The US&nbsp;National Labor Relations Board has asked Tesla CEO Elon Musk to delete his&nbsp;2018 tweet threatening employees&nbsp;would lose their stock options if they formed a union was illegal.

The NLRB backed a ruling from a US&nbsp;labour judge in 2019 that the electric-car maker had committed a series of violations of the National Labor Relations Act in 2017 and 2018.

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Nothing stopping Tesla team at our car plant from voting union. Could do so tmrw if they wanted. But why pay union dues &amp; give up stock options for nothing? Our safety record is 2X better than when plant was UAW &amp; everybody already gets healthcare.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/998454539941367808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 21, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The board ordered Tesla to direct&nbsp;Musk&nbsp;to delete the tweet and to post a notice addressing the unlawful tweet at all of its facilities nationwide and include language that says "WE WILL take appropriate steps to ensure&nbsp;Musk&nbsp;complies with our directive."

The United Auto Workers (UAW)in 2018 filed a complaint with the NLRB over the&nbsp;Musk&nbsp;tweet that it said was illegally threatening to take away benefits from workers who join the union.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/elon-musk-says-tesla-customers-can-buy-its-electric-vehicles-with-bitcoin-372845" hreflang="en">Elon Musk says Tesla customers can buy its electric vehicles with bitcoin</a>

At that time, the UAW was seeking to represent workers at Tesla's facility in Fremont, who are not unionised.

“This is a great victory for workers who have the courage to stand up and organize in a system that is currently stacked heavily in favour of employers like Tesla who have no qualms about violating the law,” UAW Vice President Cindy Estrada said in a statement.

The NLRB also directed Tesla to offer one former employee reinstatement as well as to rescind 2017 rules that prohibited distributing union literature in its parking lot on non-work time and rules that barred distributing union stickers, leaflets, and pamphlets without first obtaining permission.

Tesla in 2018 defended&nbsp;Musk's comment, saying it simply recognized that other automakers whose workers are represented by the UAW do not provide stock options.

In a separate tweet,&nbsp;Musk&nbsp;had accused the UAW of driving General Motors and Chrysler to bankruptcy and losing "200,000+ jobs for people they were supposed to protect."

&nbsp;

The US National Labor Relations Board has asked Tesla CEO Elon Musk to delete his 2018 tweet threatening employees would lose their stock options if they formed a union was illegal.

The US National Labor Relations Board has asked Tesla CEO Elon Musk to delete his 2018 tweet threatening employees would lose their stock options if they formed a union was illegal. The NLRB backed a ruling from a US labour judge in 2019 that the electric-car maker had committed a series of violations of the National Labor Relations Act in 2017 and 2018. Nothing stopping Tesla team at our car plant from voting union. Could do so tmrw if they wanted. But why pay union dues & give up stock options for nothing? Our safety record is 2X better than when plant was UAW & everybody already gets healthcare. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 21, 2018 × The board ordered Tesla to direct Musk to delete the tweet and to post a notice addressing the unlawful tweet at all of its facilities nationwide and include language that says "WE WILL take appropriate steps to ensure Musk complies with our directive." The United Auto Workers (UAW)in 2018 filed a complaint with the NLRB over the Musk tweet that it said was illegally threatening to take away benefits from workers who join the union. Also read| Elon Musk says Tesla customers can buy its electric vehicles with bitcoin At that time, the UAW was seeking to represent workers at Tesla's facility in Fremont, who are not unionised. “This is a great victory for workers who have the courage to stand up and organize in a system that is currently stacked heavily in favour of employers like Tesla who have no qualms about violating the law,” UAW Vice President Cindy Estrada said in a statement. The NLRB also directed Tesla to offer one former employee reinstatement as well as to rescind 2017 rules that prohibited distributing union literature in its parking lot on non-work time and rules that barred distributing union stickers, leaflets, and pamphlets without first obtaining permission. Tesla in 2018 defended Musk's comment, saying it simply recognized that other automakers whose workers are represented by the UAW do not provide stock options. In a separate tweet, Musk had accused the UAW of driving General Motors and Chrysler to bankruptcy and losing "200,000+ jobs for people they were supposed to protect."

US labour board asks Tesla CEO Musk to delete anti-union tweet

Pakistan is planning to buy 7 million doses of the coronavirus vaccines from China as the nation is experiencing a sharp rise in COVID-19 infections, a top minister has said, its first purchase from any country.

Earlier, Pakistan has said that it is not planning to buy vaccines anytime soon as it aims to tackle the COVID-19 challenge through herd immunity and donated vaccines from friendly countries like China.

Herd immunity occurs when a large number of people, usually 70 to 90 per cent, become immune to a contagious disease after being infected to it.

Planning Minister Asad Umar, who also heads the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC),&nbsp;on Thursday said that the first consignment would arrive in Pakistan before the end of this month.

''We are in the process to procure Sinopharm and CanSino from China. Two batches of the vaccines, including 1 million doses of Sinopharm vaccine, will reach Pakistan by the end of this month,''&nbsp;Umar said.

He said the government was planning to bring more people into the vaccination drive by including those over the age of 50 years from next month. Earlier, only health workers and those above 60 years of age were being vaccinated.

Pakistan launched its vaccination drive on February 2 with the frontline health workers which was expanded on March 10 when people of 60 were included. But the country has faced problems in getting enough vaccines to include everyone.

The country aims to vaccinate 70 million people this year.

Pakistan is also endeavouring to procure vaccines from other sources, including the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) ? a global initiative for equitable access to the vaccines led by Unicef, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and others.

Last year, Gavi had announced to provide 17 million doses to Pakistan in March. However, as the pandemic escalated worldwide, Europe's own production could not meet the requirement of its own population and the doses could not reach Pakistan.

Initially, China donated 500,000 doses of Sinopharm on February 1. In March, Pakistan received the second shipment of half a million doses of vaccines donated by China.

Meanwhile, the virus is spreading rapidly and Pakistan has recorded 10.3 per cent positivity, the second time when positivity crossed double digits this week, according to the Ministry of National Health Services.

For the first time in eight months, Pakistan reported over 4,000 coronavirus cases on Friday as the third wave of COVID-19 intensified.

The country has recorded 645,356 coronavirus cases. The death toll climbed to 14,091 after 63 more people died in the last one day. On the positive side, the recovery rate is good and so fat 591,145 people recovered.

Pakistan is planning to buy 7 million doses of the coronavirus vaccines from China as the nation is experiencing a sharp rise in COVID-19 infections, a top minister has said, its first purchase from any country.

Pakistan is planning to buy 7 million doses of the coronavirus vaccines from China as the nation is experiencing a sharp rise in COVID-19 infections, a top minister has said, its first purchase from any country. Earlier, Pakistan has said that it is not planning to buy vaccines anytime soon as it aims to tackle the COVID-19 challenge through herd immunity and donated vaccines from friendly countries like China. Herd immunity occurs when a large number of people, usually 70 to 90 per cent, become immune to a contagious disease after being infected to it. Planning Minister Asad Umar, who also heads the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), on Thursday said that the first consignment would arrive in Pakistan before the end of this month. ''We are in the process to procure Sinopharm and CanSino from China. Two batches of the vaccines, including 1 million doses of Sinopharm vaccine, will reach Pakistan by the end of this month,'' Umar said. He said the government was planning to bring more people into the vaccination drive by including those over the age of 50 years from next month. Earlier, only health workers and those above 60 years of age were being vaccinated. Pakistan launched its vaccination drive on February 2 with the frontline health workers which was expanded on March 10 when people of 60 were included. But the country has faced problems in getting enough vaccines to include everyone. The country aims to vaccinate 70 million people this year. Pakistan is also endeavouring to procure vaccines from other sources, including the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) ? a global initiative for equitable access to the vaccines led by Unicef, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and others. Last year, Gavi had announced to provide 17 million doses to Pakistan in March. However, as the pandemic escalated worldwide, Europe's own production could not meet the requirement of its own population and the doses could not reach Pakistan. Initially, China donated 500,000 doses of Sinopharm on February 1. In March, Pakistan received the second shipment of half a million doses of vaccines donated by China. Meanwhile, the virus is spreading rapidly and Pakistan has recorded 10.3 per cent positivity, the second time when positivity crossed double digits this week, according to the Ministry of National Health Services. For the first time in eight months, Pakistan reported over 4,000 coronavirus cases on Friday as the third wave of COVID-19 intensified. The country has recorded 645,356 coronavirus cases. The death toll climbed to 14,091 after 63 more people died in the last one day. On the positive side, the recovery rate is good and so fat 591,145 people recovered.

Pakistan government to buy 7 million doses of coronavirus vaccines from China: Minister

France on Friday accused Russia of using its Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine as a tool to spread Moscow's influence and message rather than as way to fight the global health crisis.

"In terms of how it is managed, it (the Sputnik V vaccine) is more a means of propaganda and aggressive diplomacy than a means of solidarity and health aid," Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told France Info radio.&nbsp;

The Russian vaccine has come under much criticism in Western countries, while President Vladimir Putin,&nbsp;who got a Sputnik jab himself on Tuesday, has dismissed the scepticism as "strange".

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/putin-gets-covid-vaccine-kremlin-refuses-to-share-details-372644">Putin gets Covid vaccine; Kremlin refuses to share details</a>

Le Drian said both Russia and China were using their vaccines to gain influence abroad "even before vaccinating their own populations".

The minister said Russia had announced "with a lot of media attention" that it would deliver 30,000 vaccine doses to Tunisia.

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But the UN-backed Covax initiative had already delivered 100,000 doses to the north African country, with 400,000 more to come by May, he said.

"That is what real solidarity work looks like, that is true health cooperation," Le Drian said.

The Kremlin rejected Friday the suggestion Russia and China were using their vaccines as tools to win geopolitical clout, after accusations the two countries were using their jabs to gain influence abroad.

"We absolutely disagree with the fact that both Russia and China are waging some kind of war. And we absolutely disagree with the fact that Russia and China are using the coronavirus pandemic and vaccines as tools of influence," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists.&nbsp;

Russia registered Sputnik V in August, ahead of large-scale clinical trials, prompting worries among many experts over the fast-track process.

Later reviews have been largely positive, with leading medical journal The Lancet publishing results showing it is safe and more than 90 percent effective.

The European Medicines Agency this month launched a rolling review of Sputnik V, a key step towards it being approved as the first non-Western coronavirus jab to be used across the 27-nation bloc.

France on Friday accused Russia of using its Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine as a tool to spread Moscow's influence and message rather than as way to fight the global health crisis.

France on Friday accused Russia of using its Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine as a tool to spread Moscow's influence and message rather than as way to fight the global health crisis. "In terms of how it is managed, it (the Sputnik V vaccine) is more a means of propaganda and aggressive diplomacy than a means of solidarity and health aid," Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told France Info radio. The Russian vaccine has come under much criticism in Western countries, while President Vladimir Putin, who got a Sputnik jab himself on Tuesday, has dismissed the scepticism as "strange". Also read| Putin gets Covid vaccine; Kremlin refuses to share details Le Drian said both Russia and China were using their vaccines to gain influence abroad "even before vaccinating their own populations". The minister said Russia had announced "with a lot of media attention" that it would deliver 30,000 vaccine doses to Tunisia. But the UN-backed Covax initiative had already delivered 100,000 doses to the north African country, with 400,000 more to come by May, he said. "That is what real solidarity work looks like, that is true health cooperation," Le Drian said. The Kremlin rejected Friday the suggestion Russia and China were using their vaccines as tools to win geopolitical clout, after accusations the two countries were using their jabs to gain influence abroad. "We absolutely disagree with the fact that both Russia and China are waging some kind of war. And we absolutely disagree with the fact that Russia and China are using the coronavirus pandemic and vaccines as tools of influence," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists. Russia registered Sputnik V in August, ahead of large-scale clinical trials, prompting worries among many experts over the fast-track process. Later reviews have been largely positive, with leading medical journal The Lancet publishing results showing it is safe and more than 90 percent effective. The European Medicines Agency this month launched a rolling review of Sputnik V, a key step towards it being approved as the first non-Western coronavirus jab to be used across the 27-nation bloc.

France accuses Russia of using its Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine as 'propaganda' tool

The United States and Taiwan on Thursday&nbsp;signed their first agreement under the Biden administration, establishing a Coast Guard Working Group to coordinate policy, following China's passing of a law that allows its coast guard to fire on foreign vessels.

The new government of US&nbsp;President Joe Biden has moved to reassure Chinese-claimed Taiwan that its commitment to the island is rock solid.

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The de facto Taiwanese ambassador to the United States, Hsiao Bi-khim, signed the agreement in Washington on Thursday, her office said in a statement.

"It is our hope that with the new Coast Guard Working Group, both sides will forge a stronger partnership and jointly contribute even more to a free and open Indo-Pacific region."

US&nbsp;Acting Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Sung Kim was at the signing ceremony, the office said.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/natural-partners-us-says-promoting-chip-cooperation-with-taiwan-is-priority-373170">'Natural partners': US says promoting chip cooperation with Taiwan is priority</a>

The American Institute in Taiwan, which handles US&nbsp;ties with the island, said the United States supported "Taiwan's meaningful participation and contributions to issues of global concern, including in maritime security and safety".

Taiwan is upgrading its coast guard with new ships, which can be drafted into naval service in the event of war, as the island deals with increasing encroachments from Chinese fishing boats and sand dredgers in Taiwan-controlled waters.

While the United States, like most countries, has no formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, it is the island's most important international backer and arms supplier.

China passed a law in January that for the first time explicitly allows its coast guard to fire on foreign vessels, causing concern regionally and in Washington. China has rebuffed those worries.

Taiwan Premier Su Tseng-chang said on Friday China's new law had shocked the region and that those with "common values" needed to work together to protect peace.

"This unilateral request for the coast guard to use force will cause great tension and pressure on neighbouring countries," he told reporters.

China also has maritime sovereignty disputes with Japan in the East China Sea and with several Southeast Asian countries in the South China Sea.

The United States and Taiwan on Thursday signed their first agreement under the Biden administration, establishing a Coast Guard Working Group to coordinate policy, following China's passing of a law that allows its coast guard to fire on foreign vessels.

The United States and Taiwan on Thursday signed their first agreement under the Biden administration, establishing a Coast Guard Working Group to coordinate policy, following China's passing of a law that allows its coast guard to fire on foreign vessels. The new government of US President Joe Biden has moved to reassure Chinese-claimed Taiwan that its commitment to the island is rock solid. The de facto Taiwanese ambassador to the United States, Hsiao Bi-khim, signed the agreement in Washington on Thursday, her office said in a statement. "It is our hope that with the new Coast Guard Working Group, both sides will forge a stronger partnership and jointly contribute even more to a free and open Indo-Pacific region." US Acting Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Sung Kim was at the signing ceremony, the office said. Also read| 'Natural partners': US says promoting chip cooperation with Taiwan is priority The American Institute in Taiwan, which handles US ties with the island, said the United States supported "Taiwan's meaningful participation and contributions to issues of global concern, including in maritime security and safety". Taiwan is upgrading its coast guard with new ships, which can be drafted into naval service in the event of war, as the island deals with increasing encroachments from Chinese fishing boats and sand dredgers in Taiwan-controlled waters. While the United States, like most countries, has no formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, it is the island's most important international backer and arms supplier. China passed a law in January that for the first time explicitly allows its coast guard to fire on foreign vessels, causing concern regionally and in Washington. China has rebuffed those worries. Taiwan Premier Su Tseng-chang said on Friday China's new law had shocked the region and that those with "common values" needed to work together to protect peace. "This unilateral request for the coast guard to use force will cause great tension and pressure on neighbouring countries," he told reporters. China also has maritime sovereignty disputes with Japan in the East China Sea and with several Southeast Asian countries in the South China Sea.

US, Taiwan sign first agreement under Biden administration after China law

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's prospects of forming a new coalition government after an indecisive election were further complicated on Thursday by a far-right refusal of any prospective parliamentary partnership with an Islamist party.

Partial tallies from Tuesday's ballot showed Netanyahu's conservative Likud and ideologically kindred factions short of a majority in the 120-seat Knesset - raising the possibility he would seek some sort of accommodation with the United Arab List.

The central election committee said it had counted nearly 100 per cent of the ballots from Tuesday's vote, with the results indicating a 59-seat bloc for the right-wing and religious parties that would join a Netanyahu-led coalition, two seats short of a majority.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/prime-minister-netanyahu-falls-short-of-majority-amid-vote-count-in-israeli-elections-372896">Prime Minister Netanyahu falls short of majority amid vote count in Israeli elections</a>

Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving premier after 12 years in power, had hoped Tuesday's election would finally allow him to unite a stable right-wing coalition behind him, after three inconclusive elections since 2019.

While political commentators saw the inclusion of the UAL - which was forecast to win four seats - in a Netanyahu-led government as unlikely, some predicted the party might instead pledge not to support any opposition no-confidence motions.

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In exchange for such protection from an unlikely ally, Netanyahu would agree on measures to improve conditions for Israel's 21% Arab minority, the commentators said.

But Religious Zionism, an ultranationalist party run by Jewish settlers and forecast to take six seats, indicated Netanyahu could not rely on its support if he reached an arrangement with the UAL, which has pro-Palestinian sympathies.

"No rightist government predicated on UAL will arise. Period. Not (with UAL) on the inside, nor the outside, not through abstention, nor through some other kind of (scheme)," Religious Zionism leader Bezalel Smotrich said on Facebook.

UAL has signalled openness to back the next government, whether under Netanyahu or his centrist rival Yair Lapid, who with like-minded politicians appears set to control 57 seats.

A Netanyahu-led coalition that includes Religious Zionism controls 52 seats, the partial results show.

"Sometimes coalitions include people who don't really like each other," UAL's Waleed Taha told Israel's Army Radio.

He said his party was not, at this time, "talking about improving our personal roles" - an allusion to cabinet posts.

Asked if UAL might, from the opposition, provide ad-hoc parliamentary support for a Netanyahu-led coalition with Religious Zionism, Taha said the onus was on the far-rightists.

"If it is acceptable, to the people that you mentioned, that all of the subjects that we raise are accepted, then it would appear they have changed their stripes," he said.

Another potential kingmaker, former defence minister Naftali Bennett, whose nationalist Yamina party appears to have won seven seats, has been non-committal on which way it may swing.

Final results in the politically polarised country's fourth election in two years were expected to be announced late on Thursday or on Friday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's prospects of forming a new coalition government after an indecisive election were further complicated on Thursday by a far-right refusal of any prospective parliamentary partnership with an Islamist party.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's prospects of forming a new coalition government after an indecisive election were further complicated on Thursday by a far-right refusal of any prospective parliamentary partnership with an Islamist party. Partial tallies from Tuesday's ballot showed Netanyahu's conservative Likud and ideologically kindred factions short of a majority in the 120-seat Knesset - raising the possibility he would seek some sort of accommodation with the United Arab List. The central election committee said it had counted nearly 100 per cent of the ballots from Tuesday's vote, with the results indicating a 59-seat bloc for the right-wing and religious parties that would join a Netanyahu-led coalition, two seats short of a majority. Also read| Prime Minister Netanyahu falls short of majority amid vote count in Israeli elections Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving premier after 12 years in power, had hoped Tuesday's election would finally allow him to unite a stable right-wing coalition behind him, after three inconclusive elections since 2019. While political commentators saw the inclusion of the UAL - which was forecast to win four seats - in a Netanyahu-led government as unlikely, some predicted the party might instead pledge not to support any opposition no-confidence motions. In exchange for such protection from an unlikely ally, Netanyahu would agree on measures to improve conditions for Israel's 21% Arab minority, the commentators said. But Religious Zionism, an ultranationalist party run by Jewish settlers and forecast to take six seats, indicated Netanyahu could not rely on its support if he reached an arrangement with the UAL, which has pro-Palestinian sympathies. "No rightist government predicated on UAL will arise. Period. Not (with UAL) on the inside, nor the outside, not through abstention, nor through some other kind of (scheme)," Religious Zionism leader Bezalel Smotrich said on Facebook. UAL has signalled openness to back the next government, whether under Netanyahu or his centrist rival Yair Lapid, who with like-minded politicians appears set to control 57 seats. A Netanyahu-led coalition that includes Religious Zionism controls 52 seats, the partial results show. "Sometimes coalitions include people who don't really like each other," UAL's Waleed Taha told Israel's Army Radio. He said his party was not, at this time, "talking about improving our personal roles" - an allusion to cabinet posts. Asked if UAL might, from the opposition, provide ad-hoc parliamentary support for a Netanyahu-led coalition with Religious Zionism, Taha said the onus was on the far-rightists. "If it is acceptable, to the people that you mentioned, that all of the subjects that we raise are accepted, then it would appear they have changed their stripes," he said. Another potential kingmaker, former defence minister Naftali Bennett, whose nationalist Yamina party appears to have won seven seats, has been non-committal on which way it may swing. Final results in the politically polarised country's fourth election in two years were expected to be announced late on Thursday or on Friday.

Israeli far-rightists clouding Netanyahu coalition prospects

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said he will hold "substantive discussions" with his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina during his two-day visit to Bangladesh, as he expressed happiness that his first foreign tour after the onset of COVID-19 pandemic will be to a friendly neighbouring country with which India shares deep ties.

Modi said he will be visiting Bangladesh on March 26-27 at the invitation of Prime Minister Hasina, and looks forward to his participation at the Bangladesh National Day celebrations on Friday.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/india-bangladesh-relations-a-robust-history-and-optimistic-future-372759" hreflang="en">India-Bangladesh relations: A robust history and optimistic future</a>

In his departure statement, he said, "I am happy that my first foreign visit after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic will be to our friendly neighbouring country, with which India shares deep cultural, linguistic and people-to-people ties."

Noting that Bangladesh's National Day celebrations on Friday will commemorate the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation of Bangladesh, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Modi said 'Bangabandhu' was one of the tallest leaders of the last century, whose life and ideals continue to inspire millions.

"I look forward to visiting Bangabandhu's Samadhi in Tungipara to pay my respects to his memory," the prime minister said.

Modi said he also looks forward to offering prayers to Goddess Kali at the ancient Jashoreshwari Kali Temple, one of the 51 Shaktipeeths in the Puranic tradition.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/range-of-pacts-to-be-inked-during-pm-modis-bangladesh-visit-foreign-secretary-shringla-372943" hreflang="en">Range of pacts to be inked during PM Modi's Bangladesh visit: Foreign Secretary Shringla</a>

The prime minister said he is looking forward to his interaction with representatives of the Matua community at Orakandi, from where Sri Sri Harichand Thakur disseminated his pious message, Modi said.

"I will be having substantive discussions with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, following our very productive virtual meeting in December last year. I also look forward to my meeting with President Abdul Hamid, and to interactions with other Bangladeshi dignitaries," Modi said.

"My visit will not only be an occasion to convey appreciation for Bangladesh's remarkable economic and developmental strides under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visionary leadership, but also to commit India's abiding support for these achievements," he said.

Modi said during his visit he will also express India's support and solidarity for Bangladesh's fight against COVID-19.

"As I leave for Bangladesh tomorrow, I look forward to remembering the life and ideals of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and celebrate 50 years of Bangladesh's War of Liberation, as well as our diplomatic ties," Modi tweeted.

"Our partnership with Bangladesh is an important pillar of our Neighbourhood First policy, and we are committed to further deepen and diversify it. We will continue to support Bangladesh's remarkable development journey, under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's dynamic leadership," he said.

Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, while briefing reporters on the PM's visit to Bangladesh, had said on Wednesday that a range of pacts will be signed and new announcements for bolstering cooperation in several areas will be made during the two-day visit.

Modi's visit is taking place at a time Bangladesh is commemorating Mujib Borsho, the birth centenary of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and 50 years of the country's War of Liberation. The two countries are also celebrating 50 years of the establishment of diplomatic ties.

The two prime ministers held a virtual summit on December 17 during which Modi said Bangladesh is a key pillar of New Delhi's 'Neighbourhood First' policy, while Hasina described India as a "true friend" and asserted that both countries could play a significant role in the global and regional value chains by further integrating their economies as well as boosting connectivity.

During that summit, the two countries had inked seven agreements to further broadbase cooperation in a plethora of sectors, and restored a cross-border rail link snapped by the 1965 war with Pakistan.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said he will hold "substantive discussions" with his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina during his two-day visit to Bangladesh, as he expressed happiness that his first foreign tour after the onset of COVID-19 pandemic will be to a friendly neighbouring country with which India shares deep ties.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said he will hold "substantive discussions" with his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina during his two-day visit to Bangladesh, as he expressed happiness that his first foreign tour after the onset of COVID-19 pandemic will be to a friendly neighbouring country with which India shares deep ties. Modi said he will be visiting Bangladesh on March 26-27 at the invitation of Prime Minister Hasina, and looks forward to his participation at the Bangladesh National Day celebrations on Friday. Also read| India-Bangladesh relations: A robust history and optimistic future In his departure statement, he said, "I am happy that my first foreign visit after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic will be to our friendly neighbouring country, with which India shares deep cultural, linguistic and people-to-people ties." Noting that Bangladesh's National Day celebrations on Friday will commemorate the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation of Bangladesh, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Modi said 'Bangabandhu' was one of the tallest leaders of the last century, whose life and ideals continue to inspire millions. "I look forward to visiting Bangabandhu's Samadhi in Tungipara to pay my respects to his memory," the prime minister said. Modi said he also looks forward to offering prayers to Goddess Kali at the ancient Jashoreshwari Kali Temple, one of the 51 Shaktipeeths in the Puranic tradition. Also read| Range of pacts to be inked during PM Modi's Bangladesh visit: Foreign Secretary Shringla The prime minister said he is looking forward to his interaction with representatives of the Matua community at Orakandi, from where Sri Sri Harichand Thakur disseminated his pious message, Modi said. "I will be having substantive discussions with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, following our very productive virtual meeting in December last year. I also look forward to my meeting with President Abdul Hamid, and to interactions with other Bangladeshi dignitaries," Modi said. "My visit will not only be an occasion to convey appreciation for Bangladesh's remarkable economic and developmental strides under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visionary leadership, but also to commit India's abiding support for these achievements," he said. Modi said during his visit he will also express India's support and solidarity for Bangladesh's fight against COVID-19. "As I leave for Bangladesh tomorrow, I look forward to remembering the life and ideals of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and celebrate 50 years of Bangladesh's War of Liberation, as well as our diplomatic ties," Modi tweeted. "Our partnership with Bangladesh is an important pillar of our Neighbourhood First policy, and we are committed to further deepen and diversify it. We will continue to support Bangladesh's remarkable development journey, under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's dynamic leadership," he said. Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, while briefing reporters on the PM's visit to Bangladesh, had said on Wednesday that a range of pacts will be signed and new announcements for bolstering cooperation in several areas will be made during the two-day visit. Modi's visit is taking place at a time Bangladesh is commemorating Mujib Borsho, the birth centenary of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and 50 years of the country's War of Liberation. The two countries are also celebrating 50 years of the establishment of diplomatic ties. The two prime ministers held a virtual summit on December 17 during which Modi said Bangladesh is a key pillar of New Delhi's 'Neighbourhood First' policy, while Hasina described India as a "true friend" and asserted that both countries could play a significant role in the global and regional value chains by further integrating their economies as well as boosting connectivity. During that summit, the two countries had inked seven agreements to further broadbase cooperation in a plethora of sectors, and restored a cross-border rail link snapped by the 1965 war with Pakistan.

Happy my first foreign visit after COVID onset is to friendly neighbour Bangladesh: PM Modi

A&nbsp;painting&nbsp;of a Paris street scene by&nbsp;Vincent&nbsp;Van&nbsp;Gogh,&nbsp;that had been held in a private collection for over a century sold for a final price of 11.25 million euros ($13.2 million) at auction on Thursday.

The work, painted by&nbsp;Van&nbsp;Gogh&nbsp;in 1887 while he was lodging with his brother Theo in the French capital, was put on display by Sotheby's auction house in Paris earlier this month, marking the first time it was made available for public viewing.

The auction house put an estimated value on the artwork of between 5 million euros ($6.08 million) and 8 million euros ($9.72 million).

Titled "A street scene in Montmartre" - or "Scene de rue a Montmartre" in French - the&nbsp;painting&nbsp;depicts a man and woman, strolling arm in arm past a ramshackle fence with a windmill in the background.

The&nbsp;painting&nbsp;is part of a series that&nbsp;Van&nbsp;Gogh&nbsp;produced of scenes in Montmartre, a hilly district of Paris now dominated by the Sacre Coeur church.

When the artist was there, the church was under construction and the area was a patchwork of fields, houses and windmills on the edge of the city that was starting to attract a bohemian artist set with its cheap rents.

The auction house said the&nbsp;painting&nbsp;had been seen in catalogues, but has never itself been on public display. It did not identify the current owner.

Van&nbsp;Gogh&nbsp;arrived in Paris in 1886. He left the city in 1888, saying he had tired of the hectic pace of Paris life.

He moved to the south of France, where he cut off part of his ear during an episode of mental illness. The artist later shot himself and died near Paris on July 29, 1890.

A painting of a Paris street scene by Vincent Van Gogh, that had been held in a private collection for over a century sold for a final price of 11.25 million euros ($13.

A painting of a Paris street scene by Vincent Van Gogh, that had been held in a private collection for over a century sold for a final price of 11.25 million euros ($13.2 million) at auction on Thursday. The work, painted by Van Gogh in 1887 while he was lodging with his brother Theo in the French capital, was put on display by Sotheby's auction house in Paris earlier this month, marking the first time it was made available for public viewing. The auction house put an estimated value on the artwork of between 5 million euros ($6.08 million) and 8 million euros ($9.72 million). Titled "A street scene in Montmartre" - or "Scene de rue a Montmartre" in French - the painting depicts a man and woman, strolling arm in arm past a ramshackle fence with a windmill in the background. The painting is part of a series that Van Gogh produced of scenes in Montmartre, a hilly district of Paris now dominated by the Sacre Coeur church. When the artist was there, the church was under construction and the area was a patchwork of fields, houses and windmills on the edge of the city that was starting to attract a bohemian artist set with its cheap rents. The auction house said the painting had been seen in catalogues, but has never itself been on public display. It did not identify the current owner. Van Gogh arrived in Paris in 1886. He left the city in 1888, saying he had tired of the hectic pace of Paris life. He moved to the south of France, where he cut off part of his ear during an episode of mental illness. The artist later shot himself and died near Paris on July 29, 1890.

Van Gogh's 'Street Scene in Montmartre' painting fetches $13.2 million

The United States on Thursday said that Taiwan is its&nbsp;natural partner&nbsp;when it comes to semiconductors and promoting this cooperation is a priority.

Washington has increasingly viewed tech-powerhouse and democratically ruled Taiwan as a key part of its strategy to shift global supply chains away from China, especially when it comes to technology and chip companies.

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony for a new chip fabrication plant for Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp in central Taiwan, Brent Christensen, director of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), said he was there "to restate the US&nbsp;government's focus on supply chain security".

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-to-continue-assisting-taiwans-self-defence-capabilities-says-white-house-369156">US to continue assisting Taiwan's self-defence capabilities, says White House&nbsp;</a>

"Both President Biden and President&nbsp;Tsai&nbsp;have rightly identified the semiconductor industry as a key strategic priority, not only for economic innovation, but also national security," he said, according to a transcript of his comments provided by his office.

Christensen pointed to last year's launch of the US-Taiwan Economic Prosperity Partnership Dialogue as a way the two can "build a coalition to counter the PRC's unfair economic and investment policies", referring to the People's Republic of China.

"The United States and Taiwan are the globe's most natural partners in the semiconductor supply chain with an abundance of companies across the value chain, and it will continue to be an AIT priority to support this cooperation."

Taiwan President&nbsp;Tsai, attending the same event, said she would guarantee that the government will fully support the development of the semiconductor industry, describing it as a "mountain range protecting the country".

Taiwan's central role in producing chips has shot into focus during the COVID-19 pandemic, with soaring demand for laptops, tablets and other equipment to power the work-from-home trend benefiting firms like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd (TSMC), the world's largest contract chipmaker.

Foreign governments and companies have also beseeched Taiwan to help resolve a shortage of auto chips which have idled factories around the world.

US&nbsp;companies are not standing still either, and this week Intel Corp announced a $20 billion plan to expand its advanced chip manufacturing capacity.

The United States on Thursday said that Taiwan is its natural partner when it comes to semiconductors and promoting this cooperation is a priority. Washington has increasingly viewed tech-powerhouse and democratically ruled Taiwan as a key part of its strategy to shift global supply chains away from China, especially when it comes to technology and chip companies.

The United States on Thursday said that Taiwan is its natural partner when it comes to semiconductors and promoting this cooperation is a priority. Washington has increasingly viewed tech-powerhouse and democratically ruled Taiwan as a key part of its strategy to shift global supply chains away from China, especially when it comes to technology and chip companies. Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony for a new chip fabrication plant for Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp in central Taiwan, Brent Christensen, director of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), said he was there "to restate the US government's focus on supply chain security". Also read| US to continue assisting Taiwan's self-defence capabilities, says White House "Both President Biden and President Tsai have rightly identified the semiconductor industry as a key strategic priority, not only for economic innovation, but also national security," he said, according to a transcript of his comments provided by his office. Christensen pointed to last year's launch of the US-Taiwan Economic Prosperity Partnership Dialogue as a way the two can "build a coalition to counter the PRC's unfair economic and investment policies", referring to the People's Republic of China. "The United States and Taiwan are the globe's most natural partners in the semiconductor supply chain with an abundance of companies across the value chain, and it will continue to be an AIT priority to support this cooperation." Taiwan President Tsai, attending the same event, said she would guarantee that the government will fully support the development of the semiconductor industry, describing it as a "mountain range protecting the country". Taiwan's central role in producing chips has shot into focus during the COVID-19 pandemic, with soaring demand for laptops, tablets and other equipment to power the work-from-home trend benefiting firms like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd (TSMC), the world's largest contract chipmaker. Foreign governments and companies have also beseeched Taiwan to help resolve a shortage of auto chips which have idled factories around the world. US companies are not standing still either, and this week Intel Corp announced a $20 billion plan to expand its advanced chip manufacturing capacity.

'Natural partners': US says promoting chip cooperation with Taiwan is priority

Army Chief Gen MM Naravane said on Thursday the threat to India has only "abated" following the disengagement in Pangong lake areas in eastern Ladakh after the agreement with China but it has not gone away altogether.

He also asserted that it would be incorrect to say that the Chinese troops were still sitting on territories in eastern Ladakh that were in India's control before the face-off erupted in May last year.

Referring to the situation in the mountainous region, Gen Naravane told an interactive session at the India Economic Conclave that the military strength in rear areas remained what it was even at the height of border tensions.

The Army Chief replied in the affirmative when asked by the moderator whether he concurs with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks after the border standoff that the Chinese have not come into control of Indian territory.

"Yes, absolutely," he said.

He also said that patrolling has not resumed in the region as tensions are still running high and there are always chances of face-offs and inadvertent escalation of the situation when it starts.

The border standoff between the Indian and Chinese armies erupted on May 5 last following a violent clash in the Pangong lake areas and both sides gradually enhanced their deployment by rushing in tens of thousands of soldiers as well as heavy weaponry.

As a result of a series of military and diplomatic talks, the two sides completed withdrawal of troops and weapons from the North and South banks of Pangong lake in line with an agreement on disengagement last month.

"There are some areas which we still have to negotiate but in the overall scheme of things, (I) feel that we have very strong grounds to believe that we will be able to achieve all our aims," Gen Naravane said.

When asked specifically whether the Chinese were still sitting on territories that were in India's control before April 2020, he said: "No, that will be an incorrect statement."

"There are areas which are under nobody's control. So where we were controlling we were in those areas and where they were controlling, they were in those areas," he said.

"The whole issue of Line of Actual Control (LAC) is because of these grey areas. Because there is no demarcated LAC and there are different claims and perceptions. So unless the LAC is demarcated, you cannot make the statement that I am where I am, he is where he is," he added.

Asked about allegations in some quarters that the Chinese were in Indian territories, the Army Chief responded by saying the force was confident of its capabilities and that it knew what it had achieved.

"They (the Army personnel) have done their job....In the Army you learn to be thick-skinned," he said, when asked about some criticism of handling of the border situation.

Gen Naravane said unless the troops in rear bases go back, it would not be possible to say that things are back to normal.

"After several rounds of talks, we succeeded in getting some agreement on the disengagement of troops which were face-to-face with each other which could have led to some misunderstandings and flare ups," he said.

"Now they are not face-to-face but have disengaged and gone back to the agreed positions. But the strength in rear areas remains what it was even at the height of the tension. So the threat has only abated and it has not gone away altogether," he said.

On the military talks, the Army Chief said the political leadership very clearly enunciated that it has to return to the status quo of April 2020 and that remained the bottom line for India in all the negotiations.

To a question whether India has access to all the areas that it had before the face-off, the Army Chief said: "I won't say that we do not have occupation of those areas, but that will be the focus of our talks in the next round of discussions."

"There are some areas which still remain to be negotiated."

On patrolling, he said the view has been that there is a need to go step by step.

"We have done the disengagement, let us see how that goes and then, through the talks we will see how to resume the patrolling," he added.

Replying to a question on developments in Depsang and some other friction points, the Army Chief said these are the issues that will be discussed in future rounds of talks.

"The guiding principles still remain that we need to restore the traditional rights and that would apply to both sides, after all it is not as if only they were doing the patrolling," he said.

On whether China can be trusted, he quoted the term used by former US President Ronald Regan-- "trust but verify".

"All agreements are based on trust and all agreements are based on the premise that they will be followed in letter and spirit. If you decide not to do that then why do you have an agreement in the first place."

"We have to believe that they are serious this time and they will abide by all the clauses of the particular agreement as also abide by the clauses of the previous agreements," he said.

The Army Chief said if need be, there is a room for renegotiating those agreements so that the incidents which took place because of not following them in letter and spirit do not take place in the future.&nbsp;

Army Chief Gen MM Naravane said on Thursday the threat to India has only "abated" following the disengagement in Pangong lake areas in eastern Ladakh after the agreement with China but it has not gone away altogether.

Army Chief Gen MM Naravane said on Thursday the threat to India has only "abated" following the disengagement in Pangong lake areas in eastern Ladakh after the agreement with China but it has not gone away altogether. He also asserted that it would be incorrect to say that the Chinese troops were still sitting on territories in eastern Ladakh that were in India's control before the face-off erupted in May last year. Referring to the situation in the mountainous region, Gen Naravane told an interactive session at the India Economic Conclave that the military strength in rear areas remained what it was even at the height of border tensions. The Army Chief replied in the affirmative when asked by the moderator whether he concurs with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks after the border standoff that the Chinese have not come into control of Indian territory. "Yes, absolutely," he said. He also said that patrolling has not resumed in the region as tensions are still running high and there are always chances of face-offs and inadvertent escalation of the situation when it starts. The border standoff between the Indian and Chinese armies erupted on May 5 last following a violent clash in the Pangong lake areas and both sides gradually enhanced their deployment by rushing in tens of thousands of soldiers as well as heavy weaponry. As a result of a series of military and diplomatic talks, the two sides completed withdrawal of troops and weapons from the North and South banks of Pangong lake in line with an agreement on disengagement last month. "There are some areas which we still have to negotiate but in the overall scheme of things, (I) feel that we have very strong grounds to believe that we will be able to achieve all our aims," Gen Naravane said. When asked specifically whether the Chinese were still sitting on territories that were in India's control before April 2020, he said: "No, that will be an incorrect statement." "There are areas which are under nobody's control. So where we were controlling we were in those areas and where they were controlling, they were in those areas," he said. "The whole issue of Line of Actual Control (LAC) is because of these grey areas. Because there is no demarcated LAC and there are different claims and perceptions. So unless the LAC is demarcated, you cannot make the statement that I am where I am, he is where he is," he added. Asked about allegations in some quarters that the Chinese were in Indian territories, the Army Chief responded by saying the force was confident of its capabilities and that it knew what it had achieved. "They (the Army personnel) have done their job....In the Army you learn to be thick-skinned," he said, when asked about some criticism of handling of the border situation. Gen Naravane said unless the troops in rear bases go back, it would not be possible to say that things are back to normal. "After several rounds of talks, we succeeded in getting some agreement on the disengagement of troops which were face-to-face with each other which could have led to some misunderstandings and flare ups," he said. "Now they are not face-to-face but have disengaged and gone back to the agreed positions. But the strength in rear areas remains what it was even at the height of the tension. So the threat has only abated and it has not gone away altogether," he said. On the military talks, the Army Chief said the political leadership very clearly enunciated that it has to return to the status quo of April 2020 and that remained the bottom line for India in all the negotiations. To a question whether India has access to all the areas that it had before the face-off, the Army Chief said: "I won't say that we do not have occupation of those areas, but that will be the focus of our talks in the next round of discussions." "There are some areas which still remain to be negotiated." On patrolling, he said the view has been that there is a need to go step by step. "We have done the disengagement, let us see how that goes and then, through the talks we will see how to resume the patrolling," he added. Replying to a question on developments in Depsang and some other friction points, the Army Chief said these are the issues that will be discussed in future rounds of talks. "The guiding principles still remain that we need to restore the traditional rights and that would apply to both sides, after all it is not as if only they were doing the patrolling," he said. On whether China can be trusted, he quoted the term used by former US President Ronald Regan-- "trust but verify". "All agreements are based on trust and all agreements are based on the premise that they will be followed in letter and spirit. If you decide not to do that then why do you have an agreement in the first place." "We have to believe that they are serious this time and they will abide by all the clauses of the particular agreement as also abide by the clauses of the previous agreements," he said. The Army Chief said if need be, there is a room for renegotiating those agreements so that the incidents which took place because of not following them in letter and spirit do not take place in the future.

After disengagement in Pangong, threat to India only 'abated': Gen Naravane

After the recent military coup in Myanmar, a total of 733 persons, including policemen, have fled to Mizoram in India and are staying illegally across the state. These people entered Mizoram after facing persecution from the military in Myanmar. 
 
Top sources said that a total of 642 Myanmar nationals living at various camps across Mizoram have been located and verified. The intelligence agencies are trying to identify a fresh influx of another 91 refugees. They have been put in the "unconfirmed" category by the agencies. The fresh influx happened between March 18 and March 20. 
 
As per the internal report of an intelligence agency, the maximum number of refugees are staying in Champhai district. The report stated that a total 324 identified refugees are staying in Champhai district and a fresh influx of 91 persons, who have not been accounted for so far, are also staying in the same district. 
 
After Champhai, a total 144 refugees are staying in the border district of Siaha. As per the report, 83 persons are staying at Hnahthial, 55 at Lawngtalai, 15 at Serchhip, 14 at Aizwal, three at Saitual, and two each at Kolasib and Lunglei. 
 
It further stated that most of the refugees are policemen and their families, and some are even army personnel who refused to shoot at the protesters opposing the military rule in Myanmar, sources said. 
 
They are staying in community halls near the borders that are meant to facilitate accommodation under the Free Movement Regime arrangement while some others have taken shelter with relatives away from the border areas. A Free Movement Regime allows people to travel up to 16 km on either side of the borders and stay for up to 14 days. 
 
India and Myanmar share 1,643 km borders and people on either side have familial ties due to the ethnic affiliations. Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland are the Indian states that share borders with Myanmar but the influx after the coup has been limited to Mizoram, which shares 510 km borders with Myanmar. 
 
The influx of these people is a sensitive issue in the state as people on either side of the borders have ethnic affiliations. 
 
The Central and Mizoram governments are at odds over the influx of refugees from Myanmar after the military coup over there. 
 
Mizoram government opened the gates for the facilitation of refugees and migrants from Myanmar in connection with the political development in Myanmar and issued a standard operating procedure (SOP) regarding this. 
 
Learning about the Mizoram government`s SOP for refugees, the Centre directed the state to immediately revoke it. 
 
Thereafter, Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga said that the Centre`s order to prevent illegal immigration from Myanmar is not acceptable. He urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide them asylum on humanitarian grounds.

After the recent military coup in Myanmar, a total of 733 persons, including policemen, have fled to Mizoram in India and are staying illegally across the state.

After the recent military coup in Myanmar, a total of 733 persons, including policemen, have fled to Mizoram in India and are staying illegally across the state. These people entered Mizoram after facing persecution from the military in Myanmar. Top sources said that a total of 642 Myanmar nationals living at various camps across Mizoram have been located and verified. The intelligence agencies are trying to identify a fresh influx of another 91 refugees. They have been put in the "unconfirmed" category by the agencies. The fresh influx happened between March 18 and March 20. As per the internal report of an intelligence agency, the maximum number of refugees are staying in Champhai district. The report stated that a total 324 identified refugees are staying in Champhai district and a fresh influx of 91 persons, who have not been accounted for so far, are also staying in the same district. After Champhai, a total 144 refugees are staying in the border district of Siaha. As per the report, 83 persons are staying at Hnahthial, 55 at Lawngtalai, 15 at Serchhip, 14 at Aizwal, three at Saitual, and two each at Kolasib and Lunglei. It further stated that most of the refugees are policemen and their families, and some are even army personnel who refused to shoot at the protesters opposing the military rule in Myanmar, sources said. They are staying in community halls near the borders that are meant to facilitate accommodation under the Free Movement Regime arrangement while some others have taken shelter with relatives away from the border areas. A Free Movement Regime allows people to travel up to 16 km on either side of the borders and stay for up to 14 days. India and Myanmar share 1,643 km borders and people on either side have familial ties due to the ethnic affiliations. Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland are the Indian states that share borders with Myanmar but the influx after the coup has been limited to Mizoram, which shares 510 km borders with Myanmar. The influx of these people is a sensitive issue in the state as people on either side of the borders have ethnic affiliations. The Central and Mizoram governments are at odds over the influx of refugees from Myanmar after the military coup over there. Mizoram government opened the gates for the facilitation of refugees and migrants from Myanmar in connection with the political development in Myanmar and issued a standard operating procedure (SOP) regarding this. Learning about the Mizoram government`s SOP for refugees, the Centre directed the state to immediately revoke it. Thereafter, Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga said that the Centre`s order to prevent illegal immigration from Myanmar is not acceptable. He urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide them asylum on humanitarian grounds.

733 Myanmar refugees living in Mizoram

The mouse embryos looked perfectly normal. All their organs were developing as expected, along with their limbs and circulatory and nervous systems. Their tiny hearts were beating at a normal 170 beats per minute.

But these embryos were not growing in a mother mouse. They were developed inside an artificial uterus, the first time such a feat has been accomplished, scientists reported on Wednesday.

The experiments, at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, were meant to help scientists understand how mammals develop and how gene mutations, nutrients and environmental conditions may affect the fetus. But the work may one day raise profound questions about whether other animals, even humans, should or could be cultured outside a living womb.

In a study published in the journal Nature, Dr. Jacob Hanna described removing embryos from the uteruses of mice at five days of gestation and growing them for six more days in artificial wombs.

At that point, the embryos were about halfway through their development; full gestation is about 20 days. A human at this stage of development would be called a fetus. To date, Hanna and his colleagues have grown more than 1,000 embryos in this way.

“It really is a remarkable achievement,” said Paul Tesar, a developmental biologist at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland.

Alexander Meissner, director of genome regulation at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics in Berlin, said that “getting this far is amazing” and that the study was “a major milestone.”

But the research has already progressed beyond what the investigators described in the paper. In an interview, Hanna said he and his colleagues had taken fertilized eggs from the oviducts of female mice just after fertilization — at Day 0 of development — and had grown them in the artificial uterus for 11 days.

Until now, researchers were able to fertilize eggs from mammals in the laboratory and grow them for only a short time. The embryos needed a living womb. “Placental mammals develop locked away in the uterus,” Tesar said.

That prevented scientists from answering fundamental questions about the earliest stages of development.

“The holy grail of developmental biology is to understand how a single cell, a fertilized egg, can make all of the specific cell types in the human body and grow into 40 trillion cells,” Tesar said. “Since the beginning of time, researchers have been trying to develop ways to answer this question.”

The only way to study the development of tissues and organs was to turn to species like worms, frogs and flies that do not need a uterus, or to remove embryos from the uteruses of experimental animals at varying times, providing glimpses of development more like snapshots than video.

What was needed was a way to get inside the uterus, watching and tweaking development in mammals as it happened. For Hanna, that meant developing an artificial uterus.

He spent seven years developing a two-part system that includes incubators, nutrients and a ventilation system. The mouse embryos are placed in glass vials inside incubators, where they float in a special nutrient fluid.

The vials are attached to a wheel that slowly spins so the embryos do not attach to the wall, where they would become deformed and die. The incubators are connected to a ventilation machine that provides oxygen and carbon dioxide to the embryos, controlling the concentration of those gasses, as well as the gas pressure and flow rate.

At Day 11 of development — more than halfway through a mouse pregnancy — Hanna and his colleagues examined the embryos, only the size of apple seeds, and compared them to those developing in the uteruses of living mice. The lab embryos were identical, the scientists found.

By that time, though, the lab-grown embryos had become too large to survive without a blood supply. They had a placenta and a yolk sack, but the nutrient solution that fed them through diffusion was no longer sufficient.

Getting past that hurdle is the next goal, Hanna said in an interview. He is considering using an enriched nutrient solution or an artificial blood supply that connects to the embryos’ placentas.

In the meantime, experiments beckon. The ability to keep embryos alive and developing halfway through pregnancy “is a gold mine for us,” Hanna said.

The artificial womb may allow researchers to learn more about why pregnancies end in miscarriages or why fertilized eggs fail to implant. It opens a new window onto how gene mutations or deletions affect fetal development. Researchers may be able to watch individual cells migrate to their ultimate destinations.

The work is “a breakthrough,” said Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz, professor of biology and biological engineering at the California Institute of Technology. It “opens the door to a new age of studying development in the experimental mouse model.”

A recent development provides another opportunity. Researchers have directly created mouse embryos from mouse fibroblasts — connective tissue cells — making early embryos without starting with a fertilized egg.

Combine that development with Hanna’s work, and “now you don’t need mice to study mouse embryo development,” Meissner said. Scientists may be able to make all the embryos they need from connective tissue.

If scientists could make embryos without fertilizing eggs and could study their development without a uterus, Meissner said, “you can get away from embryo destruction.” There would be no need to fertilize mouse eggs only to destroy them in the course of study.

But the work might eventually extend beyond mice. Two other papers published in Nature on Wednesday report on attempts that edge near creating early human embryos in this way. Of course, Meissner said, creation of human embryos is years away — if it is permitted at all. For now, scientists generally refrain from studying human embryos beyond 14 days of fertilization.

In the future, Tesar said, “it is not unreasonable that we might have the capacity to develop a human embryo from fertilization to birth entirely outside the uterus.”

Of course, even the suggestion of this science fiction scenario is bound to horrify many. But it is early days, with no assurance human fetuses could ever develop entirely outside the womb.

Even assuming they could, Tesar noted, “whether that is appropriate is a question for ethicists, regulators and society.”

The mouse embryos looked perfectly normal. All their organs were developing as expected, along with their limbs and circulatory and nervous systems. Their tiny hearts were beating at a normal 170 beats per minute.

The mouse embryos looked perfectly normal. All their organs were developing as expected, along with their limbs and circulatory and nervous systems. Their tiny hearts were beating at a normal 170 beats per minute. But these embryos were not growing in a mother mouse. They were developed inside an artificial uterus, the first time such a feat has been accomplished, scientists reported on Wednesday. The experiments, at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, were meant to help scientists understand how mammals develop and how gene mutations, nutrients and environmental conditions may affect the fetus. But the work may one day raise profound questions about whether other animals, even humans, should or could be cultured outside a living womb. In a study published in the journal Nature, Dr. Jacob Hanna described removing embryos from the uteruses of mice at five days of gestation and growing them for six more days in artificial wombs. At that point, the embryos were about halfway through their development; full gestation is about 20 days. A human at this stage of development would be called a fetus. To date, Hanna and his colleagues have grown more than 1,000 embryos in this way. “It really is a remarkable achievement,” said Paul Tesar, a developmental biologist at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland. Alexander Meissner, director of genome regulation at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics in Berlin, said that “getting this far is amazing” and that the study was “a major milestone.” But the research has already progressed beyond what the investigators described in the paper. In an interview, Hanna said he and his colleagues had taken fertilized eggs from the oviducts of female mice just after fertilization — at Day 0 of development — and had grown them in the artificial uterus for 11 days. Until now, researchers were able to fertilize eggs from mammals in the laboratory and grow them for only a short time. The embryos needed a living womb. “Placental mammals develop locked away in the uterus,” Tesar said. That prevented scientists from answering fundamental questions about the earliest stages of development. “The holy grail of developmental biology is to understand how a single cell, a fertilized egg, can make all of the specific cell types in the human body and grow into 40 trillion cells,” Tesar said. “Since the beginning of time, researchers have been trying to develop ways to answer this question.” The only way to study the development of tissues and organs was to turn to species like worms, frogs and flies that do not need a uterus, or to remove embryos from the uteruses of experimental animals at varying times, providing glimpses of development more like snapshots than video. What was needed was a way to get inside the uterus, watching and tweaking development in mammals as it happened. For Hanna, that meant developing an artificial uterus. He spent seven years developing a two-part system that includes incubators, nutrients and a ventilation system. The mouse embryos are placed in glass vials inside incubators, where they float in a special nutrient fluid. The vials are attached to a wheel that slowly spins so the embryos do not attach to the wall, where they would become deformed and die. The incubators are connected to a ventilation machine that provides oxygen and carbon dioxide to the embryos, controlling the concentration of those gasses, as well as the gas pressure and flow rate. At Day 11 of development — more than halfway through a mouse pregnancy — Hanna and his colleagues examined the embryos, only the size of apple seeds, and compared them to those developing in the uteruses of living mice. The lab embryos were identical, the scientists found. By that time, though, the lab-grown embryos had become too large to survive without a blood supply. They had a placenta and a yolk sack, but the nutrient solution that fed them through diffusion was no longer sufficient. Getting past that hurdle is the next goal, Hanna said in an interview. He is considering using an enriched nutrient solution or an artificial blood supply that connects to the embryos’ placentas. In the meantime, experiments beckon. The ability to keep embryos alive and developing halfway through pregnancy “is a gold mine for us,” Hanna said. The artificial womb may allow researchers to learn more about why pregnancies end in miscarriages or why fertilized eggs fail to implant. It opens a new window onto how gene mutations or deletions affect fetal development. Researchers may be able to watch individual cells migrate to their ultimate destinations. The work is “a breakthrough,” said Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz, professor of biology and biological engineering at the California Institute of Technology. It “opens the door to a new age of studying development in the experimental mouse model.” A recent development provides another opportunity. Researchers have directly created mouse embryos from mouse fibroblasts — connective tissue cells — making early embryos without starting with a fertilized egg. Combine that development with Hanna’s work, and “now you don’t need mice to study mouse embryo development,” Meissner said. Scientists may be able to make all the embryos they need from connective tissue. If scientists could make embryos without fertilizing eggs and could study their development without a uterus, Meissner said, “you can get away from embryo destruction.” There would be no need to fertilize mouse eggs only to destroy them in the course of study. But the work might eventually extend beyond mice. Two other papers published in Nature on Wednesday report on attempts that edge near creating early human embryos in this way. Of course, Meissner said, creation of human embryos is years away — if it is permitted at all. For now, scientists generally refrain from studying human embryos beyond 14 days of fertilization. In the future, Tesar said, “it is not unreasonable that we might have the capacity to develop a human embryo from fertilization to birth entirely outside the uterus.” Of course, even the suggestion of this science fiction scenario is bound to horrify many. But it is early days, with no assurance human fetuses could ever develop entirely outside the womb. Even assuming they could, Tesar noted, “whether that is appropriate is a question for ethicists, regulators and society.”

Scientists grow mouse embryos in a mechanical womb

Jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny is in great pain, his lawyer said Thursday after visiting him in prison, adding that allies were afraid for his life.

His supporters said a day earlier they were concerned by a deterioration in his health and his lawyers said they had not been allowed to visit him in prison. They returned on Thursday to try to see him.

Leonid Volkov, a close&nbsp;Navalny&nbsp;ally, has said that&nbsp;Navalny&nbsp;began to experience serious back pain last week, had felt a numbness in his leg and been unable to stand on it. He was given two Ibuprofen pills for the pain, Volkov said.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/alexei-navalnys-health-deteriorating-in-prison-claim-his-lawyers-372939">Alexei Navalny's health deteriorating in prison, claim his lawyers</a>

The Federal Penitentiary Service said earlier on Thursday that the 44-year-old opposition politician's health was stable and satisfactory.

It said prisons in the Vladimir region, where&nbsp;Navalny&nbsp;is being held, had carried out medical examinations on inmates on Wednesday. The checks had been conducted at inmates' request, it said, and&nbsp;Navalny&nbsp;had been examined, too.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-intel-blames-kremlin-for-poisoning-of-navalny-367726/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"His health is deemed stable and satisfactory, according to the results of the examination," the penitentiary service said, according to the Interfax news agency.

"He is suffering from strong back pain and pain in his right leg," lawyer Olga Mikhailova said in remarks on Dozhd television.

'Really worried'

"Now we are really worried,"&nbsp;Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation wrote on Twitter. "Even the Federal Penitentiary Service can’t call&nbsp;Navalny’s condition `good'."

Nearly 160 cultural figures, including writers, musicians and film directors, published an open letter to the authorities on Thursday demanding&nbsp;Navalny's lawyers be given access to him and that he be held in normal conditions.

They said they had "serious grounds to be concerned about his health and life".

In particular, they demanded that the practice of waking him up every hour during the night due to his classification as a flight risk be ended.

The Kremlin said it was not following developments with&nbsp;Navalny's health, which it said was a matter for prison authorities.

Navalny&nbsp;was jailed last month for two and a half years on charges he called politically motivated. He was arrested as he returned to Russia from Germany in January, where he had been recovering from what doctors said was a nerve agent poisoning.

The West, including the European Court of Human Rights, has demanded Russia release&nbsp;Navalny. Moscow dismissed the court's ruling as "unlawful" and has called similar appeals unacceptable interference in its internal affairs.

Navalny's allies on Tuesday announced plans to stage what they hope will be the biggest anti-Kremlin street protest in modern Russian history this spring, in a bid to have him released. The authorities have said such protests are illegal.

Jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny is in great pain, his lawyer said Thursday after visiting him in prison, adding that allies were afraid for his life. His supporters said a day earlier they were concerned by a deterioration in his health and his lawyers said they had not been allowed to visit him in prison.

Jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny is in great pain, his lawyer said Thursday after visiting him in prison, adding that allies were afraid for his life. His supporters said a day earlier they were concerned by a deterioration in his health and his lawyers said they had not been allowed to visit him in prison. They returned on Thursday to try to see him. Leonid Volkov, a close Navalny ally, has said that Navalny began to experience serious back pain last week, had felt a numbness in his leg and been unable to stand on it. He was given two Ibuprofen pills for the pain, Volkov said. Also read| Alexei Navalny's health deteriorating in prison, claim his lawyers The Federal Penitentiary Service said earlier on Thursday that the 44-year-old opposition politician's health was stable and satisfactory. It said prisons in the Vladimir region, where Navalny is being held, had carried out medical examinations on inmates on Wednesday. The checks had been conducted at inmates' request, it said, and Navalny had been examined, too. "His health is deemed stable and satisfactory, according to the results of the examination," the penitentiary service said, according to the Interfax news agency. "He is suffering from strong back pain and pain in his right leg," lawyer Olga Mikhailova said in remarks on Dozhd television. 'Really worried' "Now we are really worried," Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation wrote on Twitter. "Even the Federal Penitentiary Service can’t call Navalny’s condition `good'." Nearly 160 cultural figures, including writers, musicians and film directors, published an open letter to the authorities on Thursday demanding Navalny's lawyers be given access to him and that he be held in normal conditions. They said they had "serious grounds to be concerned about his health and life". In particular, they demanded that the practice of waking him up every hour during the night due to his classification as a flight risk be ended. The Kremlin said it was not following developments with Navalny's health, which it said was a matter for prison authorities. Navalny was jailed last month for two and a half years on charges he called politically motivated. He was arrested as he returned to Russia from Germany in January, where he had been recovering from what doctors said was a nerve agent poisoning. The West, including the European Court of Human Rights, has demanded Russia release Navalny. Moscow dismissed the court's ruling as "unlawful" and has called similar appeals unacceptable interference in its internal affairs. Navalny's allies on Tuesday announced plans to stage what they hope will be the biggest anti-Kremlin street protest in modern Russian history this spring, in a bid to have him released. The authorities have said such protests are illegal.

Kremlin critic Navalny in 'strong' pain, allies fear for his life

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Zee News Rajasthan

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Vyomica Berry

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