India is part of the regional and international consensus-building process on bringing peace to Afghanistan and Kabul is seeking a greater role for New Delhi for it, visiting Afghan Foreign Minister Mohammad Haneef Atmar said on Tuesday.

At a media briefing, he also said that it was entirely for India to decide on its approach towards the Taliban, observing that matured policies pursued by New Delhi could always place emphasis on any kind of contact with the entity on the condition that it would serve the peace process.

The Afghan foreign minister also said President Ashraf Ghani was ready to make a "political sacrifice" by holding early presidential elections if the Taliban accepts a political settlement for peaceful resolution of the Afghan issue.

The Afghan foreign minister arrived in India&nbsp;on Monday on a three-day visit and he has already held extensive talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval covering a range of key issues including the Afghan peace process.

Atmar said the upcoming Afghan peace talks in Turkey will focus on having a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire, political settlement consistent with the vision acceptable to the Afghan people and regional and international guarantees for the settlement.

He said India has a legitimate interest in the peace and stability of the region.

"There are those out there that not just threatened Afghanistan but also India. As a legitimate partner in peace making we are seeking a greater role for India. Lasting peace in Afghanistan will critically depend on national, regional and international consensus... India is part of regional and international consensus building," he said.

Asked about indications of improvement in the relationship between India and Pakistan, he said Afghanistan will "fully welcome" any political measure to reduce tensions and to resolve conflicts.

Asked about India's approach towards the Taliban, the Afghan foreign minister said the issue did not figure in his talks with the Indian leaders.

"We have not discussed any kind of India's approach towards the Taliban. We leave it entirely to India to make that decision," he said.

Atmar also said that Jaishankar has confirmed to him that he will attend the upcoming meeting of the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process in Dushanbe on March 30.

The Heart of Asia Istanbul Process is an initiative launched around 10 years back to bring peace to Afghanistan.

Asked about violence against minorities in his country, he said it is not persecution against minorities but general violence targeting people in the country.

Referring to the Chabahar port, he said it will not just be a game-changer for Afghanistan but for the entire region.

On Atmar's talks with NSA Doval, the Afghan foreign ministry said the two sides discussed the latest developments in the Afghan peace process and political, economic, and security cooperation between the two countries.

In the talks, Atmar discussed the "peace plan" of the government of Afghanistan for the success of the peace negotiations, it said in a statement.

"He said the plan would pave the way for a lasting peace based on the will of the Afghan people and strengthen Afghanistan's role as a bridge for connectivity and cooperation between regional countries and the international community," the Afghan foreign ministry said.

"The foreign minister added that the Islamic Republic was the only structure that could maintain equal participation of citizens for internal peace and cohesion and prevent the return of terrorist groups to Afghanistan needed for regional balance and stability," it added.

Regarding the existence of terrorist groups and networks in the region, Atmar said that the severance of ties between the Taliban and terrorist outfits was one of the group's commitments and a basic condition for the success of peace talks that can allow the return of the Taliban to political and civil life.

According to the statement, Doval said that unity among Afghans and consensus at regional and international levels were essential factors for achieving sustainable peace.

The Taliban and the Afghan government are holding direct talks to end 19 years of war that has killed tens of thousands of people and ravaged various parts of the country.

India has been a major stakeholder in the peace and stability of Afghanistan. It has already invested USD two billion in aid and reconstruction activities in the country.

India has been supporting a national peace and reconciliation process which is Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled.

Atmar also met with a number of former Indian ambassadors to Kabul and discussed the peace process and strengthening of people-to-people ties between India and Afghanistan.

Highlighting India's critical role in regional peace-building efforts, he stressed that sustainable peace in Afghanistan could be achieved only through a political settlement emanating from the will of Afghans and broadly supported by regional countries and the international community.

Atmar also emphasised that preserving the last twenty years' achievements, especially pluralism, civil and political rights, and democratic structures, including elections, were the essential prerequisites for achieving a nationally accepted settlement leading to sustainable peace in Afghanistan, according to Afghan foreign ministry.&nbsp;

India is part of the regional and international consensus-building process on bringing peace to Afghanistan and Kabul is seeking a greater role for New Delhi for it, visiting Afghan Foreign Minister Mohammad Haneef Atmar said on Tuesday.

India is part of the regional and international consensus-building process on bringing peace to Afghanistan and Kabul is seeking a greater role for New Delhi for it, visiting Afghan Foreign Minister Mohammad Haneef Atmar said on Tuesday. At a media briefing, he also said that it was entirely for India to decide on its approach towards the Taliban, observing that matured policies pursued by New Delhi could always place emphasis on any kind of contact with the entity on the condition that it would serve the peace process. The Afghan foreign minister also said President Ashraf Ghani was ready to make a "political sacrifice" by holding early presidential elections if the Taliban accepts a political settlement for peaceful resolution of the Afghan issue. The Afghan foreign minister arrived in India on Monday on a three-day visit and he has already held extensive talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval covering a range of key issues including the Afghan peace process. Atmar said the upcoming Afghan peace talks in Turkey will focus on having a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire, political settlement consistent with the vision acceptable to the Afghan people and regional and international guarantees for the settlement. He said India has a legitimate interest in the peace and stability of the region. "There are those out there that not just threatened Afghanistan but also India. As a legitimate partner in peace making we are seeking a greater role for India. Lasting peace in Afghanistan will critically depend on national, regional and international consensus... India is part of regional and international consensus building," he said. Asked about indications of improvement in the relationship between India and Pakistan, he said Afghanistan will "fully welcome" any political measure to reduce tensions and to resolve conflicts. Asked about India's approach towards the Taliban, the Afghan foreign minister said the issue did not figure in his talks with the Indian leaders. "We have not discussed any kind of India's approach towards the Taliban. We leave it entirely to India to make that decision," he said. Atmar also said that Jaishankar has confirmed to him that he will attend the upcoming meeting of the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process in Dushanbe on March 30. The Heart of Asia Istanbul Process is an initiative launched around 10 years back to bring peace to Afghanistan. Asked about violence against minorities in his country, he said it is not persecution against minorities but general violence targeting people in the country. Referring to the Chabahar port, he said it will not just be a game-changer for Afghanistan but for the entire region. On Atmar's talks with NSA Doval, the Afghan foreign ministry said the two sides discussed the latest developments in the Afghan peace process and political, economic, and security cooperation between the two countries. In the talks, Atmar discussed the "peace plan" of the government of Afghanistan for the success of the peace negotiations, it said in a statement. "He said the plan would pave the way for a lasting peace based on the will of the Afghan people and strengthen Afghanistan's role as a bridge for connectivity and cooperation between regional countries and the international community," the Afghan foreign ministry said. "The foreign minister added that the Islamic Republic was the only structure that could maintain equal participation of citizens for internal peace and cohesion and prevent the return of terrorist groups to Afghanistan needed for regional balance and stability," it added. Regarding the existence of terrorist groups and networks in the region, Atmar said that the severance of ties between the Taliban and terrorist outfits was one of the group's commitments and a basic condition for the success of peace talks that can allow the return of the Taliban to political and civil life. According to the statement, Doval said that unity among Afghans and consensus at regional and international levels were essential factors for achieving sustainable peace. The Taliban and the Afghan government are holding direct talks to end 19 years of war that has killed tens of thousands of people and ravaged various parts of the country. India has been a major stakeholder in the peace and stability of Afghanistan. It has already invested USD two billion in aid and reconstruction activities in the country. India has been supporting a national peace and reconciliation process which is Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled. Atmar also met with a number of former Indian ambassadors to Kabul and discussed the peace process and strengthening of people-to-people ties between India and Afghanistan. Highlighting India's critical role in regional peace-building efforts, he stressed that sustainable peace in Afghanistan could be achieved only through a political settlement emanating from the will of Afghans and broadly supported by regional countries and the international community. Atmar also emphasised that preserving the last twenty years' achievements, especially pluralism, civil and political rights, and democratic structures, including elections, were the essential prerequisites for achieving a nationally accepted settlement leading to sustainable peace in Afghanistan, according to Afghan foreign ministry.

India part of regional, international process for peace in Afghanistan: Foreign Minister Atmar

US&nbsp;Vice President&nbsp;Kamala&nbsp;Harris&nbsp;on Tuesday&nbsp;called the mass shooting in Colorado a day earlier that left ten people dead "absolutely tragic."

A 21-year-old man was charged Tuesday with gunning 10 people down in a&nbsp;Colorado&nbsp;grocery store, as America reeled from its second mass shooting in less than a week, sparking urgent new calls for gun control.

Also see|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/after-atlanta-spa-shootings-colorado-supermarket-attack-rocks-us-372591" hreflang="en">After Atlanta spa shootings, Colorado supermarket attack rocks US</a>

The first officer on the scene, 51-year-old Eric Talley, was among those killed, a tearful Boulder Police Chief Maris Herold said at a Monday news conference. An 11-year veteran of the force, Talley was the father of seven children and had recently been looking for a less dangerous job, according to a statement released by his father.

Harris&nbsp;praised the officer, saying he acted with "great courage and heroism."

The vice president made the remarks during a swearing-in ceremony for Ambassador William Burns to be the next CIA director.

The suspect, named as Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa, was in hospital after being shot in an exchange of fire with officers following the attack on King Soopers in Boulder County, 30 miles (50 kilometres)&nbsp;northwest of the state capital Denver, on Monday afternoon.

Sarah&nbsp;Moonshadow, 42, was at the checkout line with her adult son, Nicholas, when the gunfire began.

"And I said, 'Nicholas, get down.' And Nicholas ducked. And we just started listening and there, just repetitive shots ... and I just said, 'Nicholas, run,'" she said.

Moonshadow&nbsp;said she tried to attend to a victim she saw lying on the pavement outside the store, but her son pulled her away, telling her, 'We have to go.'" She broke down in sobs recounting their ordeal, adding, "I couldn't help anybody."

The massacre came less than a week after another gunman shot dead eight people at multiple spas in the Georgia state capital Atlanta. The suspect, in that case, is also facing murder charges.

Together the killings ignited new calls for US politicians to act against the country's notoriously lax gun ownership laws.&nbsp;

Tighter gun control is overwhelmingly popular with Americans -- and backed by President Joe Biden -- but Republicans have long stood against what a minority view as any infringement on their right to bear arms.

"He is charged with 10 counts of murder in the first degree and will be shortly transported to Boulder county jail," Boulder Police Chief Maris Herold told a press conference.

The police chief also read out, one by one, the names of the 10 people killed in the attack, men and women aged from 20 to 65 who included a police officer who was a father of seven.&nbsp;

The massacre came less than a week after another gunman shot dead eight people at multiple spas in the Georgia state capital Atlanta. The suspect, in that case, is also facing murder charges.

Together the killings ignited new calls for US politicians to act against the country's notoriously lax gun ownership laws.&nbsp;

Tighter gun control is overwhelmingly popular with Americans -- and backed by President Joe Biden -- but Republicans have long stood against what a minority view as any infringement on their right to bear arms.

Biden said last month he wanted Congress to pass laws that would require background checks on all gun sales and ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.

"This administration will not wait for the next mass shooting to heed that call," he said at the time.

This month the House of Representatives passed two measures aimed at enhancing background checks and closing a loophole related to a deadly 2015 church shooting in Charleston.

The bills address a hugely popular premise among American voters: that background checks be required for all US firearm sales, including those at gun shows.

According to the gun violence archive, over&nbsp;19 thousand people were killed&nbsp;in shootings and firearm-related incidents last year. It is the&nbsp;highest death toll in the past 20 years.

According to a report in&nbsp;2018, more than 393 million firearms are available to American citizens. Whereas, the country's population was approximately&nbsp;328 million.

42 per cent of the households in America&nbsp;own one or more than one firearm. Meanwhile, 45 per cent of males and&nbsp;19 per cent of females&nbsp;own at least one gun.

Reportedly,&nbsp;Asian Americans are now buying guns to defend themselves.&nbsp;

In 2020,&nbsp;&nbsp;hate crimes against this community surged 149 per cent.&nbsp;

More than eight million people have bought a gun in America&nbsp;since the pandemic began.

The FBI ran close to 40 million background checks for gun purchases last year, as per a report. And for 2021,&nbsp;the background checks are already exceeding the pace of 2020

&nbsp;

US Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday called the mass shooting in Colorado a day earlier that left ten people dead "absolutely tragic." A 21-year-old man was charged Tuesday with gunning 10 people down in a Colorado grocery store, as America reeled from its second mass shooting in less than a week, sparking urgent new calls for gun control.

US Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday called the mass shooting in Colorado a day earlier that left ten people dead "absolutely tragic." A 21-year-old man was charged Tuesday with gunning 10 people down in a Colorado grocery store, as America reeled from its second mass shooting in less than a week, sparking urgent new calls for gun control. Also see| After Atlanta spa shootings, Colorado supermarket attack rocks US The first officer on the scene, 51-year-old Eric Talley, was among those killed, a tearful Boulder Police Chief Maris Herold said at a Monday news conference. An 11-year veteran of the force, Talley was the father of seven children and had recently been looking for a less dangerous job, according to a statement released by his father. Harris praised the officer, saying he acted with "great courage and heroism." The vice president made the remarks during a swearing-in ceremony for Ambassador William Burns to be the next CIA director. The suspect, named as Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa, was in hospital after being shot in an exchange of fire with officers following the attack on King Soopers in Boulder County, 30 miles (50 kilometres) northwest of the state capital Denver, on Monday afternoon. Sarah Moonshadow, 42, was at the checkout line with her adult son, Nicholas, when the gunfire began. "And I said, 'Nicholas, get down.' And Nicholas ducked. And we just started listening and there, just repetitive shots ... and I just said, 'Nicholas, run,'" she said. Moonshadow said she tried to attend to a victim she saw lying on the pavement outside the store, but her son pulled her away, telling her, 'We have to go.'" She broke down in sobs recounting their ordeal, adding, "I couldn't help anybody." The massacre came less than a week after another gunman shot dead eight people at multiple spas in the Georgia state capital Atlanta. The suspect, in that case, is also facing murder charges. Together the killings ignited new calls for US politicians to act against the country's notoriously lax gun ownership laws. Tighter gun control is overwhelmingly popular with Americans -- and backed by President Joe Biden -- but Republicans have long stood against what a minority view as any infringement on their right to bear arms. "He is charged with 10 counts of murder in the first degree and will be shortly transported to Boulder county jail," Boulder Police Chief Maris Herold told a press conference. The police chief also read out, one by one, the names of the 10 people killed in the attack, men and women aged from 20 to 65 who included a police officer who was a father of seven. The massacre came less than a week after another gunman shot dead eight people at multiple spas in the Georgia state capital Atlanta. The suspect, in that case, is also facing murder charges. Together the killings ignited new calls for US politicians to act against the country's notoriously lax gun ownership laws. Tighter gun control is overwhelmingly popular with Americans -- and backed by President Joe Biden -- but Republicans have long stood against what a minority view as any infringement on their right to bear arms. Biden said last month he wanted Congress to pass laws that would require background checks on all gun sales and ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. "This administration will not wait for the next mass shooting to heed that call," he said at the time. This month the House of Representatives passed two measures aimed at enhancing background checks and closing a loophole related to a deadly 2015 church shooting in Charleston. The bills address a hugely popular premise among American voters: that background checks be required for all US firearm sales, including those at gun shows. According to the gun violence archive, over 19 thousand people were killed in shootings and firearm-related incidents last year. It is the highest death toll in the past 20 years. According to a report in 2018, more than 393 million firearms are available to American citizens. Whereas, the country's population was approximately 328 million. 42 per cent of the households in America own one or more than one firearm. Meanwhile, 45 per cent of males and 19 per cent of females own at least one gun. Reportedly, Asian Americans are now buying guns to defend themselves. In 2020, hate crimes against this community surged 149 per cent. More than eight million people have bought a gun in America since the pandemic began. The FBI ran close to 40 million background checks for gun purchases last year, as per a report. And for 2021, the background checks are already exceeding the pace of 2020

'It's absolutely tragic': US Vice President Kamala Harris condemns Colorado mass shooting

''Kill the bill!''

That has been the refrain echoing in streets across Britain in recent weeks as protesters demand a rethinking of a sweeping crime bill that would give the police more power to deal with nonviolent demonstrations.

In recent months, a series of issues have galvanized mass protests across Europe: Black Lives Matter demonstrations in cities last summer, protests against security laws across France last fall, and anti-lockdown rallies seemingly everywhere.

How the police should handle these mass demonstrations has become a topic of heated debate, especially as officers have been accused in some cases of over-aggressive responses. Coronavirus restrictions have added another layer to questions about the right balance between the rule of law and protecting civil liberties.

In Britain, that discussion has zeroed in on the new police bill.

The proposed legislation has come under intense criticism in recent weeks in the wake of the killing of Sarah Everard, a young woman who was murdered in London after walking home from a friend’s house in the evening, and a subsequent vigil to honor her that was broken up by the police.

Here is what you need to know about the proposed policing bill that would affect England and Wales, and the protests demanding that it be shelved.

What would the policing bill do?

The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Court Bill is an immense piece of proposed legislation that makes provisions for a broad range of issues in its nearly 300 pages. The bill — which covers England and Wales — introduces harsher penalties for serious crimes, end a policy of early prison release for some offenders and prevent unauthorized encampments, among other sweeping measures.

It also gives broad authority to police forces when it comes to handling protests — and that has proved to be a lightning rod.

Under current law, the police must first determine that a demonstration could result in serious public disorder, property damage or serious disruption to the life of the community before it can impose restrictions.

But the new bill would offer much broader powers for the police. It will leave much to their own discretion, and potentially allow them to criminalize protests they deem a “public nuisance.”

The police would be allowed to set time and noise limits on rallies, and protesters who do not follow restrictions they “ought” to know about, even if they have not received a direct order from an officer, would be vulnerable to prosecution.

The bill also makes it possible for those who damage memorials to be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison. That provision comes months after a statue commemorating a slave trader, Edward Colston, was toppled in Bristol last year during a Black Lives Matter demonstration.

There had already been pushback.

The government maintains that the bill provides for better policing and community protection. Priti Patel, the home secretary, said last week that there was “a balance to be struck between the rights of the protester and the rights of individuals to go about their daily lives.”

“In recent years, we have seen a significant change of protest tactics, with protesters exploiting gaps in the law which have led to disproportionate amounts of disruption,” Patel said, speaking in front of Parliament last week. She pointed specifically to tactics used by Extinction Rebellion climate change protesters to block trains and shut down cities.

Opposition lawmakers and rights groups have denounced what they see as a move to give police overly broad, and potentially problematic, powers. Many say they need more time to work through the potential implications.

The Local Government Association, a cross-party organization, said that certain aspects of the bill, particularly those focused on public protests, “warrant further formal consultation.” The group expressed concerns that a rushed timetable to vote on the bill “left little time to scrutinize the bill in sufficient detail.”

The Good Law Project, a British governance watchdog, said in a briefing that the bill “represents a serious threat to the right to protest,” and called for the portions of the legislation that deal with protests to be dropped.

Why have people taken to the streets now?

While rights groups have long had concerns about the policing bill and its potential impact on what they say is the essential democratic tool of protest, the legislation was suddenly thrust into the national spotlight after the murder of Everard.

The 33-year-old vanished off a London street on March 3, and her body was later found in a wooded area. A police officer was charged in her death.

The killing set off a national outcry over violence against women. Then came the day of the vigil.

Officers were widely criticized for breaking up the March 12 event, deemed illegal because of coronavirus restrictions. Images spread quickly showing the police moving in to halt speeches and arrest a group of women denouncing violence.

An independent investigation has been launched into conduct of the police, and the controversy raised questions about the ban on protests during the pandemic.

More broadly, the police's heavy-handed response to the vigil catalyzed the movement against the policing bill, shifting the debate to one about police overreach. The vigil took place just days before the crime bill was set to be debated in Parliament.

The problem with the bill, critics say, is not just that it gives officers more power to tamp down demonstrations. The bill makes no specific mention of violence against women — indeed, it includes more language about how to criminalize the defacing a statute than it does about crimes against human being motivated by misogyny.

A number of protests against the bill have been held nationally since the vigil for Everard in London. Last week, hundreds gathered outside government buildings, with crowds parading from Parliament Square to police headquarters in largely peaceful demonstrations. Other protests were held nationally last weekend.

On Sunday, one of them turned riotous in Bristol, where a small group set fire to police vehicles, smashed shop windows and clashed with officers. At least 20 police officers were injured, two seriously, and seven were arrests made, according to the police.

What happens next?

The bill has already passed one hurdle in Parliament, despite the concerns over civil liberties, when it was voted through during its second reading last week amid heated debate.

Now it goes to committee, when it will be assessed in detail, and experts and interest groups can weigh in. When that is over, the committee will report its findings — and perhaps suggest amendments — to the House of Commons, where it will be debated again.

But that process has been put off until later this year.

The government has tried to use the passions set off by Everard’s death to secure passage of the policing bill. The sweeping new police powers it contains, officials argue, would make women safer.

But many others have argued that the bill misses the point. The measure, they argue, fails to address the pervasive misogyny at the heart of crimes committed against women, as well as undermining the right to protest.

As the dispute has heated up, some lawmakers are taking a new look the bill.

The Labour party had originally planned to abstain from voting on the bill, but shifted its position last week to instead vote against it. David Lammy, a Labour lawmaker who is the opposition party’s justice spokesman, called the legislation “a mess.”

“The tragic death of Sarah Everard has instigated a national demand for action to tackle violence against women,” Lammy said. “This is no time to be rushing through poorly thought-out measures to impose disproportionate controls on free expression and the right to protest.”

&nbsp;

''Kill the bill!'' That has been the refrain echoing in streets across Britain in recent weeks as protesters demand a rethinking of a sweeping crime bill that would give the police more power to deal with nonviolent demonstrations.

''Kill the bill!'' That has been the refrain echoing in streets across Britain in recent weeks as protesters demand a rethinking of a sweeping crime bill that would give the police more power to deal with nonviolent demonstrations. In recent months, a series of issues have galvanized mass protests across Europe: Black Lives Matter demonstrations in cities last summer, protests against security laws across France last fall, and anti-lockdown rallies seemingly everywhere. How the police should handle these mass demonstrations has become a topic of heated debate, especially as officers have been accused in some cases of over-aggressive responses. Coronavirus restrictions have added another layer to questions about the right balance between the rule of law and protecting civil liberties. In Britain, that discussion has zeroed in on the new police bill. The proposed legislation has come under intense criticism in recent weeks in the wake of the killing of Sarah Everard, a young woman who was murdered in London after walking home from a friend’s house in the evening, and a subsequent vigil to honor her that was broken up by the police. Here is what you need to know about the proposed policing bill that would affect England and Wales, and the protests demanding that it be shelved. What would the policing bill do? The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Court Bill is an immense piece of proposed legislation that makes provisions for a broad range of issues in its nearly 300 pages. The bill — which covers England and Wales — introduces harsher penalties for serious crimes, end a policy of early prison release for some offenders and prevent unauthorized encampments, among other sweeping measures. It also gives broad authority to police forces when it comes to handling protests — and that has proved to be a lightning rod. Under current law, the police must first determine that a demonstration could result in serious public disorder, property damage or serious disruption to the life of the community before it can impose restrictions. But the new bill would offer much broader powers for the police. It will leave much to their own discretion, and potentially allow them to criminalize protests they deem a “public nuisance.” The police would be allowed to set time and noise limits on rallies, and protesters who do not follow restrictions they “ought” to know about, even if they have not received a direct order from an officer, would be vulnerable to prosecution. The bill also makes it possible for those who damage memorials to be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison. That provision comes months after a statue commemorating a slave trader, Edward Colston, was toppled in Bristol last year during a Black Lives Matter demonstration. There had already been pushback. The government maintains that the bill provides for better policing and community protection. Priti Patel, the home secretary, said last week that there was “a balance to be struck between the rights of the protester and the rights of individuals to go about their daily lives.” “In recent years, we have seen a significant change of protest tactics, with protesters exploiting gaps in the law which have led to disproportionate amounts of disruption,” Patel said, speaking in front of Parliament last week. She pointed specifically to tactics used by Extinction Rebellion climate change protesters to block trains and shut down cities. Opposition lawmakers and rights groups have denounced what they see as a move to give police overly broad, and potentially problematic, powers. Many say they need more time to work through the potential implications. The Local Government Association, a cross-party organization, said that certain aspects of the bill, particularly those focused on public protests, “warrant further formal consultation.” The group expressed concerns that a rushed timetable to vote on the bill “left little time to scrutinize the bill in sufficient detail.” The Good Law Project, a British governance watchdog, said in a briefing that the bill “represents a serious threat to the right to protest,” and called for the portions of the legislation that deal with protests to be dropped. Why have people taken to the streets now? While rights groups have long had concerns about the policing bill and its potential impact on what they say is the essential democratic tool of protest, the legislation was suddenly thrust into the national spotlight after the murder of Everard. The 33-year-old vanished off a London street on March 3, and her body was later found in a wooded area. A police officer was charged in her death. The killing set off a national outcry over violence against women. Then came the day of the vigil. Officers were widely criticized for breaking up the March 12 event, deemed illegal because of coronavirus restrictions. Images spread quickly showing the police moving in to halt speeches and arrest a group of women denouncing violence. An independent investigation has been launched into conduct of the police, and the controversy raised questions about the ban on protests during the pandemic. More broadly, the police's heavy-handed response to the vigil catalyzed the movement against the policing bill, shifting the debate to one about police overreach. The vigil took place just days before the crime bill was set to be debated in Parliament. The problem with the bill, critics say, is not just that it gives officers more power to tamp down demonstrations. The bill makes no specific mention of violence against women — indeed, it includes more language about how to criminalize the defacing a statute than it does about crimes against human being motivated by misogyny. A number of protests against the bill have been held nationally since the vigil for Everard in London. Last week, hundreds gathered outside government buildings, with crowds parading from Parliament Square to police headquarters in largely peaceful demonstrations. Other protests were held nationally last weekend. On Sunday, one of them turned riotous in Bristol, where a small group set fire to police vehicles, smashed shop windows and clashed with officers. At least 20 police officers were injured, two seriously, and seven were arrests made, according to the police. What happens next? The bill has already passed one hurdle in Parliament, despite the concerns over civil liberties, when it was voted through during its second reading last week amid heated debate. Now it goes to committee, when it will be assessed in detail, and experts and interest groups can weigh in. When that is over, the committee will report its findings — and perhaps suggest amendments — to the House of Commons, where it will be debated again. But that process has been put off until later this year. The government has tried to use the passions set off by Everard’s death to secure passage of the policing bill. The sweeping new police powers it contains, officials argue, would make women safer. But many others have argued that the bill misses the point. The measure, they argue, fails to address the pervasive misogyny at the heart of crimes committed against women, as well as undermining the right to protest. As the dispute has heated up, some lawmakers are taking a new look the bill. The Labour party had originally planned to abstain from voting on the bill, but shifted its position last week to instead vote against it. David Lammy, a Labour lawmaker who is the opposition party’s justice spokesman, called the legislation “a mess.” “The tragic death of Sarah Everard has instigated a national demand for action to tackle violence against women,” Lammy said. “This is no time to be rushing through poorly thought-out measures to impose disproportionate controls on free expression and the right to protest.”

What are the ‘kill the bill’ protests in Britain all about?

The Boulder police chief said Tuesday that a 21-year-old man from a Denver suburb had been charged with 10 counts of murder in the shooting Monday at a grocery store in Boulder that left 10 people dead.

Police Chief Maris Herold identified the suspect as Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa of Arvada, a suburb of Denver about 20 miles from Boulder. Michael Dougherty, the district attorney in Boulder County, said he had “lived most of his life in the United States.” Herold said the suspect had been taken into custody with a leg injury but was in stable condition and was expected to be taken to jail later Tuesday.

Among the victims was Officer Eric Talley, 51, with the Boulder Police Department, who had responded to a “barrage” of 911 calls about the shooting, the chief said. Authorities identified the nine additional victims as Denny Strong, 20; Neven Stanisic, 23; Rikki Olds, 25; Tralona Bartkowiak, 49; Suzanne Fountain, 59; Teri Leiker, 51; Kevin Mahoney, 61; Lynn Murray, 62; and Jody Waters, 65.

Herold said police officers had run into the King Sooper grocery store within minutes of the shooting and had shot at the suspect. No other officers were injured during the response, she said.

At the news conference, Gov. Jared Polis of Colorado said his heart ached after the shooting, adding, “The eyes of the nation are on Colorado.”

“Of course I’m standing here, not just as governor, but as someone who has called this community my home for most of my whole life and who has shopped at that King Soopers in Table Mesa many times across my life,” he said.

Herold said the coroner’s office had identified all of the victims and notified their families before 4 a.m.

Rep. Joe Neguse, D-Colo., said that mass shootings could not be the “new normal.”

“In this year of separation due to COVID, of loss and of loneliness, grocery stores like King Soopers have been one of our consistent gathering places, one of the few routine activities that we’ve continued to engage in as Coloradans and as Americans,” he said. “It’s hard to describe what it means for this safe place to see a horrible tragedy like this unfold.”

A video streamed live from outside of the grocery store Monday had appeared to show a suspect — handcuffed, shirtless and with his right leg appearing to be covered in blood — being taken from the building by officers.

Employees and shoppers inside the grocery store described a harrowing scene.

“I thought I was going to die,” said Alex Arellano, 35, who was working in the store’s meat department when he heard a series of gunshots and saw people running toward an exit.

Talley had joined the department in 2010 and was the first to respond to the scene when reports of a gunman came in, police said.

“He was, by all accounts, one of the outstanding officers at the Boulder Police Department and his life was cut far too short,” said the Boulder County district attorney, Michael Dougherty.

The Boulder shooting came less than a week after a gunman shot and killed eight people — six of them women of Asian descent — at three spas in the Atlanta area. Until that shooting in Atlanta, it had been a year since there had been a large-scale shooting in a public place.

The Boulder police chief said Tuesday that a 21-year-old man from a Denver suburb had been charged with 10 counts of murder in the shooting Monday at a grocery store in Boulder that left 10 people dead.

The Boulder police chief said Tuesday that a 21-year-old man from a Denver suburb had been charged with 10 counts of murder in the shooting Monday at a grocery store in Boulder that left 10 people dead. Police Chief Maris Herold identified the suspect as Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa of Arvada, a suburb of Denver about 20 miles from Boulder. Michael Dougherty, the district attorney in Boulder County, said he had “lived most of his life in the United States.” Herold said the suspect had been taken into custody with a leg injury but was in stable condition and was expected to be taken to jail later Tuesday. Among the victims was Officer Eric Talley, 51, with the Boulder Police Department, who had responded to a “barrage” of 911 calls about the shooting, the chief said. Authorities identified the nine additional victims as Denny Strong, 20; Neven Stanisic, 23; Rikki Olds, 25; Tralona Bartkowiak, 49; Suzanne Fountain, 59; Teri Leiker, 51; Kevin Mahoney, 61; Lynn Murray, 62; and Jody Waters, 65. Herold said police officers had run into the King Sooper grocery store within minutes of the shooting and had shot at the suspect. No other officers were injured during the response, she said. At the news conference, Gov. Jared Polis of Colorado said his heart ached after the shooting, adding, “The eyes of the nation are on Colorado.” “Of course I’m standing here, not just as governor, but as someone who has called this community my home for most of my whole life and who has shopped at that King Soopers in Table Mesa many times across my life,” he said. Herold said the coroner’s office had identified all of the victims and notified their families before 4 a.m. Rep. Joe Neguse, D-Colo., said that mass shootings could not be the “new normal.” “In this year of separation due to COVID, of loss and of loneliness, grocery stores like King Soopers have been one of our consistent gathering places, one of the few routine activities that we’ve continued to engage in as Coloradans and as Americans,” he said. “It’s hard to describe what it means for this safe place to see a horrible tragedy like this unfold.” A video streamed live from outside of the grocery store Monday had appeared to show a suspect — handcuffed, shirtless and with his right leg appearing to be covered in blood — being taken from the building by officers. Employees and shoppers inside the grocery store described a harrowing scene. “I thought I was going to die,” said Alex Arellano, 35, who was working in the store’s meat department when he heard a series of gunshots and saw people running toward an exit. Talley had joined the department in 2010 and was the first to respond to the scene when reports of a gunman came in, police said. “He was, by all accounts, one of the outstanding officers at the Boulder Police Department and his life was cut far too short,” said the Boulder County district attorney, Michael Dougherty. The Boulder shooting came less than a week after a gunman shot and killed eight people — six of them women of Asian descent — at three spas in the Atlanta area. Until that shooting in Atlanta, it had been a year since there had been a large-scale shooting in a public place.

Suspect in Colorado store shooting is charged with 10 counts of murder

After Atlanta spa shootings, Colorado supermarket attack rocks US

Sri Lanka on Tuesday rejected a UN move to preserve evidence of war crimes in the country and said the money allocated for the effort would be better spent on housing for the poor.

The resolution adopted by the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva called for a $2.8 million budget to collect and preserve evidence of war crimes for future prosecutions.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/un-rights-office-gets-mandate-to-document-sri-lanka-war-crimes-372546">UN rights office gets mandate to document Sri Lanka war crimes</a>

It follows a damning report from UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet on Sri Lanka's failure to prosecute war criminals from the island's separatist conflict that ended in May 2009.

Foreign minister Dinesh Gunawardena said the UN rights council's censure motion, which 22 voted for and 11 against, was not binding on Colombo.

"It is a waste of money. Highly uncalled for," Gunawardena told reporters at a hurriedly organised press conference in Colombo shortly after losing the vote.

"Without the consent and acceptance of the country concerned, it cannot be implemented."

The money would be better spent on providing "housing for the entire population in the Jaffna peninsula", he said, referring to the heartland of the island's minority Tamils in the war-battered region.

Successive governments in Sri Lanka have resisted calls for an independent investigation into allegations that troops killed at least 40,000 Tamil civilians while crushing Tiger guerrillas, a charge Colombo denies.

Sri Lanka on Tuesday rejected a UN move to preserve evidence of war crimes in the country and said the money allocated for the effort would be better spent on housing for the poor.

Sri Lanka on Tuesday rejected a UN move to preserve evidence of war crimes in the country and said the money allocated for the effort would be better spent on housing for the poor. The resolution adopted by the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva called for a $2.8 million budget to collect and preserve evidence of war crimes for future prosecutions. Also read| UN rights office gets mandate to document Sri Lanka war crimes It follows a damning report from UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet on Sri Lanka's failure to prosecute war criminals from the island's separatist conflict that ended in May 2009. Foreign minister Dinesh Gunawardena said the UN rights council's censure motion, which 22 voted for and 11 against, was not binding on Colombo. "It is a waste of money. Highly uncalled for," Gunawardena told reporters at a hurriedly organised press conference in Colombo shortly after losing the vote. "Without the consent and acceptance of the country concerned, it cannot be implemented." The money would be better spent on providing "housing for the entire population in the Jaffna peninsula", he said, referring to the heartland of the island's minority Tamils in the war-battered region. Successive governments in Sri Lanka have resisted calls for an independent investigation into allegations that troops killed at least 40,000 Tamil civilians while crushing Tiger guerrillas, a charge Colombo denies.

Sri Lanka rejects UN move to protect war crimes evidence

Every year the&nbsp;World Meteorological Day is celebrated on March 23 to highlight the significance of people's role and their behaviour in protecting the Earth's atmosphere.

It also commemorates the establishment of&nbsp;the World Meteorological Organization, an intergovernmental body on March 23, 1950.

It showcases the essential contribution of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services to the safety and wellbeing of society and is celebrated with activities around the world. &nbsp;The themes chosen for World Meteorological Day reflect topical weather, climate or water-related issues.

Covering some 70 per cent&nbsp;of the Earth’s surface, the ocean is a major driver of the world’s weather and climate. It also plays a central role in climate change. The ocean is also a major driver of the global economy, carrying more than 90 per cent&nbsp;of world trade and sustaining the 40 per cent&nbsp;of humanity that lives within 100 km of the coast.

Recognizing this, National Meteorological and Hydrological Services and researchers regularly monitor the ocean and how it is changing, modelling how it affects the atmosphere and delivering a wide variety of marine services, including supporting coastal management and Safety of Life at Sea.

The World Meteorological Day theme - The ocean, our climate and weather – celebrates WMO’s focus in connecting the ocean, climate and weather within the Earth System. It also marks the starting year of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030).

The Decade galvanizes efforts to gather ocean science – through innovative and transformative ideas &nbsp;- as the basis of information to support sustainable development. &nbsp;WMO, as the United Nations specialized agency for climate, weather and water, strives to support understanding the inextricable link between ocean, climate and weather. This helps us understand the world in which we live, including the impacts of climate change, and to help Members to strengthen their ability to keep lives and property safe – reducing the risk of disaster – and to maintain viable economies.

Here are 10 facts about water and how vulnerable communities are struggling to access supplies as growing demand and a warming planet raise the risk of shortages:

* About 2.2 billion people, or 29% of the global population, lacked safely managed drinking water services in 2017, according to the latest U.N. data.

* More than 2 billion people live in countries experiencing water stress - when demand outstrips available supplies - and an estimated 4 billion live in areas that suffer from severe water scarcity for at least one month per year. By 2050, more than half of the global population is expected to face water stress.

* One in five children worldwide do not have enough water to meet their daily needs, and children in more than 80 countries live in areas with high water vulnerability, meaning they depend on surface water, unimproved sources or water that takes more than 30 minutes to collect.

* Eastern and southern Africa have the highest proportion of children living in such areas, with 58% facing difficulty accessing sufficient water every day.

* Two in five people worldwide, or 3 billion, do not have a hand-washing facility with water and soap at home, including nearly three-quarters of people in the poorest countries.

* Providing access to safe drinking water and sanitation in 140 low and middle-income countries would cost $114 billion per year, whereas the many social and economic benefits of safe water are hard to evaluate.

* Global freshwater use has increased six-fold over the past 100 years and continues to grow at a rate of about 1% per year since the 1980s.

* Agriculture accounts for nearly 70% of global water withdrawals, mainly for irrigation but also for livestock and aquaculture. The ratio can reach up to 95% in some developing countries.

* Climate change is altering rainfall patterns, reducing water availability, and worsening the damage caused by floods and drought around the world.

* The melting of ice cover and glaciers – known as the water towers of the world - is leading to more hazards such as flash floods in the short-term, while threatening to reduce water supplies for hundreds of millions of people in the future.

Every year the World Meteorological Day is celebrated on March 23 to highlight the significance of people's role and their behaviour in protecting the Earth's atmosphere.

Every year the World Meteorological Day is celebrated on March 23 to highlight the significance of people's role and their behaviour in protecting the Earth's atmosphere. It also commemorates the establishment of the World Meteorological Organization, an intergovernmental body on March 23, 1950. It showcases the essential contribution of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services to the safety and wellbeing of society and is celebrated with activities around the world. The themes chosen for World Meteorological Day reflect topical weather, climate or water-related issues. Covering some 70 per cent of the Earth’s surface, the ocean is a major driver of the world’s weather and climate. It also plays a central role in climate change. The ocean is also a major driver of the global economy, carrying more than 90 per cent of world trade and sustaining the 40 per cent of humanity that lives within 100 km of the coast. Recognizing this, National Meteorological and Hydrological Services and researchers regularly monitor the ocean and how it is changing, modelling how it affects the atmosphere and delivering a wide variety of marine services, including supporting coastal management and Safety of Life at Sea. The World Meteorological Day theme - The ocean, our climate and weather – celebrates WMO’s focus in connecting the ocean, climate and weather within the Earth System. It also marks the starting year of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030). The Decade galvanizes efforts to gather ocean science – through innovative and transformative ideas - as the basis of information to support sustainable development. WMO, as the United Nations specialized agency for climate, weather and water, strives to support understanding the inextricable link between ocean, climate and weather. This helps us understand the world in which we live, including the impacts of climate change, and to help Members to strengthen their ability to keep lives and property safe – reducing the risk of disaster – and to maintain viable economies. Here are 10 facts about water and how vulnerable communities are struggling to access supplies as growing demand and a warming planet raise the risk of shortages: * About 2.2 billion people, or 29% of the global population, lacked safely managed drinking water services in 2017, according to the latest U.N. data. * More than 2 billion people live in countries experiencing water stress - when demand outstrips available supplies - and an estimated 4 billion live in areas that suffer from severe water scarcity for at least one month per year. By 2050, more than half of the global population is expected to face water stress. * One in five children worldwide do not have enough water to meet their daily needs, and children in more than 80 countries live in areas with high water vulnerability, meaning they depend on surface water, unimproved sources or water that takes more than 30 minutes to collect. * Eastern and southern Africa have the highest proportion of children living in such areas, with 58% facing difficulty accessing sufficient water every day. * Two in five people worldwide, or 3 billion, do not have a hand-washing facility with water and soap at home, including nearly three-quarters of people in the poorest countries. * Providing access to safe drinking water and sanitation in 140 low and middle-income countries would cost $114 billion per year, whereas the many social and economic benefits of safe water are hard to evaluate. * Global freshwater use has increased six-fold over the past 100 years and continues to grow at a rate of about 1% per year since the 1980s. * Agriculture accounts for nearly 70% of global water withdrawals, mainly for irrigation but also for livestock and aquaculture. The ratio can reach up to 95% in some developing countries. * Climate change is altering rainfall patterns, reducing water availability, and worsening the damage caused by floods and drought around the world. * The melting of ice cover and glaciers – known as the water towers of the world - is leading to more hazards such as flash floods in the short-term, while threatening to reduce water supplies for hundreds of millions of people in the future.

World Meteorological Day 2021: All you need to know

Spending more time in green spaces might be just what the doctor ordered, according to a study that quantifies the health benefits of natural sounds, from improved mood and cognitive performance to decreased heart rate and sensitivity to pain.

The paper was led by Rachel Buxton, a conservation biologist at Canada's Carleton University, and published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of&nbsp;Sciences&nbsp;(PNAS).

"We tend to look at the acoustic environment from the perspective of noise pollution and how it disturbs wildlife, and how it has effects on visitors to parks and human health," she said.

"A lot of us conservation biologists are really interested in the inverse of that: what are the health benefits of natural acoustic environments?"

Buxton and her colleagues carried out a literature review to statistically analyze the patchwork of prior research in the area, which was mostly carried out in lab or hospital settings with sounds played to volunteers by headphones.

Seven of the 36 studies examined traditional health outcomes, including heart rate, blood pressure, perceived pain, skin conductance,&nbsp;which is linked to emotional arousal, levels of the stress hormone cortisol,&nbsp; and t-wave amplitude, a measure of heart health.

The rest measured potential precursors along the pathway to health, including metrics of perception, mood, and cognitive performance.

Overall, there was a 184 per cent improvement in health and other positive affect outcomes in the groups exposed to natural sounds relative to comparison groups.&nbsp;

The natural sounds also led to a 28 per cent decrease in stress and annoyance.&nbsp;

Among the natural sounds played to the volunteers, the sound of water had the highest impact, followed by birdsong, then a mix of both.

Mental health crisis

The team also examined audio recordings from 68 US national parks recorded over the past 15 years at 221 different locations.&nbsp;

The sounds were categorized by those caused by humans, geophysical such as wind and rain or the sounds of water, and biological sounds made by mammals, birds, amphibians etc.

Across all sites, water sounds were audible 23 per cent of the time and bird sounds could be heard 42 per cent of the time.

Parks that received more visitors had much greater levels of human-driven sounds.

The parks with the highest quality soundscapes -- high levels of natural sounds and low levels of anthropogenic sounds -- were in Alaska, Hawaii and the Pacific Northwest.

But from their analysis of the lab research, "we did find some evidence that if you're listening to natural sounds and noise, your health outcomes are still better than if you're just listening to the noise," said Buxton.

What drives the effect? No one knows for sure, but Buxton has a hypothesis: "Evolutionarily, an acoustic environment that has lots of natural sounds is a good indicator of a safe environment -- so it allows for mental recuperation because we're not on edge."

The findings come at a time when experts say the Covid-19 pandemic is driving a mental health crisis, with the number of people reporting symptoms of anxiety and depression on the rise.

"What I would encourage people to do is just be aware of these sounds -- when you go to your favourite park, close your eyes, and listen to the birds singing and the wind rustling the leaves and the trees," said Buxton.

"These natural sounds are beautiful, they're inspiring, and now we have pretty good evidence that they're good for us too."

Spending more time in green spaces might be just what the doctor ordered, according to a study that quantifies the health benefits of natural sounds, from improved mood and cognitive performance to decreased heart rate and sensitivity to pain.

Spending more time in green spaces might be just what the doctor ordered, according to a study that quantifies the health benefits of natural sounds, from improved mood and cognitive performance to decreased heart rate and sensitivity to pain. The paper was led by Rachel Buxton, a conservation biologist at Canada's Carleton University, and published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). "We tend to look at the acoustic environment from the perspective of noise pollution and how it disturbs wildlife, and how it has effects on visitors to parks and human health," she said. "A lot of us conservation biologists are really interested in the inverse of that: what are the health benefits of natural acoustic environments?" Buxton and her colleagues carried out a literature review to statistically analyze the patchwork of prior research in the area, which was mostly carried out in lab or hospital settings with sounds played to volunteers by headphones. Seven of the 36 studies examined traditional health outcomes, including heart rate, blood pressure, perceived pain, skin conductance, which is linked to emotional arousal, levels of the stress hormone cortisol, and t-wave amplitude, a measure of heart health. The rest measured potential precursors along the pathway to health, including metrics of perception, mood, and cognitive performance. Overall, there was a 184 per cent improvement in health and other positive affect outcomes in the groups exposed to natural sounds relative to comparison groups. The natural sounds also led to a 28 per cent decrease in stress and annoyance. Among the natural sounds played to the volunteers, the sound of water had the highest impact, followed by birdsong, then a mix of both. Mental health crisis The team also examined audio recordings from 68 US national parks recorded over the past 15 years at 221 different locations. The sounds were categorized by those caused by humans, geophysical such as wind and rain or the sounds of water, and biological sounds made by mammals, birds, amphibians etc. Across all sites, water sounds were audible 23 per cent of the time and bird sounds could be heard 42 per cent of the time. Parks that received more visitors had much greater levels of human-driven sounds. The parks with the highest quality soundscapes -- high levels of natural sounds and low levels of anthropogenic sounds -- were in Alaska, Hawaii and the Pacific Northwest. But from their analysis of the lab research, "we did find some evidence that if you're listening to natural sounds and noise, your health outcomes are still better than if you're just listening to the noise," said Buxton. What drives the effect? No one knows for sure, but Buxton has a hypothesis: "Evolutionarily, an acoustic environment that has lots of natural sounds is a good indicator of a safe environment -- so it allows for mental recuperation because we're not on edge." The findings come at a time when experts say the Covid-19 pandemic is driving a mental health crisis, with the number of people reporting symptoms of anxiety and depression on the rise. "What I would encourage people to do is just be aware of these sounds -- when you go to your favourite park, close your eyes, and listen to the birds singing and the wind rustling the leaves and the trees," said Buxton. "These natural sounds are beautiful, they're inspiring, and now we have pretty good evidence that they're good for us too."

Natural sounds and landscapes, boost health markers, lower stress

Pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca said Tuesday it will release further data "within 48 hours" on trials in the United States of its Covid-19 vaccine, after health officials raised concerns about initial information disclosed.

"We have reviewed the preliminary assessment of the primary analysis and the results were consistent with the interim analysis," the company said in a statement.

"We intend to issue results of the primary analysis within 48 hours."

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/astrazeneca-may-have-included-outdated-data-in-vaccine-trials-us-regulator-372491" hreflang="en">AstraZeneca may have included 'outdated' data in vaccine trials: US regulator</a>

AstraZeneca&nbsp;may have released outdated information on its latest COVID-19 vaccine trial, giving an "incomplete" picture of its efficacy, a leading US&nbsp;health agency said on Tuesday, casting doubt on the shot's potential US&nbsp;rollout and plunging its developers, once again, into controversy.

The surprise public rebuke from federal health officials comes just one day after interim data from the drugmaker showed better-than-expected results from the US&nbsp;trial. That had been seen as a scientific counter to concerns that have dogged the shot over its effectiveness and possible side effects.

The vaccine, developed with Oxford University, was 79 per cent effective in preventing symptomatic illness in the large trial that also took place in Chile and Peru, according to the data. It was also 100 per cent&nbsp;effective against severe or critical forms of the disease and hospitalisation, and posed no increased risk of blood clots.

The Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB), an independent committee overseeing the trial, has "expressed concern that&nbsp;AstraZeneca&nbsp;may have included outdated information from that trial, which may have provided an incomplete view of the efficacy data," the US&nbsp;National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) said in a statement released after midnight in the United States.

"We urge the company to work with the DSMB to review the efficacy data and ensure the most accurate, up-to-date efficacy data be made public as quickly as possible," it said, adding that the DSMB had informed&nbsp;AstraZeneca&nbsp;of its concerns.

AstraZeneca's shares were down 1.2 per cent&nbsp;in midmorning trade.

The statement raises fresh questions about the vaccine's efficacy as it is being administered in dozens of countries worldwide and clouds the timeline for its emergency use authorization in the United States.

"This is indeed an extraordinary act. The negative reports about this vaccine do not stop, although my assessment is that it is well tolerated and safe, but clearly less effective than the two mRNA vaccines," Peter Kremsner, from the University Hospital in Tuebingen, Germany.

Rival vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna that use so-called mRNA technology produced efficacy rates of around 95% each, far above the 50% benchmark set by global regulators.

The DSMB is organised by NIAID, and its role is to provide study oversight and evaluate clinical data to ensure safe and ethical conduct of the study. NIAID is headed by U.S. infectious diseases expert Anthony Fauci and is part of the National Institutes of Health.

"DSMB externalisations of concerns are deeply unusual for multinational pharma companies and suggest an extraordinary high level of friction between the DSMB and the sponsor," Citi analysts said in a note.

Doubts raised

Hailed as a milestone in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic when it first emerged as a vaccine contender, the&nbsp;AstraZeneca&nbsp;shot has faced questions since late last year when the drugmaker and Oxford University published data with different efficacy readings due to a measurement error.

Later analysis suggested the dosing interval rather than the amount of dose administered was responsible for the difference.

Confidence in the vaccine took a further hit this month when more than a dozen countries, mostly in Europe, temporarily suspended the shot after reports linked it to a rare blood clotting disorder in a very small number of people.

The European Union's drug regulator said last week it was safe but an opinion poll on Monday showed Europeans remained sceptical about its safety.

Fauci, who also serves as chief medical advisor to US&nbsp;President Joe Biden, said on Monday the US&nbsp;trial found no indication at all of the rare blood clots and the statement from the NIAID didn't raise questions about the trial's findings regarding blood clotting.

The latest data, which has yet to be reviewed by independent researchers, was based on 141 infections among 32,449 participants.

Analysts had noted&nbsp;AstraZeneca's achievement of producing strong trial data against a backdrop of more infectious variants spreading in the United States and other countries.

Stephen Evans, a pharmacoepidemiology professor at London School of Hygiene &amp; Tropical Medicine, said the up-to-date data request may have to do with efficacy readings from recent infections which may include new variants and thus lower protection rates.

"The other vaccines may also show such reduced efficacy and we don’t know by how much. It does not leave me concerned particularly unless they had found a safety issue that was being hidden, which does not appear to be the case."

The&nbsp;AstraZeneca&nbsp;vaccine is seen as crucial in tackling the spread of COVID-19 across the globe because it is easier and cheaper to transport than rival shots.

It has been granted conditional marketing or emergency use authorization in more than 70 countries. Many countries are relying heavily on it to end the pandemic, and several state leaders have taken the shot to boost confidence in the vaccine including South Korea's President Moon Jae-in who received it on Tuesday.

Pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca said Tuesday it will release further data "within 48 hours" on trials in the United States of its Covid-19 vaccine, after health officials raised concerns about initial information disclosed.

Pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca said Tuesday it will release further data "within 48 hours" on trials in the United States of its Covid-19 vaccine, after health officials raised concerns about initial information disclosed. "We have reviewed the preliminary assessment of the primary analysis and the results were consistent with the interim analysis," the company said in a statement. "We intend to issue results of the primary analysis within 48 hours." Also read| AstraZeneca may have included 'outdated' data in vaccine trials: US regulator AstraZeneca may have released outdated information on its latest COVID-19 vaccine trial, giving an "incomplete" picture of its efficacy, a leading US health agency said on Tuesday, casting doubt on the shot's potential US rollout and plunging its developers, once again, into controversy. The surprise public rebuke from federal health officials comes just one day after interim data from the drugmaker showed better-than-expected results from the US trial. That had been seen as a scientific counter to concerns that have dogged the shot over its effectiveness and possible side effects. The vaccine, developed with Oxford University, was 79 per cent effective in preventing symptomatic illness in the large trial that also took place in Chile and Peru, according to the data. It was also 100 per cent effective against severe or critical forms of the disease and hospitalisation, and posed no increased risk of blood clots. The Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB), an independent committee overseeing the trial, has "expressed concern that AstraZeneca may have included outdated information from that trial, which may have provided an incomplete view of the efficacy data," the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) said in a statement released after midnight in the United States. "We urge the company to work with the DSMB to review the efficacy data and ensure the most accurate, up-to-date efficacy data be made public as quickly as possible," it said, adding that the DSMB had informed AstraZeneca of its concerns. AstraZeneca's shares were down 1.2 per cent in midmorning trade. The statement raises fresh questions about the vaccine's efficacy as it is being administered in dozens of countries worldwide and clouds the timeline for its emergency use authorization in the United States. "This is indeed an extraordinary act. The negative reports about this vaccine do not stop, although my assessment is that it is well tolerated and safe, but clearly less effective than the two mRNA vaccines," Peter Kremsner, from the University Hospital in Tuebingen, Germany. Rival vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna that use so-called mRNA technology produced efficacy rates of around 95% each, far above the 50% benchmark set by global regulators. The DSMB is organised by NIAID, and its role is to provide study oversight and evaluate clinical data to ensure safe and ethical conduct of the study. NIAID is headed by U.S. infectious diseases expert Anthony Fauci and is part of the National Institutes of Health. "DSMB externalisations of concerns are deeply unusual for multinational pharma companies and suggest an extraordinary high level of friction between the DSMB and the sponsor," Citi analysts said in a note. Doubts raised Hailed as a milestone in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic when it first emerged as a vaccine contender, the AstraZeneca shot has faced questions since late last year when the drugmaker and Oxford University published data with different efficacy readings due to a measurement error. Later analysis suggested the dosing interval rather than the amount of dose administered was responsible for the difference. Confidence in the vaccine took a further hit this month when more than a dozen countries, mostly in Europe, temporarily suspended the shot after reports linked it to a rare blood clotting disorder in a very small number of people. The European Union's drug regulator said last week it was safe but an opinion poll on Monday showed Europeans remained sceptical about its safety. Fauci, who also serves as chief medical advisor to US President Joe Biden, said on Monday the US trial found no indication at all of the rare blood clots and the statement from the NIAID didn't raise questions about the trial's findings regarding blood clotting. The latest data, which has yet to be reviewed by independent researchers, was based on 141 infections among 32,449 participants. Analysts had noted AstraZeneca's achievement of producing strong trial data against a backdrop of more infectious variants spreading in the United States and other countries. Stephen Evans, a pharmacoepidemiology professor at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said the up-to-date data request may have to do with efficacy readings from recent infections which may include new variants and thus lower protection rates. "The other vaccines may also show such reduced efficacy and we don’t know by how much. It does not leave me concerned particularly unless they had found a safety issue that was being hidden, which does not appear to be the case." The AstraZeneca vaccine is seen as crucial in tackling the spread of COVID-19 across the globe because it is easier and cheaper to transport than rival shots. It has been granted conditional marketing or emergency use authorization in more than 70 countries. Many countries are relying heavily on it to end the pandemic, and several state leaders have taken the shot to boost confidence in the vaccine including South Korea's President Moon Jae-in who received it on Tuesday.

AstraZeneca to release more data after US raises questions on shot's potential

UN&nbsp;human rights boss Michelle Bachelet was given a mandate on Tuesday to collect and preserve information and evidence of crimes related to Sri Lanka's long civil war, which ended in 2009 with the defeat of the separatist Tamil Tigers.

The Human Rights Council adopted a resolution, brought by Britain on behalf of a group of countries, boosting her office's staff and powers, with a view to future prosecutions.

The vote at the 47-country forum in Geneva was 22 in favour, with 11 against including China and Pakistan, and 14 abstentions including India.

"Impunity has become more entrenched, progress in emblematic cases has stalled," British ambassador Julian Braithwaite said, presenting the text on behalf of a group that included Canada, Germany, Malawi, Montenegro and North Macedonia.

But Sri Lanka's ambassador, M.C.A. Chandraprema, rejected the text as "unhelpful and divisive".

Asian countries including China and the Philippines closed ranks around Sri Lanka's government, while Japan abstained.

The resolution expressed serious concern at trends over the past year that represented "a clear early warning sign of a deteriorating situation of human rights".

These included putting military officers in charge of civilian government functions, an erosion of the independence of the judiciary, and impunity and "political obstruction of accountability" for crimes.

The United Nations believes 80,000 to 100,000 people died in the 26-year war, in which the Tamil Tigers hoped to carve out a separate state for the Tamil minority.

In the final months, civilian deaths soared as the army pinned the Tigers into a tiny strip of the northeastern coast, where the United Nations says they kept hundreds of thousands of civilians as human shields.

In a report in January, Bachelet urged states to impose sanctions on former Sri Lankan military commanders, including the current army chief, who were suspected of links to atrocities during the latter part of the war.

UN human rights boss Michelle Bachelet was given a mandate on Tuesday to collect and preserve information and evidence of crimes related to Sri Lanka's long civil war, which ended in 2009 with the defeat of the separatist Tamil Tigers.

UN human rights boss Michelle Bachelet was given a mandate on Tuesday to collect and preserve information and evidence of crimes related to Sri Lanka's long civil war, which ended in 2009 with the defeat of the separatist Tamil Tigers. The Human Rights Council adopted a resolution, brought by Britain on behalf of a group of countries, boosting her office's staff and powers, with a view to future prosecutions. The vote at the 47-country forum in Geneva was 22 in favour, with 11 against including China and Pakistan, and 14 abstentions including India. "Impunity has become more entrenched, progress in emblematic cases has stalled," British ambassador Julian Braithwaite said, presenting the text on behalf of a group that included Canada, Germany, Malawi, Montenegro and North Macedonia. But Sri Lanka's ambassador, M.C.A. Chandraprema, rejected the text as "unhelpful and divisive". Asian countries including China and the Philippines closed ranks around Sri Lanka's government, while Japan abstained. The resolution expressed serious concern at trends over the past year that represented "a clear early warning sign of a deteriorating situation of human rights". These included putting military officers in charge of civilian government functions, an erosion of the independence of the judiciary, and impunity and "political obstruction of accountability" for crimes. The United Nations believes 80,000 to 100,000 people died in the 26-year war, in which the Tamil Tigers hoped to carve out a separate state for the Tamil minority. In the final months, civilian deaths soared as the army pinned the Tigers into a tiny strip of the northeastern coast, where the United Nations says they kept hundreds of thousands of civilians as human shields. In a report in January, Bachelet urged states to impose sanctions on former Sri Lankan military commanders, including the current army chief, who were suspected of links to atrocities during the latter part of the war.

UN rights office gets mandate to document Sri Lanka war crimes

Union Information Minister&nbsp;Prakash Javadekar said on Tuesday that the central government has decided that from 1st April, the vaccine will open for everybody above 45 years of age,&nbsp;irrespective of the co-morbidities.

He&nbsp;added that there was no shortage of doses in India, the world's biggest vaccine maker, which has donated or exported more than 60 million doses but injected only 49 million doses at home.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-reports-40715-fresh-covid-19-cases-199-deaths-in-last-24-hours-372467" hreflang="en">India reports 40,715 fresh COVID-19 cases, 199 deaths in last 24 hours</a>

Only the elderly and those over 45 suffering from other health conditions are eligible to be vaccinated currently. Health and frontline workers were the first in line when India began its drive in mid-January.

Total vaccinations in India, which aims to vaccinate 300 million of its 1.35 billion people by August, rank as the world's third-highest.&nbsp;

More than 32.53 lakh COVID-19 vaccine doses were administered on Monday, the highest single-day vaccination so far, taking the total number of people inoculated to over 4.8 crore, the Union Health Ministry said on Tuesday.

Many states want to widen their campaigns to cover all adults after infections rose since late February as the economy reopened fully.

India is also expected to soon approve Russia's Sputnik V vaccine for emergency use, which would boost availability.

India reported 40,715 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, with its richest state of Maharashtra, home to Mumbai, the financial capital, contributing more than 60 per cent&nbsp;of the total. Deaths rose by 199 to 160,166.

The central government on Monday had said that the gap between the first and second doses of the AstraZeneca-Oxford University's Covishield vaccine should be increased to 6-8 weeks from the current 28 days.

In a press release, the Union Health Ministry said that in view of the emerging scientific evidence, the interval between two doses of a specific COVID-19 vaccine example Covishield has been revisited by the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) and subsequently by National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) in its 20th meeting.

Union Information Minister Prakash Javadekar said on Tuesday that the central government has decided that from 1st April, the vaccine will open for everybody above 45 years of age, irrespective of the co-morbidities.

Union Information Minister Prakash Javadekar said on Tuesday that the central government has decided that from 1st April, the vaccine will open for everybody above 45 years of age, irrespective of the co-morbidities. He added that there was no shortage of doses in India, the world's biggest vaccine maker, which has donated or exported more than 60 million doses but injected only 49 million doses at home. Also read| India reports 40,715 fresh COVID-19 cases, 199 deaths in last 24 hours Only the elderly and those over 45 suffering from other health conditions are eligible to be vaccinated currently. Health and frontline workers were the first in line when India began its drive in mid-January. Total vaccinations in India, which aims to vaccinate 300 million of its 1.35 billion people by August, rank as the world's third-highest. More than 32.53 lakh COVID-19 vaccine doses were administered on Monday, the highest single-day vaccination so far, taking the total number of people inoculated to over 4.8 crore, the Union Health Ministry said on Tuesday. Many states want to widen their campaigns to cover all adults after infections rose since late February as the economy reopened fully. India is also expected to soon approve Russia's Sputnik V vaccine for emergency use, which would boost availability. India reported 40,715 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, with its richest state of Maharashtra, home to Mumbai, the financial capital, contributing more than 60 per cent of the total. Deaths rose by 199 to 160,166. The central government on Monday had said that the gap between the first and second doses of the AstraZeneca-Oxford University's Covishield vaccine should be increased to 6-8 weeks from the current 28 days. In a press release, the Union Health Ministry said that in view of the emerging scientific evidence, the interval between two doses of a specific COVID-19 vaccine example Covishield has been revisited by the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) and subsequently by National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) in its 20th meeting.

People above 45 years to be vaccinated from April 1, says Prakash Javadekar

Fifteen people have so far been confirmed dead and 400 are still missing in a huge blaze at the Rohingya refugee camp in Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh, the United Nations said Tuesday.

"What we have seen in this fire is something we have never seen before in these camps. It is massive. It is devastating," Johannes van der Klaauw, the UN Refugee Agency's representative in Bangladesh, told reporters in Geneva via video-link from Dhaka.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/thousands-of-homes-burn-as-fire-sweeps-rohingya-camp-372453/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Bangladeshi officials are investigating the cause of the blaze even as officials, aid workers and families sift through the debris looking for further victims. The fire ripped through the Balukhali camp near the southeastern town of Cox's Bazar late on Monday, burning through thousands of shanties as people scrambled to save their meagre possessions.

Sanjeev Kafley, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies's delegation head in Bangladesh, said more than 17,000 shelters had been destroyed and tens of thousands of people displaced.

More than a thousand Red Cross staff and volunteers worked with fire services to extinguish the blaze, spread over four sections of the camp containing roughly 124,000 people, he said. That represents around one-tenth of an estimated 1 million&nbsp;Rohingya&nbsp;refugees in the area, Kafley said.

The UN's International Organization for Migration said it has pledged $1 million to relief efforts but a further $20 million would be required to react to the most urgent needs.

IOM spokeswoman Angela Wells said the fire had caused "catastrophic damage", and the health clinic run by the IOM, the camp's largest, was completely destroyed.

"The fire has since subsided, but not before consuming essential facilities in the camps, shelters and the personal belongings of tens of thousands of refugees.&nbsp;The cause of the fire is still unknown as are the exact number of casualties," she said.

Wells said the first responders were Rohingya volunteers who helped people to safety, supporting the fire response efforts and helping the relief efforts.&nbsp;

IOM teams worked through the night to help those who fled the scene.

"Today, families have begun to return to their plots of land," Wells told reporters.

"IOM is distributing emergency assistance to all those affected. This assistance includes shelter kits that will allow people to begin to rebuild their homes, as well as emergency items such as blankets, solar lights, mosquito nets, and jerry cans.&nbsp;

"With the start of the monsoon looming, rebuilding is critical.&nbsp;IOM will continue to help people reconstruct&nbsp;durable shelters,&nbsp;emergency latrines and the vital&nbsp;health facility."

Fifteen people have so far been confirmed dead and 400 are still missing in a huge blaze at the Rohingya refugee camp in Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh, the United Nations said Tuesday.

Fifteen people have so far been confirmed dead and 400 are still missing in a huge blaze at the Rohingya refugee camp in Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh, the United Nations said Tuesday. "What we have seen in this fire is something we have never seen before in these camps. It is massive. It is devastating," Johannes van der Klaauw, the UN Refugee Agency's representative in Bangladesh, told reporters in Geneva via video-link from Dhaka. Bangladeshi officials are investigating the cause of the blaze even as officials, aid workers and families sift through the debris looking for further victims. The fire ripped through the Balukhali camp near the southeastern town of Cox's Bazar late on Monday, burning through thousands of shanties as people scrambled to save their meagre possessions. Sanjeev Kafley, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies's delegation head in Bangladesh, said more than 17,000 shelters had been destroyed and tens of thousands of people displaced. More than a thousand Red Cross staff and volunteers worked with fire services to extinguish the blaze, spread over four sections of the camp containing roughly 124,000 people, he said. That represents around one-tenth of an estimated 1 million Rohingya refugees in the area, Kafley said. The UN's International Organization for Migration said it has pledged $1 million to relief efforts but a further $20 million would be required to react to the most urgent needs. IOM spokeswoman Angela Wells said the fire had caused "catastrophic damage", and the health clinic run by the IOM, the camp's largest, was completely destroyed. "The fire has since subsided, but not before consuming essential facilities in the camps, shelters and the personal belongings of tens of thousands of refugees. The cause of the fire is still unknown as are the exact number of casualties," she said. Wells said the first responders were Rohingya volunteers who helped people to safety, supporting the fire response efforts and helping the relief efforts. IOM teams worked through the night to help those who fled the scene. "Today, families have begun to return to their plots of land," Wells told reporters. "IOM is distributing emergency assistance to all those affected. This assistance includes shelter kits that will allow people to begin to rebuild their homes, as well as emergency items such as blankets, solar lights, mosquito nets, and jerry cans. "With the start of the monsoon looming, rebuilding is critical. IOM will continue to help people reconstruct durable shelters, emergency latrines and the vital health facility."

15 dead, 400 missing in fire at Rohingya camp in Bangladesh, says UN

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