Russia's media regulator Roskomnadzor on Tuesday gave Twitter a one-month ultimatum to remove "banned" content, threatening to consider blocking the social media platform within the country if it does not comply.

Last week Roskomnadzor started disrupting Twitter's services in Russia, saying the US platform failed to comply with its requests to delete content related to child pornography, drug use and calls for minors to commit suicide.

"We have taken a month and are watching Twitter's response to the removal of banned content," Roskomnadzor deputy head Vadim Subbotin told the state-run TASS news agency.&nbsp;

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/kremlin-critic-alexei-navalny-claims-he-is-locked-up-in-concentration-camp-outside-moscow-370910" hreflang="en">Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny claims he is locked up in 'concentration camp' outside Moscow</a>

He added that if Twitter does not comply in that time period, the media regulator "will consider the question of completely blocking the service" on Russian territory.

Subbotin also told the Interfax news agency that Twitter has not taken any "specific steps" to remove the prohibited content.

Russian authorities have in recent months increased pressure on Western social media platforms, especially those hosting content supporting jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.&nbsp;

Roskomnadzor last week said it had started slowing down the speed of photo and video content for all mobile users and 50 percent of desktop users in Russia.

A Twitter spokesperson last week told AFP that the company does not support "any unlawful behaviour" and is "deeply concerned by increased attempts to block and throttle online public conversation".

Russia's media regulator Roskomnadzor on Tuesday gave Twitter a one-month ultimatum to remove "banned" content, threatening to consider blocking the social media platform within the country if it does not comply.

Russia's media regulator Roskomnadzor on Tuesday gave Twitter a one-month ultimatum to remove "banned" content, threatening to consider blocking the social media platform within the country if it does not comply. Last week Roskomnadzor started disrupting Twitter's services in Russia, saying the US platform failed to comply with its requests to delete content related to child pornography, drug use and calls for minors to commit suicide. "We have taken a month and are watching Twitter's response to the removal of banned content," Roskomnadzor deputy head Vadim Subbotin told the state-run TASS news agency. Also read| Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny claims he is locked up in 'concentration camp' outside Moscow He added that if Twitter does not comply in that time period, the media regulator "will consider the question of completely blocking the service" on Russian territory. Subbotin also told the Interfax news agency that Twitter has not taken any "specific steps" to remove the prohibited content. Russian authorities have in recent months increased pressure on Western social media platforms, especially those hosting content supporting jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny. Roskomnadzor last week said it had started slowing down the speed of photo and video content for all mobile users and 50 percent of desktop users in Russia. A Twitter spokesperson last week told AFP that the company does not support "any unlawful behaviour" and is "deeply concerned by increased attempts to block and throttle online public conversation".

Russia gives Twitter one month to remove 'banned' content

The World Health Organization (WHO) team that visited Wuhan to investigate the origins of coronavirus has postponed publishing their report on Tuesday.

"The report is simply not ready," WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier told reporters. "What we hear from the technical experts, from the mission members, is that the report most likely will come out now next week," he added.

The highly-anticipated report is expected to examine a range of theories about how the virus first jumped from animals to humans, which the experts looked into during their four-week mission to Wuhan,&nbsp;the Chinese city where the first Covid-19 cases were identified.

Also see|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/who-from-widespread-criticism-over-covid-19-response-to-nobel-nomination-370054">WHO: From widespread criticism over Covid-19 response to Nobel nomination</a>

Experts believe that the new coronavirus that causes Covid-19 originally came from bats, and crossed into humans via an intermediate animal, but remain unsure on when and how that happened.

During a lengthy press conference in Wuhan on February 9 at the end of the mission, the experts and their Chinese counterparts made clear that they could not yet draw any firm conclusions.

But the world has been eagerly anticipating the report ever since for more insight into how the experts ranked a number of hypotheses, including theories about wild animal meat brought to Wuhan from southern China, one about a lab accident and another about the virus being imported in frozen food.

Repeated delays

The team had initially planned to quickly publish a preliminary report, but that plan was shelved in February without a clear explanation.

Then WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced at the beginning of March that the full report would be published sometime this week, promising to give member states an advance peek at the conclusions.

The repeated delays have sparked renewed criticism of the UN health body's slow response to a demand by its member states last May for an independent, international team to assist Chinese experts in probing the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic.

It took months to select the 10 international experts, including epidemiologists and animal health specialists, and diplomatic wrangling with China delayed the mission further.

In the end, they arrived in Wuhan more than a year after the first cases of SARS-CoV-2,&nbsp;the virus that causes Covid-19 disease,&nbsp;were first discovered there, in December 2019.

Since then, nearly 2.7 million people have died worldwide and the global economy lies in tatters.

Lindmeier said Tuesday that the team of experts, who are drafting the report with their Chinese counterparts, were still finalising the document.

"The experts are drawing it up together, and... the more people involved, the more people will have to have a say in it," he said.

"They want to get it right. That is the important part."

The World Health Organization (WHO) team that visited Wuhan to investigate the origins of coronavirus has postponed publishing their report on Tuesday. "The report is simply not ready," WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier told reporters.

The World Health Organization (WHO) team that visited Wuhan to investigate the origins of coronavirus has postponed publishing their report on Tuesday. "The report is simply not ready," WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier told reporters. "What we hear from the technical experts, from the mission members, is that the report most likely will come out now next week," he added. The highly-anticipated report is expected to examine a range of theories about how the virus first jumped from animals to humans, which the experts looked into during their four-week mission to Wuhan, the Chinese city where the first Covid-19 cases were identified. Also see| WHO: From widespread criticism over Covid-19 response to Nobel nomination Experts believe that the new coronavirus that causes Covid-19 originally came from bats, and crossed into humans via an intermediate animal, but remain unsure on when and how that happened. During a lengthy press conference in Wuhan on February 9 at the end of the mission, the experts and their Chinese counterparts made clear that they could not yet draw any firm conclusions. But the world has been eagerly anticipating the report ever since for more insight into how the experts ranked a number of hypotheses, including theories about wild animal meat brought to Wuhan from southern China, one about a lab accident and another about the virus being imported in frozen food. Repeated delays The team had initially planned to quickly publish a preliminary report, but that plan was shelved in February without a clear explanation. Then WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced at the beginning of March that the full report would be published sometime this week, promising to give member states an advance peek at the conclusions. The repeated delays have sparked renewed criticism of the UN health body's slow response to a demand by its member states last May for an independent, international team to assist Chinese experts in probing the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic. It took months to select the 10 international experts, including epidemiologists and animal health specialists, and diplomatic wrangling with China delayed the mission further. In the end, they arrived in Wuhan more than a year after the first cases of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19 disease, were first discovered there, in December 2019. Since then, nearly 2.7 million people have died worldwide and the global economy lies in tatters. Lindmeier said Tuesday that the team of experts, who are drafting the report with their Chinese counterparts, were still finalising the document. "The experts are drawing it up together, and... the more people involved, the more people will have to have a say in it," he said. "They want to get it right. That is the important part."

WHO postpones coronavirus origin report, likely to be out next week

Scientists have uncovered for the first time&nbsp;what happens in brains&nbsp;when they learn from the subconscious, visual stimuli.

The study published in Neuron is&nbsp;a collaboration between KU Leuven, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard University.

Previous research has shown that when people are rewarded during the presentation of visual stimuli that are not consciously perceivable, they can still perceive these stimuli afterwards.

Although this is a known phenomenon, researchers were unsure as to how exactly this unconscious perceptual learning comes about. To find out, Professor Wim Vanduffel and colleagues studied the brains of two rhesus monkeys before and after they were exposed to subconscious visual stimuli.

The researchers activated part of the reward system at the base of the brain stem, the ventral tegmental area. This includes cells that produce dopamine, a molecule that is also released when you receive a reward.

"Dopamine is a crucial messenger molecule of our motor and reward systems, and is extremely important for learning and enjoyment," says Vanduffel. Activating the ventral tegmental area released dopamine, among other things.

"By stimulating the brain area directly, we can causally link the activity in that area to perception or complex cognitive behaviour," explains Vanduffel.

While the brain area was activated, the monkeys were shown virtually invisible images of human faces and bodies. Because the images were very blurry and the monkeys had to perform a very different and difficult task at the same time, they could not consciously perceive these images. The same process was followed during the control tests, but the brain was not stimulated.

When the monkeys received subconscious visual stimuli while the ventral tegmental area was stimulated, they knew details about those images afterwards. For example, they knew whether the bodies shown were turned to the left or to the right. This was not the case when there had been no brain stimulation.

"Thanks to this experiment, we can demonstrate for the first time a direct causal relationship between this brain region and, as a result, also the likely link between dopamine and the subconscious learning of complex visual stimuli."

The parts in the darker colour regulate, among others, the production of dopamine. Disturbances in this region can lead to Parkinson`s disease and other conditions.

The researchers also made a brain scan of the animals before and after the test. "We can see the blood flow in the brain, which gives an indication of which neurons are active. The more blood flow, the more activity," explains Vanduffel.

The scans showed that the task caused activity in the visual cortex of the brain and in areas important for memory. "With this data, we can zoom in to find out what is happening exactly at a neuronal level in these brain areas, in future experiments."

"Since Freud`s insights in the 20th century, the scientific community has been wondering how subconscious sensations can affect us. Thanks to the present awareness that there is a strong resemblance between humans and monkeys, and new and advanced technologies, we can finally map such processes physiologically."

Disturbances in the dopaminergic system can lead to numerous psychiatric and motor disorders, such as depression, addiction and Parkinson`s disease. A better understanding of how this system works, in various forms of learning, is therefore crucial to developing targeted therapies for these conditions.

"Parkinson`s is a motor disorder and is caused by dopamine-producing neurons dying off. However, current dopamine treatments may produce side effects because they also trigger the entire reward system, which not only reduces motor symptoms but can also lead to addictive behaviour."

Fundamental research into the functioning of these brain areas will eventually lead to more targeted treatments with fewer side effects.

This insight is also useful in situations such as trauma, ageing or oncological problems where an increase in brain plasticity, that is,&nbsp;the ability to change, could be very useful.

"By stimulating areas of the brain that produce dopamine, we could, for example, enable people to regain their speech more quickly or improve their motor skills after an accident or illness. This could even be done through medication, although we are still a long way from that," explains Vanduffel.

Insights about our brain and the conditions under which we and other primates visually shape our world are therefore crucial, because, as Vanduffel concludes: "you have to know how a car`s engine works before you can fix a problem with it."&nbsp;

Scientists have uncovered for the first time what happens in brains when they learn from the subconscious, visual stimuli. The study published in Neuron is a collaboration between KU Leuven, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard University.

Scientists have uncovered for the first time what happens in brains when they learn from the subconscious, visual stimuli. The study published in Neuron is a collaboration between KU Leuven, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard University. Previous research has shown that when people are rewarded during the presentation of visual stimuli that are not consciously perceivable, they can still perceive these stimuli afterwards. Although this is a known phenomenon, researchers were unsure as to how exactly this unconscious perceptual learning comes about. To find out, Professor Wim Vanduffel and colleagues studied the brains of two rhesus monkeys before and after they were exposed to subconscious visual stimuli. The researchers activated part of the reward system at the base of the brain stem, the ventral tegmental area. This includes cells that produce dopamine, a molecule that is also released when you receive a reward. "Dopamine is a crucial messenger molecule of our motor and reward systems, and is extremely important for learning and enjoyment," says Vanduffel. Activating the ventral tegmental area released dopamine, among other things. "By stimulating the brain area directly, we can causally link the activity in that area to perception or complex cognitive behaviour," explains Vanduffel. While the brain area was activated, the monkeys were shown virtually invisible images of human faces and bodies. Because the images were very blurry and the monkeys had to perform a very different and difficult task at the same time, they could not consciously perceive these images. The same process was followed during the control tests, but the brain was not stimulated. When the monkeys received subconscious visual stimuli while the ventral tegmental area was stimulated, they knew details about those images afterwards. For example, they knew whether the bodies shown were turned to the left or to the right. This was not the case when there had been no brain stimulation. "Thanks to this experiment, we can demonstrate for the first time a direct causal relationship between this brain region and, as a result, also the likely link between dopamine and the subconscious learning of complex visual stimuli." The parts in the darker colour regulate, among others, the production of dopamine. Disturbances in this region can lead to Parkinson`s disease and other conditions. The researchers also made a brain scan of the animals before and after the test. "We can see the blood flow in the brain, which gives an indication of which neurons are active. The more blood flow, the more activity," explains Vanduffel. The scans showed that the task caused activity in the visual cortex of the brain and in areas important for memory. "With this data, we can zoom in to find out what is happening exactly at a neuronal level in these brain areas, in future experiments." "Since Freud`s insights in the 20th century, the scientific community has been wondering how subconscious sensations can affect us. Thanks to the present awareness that there is a strong resemblance between humans and monkeys, and new and advanced technologies, we can finally map such processes physiologically." Disturbances in the dopaminergic system can lead to numerous psychiatric and motor disorders, such as depression, addiction and Parkinson`s disease. A better understanding of how this system works, in various forms of learning, is therefore crucial to developing targeted therapies for these conditions. "Parkinson`s is a motor disorder and is caused by dopamine-producing neurons dying off. However, current dopamine treatments may produce side effects because they also trigger the entire reward system, which not only reduces motor symptoms but can also lead to addictive behaviour." Fundamental research into the functioning of these brain areas will eventually lead to more targeted treatments with fewer side effects. This insight is also useful in situations such as trauma, ageing or oncological problems where an increase in brain plasticity, that is, the ability to change, could be very useful. "By stimulating areas of the brain that produce dopamine, we could, for example, enable people to regain their speech more quickly or improve their motor skills after an accident or illness. This could even be done through medication, although we are still a long way from that," explains Vanduffel. Insights about our brain and the conditions under which we and other primates visually shape our world are therefore crucial, because, as Vanduffel concludes: "you have to know how a car`s engine works before you can fix a problem with it."

Scientists uncover how brain learns from subconscious stimuli

Kremlin critic Alexei&nbsp;Navalny, who is serving a two-and-half-year jail term in a penal colony outside Moscow, has claimed that he was locked up in a "real concentration camp".

His comments were the first confirmation of widespread reports that the Russian opposition politician would be spending his sentence at one of the most notorious facilities in Russia's extensive network of over 600 work colonies.&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-to-russia-end-persecution-of-independent-voices-370388/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Navalny's precise location had been unknown after his legal team said last week that he had been moved from the nearby Kolchugino jail and that they had not been told where he was being taken.

On Monday,&nbsp;Navalny said&nbsp;he was fine and being held at the IK-2 corrective penal colony in the town of Pokrov, about 100 km east of Moscow.

"Hi everyone from 'Heightened control sector A',"&nbsp;Navalny&nbsp;said in a message posted online shortly after his lawyers visited him at the facility.

"I have to admit that the Russian prison system has managed to surprise me. I never imagined that it was possible to build a real concentration camp 100 kilometres from Moscow".

Woken up 'every hour'&nbsp;

Navalny&nbsp;said he had not yet seen any hints of violence at the colony, but because of the "tense posture of the convicts", he can "easily believe" previous reports of brutality.

The post was accompanied by a picture of&nbsp;Navalny&nbsp;sitting on a sofa with his hair cropped close to his head.

Navalny, 44, one of President Vladimir Putin's most prominent critics, was jailed earlier this year for parole violations in a decision that the West has condemned as politically motivated.

He is due to serve out a two-and-a-half-year sentence and is only able to communicate with the outside world via his lawyers.

The Instagram post said that swearing was banned at the facility and that the ban was widely observed by fellow inmates who seemed scared to turn their heads twice.

He said he had not seen any prison violence or suggestion of it himself, but could believe stories he had heard about past cases of violence.

"There are video cameras everywhere, they keep watch on everyone and make reports for the slightest infractions. I think someone high up has read 1984 by Orwell," he said.

He said he was woken up every hour during the night because he had been deemed a flight risk.

"But if you regard everything with humour, you can live here. So on the whole, everything is fine with me," he said.

Navalny&nbsp;returned to Russia in January from Germany, where he had been recuperating after allegedly being poisoned with what many Western nations claimed was a nerve agent. The Kremlin has denied any involvement and questioned claims that he was poisoned.

Western countries have called for&nbsp;Navalny's release, and the United States and European Union have imposed sanctions against Russian officials over the case.

Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, who is serving a two-and-half-year jail term in a penal colony outside Moscow, has claimed that he was locked up in a "real concentration camp".

Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, who is serving a two-and-half-year jail term in a penal colony outside Moscow, has claimed that he was locked up in a "real concentration camp". His comments were the first confirmation of widespread reports that the Russian opposition politician would be spending his sentence at one of the most notorious facilities in Russia's extensive network of over 600 work colonies. Navalny's precise location had been unknown after his legal team said last week that he had been moved from the nearby Kolchugino jail and that they had not been told where he was being taken. On Monday, Navalny said he was fine and being held at the IK-2 corrective penal colony in the town of Pokrov, about 100 km east of Moscow. "Hi everyone from 'Heightened control sector A'," Navalny said in a message posted online shortly after his lawyers visited him at the facility. "I have to admit that the Russian prison system has managed to surprise me. I never imagined that it was possible to build a real concentration camp 100 kilometres from Moscow". Woken up 'every hour' Navalny said he had not yet seen any hints of violence at the colony, but because of the "tense posture of the convicts", he can "easily believe" previous reports of brutality. The post was accompanied by a picture of Navalny sitting on a sofa with his hair cropped close to his head. Navalny, 44, one of President Vladimir Putin's most prominent critics, was jailed earlier this year for parole violations in a decision that the West has condemned as politically motivated. He is due to serve out a two-and-a-half-year sentence and is only able to communicate with the outside world via his lawyers. The Instagram post said that swearing was banned at the facility and that the ban was widely observed by fellow inmates who seemed scared to turn their heads twice. He said he had not seen any prison violence or suggestion of it himself, but could believe stories he had heard about past cases of violence. "There are video cameras everywhere, they keep watch on everyone and make reports for the slightest infractions. I think someone high up has read 1984 by Orwell," he said. He said he was woken up every hour during the night because he had been deemed a flight risk. "But if you regard everything with humour, you can live here. So on the whole, everything is fine with me," he said. Navalny returned to Russia in January from Germany, where he had been recuperating after allegedly being poisoned with what many Western nations claimed was a nerve agent. The Kremlin has denied any involvement and questioned claims that he was poisoned. Western countries have called for Navalny's release, and the United States and European Union have imposed sanctions against Russian officials over the case.

Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny claims he is locked up in 'concentration camp' outside Moscow

Scientists in Israel have unearthed&nbsp;pieces of a biblical scroll dating back some 2,000 years, describing the find as one of the most significant since the Dead Sea Scrolls. &nbsp;

"For the first time in approximately 60 years, archaeological excavations have uncovered fragments of a biblical scroll," the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) said in a statement.

Following a years-long dig in caves and cliffs in the Judean desert, the authority said it had also discovered a cache of rare coins, a six-millennia-old skeleton of a child and basket it described as the oldest in the world, at over 10,000 years.

The finds are a result of survey of some 80 kilometres (50 miles) of cliffs in a desert area spanning southern Israel and the occupied West Bank.

Using drones, mountain climbing gear and rappelling equipment, Israeli archaeologists searched caves they said were used by Jews rebelling against the Romans during the failed second-century Bar Kochba revolt.&nbsp;

The fragments of the scroll include passages written in Greek from the Book of the Twelve Minor Prophets, part of the Hebrew Bible, the IAA said.&nbsp;

One fragment from the book of Zechariah reads: "These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to one another, render true and perfect justice in your gates."&nbsp;

Although most of the text is in Greek, the name of God appears in ancient Hebrew script, the IAA said.&nbsp;

Israeli archaeological excavations in occupied Palestinian territory have sparked controversy, but the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities did not respond to requests for comment.&nbsp;

The IAA cooperated on the project with the military branch responsible for civil affairs in the Palestinian territories (COGAT).

Spokeswoman Yoli Shwartz said it was one of the most significant discoveries of a Biblical text since the Dead Sea Scrolls.&nbsp;

Those scrolls include some 900 manuscripts found between 1947 and 1956 in the Qumran caves above the Dead Sea in the West Bank. They are some of the earliest biblical texts ever discovered. &nbsp;

IAA director Israel Hasson said the survey had begun in response to looters who slipped into the caves.&nbsp;

In a statement, he called the finds "a wakeup call" for devoting more resources to continue the project, which has only surveyed about half of all the cliffs in the desert.

"We must ensure that we recover all the data that has not yet been discovered in the caves, before the robbers do," Hasson said.

Scientists in Israel have unearthed pieces of a biblical scroll dating back some 2,000 years, describing the find as one of the most significant since the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Scientists in Israel have unearthed pieces of a biblical scroll dating back some 2,000 years, describing the find as one of the most significant since the Dead Sea Scrolls. "For the first time in approximately 60 years, archaeological excavations have uncovered fragments of a biblical scroll," the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) said in a statement. Following a years-long dig in caves and cliffs in the Judean desert, the authority said it had also discovered a cache of rare coins, a six-millennia-old skeleton of a child and basket it described as the oldest in the world, at over 10,000 years. The finds are a result of survey of some 80 kilometres (50 miles) of cliffs in a desert area spanning southern Israel and the occupied West Bank. Using drones, mountain climbing gear and rappelling equipment, Israeli archaeologists searched caves they said were used by Jews rebelling against the Romans during the failed second-century Bar Kochba revolt. The fragments of the scroll include passages written in Greek from the Book of the Twelve Minor Prophets, part of the Hebrew Bible, the IAA said. One fragment from the book of Zechariah reads: "These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to one another, render true and perfect justice in your gates." Although most of the text is in Greek, the name of God appears in ancient Hebrew script, the IAA said. Israeli archaeological excavations in occupied Palestinian territory have sparked controversy, but the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities did not respond to requests for comment. The IAA cooperated on the project with the military branch responsible for civil affairs in the Palestinian territories (COGAT). Spokeswoman Yoli Shwartz said it was one of the most significant discoveries of a Biblical text since the Dead Sea Scrolls. Those scrolls include some 900 manuscripts found between 1947 and 1956 in the Qumran caves above the Dead Sea in the West Bank. They are some of the earliest biblical texts ever discovered. IAA director Israel Hasson said the survey had begun in response to looters who slipped into the caves. In a statement, he called the finds "a wakeup call" for devoting more resources to continue the project, which has only surveyed about half of all the cliffs in the desert. "We must ensure that we recover all the data that has not yet been discovered in the caves, before the robbers do," Hasson said.

Scientists unearth fragments of 2,000-year-old biblical scroll

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned China against&nbsp;using "coercion and aggression" on Tuesday during his first overseas trip to Japan.

China's extensive territorial claims in the East and South China Seas have become a priority issue in an increasingly testy Sino-US&nbsp;relationship and are an important security concern for Japan.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/antony-blinken-and-lloyd-austin-on-4-day-trip-to-japan-and-south-korea-370875/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"We will push back, if necessary when China uses coercion and aggression to get its way," Blinken said.

His visit to Tokyo with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is the first overseas trip&nbsp;by top members of President Joe Biden's cabinet. It follows last week's summit of the leaders of the Quad grouping, consisting of the United States, Japan, Australia and India.

The Alaska meeting will bring together for the first time senior Biden administration officials and their Chinese counterparts to discuss frayed ties between the world's top two economies.

Washington has criticised what it called Beijing's attempts to bully neighbours with competing interests. China has denounced what it called US efforts to foment unrest in the region and interfere in what it calls its internal affairs.

In a joint statement, the US officials and their Japanese counterparts said, "China's behaviour, where inconsistent with the existing international order, presents political, economic, military and technological challenges".

"The ministers committed to opposing coercion and destabilising behaviour towards others in the region," they added.

Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin and top US diplomat Antony Blinken are on their first overseas trip, which began on Monday in Japan, looking to shore up regional alliances and send a message to Beijing.

They will continue on to South Korea, and a policy review by the new administration of its approach to Pyongyang is also a key part of the diplomatic outreach.

But discussions in Tokyo focused on China, including its increasing presence around islands disputed with Japan, as well as the situation in Taiwan and Hong Kong.

The two countries committed themselves to oppose coercion and destabilizing behaviour towards others in the region that undermines the rules-based international system, they added.

The meeting was held in the "2+2" format with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi as hosts.

North Korea was in sharp focus after the White House said Pyongyang had rebuffed efforts at dialogue.

The isolated nation, which has pursued nuclear and missile programmes in defiance of UN Security Council resolutions, warned the Biden administration against "causing a stink" if it wanted peace, state media said on Tuesday.

Blinken underscored the importance of working closely with Japan and South Korea on the denuclearisation of North Korea.

"We have no greater strategic advantage when it comes to North Korea than this alliance," he said. "We approach that challenge as an alliance and we’ve got to do that if we are going to be effective."

'Unwavering commitment'

The ministers also discussed Washington's "unwavering commitment" to defend Japan in its dispute with China over islets in the East China Sea and repeated their opposition to China's "unlawful" maritime claims in the South China Sea.

They shared concerns over developments such as the law China passed in January allowing its coast guard to fire on foreign vessels.

China has sent coast guard vessels to chase away fishing vessels from countries with which it has disputes in regional waters, sometimes resulting in their sinking.

Motegi said China-related issues took up the majority of his two-way talks with Blinken and expressed strong opposition to the neighbour's "unilateral attempt" to change the status quo in the East and South China Seas.

In Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a regular news briefing that US-Japan ties "shouldn't target or undermine the interests of any third party," and should boost "peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific".

Blinken expressed concern over the Myanmar military's attempt to overturn the results of a democratic election and its crackdown on peaceful protesters.

He also reaffirmed Washington's commitment to human rights, saying, "China uses coercion and aggression to systematically erode autonomy in Hong Kong, undercut democracy in Taiwan, abusing human rights in Xinjiang and Tibet."

Motegi said Blinken expressed support during the meeting for the staging of the Tokyo Olympics, set to run from July 23 to Aug&nbsp;8 after being postponed from last year because of the coronavirus crisis.

But Blinken sounded non-committal in his remarks to Tokyo-based US&nbsp;diplomats, saying the summer Games involved planning for several different scenarios. But he added, "Whenever and however Team USA ends up competing, it will be because of you."

The US&nbsp;officials ended the visit with a courtesy call on Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who is set to visit the White House in April as the first foreign leader to meet Biden.

Both will leave Tokyo for Seoul on Wednesday for talks in the South Korean capital until Thursday.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned China against using "coercion and aggression" on Tuesday during his first overseas trip to Japan. China's extensive territorial claims in the East and South China Seas have become a priority issue in an increasingly testy Sino-US relationship and are an important security concern for Japan.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned China against using "coercion and aggression" on Tuesday during his first overseas trip to Japan. China's extensive territorial claims in the East and South China Seas have become a priority issue in an increasingly testy Sino-US relationship and are an important security concern for Japan. "We will push back, if necessary when China uses coercion and aggression to get its way," Blinken said. His visit to Tokyo with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is the first overseas trip by top members of President Joe Biden's cabinet. It follows last week's summit of the leaders of the Quad grouping, consisting of the United States, Japan, Australia and India. The Alaska meeting will bring together for the first time senior Biden administration officials and their Chinese counterparts to discuss frayed ties between the world's top two economies. Washington has criticised what it called Beijing's attempts to bully neighbours with competing interests. China has denounced what it called US efforts to foment unrest in the region and interfere in what it calls its internal affairs. In a joint statement, the US officials and their Japanese counterparts said, "China's behaviour, where inconsistent with the existing international order, presents political, economic, military and technological challenges". "The ministers committed to opposing coercion and destabilising behaviour towards others in the region," they added. Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin and top US diplomat Antony Blinken are on their first overseas trip, which began on Monday in Japan, looking to shore up regional alliances and send a message to Beijing. They will continue on to South Korea, and a policy review by the new administration of its approach to Pyongyang is also a key part of the diplomatic outreach. But discussions in Tokyo focused on China, including its increasing presence around islands disputed with Japan, as well as the situation in Taiwan and Hong Kong. The two countries committed themselves to oppose coercion and destabilizing behaviour towards others in the region that undermines the rules-based international system, they added. The meeting was held in the "2+2" format with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi as hosts. North Korea was in sharp focus after the White House said Pyongyang had rebuffed efforts at dialogue. The isolated nation, which has pursued nuclear and missile programmes in defiance of UN Security Council resolutions, warned the Biden administration against "causing a stink" if it wanted peace, state media said on Tuesday. Blinken underscored the importance of working closely with Japan and South Korea on the denuclearisation of North Korea. "We have no greater strategic advantage when it comes to North Korea than this alliance," he said. "We approach that challenge as an alliance and we’ve got to do that if we are going to be effective." 'Unwavering commitment' The ministers also discussed Washington's "unwavering commitment" to defend Japan in its dispute with China over islets in the East China Sea and repeated their opposition to China's "unlawful" maritime claims in the South China Sea. They shared concerns over developments such as the law China passed in January allowing its coast guard to fire on foreign vessels. China has sent coast guard vessels to chase away fishing vessels from countries with which it has disputes in regional waters, sometimes resulting in their sinking. Motegi said China-related issues took up the majority of his two-way talks with Blinken and expressed strong opposition to the neighbour's "unilateral attempt" to change the status quo in the East and South China Seas. In Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a regular news briefing that US-Japan ties "shouldn't target or undermine the interests of any third party," and should boost "peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific". Blinken expressed concern over the Myanmar military's attempt to overturn the results of a democratic election and its crackdown on peaceful protesters. He also reaffirmed Washington's commitment to human rights, saying, "China uses coercion and aggression to systematically erode autonomy in Hong Kong, undercut democracy in Taiwan, abusing human rights in Xinjiang and Tibet." Motegi said Blinken expressed support during the meeting for the staging of the Tokyo Olympics, set to run from July 23 to Aug 8 after being postponed from last year because of the coronavirus crisis. But Blinken sounded non-committal in his remarks to Tokyo-based US diplomats, saying the summer Games involved planning for several different scenarios. But he added, "Whenever and however Team USA ends up competing, it will be because of you." The US officials ended the visit with a courtesy call on Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who is set to visit the White House in April as the first foreign leader to meet Biden. Both will leave Tokyo for Seoul on Wednesday for talks in the South Korean capital until Thursday.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warns China against 'coercion and aggression'

Nokia on Tuesday announced plans to cut up to 10,000 jobs within two years to trim costs and invest more in research capabilities, as the Finnish telecoms group seeks to step up its challenge to Sweden's Ericsson and China's Huawei.

After taking over the top job last year, Chief Executive Pekka Lundmark has been making changes to recover from product missteps under the company's previous management that hurt its 5G ambitions and dragged on its shares.

He announced a new strategy in October, under which Nokia will have four business groups and said the company would "do whatever it takes" to take the lead in 5G, as it banks on also capturing share from Huawei.

Lundmark is expected to present his long-term strategy, discuss action plans and set financial targets during the company's capital markets day on Thursday.

The company said in a statement it expects about 600 million euros ($715 million) to 700 million euros of restructuring and associated charges by 2023.

"Decisions that may have a potential impact on our employees are never taken lightly," Lundmark said in a statement. "My priority is to ensure that everyone impacted is supported through this process."

Nokia currently has 90,000 employees, and has cut thousands of jobs following its acquisition of Alcatel-Lucent in 2016.

It expects the current restructuring to lower its cost base by about 600 million euros by the end of 2023. Half of the savings are expected to be realised in 2021.

"These plans are global and likely to affect most countries," a Nokia representative said. "In Europe, we have only just informed local works councils and expect the consultation processes to start shortly, where applicable."

France, where Nokia cut&nbsp;more than a thousand jobs last year, was excluded from the current restructuring.

The savings programme is bigger than expected but what is interesting is that it will not actually result in lower costs, said Sami Sarkamies, an analyst with Nordea.

"The company is shifting focus from general costs to research and development which is expected to result in growth and better margins in the future," he said.

Nokia plans to increase investments in research and development and future capabilities including 5G, cloud and digital infrastructure.

Under Lundmark's predecessor, Nokia had slashed its profit outlook and halted dividend payouts, after product missteps knocked more than a fifth off its market value.

In February Nokia forecast&nbsp;2021 revenue to fall to between 20.6-21.8 billion euros ($25-26 billion) from 21.9 billion euros in 2020.

While both Nokia and Ericsson have been gaining more customers as more telecom operators start rolling out 5G networks, the Swedish company has got an edge partly due to it winning 5G radio contracts in China.

Nokia has not won any 5G radio contract in China and had also lost out to Samsung Electronics on a part of a contract to supply 5G equipment to Verizon.

Nokia shares were down marginally in morning trade.

Nokia on Tuesday announced plans to cut up to 10,000 jobs within two years to trim costs and invest more in research capabilities, as the Finnish telecoms group seeks to step up its challenge to Sweden's Ericsson and China's Huawei.

Nokia on Tuesday announced plans to cut up to 10,000 jobs within two years to trim costs and invest more in research capabilities, as the Finnish telecoms group seeks to step up its challenge to Sweden's Ericsson and China's Huawei. After taking over the top job last year, Chief Executive Pekka Lundmark has been making changes to recover from product missteps under the company's previous management that hurt its 5G ambitions and dragged on its shares. He announced a new strategy in October, under which Nokia will have four business groups and said the company would "do whatever it takes" to take the lead in 5G, as it banks on also capturing share from Huawei. Lundmark is expected to present his long-term strategy, discuss action plans and set financial targets during the company's capital markets day on Thursday. The company said in a statement it expects about 600 million euros ($715 million) to 700 million euros of restructuring and associated charges by 2023. "Decisions that may have a potential impact on our employees are never taken lightly," Lundmark said in a statement. "My priority is to ensure that everyone impacted is supported through this process." Nokia currently has 90,000 employees, and has cut thousands of jobs following its acquisition of Alcatel-Lucent in 2016. It expects the current restructuring to lower its cost base by about 600 million euros by the end of 2023. Half of the savings are expected to be realised in 2021. "These plans are global and likely to affect most countries," a Nokia representative said. "In Europe, we have only just informed local works councils and expect the consultation processes to start shortly, where applicable." France, where Nokia cut more than a thousand jobs last year, was excluded from the current restructuring. The savings programme is bigger than expected but what is interesting is that it will not actually result in lower costs, said Sami Sarkamies, an analyst with Nordea. "The company is shifting focus from general costs to research and development which is expected to result in growth and better margins in the future," he said. Nokia plans to increase investments in research and development and future capabilities including 5G, cloud and digital infrastructure. Under Lundmark's predecessor, Nokia had slashed its profit outlook and halted dividend payouts, after product missteps knocked more than a fifth off its market value. In February Nokia forecast 2021 revenue to fall to between 20.6-21.8 billion euros ($25-26 billion) from 21.9 billion euros in 2020. While both Nokia and Ericsson have been gaining more customers as more telecom operators start rolling out 5G networks, the Swedish company has got an edge partly due to it winning 5G radio contracts in China. Nokia has not won any 5G radio contract in China and had also lost out to Samsung Electronics on a part of a contract to supply 5G equipment to Verizon. Nokia shares were down marginally in morning trade.

Nokia to cut up to 10,000 jobs over next 2 years

The encrypted messaging app Signal, recommended by Tesla's Elon Musk, appeared to have been blocked in China on Tuesday, closing off one of the last US social media platforms still freely available in the country.

Users of the free app, which has surged in popularity globally after rising privacy concerns, were unable to access it without a virtual private network (VPN).

China has deployed a vast and sophisticated system to scrub the internet of dissent and prevent citizens from accessing international social networking platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, in what is known as the "Great Firewall".

Also read|&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/party-over-chinese-users-of-clubhouse-app-say-experiencing-internet-access-disruptions-362362">'Party over': Chinese users of Clubhouse app say experiencing internet access disruptions</a>

Signal's website has been banned since at least March 15, according to the GreatFire.org website which tracks online censorship in China, although the app remains available on China's App Store.

The app was already unavailable on third-party Android stores in China, where Google services are largely blocked.

On several occasions, the app had previously stopped working in China without VPN with no reason given, only for usage to resume.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/elon-musk-asks-people-to-use-signal-app-instead-of-whatsapp-and-facebook-over-privacy-issues-355704">Elon Musk asks people to use Signal app instead of WhatsApp and Facebook over privacy issues</a>

Signal&nbsp;saw a surge in downloads worldwide after January 6 when WhatsApp updated its privacy terms, reserving the right to share user data, including location and phone number, with its parent Facebook Inc and units such as Instagram and Messenger.

Signal&nbsp;had been downloaded close to 510,000 times on iOS in China, and has been downloaded 100 million times worldwide on the App Store and Google Play combined, according to data company Sensor Tower.

The WhatsApp policy update, later delayed,&nbsp;concerned how merchants using WhatsApp to chat with customers can share data with Facebook, which could use the information for targeted ads, according to the social network.

Signal has stopped working without a VPN occasionally before, although service resumed afterwards.

Co-founder of GreatFire.org Martin Johnson said&nbsp;that its data showed that the app was briefly unavailable in the App Store in&nbsp;2019.

Last month China closed down the Clubhouse app in China, an audio platform which boomed briefly in the country for uncensored discussion of taboo topics.

Tencent's all-in-one mobile app WeChat is China's dominant messaging app, with its payment functions and other services, boasts more than a billion users globally.

The encrypted messaging app Signal, recommended by Tesla's Elon Musk, appeared to have been blocked in China on Tuesday, closing off one of the last US social media platforms still freely available in the country.

The encrypted messaging app Signal, recommended by Tesla's Elon Musk, appeared to have been blocked in China on Tuesday, closing off one of the last US social media platforms still freely available in the country. Users of the free app, which has surged in popularity globally after rising privacy concerns, were unable to access it without a virtual private network (VPN). China has deployed a vast and sophisticated system to scrub the internet of dissent and prevent citizens from accessing international social networking platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, in what is known as the "Great Firewall". Also read| 'Party over': Chinese users of Clubhouse app say experiencing internet access disruptions Signal's website has been banned since at least March 15, according to the GreatFire.org website which tracks online censorship in China, although the app remains available on China's App Store. The app was already unavailable on third-party Android stores in China, where Google services are largely blocked. On several occasions, the app had previously stopped working in China without VPN with no reason given, only for usage to resume. Also read: Elon Musk asks people to use Signal app instead of WhatsApp and Facebook over privacy issues Signal saw a surge in downloads worldwide after January 6 when WhatsApp updated its privacy terms, reserving the right to share user data, including location and phone number, with its parent Facebook Inc and units such as Instagram and Messenger. Signal had been downloaded close to 510,000 times on iOS in China, and has been downloaded 100 million times worldwide on the App Store and Google Play combined, according to data company Sensor Tower. The WhatsApp policy update, later delayed, concerned how merchants using WhatsApp to chat with customers can share data with Facebook, which could use the information for targeted ads, according to the social network. Signal has stopped working without a VPN occasionally before, although service resumed afterwards. Co-founder of GreatFire.org Martin Johnson said that its data showed that the app was briefly unavailable in the App Store in 2019. Last month China closed down the Clubhouse app in China, an audio platform which boomed briefly in the country for uncensored discussion of taboo topics. Tencent's all-in-one mobile app WeChat is China's dominant messaging app, with its payment functions and other services, boasts more than a billion users globally.

Encrypted messaging app Signal no longer working in China

Researchers have identified&nbsp;surprising similarities to strange creatures from 550 million years ago, in a recent study.

The study published in&nbsp;the journal&nbsp;Proceedings of the Royal Society shows that&nbsp;oceanic creatures from the Ediacaran period share genes with today’s animals, including humans.&nbsp;

“None of them had heads or skeletons. Many of them probably looked like three-dimensional bathmats on the seafloor, round discs that stuck up,” said Mary Droser, a geology professor at UC Riverside.

“These animals are so weird and so different, it’s difficult to assign them to modern categories of living organisms just by looking at them, and it’s not like we can extract their DNA — we can’t.”

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasas-perseverance-rover-hunts-for-life-on-mars-369699">NASA's Perseverance rover hunts for life on Mars</a>

However, well-preserved fossil records have allowed Droser and the study’s first author, recent UCR doctoral graduate Scott Evans, to link the animals’ appearance and likely behaviours to genetic analysis of currently living things.

The researchers considered four animals representative of the more than 40 recognized species that have been identified from the Ediacaran era, for their analysis.

These creatures ranged in size from a few millimetres to nearly a meter in length.

Kimberella were teardrop-shaped creatures with one broad, rounded end and one narrow end that likely scraped the sea floor for food with a proboscis. Further, they could move around using a “muscular foot” like snails today. The study included flat, oval-shaped Dickinsonia with a series of raised bands on their surface, and Tribrachidium, who spent their lives immobilized at the bottom of the sea.

Also analyzed were Ikaria, animals recently discovered by a team including Evans and Droser. They were about the size and shape of a grain of rice, and represent the first bilaterians — organisms with a front, back, and openings at either end connected by a gut. Evans said it’s likely Ikaria had mouths, though those weren’t preserved in the fossil records, and they crawled through organic matter “eating as they went.”

All four of the animals were multicellular, with cells of different types. Most had symmetry on their left and right sides, as well as noncentralized nervous systems and musculature.&nbsp;

Additionally, they seem to have been able to repair damaged body parts through a process known as apoptosis. The same genes involved are key elements of human immune systems, which helps to eliminate virus-infected and pre-cancerous cells.&nbsp;

These animals likely had the genetic parts responsible for heads and the sensory organs usually found there. However, the complexity of interaction between these genes that would give rise to such features hadn’t yet been achieved.&nbsp;

“The fact that we can say these genes were operating in something that’s been extinct for half a billion years is fascinating to me,” Evans said.&nbsp;

The work was supported by a NASA Exobiology grant, and a Peter Buck postdoctoral fellowship. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 
Going forward, the team is planning to investigate muscle development and functional studies to further understand early animal evolution.

“Our work is a way to put these animals on the tree of life, in some respects,” Droser said. “And show they’re genetically linked to modern animals, and to us.”

Researchers have identified surprising similarities to strange creatures from 550 million years ago, in a recent study. The study published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society shows that oceanic creatures from the Ediacaran period share genes with today’s animals, including humans.

Researchers have identified surprising similarities to strange creatures from 550 million years ago, in a recent study. The study published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society shows that oceanic creatures from the Ediacaran period share genes with today’s animals, including humans. “None of them had heads or skeletons. Many of them probably looked like three-dimensional bathmats on the seafloor, round discs that stuck up,” said Mary Droser, a geology professor at UC Riverside. “These animals are so weird and so different, it’s difficult to assign them to modern categories of living organisms just by looking at them, and it’s not like we can extract their DNA — we can’t.” Also Read | NASA's Perseverance rover hunts for life on Mars However, well-preserved fossil records have allowed Droser and the study’s first author, recent UCR doctoral graduate Scott Evans, to link the animals’ appearance and likely behaviours to genetic analysis of currently living things. The researchers considered four animals representative of the more than 40 recognized species that have been identified from the Ediacaran era, for their analysis. These creatures ranged in size from a few millimetres to nearly a meter in length. Kimberella were teardrop-shaped creatures with one broad, rounded end and one narrow end that likely scraped the sea floor for food with a proboscis. Further, they could move around using a “muscular foot” like snails today. The study included flat, oval-shaped Dickinsonia with a series of raised bands on their surface, and Tribrachidium, who spent their lives immobilized at the bottom of the sea. Also analyzed were Ikaria, animals recently discovered by a team including Evans and Droser. They were about the size and shape of a grain of rice, and represent the first bilaterians — organisms with a front, back, and openings at either end connected by a gut. Evans said it’s likely Ikaria had mouths, though those weren’t preserved in the fossil records, and they crawled through organic matter “eating as they went.” All four of the animals were multicellular, with cells of different types. Most had symmetry on their left and right sides, as well as noncentralized nervous systems and musculature. Additionally, they seem to have been able to repair damaged body parts through a process known as apoptosis. The same genes involved are key elements of human immune systems, which helps to eliminate virus-infected and pre-cancerous cells. These animals likely had the genetic parts responsible for heads and the sensory organs usually found there. However, the complexity of interaction between these genes that would give rise to such features hadn’t yet been achieved. “The fact that we can say these genes were operating in something that’s been extinct for half a billion years is fascinating to me,” Evans said. The work was supported by a NASA Exobiology grant, and a Peter Buck postdoctoral fellowship. Going forward, the team is planning to investigate muscle development and functional studies to further understand early animal evolution. “Our work is a way to put these animals on the tree of life, in some respects,” Droser said. “And show they’re genetically linked to modern animals, and to us.”

Scientists identify surprising similarities between humans and strange creatures from 550 million years ago

The second person ever to naturally cure their HIV has been identified in Argentina, raising hopes for a future cure.

The discovery was announced by a group of Harvard-based scientists at an international meeting for HIV experts.

The Argentinian woman, who comes from the city of Esperanza, was found to have zero-disease causing or so-called intact virus.

Loreen Willenburg, 67, San Francisco, was the first person to have 'intact'&nbsp;virus.

Usually, when a person gets HIV, the virus attaches itself to their immune cell's DNA and&nbsp;it reproduces from there. But in this case, the virus seems to have settled into a "gene desert." It cannot&nbsp;replicate within the body or&nbsp;cause any harm.

Currently, anti-viral drugs ensure that the immune systems of HIV-positive patients are healthy to reduce the risk of the disease that is advancing but they are expensive.

The researchers can&nbsp;benefit from additional&nbsp;funding to find cheaper cures.

While countries around the world have spent billions fighting the pandemic, it&nbsp;has fuelled several medical innovations including genetic vaccines.

Earlier, shots used a weakened or a deadly virus to develop immunity but these vaccines&nbsp;take a small part of the genetic information of the virus and use the cells of the body&nbsp;to spark an immune response.

Due to this,&nbsp;scientists can&nbsp;design a cure within days instead of months of years.

Experts believe this breakthrough could be replicated to eliminate chronic infectious or cancerous cells.

The pandemic also&nbsp;led to the rise of devices that can measure a person's temperature, heart rate and oxygen levels.

Experts are of the view&nbsp;that the same technology can be used to not just detect symptoms of the COVID-19 but also&nbsp;poisoning outbreaks and&nbsp;seasonal flu episodes.

Last year, scientists&nbsp;raised the benefits of bio-printing, that is, printing human tissues to test potential treatments for coronavirus.

A team in America printed miniature lungs and colons to test drugs. The same technology can potentially be used to test treatments for cancer and other diseases.

The pandemic has taught the world the value of good health. Perhaps,&nbsp;if medical science gets more financial assistance, the scientists of the world may end up defeating more than one disease.

&nbsp;

The second person ever to naturally cure their HIV has been identified in Argentina, raising hopes for a future cure. The discovery was announced by a group of Harvard-based scientists at an international meeting for HIV experts.

The second person ever to naturally cure their HIV has been identified in Argentina, raising hopes for a future cure. The discovery was announced by a group of Harvard-based scientists at an international meeting for HIV experts. The Argentinian woman, who comes from the city of Esperanza, was found to have zero-disease causing or so-called intact virus. Loreen Willenburg, 67, San Francisco, was the first person to have 'intact' virus. Usually, when a person gets HIV, the virus attaches itself to their immune cell's DNA and it reproduces from there. But in this case, the virus seems to have settled into a "gene desert." It cannot replicate within the body or cause any harm. Currently, anti-viral drugs ensure that the immune systems of HIV-positive patients are healthy to reduce the risk of the disease that is advancing but they are expensive. The researchers can benefit from additional funding to find cheaper cures. While countries around the world have spent billions fighting the pandemic, it has fuelled several medical innovations including genetic vaccines. Earlier, shots used a weakened or a deadly virus to develop immunity but these vaccines take a small part of the genetic information of the virus and use the cells of the body to spark an immune response. Due to this, scientists can design a cure within days instead of months of years. Experts believe this breakthrough could be replicated to eliminate chronic infectious or cancerous cells. The pandemic also led to the rise of devices that can measure a person's temperature, heart rate and oxygen levels. Experts are of the view that the same technology can be used to not just detect symptoms of the COVID-19 but also poisoning outbreaks and seasonal flu episodes. Last year, scientists raised the benefits of bio-printing, that is, printing human tissues to test potential treatments for coronavirus. A team in America printed miniature lungs and colons to test drugs. The same technology can potentially be used to test treatments for cancer and other diseases. The pandemic has taught the world the value of good health. Perhaps, if medical science gets more financial assistance, the scientists of the world may end up defeating more than one disease.

Argentina: Second person known to be naturally cured of HIV raises hopes for millions

Electric carmaker Tesla added "Technoking&nbsp;of Tesla" to billionaire Chief Executive Elon Musk's list of official titles on Monday in a formal regulatory filing

The company also added the title&nbsp;"Master of Coin" for&nbsp;finance chief Zachary Kirkhorn it said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

The electric-car maker did not elaborate on the reasons for the cryptic new titles in a pair of statements that also said President of Automotive Jerome Guillen had moved to the role of President for Tesla Heavy Trucking, effective March 11.

However, "Elon and Zach will also maintain their respective positions as Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer," the filing stated.

Last month, Tesla revealed it had purchased $1.5 billion of bitcoin and would soon accept it as a form of payment for cars, sending the price of the world's most popular cryptocurrency soaring.

Musk's recent promotion of dogecoin on Twitter has also lifted the price of that cryptocurrency.

Bitcoin hit new highs of near $62,000 over the weekend but retreated around 5% early in the European day on Monday.

Norm-shattering entrepreneur Musk, who has more than 41 million followers on Twitter and a fortune now estimated at more than $180 billion, has had frequent conflicts with regulators at the SEC and is not shy about tweaking them on social media.

In 2018, the SEC charged Musk with fraud, slapped him with a $20 million fine and demanded he step down as Tesla chairman after he tweeted out a plan to take the company private.

Electric carmaker Tesla added "Technoking of Tesla" to billionaire Chief Executive Elon Musk's list of official titles on Monday in a formal regulatory filing The company also added the title "Master of Coin" for finance chief Zachary Kirkhorn it said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Electric carmaker Tesla added "Technoking of Tesla" to billionaire Chief Executive Elon Musk's list of official titles on Monday in a formal regulatory filing The company also added the title "Master of Coin" for finance chief Zachary Kirkhorn it said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The electric-car maker did not elaborate on the reasons for the cryptic new titles in a pair of statements that also said President of Automotive Jerome Guillen had moved to the role of President for Tesla Heavy Trucking, effective March 11. However, "Elon and Zach will also maintain their respective positions as Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer," the filing stated. Last month, Tesla revealed it had purchased $1.5 billion of bitcoin and would soon accept it as a form of payment for cars, sending the price of the world's most popular cryptocurrency soaring. Musk's recent promotion of dogecoin on Twitter has also lifted the price of that cryptocurrency. Bitcoin hit new highs of near $62,000 over the weekend but retreated around 5% early in the European day on Monday. Norm-shattering entrepreneur Musk, who has more than 41 million followers on Twitter and a fortune now estimated at more than $180 billion, has had frequent conflicts with regulators at the SEC and is not shy about tweaking them on social media. In 2018, the SEC charged Musk with fraud, slapped him with a $20 million fine and demanded he step down as Tesla chairman after he tweeted out a plan to take the company private.

Electric carmaker Tesla crowns Elon Musk 'Technoking' in cryptic regulatory filing

Two ambitions lie at the center of President Joe Biden’s foreign policy agenda: rebuilding ties with frustrated allies and assembling a united front on China.

This week, he is attempting both as he dispatches two of his most senior envoys to Japan and South Korea in his administration’s highest-level foreign travel since it took office in January.

The visits to the United States’ strongest partners in East Asia are a prelude to the Biden administration’s opening round of face-to-face contact with Beijing. One of the envoys, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, will travel on to Alaska and join Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser, in a meeting with China’s two top diplomats.

The administration sees the gathering as a chance to establish ground rules and set red lines for a relationship that Blinken has called “the biggest geopolitical test of the 21st century.” U.S. officials have described it as “a one-off session” to identify issues where Washington can work with Beijing — and then “lay out, in very frank terms, the many concerns that we have,” Blinken told Congress last week.

The flurry of diplomacy, which began Friday with a virtual summit with the U.S.’s so-called Quad allies — Australia, India and Japan — establishes the Asia-Pacific as a top priority for the Biden administration after Barack Obama’s halting “pivot” to Asia and Donald Trump’s bluntly transactional approach to alliances in the region.

The dialogue with allies less than two months into the new administration also underlines the president’s goal of shoring up international partnerships to face down adversaries and, in turn, further U.S. interests.

“The more China hears, not just our opprobrium, but a course of opprobrium from around the world, the better the chance that we’ll get some changes,” Blinken told a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing in Washington last week.

It will not be easy. China, having brought the coronavirus to heel early in the pandemic, has only bolstered its economic position as rivals in the West struggle to recover. And militarily it has narrowed the gap with the United States through huge investments. Those strengths have helped embolden China on the global stage.

Even as Washington tries to chart a new, if still wary, relationship with Beijing, U.S. officials on Friday downplayed the notion that China would overshadow the three days of discussions in Tokyo and Seoul. Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III are expected to discuss a range of subjects, including the pandemic, climate change and the large U.S. troop presence in the region.

Relations between Japan and South Korea, which have reached a low point over historical disputes, are likely to be a topic of conversation. Also on the agenda will be the month-old military coup in Myanmar and North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs, which remain firmly in place after the Trump administration’s failed flirtation with the North’s leader, Kim Jong Un.

The decision to make Japan the first destination for Blinken and Austin was seen as a significant and reassuring development in Tokyo, which worked hard to maintain close ties with Trump even as he demanded huge increases in payments to keep U.S. troops in the country. On Friday, the White House announced that Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga would be the first foreign leader to meet with Biden in Washington.

“At the end of the Trump administration, with regard to Asia, we were bickering with our allies over how much to pay for the cost sharing in terms of defense,” said Victor Cha, who oversaw Asia policy at the White House during the George W. Bush administration and advises the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. “We had a very unilateral view when it came to alliances as a nation, almost a disdainful view with regard to them.”

“At the same time,” Cha said, “China was using its economic leverage all around the region to bully other countries.”

The Trump administration took an often contradictory approach toward China. Trump often flattered its authoritarian leader, Xi Jinping, as he tried to strike trade deals. At the same time, his administration criticized Beijing’s human rights abuses, military and cyberspace incursions, and assaults on democracy.

The Biden administration’s strategy could prove just as dizzying. Blinken has described seeking a relationship that is based at once on cooperation, competition and, as needed, confrontation with China.

To make it work, the United States is banking on backup from allies like Japan and South Korea. Both countries have tried to walk a fine line on China: Their prosperity depends on trade with Beijing, but they break with China on matters of security, democracy and human rights.

Tokyo has grown more vocal as the Chinese military has made incursions around islands that Japan administers in the East China Sea, known in Japan as the Senkakus and in China as the Diaoyu. Seoul has used its temperate relations with Beijing as a pressure tactic against North Korea, which depends on China to keep its economy afloat.

For their part, China’s leaders have said they are eager to get the relationship with the United States back on an even keel. Some analysts have warned that any steps toward a detente could just buy China more time to develop technological and military capabilities before a diplomatic breakdown.

“As two countries with different social systems, China and the United States naturally have differences and disagreements,” Wang Yi, the Chinese foreign minister, said at a news conference in Beijing on March 7. Wang and Yang Jiechi, China’s top diplomat, will be meeting with Blinken in Alaska.

Wang called it normal to have a “healthy competition on a fair and just basis for the purpose of self-improvement and mutual enhancement, rather than finger-pointing or zero-sum competition.”

Yet Chinese leaders also appear concerned about the Biden strategy of rallying allies into a coherent bloc against China, something that could hurt Beijing politically and economically. Last week, for example, the Quad countries announced an effort to ship coronavirus vaccines to Southeast Asia, countering China’s own efforts at so-called vaccine diplomacy.

Wang cited the pandemic, the economic recovery from it and climate change as areas where China and the United States could cooperate, though he provided no details. But he said that the United States and others had no right to interfere in what he described as internal matters — human rights abuses against ethnic Uighurs in China’s western Xinjiang region, efforts to subvert democracy in Hong Kong and surveillance and repression in Tibet.

He also drew a “red line” on the question of Taiwan, the self-governing democratic island that Beijing claims as an inalienable part of a greater China.

Days later, a U.S. destroyer passed through the Taiwan Strait. The United States describes such voyages as routine, but they are seen as hostile by China. It was the third since Biden came into office, signaling support of Taiwan.

While Japanese officials are sure to seek assurances from Austin that the U.S. military would come to Japan’s aid in the event of a conflict with China over the Senkaku Islands, his time in Seoul is expected to be consumed with the question of whether to resume regular large-scale military exercises with South Korea, which Trump abruptly canceled.

Last week, the two countries reached a cost-sharing agreement for stationing U.S. troops in South Korea, a presence that Trump had also threatened to end.

After the meetings in Tokyo and Seoul, Austin will travel to India, which is at its lowest point in relations with China in decades after a deadly border incursion last summer. Blinken will arrive in Alaska on Thursday for the meeting with the Chinese envoys.

As he wished Blinken luck for the talks, Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, warned that “we cannot treat them as a normal adversary.”

“We are truly in an ideological struggle fighting for democracy against authoritarianism and promoting freedom over oppression,” McCaul said. He added that the United States had for four decades “turned a blind eye” to China’s ruling Communist Party in hopes of persuading its leaders to follow international norms.

“Unfortunately, it just didn’t work,” McCaul said.

Two ambitions lie at the center of President Joe Biden’s foreign policy agenda: rebuilding ties with frustrated allies and assembling a united front on China. This week, he is attempting both as he dispatches two of his most senior envoys to Japan and South Korea in his administration’s highest-level foreign travel since it took office in January.

Two ambitions lie at the center of President Joe Biden’s foreign policy agenda: rebuilding ties with frustrated allies and assembling a united front on China. This week, he is attempting both as he dispatches two of his most senior envoys to Japan and South Korea in his administration’s highest-level foreign travel since it took office in January. The visits to the United States’ strongest partners in East Asia are a prelude to the Biden administration’s opening round of face-to-face contact with Beijing. One of the envoys, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, will travel on to Alaska and join Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser, in a meeting with China’s two top diplomats. The administration sees the gathering as a chance to establish ground rules and set red lines for a relationship that Blinken has called “the biggest geopolitical test of the 21st century.” U.S. officials have described it as “a one-off session” to identify issues where Washington can work with Beijing — and then “lay out, in very frank terms, the many concerns that we have,” Blinken told Congress last week. The flurry of diplomacy, which began Friday with a virtual summit with the U.S.’s so-called Quad allies — Australia, India and Japan — establishes the Asia-Pacific as a top priority for the Biden administration after Barack Obama’s halting “pivot” to Asia and Donald Trump’s bluntly transactional approach to alliances in the region. The dialogue with allies less than two months into the new administration also underlines the president’s goal of shoring up international partnerships to face down adversaries and, in turn, further U.S. interests. “The more China hears, not just our opprobrium, but a course of opprobrium from around the world, the better the chance that we’ll get some changes,” Blinken told a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing in Washington last week. It will not be easy. China, having brought the coronavirus to heel early in the pandemic, has only bolstered its economic position as rivals in the West struggle to recover. And militarily it has narrowed the gap with the United States through huge investments. Those strengths have helped embolden China on the global stage. Even as Washington tries to chart a new, if still wary, relationship with Beijing, U.S. officials on Friday downplayed the notion that China would overshadow the three days of discussions in Tokyo and Seoul. Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III are expected to discuss a range of subjects, including the pandemic, climate change and the large U.S. troop presence in the region. Relations between Japan and South Korea, which have reached a low point over historical disputes, are likely to be a topic of conversation. Also on the agenda will be the month-old military coup in Myanmar and North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs, which remain firmly in place after the Trump administration’s failed flirtation with the North’s leader, Kim Jong Un. The decision to make Japan the first destination for Blinken and Austin was seen as a significant and reassuring development in Tokyo, which worked hard to maintain close ties with Trump even as he demanded huge increases in payments to keep U.S. troops in the country. On Friday, the White House announced that Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga would be the first foreign leader to meet with Biden in Washington. “At the end of the Trump administration, with regard to Asia, we were bickering with our allies over how much to pay for the cost sharing in terms of defense,” said Victor Cha, who oversaw Asia policy at the White House during the George W. Bush administration and advises the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. “We had a very unilateral view when it came to alliances as a nation, almost a disdainful view with regard to them.” “At the same time,” Cha said, “China was using its economic leverage all around the region to bully other countries.” The Trump administration took an often contradictory approach toward China. Trump often flattered its authoritarian leader, Xi Jinping, as he tried to strike trade deals. At the same time, his administration criticized Beijing’s human rights abuses, military and cyberspace incursions, and assaults on democracy. The Biden administration’s strategy could prove just as dizzying. Blinken has described seeking a relationship that is based at once on cooperation, competition and, as needed, confrontation with China. To make it work, the United States is banking on backup from allies like Japan and South Korea. Both countries have tried to walk a fine line on China: Their prosperity depends on trade with Beijing, but they break with China on matters of security, democracy and human rights. Tokyo has grown more vocal as the Chinese military has made incursions around islands that Japan administers in the East China Sea, known in Japan as the Senkakus and in China as the Diaoyu. Seoul has used its temperate relations with Beijing as a pressure tactic against North Korea, which depends on China to keep its economy afloat. For their part, China’s leaders have said they are eager to get the relationship with the United States back on an even keel. Some analysts have warned that any steps toward a detente could just buy China more time to develop technological and military capabilities before a diplomatic breakdown. “As two countries with different social systems, China and the United States naturally have differences and disagreements,” Wang Yi, the Chinese foreign minister, said at a news conference in Beijing on March 7. Wang and Yang Jiechi, China’s top diplomat, will be meeting with Blinken in Alaska. Wang called it normal to have a “healthy competition on a fair and just basis for the purpose of self-improvement and mutual enhancement, rather than finger-pointing or zero-sum competition.” Yet Chinese leaders also appear concerned about the Biden strategy of rallying allies into a coherent bloc against China, something that could hurt Beijing politically and economically. Last week, for example, the Quad countries announced an effort to ship coronavirus vaccines to Southeast Asia, countering China’s own efforts at so-called vaccine diplomacy. Wang cited the pandemic, the economic recovery from it and climate change as areas where China and the United States could cooperate, though he provided no details. But he said that the United States and others had no right to interfere in what he described as internal matters — human rights abuses against ethnic Uighurs in China’s western Xinjiang region, efforts to subvert democracy in Hong Kong and surveillance and repression in Tibet. He also drew a “red line” on the question of Taiwan, the self-governing democratic island that Beijing claims as an inalienable part of a greater China. Days later, a U.S. destroyer passed through the Taiwan Strait. The United States describes such voyages as routine, but they are seen as hostile by China. It was the third since Biden came into office, signaling support of Taiwan. While Japanese officials are sure to seek assurances from Austin that the U.S. military would come to Japan’s aid in the event of a conflict with China over the Senkaku Islands, his time in Seoul is expected to be consumed with the question of whether to resume regular large-scale military exercises with South Korea, which Trump abruptly canceled. Last week, the two countries reached a cost-sharing agreement for stationing U.S. troops in South Korea, a presence that Trump had also threatened to end. After the meetings in Tokyo and Seoul, Austin will travel to India, which is at its lowest point in relations with China in decades after a deadly border incursion last summer. Blinken will arrive in Alaska on Thursday for the meeting with the Chinese envoys. As he wished Blinken luck for the talks, Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, warned that “we cannot treat them as a normal adversary.” “We are truly in an ideological struggle fighting for democracy against authoritarianism and promoting freedom over oppression,” McCaul said. He added that the United States had for four decades “turned a blind eye” to China’s ruling Communist Party in hopes of persuading its leaders to follow international norms. “Unfortunately, it just didn’t work,” McCaul said.

Biden goals converge in Asia: Rebuilding alliances and countering China

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Zee News Rajasthan

Editor

Vyomica Berry

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