mission to the red planet.

While the world has been riveted by the escapades of NASA's Perseverance Mars rover, a group of Swiss primary school children has been eagerly preparing their own mission to the red planet. Some of Switzerland's top space experts, including the country's only astronaut, Claude Nicollier, evaluated the detailed mission plan the children had developed over nine months. They were given the all-clear for lift-off on March 8. The children "exploded with joy" when they heard, their teacher at the Vivalys private school near Lausanne, Sebastien Roussel, said. "It was like watching the NASA engineers' ecstatic reaction when Perseverance touched down." Their destination? A Mars space station conveniently situated a bus-ride away in a secluded wooded area on the outskirts of Lausanne in western Switzerland. Here, the 16 eight- and nine-year-olds will spend three days carrying out experiments similar to some conducted by actual astronauts, including attempting to grow plants to sustain them on the long journey. And while the idyllic, snow-sprinkled surroundings are far less hostile than the windswept, dusty surface of Mars, the children wear suits and helmets whenever they step outside. In a bid to simulate a true space mission, all the children's meals consist of freeze-dried space food. Initial plans for them to sleep on site were meanwhile scrapped due to the Covid-19 pandemic. During the months of preparation, the children participated in workshops on astronomy and rocket engineering hosted by students at the neighbouring EPFL -- among the most prestigious technical universities in Europe. The mission required them to use mathematics to calculate the distance to Mars, and they have also sharpened their language skills, learning how to spell the names of the planets. The first experiment the team embarks upon after arriving at the space station is launching home-made paper rockets into space. Perseverance's images from Mars have also left some children eager to see humans walk on the red planet.

Students of Swiss primary school preparing for their mission to Mars

A unique cyber threat is re-emerging at&nbsp;a time when the US&nbsp;agencies and&nbsp;thousands of companies are fighting off major hacking campaigns originating in Russia and China.

This threat is called&nbsp;hacktivism that refers to&nbsp;activist hackers looking to make a political point.

Three major hacks show the power of this new wave of "hacktivism",&nbsp;the exposure of AI-driven video surveillance being conducted by the startup Verkada, a collection of January&nbsp;6 riot videos from the right-wing social network Parler, and disclosure of the Myanmar military junta's high-tech surveillance apparatus.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-deploys-ai-indonesian-president-calls-for-asean-meeting-on-coup-crisis-371577">Myanmar deploys AI; Indonesian president calls for ASEAN meeting on coup crisis</a>

And the US&nbsp;government’s response shows that officials regard the return of&nbsp;hacktivism&nbsp;with alarm. An indictment last week accused 21-year-old Tillie Kottmann, a Swiss hacker who took credit for the Verkada breach, of a broad conspiracy.

"Wrapping oneself in an allegedly altruistic motive does not remove the criminal stench from such intrusion, theft and fraud," Seattle-based Acting US&nbsp;Attorney Tessa Gorman said.

According to a US counter-intelligence strategy released a year ago, "ideologically motivated entities such as hacktivists, leaktivists, and public disclosure organizations," are now viewed as "significant threats," alongside five countries, three terrorist groups, and "transnational criminal organizations."

Earlier waves of&nbsp;hacktivism, notably by the amorphous collective known as Anonymous in the early 2010s, largely faded away under law enforcement pressure. But now a new generation of youthful hackers, many angry about how the cybersecurity world operates and upset about the role of tech companies in spreading propaganda, are joining the fray.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/who-are-the-anonymous-and-what-have-they-done-so-far-303021/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

And some former Anonymous members are returning to the field, including Aubrey Cottle, who helped revive the group’s Twitter presence last year in support of the Black Lives Matter protests.

Anonymous followers drew attention for disrupting an app that the Dallas police department was using to field complaints about protesters by flooding it with nonsense traffic. They also wrested control of Twitter hashtags promoted by police supporters.

"What’s interesting about the current wave of the Parler archive and Gab hack and leak is that the&nbsp;hacktivism&nbsp;is supporting antiracist politics or antifascism politics,” said Gabriella Coleman, an anthropologist at McGill University, Montreal, who wrote a book on Anonymous.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/anonymous-hacktivists-launch-cyberwar-against-minneapolis-police-department-over-george-floyds-murder-302409">'Anonymous': Hacktivists launch cyberwar against Minneapolis Police Department over George Floyd's murder</a>

Gab, a social network favoured by white nationalists and other right-wing extremists, has also been hurt by the hacktivist campaign and had to shut down for brief periods after breaches.

Disrupting&nbsp;QAnon

Most recently, Cottle has been focused on QAnon and hate groups.

"QAnon trying to adopt Anonymous and merge itself into Anonymous proper, that was the straw that broke the camel’s back," said Cottle, who has held a number of web development and engineering jobs, including a stint at Ericsson.

He found email data showing that people in charge of the 8kun image board, where the persona known as Q posted, were in steady contact with major promoters of QAnon conspiracies .

The new-wave hacktivists also have a preferred place for putting materials they want to make public - Distributed Denial of Secrets, a transparency site that took up the mantle of WikiLeaks with less geopolitical bias. The site’s collective is led by Emma Best, an American known for filing prolific freedom of information requests.

Best’s two-year-old site coordinating access by researchers and media to a hoard of posts taken from Gab by unidentified hackers. In an essay this week, Best praised Kottmann and said leaks would keep coming, not just from hacktivists but insiders and the ransomware operators who publish files when companies don’t pay them off.

"Indictments like Tillie's show just how scared the government is, and just how many corporations consider embarrassment a greater threat than insecurity," Best wrote https://ddosecrets.substack.com/p/hacktivism-leaktivism-and-the-future.

The events covered by the Kottmann indictment took place from November 2019 through January 2021. The core allegation is that the Lucerne software developer and associates broke into a number of companies, removed computer code and published it. The indictment also said Kottmann spoke to the media about poor security practices by the victims and stood to profit, if only by selling shirts saying things like “venture anticapitalist” and “catgirl hacker.”

But it was only after Kottmann publicly took credit for breaching Verkada and posted alarming videos from inside big companies, medical facilities and a jail that Swiss authorities raided their home at the behest of the US&nbsp;government. Kottmann uses non-binary pronouns.

"This move by the US&nbsp;government is clearly not only an attempt to disrupt the freedom of information but also primarily to intimidate and silence this newly emerging wave of hacktivists and leaktivists," Kottmann said in an interview with Reuters.

Kottmann and their lawyer declined to discuss the US&nbsp;charges of wire fraud for some of Kottmann's online statements, aggravated identity theft for using employee credentials, and conspiracy, which together are enough for a lengthy prison sentence.

The FBI declined an interview request. If it seeks extradition, the Swiss would determine whether Kottmann’s purported actions would have violated that country’s laws.

Disdain

Kottmann was open about their disdain for the law and corporate powers-that-be. “Like many people, I’ve always been opposed to intellectual property as a concept and specifically how it’s used to limit our understanding of the systems that run our daily lives,” Kottmann said.

A European friend of Kottmann’s known as "donk_enby," a reference to being non-binary in gender, is another major figure in the&nbsp;hacktivism&nbsp;revival. Donk grew angry about conspiracy theories spread by QAnon followers on the social media app Parler that drove protests against COVID-19 health measures.

Following a Cottle post about a leak from Parler in November, Donk dissected the iOS version of Parler’s app and found a poor design choice. Each post bore an assigned number, and she could use a program to keep adding 1 to that number and download every single post in sequence.

After the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riots, Donk shared links to the web addresses of a million Parler video posts and asked her Twitter followers to download them before rioters who recorded themselves inside the building deleted the evidence. The trove included not just footage but exact locations and timestamps, allowing members of Congress to catalogue the violence and the FBI to identify more suspects.

Popular with far-right figures, Parler has struggled to stay online after being dropped by Google and Amazon. Donk's actions alarmed users who thought some videos would remain private, hindering its attempt at a comeback.

In the meantime, protesters in Myanmar asked Donk for help, leading to file dumps that prompted Google to pull its blogging platform and email accounts from leaders of the Feb. 1 coup. Donk's identification of numerous other military contractors helped fuel sanctions that continue to pile up.

One big change from the earlier era of hacktivism is that hackers can now make money legally by reporting the security weaknesses they find to the companies involved, or taking jobs with cybersecurity firms.

But some view so-called bug bounty programs, and the hiring of hackers to break into systems to find weaknesses, as mechanisms for protecting companies who should be exposed.

"We're not going to hack and help secure anyone we think is doing something extremely unethical," said John Jackson, an American researcher who works with Cottle on above-ground projects. "We're not going to hack surveillance companies and help them secure their infrastructure."

A unique cyber threat is re-emerging at a time when the US agencies and thousands of companies are fighting off major hacking campaigns originating in Russia and China.

A unique cyber threat is re-emerging at a time when the US agencies and thousands of companies are fighting off major hacking campaigns originating in Russia and China. This threat is called hacktivism that refers to activist hackers looking to make a political point. Three major hacks show the power of this new wave of "hacktivism", the exposure of AI-driven video surveillance being conducted by the startup Verkada, a collection of January 6 riot videos from the right-wing social network Parler, and disclosure of the Myanmar military junta's high-tech surveillance apparatus. Also read| Myanmar deploys AI; Indonesian president calls for ASEAN meeting on coup crisis And the US government’s response shows that officials regard the return of hacktivism with alarm. An indictment last week accused 21-year-old Tillie Kottmann, a Swiss hacker who took credit for the Verkada breach, of a broad conspiracy. "Wrapping oneself in an allegedly altruistic motive does not remove the criminal stench from such intrusion, theft and fraud," Seattle-based Acting US Attorney Tessa Gorman said. According to a US counter-intelligence strategy released a year ago, "ideologically motivated entities such as hacktivists, leaktivists, and public disclosure organizations," are now viewed as "significant threats," alongside five countries, three terrorist groups, and "transnational criminal organizations." Earlier waves of hacktivism, notably by the amorphous collective known as Anonymous in the early 2010s, largely faded away under law enforcement pressure. But now a new generation of youthful hackers, many angry about how the cybersecurity world operates and upset about the role of tech companies in spreading propaganda, are joining the fray. And some former Anonymous members are returning to the field, including Aubrey Cottle, who helped revive the group’s Twitter presence last year in support of the Black Lives Matter protests. Anonymous followers drew attention for disrupting an app that the Dallas police department was using to field complaints about protesters by flooding it with nonsense traffic. They also wrested control of Twitter hashtags promoted by police supporters. "What’s interesting about the current wave of the Parler archive and Gab hack and leak is that the hacktivism is supporting antiracist politics or antifascism politics,” said Gabriella Coleman, an anthropologist at McGill University, Montreal, who wrote a book on Anonymous. Also read| 'Anonymous': Hacktivists launch cyberwar against Minneapolis Police Department over George Floyd's murder Gab, a social network favoured by white nationalists and other right-wing extremists, has also been hurt by the hacktivist campaign and had to shut down for brief periods after breaches. Disrupting QAnon Most recently, Cottle has been focused on QAnon and hate groups. "QAnon trying to adopt Anonymous and merge itself into Anonymous proper, that was the straw that broke the camel’s back," said Cottle, who has held a number of web development and engineering jobs, including a stint at Ericsson. He found email data showing that people in charge of the 8kun image board, where the persona known as Q posted, were in steady contact with major promoters of QAnon conspiracies . The new-wave hacktivists also have a preferred place for putting materials they want to make public - Distributed Denial of Secrets, a transparency site that took up the mantle of WikiLeaks with less geopolitical bias. The site’s collective is led by Emma Best, an American known for filing prolific freedom of information requests. Best’s two-year-old site coordinating access by researchers and media to a hoard of posts taken from Gab by unidentified hackers. In an essay this week, Best praised Kottmann and said leaks would keep coming, not just from hacktivists but insiders and the ransomware operators who publish files when companies don’t pay them off. "Indictments like Tillie's show just how scared the government is, and just how many corporations consider embarrassment a greater threat than insecurity," Best wrote https://ddosecrets.substack.com/p/hacktivism-leaktivism-and-the-future. The events covered by the Kottmann indictment took place from November 2019 through January 2021. The core allegation is that the Lucerne software developer and associates broke into a number of companies, removed computer code and published it. The indictment also said Kottmann spoke to the media about poor security practices by the victims and stood to profit, if only by selling shirts saying things like “venture anticapitalist” and “catgirl hacker.” But it was only after Kottmann publicly took credit for breaching Verkada and posted alarming videos from inside big companies, medical facilities and a jail that Swiss authorities raided their home at the behest of the US government. Kottmann uses non-binary pronouns. "This move by the US government is clearly not only an attempt to disrupt the freedom of information but also primarily to intimidate and silence this newly emerging wave of hacktivists and leaktivists," Kottmann said in an interview with Reuters. Kottmann and their lawyer declined to discuss the US charges of wire fraud for some of Kottmann's online statements, aggravated identity theft for using employee credentials, and conspiracy, which together are enough for a lengthy prison sentence. The FBI declined an interview request. If it seeks extradition, the Swiss would determine whether Kottmann’s purported actions would have violated that country’s laws. Disdain Kottmann was open about their disdain for the law and corporate powers-that-be. “Like many people, I’ve always been opposed to intellectual property as a concept and specifically how it’s used to limit our understanding of the systems that run our daily lives,” Kottmann said. A European friend of Kottmann’s known as "donk_enby," a reference to being non-binary in gender, is another major figure in the hacktivism revival. Donk grew angry about conspiracy theories spread by QAnon followers on the social media app Parler that drove protests against COVID-19 health measures. Following a Cottle post about a leak from Parler in November, Donk dissected the iOS version of Parler’s app and found a poor design choice. Each post bore an assigned number, and she could use a program to keep adding 1 to that number and download every single post in sequence. After the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riots, Donk shared links to the web addresses of a million Parler video posts and asked her Twitter followers to download them before rioters who recorded themselves inside the building deleted the evidence. The trove included not just footage but exact locations and timestamps, allowing members of Congress to catalogue the violence and the FBI to identify more suspects. Popular with far-right figures, Parler has struggled to stay online after being dropped by Google and Amazon. Donk's actions alarmed users who thought some videos would remain private, hindering its attempt at a comeback. In the meantime, protesters in Myanmar asked Donk for help, leading to file dumps that prompted Google to pull its blogging platform and email accounts from leaders of the Feb. 1 coup. Donk's identification of numerous other military contractors helped fuel sanctions that continue to pile up. One big change from the earlier era of hacktivism is that hackers can now make money legally by reporting the security weaknesses they find to the companies involved, or taking jobs with cybersecurity firms. But some view so-called bug bounty programs, and the hiring of hackers to break into systems to find weaknesses, as mechanisms for protecting companies who should be exposed. "We're not going to hack and help secure anyone we think is doing something extremely unethical," said John Jackson, an American researcher who works with Cottle on above-ground projects. "We're not going to hack surveillance companies and help them secure their infrastructure."

'Hacktivism' adding to woes of cybersecurity at alarming rate

Fighting around the&nbsp;Mozambique&nbsp;town of Palma, which is adjacent to gas projects worth $60 billion, entered a second day on Thursday, two security sources and a diplomat told Reuters.

Mozambique's government confirmed that the town, in its northern-most province of Cabo Delgado and just kilometres from the perimeter of gas developments led by oil majors like Total, came under a three-pronged attack on Wednesday and security forces were working to establish order.

Palma falls within a 25-kilometre "special security area" that the French oil major had requested from the government after suspending work at the site due to security issues.

Total had just said on Wednesday, prior to the attack, that it would resume construction as this zone had been set up.

The company had no immediate comment on the impact of the attack on its operations.

Since 2017, the Cabo Delgado province has been home to a festering Islamist insurgency linked to Islamic State.

Within a few hours of Total's announcement, strategically important Palma, which hosts numerous international companies looking to cash in on one of the biggest gas finds in a decade, had been hit with its first major strike.

Mozambique's forces had not repelled the attack as of Thursday morning and fighting was ongoing, according to the sources who are in touch with Mozambique&nbsp;government and security or military officials.

The sources declined to be named because it would jeopardise their work.

"The defence and security forces are pursuing the enemy to establish security and order quickly," the government said in a statement on Thursday, adding the attack, which began around 14:15 GMT on Wednesday in three locations, had sent residents fleeing into the bush for cover.

There was no immediate information on casualties or damage caused because communications with the town had been cut, it said.

Fighting around the Mozambique town of Palma, which is adjacent to gas projects worth $60 billion, entered a second day on Thursday, two security sources and a diplomat told Reuters.

Fighting around the Mozambique town of Palma, which is adjacent to gas projects worth $60 billion, entered a second day on Thursday, two security sources and a diplomat told Reuters. Mozambique's government confirmed that the town, in its northern-most province of Cabo Delgado and just kilometres from the perimeter of gas developments led by oil majors like Total, came under a three-pronged attack on Wednesday and security forces were working to establish order. Palma falls within a 25-kilometre "special security area" that the French oil major had requested from the government after suspending work at the site due to security issues. Total had just said on Wednesday, prior to the attack, that it would resume construction as this zone had been set up. The company had no immediate comment on the impact of the attack on its operations. Since 2017, the Cabo Delgado province has been home to a festering Islamist insurgency linked to Islamic State. Within a few hours of Total's announcement, strategically important Palma, which hosts numerous international companies looking to cash in on one of the biggest gas finds in a decade, had been hit with its first major strike. Mozambique's forces had not repelled the attack as of Thursday morning and fighting was ongoing, according to the sources who are in touch with Mozambique government and security or military officials. The sources declined to be named because it would jeopardise their work. "The defence and security forces are pursuing the enemy to establish security and order quickly," the government said in a statement on Thursday, adding the attack, which began around 14:15 GMT on Wednesday in three locations, had sent residents fleeing into the bush for cover. There was no immediate information on casualties or damage caused because communications with the town had been cut, it said.

Fighting in town near Mozambique gas hub continues for second day: Sources

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's plane has touched down in Dhaka. This is his first foreign visit since the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the next two days in Bangladesh, the PM will hold talks with the Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and President Abdul Hamid.

PM Modi receives 'Guard of Honour' at Dhaka airport

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