Three female media workers were&nbsp;shot and killed in&nbsp;Afghanistan on&nbsp;Wednesday&nbsp;in what appeared to be the latest targeted killing to rock the country.&nbsp;

The murders came as the US special envoy to&nbsp;Afghanistan&nbsp;Zalmay Khalilzad returned to Kabul this week for meetings with Afghan leaders, in a bid to revive a flagging peace process as a deadline for US troop withdrawal draws closer.

The United States and the Taliban reached a peace deal in February, but many Afghan women worry that it does not include adequate safeguards for their rights.

They fear a US&nbsp;troop withdrawal, the winding down of international engagement and the re-emergence of the Taliban in politics could destroy hard-won gains women have made since 200,&nbsp;&nbsp;from education to freedom of movement.

Lawmaker&nbsp;Fawzia&nbsp;Koofi, a vocal critic of the Taliban,&nbsp;survived an assassination attempt in August, shortly before she flew to Doha to take part in peace talks.

Koofi is one of five women on the 21-member team announced by the government&nbsp;to hold historic talks with the Islamist terrorist&nbsp;group that once banished women from public life. She became&nbsp;the country's first female deputy of the lower house of parliament.

In an exclusive interview with WION's executive editor-in-chief Palki Sharma Upadhyaya, Koofi talks about the latest wave of violence in Afghanistan amid the withdrawal of the US troops from the country.

''Unfortunately, Afghanistan has been in a war for 40 years. Some of us have grown up during the war.&nbsp;Women of the country have been the main victim,'' Koofi said.

''At the end of the day, no one takes responsibility. By silencing women, they think they can get more power,'' she added.

On being questioned regarding the negotiation with the Taliban,&nbsp;Koofi said ''it is an extremely challenging job for any woman as the Taliban does not recognise equal rights for them.''

However, she added that ''We try to demonstrate power and&nbsp;now negotiate real business with them.''

Koofi said that although ''Its a very stressful, difficult task,&nbsp;the aim to end the war keeps me going.''

Women have made huge strides in the conservative country since a ban during Taliban rule of 1996 to 2001 from school, work, politics and going outside without a male relative.

Women occupy a particularly precarious place, as they face cultural barriers and hostility - not just from conservative family members, but also hardline Islamist groups - for pursuing financial independence and greater equality.

When the Afghan government has announced a new council to safeguard women's rights and interests, amid fears peace talks with the Taliban could lead to the loss of hard-won gains,&nbsp;politician and negotiator Koofi,&nbsp;who has been involved in the peace process, said the council would help drive gender equality.

In her interview with WION, Koofi said ''Issue of women rights was on Taliban's agenda during their negotiation in the peace deal even though their&nbsp;interpretation is very different.''

Koofi added she hopes&nbsp;to preserve the rights of the people.&nbsp;

Even an&nbsp;assassination&nbsp;attempt failed to deter Koofi. She shared her inspiring story during the interview.

Koofi is the 19th out of 23 children in her family. She said during the interview that ''my mother has gone through so much as a woman that&nbsp;didn't want another girl to suffer.''

''Our lives, what we experience is also a product of war,'' she added.

Koofi was left out to die in the sun in one of the attempts to kill her.&nbsp;

On being questioned about her inspiration to join politics, Koofi said that it is in her blood since she comes from a political background.

''I come from a political family.&nbsp;My father was a member of parliament, he was killed.''

Koofi experienced injustice and discrimination as a woman when Taliban was in power. This gave her the motivation and determination to change things.

''We have laws to protect women now. There are&nbsp;more women in the peace negotiation and are now unavoidable.''

Koofi said that she gets a chance she will definitely run for the presidency in Afghanistan.

Talking about the meaning of International Women's Day for Afghan women, Koofi said that ''Afghan women have demonstrated resilience, strength and never give up attitude but there are still a lot of women’s issues which are off the radar.

Three female media workers were shot and killed in Afghanistan on Wednesday in what appeared to be the latest targeted killing to rock the country. The murders came as the US special envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad returned to Kabul this week for meetings with Afghan leaders, in a bid to revive a flagging peace process as a deadline for US troop withdrawal draws closer.

Three female media workers were shot and killed in Afghanistan on Wednesday in what appeared to be the latest targeted killing to rock the country. The murders came as the US special envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad returned to Kabul this week for meetings with Afghan leaders, in a bid to revive a flagging peace process as a deadline for US troop withdrawal draws closer. The United States and the Taliban reached a peace deal in February, but many Afghan women worry that it does not include adequate safeguards for their rights. They fear a US troop withdrawal, the winding down of international engagement and the re-emergence of the Taliban in politics could destroy hard-won gains women have made since 200, from education to freedom of movement. Lawmaker Fawzia Koofi, a vocal critic of the Taliban, survived an assassination attempt in August, shortly before she flew to Doha to take part in peace talks. Koofi is one of five women on the 21-member team announced by the government to hold historic talks with the Islamist terrorist group that once banished women from public life. She became the country's first female deputy of the lower house of parliament. In an exclusive interview with WION's executive editor-in-chief Palki Sharma Upadhyaya, Koofi talks about the latest wave of violence in Afghanistan amid the withdrawal of the US troops from the country. ''Unfortunately, Afghanistan has been in a war for 40 years. Some of us have grown up during the war. Women of the country have been the main victim,'' Koofi said. ''At the end of the day, no one takes responsibility. By silencing women, they think they can get more power,'' she added. On being questioned regarding the negotiation with the Taliban, Koofi said ''it is an extremely challenging job for any woman as the Taliban does not recognise equal rights for them.'' However, she added that ''We try to demonstrate power and now negotiate real business with them.'' Koofi said that although ''Its a very stressful, difficult task, the aim to end the war keeps me going.'' Women have made huge strides in the conservative country since a ban during Taliban rule of 1996 to 2001 from school, work, politics and going outside without a male relative. Women occupy a particularly precarious place, as they face cultural barriers and hostility - not just from conservative family members, but also hardline Islamist groups - for pursuing financial independence and greater equality. When the Afghan government has announced a new council to safeguard women's rights and interests, amid fears peace talks with the Taliban could lead to the loss of hard-won gains, politician and negotiator Koofi, who has been involved in the peace process, said the council would help drive gender equality. In her interview with WION, Koofi said ''Issue of women rights was on Taliban's agenda during their negotiation in the peace deal even though their interpretation is very different.'' Koofi added she hopes to preserve the rights of the people. Even an assassination attempt failed to deter Koofi. She shared her inspiring story during the interview. Koofi is the 19th out of 23 children in her family. She said during the interview that ''my mother has gone through so much as a woman that didn't want another girl to suffer.'' ''Our lives, what we experience is also a product of war,'' she added. Koofi was left out to die in the sun in one of the attempts to kill her. On being questioned about her inspiration to join politics, Koofi said that it is in her blood since she comes from a political background. ''I come from a political family. My father was a member of parliament, he was killed.'' Koofi experienced injustice and discrimination as a woman when Taliban was in power. This gave her the motivation and determination to change things. ''We have laws to protect women now. There are more women in the peace negotiation and are now unavoidable.'' Koofi said that she gets a chance she will definitely run for the presidency in Afghanistan. Talking about the meaning of International Women's Day for Afghan women, Koofi said that ''Afghan women have demonstrated resilience, strength and never give up attitude but there are still a lot of women’s issues which are off the radar.

Afghan women play 'crucial' role in Taliban talks, politician and negotiator Fawzia Koofi tells WION

The hunt is on for several young&nbsp;crocodiles&nbsp;that&nbsp;escaped&nbsp;from&nbsp;a&nbsp;breeding&nbsp;farm&nbsp;in the Western Cape province of South Africa, authorities said on Thursday after capturing 26 on overnight patrols.

Officials have urged the public to be on the lookout after a large number of young crocodiles escaped from a commercial breeding farm in Bonnievale in the Cape Winelands District.

Twenty of the young Nile crocodiles were recaptured following operations by CapeNature, the landowners in the area, the owner of the crocodile breeding farm and the South African Police Service.

An unknown number of Nile&nbsp;crocodiles, widespread in Africa,&nbsp;escaped&nbsp;from&nbsp;a Bonnievale&nbsp;commercial&nbsp;breeding&nbsp;farm&nbsp;into the Bree River on Wednesday, sparking a hunt involving police, landowners and conservation officials.

The&nbsp;escaped&nbsp;crocodiles, with a reputation as man-eaters, are 1.2 and 1.5 metres in length, authorities said.

"We've captured 26 at this point but I can't say how many are still on the loose," said Petro van Rhyn, a spokeswoman for CapeNature conversation agency on Thursday.

Bred mainly for leather products, the freshwater&nbsp;crocodiles&nbsp;can grow to an average length of five metres, with adult males weighing more than half a tonne.

"They present medium danger to people because they are&nbsp;farmed animals used to regular feeding and do not hunt for food, but they are wild and instinctive animals," said Western Cape provincial government spokesman James-Brent Styan, urging people to steer clear of the river.

The hunt is on for several young crocodiles that escaped from a breeding farm in the Western Cape province of South Africa, authorities said on Thursday after capturing 26 on overnight patrols.

The hunt is on for several young crocodiles that escaped from a breeding farm in the Western Cape province of South Africa, authorities said on Thursday after capturing 26 on overnight patrols. Officials have urged the public to be on the lookout after a large number of young crocodiles escaped from a commercial breeding farm in Bonnievale in the Cape Winelands District. Twenty of the young Nile crocodiles were recaptured following operations by CapeNature, the landowners in the area, the owner of the crocodile breeding farm and the South African Police Service. An unknown number of Nile crocodiles, widespread in Africa, escaped from a Bonnievale commercial breeding farm into the Bree River on Wednesday, sparking a hunt involving police, landowners and conservation officials. The escaped crocodiles, with a reputation as man-eaters, are 1.2 and 1.5 metres in length, authorities said. "We've captured 26 at this point but I can't say how many are still on the loose," said Petro van Rhyn, a spokeswoman for CapeNature conversation agency on Thursday. Bred mainly for leather products, the freshwater crocodiles can grow to an average length of five metres, with adult males weighing more than half a tonne. "They present medium danger to people because they are farmed animals used to regular feeding and do not hunt for food, but they are wild and instinctive animals," said Western Cape provincial government spokesman James-Brent Styan, urging people to steer clear of the river.

Hunt is on for wild young crocodiles that escaped into South African river

Two astronauts floated outside the International Space Station on Friday&nbsp;to replace ageing batteries for the laboratory’s solar power system, an upgrade needed to keep the outpost running into the next decade, NASA said.

NASA astronaut Kate Rubins and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Soichi Noguchi&nbsp;switched their spacesuits to battery power at 6:37 a.m. EST to begin the spacewalk, which is expected to last&nbsp;for about six and a half hours.

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"What a view!" <a href="https://twitter.com/Astro_Soichi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Astro_Soichi</a> and Kate Rubins are now working outside the <a href="https://twitter.com/Space_Station?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Space_Station</a>, nearly 250 miles (402 kilometers) above the blue orb that's teeming with life. 🌍 <a href="https://t.co/rkkRP3LC7R">pic.twitter.com/rkkRP3LC7R</a>
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Rubins and Noguchi will traverse out the station’s backbone truss structure to the far left (port) side set of solar arrays, the first pair of solar arrays deployed in December 2000. The spacewalkers will work together to complete the installation and configuration of modification kits on solar arrays 4B and 2B, which will enable new solar arrays to be installed to augment the space station’s power supply.&nbsp;

Following solar array modification kit configuration, the Rubins will conduct cable routing for the Bartolomeo platform Parking Position Interface (PAPOS) on the Columbus module, Noguchi will replace a Wireless Video System External Transceivers Assembly (WETA), and the pair will perform other get-ahead work as time permits.

This is the 236th spacewalk in support of space station assembly.

The US&nbsp;National Aeronautics and Space Administration expects it will take about three years to complete the space station’s power system upgrade, which will keep it operational until at least 2024.

Before this month’s spacewalks, ground control teams used the station’s robotic arm to move the new batteries into position and remove the old ones. This robotics work cut the number of spacewalks needed for the project from six to two, NASA said.

The solar-powered station draws power from the batteries when it flies in darkness, circling about 250 miles (400 km) above Earth.

The space station, which is about the size of a five-bedroom house, is a $100 billion research laboratory, owned and operated by 16 nations.

Two astronauts floated outside the International Space Station on Friday to replace ageing batteries for the laboratory’s solar power system, an upgrade needed to keep the outpost running into the next decade, NASA said.

Two astronauts floated outside the International Space Station on Friday to replace ageing batteries for the laboratory’s solar power system, an upgrade needed to keep the outpost running into the next decade, NASA said. NASA astronaut Kate Rubins and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Soichi Noguchi switched their spacesuits to battery power at 6:37 a.m. EST to begin the spacewalk, which is expected to last for about six and a half hours. "What a view!" @Astro_Soichi and Kate Rubins are now working outside the @Space_Station, nearly 250 miles (402 kilometers) above the blue orb that's teeming with life. 🌍 pic.twitter.com/rkkRP3LC7R — NASA (@NASA) March 5, 2021 × Rubins and Noguchi will traverse out the station’s backbone truss structure to the far left (port) side set of solar arrays, the first pair of solar arrays deployed in December 2000. The spacewalkers will work together to complete the installation and configuration of modification kits on solar arrays 4B and 2B, which will enable new solar arrays to be installed to augment the space station’s power supply. Following solar array modification kit configuration, the Rubins will conduct cable routing for the Bartolomeo platform Parking Position Interface (PAPOS) on the Columbus module, Noguchi will replace a Wireless Video System External Transceivers Assembly (WETA), and the pair will perform other get-ahead work as time permits. This is the 236th spacewalk in support of space station assembly. The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration expects it will take about three years to complete the space station’s power system upgrade, which will keep it operational until at least 2024. Before this month’s spacewalks, ground control teams used the station’s robotic arm to move the new batteries into position and remove the old ones. This robotics work cut the number of spacewalks needed for the project from six to two, NASA said. The solar-powered station draws power from the batteries when it flies in darkness, circling about 250 miles (400 km) above Earth. The space station, which is about the size of a five-bedroom house, is a $100 billion research laboratory, owned and operated by 16 nations.

NASA astronauts begin spacewalk to upgrade station power system

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Pope Francis arrives in Baghdad on historic visit to Iraq China will deter Taiwan independence but seeks peaceful ties: Li Keqiang European Union warns China ag

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Ashes and grief are leaving behind&nbsp;footprints of the coronavirus pandemic as the rise&nbsp;in demand for funerals and cremation services throughout the&nbsp;pandemic&nbsp;has increased the workload of those involved in it.

In January 2021, 60 cremations took place at Hollywood Forever Cemetry, compared to only 20 a year ago. In mid-January, the South Coast Air Quality Management District lifted air quality regulations that limited the number of cremations to protect public health.

The workload comes with an emotional toll. In a room with dimmed lights, a few brooms and a cart with heat-protective gear sits a cremation chamber behind golden doors. It's where Eddie Martinez has been spending a lot of time lately.

Martinez's role as&nbsp;crematorium&nbsp;technician and funeral coordinator at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, a Los Angeles landmark and the resting place of thousands of Hollywood legends has increased tenfold.

"I used to be just a funeral coordinator, now I assist with cremations as well. I assist with casketing, with dressing," Martinez, 31, told Reuters. "And, we definitely we had to add more grounds crews, we had to add more burial times."

Before the&nbsp;pandemic, Martinez, who has worked at the cemetery for six years, said the team would do two cremations per day at most. The cremation process can takes up to six hours.

A few months ago, a second shift was added to conduct four cremations and the cemetery will soon be getting a second cremation chamber.

"It was definitely an eye-opener when it started hitting close to home, and to seeing actually, seeing a friend come to me, letting me know that her relatives in our care," Martinez said.

Martinez, a father of three, says he's had a fascination for death and mummies since he was a child, but in seeing it up close, he finds comfort.

"I feel like I'm doing my part in helping the families. I'm doing the part in helping this person, and try just avoid any negative thoughts," Martinez said as he was preparing body remains to be processed.

Signs with social distancing messages are displayed throughout the cemetery. But, Martinez says, it's difficult to tell people not to hug.

"Families emotions come over them and they just go for it and they hug each other, and we can't really do anything about it," he said. "We do what we can to enforce it, but some certain things are just out of our hands. We can't tell people to hold our emotions until they get home and tough it out until we're out of here."

Ashes and grief are leaving behind footprints of the coronavirus pandemic as the rise in demand for funerals and cremation services throughout the pandemic has increased the workload of those involved in it.

Ashes and grief are leaving behind footprints of the coronavirus pandemic as the rise in demand for funerals and cremation services throughout the pandemic has increased the workload of those involved in it. In January 2021, 60 cremations took place at Hollywood Forever Cemetry, compared to only 20 a year ago. In mid-January, the South Coast Air Quality Management District lifted air quality regulations that limited the number of cremations to protect public health. The workload comes with an emotional toll. In a room with dimmed lights, a few brooms and a cart with heat-protective gear sits a cremation chamber behind golden doors. It's where Eddie Martinez has been spending a lot of time lately. Martinez's role as crematorium technician and funeral coordinator at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, a Los Angeles landmark and the resting place of thousands of Hollywood legends has increased tenfold. "I used to be just a funeral coordinator, now I assist with cremations as well. I assist with casketing, with dressing," Martinez, 31, told Reuters. "And, we definitely we had to add more grounds crews, we had to add more burial times." Before the pandemic, Martinez, who has worked at the cemetery for six years, said the team would do two cremations per day at most. The cremation process can takes up to six hours. A few months ago, a second shift was added to conduct four cremations and the cemetery will soon be getting a second cremation chamber. "It was definitely an eye-opener when it started hitting close to home, and to seeing actually, seeing a friend come to me, letting me know that her relatives in our care," Martinez said. Martinez, a father of three, says he's had a fascination for death and mummies since he was a child, but in seeing it up close, he finds comfort. "I feel like I'm doing my part in helping the families. I'm doing the part in helping this person, and try just avoid any negative thoughts," Martinez said as he was preparing body remains to be processed. Signs with social distancing messages are displayed throughout the cemetery. But, Martinez says, it's difficult to tell people not to hug. "Families emotions come over them and they just go for it and they hug each other, and we can't really do anything about it," he said. "We do what we can to enforce it, but some certain things are just out of our hands. We can't tell people to hold our emotions until they get home and tough it out until we're out of here."

Ashes and grief leaving behind footprint of coronavirus pandemic

The world's oldest-known bird in history, Wisdom the albatross, has hatched another chick at the age of 70.

Wisdom welcomed her new baby on 1 February in the Midway Atoll national wildlife refuge in the North Pacific, where more than a million albatross return to nest each year.

Wisdom and her mate, Akeakamai, have been hatching and raising chicks together since at least 2012 when biologists first banded Akeakamai.

US Fish and Wildlife Service biologist Dr Beth Flint said&nbsp;“We also don’t know if she’s the exception. She’s probably just the oldest one we know about.”

According to an estimate by the&nbsp;USFWS,&nbsp;Wisdom has hatched more than 30 chicks over the course of her lifetime.

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🚨Cute baby alert! Wisdom's chick has hatched!!! 🐣😍 
 
Wisdom, a mōlī (Laysan albatross) and world’s oldest known, banded wild bird is at least 70 years old. Biologists estimate she has had at least 30-36 chicks. <a href="https://t.co/cjM8X2clme">https://t.co/cjM8X2clme</a> 
 
📸-Jon Brack/Friends of Midway Atoll NWR <a href="https://t.co/voK0kO27ed">pic.twitter.com/voK0kO27ed</a>
— USFWS Pacific Region (@USFWSPacific) <a href="https://twitter.com/USFWSPacific/status/1357796504740761602?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2021</a></blockquote>
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She was banded in 1956, as part of a long-term research project that has identified more than 260,000 individual albatross since the late 1930s.

As per&nbsp;Sean Dooley, national public affairs manager for BirdLife Australia, ''she only nests every two years, the international bird community looks forward to see if she’s been able to come back and nest.''

“The odds are stacked against them so much, whenever it happens it’s always a cause for celebration.”

Albatross don’t typically lay eggs every year and when they do, they lay only one egg. Each chick that makes it to adulthood makes a difference to for the future of the albatross population.&nbsp;

The world's oldest-known bird in history, Wisdom the albatross, has hatched another chick at the age of 70. Wisdom welcomed her new baby on 1 February in the Midway Atoll national wildlife refuge in the North Pacific, where more than a million albatross return to nest each year.

The world's oldest-known bird in history, Wisdom the albatross, has hatched another chick at the age of 70. Wisdom welcomed her new baby on 1 February in the Midway Atoll national wildlife refuge in the North Pacific, where more than a million albatross return to nest each year. Wisdom and her mate, Akeakamai, have been hatching and raising chicks together since at least 2012 when biologists first banded Akeakamai. US Fish and Wildlife Service biologist Dr Beth Flint said “We also don’t know if she’s the exception. She’s probably just the oldest one we know about.” According to an estimate by the USFWS, Wisdom has hatched more than 30 chicks over the course of her lifetime. 🚨Cute baby alert! Wisdom's chick has hatched!!! 🐣😍 Wisdom, a mōlī (Laysan albatross) and world’s oldest known, banded wild bird is at least 70 years old. Biologists estimate she has had at least 30-36 chicks. https://t.co/cjM8X2clme 📸-Jon Brack/Friends of Midway Atoll NWR pic.twitter.com/voK0kO27ed — USFWS Pacific Region (@USFWSPacific) February 5, 2021 × She was banded in 1956, as part of a long-term research project that has identified more than 260,000 individual albatross since the late 1930s. As per Sean Dooley, national public affairs manager for BirdLife Australia, ''she only nests every two years, the international bird community looks forward to see if she’s been able to come back and nest.'' “The odds are stacked against them so much, whenever it happens it’s always a cause for celebration.” Albatross don’t typically lay eggs every year and when they do, they lay only one egg. Each chick that makes it to adulthood makes a difference to for the future of the albatross population.

World's oldest bird hatches chick at the age of 70

Brazil's top court has ordered an investigation into how tracts of stolen land in the Amazon rainforest inhabited by indigenous tribes came to be put up for sale on&nbsp;Facebook.

Supreme Court Justice Luis Roberto Barroso was responding to a lawsuit filed by charities and opposition parties that accused the Brazilian government of failing to protect indigenous peoples from the coronavirus.

In his ruling, he said some of the areas advertised for sale on Marketplace,&nbsp;Facebook's classified ad space, belonged to the Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau people, who had been exposed to the disease by illegal land-grabbers and left in a "critical situation".

An undercover investigation by the BBC last month found dozens of plots of land in the Amazon occupied by indigenous groups advertised on the site. Many had been deforested.

Facebook&nbsp;did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Last week the tech firm told the BBC it was "ready to work with local authorities" on the issue.

"The decision is based on a documentary broadcast by BBC News last week, which denounced the use of&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;for advertising and marketing land in the Amazon," said the Supreme Court in a statement.

Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon surged to a 12-year high in 2020, according to government data published in November.

Environmentalists say Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro has weakened conservation efforts and raised hopes that new laws would legalise the claims of land-grabbers.

"Invasions and land-grabbing only happen because of impunity," said Ivaneide Bandeira, from the Association of Ethno-Environmental Protection Kaninde, a non-profit organisation that assists the Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"So this decision from Barroso gives us hope that something will change, that the law will work."

Barroso said the investigation should not be restricted to the Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau territory, but should also cover "all other indigenous lands".

Brazil's top court has ordered an investigation into how tracts of stolen land in the Amazon rainforest inhabited by indigenous tribes came to be put up for sale on Facebook.

Brazil's top court has ordered an investigation into how tracts of stolen land in the Amazon rainforest inhabited by indigenous tribes came to be put up for sale on Facebook. Supreme Court Justice Luis Roberto Barroso was responding to a lawsuit filed by charities and opposition parties that accused the Brazilian government of failing to protect indigenous peoples from the coronavirus. In his ruling, he said some of the areas advertised for sale on Marketplace, Facebook's classified ad space, belonged to the Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau people, who had been exposed to the disease by illegal land-grabbers and left in a "critical situation". An undercover investigation by the BBC last month found dozens of plots of land in the Amazon occupied by indigenous groups advertised on the site. Many had been deforested. Facebook did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Last week the tech firm told the BBC it was "ready to work with local authorities" on the issue. "The decision is based on a documentary broadcast by BBC News last week, which denounced the use of Facebook for advertising and marketing land in the Amazon," said the Supreme Court in a statement. Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon surged to a 12-year high in 2020, according to government data published in November. Environmentalists say Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro has weakened conservation efforts and raised hopes that new laws would legalise the claims of land-grabbers. "Invasions and land-grabbing only happen because of impunity," said Ivaneide Bandeira, from the Association of Ethno-Environmental Protection Kaninde, a non-profit organisation that assists the Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau. "So this decision from Barroso gives us hope that something will change, that the law will work." Barroso said the investigation should not be restricted to the Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau territory, but should also cover "all other indigenous lands".

Brazil's top court orders probe into Facebook sale of Amazon land

Britain's Prince Philip, the 99-year-old husband of Queen Elizabeth, has been transferred back to a private hospital after successfully undergoing a procedure to treat a heart condition, Buckingham Palace said on Friday.

Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh who has been hospitalised for more than two weeks, was moved to a London hospital with a specialist cardiac centre on Monday for treatment for a pre-existing heart issue.

The Palace said he had now returned the private King Edward VII’s Hospital where he was first admitted for treatment for an unspecified but non-COVID related infection.

"The Duke is expected to remain in hospital for continuing treatment for a number of days," the palace said in a statement.

Since being admitted to hospital on Feb. 16, the duke has been publicly visited only by his son and heir Prince Charles.

The queen, 94, has remained at Windsor Castle west of London, where the couple have been staying during the coronavirus pandemic, and has continued to carry out her official duties by video.

Britain's Prince Philip, the 99-year-old husband of Queen Elizabeth, has been transferred back to a private hospital after successfully undergoing a procedure to treat a heart condition, Buckingham Palace said on Friday.

Britain's Prince Philip, the 99-year-old husband of Queen Elizabeth, has been transferred back to a private hospital after successfully undergoing a procedure to treat a heart condition, Buckingham Palace said on Friday. Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh who has been hospitalised for more than two weeks, was moved to a London hospital with a specialist cardiac centre on Monday for treatment for a pre-existing heart issue. The Palace said he had now returned the private King Edward VII’s Hospital where he was first admitted for treatment for an unspecified but non-COVID related infection. "The Duke is expected to remain in hospital for continuing treatment for a number of days," the palace said in a statement. Since being admitted to hospital on Feb. 16, the duke has been publicly visited only by his son and heir Prince Charles. The queen, 94, has remained at Windsor Castle west of London, where the couple have been staying during the coronavirus pandemic, and has continued to carry out her official duties by video.

UK's Prince Philip transferred back to private hospital, Buckingham Palace says

Pope Francis lands in Iraq on first-ever papal visit

The San Diego Zoo has vaccinated nine great apes for the coronavirus after a troop of gorillas in its Safari Park became infected, officials said Thursday.

Four orangutans and five bonobos received COVID-19 injections in January and February. Three bonobos and a gorilla also were expected to receive the vaccine, which is experimental.

It was developed by Zoetis Inc., a US&nbsp;firm that produces medicine for animals.

The vaccinations followed a January outbreak of COVID-19 at the zoo's Safari Park. Eight western lowland gorillas got the virus, probably by exposure to a zookeeper who tested positive for COVID-19, officials said, even though employees work masks at all times around the gorillas.

“That made us realize that our other apes were at risk,” Nadine Lamberski, chief conservation and wildlife health officer for the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, told the San Diego Union-Tribune. “We wanted to do our best to protect them from this virus because we don’t really know how it’s going to impact them.”

 
The gorillas had symptoms ranging from runny noses to coughing and lethargy. But they are recovering.

Wildlife experts have expressed concern about the coronavirus infecting gorillas and other endangered apes that share much of their DNA with humans.

Other kinds of wildlife in other locations — from minks to tigers — also have gotten the virus. 
&nbsp;

The San Diego Zoo has vaccinated nine great apes for the coronavirus after a troop of gorillas in its Safari Park became infected, officials said Thursday. Four orangutans and five bonobos received COVID-19 injections in January and February.

The San Diego Zoo has vaccinated nine great apes for the coronavirus after a troop of gorillas in its Safari Park became infected, officials said Thursday. Four orangutans and five bonobos received COVID-19 injections in January and February. Three bonobos and a gorilla also were expected to receive the vaccine, which is experimental. It was developed by Zoetis Inc., a US firm that produces medicine for animals. The vaccinations followed a January outbreak of COVID-19 at the zoo's Safari Park. Eight western lowland gorillas got the virus, probably by exposure to a zookeeper who tested positive for COVID-19, officials said, even though employees work masks at all times around the gorillas. “That made us realize that our other apes were at risk,” Nadine Lamberski, chief conservation and wildlife health officer for the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, told the San Diego Union-Tribune. “We wanted to do our best to protect them from this virus because we don’t really know how it’s going to impact them.” The gorillas had symptoms ranging from runny noses to coughing and lethargy. But they are recovering. Wildlife experts have expressed concern about the coronavirus infecting gorillas and other endangered apes that share much of their DNA with humans. Other kinds of wildlife in other locations — from minks to tigers — also have gotten the virus.

9 great apes get COVID-19 vaccinations at San Diego Zoo

Amnesty&nbsp;International on Friday said that at&nbsp;least 17,000 health workers have died from COVID-19 over the last year.

The organisation&nbsp;called for urgent action to speed up the vaccination of millions of frontline health workers around the world.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The grave warning came as global inequalities in vaccine access continued to widen. More than half the world’s doses have so far been administered in just 10 rich countries, making up less than 10 per cent&nbsp;of the world’s population, while over 100 countries are yet to vaccinate a single person.

With many poorer countries due to receive their first batches of vaccines in the coming weeks and months, the organizations called on governments to include all frontline health workers in their distribution plans,&nbsp;including those often ignored in the pandemic such as cleaners, community health workers and social care workers,&nbsp;in order to save lives and provide safe working conditions. &nbsp;

According to Steve Cockburn, Head of Economic and Social Justice at Amnesty International,&nbsp;“For one health worker to die from COVID-19 every 30 minutes is both a tragedy and an injustice. Health workers all over the world have put their lives on the line to try and keep people safe from COVID-19, yet far too many have been left unprotected and paid the ultimate price.''

“Governments must ensure all health workers, everywhere, are protected from COVID-19. Having risked their lives throughout the pandemic, it’s time they were prioritized for life-saving vaccines. Urgent action must be taken to close the huge global inequalities in vaccine access, so a community health worker in Peru is protected as much as a doctor in the UK.”&nbsp;

The organizations analysed available data published by governments, unions, media and civil society organizations in over 70 countries. However, these figures are likely to be a significant underestimate, given that many governments have not collected official data, or have done so only partially. &nbsp;

The novel&nbsp;coronavirus&nbsp;has killed at least 2,570,291 people since the outbreak emerged in China in December 2019.&nbsp;Based on latest reports, the countries with the most new deaths were Brazil with 1,699 new deaths, followed by United States with 1,016 and Mexico with 822.&nbsp;

Amnesty International on Friday said that at least 17,000 health workers have died from COVID-19 over the last year. The organisation called for urgent action to speed up the vaccination of millions of frontline health workers around the world.

Amnesty International on Friday said that at least 17,000 health workers have died from COVID-19 over the last year. The organisation called for urgent action to speed up the vaccination of millions of frontline health workers around the world. The grave warning came as global inequalities in vaccine access continued to widen. More than half the world’s doses have so far been administered in just 10 rich countries, making up less than 10 per cent of the world’s population, while over 100 countries are yet to vaccinate a single person. With many poorer countries due to receive their first batches of vaccines in the coming weeks and months, the organizations called on governments to include all frontline health workers in their distribution plans, including those often ignored in the pandemic such as cleaners, community health workers and social care workers, in order to save lives and provide safe working conditions. According to Steve Cockburn, Head of Economic and Social Justice at Amnesty International, “For one health worker to die from COVID-19 every 30 minutes is both a tragedy and an injustice. Health workers all over the world have put their lives on the line to try and keep people safe from COVID-19, yet far too many have been left unprotected and paid the ultimate price.'' “Governments must ensure all health workers, everywhere, are protected from COVID-19. Having risked their lives throughout the pandemic, it’s time they were prioritized for life-saving vaccines. Urgent action must be taken to close the huge global inequalities in vaccine access, so a community health worker in Peru is protected as much as a doctor in the UK.” The organizations analysed available data published by governments, unions, media and civil society organizations in over 70 countries. However, these figures are likely to be a significant underestimate, given that many governments have not collected official data, or have done so only partially. The novel coronavirus has killed at least 2,570,291 people since the outbreak emerged in China in December 2019. Based on latest reports, the countries with the most new deaths were Brazil with 1,699 new deaths, followed by United States with 1,016 and Mexico with 822.

Amnesty International says at least 17,000 health workers have died from COVID-19

The European Union warned China on Friday that it may take "additional steps" in response to Beijing's move to grant itself a veto over the selection of Hong Kong lawmakers.

A&nbsp;spokesperson of the bloc said, "The EU calls on the authorities in Beijing to carefully consider the political and economic implications of any decision to reform the electoral system of Hong Kong that would undermine fundamental freedoms, political pluralism and democratic principles."

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/china-removes-hong-kongs-fundamental-structure-from-new-draft-368134/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

China moved to overhaul&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong's electoral system on Friday in a further blow to democracy in the city and unexpectedly set an economic growth target for this year, albeit a modest one, as it kicked off its annual session of parliament.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-court-grants-bail-to-15-of-47-democracy-activists-charged-with-subversion-368020">Hong Kong court grants bail to 15 of 47 democracy activists charged with subversion</a>

During Friday's parliamentary session, Beijing proposed legislation that would tighten its increasingly authoritarian grip on&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;by making changes to the electoral committee that chooses the city's leader, giving it new power to nominate legislative candidates.

The measure, set to be approved during the week-long session of China's rubber-stamp parliament, would further marginalise a democratic opposition, decimated after Beijing imposed national security legislation following anti-government protests that rocked&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;in 2019.

This comes after dozens of pro-democracy protesters were arrested in Hong Kong, including former lawmakers, under the draconian security law that was approved last year.&nbsp;

The European Union warned China on Friday that it may take "additional steps" in response to Beijing's move to grant itself a veto over the selection of Hong Kong lawmakers.

The European Union warned China on Friday that it may take "additional steps" in response to Beijing's move to grant itself a veto over the selection of Hong Kong lawmakers. A spokesperson of the bloc said, "The EU calls on the authorities in Beijing to carefully consider the political and economic implications of any decision to reform the electoral system of Hong Kong that would undermine fundamental freedoms, political pluralism and democratic principles." China moved to overhaul Hong Kong's electoral system on Friday in a further blow to democracy in the city and unexpectedly set an economic growth target for this year, albeit a modest one, as it kicked off its annual session of parliament. Also read | Hong Kong court grants bail to 15 of 47 democracy activists charged with subversion During Friday's parliamentary session, Beijing proposed legislation that would tighten its increasingly authoritarian grip on Hong Kong by making changes to the electoral committee that chooses the city's leader, giving it new power to nominate legislative candidates. The measure, set to be approved during the week-long session of China's rubber-stamp parliament, would further marginalise a democratic opposition, decimated after Beijing imposed national security legislation following anti-government protests that rocked Hong Kong in 2019. This comes after dozens of pro-democracy protesters were arrested in Hong Kong, including former lawmakers, under the draconian security law that was approved last year.

European Union warns China against Hong Kong election rules change

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