Italian legal experts&nbsp;want to correct a ''miscarriage of justice'' committed seven centuries&nbsp;years ago against renowned&nbsp;poet Dante&nbsp;Alighieri.

The man whom Italians call the "Supreme Poet" was exiled from his native Florence in January 1302, after finding himself on the losing side of a feud between the city's "White" and "Black" political factions.&nbsp;

Dante, famous for one of the world's greatest literary works&nbsp;"Divine Comedy,"&nbsp;could be the subject of a retrial if&nbsp;new evidence emerges. It was through this work that the poet&nbsp;established&nbsp;the modern-day standardized Italian language, and set a precedent that important later Italian writers such as Petrarch and Boccaccio would follow.

To assess the three verdicts against Dante, Italian legal experts have invited fellow lawyers, senior judges and prosecutors&nbsp;plus the descendants of both Dante and the judge who banished him from Florence&nbsp;to reopen the case at a May 21 conference.

Count Sperello di Serego Alighieri, an astronomer with a direct bloodline to Dante, will take part alongside the scion of Cante de Gabrielli, the judge who exiled the poet.

"I find it interesting to review this affair," said the judge's descendant, Antoine de Gabrielli. But he added that he would not seek to uphold his ancestor's position that Dante was guilty.

"I'm not going to fight," the Frenchman said.

Even if a full-blown retrial is unlikely to materialise, given all the practical and legal issues, Traversi stressed the value of a symbolic gesture of reparation towards Dante, who "legally speaking, for the City of Florence is still a person with a criminal record".&nbsp;

Burnt at the stake

As well as a poet, Dante was a politician who served as one of Florence's nine elected rulers, or priors, for a regular two-month term in 1300.

It was this post that landed him in trouble.&nbsp;

When the "Blacks" faction retook Florence in 1301 with the help of Charles of Valois, brother of King Philip IV of France, and the support of Pope Boniface VIII, Dante and other "White" priors were tried in absentia.&nbsp;

In January 1302, Cante de Gabrielli found them guilty of corruption and political patronage, gave them three days to pay a huge fine and banned them from public office.&nbsp;

Dante and the others were also stripped of their assets.&nbsp;

Two months later, de Gabrielli sentenced them to be burnt at the stake if they tried to return to Florence.&nbsp;

In 1315, after Dante refused the terms of an amnesty, another judge changed the sentence to death by beheading, also for the poet's sons.

Dante survived, roaming from one Italian city to another.&nbsp;

Relatively little is known about his life, but he is believed to have completed the "Divine Comedy", an imaginary journey through hell, purgatory and heaven, shortly before his death in 1321.

Exile is a major theme in the book, which also offered Dante the chance for some personal score-settling: in it, he made sure to find a place in hell for Boniface VIII and his other earthly foes.

Political trial&nbsp;

Experts have long agreed that Dante was the victim of biased judges.

But Alessandro Barbero, Italy's most famous medieval historian, recently suggested that certain charges against him may have had some substance.&nbsp;

Dante definitely did not take bribes, but it is "not exactly impossible" to imagine he exploited his role in office to favour his political allies, Barbero wrote in a recent biography.&nbsp;

Traversi hopes to set the record straight on this -- and dispel any doubts about Dante's rectitude.&nbsp;

His conference will be one of several events honouring the poet on the 700th anniversary of his death -- most set to be celebrated in a rather subdued fashion due to coronavirus restrictions.&nbsp;

"We hope to do it in person, but we are ready to do it remotely if necessary," the Florentine lawyer said.

Margherita Cassano, a judge from the Court of Cassation, Italy's supreme court, will draft a final report from the conference, and all deliberations will be published in a book, Traversi said.

However, Serego Alighieri -- the descendant who not only carries Dante's name, but also shares with him the distinctive family trait of an aquiline nose -- noted it all came a little late.

"Dante was convicted, he went into exile, he was exiled all his life, he never returned to Florence," he told said.

"Anything that can be done for him (today) will not change any of that."

Italian legal experts want to correct a ''miscarriage of justice'' committed seven centuries years ago against renowned poet Dante Alighieri. The man whom Italians call the "Supreme Poet" was exiled from his native Florence in January 1302, after finding himself on the losing side of a feud between the city's "White" and "Black" political factions.

Italian legal experts want to correct a ''miscarriage of justice'' committed seven centuries years ago against renowned poet Dante Alighieri. The man whom Italians call the "Supreme Poet" was exiled from his native Florence in January 1302, after finding himself on the losing side of a feud between the city's "White" and "Black" political factions. Dante, famous for one of the world's greatest literary works "Divine Comedy," could be the subject of a retrial if new evidence emerges. It was through this work that the poet established the modern-day standardized Italian language, and set a precedent that important later Italian writers such as Petrarch and Boccaccio would follow. To assess the three verdicts against Dante, Italian legal experts have invited fellow lawyers, senior judges and prosecutors plus the descendants of both Dante and the judge who banished him from Florence to reopen the case at a May 21 conference. Count Sperello di Serego Alighieri, an astronomer with a direct bloodline to Dante, will take part alongside the scion of Cante de Gabrielli, the judge who exiled the poet. "I find it interesting to review this affair," said the judge's descendant, Antoine de Gabrielli. But he added that he would not seek to uphold his ancestor's position that Dante was guilty. "I'm not going to fight," the Frenchman said. Even if a full-blown retrial is unlikely to materialise, given all the practical and legal issues, Traversi stressed the value of a symbolic gesture of reparation towards Dante, who "legally speaking, for the City of Florence is still a person with a criminal record". Burnt at the stake As well as a poet, Dante was a politician who served as one of Florence's nine elected rulers, or priors, for a regular two-month term in 1300. It was this post that landed him in trouble. When the "Blacks" faction retook Florence in 1301 with the help of Charles of Valois, brother of King Philip IV of France, and the support of Pope Boniface VIII, Dante and other "White" priors were tried in absentia. In January 1302, Cante de Gabrielli found them guilty of corruption and political patronage, gave them three days to pay a huge fine and banned them from public office. Dante and the others were also stripped of their assets. Two months later, de Gabrielli sentenced them to be burnt at the stake if they tried to return to Florence. In 1315, after Dante refused the terms of an amnesty, another judge changed the sentence to death by beheading, also for the poet's sons. Dante survived, roaming from one Italian city to another. Relatively little is known about his life, but he is believed to have completed the "Divine Comedy", an imaginary journey through hell, purgatory and heaven, shortly before his death in 1321. Exile is a major theme in the book, which also offered Dante the chance for some personal score-settling: in it, he made sure to find a place in hell for Boniface VIII and his other earthly foes. Political trial Experts have long agreed that Dante was the victim of biased judges. But Alessandro Barbero, Italy's most famous medieval historian, recently suggested that certain charges against him may have had some substance. Dante definitely did not take bribes, but it is "not exactly impossible" to imagine he exploited his role in office to favour his political allies, Barbero wrote in a recent biography. Traversi hopes to set the record straight on this -- and dispel any doubts about Dante's rectitude. His conference will be one of several events honouring the poet on the 700th anniversary of his death -- most set to be celebrated in a rather subdued fashion due to coronavirus restrictions. "We hope to do it in person, but we are ready to do it remotely if necessary," the Florentine lawyer said. Margherita Cassano, a judge from the Court of Cassation, Italy's supreme court, will draft a final report from the conference, and all deliberations will be published in a book, Traversi said. However, Serego Alighieri -- the descendant who not only carries Dante's name, but also shares with him the distinctive family trait of an aquiline nose -- noted it all came a little late. "Dante was convicted, he went into exile, he was exiled all his life, he never returned to Florence," he told said. "Anything that can be done for him (today) will not change any of that."

'Miscarriage of justice': Italian lawyers to reopen renowned poet Dante's trial

Jason Roy and Jofra Archer played the lead roles as England thrashed India by eight wickets in the opening Twenty20 interntional on Friday.

Chasing a modest 125, Roy hit a confident 49 as England romped home in 15.3 overs to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series at the world's biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad.

Roy and Jos Buttler put on 72 in a blazing opening stand.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-surpasses-sourav-ganguly-in-unwanted-list-during-1st-t20i-vs-england-370051" hreflang="en">Virat Kohli surpasses Sourav Ganguly in unwanted list during 1st T20I vs England</a>

Buttler fell lbw to leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal for 28 and Roy, who hit four fours and three sixes, fell one short of a half century when Washington Sundar trapped him lbw.

"I'll take 49 and a comfortable victory for the team any day," said Roy, who did not take part in the Test series in which England were hammered 3-1.

Dawid Malan finished on 24, including the six that won the game, and Jonny Bairstow, scored 26 off 17 balls.

The pair put on an unbroken stand of 41 to steer England to victory after Archer took 3-23 in a fiery opening attack on the Indian batters.

Captain Eoin Morgan won the toss, fielded first and India slipped to 48-4 with skipper Virat Kohli out for nought off leg-spinner Adil Rashid.

Kohli blamed a "below par batting performance" by his side.

"There was a lack of execution of some of the shots. We have to come back with much more intent and clarity of plan. The wicket did not allow you to play the kind of shots you wanted to," he added.

Archer claimed KL Rahul who hit an inside edge on to the stumps. Fellow quick Mark Wood rattled Shikhar Dhawan's stumps.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant reverse hit Archer for a six behind the stumps, but he fell to Ben Stokes for 21.

Shreyas Iyer scored his third T20 fifty and put on 54 for the fifth wicket with Hardik Pandya, who smashed 19, to boost the Indian total.

Jason Roy and Jofra Archer played the lead roles as England thrashed India by eight wickets in the opening Twenty20 interntional on Friday. Chasing a modest 125, Roy hit a confident 49 as England romped home in 15.

Jason Roy and Jofra Archer played the lead roles as England thrashed India by eight wickets in the opening Twenty20 interntional on Friday. Chasing a modest 125, Roy hit a confident 49 as England romped home in 15.3 overs to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series at the world's biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad. Roy and Jos Buttler put on 72 in a blazing opening stand. Also read| Virat Kohli surpasses Sourav Ganguly in unwanted list during 1st T20I vs England Buttler fell lbw to leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal for 28 and Roy, who hit four fours and three sixes, fell one short of a half century when Washington Sundar trapped him lbw. "I'll take 49 and a comfortable victory for the team any day," said Roy, who did not take part in the Test series in which England were hammered 3-1. Dawid Malan finished on 24, including the six that won the game, and Jonny Bairstow, scored 26 off 17 balls. The pair put on an unbroken stand of 41 to steer England to victory after Archer took 3-23 in a fiery opening attack on the Indian batters. Captain Eoin Morgan won the toss, fielded first and India slipped to 48-4 with skipper Virat Kohli out for nought off leg-spinner Adil Rashid. Kohli blamed a "below par batting performance" by his side. "There was a lack of execution of some of the shots. We have to come back with much more intent and clarity of plan. The wicket did not allow you to play the kind of shots you wanted to," he added. Archer claimed KL Rahul who hit an inside edge on to the stumps. Fellow quick Mark Wood rattled Shikhar Dhawan's stumps. Wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant reverse hit Archer for a six behind the stumps, but he fell to Ben Stokes for 21. Shreyas Iyer scored his third T20 fifty and put on 54 for the fifth wicket with Hardik Pandya, who smashed 19, to boost the Indian total.

Roy, Archer star as England trounce India by eight wickets in first T20

WHO: From widespread criticism over Covid-19 response to Nobel nomination

France&nbsp;on Friday prepared to simulate an attack by a hostile power on one of its satellites in a war game scenario the government said is less outlandishly futuristic than it may seem.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AsterX2021?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AsterX2021</a> 📣 L’exercice spatial "AsterX 2021" organisé par le Commandement de l’espace (CDE) se déroulera du 8 au 12 mars sur le site toulousain du <a href="https://twitter.com/CNES?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CNES</a>.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Espace?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Espace</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NotreD%C3%A9fense?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NotreDéfense</a><a href="https://twitter.com/Armees_Gouv?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Armees_Gouv</a> <a href="https://t.co/AfwONYKxvg">pic.twitter.com/AfwONYKxvg</a>
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President Emmanuel Macron was to watch onsite as his military chiefs started to play out a four-day sequence in which an unnamed space-capable power attacks a nation allied to&nbsp;France, and tries to take out a French communications satellite.

Germany, Italy and the US are participating in the AsterX space war game at&nbsp;France's national space agency CNES in Toulouse, the first such exercise in&nbsp;France&nbsp;or in Europe.

It is an opportunity to simulate modifying the flight path of satellites, sending backup satellites to fix a breakdown, monitoring the transmission of sensitive data and scrambling transmissions by hostile satellites temporarily or even shutting them down completely.

The scenario of the exercise may be fictional, Macron's office said, but is far from implausible.

The French government accuses Russia of having brought its intelligence-gathering satellite Olymp-K, also known as Louch, into close proximity of the French-Italian military satellite Athena-Fidus in 2017 in what Defence Minister Florence Parly called "an act of espionage".

Last year, the US claimed that Russia had conducted a non-destructive anti-satellite weapons test from space.

Macron's office said there had been other similar incidents since, but gave no details.

Before the exercise kicked off, Macron headed a meeting of the space command, a body created in 2017 to run&nbsp;France's military strategy in space.

"We need to have the means for action if we detect dangers that weigh on our capabilities or those of our allies," Macron's office said, adding that an attack on a satellite could, for example, disrupt the military's communications network

France on Friday prepared to simulate an attack by a hostile power on one of its satellites in a war game scenario the government said is less outlandishly futuristic than it may seem.

France on Friday prepared to simulate an attack by a hostile power on one of its satellites in a war game scenario the government said is less outlandishly futuristic than it may seem. #AsterX2021 📣 L’exercice spatial "AsterX 2021" organisé par le Commandement de l’espace (CDE) se déroulera du 8 au 12 mars sur le site toulousain du @CNES.#Espace #NotreDéfense@Armees_Gouv pic.twitter.com/AfwONYKxvg — Armée de l'Air et de l'Espace (@Armee_de_lair) March 4, 2021 × President Emmanuel Macron was to watch onsite as his military chiefs started to play out a four-day sequence in which an unnamed space-capable power attacks a nation allied to France, and tries to take out a French communications satellite. Germany, Italy and the US are participating in the AsterX space war game at France's national space agency CNES in Toulouse, the first such exercise in France or in Europe. It is an opportunity to simulate modifying the flight path of satellites, sending backup satellites to fix a breakdown, monitoring the transmission of sensitive data and scrambling transmissions by hostile satellites temporarily or even shutting them down completely. The scenario of the exercise may be fictional, Macron's office said, but is far from implausible. The French government accuses Russia of having brought its intelligence-gathering satellite Olymp-K, also known as Louch, into close proximity of the French-Italian military satellite Athena-Fidus in 2017 in what Defence Minister Florence Parly called "an act of espionage". Last year, the US claimed that Russia had conducted a non-destructive anti-satellite weapons test from space. Macron's office said there had been other similar incidents since, but gave no details. Before the exercise kicked off, Macron headed a meeting of the space command, a body created in 2017 to run France's military strategy in space. "We need to have the means for action if we detect dangers that weigh on our capabilities or those of our allies," Macron's office said, adding that an attack on a satellite could, for example, disrupt the military's communications network

France conducts first military exercise in space in European first

The United States on Friday condemned China's abuse of ethnic and religious minorities, including what it called "crimes against humanity and genocide" in Xinjiang against Muslim Uighurs and severe restrictions in Tibet.

"We condemn China's abuse of members of ethnic and religious minority groups including crimes against humanity and genocide in Xinjiang and severe restrictions in Tibet," Mark Cassayre, US&nbsp;charge d'affaires, told the U.N. Human Rights Council.

US&nbsp;Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who meets his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Alaska next week, is due to raise the treatment of Uighurs, US&nbsp;officials have said.

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China rejects US&nbsp;charges that it has committed genocide against Uighur and other Muslims in the remote western region, where activists say more than 1 million are held in internment camps.

Chen Xu, China's ambassador to the U.N. in Geneva, did not refer directly to Xinjiang in a speech saying that his country opposed politicisation of human rights issues.

Cuba, speaking on behalf of 64 countries including China, said Xinjiang is "an inseparable part of China" and urged states to "stop interfering in China’s internal affairs by manipulating Xinjiang-related issues, (and) refrain from making unfounded allegations against China out of political motivations".

Britain's ambassador, Julian Braithwaite, told the forum: "We remain deeply concerned by the extensive and systematic human rights violations in Xinjiang, including credible reports of forced labour and forced birth control."

China says the complexes it set up in Xinjiang provide vocational training to help stamp out Islamist extremism and separatism. Allegations of forced labour and human rights violations are “groundless rumour and slander”, the Chinese foreign ministry says.

Cassayre and Braithwaite raised concerns about Hong Kong, where 21 activists are to remain in custody after a court on Friday rejected requests by some for bail.

The charges against a total of 47 opposition figures represent the most sweeping use yet of Hong Kong's new security law, which punishes what it broadly defines as secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces with up to life in prison.

"We condemn Hong Kong authorities' detention of democratic activists for exercising their rights and freedoms and call for their immediate release," Cassayre said.

The United States on Friday condemned China's abuse of ethnic and religious minorities, including what it called "crimes against humanity and genocide" in Xinjiang against Muslim Uighurs and severe restrictions in Tibet.

The United States on Friday condemned China's abuse of ethnic and religious minorities, including what it called "crimes against humanity and genocide" in Xinjiang against Muslim Uighurs and severe restrictions in Tibet. "We condemn China's abuse of members of ethnic and religious minority groups including crimes against humanity and genocide in Xinjiang and severe restrictions in Tibet," Mark Cassayre, US charge d'affaires, told the U.N. Human Rights Council. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who meets his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Alaska next week, is due to raise the treatment of Uighurs, US officials have said. China rejects US charges that it has committed genocide against Uighur and other Muslims in the remote western region, where activists say more than 1 million are held in internment camps. Chen Xu, China's ambassador to the U.N. in Geneva, did not refer directly to Xinjiang in a speech saying that his country opposed politicisation of human rights issues. Cuba, speaking on behalf of 64 countries including China, said Xinjiang is "an inseparable part of China" and urged states to "stop interfering in China’s internal affairs by manipulating Xinjiang-related issues, (and) refrain from making unfounded allegations against China out of political motivations". Britain's ambassador, Julian Braithwaite, told the forum: "We remain deeply concerned by the extensive and systematic human rights violations in Xinjiang, including credible reports of forced labour and forced birth control." China says the complexes it set up in Xinjiang provide vocational training to help stamp out Islamist extremism and separatism. Allegations of forced labour and human rights violations are “groundless rumour and slander”, the Chinese foreign ministry says. Cassayre and Braithwaite raised concerns about Hong Kong, where 21 activists are to remain in custody after a court on Friday rejected requests by some for bail. The charges against a total of 47 opposition figures represent the most sweeping use yet of Hong Kong's new security law, which punishes what it broadly defines as secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces with up to life in prison. "We condemn Hong Kong authorities' detention of democratic activists for exercising their rights and freedoms and call for their immediate release," Cassayre said.

'Crime against humanity and genocide': US condemns China for abuse of Uighurs, Tibetans

US&nbsp;President Joe Biden met leaders of Australia, India and Japan on Friday, a group central to his efforts to counter China's growing military and economic power, and said a free and open Indo-Pacific region was essential to all of their futures.

The White House says the virtual meeting of the countries known as the Quad, the first at the leader level, shows the importance Biden places on the Indo-Pacific region and that it will focus on ways to fight the coronavirus pandemic, as well as cooperate on economic growth and the climate crisis.

"A free and open Indo Pacific is essential to each of our futures," Biden told the meeting from the White House. "The United States is committed to working with you, our partners, and all our allies in the region, to achieve stability." Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said he wanted the four "to forge strongly ahead toward the realization of a free and open Indo-Pacific, and to make a visible contribution to peace, stability and prosperity of the region, including overcoming the coronavirus."

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India and Australia have also emphasized the importance of regional security cooperation, which has been enhanced by previous lower-level meetings of the four countries.

A senior US&nbsp;official told reporters ahead of the meeting it would involve "an honest, open discussion about China's role on the global stage," referencing "challenges in the region" to free and open trade and commerce.

The Biden administration has said the Quad nations will announce financing agreements to support an increase in manufacturing capacity for coronavirus vaccines in India, something New Delhi has called for to counter China's widening vaccine diplomacy.

US&nbsp;officials say the countries will also set up a group of experts to help distribute vaccines in the region, as well as working groups for cooperation on climate change, technology standards, and joint development of emerging technologies.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/quad-keen-to-discuss-covid-19-challenges-in-indo-pacific-says-australian-pm-scott-morrison-369987" hreflang="en">Quad: Keen to discuss COVID-19, challenges in Indo-Pacific, says Australian PM</a>

The United States wants to strengthen ties with allies and partners as China adopts an increasingly assertive foreign policy in Asia and beyond. Washington says the additional vaccine capacity will be used in immunization efforts in Southeast Asia, where Beijing is competing for influence.

The virtual meeting including Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will aim to lay the groundwork for an in-person meeting later this year, the administration said.

'Whole new level of cooperation'

Morrison called the meeting "incredibly important."

"When governments come together at the highest level, this shows a whole new level of cooperation to create a new anchor for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific," he told reporters.

Among the issues to be addressed are supply chains exposed as heavily reliant on China during the pandemic.

Japan's Nikkei newspaper reported on Thursday that the four countries would also work together to secure rare earth metals essential to the production of electric car motors and other products.

The Biden administration told Reuters on Tuesday the United States and Japan would help fund Indian firms manufacturing vaccines for U.S. drugmakers Novavax Inc and J&amp;J.

However, Indian government sources said U.S. curbs on exports of critical materials could hamper that effort and those to start large-scale distribution to Southeast Asia.

A second senior administration official told reporters on Thursday that Washington's focus was foremost on getting vaccines to Americans, adding: "We will not be talking about sharing vaccines right now."

India, Australia and Japan have all faced security challenges from China, strengthening their interest in the Quad. Cooperation among them dates back to their joint response to the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami in 2004.

The Quad was revived under the Trump administration, which regarded it as a vehicle to push back against China's spreading influence. The United States hosted a foreign ministers' meeting in 2019, which was followed by another in Japan last year and a virtual session in February.

Friday's meeting coincided with a major US&nbsp;diplomatic drive to solidify alliances in Asia and Europe to counter China.

On Sunday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin head to Japan and South Korea for the first face-to-face meetings between senior officials of the Biden administration and US&nbsp;allies - underscoring the critical importance Washington places on Asia and the China challenge.

Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, will join Blinken in Alaska next week to meet with China's top diplomat, Yang Jiechi, and State Councillor Wang Yi - the first high-level in-person contact between the world's two largest economies under the Biden administration.

Washington has said it will not hold back in its criticism of Beijing over issues ranging from Taiwan to Hong Kong and the genocide it says China is committing against minority Muslims.

US&nbsp;officials have said they see the meeting with their Chinese counterparts as a "one-off session", with future senior-level engagements based on Washington seeing tangible outcomes to address its grievances with Beijing.

US President Joe Biden met leaders of Australia, India and Japan on Friday, a group central to his efforts to counter China's growing military and economic power, and said a free and open Indo-Pacific region was essential to all of their futures.

US President Joe Biden met leaders of Australia, India and Japan on Friday, a group central to his efforts to counter China's growing military and economic power, and said a free and open Indo-Pacific region was essential to all of their futures. The White House says the virtual meeting of the countries known as the Quad, the first at the leader level, shows the importance Biden places on the Indo-Pacific region and that it will focus on ways to fight the coronavirus pandemic, as well as cooperate on economic growth and the climate crisis. "A free and open Indo Pacific is essential to each of our futures," Biden told the meeting from the White House. "The United States is committed to working with you, our partners, and all our allies in the region, to achieve stability." Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said he wanted the four "to forge strongly ahead toward the realization of a free and open Indo-Pacific, and to make a visible contribution to peace, stability and prosperity of the region, including overcoming the coronavirus." India and Australia have also emphasized the importance of regional security cooperation, which has been enhanced by previous lower-level meetings of the four countries. A senior US official told reporters ahead of the meeting it would involve "an honest, open discussion about China's role on the global stage," referencing "challenges in the region" to free and open trade and commerce. The Biden administration has said the Quad nations will announce financing agreements to support an increase in manufacturing capacity for coronavirus vaccines in India, something New Delhi has called for to counter China's widening vaccine diplomacy. US officials say the countries will also set up a group of experts to help distribute vaccines in the region, as well as working groups for cooperation on climate change, technology standards, and joint development of emerging technologies. Also read| Quad: Keen to discuss COVID-19, challenges in Indo-Pacific, says Australian PM The United States wants to strengthen ties with allies and partners as China adopts an increasingly assertive foreign policy in Asia and beyond. Washington says the additional vaccine capacity will be used in immunization efforts in Southeast Asia, where Beijing is competing for influence. The virtual meeting including Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will aim to lay the groundwork for an in-person meeting later this year, the administration said. 'Whole new level of cooperation' Morrison called the meeting "incredibly important." "When governments come together at the highest level, this shows a whole new level of cooperation to create a new anchor for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific," he told reporters. Among the issues to be addressed are supply chains exposed as heavily reliant on China during the pandemic. Japan's Nikkei newspaper reported on Thursday that the four countries would also work together to secure rare earth metals essential to the production of electric car motors and other products. The Biden administration told Reuters on Tuesday the United States and Japan would help fund Indian firms manufacturing vaccines for U.S. drugmakers Novavax Inc and J&J. However, Indian government sources said U.S. curbs on exports of critical materials could hamper that effort and those to start large-scale distribution to Southeast Asia. A second senior administration official told reporters on Thursday that Washington's focus was foremost on getting vaccines to Americans, adding: "We will not be talking about sharing vaccines right now." India, Australia and Japan have all faced security challenges from China, strengthening their interest in the Quad. Cooperation among them dates back to their joint response to the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami in 2004. The Quad was revived under the Trump administration, which regarded it as a vehicle to push back against China's spreading influence. The United States hosted a foreign ministers' meeting in 2019, which was followed by another in Japan last year and a virtual session in February. Friday's meeting coincided with a major US diplomatic drive to solidify alliances in Asia and Europe to counter China. On Sunday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin head to Japan and South Korea for the first face-to-face meetings between senior officials of the Biden administration and US allies - underscoring the critical importance Washington places on Asia and the China challenge. Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, will join Blinken in Alaska next week to meet with China's top diplomat, Yang Jiechi, and State Councillor Wang Yi - the first high-level in-person contact between the world's two largest economies under the Biden administration. Washington has said it will not hold back in its criticism of Beijing over issues ranging from Taiwan to Hong Kong and the genocide it says China is committing against minority Muslims. US officials have said they see the meeting with their Chinese counterparts as a "one-off session", with future senior-level engagements based on Washington seeing tangible outcomes to address its grievances with Beijing.

Biden says free Indo-Pacific essential as he meets India, Japan, Australia leaders

The&nbsp;Kremlin&nbsp;said Friday it was "concerned" about rising civilian casualties in Myanmar, where at least 70 people have been killed in protests against a military coup since February, according to the UN.

"In our view, the situation is alarming. And we are concerned by information coming from there about a growing number of civilian casualties," spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/united-nations-condemns-myanmar-militarys-violent-crackdown-369920/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

&nbsp;Myanmar&nbsp;activists held more rallies against the junta on Friday as South Korea said it would suspend defence exchanges and reconsider development aid to the Southeast Asian nation because of the military's harsh crackdown on the protests.

Friday's rallies came a day after a rights group said security forces killed 12 protesters and as the lawyer of deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi ridiculed new bribery allegations against her.

The deaths took to more than 70 the number of protesters killed since the coup, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) advocacy group said.

The country has been in crisis since the army ousted Suu Kyi’s elected government in a February&nbsp;1 coup, detained her and officials of her National League for Democracy party and set up a ruling junta of generals.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-junta-accuses-suu-kyi-of-taking-600000-illegal-payment-369683">Also read:&nbsp;Myanmar junta accuses Suu Kyi of taking $600,000 illegal payment</a>

Junta spokesman Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun said on Thursday Suu Kyi had accepted illegal payments worth $600,000, as well as gold, while in government, according to a complaint by Phyo Mien Thein, a former chief minister of Yangon.

Adding corruption charges to the accusations facing Suu Kyi, 75, could bring her a harsher penalty. The Nobel Peace Prize laureate now faces four comparatively minor charges, such as illegally importing six walkie-talkie radios and flouting coronavirus curbs.

"This accusation is the most hilarious joke," Suu Kyi's lawyer Khin Maung Zaw said in a statement posted on social media. "She might have other weaknesses but she doesn't have weakness in moral principle."

Thursday was one of the deadliest days since the military took power. Among the dead were eight people killed in the central town of Myaing when security forces fired on a protest, the AAPP said.

The Kremlin said Friday it was "concerned" about rising civilian casualties in Myanmar, where at least 70 people have been killed in protests against a military coup since February, according to the UN.

The Kremlin said Friday it was "concerned" about rising civilian casualties in Myanmar, where at least 70 people have been killed in protests against a military coup since February, according to the UN. "In our view, the situation is alarming. And we are concerned by information coming from there about a growing number of civilian casualties," spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. Myanmar activists held more rallies against the junta on Friday as South Korea said it would suspend defence exchanges and reconsider development aid to the Southeast Asian nation because of the military's harsh crackdown on the protests. Friday's rallies came a day after a rights group said security forces killed 12 protesters and as the lawyer of deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi ridiculed new bribery allegations against her. The deaths took to more than 70 the number of protesters killed since the coup, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) advocacy group said. The country has been in crisis since the army ousted Suu Kyi’s elected government in a February 1 coup, detained her and officials of her National League for Democracy party and set up a ruling junta of generals. Also read: Myanmar junta accuses Suu Kyi of taking $600,000 illegal payment Junta spokesman Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun said on Thursday Suu Kyi had accepted illegal payments worth $600,000, as well as gold, while in government, according to a complaint by Phyo Mien Thein, a former chief minister of Yangon. Adding corruption charges to the accusations facing Suu Kyi, 75, could bring her a harsher penalty. The Nobel Peace Prize laureate now faces four comparatively minor charges, such as illegally importing six walkie-talkie radios and flouting coronavirus curbs. "This accusation is the most hilarious joke," Suu Kyi's lawyer Khin Maung Zaw said in a statement posted on social media. "She might have other weaknesses but she doesn't have weakness in moral principle." Thursday was one of the deadliest days since the military took power. Among the dead were eight people killed in the central town of Myaing when security forces fired on a protest, the AAPP said.

Kremlin says 'concerned' about civilian casualties in Myanmar

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Friday that he was keen to discuss with "close friends" the issues of COVID-19 and security and maritime challenges across the Indo-Pacific region.

Terming as "historic" his first-ever Quad meeting with leaders from the US, India and Japan, Morrison said he was looking forward to it.

Known as the ''Quadrilateral Security Dialogue,''&nbsp;representatives for the four-member nations have met periodically since its establishment in 2007.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/should-china-be-worried-over-quad-meet-369959/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Morrison, and his Japanese counterpart Yoshihide Suga will attend the virtual summit, which is the first conclave of the top leaders of the Quadrilateral alliance, on Friday.

''I'm sure there will be many other issues that we address and technology partnerships will be necessary to achieve those goals. So, it is an historic moment and I think it does demonstrate Australia's agency in the world. This is something that we have been working towards for many years now. It has been a goal of ours to see the leaders meeting of the Quad come together,;''&nbsp;he added.

The meeting to be held virtually is expected to last about 90 minutes, during which all the four leaders would also lay out their vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific. Amidst China flexing its muscles in the strategically-vital region.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/quad-meeting-2021-focus-on-vaccines-securing-indo-pacific-on-agenda-369938/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

China is engaged in hotly contested territorial disputes in the South and East China Seas. Beijing has also made substantial progress in militarising its man-made islands in the past few years. Beijing claims sovereignty over all of the South China Sea. But Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei and Taiwan have counterclaims. In the East China Sea, China has territorial disputes with Japan.

"There have been meetings of foreign ministers. There have been many other meetings. But when governments come together at the highest level, this shows a whole new level of cooperation to create a new anchor for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and working with important other partners in the region, and particularly the ASEAN nations and their view of the Indo-Pacific that so much informs our own,'' Morrison said.

Earlier on Wednesday, Morrison said the Quad was about "four like-minded countries coming together" to ensure "an open, independent, sovereign Indo-Pacific".

He assured the Quad members "look into the Indo-Pacific through the same lens as the ASEAN nations and understand the critical role of ASEAN within the Indo-Pacific".

"It was one of the first things, the first thing I should say, I discussed with President Biden and I was so pleased the new administration was also so enthusiastic about this programme, and that President Biden is taking this to another level and seeing the Quad as his first engagement in this way, and to elevate it in this way," he said in Canberra.

"It is another key step forward in how Australia has sought to keep Australians safe, by ensuring that we're working with our partners, with our allies in particular," he said.

Federal trade minister Dan Tegan also said the Quad meeting was a historic one with a positive agenda.

"This is about us engaging with like-minded liberal democracies to address important issues in the Indo-Pacific. And, it's positive engagement in the Indo-Pacific that has led to our region prospering like it has since the Second World War, and China has been a key beneficiary of that,''&nbsp;he said.

"The economic growth which has occurred in China since the Second World War has been extraordinary, and we want to make sure that all countries in the Indo-Pacific can enjoy what a free and open Indo-Pacific can lead to,''&nbsp;Tegan said.

The South China Sea and the East China Sea are stated to be rich in minerals, oil and other natural resources. They are also vital to global trade. Although the US lays no claims to the disputed waters, it has challenged China's growing territorial claims in the South China Sea by deploying warships and fighter jets to assert freedom of navigation and overflight patrols in the strategically vital region.

The evolving situation in the Indo-Pacific region in the wake of China's increasing military muscle-flexing has become a major talking point among leading global powers. The US has been favouring making Quad a security architecture to check China's growing assertiveness.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Friday that he was keen to discuss with "close friends" the issues of COVID-19 and security and maritime challenges across the Indo-Pacific region.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Friday that he was keen to discuss with "close friends" the issues of COVID-19 and security and maritime challenges across the Indo-Pacific region. Terming as "historic" his first-ever Quad meeting with leaders from the US, India and Japan, Morrison said he was looking forward to it. Known as the ''Quadrilateral Security Dialogue,'' representatives for the four-member nations have met periodically since its establishment in 2007. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Morrison, and his Japanese counterpart Yoshihide Suga will attend the virtual summit, which is the first conclave of the top leaders of the Quadrilateral alliance, on Friday. ''I'm sure there will be many other issues that we address and technology partnerships will be necessary to achieve those goals. So, it is an historic moment and I think it does demonstrate Australia's agency in the world. This is something that we have been working towards for many years now. It has been a goal of ours to see the leaders meeting of the Quad come together,;'' he added. The meeting to be held virtually is expected to last about 90 minutes, during which all the four leaders would also lay out their vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific. Amidst China flexing its muscles in the strategically-vital region. China is engaged in hotly contested territorial disputes in the South and East China Seas. Beijing has also made substantial progress in militarising its man-made islands in the past few years. Beijing claims sovereignty over all of the South China Sea. But Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei and Taiwan have counterclaims. In the East China Sea, China has territorial disputes with Japan. "There have been meetings of foreign ministers. There have been many other meetings. But when governments come together at the highest level, this shows a whole new level of cooperation to create a new anchor for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and working with important other partners in the region, and particularly the ASEAN nations and their view of the Indo-Pacific that so much informs our own,'' Morrison said. Earlier on Wednesday, Morrison said the Quad was about "four like-minded countries coming together" to ensure "an open, independent, sovereign Indo-Pacific". He assured the Quad members "look into the Indo-Pacific through the same lens as the ASEAN nations and understand the critical role of ASEAN within the Indo-Pacific". "It was one of the first things, the first thing I should say, I discussed with President Biden and I was so pleased the new administration was also so enthusiastic about this programme, and that President Biden is taking this to another level and seeing the Quad as his first engagement in this way, and to elevate it in this way," he said in Canberra. "It is another key step forward in how Australia has sought to keep Australians safe, by ensuring that we're working with our partners, with our allies in particular," he said. Federal trade minister Dan Tegan also said the Quad meeting was a historic one with a positive agenda. "This is about us engaging with like-minded liberal democracies to address important issues in the Indo-Pacific. And, it's positive engagement in the Indo-Pacific that has led to our region prospering like it has since the Second World War, and China has been a key beneficiary of that,'' he said. "The economic growth which has occurred in China since the Second World War has been extraordinary, and we want to make sure that all countries in the Indo-Pacific can enjoy what a free and open Indo-Pacific can lead to,'' Tegan said. The South China Sea and the East China Sea are stated to be rich in minerals, oil and other natural resources. They are also vital to global trade. Although the US lays no claims to the disputed waters, it has challenged China's growing territorial claims in the South China Sea by deploying warships and fighter jets to assert freedom of navigation and overflight patrols in the strategically vital region. The evolving situation in the Indo-Pacific region in the wake of China's increasing military muscle-flexing has become a major talking point among leading global powers. The US has been favouring making Quad a security architecture to check China's growing assertiveness.

Quad: Keen to discuss COVID-19, challenges in Indo-Pacific, says Australian PM Scott Morrison

China on Friday successfully launched the Long March 7A rocket from the southern province of Hainan one year after a failed first attempt.

The rocket, that blasted off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch site, carried the Shiyan-9 satellite to test new technologies such as space environmental monitoring as per China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).

It was developed by&nbsp;China's Academy of Space Technology in only eight months, setting a record for mid to large size remote-sensing satellites.

The Long March 7A is a three-stage rocket with four boosters, measuring 197 feet (60.1 metres) long and 11 feet (3.35 metres) in diameter.

It has the capacity to send seven metric tonnes of payload to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) -- approximately around 22,000 miles (35,405 kilometres) above the Earth's surface.

The launcher draws on new kerosene engine technologies, along with a stage modified from the older Long March 3B series, China’s current workhorse rocket, boosting China’s launch options to GTO.&nbsp;

China's first attempt to launch Long March 7A suffered a blow due to engine malfunction as a result of excess pressure.

The country&nbsp;expects to launch three to five Long March 7A rockets every year before 2025, according to CASC.

President Xi Jinping has put&nbsp;China's "space&nbsp;dream" into overdrive, with a crewed&nbsp;space&nbsp;station planned for next year.

The unmanned Chang'e-4 rocket landed on the far side of the Moon in 2019, with another robot mission to the near side raising the Chinese flag there last year.

That moonshot brought rock and soil samples back to Earth in December, the first time that has been done in more than four decades.

China on Friday successfully launched the Long March 7A rocket from the southern province of Hainan one year after a failed first attempt. The rocket, that blasted off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch site, carried the Shiyan-9 satellite to test new technologies such as space environmental monitoring as per China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).

China on Friday successfully launched the Long March 7A rocket from the southern province of Hainan one year after a failed first attempt. The rocket, that blasted off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch site, carried the Shiyan-9 satellite to test new technologies such as space environmental monitoring as per China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). It was developed by China's Academy of Space Technology in only eight months, setting a record for mid to large size remote-sensing satellites. The Long March 7A is a three-stage rocket with four boosters, measuring 197 feet (60.1 metres) long and 11 feet (3.35 metres) in diameter. It has the capacity to send seven metric tonnes of payload to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) -- approximately around 22,000 miles (35,405 kilometres) above the Earth's surface. The launcher draws on new kerosene engine technologies, along with a stage modified from the older Long March 3B series, China’s current workhorse rocket, boosting China’s launch options to GTO. China's first attempt to launch Long March 7A suffered a blow due to engine malfunction as a result of excess pressure. The country expects to launch three to five Long March 7A rockets every year before 2025, according to CASC. President Xi Jinping has put China's "space dream" into overdrive, with a crewed space station planned for next year. The unmanned Chang'e-4 rocket landed on the far side of the Moon in 2019, with another robot mission to the near side raising the Chinese flag there last year. That moonshot brought rock and soil samples back to Earth in December, the first time that has been done in more than four decades.

China successfully launches Long March 7A rocket after failed first attempt

Russia on Friday said it was&nbsp;in favour of Afghanistan forming an interim government including members of the Taliban, ahead of talks next week in Moscow aiming to resolve the conflict.

The foreign ministry's comments come as a May deadline looms for the United States to end its two-decade military involvement in the ravaged country.

Washington has encouraged the Afghan leadership to work towards establishing an "inclusive" government and proposed talks with the Taliban to secure a peace accord.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/blinken-urges-immediate-action-in-afghanistan-says-taliban-could-make-territorial-gains-368777">Blinken urges immediate action in Afghanistan, says Taliban could make territorial gains</a>

"The formation of an interim inclusive administration would be a logical solution to the problem of integrating the Taliban into the peaceful political life of Afghanistan," foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters.

But she added that the decision should be made "by the Afghans themselves and should be resolved during negotiations on national reconciliation".

Earlier,&nbsp;Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday that talks on&nbsp;Afghanistan&nbsp;planned in Moscow this month aim to help peace talks in Doha and are not rival processes.

Lavrov was speaking at a news conference in Doha with his Qatari and Turkish counterparts.

Russia has said it plans to hold a conference on&nbsp;Afghanistan&nbsp;in Moscow on March 18.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/no-decision-yet-on-us-force-posture-in-afghanistan-says-blinken-369807" hreflang="en">No decision yet on US force posture in Afghanistan, says Blinken</a>

Meanwhile,&nbsp;Zamir Kabulov, the Russian Special Presidential Envoy for Afghanistan and Director of the Foreign Ministry`s Second Asian Department said all the participants invited to attend a meeting in Moscow on the Afghan peace process next week have confirmed their attendance.

When asked whether American representatives will take part in the consultations, he said that US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad had confirmed his participation.

On March 9, Kabulov told TASS that Russia had invited the US, China, Pakistan, representatives of the Afghan government and the Taliban to Moscow for the meeting scheduled to be held on March 18.

Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said that Doha had also received an invitation from Russia.

The conference was proposed by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in his letter to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.

The US and the Taliban signed an agreement in February 2020, which called for a full withdrawal of American military forces from the conflict-ridden country by May 2021 if the militant group meets the conditions of the deal, including severing ties with other terrorist organisations.

US President Joe Biden is wrapping up a review on whether to stick to an agreement with the Taliban negotiated by his predecessor Donald Trump who wanted to pull out the final US troops from Afghanistan by May.

The so-called Doha Accord signed in the Qatari capital last year underscored Trump's desire to end long-running US military involvement.

But the Biden administration has signalled that it wants to take a hard look at Trump's deal and its repercussions for Afghanistan and regional stability.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrote a letter to Afghan leaders encouraging them to consider a "new, inclusive government."

He also proposed that talks take place within weeks in Turkey to seal a comprehensive peace deal with the Taliban.

Russia on Friday said it was in favour of Afghanistan forming an interim government including members of the Taliban, ahead of talks next week in Moscow aiming to resolve the conflict.

Russia on Friday said it was in favour of Afghanistan forming an interim government including members of the Taliban, ahead of talks next week in Moscow aiming to resolve the conflict. The foreign ministry's comments come as a May deadline looms for the United States to end its two-decade military involvement in the ravaged country. Washington has encouraged the Afghan leadership to work towards establishing an "inclusive" government and proposed talks with the Taliban to secure a peace accord. Also read: Blinken urges immediate action in Afghanistan, says Taliban could make territorial gains "The formation of an interim inclusive administration would be a logical solution to the problem of integrating the Taliban into the peaceful political life of Afghanistan," foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters. But she added that the decision should be made "by the Afghans themselves and should be resolved during negotiations on national reconciliation". Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday that talks on Afghanistan planned in Moscow this month aim to help peace talks in Doha and are not rival processes. Lavrov was speaking at a news conference in Doha with his Qatari and Turkish counterparts. Russia has said it plans to hold a conference on Afghanistan in Moscow on March 18. Also read: No decision yet on US force posture in Afghanistan, says Blinken Meanwhile, Zamir Kabulov, the Russian Special Presidential Envoy for Afghanistan and Director of the Foreign Ministry`s Second Asian Department said all the participants invited to attend a meeting in Moscow on the Afghan peace process next week have confirmed their attendance. When asked whether American representatives will take part in the consultations, he said that US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad had confirmed his participation. On March 9, Kabulov told TASS that Russia had invited the US, China, Pakistan, representatives of the Afghan government and the Taliban to Moscow for the meeting scheduled to be held on March 18. Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said that Doha had also received an invitation from Russia. The conference was proposed by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in his letter to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. The US and the Taliban signed an agreement in February 2020, which called for a full withdrawal of American military forces from the conflict-ridden country by May 2021 if the militant group meets the conditions of the deal, including severing ties with other terrorist organisations. US President Joe Biden is wrapping up a review on whether to stick to an agreement with the Taliban negotiated by his predecessor Donald Trump who wanted to pull out the final US troops from Afghanistan by May. The so-called Doha Accord signed in the Qatari capital last year underscored Trump's desire to end long-running US military involvement. But the Biden administration has signalled that it wants to take a hard look at Trump's deal and its repercussions for Afghanistan and regional stability. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrote a letter to Afghan leaders encouraging them to consider a "new, inclusive government." He also proposed that talks take place within weeks in Turkey to seal a comprehensive peace deal with the Taliban.

Russia announces support for Afghanistan interim coalition with Taliban

Astronomers on Friday confirmed a conspiracy theory about the&nbsp;world's oldest 'impact crater', in a recent study.

The research published in Science Direct states&nbsp;that Earth's earliest known impact structure is not a crater at all.

Meteorite impacts have shaped Earth's surface and caused instantaneous changes—some catastrophic—to planetary crusts as well as the atmosphere, oceans, climate and life.

The Maniitsoq region of West Greenland has been claimed to host the oldest impact structure on Earth.

In the study, field observations and chronology of key samples from the central area of the proposed Maniitsoq structure are used to determine the timing of magma crystallization and regional deformation&nbsp;

Zircon grains from 18 rock samples (2,256 grains) and 14 stream sediment samples (3,331 grains) collected across the Maniitsoq region were&nbsp;surveyed for the analysis.

Some grains show minor evidence of brittle deformation in the form of irregular fractures.&nbsp;Even modest amounts of strain would modify the shape of an originally circular structure in the crust.&nbsp;

In general, the vast majority (99.9%) of the&nbsp;comprehensive study of 5,587 zircons surveyed from the Maniitsoq region record no deformation. Less than ten zircon grains were identified that show evidence of crystal-plastic deformation,

The timing of fabric development, the absence of impact-related microstructures in zircon, and the primary oxygen isotope ratios of zircon all repudiate the hypothesis that the Maniitsoq structure in southern West Greenland formed as a consequence of meteorite impact.

To date, no diagnostic evidence of impact-related deformation has been presented, and moreover, the geologic features in the area are consistent with existing models of regional endogenic processes during polyphase magmatism, tectonism and metamorphism associated with Mesoarchean to Neoarchean growth, reworking and stabilization of the North Atlantic Craton.&nbsp;

The results conclusively rule out the proposal that much of the Archean rock mass in the Maniitsoq region formed by an Archean meteorite impact.

The source craters for Archean-aged impact ejecta remain elusive on Earth.&nbsp;

Astronomers on Friday confirmed a conspiracy theory about the world's oldest 'impact crater', in a recent study. The research published in Science Direct states that Earth's earliest known impact structure is not a crater at all.

Astronomers on Friday confirmed a conspiracy theory about the world's oldest 'impact crater', in a recent study. The research published in Science Direct states that Earth's earliest known impact structure is not a crater at all. Meteorite impacts have shaped Earth's surface and caused instantaneous changes—some catastrophic—to planetary crusts as well as the atmosphere, oceans, climate and life. The Maniitsoq region of West Greenland has been claimed to host the oldest impact structure on Earth. In the study, field observations and chronology of key samples from the central area of the proposed Maniitsoq structure are used to determine the timing of magma crystallization and regional deformation Zircon grains from 18 rock samples (2,256 grains) and 14 stream sediment samples (3,331 grains) collected across the Maniitsoq region were surveyed for the analysis. Some grains show minor evidence of brittle deformation in the form of irregular fractures. Even modest amounts of strain would modify the shape of an originally circular structure in the crust. In general, the vast majority (99.9%) of the comprehensive study of 5,587 zircons surveyed from the Maniitsoq region record no deformation. Less than ten zircon grains were identified that show evidence of crystal-plastic deformation, The timing of fabric development, the absence of impact-related microstructures in zircon, and the primary oxygen isotope ratios of zircon all repudiate the hypothesis that the Maniitsoq structure in southern West Greenland formed as a consequence of meteorite impact. To date, no diagnostic evidence of impact-related deformation has been presented, and moreover, the geologic features in the area are consistent with existing models of regional endogenic processes during polyphase magmatism, tectonism and metamorphism associated with Mesoarchean to Neoarchean growth, reworking and stabilization of the North Atlantic Craton. The results conclusively rule out the proposal that much of the Archean rock mass in the Maniitsoq region formed by an Archean meteorite impact. The source craters for Archean-aged impact ejecta remain elusive on Earth.

Astronomers confirm conspiracy theory on world's oldest 'impact crater'

The chief of Russian space agency Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin on Friday said that American astronauts from NASA will use the country's Soyuz rocket to travel to the International Space Station as US technology is ''unreliable.''

The next launch window for a NASA crew to the International Space Station aboard a SpaceX rocket has been pushed&nbsp;to April 20.

The flight marks only the second full-fledged space station crew-rotation mission launched aboard a private company's spacecraft - a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket tipped with the Crew Dragon capsule it will carry into orbit.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/russias-soyuz-spacecraft-takes-quickest-crew-trip-to-international-space-station-334731">Also see:&nbsp;Russia's Soyuz spacecraft takes quickest crew trip to International Space Station</a>

The four-member SpaceX Crew-2 consists of two NASA astronauts, mission commander Shane Kimbrough and pilot Megan McArthur, along with Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide and fellow mission specialist Thomas Pesquet of the European Space Agency.

After docking with the space station, they will join the four SpaceX Crew-1 astronauts who arrived in November, and cosmonauts carried to the orbiting outpost aboard a&nbsp;Soyuz&nbsp;MS-18 spacecraft.

The newly arrived Crew-2 are to remain in orbit six months, while Crew-1 is due to return to earth by early May.

Dmitry Rogozin said in a <a href="https://www.roscosmos.ru/30252/">post</a>&nbsp;on Facebook that&nbsp;''flights to the International Space Station are unstable.''

However, he added, Roscosmos will ''confirm its commitment to joint agreements and the spirit of joint use of the International Space Station.''

''There was an urgent need for them (NASA) to find insurance and send their man on our ship, to make sure their segment on the space station isn't left unattended. The talk of swapping seats has nothing to do with this at all,''&nbsp;he clarified, noting that the agreement was made with Axiom Space, a NASA contractor and private space company which has plans to eventually sell human spaceflight experiences to tourists who want to visit the ISS.

Despite its former Soviet glory, Russia's space sector has suffered greatly in recent years from a lack of financing and corruption.

Moscow and Washington are collaborating in the space sector -- one of the few areas of cooperation left between the Cold War rivals.

However, Russia did not sign the US-led Artemis Accord last year for countries that want to participate in a lunar exploration scheme spearheaded by NASA.

Under the Artemis programme announced during the tenure of former US President Donald Trump, NASA plans to land the first woman and the next man on the moon by 2024.

In another blow to Russia's space reputation,&nbsp;Roscosmos&nbsp;last year lost its monopoly for manned flights to the International Space Station (ISS) after the first successful mission of the US company Space X.

Elon Musk's SpaceX has become a key player in the modern space race and has announced plans to fly several members of the public to the Moon in 2023 on a trip bankrolled by a Japanese millionaire.&nbsp;

A SpaceX Starship prototype exploded after landing in Texas in March,after climbing to an altitude of six miles (10 kilometres). The test flight was part of the company's ambitious project to take people to Mars.

The chief of Russian space agency Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin on Friday said that American astronauts from NASA will use the country's Soyuz rocket to travel to the International Space Station as US technology is ''unreliable.

The chief of Russian space agency Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin on Friday said that American astronauts from NASA will use the country's Soyuz rocket to travel to the International Space Station as US technology is ''unreliable.'' The next launch window for a NASA crew to the International Space Station aboard a SpaceX rocket has been pushed to April 20. The flight marks only the second full-fledged space station crew-rotation mission launched aboard a private company's spacecraft - a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket tipped with the Crew Dragon capsule it will carry into orbit. Also see: Russia's Soyuz spacecraft takes quickest crew trip to International Space Station The four-member SpaceX Crew-2 consists of two NASA astronauts, mission commander Shane Kimbrough and pilot Megan McArthur, along with Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide and fellow mission specialist Thomas Pesquet of the European Space Agency. After docking with the space station, they will join the four SpaceX Crew-1 astronauts who arrived in November, and cosmonauts carried to the orbiting outpost aboard a Soyuz MS-18 spacecraft. The newly arrived Crew-2 are to remain in orbit six months, while Crew-1 is due to return to earth by early May. Dmitry Rogozin said in a post on Facebook that ''flights to the International Space Station are unstable.'' However, he added, Roscosmos will ''confirm its commitment to joint agreements and the spirit of joint use of the International Space Station.'' ''There was an urgent need for them (NASA) to find insurance and send their man on our ship, to make sure their segment on the space station isn't left unattended. The talk of swapping seats has nothing to do with this at all,'' he clarified, noting that the agreement was made with Axiom Space, a NASA contractor and private space company which has plans to eventually sell human spaceflight experiences to tourists who want to visit the ISS. Despite its former Soviet glory, Russia's space sector has suffered greatly in recent years from a lack of financing and corruption. Moscow and Washington are collaborating in the space sector -- one of the few areas of cooperation left between the Cold War rivals. However, Russia did not sign the US-led Artemis Accord last year for countries that want to participate in a lunar exploration scheme spearheaded by NASA. Under the Artemis programme announced during the tenure of former US President Donald Trump, NASA plans to land the first woman and the next man on the moon by 2024. In another blow to Russia's space reputation, Roscosmos last year lost its monopoly for manned flights to the International Space Station (ISS) after the first successful mission of the US company Space X. Elon Musk's SpaceX has become a key player in the modern space race and has announced plans to fly several members of the public to the Moon in 2023 on a trip bankrolled by a Japanese millionaire. A SpaceX Starship prototype exploded after landing in Texas in March,after climbing to an altitude of six miles (10 kilometres). The test flight was part of the company's ambitious project to take people to Mars.

Russian space agency chief calls US technology 'unstable' to reach International Space Station

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