The world is running out of a crucial but underappreciated commodity, that is, sand.

Sand resource governance is one of the greatest sustainability challenges of the 21st century.

Sands, gravels and aggregates are the world's second most exploited resource after water.

The use of these materials has tripled over the last two decades ranging between 40-50 billion metric tons/year. This trend is expected to continue as demand is still growing due to infrastructure development trends,&nbsp;urbanisation and population growth.

According to a report by the UN environment programme, globally&nbsp;75 per cent&nbsp;to 90 per cent&nbsp;of the world's beaches are retreating.

In Indonesia, 24&nbsp;islands have already disappeared. While in Florida, nine&nbsp;out of 10 beaches are fading away.

What's causing this?

According to a climate activist with the&nbsp;UN environment programme, the main cause of this is the Pascal Peduzzi, that is,&nbsp;break-neck urbanisation.

Cities are expanding all across the globe&nbsp;at a scale far greater than any time in human history.&nbsp;The number of people living in urban areas has more than quadrupled since 1950 to approximately&nbsp;4.2 billion today.

The United Nations predicts that&nbsp;another 2.5 billion will join them in the next three decades. This is&nbsp;equivalent to adding eight&nbsp;cities&nbsp;the size of new york every single year.

Enormous quantities of sand are being processed into construction material.&nbsp;It is being used to manufacture cement which in turn is being used to build roads, bridges,&nbsp;railway lines and homes.

The world is consuming roughly 50 billion tons of sand on an annual basis. 58 per cent&nbsp;of the world's construction activities are sand-fueled.

Lagos, the largest city in Nigeria is adding a 2,400-acre urban extension to its shoreline.

Meanwhile,&nbsp;China, the biggest consumer of this commodity, is adding hundreds of miles to its territory&nbsp;through islands built on sand.

Even Saudi Arabia, which literally sits on an enormous desert is importing sand from Australia.

Is the construction boom the only reason driving the sand crisis?

According to another report, the coronavirus pandemic&nbsp;could be making the sand shortage worse.

Sand&nbsp;is heated to make glass and vaccines are being stored in glass vials.

At the current speed, the world will need something like two billion excess glass vials in the next two years itself.

Scientists believe&nbsp;this will further intensify the global sand shortage.

The world is running out of a crucial but underappreciated commodity, that is, sand. Sand resource governance is one of the greatest sustainability challenges of the 21st century.

The world is running out of a crucial but underappreciated commodity, that is, sand. Sand resource governance is one of the greatest sustainability challenges of the 21st century. Sands, gravels and aggregates are the world's second most exploited resource after water. The use of these materials has tripled over the last two decades ranging between 40-50 billion metric tons/year. This trend is expected to continue as demand is still growing due to infrastructure development trends, urbanisation and population growth. According to a report by the UN environment programme, globally 75 per cent to 90 per cent of the world's beaches are retreating. In Indonesia, 24 islands have already disappeared. While in Florida, nine out of 10 beaches are fading away. What's causing this? According to a climate activist with the UN environment programme, the main cause of this is the Pascal Peduzzi, that is, break-neck urbanisation. Cities are expanding all across the globe at a scale far greater than any time in human history. The number of people living in urban areas has more than quadrupled since 1950 to approximately 4.2 billion today. The United Nations predicts that another 2.5 billion will join them in the next three decades. This is equivalent to adding eight cities the size of new york every single year. Enormous quantities of sand are being processed into construction material. It is being used to manufacture cement which in turn is being used to build roads, bridges, railway lines and homes. The world is consuming roughly 50 billion tons of sand on an annual basis. 58 per cent of the world's construction activities are sand-fueled. Lagos, the largest city in Nigeria is adding a 2,400-acre urban extension to its shoreline. Meanwhile, China, the biggest consumer of this commodity, is adding hundreds of miles to its territory through islands built on sand. Even Saudi Arabia, which literally sits on an enormous desert is importing sand from Australia. Is the construction boom the only reason driving the sand crisis? According to another report, the coronavirus pandemic could be making the sand shortage worse. Sand is heated to make glass and vaccines are being stored in glass vials. At the current speed, the world will need something like two billion excess glass vials in the next two years itself. Scientists believe this will further intensify the global sand shortage.

Sand crisis? World is running out of crucial but underappreciated commodity

March 8 is celebrated as International Women's Day all across the globe. It marks the success and highlights the challenges faced by women.

Thousands of&nbsp;women&nbsp;from Tokyo to Manila&nbsp;marched on Monday in defiance of power-grabbing generals and patriarchal governments, as rallies across the world&nbsp;kicked off a global&nbsp;day&nbsp;of action for International&nbsp;Women's&nbsp;Day.

The protests highlighted several issues ranging from the gender pay gap to sexual harassment.

Also see|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/this-is-how-womens-day-was-celebrated-world-over-368963" hreflang="en">This is how Women's Day was celebrated world over</a>

How far have we come?

The sati system, wherein a widow would throw herself on her husband's pyre and burn to death prevailed in India during the early 19th century. However, it is banned now.

Unfortunately, widows are still ostracised in several parts of the country.&nbsp;

There was a time when&nbsp;child marriage was rampant. However, today it is outlawed.

But according to a&nbsp;report,&nbsp;27 per cent&nbsp;of girls in India are married before their 18th birthday.&nbsp;Out of this,&nbsp;7 per cent&nbsp;are married before the age of 15.

Today, in theory, women are at par with men, at&nbsp;least in most countries.

How much of it translates into practice?

About a hundred people joined a march for International Women's Day in central&nbsp;Tokyo&nbsp;on Monday to call for gender equality in Japan.

Holding banners and chanting slogans such as "stop sexual harassment", protesters started the march from Shibuya, one of&nbsp;Tokyo's busiest shopping districts, and walked through the streets.

Hundreds of mostly female workers gathered outside government buildings in Sydney to condemn violence against women and call for greater gender equality in workplaces, amid growing scrutiny over the treatment of women in&nbsp;Australian politics.

A variety of workers - from nurses and teachers to hairdressers and transport workers - took part in the gathering. It comes as the government launched a A$19 million ($14.57 million) campaign urging people to speak up when they witness disrespect against women.

Hundreds of female&nbsp;demonstrators rallied in the Philippine capital on Monday to mark International Women's Day and took aim at the country's president Rodrigo Duterte for alleged rights abuses against women.

The protesters, most members of&nbsp;women's&nbsp;group Gabriela, marched through the streets of the capital near the presidential palace, and held a rally to criticise the government's efforts during the coronavirus pandemic, as well as the deadly crackdown.

Several hundred Muslim Uighur&nbsp;women&nbsp;in Turkey staged an International&nbsp;Women's&nbsp;Day&nbsp;march along the Bosphorus on Monday, demanding the closure of mass incarceration camps in China's Xinjiang region.

The protesters chanted "stop the genocide" and "close the camps" as they marched within a few hundred metres of China's walled-off consulate in Istanbul.

Hundreds gathered in the centre of&nbsp;Paris&nbsp;on Monday as they called for a day of "feminist strikes" and rallies, to denounce the injustices suffered by women.&nbsp;Several organisations and unions are calling for a strike to denounce pay inequality as women earn only 77 per cent of men's income.

According to Anna Azaria, the president of Women Equality Organisation,&nbsp;"Feminist jobs are poorly paid, and not valued. The pandemic shed light to their importance. So really, we're here to shout loud and clear that these jobs need to be re-evaluated and salaries need to be increased."

Hundreds of feminist protesters on Monday defied the government's ban of marches to celebrate International Women's Day and gathered in small groups across&nbsp;Madrid.

Last year's marches, which were attended by tens of thousands and promoted heavily by the left-wing coalition government, stirred a bitter row over whether they were super-spreader events for the coronavirus.

On March 4, the central government's chief representative in&nbsp;Madrid, Jose Manuel Franco, said proposed marches on March 7-8, would have brought at least 60,000 people to the capital's streets.

The decision sparked anger among feminists, and some gathering at Sol square slammed the government for not authorising the marches.

Women around the world are desperate to&nbsp;get the rights they are entitled to.&nbsp;They have been fighting for too long for the most basic of rights such as equality, safety and the right to work.

As per Article 14 of the Indian constitution, ''the state shall not deny to any person equality before the law.''

Last year, the government of India told the country's apex court,&nbsp;male troops won't accept women commanders.

In Nepal, women still die in menstrual huts because of cold and hunger and lack of proper healthcare.&nbsp;As a result of this, there is a rise in the number of cervical cancer cases.

In Afghanistan, women journalists are still attacked. While in&nbsp;Bangladesh, women sex workers are denied a proper funeral.

In El Salvador, women are jailed for miscarriage, while in&nbsp;Argentina, women are killed-- because they are women.

So while we celebrate the road we've travelled so far, we should&nbsp;not lose focus on the road ahead.

March 8 is celebrated as International Women's Day all across the globe. It marks the success and highlights the challenges faced by women. Thousands of women from Tokyo to Manila marched on Monday in defiance of power-grabbing generals and patriarchal governments, as rallies across the world kicked off a global day of action for International Women's Day.

March 8 is celebrated as International Women's Day all across the globe. It marks the success and highlights the challenges faced by women. Thousands of women from Tokyo to Manila marched on Monday in defiance of power-grabbing generals and patriarchal governments, as rallies across the world kicked off a global day of action for International Women's Day. The protests highlighted several issues ranging from the gender pay gap to sexual harassment. Also see| This is how Women's Day was celebrated world over How far have we come? The sati system, wherein a widow would throw herself on her husband's pyre and burn to death prevailed in India during the early 19th century. However, it is banned now. Unfortunately, widows are still ostracised in several parts of the country. There was a time when child marriage was rampant. However, today it is outlawed. But according to a report, 27 per cent of girls in India are married before their 18th birthday. Out of this, 7 per cent are married before the age of 15. Today, in theory, women are at par with men, at least in most countries. How much of it translates into practice? About a hundred people joined a march for International Women's Day in central Tokyo on Monday to call for gender equality in Japan. Holding banners and chanting slogans such as "stop sexual harassment", protesters started the march from Shibuya, one of Tokyo's busiest shopping districts, and walked through the streets. Hundreds of mostly female workers gathered outside government buildings in Sydney to condemn violence against women and call for greater gender equality in workplaces, amid growing scrutiny over the treatment of women in Australian politics. A variety of workers - from nurses and teachers to hairdressers and transport workers - took part in the gathering. It comes as the government launched a A$19 million ($14.57 million) campaign urging people to speak up when they witness disrespect against women. Hundreds of female demonstrators rallied in the Philippine capital on Monday to mark International Women's Day and took aim at the country's president Rodrigo Duterte for alleged rights abuses against women. The protesters, most members of women's group Gabriela, marched through the streets of the capital near the presidential palace, and held a rally to criticise the government's efforts during the coronavirus pandemic, as well as the deadly crackdown. Several hundred Muslim Uighur women in Turkey staged an International Women's Day march along the Bosphorus on Monday, demanding the closure of mass incarceration camps in China's Xinjiang region. The protesters chanted "stop the genocide" and "close the camps" as they marched within a few hundred metres of China's walled-off consulate in Istanbul. Hundreds gathered in the centre of Paris on Monday as they called for a day of "feminist strikes" and rallies, to denounce the injustices suffered by women. Several organisations and unions are calling for a strike to denounce pay inequality as women earn only 77 per cent of men's income. According to Anna Azaria, the president of Women Equality Organisation, "Feminist jobs are poorly paid, and not valued. The pandemic shed light to their importance. So really, we're here to shout loud and clear that these jobs need to be re-evaluated and salaries need to be increased." Hundreds of feminist protesters on Monday defied the government's ban of marches to celebrate International Women's Day and gathered in small groups across Madrid. Last year's marches, which were attended by tens of thousands and promoted heavily by the left-wing coalition government, stirred a bitter row over whether they were super-spreader events for the coronavirus. On March 4, the central government's chief representative in Madrid, Jose Manuel Franco, said proposed marches on March 7-8, would have brought at least 60,000 people to the capital's streets. The decision sparked anger among feminists, and some gathering at Sol square slammed the government for not authorising the marches. Women around the world are desperate to get the rights they are entitled to. They have been fighting for too long for the most basic of rights such as equality, safety and the right to work. As per Article 14 of the Indian constitution, ''the state shall not deny to any person equality before the law.'' Last year, the government of India told the country's apex court, male troops won't accept women commanders. In Nepal, women still die in menstrual huts because of cold and hunger and lack of proper healthcare. As a result of this, there is a rise in the number of cervical cancer cases. In Afghanistan, women journalists are still attacked. While in Bangladesh, women sex workers are denied a proper funeral. In El Salvador, women are jailed for miscarriage, while in Argentina, women are killed-- because they are women. So while we celebrate the road we've travelled so far, we should not lose focus on the road ahead.

International Women's Day: When will they be treated as equals

Nearly one in three women worldwide is subjected to physical or&nbsp;sexual&nbsp;violence during her lifetime, pervasive criminal behaviour that has increased during the pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.

In a report, the UN&nbsp;health&nbsp;agency found that around 30 per cent of all women and girls over the age of 15, around 736 million people,&nbsp;have already been victims of such violence throughout their lifetimes, mainly at the hands of intimate partners.

"Violence against women is endemic in every country and culture, causing harm to millions of women and their families," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement, adding that the problem "has been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic".

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-international-womens-day-368982/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"These numbers are very shocking and really are sort of a wake-up call for governments to be doing much more to prevent this violence," report author Claudia Garcia-Moreno said.

"We know that the situation for many women may have gotten worse," she said, pointing in particular to some 641 million women and girls over 15 who have faced violence from an intimate partner.

"Women who were already in an abusive situation were trapped in those situations," she said. "All of a sudden they were more isolated and in constant touch with an abusive partner."

At the same time, the added financial pressures and stress of having children at home, among other challenges, risked sparking fresh abuse.

"We know that some of the factors that contribute to exacerbating domestic violence, in particular, are there," Garcia-Moreno said.

The U.N. agency urged governments to prevent violence, improve services for victims and tackle economic inequalities that often leave women and girls trapped in abusive relationships.

Boys should be taught in school about the need for mutual respect in relationships and mutual consent in sex, WHO officials said.

Some 31 per cent&nbsp;of women aged 15-49, or up to 852 million women, have experienced physical or&nbsp;sexual&nbsp;violence, the WHO said in what it called the largest-ever&nbsp;such study, encompassing national data and surveys from 2000-2018.

A husband or intimate partner is the most common perpetrator and a disproportionate number of victims are in the poorest countries, https://tmsnrt.rs/3t5OO78 it said. True figures are likely far higher due to under-reporting of&nbsp;sexual&nbsp;abuse, a heavily-stigmatised crime.

Nearly one in three women worldwide is subjected to physical or sexual violence during her lifetime, pervasive criminal behaviour that has increased during the pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.

Nearly one in three women worldwide is subjected to physical or sexual violence during her lifetime, pervasive criminal behaviour that has increased during the pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday. In a report, the UN health agency found that around 30 per cent of all women and girls over the age of 15, around 736 million people, have already been victims of such violence throughout their lifetimes, mainly at the hands of intimate partners. "Violence against women is endemic in every country and culture, causing harm to millions of women and their families," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement, adding that the problem "has been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic". "These numbers are very shocking and really are sort of a wake-up call for governments to be doing much more to prevent this violence," report author Claudia Garcia-Moreno said. "We know that the situation for many women may have gotten worse," she said, pointing in particular to some 641 million women and girls over 15 who have faced violence from an intimate partner. "Women who were already in an abusive situation were trapped in those situations," she said. "All of a sudden they were more isolated and in constant touch with an abusive partner." At the same time, the added financial pressures and stress of having children at home, among other challenges, risked sparking fresh abuse. "We know that some of the factors that contribute to exacerbating domestic violence, in particular, are there," Garcia-Moreno said. The U.N. agency urged governments to prevent violence, improve services for victims and tackle economic inequalities that often leave women and girls trapped in abusive relationships. Boys should be taught in school about the need for mutual respect in relationships and mutual consent in sex, WHO officials said. Some 31 per cent of women aged 15-49, or up to 852 million women, have experienced physical or sexual violence, the WHO said in what it called the largest-ever such study, encompassing national data and surveys from 2000-2018. A husband or intimate partner is the most common perpetrator and a disproportionate number of victims are in the poorest countries, https://tmsnrt.rs/3t5OO78 it said. True figures are likely far higher due to under-reporting of sexual abuse, a heavily-stigmatised crime.

One in three women have already suffered physical violence: World Health Organization

Kremlin on Tuesday slammed&nbsp;claims it was spearheading a disinformation campaign against US-made coronavirus vaccines to boost its own homegrown jab were "absurd and groundless".&nbsp;

The comments come a day after Washington said Russian intelligence was behind four websites involved in a campaign to undermine US-made vaccines, accusing Russia of putting lives at risk.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-risking-lives-by-running-disinformation-campaign-against-vaccines-us-369006">Russia risking lives by running disinformation campaign against vaccines: US</a>

Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the allegations "absurd and groundless".

"Russia has never taken part and is not going to take part in such information campaigns against other vaccines," Peskov told reporters.

On the contrary, he said, Russia was cooperating with foreign vaccine producers "to make a more effective product".

"We've always been against politicising any issues related to the vaccine in any way," he said.

Peskov added that once jabs are tested and approved "they should be produced as much as possible to save the entire world from the coronavirus and save as many human lives as possible".

Putin has boasted that Russia has developed the world's best vaccines against the coronavirus, insisting last week they were better than the Pfizer and AstraZeneca jabs.

The Global Engagement Center -- an arm of the State Department whose activities include monitoring foreign propaganda -- made the claims of Russian disinformation on Monday.&nbsp;

The four online platforms spread "disinformation about two of the vaccines that have now been approved by the FDA in this country," US State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters, referring to the US Food and Drug Administration.

US intelligence has long suspected Russia in disinformation campaigns on health, including spreading the myth in the 1980s that US scientists created the HIV virus that causes AIDS.

Kremlin on Tuesday slammed claims it was spearheading a disinformation campaign against US-made coronavirus vaccines to boost its own homegrown jab were "absurd and groundless".

Kremlin on Tuesday slammed claims it was spearheading a disinformation campaign against US-made coronavirus vaccines to boost its own homegrown jab were "absurd and groundless". The comments come a day after Washington said Russian intelligence was behind four websites involved in a campaign to undermine US-made vaccines, accusing Russia of putting lives at risk. Also read: Russia risking lives by running disinformation campaign against vaccines: US Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the allegations "absurd and groundless". "Russia has never taken part and is not going to take part in such information campaigns against other vaccines," Peskov told reporters. On the contrary, he said, Russia was cooperating with foreign vaccine producers "to make a more effective product". "We've always been against politicising any issues related to the vaccine in any way," he said. Peskov added that once jabs are tested and approved "they should be produced as much as possible to save the entire world from the coronavirus and save as many human lives as possible". Putin has boasted that Russia has developed the world's best vaccines against the coronavirus, insisting last week they were better than the Pfizer and AstraZeneca jabs. The Global Engagement Center -- an arm of the State Department whose activities include monitoring foreign propaganda -- made the claims of Russian disinformation on Monday. The four online platforms spread "disinformation about two of the vaccines that have now been approved by the FDA in this country," US State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters, referring to the US Food and Drug Administration. US intelligence has long suspected Russia in disinformation campaigns on health, including spreading the myth in the 1980s that US scientists created the HIV virus that causes AIDS.

Kremlin slams US vaccine disinformation claims 'absurd' and 'groundless'

A French Holocaust survivor battling with an American university over a painting by Camille Pissarro that was stolen by the Nazis went to court in Paris on Tuesday to try block the university from suing her for millions of dollars.

Leone-Noelle Meyer, 81, has for years been trying to recover Pissarro's impressionist "La Bergère rentrant des moutons", or Shepherdess Bringing in Sheep, which was seized from her adoptive parents during World War II.

The oil-on-canvas work dating to 1886 was acquired in the 1930s by Raoul Meyer, who ran the Paris department store Galeries Lafayette.

The painting was confiscated by Nazi forces in February 1941 and wound up in Switzerland at the end of the war before being bought by Aaron and Clara Weitzenhoffer, who bequeathed it to the University of Oklahoma in 2000.

On learning of its existence, Meyer -- who was orphaned during the war -- launched proceedings to recover the painting, which culminated in a 2016 deal recognising her as the painting's rightful owner.

But she is now seeking to have the deal overturned, angering the university which is threatening to sue her for millions of dollars.

Under the terms of the accord, the artwork was to be displayed in France for five years and then rotated between museums in Paris and Oklahoma every three years.&nbsp;

But Meyer wants to leave the painting to the Musee d'Orsay -- famous for its huge collection of Impressionist art -- and the museum has declined the gift, saying it fears that shipping it across the Atlantic every three years will be very costly and could damage the work.

The painting, which currently hangs in the Musee d'Orsay, is scheduled to return to the US in July.

'Contracts are sacred'

On Tuesday, Meyer went to court in Paris to demand that the university halt all legal action against her, echoing a move by the university against her in the US.

"Contracts are sacred," Olivier de Baecque, counsel for the university, argued in court.

"A transaction is sacred but what is more sacred still is returning an asset looted by the Gestapo," Meyer's lawyer Ron Soffer countered.

The court reserved judgement until April 13.

Several artworks stolen by the Nazis from Jewish families have been at the centre of court cases in Europe in recent years.&nbsp;

This is the second involving a painting by Pissarro.

In October 2018, an American couple on Tuesday lost their bid to keep ownership of the painting "La Cueillette" ("Picking Peas") which was looted from a French Jewish collector&nbsp;during World War II.

The American couple had argued they had no idea it was looted when they bought it at auction.

A French Holocaust survivor battling with an American university over a painting by Camille Pissarro that was stolen by the Nazis went to court in Paris on Tuesday to try block the university from suing her for millions of dollars.

A French Holocaust survivor battling with an American university over a painting by Camille Pissarro that was stolen by the Nazis went to court in Paris on Tuesday to try block the university from suing her for millions of dollars. Leone-Noelle Meyer, 81, has for years been trying to recover Pissarro's impressionist "La Bergère rentrant des moutons", or Shepherdess Bringing in Sheep, which was seized from her adoptive parents during World War II. The oil-on-canvas work dating to 1886 was acquired in the 1930s by Raoul Meyer, who ran the Paris department store Galeries Lafayette. The painting was confiscated by Nazi forces in February 1941 and wound up in Switzerland at the end of the war before being bought by Aaron and Clara Weitzenhoffer, who bequeathed it to the University of Oklahoma in 2000. On learning of its existence, Meyer -- who was orphaned during the war -- launched proceedings to recover the painting, which culminated in a 2016 deal recognising her as the painting's rightful owner. But she is now seeking to have the deal overturned, angering the university which is threatening to sue her for millions of dollars. Under the terms of the accord, the artwork was to be displayed in France for five years and then rotated between museums in Paris and Oklahoma every three years. But Meyer wants to leave the painting to the Musee d'Orsay -- famous for its huge collection of Impressionist art -- and the museum has declined the gift, saying it fears that shipping it across the Atlantic every three years will be very costly and could damage the work. The painting, which currently hangs in the Musee d'Orsay, is scheduled to return to the US in July. 'Contracts are sacred' On Tuesday, Meyer went to court in Paris to demand that the university halt all legal action against her, echoing a move by the university against her in the US. "Contracts are sacred," Olivier de Baecque, counsel for the university, argued in court. "A transaction is sacred but what is more sacred still is returning an asset looted by the Gestapo," Meyer's lawyer Ron Soffer countered. The court reserved judgement until April 13. Several artworks stolen by the Nazis from Jewish families have been at the centre of court cases in Europe in recent years. This is the second involving a painting by Pissarro. In October 2018, an American couple on Tuesday lost their bid to keep ownership of the painting "La Cueillette" ("Picking Peas") which was looted from a French Jewish collector during World War II. The American couple had argued they had no idea it was looted when they bought it at auction.

French Holocaust survivor battling with US university over Nazi-looted painting

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Russia and China sign memorandum to build joint lunar space station US envoy Khalilzad meets Pak Army chief to discuss Afghan peace China gives approval to RCEP

Russia and China sign memorandum to build joint lunar space station US envoy Khalilzad meets Pak Army chief to discuss Afghan peace China gives approval to RCEP trade deal, urges other members to follow suit US to continue assisting Taiwan's self-defence capabilities, says White House NASA-ISRO Earth observation satellite launch on GSLV Mk II by Jan 2023 Republican Party says it will continue to use Trump's name in fundraising appeals Russia risking lives by running disinformation campaign against vaccines: US Meghan's father dismisses her racist allegation against the royal family Scientists identify surprising similarities between humans and strange creatures from 550 million years ago

Top 10 world news today: Russia and China sign memorandum to build joint lunar space station and more

Former US&nbsp;first lady&nbsp;Michelle&nbsp;Obama&nbsp;will be inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame along with eight other women including former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi, soccer icon Mia Hamm and NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson, who died last year.

The National Women's Hall of Fame named the members of its Class of 2021 set to be inducted on October&nbsp;2 on Monday.

Others in the list include author Octavia Butler, who died in 2006, Rebecca Halstead, who had a near three-decade career in the military, poet Joy Harjo, artist Judy Chicago and activist Emily Howland, who died in 1929 and had taught formerly enslaved people how to read and write in refugee settlements where she worked during the American Civil War.

"Michelle&nbsp;Obama&nbsp;has emerged as one of the most influential and iconic women of the 21st century," the National Women's Hall of Fame website said.

"The National Women's Hall of Fame will celebrate the inclusion of these extraordinary women into the Hall at the biennial in-person induction ceremony on October 2, 2021."

The organization said it was closely monitoring the COVID-19 situation in New York state and will plan carefully to ensure that the in-person portion of Induction Weekend is safe for all attendees.

Ticket sales will not be opened until April or May, it said. It will host a live virtual streaming of the ceremony, which will be free to the public.

The National Women’s Hall of Fame, in Seneca Falls, New York, says it is the United States' oldest membership organization dedicated to honouring and celebrating the achievements of distinguished American women.

Former US first lady Michelle Obama will be inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame along with eight other women including former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi, soccer icon Mia Hamm and NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson, who died last year.

Former US first lady Michelle Obama will be inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame along with eight other women including former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi, soccer icon Mia Hamm and NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson, who died last year. The National Women's Hall of Fame named the members of its Class of 2021 set to be inducted on October 2 on Monday. Others in the list include author Octavia Butler, who died in 2006, Rebecca Halstead, who had a near three-decade career in the military, poet Joy Harjo, artist Judy Chicago and activist Emily Howland, who died in 1929 and had taught formerly enslaved people how to read and write in refugee settlements where she worked during the American Civil War. "Michelle Obama has emerged as one of the most influential and iconic women of the 21st century," the National Women's Hall of Fame website said. "The National Women's Hall of Fame will celebrate the inclusion of these extraordinary women into the Hall at the biennial in-person induction ceremony on October 2, 2021." The organization said it was closely monitoring the COVID-19 situation in New York state and will plan carefully to ensure that the in-person portion of Induction Weekend is safe for all attendees. Ticket sales will not be opened until April or May, it said. It will host a live virtual streaming of the ceremony, which will be free to the public. The National Women’s Hall of Fame, in Seneca Falls, New York, says it is the United States' oldest membership organization dedicated to honouring and celebrating the achievements of distinguished American women.

Michelle Obama to be inducted into US National Women's Hall of Fame

China ratified the&nbsp;Regional&nbsp;Cooperation&nbsp;Economic&nbsp;Partnership&nbsp;(RCEP) on Tuesday three months ahead of schedule and asked other members to follow suit.

Chinese Commerce Minister&nbsp;Wang&nbsp;Wentao said, “The sooner the agreement enters into force, the sooner the people of the member countries will benefit.”&nbsp;

The agreement is between ten countries from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), China, Japan, South&nbsp;Korea, Australia and New Zealand.

The&nbsp;RCEP&nbsp;pact makes it easier for Chinese companies to run regional supply chains more efficiently.&nbsp;In return, ASEAN countries get better access to China, South Korea and Japan.

The pact needs to be ratified by all countries, which may take time and has different levels of tariff reductions for each country and product.&nbsp;That means labour-intensive countries may get more imports than exports, particularly during the pandemic, over the short-term.

The RCEP is seen as a China-backed alternative to the US-led Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific&nbsp;Partnership&nbsp;(CPTPP)&nbsp;and is touted as the world's largest free trade agreement.

The CPTPP was central to former President Barack Obama's strategic pivot to Asia, linking 11 countries across the Pacific. Trump withdrew the United States from the pact in 2017 before it was signed.

To discourage its partners in the agreement from working with China, the Biden administration is&nbsp;expected to quickly state its intent to rejoin the CPTPP.

The United States is asserting its presence in Asia-Pacific with alternate arrangements, including "the quad" - an informal grouping of Australia, India and Japan and Washington - to counter China's political, commercial and military influence in the region.

China ratified the Regional Cooperation Economic Partnership (RCEP) on Tuesday three months ahead of schedule and asked other members to follow suit. Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao said, “The sooner the agreement enters into force, the sooner the people of the member countries will benefit.

China ratified the Regional Cooperation Economic Partnership (RCEP) on Tuesday three months ahead of schedule and asked other members to follow suit. Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao said, “The sooner the agreement enters into force, the sooner the people of the member countries will benefit.” The agreement is between ten countries from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The RCEP pact makes it easier for Chinese companies to run regional supply chains more efficiently. In return, ASEAN countries get better access to China, South Korea and Japan. The pact needs to be ratified by all countries, which may take time and has different levels of tariff reductions for each country and product. That means labour-intensive countries may get more imports than exports, particularly during the pandemic, over the short-term. The RCEP is seen as a China-backed alternative to the US-led Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and is touted as the world's largest free trade agreement. The CPTPP was central to former President Barack Obama's strategic pivot to Asia, linking 11 countries across the Pacific. Trump withdrew the United States from the pact in 2017 before it was signed. To discourage its partners in the agreement from working with China, the Biden administration is expected to quickly state its intent to rejoin the CPTPP. The United States is asserting its presence in Asia-Pacific with alternate arrangements, including "the quad" - an informal grouping of Australia, India and Japan and Washington - to counter China's political, commercial and military influence in the region.

China gives approval to RCEP trade deal, urges other members to follow suit

Short&nbsp;video sharing app&nbsp;TikTok and its Chinese version&nbsp;its competitor&nbsp;Douyin have become the world's most downloaded non-gaming apps in February.&nbsp;

The apps also&nbsp;remained top-grossing apps for the eleventh consecutive month, according to mobile app data analysis firm Sensor Tower.

Approximately 79 per cent of TikTok’s revenue was from Douyin in China, followed by 8 per cent from the United States and 3 per cent from Turkey.&nbsp;

YouTube&nbsp;was the second highest-earning non-gaming app worldwide for February 2021 with more than $82 million in gross revenue, which represented 23 percent year-over-year growth from February 2020

Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok is famed for trendy and typically urban influencers.

Rapidly growing ByteDance, the owner of TikTok and the similar Chinese short video platform&nbsp;Douyin, has made sizeable inroads into business areas Tencent holds dear - including ads, gaming, live streaming, social media and office software.

In 2018, ByteDance founder Zhang Yiming traded barbs with Tencent founder Pony Ma, accusing Tencent of blocking and copying&nbsp;Douyin, and the feud has since escalated into a volley of lawsuits.

That includes a suit from&nbsp;Douyin&nbsp;last week accusing Tencent of monopolistic behaviour. Tencent said the claims were false, accused&nbsp;Douyin&nbsp;of illegally gaining user information and vowed to file more suits against ByteDance.

Its Beijing-based rival ByteDance spent most of last year battling a potential US ban on TikTok after then-president Donald Trump raised national security concerns about the app.

Short video sharing app TikTok and its Chinese version its competitor Douyin have become the world's most downloaded non-gaming apps in February. The apps also remained top-grossing apps for the eleventh consecutive month, according to mobile app data analysis firm Sensor Tower.

Short video sharing app TikTok and its Chinese version its competitor Douyin have become the world's most downloaded non-gaming apps in February. The apps also remained top-grossing apps for the eleventh consecutive month, according to mobile app data analysis firm Sensor Tower. Approximately 79 per cent of TikTok’s revenue was from Douyin in China, followed by 8 per cent from the United States and 3 per cent from Turkey. YouTube was the second highest-earning non-gaming app worldwide for February 2021 with more than $82 million in gross revenue, which represented 23 percent year-over-year growth from February 2020 Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok is famed for trendy and typically urban influencers. Rapidly growing ByteDance, the owner of TikTok and the similar Chinese short video platform Douyin, has made sizeable inroads into business areas Tencent holds dear - including ads, gaming, live streaming, social media and office software. In 2018, ByteDance founder Zhang Yiming traded barbs with Tencent founder Pony Ma, accusing Tencent of blocking and copying Douyin, and the feud has since escalated into a volley of lawsuits. That includes a suit from Douyin last week accusing Tencent of monopolistic behaviour. Tencent said the claims were false, accused Douyin of illegally gaining user information and vowed to file more suits against ByteDance. Its Beijing-based rival ByteDance spent most of last year battling a potential US ban on TikTok after then-president Donald Trump raised national security concerns about the app.

TikTok and Chinese version Douyin grab number one spot in downloads in February

Russian authorities are suing five social media platforms for allegedly failing to delete posts urging children to take part in illegal protests, the Interfax news agency cited a Moscow court as saying on Tuesday.

Twitter, Google, Facebook each have three cases against them, with each violation punishable by a fine of up to 4 million roubles (around $54,000), and cases have also been filed against Tiktok and Telegram, the report said.

The cases were opened after protests nationwide over last month's jailing of Alexei Navalny, a prominent critic of President Vladimir Putin.

Navalny and his supporters say his 30-month sentence, for alleged parole violations related to an embezzlement case, was trumped up for political reasons, something the authorities deny.

Google declined to comment on the Interfax report. Facebook, Twitter, Tiktok and Telegram did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The cases against Google, Facebook and Twitter will be heard on April 2, the agency said.

Russian authorities are suing five social media platforms for allegedly failing to delete posts urging children to take part in illegal protests, the Interfax news agency cited a Moscow court as saying on Tuesday.

Russian authorities are suing five social media platforms for allegedly failing to delete posts urging children to take part in illegal protests, the Interfax news agency cited a Moscow court as saying on Tuesday. Twitter, Google, Facebook each have three cases against them, with each violation punishable by a fine of up to 4 million roubles (around $54,000), and cases have also been filed against Tiktok and Telegram, the report said. The cases were opened after protests nationwide over last month's jailing of Alexei Navalny, a prominent critic of President Vladimir Putin. Navalny and his supporters say his 30-month sentence, for alleged parole violations related to an embezzlement case, was trumped up for political reasons, something the authorities deny. Google declined to comment on the Interfax report. Facebook, Twitter, Tiktok and Telegram did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The cases against Google, Facebook and Twitter will be heard on April 2, the agency said.

Russia sues Google, Facebook, Twitter for not deleting protest content: Report

China's congress spins out barrage of bold and bizarre ideas

The United States and South Korea have reached a new accord under which&nbsp;they will share the cost of the American military presence in the region.

The State Department said on Sunday that South&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;will increase its contribution to the cost of US&nbsp;forces stationed in the country under an agreement reached with the United States.

The agreement reflects the Biden administration’s "commitment to reinvigorating and modernizing our democratic alliances around the word to advance our shared security and prosperity," a State Department spokeswoman said.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-south-korea-to-conduct-military-drills-north-koreas-reaction-feared-368532" hreflang="en">US-South Korea to conduct military drills; North Korea's reaction feared</a>

The proposed six-year "Special Measures Agreement" will replace the previous arrangement that expired at the end of 2019.

The spokeswoman said the agreement included a "negotiated meaningful increase in host nation support contributions," but gave no further details.

There are about 28,500 US&nbsp;troops stationed in&nbsp;South&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;as deterrence against North&nbsp;Korea. More than 90 per cent&nbsp;of Seoul's contributions under the previous agreement went directly back into the&nbsp;South&nbsp;Korean economy, the spokeswoman added.

The negotiations had been gridlocked after former US&nbsp;President Donald Trump rejected Seoul's offer to pay 13% more, for a total of about $1 billion a year, and demanded as much as $5 billion. Seoul currently pays Washington about $920 million a year.

The deal must still be approved by the&nbsp;South&nbsp;Korean legislature.&nbsp;South&nbsp;Korea's Foreign Ministry confirmed an agreement in principle in a statement but offered no specifics.

“Both sides will make a public announcement and hold a tentative signing ceremony after completing internal reporting procedures. The government will resolve to sign an agreement in a swift manner to resolve its vacuum that has lasted more than a year," the ministry added.

After 9/11 the US launched a war on terror. According to a study conducted by Brown University that fight has spread to over 80 countries.

President Joe Biden has vowed to revitalise US&nbsp;alliances after four years of strains under Trump and build a united front to counter the challenges posed by Russia, China and Iran.

South&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;began paying for the US. troop presence in the early 1990s, after rebuilding its war-devastated economy. The two countries signed a treaty of mutual defence at the end of the 1950-1953&nbsp;Korean War, which provided the basis for the stationing of US&nbsp;forces in&nbsp;South&nbsp;Korea.

Chun said the new deal was a win for the alliance because it would improve the overall conditions for US&nbsp;forces, while the six-year extension would provide much-needed stability

"I hope that this agreement will highlight the fact that 'Korea&nbsp;is not a freeloader' and is and has been a reliable ally," he said.

The announcement came after&nbsp;South&nbsp;Korea's chief envoy, Jeong Eun-bo, arrived in Washington for the first face-to-face talks with U.S. envoy Donna Welton since Biden's administration took office in January.

After the last pact expired, some 4,000&nbsp;South&nbsp;Koreans working for the U.S. military were placed on unpaid leave, prompting the two countries to scramble for a stopgap agreement to let them return to work.

The United States reached an agreement with Japan last month on Tokyo's contribution to the stationing of about 55,000 U.S. forces there, keeping Japan's annual costs steady at about $1.9 billion.

The United States and South Korea have reached a new accord under which they will share the cost of the American military presence in the region. The State Department said on Sunday that South Korea will increase its contribution to the cost of US forces stationed in the country under an agreement reached with the United States.

The United States and South Korea have reached a new accord under which they will share the cost of the American military presence in the region. The State Department said on Sunday that South Korea will increase its contribution to the cost of US forces stationed in the country under an agreement reached with the United States. The agreement reflects the Biden administration’s "commitment to reinvigorating and modernizing our democratic alliances around the word to advance our shared security and prosperity," a State Department spokeswoman said. Also read| US-South Korea to conduct military drills; North Korea's reaction feared The proposed six-year "Special Measures Agreement" will replace the previous arrangement that expired at the end of 2019. The spokeswoman said the agreement included a "negotiated meaningful increase in host nation support contributions," but gave no further details. There are about 28,500 US troops stationed in South Korea as deterrence against North Korea. More than 90 per cent of Seoul's contributions under the previous agreement went directly back into the South Korean economy, the spokeswoman added. The negotiations had been gridlocked after former US President Donald Trump rejected Seoul's offer to pay 13% more, for a total of about $1 billion a year, and demanded as much as $5 billion. Seoul currently pays Washington about $920 million a year. The deal must still be approved by the South Korean legislature. South Korea's Foreign Ministry confirmed an agreement in principle in a statement but offered no specifics. “Both sides will make a public announcement and hold a tentative signing ceremony after completing internal reporting procedures. The government will resolve to sign an agreement in a swift manner to resolve its vacuum that has lasted more than a year," the ministry added. After 9/11 the US launched a war on terror. According to a study conducted by Brown University that fight has spread to over 80 countries. President Joe Biden has vowed to revitalise US alliances after four years of strains under Trump and build a united front to counter the challenges posed by Russia, China and Iran. South Korea began paying for the US. troop presence in the early 1990s, after rebuilding its war-devastated economy. The two countries signed a treaty of mutual defence at the end of the 1950-1953 Korean War, which provided the basis for the stationing of US forces in South Korea. Chun said the new deal was a win for the alliance because it would improve the overall conditions for US forces, while the six-year extension would provide much-needed stability "I hope that this agreement will highlight the fact that 'Korea is not a freeloader' and is and has been a reliable ally," he said. The announcement came after South Korea's chief envoy, Jeong Eun-bo, arrived in Washington for the first face-to-face talks with U.S. envoy Donna Welton since Biden's administration took office in January. After the last pact expired, some 4,000 South Koreans working for the U.S. military were placed on unpaid leave, prompting the two countries to scramble for a stopgap agreement to let them return to work. The United States reached an agreement with Japan last month on Tokyo's contribution to the stationing of about 55,000 U.S. forces there, keeping Japan's annual costs steady at about $1.9 billion.

US and South Korea reach new accord on cost-sharing deal for troops

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