A stockpile of 29 million doses of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine that were found languishing in a facility in Italy became the new flash point on Wednesday in the conflict between the pharmaceutical company and the European Union, as the bloc prepared to unveil stringent export restrictions primarily meant to stop drugmakers from sending doses abroad.

Italian authorities found the vaccines in a site visit, European Union officials said, at a factory near Rome that is contracted to fill and finish COVID-19 vaccine vials for AstraZeneca.

Italian authorities went to the site after receiving an alert from the European Commission, which found a discrepancy between what the company said it was producing in European Union facilities, and what the facilities themselves were reporting.

The presence of so many doses raised suspicions that the pharmaceutical company was trying to find a way to export them to Britain or elsewhere, something the bloc has demanded that AstraZeneca stop doing until the company fulfills its promises for deliveries.

The European Union was meant to receive more than 100 million vaccine doses from AstraZeneca in the first quarter of this year, but has received only 16.6 million. The supply shortage has helped to derail vaccination efforts across the 27 member countries and contributed to embarrassingly slow inoculation rates on the continent.

What has most irked the European Union is that AstraZeneca has been consistently delivering on its contract with Britain while letting the bloc take the brunt of its production failures that have diminished supplies. AstraZeneca has denied it has violated its EU contract. The bloc took the first step last week to litigate the issue by activating an amicable dispute mechanism with AstraZeneca, but there is no indication either party intends to take it to court.

The bloc tried to force AstraZeneca to deliver more doses by introducing a system of export authorizations on Feb. 1, but only one AstraZeneca shipment, a small batch headed to Australia, has been blocked since that came into force.

On Wednesday, the European Union introduced a stricter export-control plan that aims to crack down on exports, as the bloc fears AstraZeneca deliveries will also disappoint in the second quarter as the bloc confronts a third wave of infections and extended lockdowns.

EU officials said there was no evidence that the stockpile in Italy, first reported by the Italian daily La Stampa, was bound for Britain. They said the company, when confronted about the doses, said that 16 million doses were bound for the EU market and 13 million to countries under the Covax initiative that aims to get doses to poorer nations. Those latter exports would be exempt from EU controls, as they are deemed to be of humanitarian nature.

AstraZeneca did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The officials said they had asked AstraZeneca for additional information about where the active ingredient in the vaccine vials found in Italy had been manufactured — a question aimed at forcing the company to provide more information about its supply chain and production capacity.

For AstraZeneca, the dispute over the Italian doses was the latest in a series of communications blunders with health officials on both sides of the Atlantic that have soured the company’s relationship with several governments.

Some American officials learned about a snag in the company’s clinical trials last year from the news media. The company’s U.S. trial was paused for nearly seven weeks last fall, in part because AstraZeneca was slow to provide U.S. regulators with evidence that the vaccine had not caused a neurological illness. (Investigators later concluded the symptoms were not linked to the vaccine.)

But analysts believe that some of AstraZeneca’s manufacturing difficulties are also a reflection of the company’s ambitious global distribution plans. It had intended to make as many as three billion doses this year, in part by contracting its manufacturing to plants all over the world. Other vaccine makers, by contrast, are relying on only a few facilities.

That global network of factories, analysts said, had the potential to create complications in the company’s supply chain, though it is also part of what has made the vaccine so critical to the global vaccination effort.

A stockpile of 29 million doses of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine that were found languishing in a facility in Italy became the new flash point on Wednesday in the conflict between the pharmaceutical company and the European Union, as the bloc prepared to unveil stringent export restrictions primarily meant to stop drugmakers from sending doses abroad.

A stockpile of 29 million doses of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine that were found languishing in a facility in Italy became the new flash point on Wednesday in the conflict between the pharmaceutical company and the European Union, as the bloc prepared to unveil stringent export restrictions primarily meant to stop drugmakers from sending doses abroad. Italian authorities found the vaccines in a site visit, European Union officials said, at a factory near Rome that is contracted to fill and finish COVID-19 vaccine vials for AstraZeneca. Italian authorities went to the site after receiving an alert from the European Commission, which found a discrepancy between what the company said it was producing in European Union facilities, and what the facilities themselves were reporting. The presence of so many doses raised suspicions that the pharmaceutical company was trying to find a way to export them to Britain or elsewhere, something the bloc has demanded that AstraZeneca stop doing until the company fulfills its promises for deliveries. The European Union was meant to receive more than 100 million vaccine doses from AstraZeneca in the first quarter of this year, but has received only 16.6 million. The supply shortage has helped to derail vaccination efforts across the 27 member countries and contributed to embarrassingly slow inoculation rates on the continent. What has most irked the European Union is that AstraZeneca has been consistently delivering on its contract with Britain while letting the bloc take the brunt of its production failures that have diminished supplies. AstraZeneca has denied it has violated its EU contract. The bloc took the first step last week to litigate the issue by activating an amicable dispute mechanism with AstraZeneca, but there is no indication either party intends to take it to court. The bloc tried to force AstraZeneca to deliver more doses by introducing a system of export authorizations on Feb. 1, but only one AstraZeneca shipment, a small batch headed to Australia, has been blocked since that came into force. On Wednesday, the European Union introduced a stricter export-control plan that aims to crack down on exports, as the bloc fears AstraZeneca deliveries will also disappoint in the second quarter as the bloc confronts a third wave of infections and extended lockdowns. EU officials said there was no evidence that the stockpile in Italy, first reported by the Italian daily La Stampa, was bound for Britain. They said the company, when confronted about the doses, said that 16 million doses were bound for the EU market and 13 million to countries under the Covax initiative that aims to get doses to poorer nations. Those latter exports would be exempt from EU controls, as they are deemed to be of humanitarian nature. AstraZeneca did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The officials said they had asked AstraZeneca for additional information about where the active ingredient in the vaccine vials found in Italy had been manufactured — a question aimed at forcing the company to provide more information about its supply chain and production capacity. For AstraZeneca, the dispute over the Italian doses was the latest in a series of communications blunders with health officials on both sides of the Atlantic that have soured the company’s relationship with several governments. Some American officials learned about a snag in the company’s clinical trials last year from the news media. The company’s U.S. trial was paused for nearly seven weeks last fall, in part because AstraZeneca was slow to provide U.S. regulators with evidence that the vaccine had not caused a neurological illness. (Investigators later concluded the symptoms were not linked to the vaccine.) But analysts believe that some of AstraZeneca’s manufacturing difficulties are also a reflection of the company’s ambitious global distribution plans. It had intended to make as many as three billion doses this year, in part by contracting its manufacturing to plants all over the world. Other vaccine makers, by contrast, are relying on only a few facilities. That global network of factories, analysts said, had the potential to create complications in the company’s supply chain, though it is also part of what has made the vaccine so critical to the global vaccination effort.

Cache of 29 Million AstraZeneca doses in Italy raises EU suspicions

NASA is targeting early April for the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter to make the first attempt at powered, controlled flight on another planet, the space agency said Tuesday.

Right now, the ultra-light aircraft remains fixed to the belly of the Perseverance rover, which touched down on the Red Planet on February 18.

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On Sunday, Perseverance dropped the debris shield that had protected Ingenuity during landing and is currently making its way to the "airfield" where Ingenuity will attempt its flights.

Once there, it will have 30 Martian sols -- equal to 31 Earth days -- to carry out its mission.&nbsp;

"The best guess we have right now is April 8," for the first flight, said Bob Balaram, Mars Helicopter chief engineer at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, though he added it could be sooner or later by a few days.

Balaram revealed for the first time that Ingenuity is carrying a small piece of cloth that covered one of the wings of the Wright brothers' first aircraft that achieved the first powered flight on Earth at Kitty Hawk in 1903, to pay tribute to the milestone.

<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>

Ingenuity will be attempting to fly in an atmosphere that is one per cent the density of Earth's, which makes achieving lift harder -- but will be assisted by gravity that is one-third our planet's.

The first flight will involve&nbsp;climbing at a rate of about three feet (one meter) per second to a height of 10 feet (three meters), hovering there for 30 seconds, then descending back to the surface.

Ingenuity will be taking high-resolution photography as it flies.

Before any of this happens, however, Ingenuity needs to be placed at its launching site, and set upright, a process that will take a few more days.

Once Perseverance drops off the helicopter, it needs to drive away about five meters within 25 hours so it doesn't cast a shadow on Ingenuity.&nbsp;

That's the number of time Ingenuity's batteries will be able to run a heater without needing to recharge via its solar panels.

This part is critical to surviving the night time temperatures which can plunge as low as minus 130 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 90 degrees Celsius).

If left unheated, the helicopter's unshielded electrical components will freeze and crack, killing the mission before it even begins.

If things however go to plan, Perseverance will take up a position at a distance to record Ingenuity's exploits with its own cameras.

Up to five flights of gradual difficulty are planned over the course of the month.

The four-pound (1.8-kilogram) rotorcraft cost NASA around $85 million to develop and is considered a proof of concept that could revolutionize&nbsp;space exploration.

Future aircraft could cover ground much more quickly than rovers, and explore more rugged terrain.

The next one planned is Dragonfly, a rotorcraft-lander that&nbsp;will launch in 2026 and arrive at Saturn's icy moon Titan in 2034.

NASA is targeting early April for the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter to make the first attempt at powered, controlled flight on another planet, the space agency said Tuesday.

NASA is targeting early April for the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter to make the first attempt at powered, controlled flight on another planet, the space agency said Tuesday. Right now, the ultra-light aircraft remains fixed to the belly of the Perseverance rover, which touched down on the Red Planet on February 18. Also read| Astronomers capture polarised light swirling around black hole's magnetic fields On Sunday, Perseverance dropped the debris shield that had protected Ingenuity during landing and is currently making its way to the "airfield" where Ingenuity will attempt its flights. Once there, it will have 30 Martian sols -- equal to 31 Earth days -- to carry out its mission. "The best guess we have right now is April 8," for the first flight, said Bob Balaram, Mars Helicopter chief engineer at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, though he added it could be sooner or later by a few days. Balaram revealed for the first time that Ingenuity is carrying a small piece of cloth that covered one of the wings of the Wright brothers' first aircraft that achieved the first powered flight on Earth at Kitty Hawk in 1903, to pay tribute to the milestone. Ingenuity will be attempting to fly in an atmosphere that is one per cent the density of Earth's, which makes achieving lift harder -- but will be assisted by gravity that is one-third our planet's. The first flight will involve climbing at a rate of about three feet (one meter) per second to a height of 10 feet (three meters), hovering there for 30 seconds, then descending back to the surface. Ingenuity will be taking high-resolution photography as it flies. Before any of this happens, however, Ingenuity needs to be placed at its launching site, and set upright, a process that will take a few more days. Once Perseverance drops off the helicopter, it needs to drive away about five meters within 25 hours so it doesn't cast a shadow on Ingenuity. That's the number of time Ingenuity's batteries will be able to run a heater without needing to recharge via its solar panels. This part is critical to surviving the night time temperatures which can plunge as low as minus 130 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 90 degrees Celsius). If left unheated, the helicopter's unshielded electrical components will freeze and crack, killing the mission before it even begins. If things however go to plan, Perseverance will take up a position at a distance to record Ingenuity's exploits with its own cameras. Up to five flights of gradual difficulty are planned over the course of the month. The four-pound (1.8-kilogram) rotorcraft cost NASA around $85 million to develop and is considered a proof of concept that could revolutionize space exploration. Future aircraft could cover ground much more quickly than rovers, and explore more rugged terrain. The next one planned is Dragonfly, a rotorcraft-lander that will launch in 2026 and arrive at Saturn's icy moon Titan in 2034.

First flight of NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter to take place in early April

The astronomers who gave the world its first true glimpse of a black hole have produced another landmark image, this time capturing the polarised light swirling around the same star-eating monster's magnetic fields.

Never before has it been possible to measure polarisation -- which causes light waves to vibrate in a single plane -- so close to the edge of a black hole.&nbsp;

The new observations,&nbsp;published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters, are&nbsp;based on data collected by the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) in 2017.

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They are key to understanding how a galaxy can project streams of energy thousands of lightyears outward from its core, more than 300 scientists reported Wednesday in a pair of studies.&nbsp;

"We are now seeing the next crucial piece of evidence to understand how magnetic fields behave around black holes," said co-author Monika Moscibrodzka, an assistant professor at Radboud University in the Netherlands. &nbsp;&nbsp;

"Activity in this very compact region of space can drive powerful jets that extend far beyond the galaxy."

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After releasing the historic image of the supermassive black hole at the heart of galaxy M87, more than 55 million light-years from Earth, the researchers discovered that a significant fraction of its surrounding light was polarised. &nbsp;

"The polarisation of light carries information that allows us to better understand the physics behind the image we saw in April 2019," explained co-author Ivan Marti-Vidal, a researcher at the University of Valencia.

Virtual Earth-sized telescope&nbsp;

It took several years to process and analyse the data, he added, calling the result "a major milestone."

When light is emitted in hot regions of space where magnetic fields are present it becomes polarised.

In the same way that specially treated sunglasses reduce reflections and glare from bright surfaces, astronomers can see the regions around a black hole better by looking at how the light is polarised.

This makes it possible to map the magnetic field lines at the black hole's inner edge.

Matter in a black hole is so dense as to create a gravity field from which even light cannot escape. At the same scale of compression, Earth would fit inside a thimble.&nbsp;

This makes black holes difficult to see. They are most often detected by the radiation produced when their gravity pulls in surrounding gases, a process called accretion.

The bright jets of energy and matter that extend some 5,000 lightyears from M87’s core are one of the galaxy’s great mysteries.

Most matter lying close to the edge of a black hole falls in, but some particles escape moments before capture and are blown far out into space.

A million Suns

The groundbreaking image of M87's black hole and its shadow in polarised light allows astronomers to see for the first time this interplay between matter flowing in and being ejected.&nbsp;

Of the competing theoretical models, only those assuming strongly magnetised gas are consistent with these new observations, the researchers said. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The EHT is not a single instrument but a network of eight radio telescopes spanning the globe in order to create a virtual, Earth-sized telescope.&nbsp;

Even then, locking in an image of M87's supermassive black hole is comparable to photographing a pebble on the Moon.

There are two kinds of black hole.

The first form when the centre of a very big star collapses in on itself, creating a supernova. These can be up to 20 times more massive than the Sun, but are tiny in space.

So-called supermassive black holes -- such as the one sitting at the centre of the Milky Way and most galaxies -- are at least a million times bigger than the Sun. 
&nbsp;

The astronomers who gave the world its first true glimpse of a black hole have produced another landmark image, this time capturing the polarised light swirling around the same star-eating monster's magnetic fields.

The astronomers who gave the world its first true glimpse of a black hole have produced another landmark image, this time capturing the polarised light swirling around the same star-eating monster's magnetic fields. Never before has it been possible to measure polarisation -- which causes light waves to vibrate in a single plane -- so close to the edge of a black hole. The new observations, published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters, are based on data collected by the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) in 2017. Also read| Pentagon ready to unveil secret report of UFOs breaking sound barrier They are key to understanding how a galaxy can project streams of energy thousands of lightyears outward from its core, more than 300 scientists reported Wednesday in a pair of studies. "We are now seeing the next crucial piece of evidence to understand how magnetic fields behave around black holes," said co-author Monika Moscibrodzka, an assistant professor at Radboud University in the Netherlands. "Activity in this very compact region of space can drive powerful jets that extend far beyond the galaxy." Also read| Astronomers detect torrential outflows from infant stars may not stop them from growing After releasing the historic image of the supermassive black hole at the heart of galaxy M87, more than 55 million light-years from Earth, the researchers discovered that a significant fraction of its surrounding light was polarised. "The polarisation of light carries information that allows us to better understand the physics behind the image we saw in April 2019," explained co-author Ivan Marti-Vidal, a researcher at the University of Valencia. Virtual Earth-sized telescope It took several years to process and analyse the data, he added, calling the result "a major milestone." When light is emitted in hot regions of space where magnetic fields are present it becomes polarised. In the same way that specially treated sunglasses reduce reflections and glare from bright surfaces, astronomers can see the regions around a black hole better by looking at how the light is polarised. This makes it possible to map the magnetic field lines at the black hole's inner edge. Matter in a black hole is so dense as to create a gravity field from which even light cannot escape. At the same scale of compression, Earth would fit inside a thimble. This makes black holes difficult to see. They are most often detected by the radiation produced when their gravity pulls in surrounding gases, a process called accretion. The bright jets of energy and matter that extend some 5,000 lightyears from M87’s core are one of the galaxy’s great mysteries. Most matter lying close to the edge of a black hole falls in, but some particles escape moments before capture and are blown far out into space. A million Suns The groundbreaking image of M87's black hole and its shadow in polarised light allows astronomers to see for the first time this interplay between matter flowing in and being ejected. Of the competing theoretical models, only those assuming strongly magnetised gas are consistent with these new observations, the researchers said. The EHT is not a single instrument but a network of eight radio telescopes spanning the globe in order to create a virtual, Earth-sized telescope. Even then, locking in an image of M87's supermassive black hole is comparable to photographing a pebble on the Moon. There are two kinds of black hole. The first form when the centre of a very big star collapses in on itself, creating a supernova. These can be up to 20 times more massive than the Sun, but are tiny in space. So-called supermassive black holes -- such as the one sitting at the centre of the Milky Way and most galaxies -- are at least a million times bigger than the Sun.

Astronomers capture polarised light swirling around black hole's magnetic fields

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Prime Minister Netanyahu falls short of majority amid vote count in Israeli elections US will not push allies into 'us-or-them choice' on China, says Antony Bli

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Top 10 world news today: Israeli PM Netanyahu falls short majority, Charlie Hebdo suspect radicalised by 'Pakistani group'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin&nbsp;Netanyahu's prospects for another term looked uncertain on Wednesday after partial results from a national election projected no clear path to victory.

Netanyahu's Likud party has emerged as the single largest with 30 seats, but the right-wing bloc led by the 71-year-old leader still does not have the 61-seat majority needed to form a coalition in the 120-member Knesset (Israeli parliament).

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The election turnout of 67.2 per cent was a drop of 4.3 per cent since last March's election when the turnout was 71.5 per cent and the lowest of the four elections of the past two years.

Not even his stewardship of Israel’s world-beating COVID-19 vaccination rollout - a central pillar of his campaign - proved enough for&nbsp;Netanyahu&nbsp;to break through the political deadlock that has seen four elections in two years.

With about 88 per cent&nbsp;of votes counted it appeared that&nbsp;Netanyahu, 71, would have to cobble together a coalition from a combination of right-wing allies, ultra-Orthodox parties, ultra-nationalists, Arabs and defectors to secure another term.

Should a hard-right government emerge, it would likely be at loggerheads with the Democratic administration of US&nbsp;President Joe Biden over issues such as Palestinian statehood and US&nbsp;engagement with Israel's arch-enemy Iran over its nuclear programme.

Some centre-left parties made a better showing than expected after highlighting longstanding corruption allegations against&nbsp;Netanyahu&nbsp;- which he denies - and accusing him of mishandling the early months of the pandemic.

But like&nbsp;Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc it fell short of a governing majority in the 120-member parliament. And it has a less clear route to forming a coalition, having to unite parties from different wings of the political spectrum.

Immediately after polls closed on Tuesday,&nbsp;Netanyahu&nbsp;claimed victory and said he hoped to form a "stable right-wing government". But as first results trickled in and seemed to shift against him, he did not repeat the claim in his televised post-election speech.

One potential kingmaker is Naftali Bennett, 48, a former defence minister who favours annexing parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Bennett's hawkish Yamina party is projected to win seven seats. He remained non-committal after the vote, saying only he would do "what is good for Israel".

Yohanan Plesner, head of the Israel Democracy Institute, predicted political paralysis and said a fifth national election was possible.

"It seems quite clear that Israelis are split right down the middle with respect to the main question that divides Israeli politics, which is pro and against Mr&nbsp;Netanyahu," he said.

"The period of uncertainty, deadlock and paralysis is expected to accompany us for the foreseeable future."

Visting Tubas in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on Wednesday, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said the outcome "does not really give any hope for peace" and that the Israeli political system had shifted to the right.

"What is needed really from the future prime minister of Israel is somebody who is ready to stand up and say that he is ready to end occupation," Shtayyeh told Reuters. "We have to break this status quo."

Netanyahu&nbsp;has sealed historic deals with several Arab nations to normalise ties, but Israel and the Palestinians have not held direct negotiations since 2014 when peace talks broke down. Each side accuses the other of intransigence over core issues such as Jerusalem and Jewish settlements.

Horse-trading

Tuesday's vote followed three inconclusive elections in which neither&nbsp;Netanyahu&nbsp;nor his centre-left opponents won a stable majority in the 120-seat parliament.

Netanyahu's Likud is now projected to emerge as the largest party with 30 seats, down from 36. The opposition centrist party Yesh Atid, headed by Yair Lapid, is set to be second with 18 seats.

Lapid, 57, had hoped there would be enough parties in the anti-Netanyahu&nbsp;bloc to oust the veteran premier, in power since 2009.

It usually falls to the biggest party to try to form a government, and that could take weeks of back-room dealings.

Netanyahu&nbsp;may have to woo Jewish religious allies as well as far-rightists and possibly even the the United Arab List (UAL), an Islamist party forecast to win five seats.

UAL leader Mansour Abbas, 46, has advocated working with&nbsp;Netanyahu&nbsp;to address the needs of Israel's 21% Arab minority - a position rejected by most Arabs.

"We are not in anyone's pocket. We are prepared to engage with both sides (Netanyahu&nbsp;and Lapid)," Abbas told Tel Aviv radio station 103 FM. Israeli media reported that he had agreed to meet Lapid later this week.

Israel's shekel was flat against the dollar and stocks slipped on Wednesday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's prospects for another term looked uncertain on Wednesday after partial results from a national election projected no clear path to victory.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's prospects for another term looked uncertain on Wednesday after partial results from a national election projected no clear path to victory. Netanyahu's Likud party has emerged as the single largest with 30 seats, but the right-wing bloc led by the 71-year-old leader still does not have the 61-seat majority needed to form a coalition in the 120-member Knesset (Israeli parliament). The election turnout of 67.2 per cent was a drop of 4.3 per cent since last March's election when the turnout was 71.5 per cent and the lowest of the four elections of the past two years. Not even his stewardship of Israel’s world-beating COVID-19 vaccination rollout - a central pillar of his campaign - proved enough for Netanyahu to break through the political deadlock that has seen four elections in two years. With about 88 per cent of votes counted it appeared that Netanyahu, 71, would have to cobble together a coalition from a combination of right-wing allies, ultra-Orthodox parties, ultra-nationalists, Arabs and defectors to secure another term. Should a hard-right government emerge, it would likely be at loggerheads with the Democratic administration of US President Joe Biden over issues such as Palestinian statehood and US engagement with Israel's arch-enemy Iran over its nuclear programme. Some centre-left parties made a better showing than expected after highlighting longstanding corruption allegations against Netanyahu - which he denies - and accusing him of mishandling the early months of the pandemic. But like Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc it fell short of a governing majority in the 120-member parliament. And it has a less clear route to forming a coalition, having to unite parties from different wings of the political spectrum. Immediately after polls closed on Tuesday, Netanyahu claimed victory and said he hoped to form a "stable right-wing government". But as first results trickled in and seemed to shift against him, he did not repeat the claim in his televised post-election speech. One potential kingmaker is Naftali Bennett, 48, a former defence minister who favours annexing parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Bennett's hawkish Yamina party is projected to win seven seats. He remained non-committal after the vote, saying only he would do "what is good for Israel". Yohanan Plesner, head of the Israel Democracy Institute, predicted political paralysis and said a fifth national election was possible. "It seems quite clear that Israelis are split right down the middle with respect to the main question that divides Israeli politics, which is pro and against Mr Netanyahu," he said. "The period of uncertainty, deadlock and paralysis is expected to accompany us for the foreseeable future." Visting Tubas in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on Wednesday, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said the outcome "does not really give any hope for peace" and that the Israeli political system had shifted to the right. "What is needed really from the future prime minister of Israel is somebody who is ready to stand up and say that he is ready to end occupation," Shtayyeh told Reuters. "We have to break this status quo." Netanyahu has sealed historic deals with several Arab nations to normalise ties, but Israel and the Palestinians have not held direct negotiations since 2014 when peace talks broke down. Each side accuses the other of intransigence over core issues such as Jerusalem and Jewish settlements. Horse-trading Tuesday's vote followed three inconclusive elections in which neither Netanyahu nor his centre-left opponents won a stable majority in the 120-seat parliament. Netanyahu's Likud is now projected to emerge as the largest party with 30 seats, down from 36. The opposition centrist party Yesh Atid, headed by Yair Lapid, is set to be second with 18 seats. Lapid, 57, had hoped there would be enough parties in the anti-Netanyahu bloc to oust the veteran premier, in power since 2009. It usually falls to the biggest party to try to form a government, and that could take weeks of back-room dealings. Netanyahu may have to woo Jewish religious allies as well as far-rightists and possibly even the the United Arab List (UAL), an Islamist party forecast to win five seats. UAL leader Mansour Abbas, 46, has advocated working with Netanyahu to address the needs of Israel's 21% Arab minority - a position rejected by most Arabs. "We are not in anyone's pocket. We are prepared to engage with both sides (Netanyahu and Lapid)," Abbas told Tel Aviv radio station 103 FM. Israeli media reported that he had agreed to meet Lapid later this week. Israel's shekel was flat against the dollar and stocks slipped on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Netanyahu falls short of majority amid vote count in Israeli elections

In the Abraham Accords brokered by the US under former president Donald Trump, Israel established relations with UAE and Bahrain, its first such agreements in the Arab world since its peace treaties with Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994.

The Palestinians condemned the agreements as a "stab in the back". They regarded these deals as a betrayal, maintaining that Arab states should isolate Israel until the people living in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip have their own independent state.

Former White House Middle East envoy&nbsp;Jason D&nbsp;Greenblatt said on Wednesday that the peace deals were ''build on the success and the work of others who strived hard for them.''

Speaking at the&nbsp;WION Global summit in Dubai on Wednesday, he said that ''we&nbsp;decided to move away from phrases like two-state solutions which meant different things to different people. Our purpose was to re-educate the people about the conflict.''

Greenblatt said that under the&nbsp;strong leadership of Trump, Sheikh Mohammad Bin Sayed, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, King of Bahrain and Morocco realised that ''people were tired of conflict and wanted to move on.''

''The results speak for themselves,'' he added.

Asked what he thought Trump's team did differently from others,&nbsp;Greenblatt said, ''We spoke openly and honestly. There was no leader who wanted to speak otherwise. We were very clear with the leadership in the region.''

Praising Trump,&nbsp;Greenblatt said everyone may not agree to his manner of speaking, but speaking directly is key to solving issues.

''We raised the tough issues and ripped the band-aid off over the wounds and&nbsp;tried to clean them.''

''We were able to make progress. However, we are not able to solve all issues. The Israel-Palestine issue is still brewing. It may brew for a very long time. It is not yet ripe for solving,'' said&nbsp;Greenblatt.

The peace deals proved that Israel-Palestine conflict and Israel-Arab conflict, though intricately tied together, can indeed be separately solved, he said. "That's essential for the region, given all the other conflicts in the world. It only helped with the COVID situation and it will lead to a better future.''

In the Abraham Accords brokered by the US under former president Donald Trump, Israel established relations with UAE and Bahrain, its first such agreements in the Arab world since its peace treaties with Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994.

In the Abraham Accords brokered by the US under former president Donald Trump, Israel established relations with UAE and Bahrain, its first such agreements in the Arab world since its peace treaties with Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994. The Palestinians condemned the agreements as a "stab in the back". They regarded these deals as a betrayal, maintaining that Arab states should isolate Israel until the people living in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip have their own independent state. Former White House Middle East envoy Jason D Greenblatt said on Wednesday that the peace deals were ''build on the success and the work of others who strived hard for them.'' Speaking at the WION Global summit in Dubai on Wednesday, he said that ''we decided to move away from phrases like two-state solutions which meant different things to different people. Our purpose was to re-educate the people about the conflict.'' Greenblatt said that under the strong leadership of Trump, Sheikh Mohammad Bin Sayed, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, King of Bahrain and Morocco realised that ''people were tired of conflict and wanted to move on.'' ''The results speak for themselves,'' he added. Asked what he thought Trump's team did differently from others, Greenblatt said, ''We spoke openly and honestly. There was no leader who wanted to speak otherwise. We were very clear with the leadership in the region.'' Praising Trump, Greenblatt said everyone may not agree to his manner of speaking, but speaking directly is key to solving issues. ''We raised the tough issues and ripped the band-aid off over the wounds and tried to clean them.'' ''We were able to make progress. However, we are not able to solve all issues. The Israel-Palestine issue is still brewing. It may brew for a very long time. It is not yet ripe for solving,'' said Greenblatt. The peace deals proved that Israel-Palestine conflict and Israel-Arab conflict, though intricately tied together, can indeed be separately solved, he said. "That's essential for the region, given all the other conflicts in the world. It only helped with the COVID situation and it will lead to a better future.''

Israel-Palestine issue may brew for long time, says Former White House Middle East envoy

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday that the US&nbsp;will not press Washington's allies to choose between their ties with the country and its allies.

The first top US&nbsp;official to visit NATO since President Joe Biden took office in January,&nbsp;Blinken&nbsp;said ''the United States won't force our allies into an 'us-or-them' choice with China."

Blinken&nbsp;said China's military rise and Russia's attempts to destabilise the West were threats that required NATO to come together, urging Turkey to embrace the alliance.

Having already bought Russian weapons, Turkey briefly blocked NATO defence plans in 2019 and launched an offensive on US-backed rebels in Syria, prompting French President Emmanuel Macron to assert that NATO was "experiencing brain death".

The comments from Blinken represent a major shift in US policy from attempts by former leader Donald Trump to strong arm allies into taking a tougher line on Beijing.&nbsp;

President&nbsp;Joe&nbsp;Biden&nbsp;is keen to take a multilateral approach as he looks to enlist NATO allies and partners such as the European Union in a united front of democracies to challenge authoritarian China.&nbsp;

Washington and Brussels took a first step towards joint action against Beijing by unveiling synchronised sanctions on Monday over the crackdown on the Uyghurs in China. &nbsp;

Earlier,&nbsp;the United States and China levelled sharp rebukes of each others' policies in the first high-level, in-person talks of the Biden administration on Thursday, with deeply strained relations of the two global rivals on rare public display during the meeting's opening session in Alaska.

The United States is looking for China to change its behaviour if it wants to reset sour relations, but Beijing has said Washington is full of illusions if it thinks it will compromise.

Sparring in an unusually extended back-and-forth in front of cameras, US&nbsp;Secretary of State Antony&nbsp;Blinken&nbsp;and national security adviser Jake Sullivan opened their meeting with China's top diplomat Yang Jiechi and State Councilor Wang Yi in Anchorage, fresh off of&nbsp;Blinken's visits to allies Japan and South Korea.

&nbsp;Washington says&nbsp;Blinken's Asia tour before the meeting with Chinese officials, as well as US&nbsp;outreach to Europe, India and other partners, shows how the United States has strengthened its hand to confront China since Biden took office in January.

At talks with South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong in Seoul,&nbsp;Blinken had said China was using "coercion and aggression," citing its actions towards Taiwan and Hong Kong and in the contested East and South China Seas.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday that the US will not press Washington's allies to choose between their ties with the country and its allies. The first top US official to visit NATO since President Joe Biden took office in January, Blinken said ''the United States won't force our allies into an 'us-or-them' choice with China.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday that the US will not press Washington's allies to choose between their ties with the country and its allies. The first top US official to visit NATO since President Joe Biden took office in January, Blinken said ''the United States won't force our allies into an 'us-or-them' choice with China." Blinken said China's military rise and Russia's attempts to destabilise the West were threats that required NATO to come together, urging Turkey to embrace the alliance. Having already bought Russian weapons, Turkey briefly blocked NATO defence plans in 2019 and launched an offensive on US-backed rebels in Syria, prompting French President Emmanuel Macron to assert that NATO was "experiencing brain death". The comments from Blinken represent a major shift in US policy from attempts by former leader Donald Trump to strong arm allies into taking a tougher line on Beijing. President Joe Biden is keen to take a multilateral approach as he looks to enlist NATO allies and partners such as the European Union in a united front of democracies to challenge authoritarian China. Washington and Brussels took a first step towards joint action against Beijing by unveiling synchronised sanctions on Monday over the crackdown on the Uyghurs in China. Earlier, the United States and China levelled sharp rebukes of each others' policies in the first high-level, in-person talks of the Biden administration on Thursday, with deeply strained relations of the two global rivals on rare public display during the meeting's opening session in Alaska. The United States is looking for China to change its behaviour if it wants to reset sour relations, but Beijing has said Washington is full of illusions if it thinks it will compromise. Sparring in an unusually extended back-and-forth in front of cameras, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and national security adviser Jake Sullivan opened their meeting with China's top diplomat Yang Jiechi and State Councilor Wang Yi in Anchorage, fresh off of Blinken's visits to allies Japan and South Korea. Washington says Blinken's Asia tour before the meeting with Chinese officials, as well as US outreach to Europe, India and other partners, shows how the United States has strengthened its hand to confront China since Biden took office in January. At talks with South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong in Seoul, Blinken had said China was using "coercion and aggression," citing its actions towards Taiwan and Hong Kong and in the contested East and South China Seas.

US will not push allies into 'us-or-them choice' on China, says Antony Blinken

Maldives&nbsp;Foreign Secretary&nbsp;Abdul Ghafoor Mohamed said on Wednesday that when lockdowns were&nbsp;imposed all across the globe, his country had to close its&nbsp;borders and had no visitors.

Speaking at the&nbsp;WION Global summit in Dubai on Wednesday, he said that Maldives, being a ''tourism-dependent country, became a no-income country overnight," as a result of the global lockdowns.

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"We are mainly a tourism-dependent country. We had to close our borders and had no visitors. Our only source of income was curtailed, so we became a no-income country overnight," says <a href="https://twitter.com/aghafoormohamed?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@aghafoormohamed</a>, Foreign Secretary, Maldives 
 
Follow LIVE updates: <a href="https://t.co/s2VXujmIBS">https://t.co/s2VXujmIBS</a> <a href="https://t.co/FHZ37WxRzZ">pic.twitter.com/FHZ37WxRzZ</a>
— WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/1374663955268861952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The Maldives opened its borders to international tourists on&nbsp;July 15 and lifted&nbsp;quarantine restrictions for tourists. Tourists can travel straight from the airport to their respective resorts without entering&nbsp;Male, thereby providing a safe corridor.&nbsp;

Nearly half the country’s 160 plus resorts have started functioning as did guesthouse industry comprising more than 800 guest houses in inhabited islands for budget-travellers.

Abdul Ghafoor Mohamed said that Maldives was able to survive the pandemic due to its ''friendships, and partnerships with the rest of the world.''

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wion-global-summit-live-digital-revolution-the-world-goes-online-372686" hreflang="en">WION Global Summit LIVE: Digital Revolution — The world goes online</a>

Expressing hope for the recovery of Maldives,&nbsp;Abdul Ghafoor Mohamed said that the country had&nbsp;500,000 tourist arrivals this year to date which is quite encouraging.''

Amid the pandemic last year, New Delhi reached out to Male with supplies of medicines, food and sent a 14- member rapid response team consisting of doctors and paramedics. In April 2020, India launched operation Sanjeevani with an Indian Air Force plane airlifting 6.2 tonnes of essential medical supplies to the country. Under Mission Sagar of the Indian Navy, India reached out to five Indian ocean countries including the Maldives. Indian Navy Ship Kesari delivered 600 tonnes of food items to the Indian Ocean island country.

The pandemic had a major impact on the country's tourism-driven economy. In September 2020, India extended urgent financial assistance of US$ 250 million to the Maldives through investment by SBI in the Government of Maldives bonds. That was the first assistance package of such a magnitude announced by the Indian government&nbsp;to any country to deal with the COVID pandemic.

India had sent 100,000 doses of the Covishield vaccine, manufactured by the&nbsp;Serum Institute of India to the Maldives as a gift.

The Maldives, with a population of 500,000, will be benefitting&nbsp;from the supplies from India. The government of Maldives has proposed to purchase 300,000 doses of vaccine from the Serum Institute of India. The vaccine given by India will be used to inoculate frontline healthcare workers, the elderly, and those with co-morbidities.

Maldives Foreign Secretary Abdul Ghafoor Mohamed said on Wednesday that when lockdowns were imposed all across the globe, his country had to close its borders and had no visitors.

Maldives Foreign Secretary Abdul Ghafoor Mohamed said on Wednesday that when lockdowns were imposed all across the globe, his country had to close its borders and had no visitors. Speaking at the WION Global summit in Dubai on Wednesday, he said that Maldives, being a ''tourism-dependent country, became a no-income country overnight," as a result of the global lockdowns. "We are mainly a tourism-dependent country. We had to close our borders and had no visitors. Our only source of income was curtailed, so we became a no-income country overnight," says @aghafoormohamed, Foreign Secretary, Maldives Follow LIVE updates: https://t.co/s2VXujmIBS pic.twitter.com/FHZ37WxRzZ — WION (@WIONews) March 24, 2021 × The Maldives opened its borders to international tourists on July 15 and lifted quarantine restrictions for tourists. Tourists can travel straight from the airport to their respective resorts without entering Male, thereby providing a safe corridor. Nearly half the country’s 160 plus resorts have started functioning as did guesthouse industry comprising more than 800 guest houses in inhabited islands for budget-travellers. Abdul Ghafoor Mohamed said that Maldives was able to survive the pandemic due to its ''friendships, and partnerships with the rest of the world.'' WION Global Summit LIVE: Digital Revolution — The world goes online Expressing hope for the recovery of Maldives, Abdul Ghafoor Mohamed said that the country had 500,000 tourist arrivals this year to date which is quite encouraging.'' Amid the pandemic last year, New Delhi reached out to Male with supplies of medicines, food and sent a 14- member rapid response team consisting of doctors and paramedics. In April 2020, India launched operation Sanjeevani with an Indian Air Force plane airlifting 6.2 tonnes of essential medical supplies to the country. Under Mission Sagar of the Indian Navy, India reached out to five Indian ocean countries including the Maldives. Indian Navy Ship Kesari delivered 600 tonnes of food items to the Indian Ocean island country. The pandemic had a major impact on the country's tourism-driven economy. In September 2020, India extended urgent financial assistance of US$ 250 million to the Maldives through investment by SBI in the Government of Maldives bonds. That was the first assistance package of such a magnitude announced by the Indian government to any country to deal with the COVID pandemic. India had sent 100,000 doses of the Covishield vaccine, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India to the Maldives as a gift. The Maldives, with a population of 500,000, will be benefitting from the supplies from India. The government of Maldives has proposed to purchase 300,000 doses of vaccine from the Serum Institute of India. The vaccine given by India will be used to inoculate frontline healthcare workers, the elderly, and those with co-morbidities.

Maldives became no-income country overnight, says Foreign Secretary Abdul Ghafoor Mohamed

Elon Musk said on Wednesday that&nbsp;Tesla Inc customers can now buy its electric vehicles with bitcoin,&nbsp;marking a significant step forward for the cryptocurrency's use in commerce.

"You can now buy a Tesla with bitcoin," Musk said on Twitter, adding that the option would be available outside the United States later this year.

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You can now buy a Tesla with Bitcoin
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1374617643446063105?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The electric-car maker said last month it bought $1.5 billion worth of bitcoin and would soon accept it as a form of payment for cars, in a large stride toward mainstream acceptance that sent bitcoin soaring to a record high of nearly $62,000.

Bitcoin, the world's biggest digital currency, rose more than 4 per cent&nbsp;after Musk's tweet and was last trading at $56,429.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tesla-ceo-elon-musk-calls-himself-bitcoin-supporter-prices-soar-360630">Tesla CEO Elon Musk calls himself Bitcoin 'supporter'; prices soar</a>

Musk said bitcoin paid to Tesla would not be converted into traditional currency, but he gave few other details on how the bitcoin payments would be processed. The company was using "internal and&nbsp;open source software", he said.

Most mainstream companies such as AT&amp;T Inc and Microsoft Corp that allow customers to pay with bitcoin typically use specialist payment processors that convert the cryptocurrency into, say, dollars and send the sum to the company.

Like other cryptocurrencies, bitcoin is still little used for commerce in major economies, hampered by its volatility and relatively costly and slow processing times.

Musk, who regularly posts comments on Twitter about cryptocurrencies, last month criticised conventional cash, saying when it "has negative real interest, only a fool wouldn't look elsewhere".

He had said that the difference with cash made it "adventurous enough" for the S&amp;P 500 company to hold the cryptocurrency.

Following Tesla's investment in bitcoin, companies including Mastercard Inc and Bank of New York Mellon Corp have embraced the emerging asset, sparking predictions that bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies will become a regular part of investment portfolios.

Uber Chief Executive Dara Khosrowshahi said the ride-hailing company discussed and "quickly dismissed" the idea of investing in bitcoin. However, he said Uber could potentially accept the cryptocurrency as payment.

General Motors Co said it would evaluate whether bitcoin could be accepted as payment for its vehicles.

Tesla recently added "Technoking of Tesla" to Musk's list of official titles.

Elon Musk said on Wednesday that Tesla Inc customers can now buy its electric vehicles with bitcoin, marking a significant step forward for the cryptocurrency's use in commerce.

Elon Musk said on Wednesday that Tesla Inc customers can now buy its electric vehicles with bitcoin, marking a significant step forward for the cryptocurrency's use in commerce. "You can now buy a Tesla with bitcoin," Musk said on Twitter, adding that the option would be available outside the United States later this year. You can now buy a Tesla with Bitcoin — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 24, 2021 × The electric-car maker said last month it bought $1.5 billion worth of bitcoin and would soon accept it as a form of payment for cars, in a large stride toward mainstream acceptance that sent bitcoin soaring to a record high of nearly $62,000. Bitcoin, the world's biggest digital currency, rose more than 4 per cent after Musk's tweet and was last trading at $56,429. Also read| Tesla CEO Elon Musk calls himself Bitcoin 'supporter'; prices soar Musk said bitcoin paid to Tesla would not be converted into traditional currency, but he gave few other details on how the bitcoin payments would be processed. The company was using "internal and open source software", he said. Most mainstream companies such as AT&T Inc and Microsoft Corp that allow customers to pay with bitcoin typically use specialist payment processors that convert the cryptocurrency into, say, dollars and send the sum to the company. Like other cryptocurrencies, bitcoin is still little used for commerce in major economies, hampered by its volatility and relatively costly and slow processing times. Musk, who regularly posts comments on Twitter about cryptocurrencies, last month criticised conventional cash, saying when it "has negative real interest, only a fool wouldn't look elsewhere". He had said that the difference with cash made it "adventurous enough" for the S&P 500 company to hold the cryptocurrency. Following Tesla's investment in bitcoin, companies including Mastercard Inc and Bank of New York Mellon Corp have embraced the emerging asset, sparking predictions that bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies will become a regular part of investment portfolios. Uber Chief Executive Dara Khosrowshahi said the ride-hailing company discussed and "quickly dismissed" the idea of investing in bitcoin. However, he said Uber could potentially accept the cryptocurrency as payment. General Motors Co said it would evaluate whether bitcoin could be accepted as payment for its vehicles. Tesla recently added "Technoking of Tesla" to Musk's list of official titles.

Elon Musk says Tesla customers can buy its electric vehicles with bitcoin

US&nbsp;President Joe Biden will host members of the US&nbsp;women’s national soccer team at the White House on Wednesday as part of his push to secure better pay for American women, who earn 82 cents on average for every dollar earned by men.

Equal Pay Day marks&nbsp;how much longer into a new year US&nbsp;women on average must work to earn what the average man earned the previous year.

The pay gap is far greater when calculated for Black women, who earn 63 cents on the dollar, and Latina women, who earn just 55 cents.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/shocked-us-women-stars-to-appeal-equal-pay-defeat-296842">'Shocked' US women stars to appeal equal pay defeat</a>

The soccer squad led by Megan Rapinoe, which won the Women’s World Cup for a second consecutive time in 2019, has sued US&nbsp;Soccer, alleging gender discrimination. Fans backed them up, shouting "equal pay" during the World Cup final match.

The coronavirus pandemic and its economic fallout have exacerbated disparities, triggering what Vice President Kamala Harris has called a "national emergency" for women.

Biden's $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package includes provisions aimed at getting the 2 million women who left the labour force during the COVID-19 pandemic back to work. His next legislative push, valued at some $3 trillion, will also expand child care infrastructure and create jobs, administration officials say.

Rapinoe and teammate Margaret Purce will join Biden at the White House. Rapinoe is also due to testify to a US&nbsp;House Committee hearing on the issue.

"They are heroines because they champion this issue for all women," said Jennifer Klein, co-chair of the newly established White House Gender Policy Council. "This is really true in literally every country in the world – women are paid less."

The team reached a settlement in December with US&nbsp;Soccer on certain working conditions, including team travel and accommodations, but is still fighting in the courts to achieve equal pay to the men's soccer team.

US President Joe Biden will host members of the US women’s national soccer team at the White House on Wednesday as part of his push to secure better pay for American women, who earn 82 cents on average for every dollar earned by men.

US President Joe Biden will host members of the US women’s national soccer team at the White House on Wednesday as part of his push to secure better pay for American women, who earn 82 cents on average for every dollar earned by men. Equal Pay Day marks how much longer into a new year US women on average must work to earn what the average man earned the previous year. The pay gap is far greater when calculated for Black women, who earn 63 cents on the dollar, and Latina women, who earn just 55 cents. Also read| 'Shocked' US women stars to appeal equal pay defeat The soccer squad led by Megan Rapinoe, which won the Women’s World Cup for a second consecutive time in 2019, has sued US Soccer, alleging gender discrimination. Fans backed them up, shouting "equal pay" during the World Cup final match. The coronavirus pandemic and its economic fallout have exacerbated disparities, triggering what Vice President Kamala Harris has called a "national emergency" for women. Biden's $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package includes provisions aimed at getting the 2 million women who left the labour force during the COVID-19 pandemic back to work. His next legislative push, valued at some $3 trillion, will also expand child care infrastructure and create jobs, administration officials say. Rapinoe and teammate Margaret Purce will join Biden at the White House. Rapinoe is also due to testify to a US House Committee hearing on the issue. "They are heroines because they champion this issue for all women," said Jennifer Klein, co-chair of the newly established White House Gender Policy Council. "This is really true in literally every country in the world – women are paid less." The team reached a settlement in December with US Soccer on certain working conditions, including team travel and accommodations, but is still fighting in the courts to achieve equal pay to the men's soccer team.

Biden to host members of women’s national soccer team to mark 'Equal Pay Day'

A Pakistani man who attacked the former offices of the Charlie Hebdo magazine last September was radicalised by videos of preachers in his home country and anti-France demonstrations at the time, a report said Wednesday.

The 26-year-old had spent days leading up to his knife attack watching extremist preachers on YouTube and TikTok denouncing France and Charlie Hebdo, Le Parisien newspaper reported, citing the police investigation.

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"I couldn't eat. I was crying watching the videos," Zaheer Hassan Mahmood told investigators.&nbsp;

Weeks before, the magazine had republished cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed, which were considered blasphemous by many Muslims, to mark the start of a trial of men linked to a 2015 attack on its offices.

Mahmood said he did not realise the magazine had moved offices after the 2015 attack and presumed the two people he slashed with a meat cleaver were employees of the publication, the paper said.

Both victims, who worked for a TV production company with no links to Charlie Hebdo, sustained serious injuries.

Mahmood, from the village of Kothli Qazi in Punjab province, had entered France with false papers showing him as an unaccompanied minor, enabling him to claim asylum.

Islamist groups organised demonstrations in Pakistan in September against Charlie Hebdo and French President Emmanuel Macron, who defended freedom of expression and blasphemy, which is legal in France. &nbsp;

Mahmood watched videos by Khadim Hussain Rizvi, the late founder of the Islamist Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) party, and other radical preachers.&nbsp;

He was also influenced by Prime Minister Imran Khan, who accused Macron of "attacking Islam", the paper said.

Blasphemy is a criminal act in conservative Pakistan, where laws allow for the death penalty for anyone deemed to have insulted Islam or Islamic figures.

Mahmood said he initially intended to damage the office building, rather than attack people, and has offered to apologise to his victims.

Investigators have found a video he sent to a friend the day before his attack which called for the decapitation of blasphemers, and he received a call from Greece the same day which appeared to refer to a pre-meditated assault.

He has been charged with "attempted murder with relation to a terrorist enterprise".

A Pakistani man who attacked the former offices of the Charlie Hebdo magazine last September was radicalised by videos of preachers in his home country and anti-France demonstrations at the time, a report said Wednesday.

A Pakistani man who attacked the former offices of the Charlie Hebdo magazine last September was radicalised by videos of preachers in his home country and anti-France demonstrations at the time, a report said Wednesday. The 26-year-old had spent days leading up to his knife attack watching extremist preachers on YouTube and TikTok denouncing France and Charlie Hebdo, Le Parisien newspaper reported, citing the police investigation. "I couldn't eat. I was crying watching the videos," Zaheer Hassan Mahmood told investigators. Weeks before, the magazine had republished cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed, which were considered blasphemous by many Muslims, to mark the start of a trial of men linked to a 2015 attack on its offices. Mahmood said he did not realise the magazine had moved offices after the 2015 attack and presumed the two people he slashed with a meat cleaver were employees of the publication, the paper said. Both victims, who worked for a TV production company with no links to Charlie Hebdo, sustained serious injuries. Mahmood, from the village of Kothli Qazi in Punjab province, had entered France with false papers showing him as an unaccompanied minor, enabling him to claim asylum. Islamist groups organised demonstrations in Pakistan in September against Charlie Hebdo and French President Emmanuel Macron, who defended freedom of expression and blasphemy, which is legal in France. Mahmood watched videos by Khadim Hussain Rizvi, the late founder of the Islamist Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) party, and other radical preachers. He was also influenced by Prime Minister Imran Khan, who accused Macron of "attacking Islam", the paper said. Blasphemy is a criminal act in conservative Pakistan, where laws allow for the death penalty for anyone deemed to have insulted Islam or Islamic figures. Mahmood said he initially intended to damage the office building, rather than attack people, and has offered to apologise to his victims. Investigators have found a video he sent to a friend the day before his attack which called for the decapitation of blasphemers, and he received a call from Greece the same day which appeared to refer to a pre-meditated assault. He has been charged with "attempted murder with relation to a terrorist enterprise".

Charlie Hebdo: Stabbings suspect 'radicalised by Pakistani groups'

Taiwan's Economy Minister Wang Mei-hua said on Wednesday that the country will ration water from next month for more than one million households in the centre of the island because of a drought but the technology hub of Hsinchu will not be affected.

Sub-tropical Taiwan is experiencing its worst drought in half a century, after rain-soaking typhoons failed to make landfall last year, with shortages most severe across a swathe of western Taiwan, where most people live.

Wang told reporters that from April 4, water supplies in parts of Taichung and Miaoli would be cut for two days every week, with water tankers being sent out to supply residents as needed.

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Hsinchu, home to companies like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd (TSMC), the world's largest contract chip manufacturer with clients including Apple Inc and Qualcomm Inc, would not be affected, she added.

Hsinchu's reservoirs are low but its supplies are being topped up by water being piped in from Taipei where water levels are plentiful, and also by desalination.

TSMC, in a statement to Reuters, said it maintained "contingency plans for each stage of the government's water restrictions".

"Some TSMC fabs will slightly increase the proportion of water from tanker trucks to improve flexibility. The new requirement for us to cut water usage by 15% starting 6th April will not impact our operations," it said, without elaborating.

Wang said that tech production zones in Taichung would not see their production affected either as they were excluded from water rationing though would have supplies reduced.

The government is hoping the "plum rains" season, which usually starts from around next month, will help replenish reservoirs, and that typhoons would hit Taiwan this year.

But in the meantime, it has been seeding clouds and digging wells.

Wang said it was hoped the rains came back and restrictions can be lifted.

"But in reality, this is not something we can control," she added.

Taiwan's Economy Minister Wang Mei-hua said on Wednesday that the country will ration water from next month for more than one million households in the centre of the island because of a drought but the technology hub of Hsinchu will not be affected.

Taiwan's Economy Minister Wang Mei-hua said on Wednesday that the country will ration water from next month for more than one million households in the centre of the island because of a drought but the technology hub of Hsinchu will not be affected. Sub-tropical Taiwan is experiencing its worst drought in half a century, after rain-soaking typhoons failed to make landfall last year, with shortages most severe across a swathe of western Taiwan, where most people live. Wang told reporters that from April 4, water supplies in parts of Taichung and Miaoli would be cut for two days every week, with water tankers being sent out to supply residents as needed. Hsinchu, home to companies like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd (TSMC), the world's largest contract chip manufacturer with clients including Apple Inc and Qualcomm Inc, would not be affected, she added. Hsinchu's reservoirs are low but its supplies are being topped up by water being piped in from Taipei where water levels are plentiful, and also by desalination. TSMC, in a statement to Reuters, said it maintained "contingency plans for each stage of the government's water restrictions". "Some TSMC fabs will slightly increase the proportion of water from tanker trucks to improve flexibility. The new requirement for us to cut water usage by 15% starting 6th April will not impact our operations," it said, without elaborating. Wang said that tech production zones in Taichung would not see their production affected either as they were excluded from water rationing though would have supplies reduced. The government is hoping the "plum rains" season, which usually starts from around next month, will help replenish reservoirs, and that typhoons would hit Taiwan this year. But in the meantime, it has been seeding clouds and digging wells. Wang said it was hoped the rains came back and restrictions can be lifted. "But in reality, this is not something we can control," she added.

Taiwan will ration water for 1 million households, says Economy Minister Wang Mei-hua

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Zee News Rajasthan

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Vyomica Berry

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