Mainland China users of the US&nbsp;audio app&nbsp;Clubhouse&nbsp;said they were experiencing internet access disruptions, stoking concerns it had been blocked by China's so-called Great Firewall.

The repression of Muslim Uighurs, the Tiananmen Square crackdown, and S&amp;M hook-ups, nothing was off-limits in the rambunctious, unfiltered chatrooms of Clubhouse before China's censors silenced the conversation.

The&nbsp;Clubhouse&nbsp;app is only available on iOS devices and is unavailable in the local Apple app store in China, but mainland Chinese users had been able to access the app by modifying the location of their app store.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/chinese-users-flocking-to-us-chat-app-clubhouse-to-evade-censors-361942">Chinese users flocking to US chat app Clubhouse to evade censors</a>

For around a week, robust, open discussion on China pinballed across the American audio app, recently lent an air of exclusivity after an endorsement from Elon Musk.

It offered mainland and Chinese-speaking users a rare space to dissect taboos across politics and society, a plurality of voices normally muted inside China by the Communist Party.

Then late on Monday, an error message appeared to Chinese users logging on without a VPN to establish a secure connection, a telltale sign that state censors had got hold of the debate.

Users of China's Twitter-like social media app Weibo began posting&nbsp;screenshots of a message the app displayed when they tried to open it which said a secure connection to the server could not be made.

"Under Xi, the ban was a matter of time," said Lokman Tsui, a communications professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, of the reflex to scrub unregulated social media sharpened under China's President Xi Jinping.

Users took to Clubhouse chatrooms and other social media platforms to lament the block, which closed a brief window for freewheeling exchanges in a country where overseas networks such as Twitter and Facebook have been banned.

Many Western social media apps including Twitter, Facebook and YouTube are banned in China, where the local internet is tightly regulated and often censored of content that could undermine the country's ruling Communist Party.

Although Chinese versions of the global platforms have emerged and become part of daily life, Chinese users are aware that content posted on them is monitored and censored.

It is common for social media companies to wipe content considered politically sensitive, including protests and criticism of the government, with users devising measures like screenshots and deliberate typos to skirt censors.

'Living a lie'

On Clubhouse last Saturday, however, more than 1,000 users flocked to a chatroom on the mass incarceration of Uighurs and other Turkic-speaking Muslims in China's western Xinjiang region.

Rights groups believe at least one million people are incarcerated in camps in Xinjiang, but Beijing has said they are vocational training centres aimed at reducing the appeal of Islamic extremism.

At least three people identifying as Uighurs shared personal stories in the Clubhouse chat and several others said they were Han Chinese who had lived in Xinjiang.

A woman said her views changed after living abroad exposed her to more information on Xinjiang.

"I had only been living in a huge lie," she said.

But some struck a more defensive note, with a man countering that "re-education camps" were necessary.

Moderators allowed time for people to talk in the Chinese-language chatroom without interruption, in a conversation that only ended the following afternoon.

On Monday, more than 2,000 users gathered in another chatroom discussing the bloody crackdown on Tiananmen Square protests in 1989, a taboo topic in China.

One said the environment was "dangerous for both sides", referring to civilians and authorities, while another called it outdated to claim that students,&nbsp;who participated in the movement -- were easily "brainwashed".

People from Hong Kong and Taiwan also pitched in on, or moderated, China-related topics.

But the frank exchanges were not limited to big politics.

The night after the Xinjiang chat, in another room, gay men swapped explicit stories of booty calls.

Some talked about engaging in unexpected S&amp;M hook-ups, and others shared anecdotes about taking dates home only to be found out by their parents.

But the door soon slammed shut on the unfettered discussion.

The space for free online discussion has "been drastically reduced" since 2013, the year Xi became president, added Emilie Frenkiel, associate professor at Université Paris Est Créteil, who researches political participation and representation in China.

But she added that the chance for open discourse on sensitive topics with other Chinese-speakers like Taiwanese counterparts "even though very risky, is so rare that... many are still willing to seize it".

A search for "Clubhouse invites", previously for sale on a Chinese online marketplace, no longer turns up results.

Since the ban, Chinese speakers returning to the app discussed ways to circumvent the "Great Firewall", and a chatroom ironically praising a pro-Communist Party editor continues defiantly.

But the wider lament was for the end of a precious space for debate which flickered but was never allowed to flare.

"I came here because it did not have speech censorship," one user said.

Mainland China users of the US audio app Clubhouse said they were experiencing internet access disruptions, stoking concerns it had been blocked by China's so-called Great Firewall.

Mainland China users of the US audio app Clubhouse said they were experiencing internet access disruptions, stoking concerns it had been blocked by China's so-called Great Firewall. The repression of Muslim Uighurs, the Tiananmen Square crackdown, and S&M hook-ups, nothing was off-limits in the rambunctious, unfiltered chatrooms of Clubhouse before China's censors silenced the conversation. The Clubhouse app is only available on iOS devices and is unavailable in the local Apple app store in China, but mainland Chinese users had been able to access the app by modifying the location of their app store. Also read: Chinese users flocking to US chat app Clubhouse to evade censors For around a week, robust, open discussion on China pinballed across the American audio app, recently lent an air of exclusivity after an endorsement from Elon Musk. It offered mainland and Chinese-speaking users a rare space to dissect taboos across politics and society, a plurality of voices normally muted inside China by the Communist Party. Then late on Monday, an error message appeared to Chinese users logging on without a VPN to establish a secure connection, a telltale sign that state censors had got hold of the debate. Users of China's Twitter-like social media app Weibo began posting screenshots of a message the app displayed when they tried to open it which said a secure connection to the server could not be made. "Under Xi, the ban was a matter of time," said Lokman Tsui, a communications professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, of the reflex to scrub unregulated social media sharpened under China's President Xi Jinping. Users took to Clubhouse chatrooms and other social media platforms to lament the block, which closed a brief window for freewheeling exchanges in a country where overseas networks such as Twitter and Facebook have been banned. Many Western social media apps including Twitter, Facebook and YouTube are banned in China, where the local internet is tightly regulated and often censored of content that could undermine the country's ruling Communist Party. Although Chinese versions of the global platforms have emerged and become part of daily life, Chinese users are aware that content posted on them is monitored and censored. It is common for social media companies to wipe content considered politically sensitive, including protests and criticism of the government, with users devising measures like screenshots and deliberate typos to skirt censors. 'Living a lie' On Clubhouse last Saturday, however, more than 1,000 users flocked to a chatroom on the mass incarceration of Uighurs and other Turkic-speaking Muslims in China's western Xinjiang region. Rights groups believe at least one million people are incarcerated in camps in Xinjiang, but Beijing has said they are vocational training centres aimed at reducing the appeal of Islamic extremism. At least three people identifying as Uighurs shared personal stories in the Clubhouse chat and several others said they were Han Chinese who had lived in Xinjiang. A woman said her views changed after living abroad exposed her to more information on Xinjiang. "I had only been living in a huge lie," she said. But some struck a more defensive note, with a man countering that "re-education camps" were necessary. Moderators allowed time for people to talk in the Chinese-language chatroom without interruption, in a conversation that only ended the following afternoon. On Monday, more than 2,000 users gathered in another chatroom discussing the bloody crackdown on Tiananmen Square protests in 1989, a taboo topic in China. One said the environment was "dangerous for both sides", referring to civilians and authorities, while another called it outdated to claim that students, who participated in the movement -- were easily "brainwashed". People from Hong Kong and Taiwan also pitched in on, or moderated, China-related topics. But the frank exchanges were not limited to big politics. The night after the Xinjiang chat, in another room, gay men swapped explicit stories of booty calls. Some talked about engaging in unexpected S&M hook-ups, and others shared anecdotes about taking dates home only to be found out by their parents. But the door soon slammed shut on the unfettered discussion. The space for free online discussion has "been drastically reduced" since 2013, the year Xi became president, added Emilie Frenkiel, associate professor at Université Paris Est Créteil, who researches political participation and representation in China. But she added that the chance for open discourse on sensitive topics with other Chinese-speakers like Taiwanese counterparts "even though very risky, is so rare that... many are still willing to seize it". A search for "Clubhouse invites", previously for sale on a Chinese online marketplace, no longer turns up results. Since the ban, Chinese speakers returning to the app discussed ways to circumvent the "Great Firewall", and a chatroom ironically praising a pro-Communist Party editor continues defiantly. But the wider lament was for the end of a precious space for debate which flickered but was never allowed to flare. "I came here because it did not have speech censorship," one user said.

'Party over': Chinese users of Clubhouse app say experiencing internet access disruptions

London's thinnest house&nbsp;which is just 5 feet 6 inches&nbsp;(1.6 metres) at its narrowest point&nbsp;is currently on the market for $1.3 million or&nbsp;1.1 million euros.

Wedged between a doctor's surgery and a hairdressing salon, London's thinnest house is only identified by a streak of dark blue paint.&nbsp;Blink and you could easily miss it.&nbsp;

<img alt="uuu" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="24262ec1-3d45-48e0-881c-65cca2379319" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%287%29_52.jpg" />

The unusual property, originally a Victorian hat shop with storage for merchandise and living quarters on its upper floors, was built sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century.

In a nod to its past, the house still has an old-fashioned glass shopfront with a lamp in the shape of a bowler hat.

David Myers, an assistant sales manager at Winkworth estate agents which is selling the property, said the house was worth its price tag because it's "a unique part of London history".

<img alt="aa" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a276fa60-8869-4d8e-9fcd-1689a1c9f418" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%286%29_56.jpg" />

Different sizes

The dimensions of the house differ throughout.

While the kitchen at the end of the lower ground floor is the house's narrowest spot, it opens up into a dining area that's nearly double the size.

<img alt="aa" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="09560f46-405c-46e1-8044-8ea0fa921455" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_92B7RN.jpg" />

A 16 foot-wide garden lies beyond behind French windows.

The ground floor, which now contains a reception where the old shop would have been, and the first floor are of similar sizes.

The first floor -- where a bedroom and study can be found -- also has a roof terrace with commanding views over the roofs and chimney pots of west London.

Spiral stairs lead from the second floor -- the location of a bathroom and shower room -- up to the master bedroom on the third.

It is accessed by a hatch which opens through the floor to save on space and the bed, which is built-in, takes up an entire end of the room, fitted into the walls on either side.

Myers said the house was for a "young couple or an individual" who "sees the beauty for what it is and will snap it up".

With what the London estate agent described as "unique" period features mixed with art deco and other eclectic interior designs, the house would appeal to buyers who were "arty" or "bohemian".

"There are no houses in London that are 5ft 6in. There are houses in London that are five storeys but don't have such a unique space, such individuality," Myers said.

"From the owners that have owned it in the past, they've all put their own stamp on it," he added.

The price of the house is prohibitive for most in Britain, where the average house price is £256,000, but typical of London's property market.

"It's more expensive because we have everything going on. From somewhere like Shepherd's Bush we can be in the very heart of (London) in within 10 to 15 minutes," the estate agent said.

Thinned-out market

If it meets its asking price, the house will have doubled in value since 2006 when it was sold for £488,500, according to the UK's land registry.

By Myers' estimations, the house is worth more because of its dimensions.

"(In) a lot of parts of London people will use the pound per square footage mark and use it as a benchmark for what are properties going to be worth," he said.&nbsp;

"It doesn't always work like that. When you've got something as individual as this, the price has to be reflected on that."

The impact of the Covid pandemic, which Myers said had been an impetus for families, in particular, to move out of London and take advantage of the space afforded by lower property prices outside the capital, meant the house was unlikely to sell right away.

"(In) a situation such as Covid, where all the fish in the sea have thinned out quite considerably, there are not so many buyers out there.

"And there are fewer buyers for a unique, individual property such as this."

But ultimately the London estate agent was undeterred. "It's chic, it's beautiful, and that's why this house will sell," he said.

London's thinnest house which is just 5 feet 6 inches (1.6 metres) at its narrowest point is currently on the market for $1.3 million or 1.1 million euros. Wedged between a doctor's surgery and a hairdressing salon, London's thinnest house is only identified by a streak of dark blue paint.

London's thinnest house which is just 5 feet 6 inches (1.6 metres) at its narrowest point is currently on the market for $1.3 million or 1.1 million euros. Wedged between a doctor's surgery and a hairdressing salon, London's thinnest house is only identified by a streak of dark blue paint. Blink and you could easily miss it. The unusual property, originally a Victorian hat shop with storage for merchandise and living quarters on its upper floors, was built sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. In a nod to its past, the house still has an old-fashioned glass shopfront with a lamp in the shape of a bowler hat. David Myers, an assistant sales manager at Winkworth estate agents which is selling the property, said the house was worth its price tag because it's "a unique part of London history". Different sizes The dimensions of the house differ throughout. While the kitchen at the end of the lower ground floor is the house's narrowest spot, it opens up into a dining area that's nearly double the size. A 16 foot-wide garden lies beyond behind French windows. The ground floor, which now contains a reception where the old shop would have been, and the first floor are of similar sizes. The first floor -- where a bedroom and study can be found -- also has a roof terrace with commanding views over the roofs and chimney pots of west London. Spiral stairs lead from the second floor -- the location of a bathroom and shower room -- up to the master bedroom on the third. It is accessed by a hatch which opens through the floor to save on space and the bed, which is built-in, takes up an entire end of the room, fitted into the walls on either side. Myers said the house was for a "young couple or an individual" who "sees the beauty for what it is and will snap it up". With what the London estate agent described as "unique" period features mixed with art deco and other eclectic interior designs, the house would appeal to buyers who were "arty" or "bohemian". "There are no houses in London that are 5ft 6in. There are houses in London that are five storeys but don't have such a unique space, such individuality," Myers said. "From the owners that have owned it in the past, they've all put their own stamp on it," he added. The price of the house is prohibitive for most in Britain, where the average house price is £256,000, but typical of London's property market. "It's more expensive because we have everything going on. From somewhere like Shepherd's Bush we can be in the very heart of (London) in within 10 to 15 minutes," the estate agent said. Thinned-out market If it meets its asking price, the house will have doubled in value since 2006 when it was sold for £488,500, according to the UK's land registry. By Myers' estimations, the house is worth more because of its dimensions. "(In) a lot of parts of London people will use the pound per square footage mark and use it as a benchmark for what are properties going to be worth," he said. "It doesn't always work like that. When you've got something as individual as this, the price has to be reflected on that." The impact of the Covid pandemic, which Myers said had been an impetus for families, in particular, to move out of London and take advantage of the space afforded by lower property prices outside the capital, meant the house was unlikely to sell right away. "(In) a situation such as Covid, where all the fish in the sea have thinned out quite considerably, there are not so many buyers out there. "And there are fewer buyers for a unique, individual property such as this." But ultimately the London estate agent was undeterred. "It's chic, it's beautiful, and that's why this house will sell," he said.

In pics: London's 'thinnest' Victorian-era house is on sale for $1.3 million

Hackers broke into the computer system of a facility that treats water for about 15,000 people near Tampa,&nbsp;Florida&nbsp;and sought to add a dangerous level of additive to the water supply, the Pinellas County Sheriff said on Monday.

The hack was noticed quickly and reversed immediately, so no one in the Tampa suburb of Oldsmar was ever in danger, Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said.

But it underscored the broader threat of cyberattacks to US infrastructure, he added.

A computer operator for the Oldsmar water treatment system noticed Friday afternoon someone remotely accessing the plant's controls, Gualtieri said.

The operator watched the mouse pointer move between various functions for several minutes before opening the controls for adding sodium hydroxide to the water.

The hackers then increased the amount of sodium hydroxide, also known as lye, being distributed into the water supply. The chemical is typically used in small amounts to control the acidity of water, but at higher levels is dangerous to consume.

"This is obviously a significant and potentially dangerous increase," he told a press conference.

"Luckily it was caught right away."

Gualtieri said water users were never threatened because even if the hack had not been spotted immediately, it would have taken at least 24 hours for the water with high sodium hydroxide levels to reach consumers.

In the meantime, he added, safety mechanisms would have alerted officials to the change in water quality.

He said the FBI and US Secret Service were called in to help investigate, but so far there were no suspects.

Investigators did not know if the hack came from within or outside the United States, or why Oldsmar was targeted.

"Water systems, like other public utility systems, are part of the nation's critical infrastructure, and can be vulnerable targets when someone desires to adversely affect public safety," Gualtieri said.

The plant employee alerted his employer, who called the sheriff. The water treatment facility was able to quickly reverse the command, leading to minimal impact.

Oldsmar Mayor Eric Seidel said in a news conference on Monday that the affected water treatment facility also had other controls in place that would have prevented a dangerous amount of lye from entering the water supply unnoticed.

"At no time was there a significant adverse affect on the water being treated. Importantly the public was never in danger," Gualtieri said. The affected water treatment facility is a public utility owned by the town, he explained, which has its own internal IT team. Oldsmar is about 17 miles northwest of Tampa and has about 15,000 residents.

TeamViewer, which says on its website that its software has been installed on 2.5 billion devices worldwide, enables remote technical support among other applications.

Hackers broke into the computer system of a facility that treats water for about 15,000 people near Tampa, Florida and sought to add a dangerous level of additive to the water supply, the Pinellas County Sheriff said on Monday.

Hackers broke into the computer system of a facility that treats water for about 15,000 people near Tampa, Florida and sought to add a dangerous level of additive to the water supply, the Pinellas County Sheriff said on Monday. The hack was noticed quickly and reversed immediately, so no one in the Tampa suburb of Oldsmar was ever in danger, Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said. But it underscored the broader threat of cyberattacks to US infrastructure, he added. A computer operator for the Oldsmar water treatment system noticed Friday afternoon someone remotely accessing the plant's controls, Gualtieri said. The operator watched the mouse pointer move between various functions for several minutes before opening the controls for adding sodium hydroxide to the water. The hackers then increased the amount of sodium hydroxide, also known as lye, being distributed into the water supply. The chemical is typically used in small amounts to control the acidity of water, but at higher levels is dangerous to consume. "This is obviously a significant and potentially dangerous increase," he told a press conference. "Luckily it was caught right away." Gualtieri said water users were never threatened because even if the hack had not been spotted immediately, it would have taken at least 24 hours for the water with high sodium hydroxide levels to reach consumers. In the meantime, he added, safety mechanisms would have alerted officials to the change in water quality. He said the FBI and US Secret Service were called in to help investigate, but so far there were no suspects. Investigators did not know if the hack came from within or outside the United States, or why Oldsmar was targeted. "Water systems, like other public utility systems, are part of the nation's critical infrastructure, and can be vulnerable targets when someone desires to adversely affect public safety," Gualtieri said. The plant employee alerted his employer, who called the sheriff. The water treatment facility was able to quickly reverse the command, leading to minimal impact. Oldsmar Mayor Eric Seidel said in a news conference on Monday that the affected water treatment facility also had other controls in place that would have prevented a dangerous amount of lye from entering the water supply unnoticed. "At no time was there a significant adverse affect on the water being treated. Importantly the public was never in danger," Gualtieri said. The affected water treatment facility is a public utility owned by the town, he explained, which has its own internal IT team. Oldsmar is about 17 miles northwest of Tampa and has about 15,000 residents. TeamViewer, which says on its website that its software has been installed on 2.5 billion devices worldwide, enables remote technical support among other applications.

Hackers try to poison Florida by changing chemical levels at water treatment plant

Six exoplanets with rhythmic movement&nbsp;in a planetary system 200-light years away have been found in a rare orbital dance known as the chain of resonance.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-is-a-new-planet-on-its-way-300479/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

According to the&nbsp;European Southern Observatory's&nbsp;Very Large Telescope,&nbsp;the system could provide important clues about how planets, including those in the Solar System, form and evolve.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-discover-cosmic-dust-that-holds-the-ingredients-for-star-birth-361703" hreflang="en">Scientists discover cosmic dust that holds the ingredients for star birth</a>

The first time the team observed TOI-178, a star some 200 light-years away in the constellation of Sculptor, they thought they had spotted two planets going around it in the same orbit. However, a closer look revealed something entirely different.

Adrien Leleu from the Université de Genève and the University of Bern, Switzerland, who led a new study of the system published today in&nbsp;Astronomy and&nbsp;Astrophysics said: “Through further observations, we realised that there were not two planets orbiting the star at roughly the same distance from it, but rather multiple planets in a very special configuration.”&nbsp;

This means that there are patterns that repeat themselves as the planets go around the star, with some planets aligning every few orbits. A similar resonance is observed in the orbits of three of Jupiter’s moons: Io, Europa and Ganymede. Io, the closest of the three to Jupiter, completes four full orbits around Jupiter for every orbit that Ganymede, the furthest away, makes, and two full orbits for every orbit Europa makes.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/we-can-enter-a-black-hole-but-it-will-be-a-lonely-journey-361210" hreflang="en">We&nbsp;can enter a black hole, but it will be a lonely journey</a>

More than just an orbital curiosity, this dance of resonant planets provides clues about the system’s past. “The orbits in this system are very well ordered, which tells us that this system has evolved quite gently since its birth,” explains co-author Yann Alibert from the University of Bern.

<h4 dir="ltr">Disorder in the rhythmic system</h4>

But even if the arrangement of the orbits is neat and well-ordered, the densities of the planets “are much more disorderly,” says Nathan Hara from the Université de Genève, Switzerland, who was also involved in the study. “It appears there is a planet as dense as the Earth right next to a very fluffy planet with half the density of Neptune, followed by a planet with the density of Neptune. It is not what we are used to.” In our Solar System, for example, the planets are neatly arranged, with the rocky, denser planets closer to the central star and the fluffy, low-density gas planets farther out.

“This contrast between the rhythmic harmony of the orbital motion and the disorderly densities certainly challenges our understanding of the formation and evolution of planetary systems,” says Leleu.

<h4 dir="ltr">Combining techniques</h4>

To investigate the system’s unusual architecture, the team used data from the European Space Agency’s CHEOPS satellite, alongside the ground-based&nbsp;ESPRESSO instrument on ESO’s VLT and the&nbsp;NGTS&nbsp;and&nbsp;SPECULOOS, both sited at ESO’s Paranal Observatory in Chile.

Since exoplanets are extremely tricky to spot directly with telescopes, astronomers must instead rely on other techniques to detect them.

The main methods used are imaging transits, observing the light emitted by the central star, which dims as an exoplanet passes in front of it when observed from the Earth and radial velocities,&nbsp;observing the star’s light spectrum for small signs of wobbles which happen as the exoplanets move in their orbits. The team used both methods to observe the system: CHEOPS, NGTS and SPECULOOS for transits and ESPRESSO for radial velocities.&nbsp;

By combining the two techniques, astronomers were able to gather key information about the system and its planets, which orbit their central star much closer and much faster than the Earth orbits the Sun. The fastest (the innermost planet) completes an orbit in just a couple of days, while the slowest takes about ten times longer. The six planets have sizes ranging from about one to about three times the size of Earth, while their masses are 1.5 to 8 times the mass of Earth. Some of the planets are rocky but larger than Earth — these planets are known as Super-Earths. Others are gas planets, like the outer planets in our Solar System, but they are much smaller — these are nicknamed Mini-Neptunes.

Although none of the six exoplanets found lies in the star's habitable zone, the researchers suggest that, by continuing the resonance chain, they might find additional planets that could exist in or very close to this zone. ESO’s&nbsp;Extremely Large Telescope&nbsp;(ELT), which is set to begin operating this decade, will be able to directly image rocky exoplanets in a star’s habitable zone and even characterise their atmospheres, presenting an opportunity to get to know systems like TOI-178 in even greater detail.

&nbsp;

Six exoplanets with rhythmic movement in a planetary system 200-light years away have been found in a rare orbital dance known as the chain of resonance. According to the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope, the system could provide important clues about how planets, including those in the Solar System, form and evolve.

Six exoplanets with rhythmic movement in a planetary system 200-light years away have been found in a rare orbital dance known as the chain of resonance. According to the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope, the system could provide important clues about how planets, including those in the Solar System, form and evolve. Also read: Scientists discover cosmic dust that holds the ingredients for star birth The first time the team observed TOI-178, a star some 200 light-years away in the constellation of Sculptor, they thought they had spotted two planets going around it in the same orbit. However, a closer look revealed something entirely different. Adrien Leleu from the Université de Genève and the University of Bern, Switzerland, who led a new study of the system published today in Astronomy and Astrophysics said: “Through further observations, we realised that there were not two planets orbiting the star at roughly the same distance from it, but rather multiple planets in a very special configuration.” This means that there are patterns that repeat themselves as the planets go around the star, with some planets aligning every few orbits. A similar resonance is observed in the orbits of three of Jupiter’s moons: Io, Europa and Ganymede. Io, the closest of the three to Jupiter, completes four full orbits around Jupiter for every orbit that Ganymede, the furthest away, makes, and two full orbits for every orbit Europa makes. Also read: We can enter a black hole, but it will be a lonely journey More than just an orbital curiosity, this dance of resonant planets provides clues about the system’s past. “The orbits in this system are very well ordered, which tells us that this system has evolved quite gently since its birth,” explains co-author Yann Alibert from the University of Bern. Disorder in the rhythmic system But even if the arrangement of the orbits is neat and well-ordered, the densities of the planets “are much more disorderly,” says Nathan Hara from the Université de Genève, Switzerland, who was also involved in the study. “It appears there is a planet as dense as the Earth right next to a very fluffy planet with half the density of Neptune, followed by a planet with the density of Neptune. It is not what we are used to.” In our Solar System, for example, the planets are neatly arranged, with the rocky, denser planets closer to the central star and the fluffy, low-density gas planets farther out. “This contrast between the rhythmic harmony of the orbital motion and the disorderly densities certainly challenges our understanding of the formation and evolution of planetary systems,” says Leleu. Combining techniques To investigate the system’s unusual architecture, the team used data from the European Space Agency’s CHEOPS satellite, alongside the ground-based ESPRESSO instrument on ESO’s VLT and the NGTS and SPECULOOS, both sited at ESO’s Paranal Observatory in Chile. Since exoplanets are extremely tricky to spot directly with telescopes, astronomers must instead rely on other techniques to detect them. The main methods used are imaging transits, observing the light emitted by the central star, which dims as an exoplanet passes in front of it when observed from the Earth and radial velocities, observing the star’s light spectrum for small signs of wobbles which happen as the exoplanets move in their orbits. The team used both methods to observe the system: CHEOPS, NGTS and SPECULOOS for transits and ESPRESSO for radial velocities. By combining the two techniques, astronomers were able to gather key information about the system and its planets, which orbit their central star much closer and much faster than the Earth orbits the Sun. The fastest (the innermost planet) completes an orbit in just a couple of days, while the slowest takes about ten times longer. The six planets have sizes ranging from about one to about three times the size of Earth, while their masses are 1.5 to 8 times the mass of Earth. Some of the planets are rocky but larger than Earth — these planets are known as Super-Earths. Others are gas planets, like the outer planets in our Solar System, but they are much smaller — these are nicknamed Mini-Neptunes. Although none of the six exoplanets found lies in the star's habitable zone, the researchers suggest that, by continuing the resonance chain, they might find additional planets that could exist in or very close to this zone. ESO’s Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), which is set to begin operating this decade, will be able to directly image rocky exoplanets in a star’s habitable zone and even characterise their atmospheres, presenting an opportunity to get to know systems like TOI-178 in even greater detail.

'Chain of resonance': Six alien planets with rhythmic movement are locked in a rare orbital dance

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Hong Kong tycoon Jimmy Lai denied bail in national security case Myanmar's military government rejects US request to speak to Aung San Suu Kyi WHO says do not d

Hong Kong tycoon Jimmy Lai denied bail in national security case Myanmar's military government rejects US request to speak to Aung San Suu Kyi WHO says do not dismiss AstraZeneca shot after South Africa delays jabs Trump's legal team blasts 'absurd' impeachment on eve of trial Rescuers recover people trapped in Uttarakhand's Tapovan tunnel

Morning news brief: Jimmy Lai denied bail, Myanmar's military govt rejects US request to speak to Aung San Suu Kyi and more

February 09 in history: Invention of volleyball, declaration of emergency by British government and more

Haitian authorities on Sunday arrested nearly two dozen people, including a Supreme Court judge, for their role in an alleged plot to oust President Jovenel Moise that has exacerbated political tensions in the troubled Caribbean country.

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Prime Minister Joseph Jouthe told a news conference at his private residence that a senior police official was also among the 23 people detained with money, guns and ammunition.

"These people had contacted national palace security officials, high-ranking officers of the national palace whose mission was to arrest the president ... and also to facilitate the installation of a new president," Jouthe said, speaking alongside the minister of justice and the chief of police.

President Moise, speaking later at the Port-Au-Prince airport on his way to launch the annual carnival in the coastal town of Jacmel, said the plotters' aim was to make an "attempt on my life".

The arrests come after leading opposition figures this week announced a plan to replace Moise with a new head of state, accusing the president of being authoritarian and presiding over economic chaos in the Western hemisphere's poorest country.

Earlier on Sunday, anti-government demonstrators in Port-Au-Prince clashed with police, who responded with tear gas. There were also street protests against Moise in some other towns.

The opposition plan called for members of civil society and opposition leaders to pick a new president from one of the sitting Supreme Court judges, instead of waiting for general elections scheduled for September.

Moise, who has ruled by decree since mid-January, has stated he would hand over power to the winner of the elections but would not step down until his term expires in 2022.

The US&nbsp;government on Friday urged talks to resolve the crisis while underlining "a newly elected president should succeed President Moise when his term ends on February 2nd, 2022."

Moise has also put in place plans to hold a referendum on amending the constitution in April, with the opposition voicing concerns the vote will not be free or fair and could give Moise too much power.

Haiti&nbsp;has been badly hit by a crippling economic crisis made worse by the coronavirus pandemic.

The country has also been paralyzed over the past year by a spike in kidnappings and a sharp rise in overall crime, which has weighed on the economy and dealt a huge blow to the quality of life for ordinary people.

Haitian authorities on Sunday arrested nearly two dozen people, including a Supreme Court judge, for their role in an alleged plot to oust President Jovenel Moise that has exacerbated political tensions in the troubled Caribbean country.

Haitian authorities on Sunday arrested nearly two dozen people, including a Supreme Court judge, for their role in an alleged plot to oust President Jovenel Moise that has exacerbated political tensions in the troubled Caribbean country. Prime Minister Joseph Jouthe told a news conference at his private residence that a senior police official was also among the 23 people detained with money, guns and ammunition. "These people had contacted national palace security officials, high-ranking officers of the national palace whose mission was to arrest the president ... and also to facilitate the installation of a new president," Jouthe said, speaking alongside the minister of justice and the chief of police. President Moise, speaking later at the Port-Au-Prince airport on his way to launch the annual carnival in the coastal town of Jacmel, said the plotters' aim was to make an "attempt on my life". The arrests come after leading opposition figures this week announced a plan to replace Moise with a new head of state, accusing the president of being authoritarian and presiding over economic chaos in the Western hemisphere's poorest country. Earlier on Sunday, anti-government demonstrators in Port-Au-Prince clashed with police, who responded with tear gas. There were also street protests against Moise in some other towns. The opposition plan called for members of civil society and opposition leaders to pick a new president from one of the sitting Supreme Court judges, instead of waiting for general elections scheduled for September. Moise, who has ruled by decree since mid-January, has stated he would hand over power to the winner of the elections but would not step down until his term expires in 2022. The US government on Friday urged talks to resolve the crisis while underlining "a newly elected president should succeed President Moise when his term ends on February 2nd, 2022." Moise has also put in place plans to hold a referendum on amending the constitution in April, with the opposition voicing concerns the vote will not be free or fair and could give Moise too much power. Haiti has been badly hit by a crippling economic crisis made worse by the coronavirus pandemic. The country has also been paralyzed over the past year by a spike in kidnappings and a sharp rise in overall crime, which has weighed on the economy and dealt a huge blow to the quality of life for ordinary people.

Haiti government denounces plot to oust president, arrests over 20

Hong Kong's top court on Tuesday ordered pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai to stay behind bars as it backed an appeal by prosecutors against granting him bail, in a landmark legal test of Beijing's national security law.

"The appellant's appeal must accordingly be allowed and the judge's decision to grant the respondent bail must be set aside," a panel of judges wrote in their ruling.&nbsp;

"In the meantime, the respondent is remanded in custody," the ruling added.

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Lai, 73, who owns the pro-democracy tabloid Apple Daily, is one of more than 100 democracy supporters arrested under the new law since it was enacted in June, and the highest-profile figure to be incarcerated on pretrial charges.

Lai had been in custody since December&nbsp;3, except for when he was released on bail for about a week late last year.

He was granted a HK$10 million ($1.3 million) bail by a lower court on December&nbsp;23 only for the Court of Final Appeal to bring him back into custody on December&nbsp;31 for another hearing.

Jimmy Lai has been accused by the authorities of colluding with foreign countries by calling on overseas governments to sanction Hong Kong and China in response to an ongoing crackdown on pro-democracy activism in the city.

More than 1,000 of his tweets and a number of media interviews he gave have been examined by the prosecution.

The security law is the most dramatic shift in Hong Kong's relationship with China since it was handed back by Britain in 1997.&nbsp;

It criminalised a host of political views and toppled the legal firewall between the two territories.

Written in Beijing and imposed by fiat, it allows mainland security agents to operate openly in the city for the first time, and even grants China jurisdiction in some cases.

Hong Kong's top court on Tuesday ordered pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai to stay behind bars as it backed an appeal by prosecutors against granting him bail, in a landmark legal test of Beijing's national security law.

Hong Kong's top court on Tuesday ordered pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai to stay behind bars as it backed an appeal by prosecutors against granting him bail, in a landmark legal test of Beijing's national security law. "The appellant's appeal must accordingly be allowed and the judge's decision to grant the respondent bail must be set aside," a panel of judges wrote in their ruling. "In the meantime, the respondent is remanded in custody," the ruling added. Lai, 73, who owns the pro-democracy tabloid Apple Daily, is one of more than 100 democracy supporters arrested under the new law since it was enacted in June, and the highest-profile figure to be incarcerated on pretrial charges. Lai had been in custody since December 3, except for when he was released on bail for about a week late last year. He was granted a HK$10 million ($1.3 million) bail by a lower court on December 23 only for the Court of Final Appeal to bring him back into custody on December 31 for another hearing. Jimmy Lai has been accused by the authorities of colluding with foreign countries by calling on overseas governments to sanction Hong Kong and China in response to an ongoing crackdown on pro-democracy activism in the city. More than 1,000 of his tweets and a number of media interviews he gave have been examined by the prosecution. The security law is the most dramatic shift in Hong Kong's relationship with China since it was handed back by Britain in 1997. It criminalised a host of political views and toppled the legal firewall between the two territories. Written in Beijing and imposed by fiat, it allows mainland security agents to operate openly in the city for the first time, and even grants China jurisdiction in some cases.

Hong Kong's top court denies bail to tycoon Jimmy Lai in national security case

On the eve of Donald Trump's impeachment trial, his legal team Monday denounced the case as unconstitutional, calling it "absurd" to hold the former president responsible for the deadly riot at the US Capitol.

A speech made by&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;in the hours before the riot "was not an act encouraging an organised movement to overthrow the United States government," his lawyers said.

The nine Democrats who will serve as prosecutors hope to persuade members of the evenly divided 100-seat Senate to convict&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;and bar him from ever again holding public office.&nbsp;Trump, a Republican, ended his four-year term on January&nbsp;20, having lost the November&nbsp;3 election to Biden.

Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/preparations-for-donald-trumps-impeachment-trial-begin-in-us-362250" hreflang="en">Preparations for Donald Trump's impeachment trial begin in US</a>

"The intellectual dishonesty and factual vacuity put forth by the House Managers in their trial memorandum only serve to further punctuate the point that this impeachment proceeding was never about seeking justice,"&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;lawyers wrote in a filing in response to a brief by the House prosecutors.

"Instead, this was only ever a selfish attempt by Democratic leadership in the House to prey upon the feelings of horror and confusion that fell upon all Americans across the entire political spectrum upon seeing the destruction at the Capitol on January 6 by a few hundred people,"&nbsp;Trump's lawyers wrote.

In a preview of their prosecuting arguments, Democrats accused Trump of committing the "most grievous constitutional crime" in the 232-year history of the American presidency by inciting his supporters to storm Congress on January 6.

The House of Representatives impeached Trump for a historic second time last month over his role in the deadly siege, and his trial,&nbsp;the first of a former president, begins Tuesday with the Senate's 100 members sitting as jurors.

The chamber's leaders announced they and the legal teams had reached agreement on the rules of the process, which is expected to launch Tuesday at 1:00 pm (1800 GMT) with debate and a vote on the constitutionality of the trial itself.

Arguments will be heard from Wednesday, with each side provided 16 hours over two days.

Trump is a deeply damaged political figure but remains a powerful force in the Republican Party.

Charged with "incitement of insurrection," he is likely once again to avoid conviction due to loyal support in the Senate, but his lawyers contended in their final pre-trial filing that the Constitution does not give the chamber jurisdiction to try a former president.

"The Senate should dismiss these charges and acquit the president because this is clearly not what the framers wanted or what the Constitution allows," his attorneys Bruce Castor, David Schoen and Michael T. van der Veen wrote.

"Indulging House Democrats hunger for this political theatre is a danger to our Republic democracy and the rights that we hold dear."

The defence used blunt language in their 78-page brief, saying it was "simply absurd" to argue that Trump conjured up a mob to commit a violent crime and that those who attacked the Capitol did so on their own.

The lawyers rejected as "patently ridiculous" the trial of a former president, a private citizen who cannot be removed "from an office that he no longer holds."

'Leave it to the Senate'&nbsp;

President Joe Biden, who succeeded Trump on January 20, weighed in Monday but declined to address whether Trump should be found guilty or denied the right to hold political office in the future.

"We'll let the Senate work that out," Biden said.

White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki later told reporters that Biden ran against Trump in 2020 "because he felt he was unfit for office."

"But he's going to leave it to the Senate to see this impeachment proceeding through," Psaki added.

Should Trump be convicted, the Senate will then hold a simple-majority vote on barring him from future public office, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer confirmed.

The congressional Democrats prosecuting the trial, known as House impeachment managers, provided their final counterarguments Monday, pushing back against Trump's legal contentions.

"The evidence of President Trump's conduct is overwhelming (and) his efforts to escape accountability are unavailing," they said in a five-page brief.

"His incitement of insurrection against the United States government,&nbsp;which disrupted the peaceful transfer of power, is the most grievous constitutional crime ever committed by a president."

&nbsp;Loyal conservatives&nbsp;

The proceedings will take place in the very Senate chamber that was raided by rioters, threatening the lives of lawmakers in an effort to stop the ceremonial certification of Biden's election victory.

The impeachment managers argued in an earlier brief that Trump, who rallied supporters in Washington shortly before the mob assault, was "singularly responsible" for the unrest which left five people dead.

And they said acquitting Trump, who escaped conviction in his first impeachment trial in 2020,&nbsp;could do severe damage to American democracy.

But convicting him would require the vote of more than two-thirds of the senators, meaning 17 Republicans would need to break ranks and join all 50 Democrats,&nbsp;seen as near impossible.

Even though Trump retains a strong base of support, the riot has eroded his popularity, not good for a 74-year-old mulling a fresh presidential run in 2024.

Public support for a Trump conviction is stronger now than during his first impeachment trial, according to a new Ipsos/ABC News poll.

Meanwhile, through the leadership agreement, the trial will proceed until sundown Friday, at which point it will pause for the Sabbath, and then resume on Sunday afternoon. The move accommodates one of Trump's lawyers, who is Jewish.

On the eve of Donald Trump's impeachment trial, his legal team Monday denounced the case as unconstitutional, calling it "absurd" to hold the former president responsible for the deadly riot at the US Capitol.

On the eve of Donald Trump's impeachment trial, his legal team Monday denounced the case as unconstitutional, calling it "absurd" to hold the former president responsible for the deadly riot at the US Capitol. A speech made by Trump in the hours before the riot "was not an act encouraging an organised movement to overthrow the United States government," his lawyers said. The nine Democrats who will serve as prosecutors hope to persuade members of the evenly divided 100-seat Senate to convict Trump and bar him from ever again holding public office. Trump, a Republican, ended his four-year term on January 20, having lost the November 3 election to Biden. Also see: Preparations for Donald Trump's impeachment trial begin in US "The intellectual dishonesty and factual vacuity put forth by the House Managers in their trial memorandum only serve to further punctuate the point that this impeachment proceeding was never about seeking justice," Trump lawyers wrote in a filing in response to a brief by the House prosecutors. "Instead, this was only ever a selfish attempt by Democratic leadership in the House to prey upon the feelings of horror and confusion that fell upon all Americans across the entire political spectrum upon seeing the destruction at the Capitol on January 6 by a few hundred people," Trump's lawyers wrote. In a preview of their prosecuting arguments, Democrats accused Trump of committing the "most grievous constitutional crime" in the 232-year history of the American presidency by inciting his supporters to storm Congress on January 6. The House of Representatives impeached Trump for a historic second time last month over his role in the deadly siege, and his trial, the first of a former president, begins Tuesday with the Senate's 100 members sitting as jurors. The chamber's leaders announced they and the legal teams had reached agreement on the rules of the process, which is expected to launch Tuesday at 1:00 pm (1800 GMT) with debate and a vote on the constitutionality of the trial itself. Arguments will be heard from Wednesday, with each side provided 16 hours over two days. Trump is a deeply damaged political figure but remains a powerful force in the Republican Party. Charged with "incitement of insurrection," he is likely once again to avoid conviction due to loyal support in the Senate, but his lawyers contended in their final pre-trial filing that the Constitution does not give the chamber jurisdiction to try a former president. "The Senate should dismiss these charges and acquit the president because this is clearly not what the framers wanted or what the Constitution allows," his attorneys Bruce Castor, David Schoen and Michael T. van der Veen wrote. "Indulging House Democrats hunger for this political theatre is a danger to our Republic democracy and the rights that we hold dear." The defence used blunt language in their 78-page brief, saying it was "simply absurd" to argue that Trump conjured up a mob to commit a violent crime and that those who attacked the Capitol did so on their own. The lawyers rejected as "patently ridiculous" the trial of a former president, a private citizen who cannot be removed "from an office that he no longer holds." 'Leave it to the Senate' President Joe Biden, who succeeded Trump on January 20, weighed in Monday but declined to address whether Trump should be found guilty or denied the right to hold political office in the future. "We'll let the Senate work that out," Biden said. White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki later told reporters that Biden ran against Trump in 2020 "because he felt he was unfit for office." "But he's going to leave it to the Senate to see this impeachment proceeding through," Psaki added. Should Trump be convicted, the Senate will then hold a simple-majority vote on barring him from future public office, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer confirmed. The congressional Democrats prosecuting the trial, known as House impeachment managers, provided their final counterarguments Monday, pushing back against Trump's legal contentions. "The evidence of President Trump's conduct is overwhelming (and) his efforts to escape accountability are unavailing," they said in a five-page brief. "His incitement of insurrection against the United States government, which disrupted the peaceful transfer of power, is the most grievous constitutional crime ever committed by a president." Loyal conservatives The proceedings will take place in the very Senate chamber that was raided by rioters, threatening the lives of lawmakers in an effort to stop the ceremonial certification of Biden's election victory. The impeachment managers argued in an earlier brief that Trump, who rallied supporters in Washington shortly before the mob assault, was "singularly responsible" for the unrest which left five people dead. And they said acquitting Trump, who escaped conviction in his first impeachment trial in 2020, could do severe damage to American democracy. But convicting him would require the vote of more than two-thirds of the senators, meaning 17 Republicans would need to break ranks and join all 50 Democrats, seen as near impossible. Even though Trump retains a strong base of support, the riot has eroded his popularity, not good for a 74-year-old mulling a fresh presidential run in 2024. Public support for a Trump conviction is stronger now than during his first impeachment trial, according to a new Ipsos/ABC News poll. Meanwhile, through the leadership agreement, the trial will proceed until sundown Friday, at which point it will pause for the Sabbath, and then resume on Sunday afternoon. The move accommodates one of Trump's lawyers, who is Jewish.

Former US President Donald Trump's legal team blasts 'absurd' impeachment on eve of trial

The World Health Organization insisted Monday that the AstraZeneca <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">vaccine</a> was still a vital tool in the global fight against the coronavirus pandemic after South Africa delayed the start of its inoculation programme over concerns about its efficacy against a virus variant.

South Africa said on Sunday&nbsp;it would put on hold its use of the&nbsp;AstraZeneca&nbsp;shot after research showing it was only minimally effective in preventing mild-to-moderate illness against a variant of the coronavirus now dominant in the country.

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WHO director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said it was "a concerning news" but noted that the South African study was small and had tested the vaccine using a short four-week interval between the first and second doses. He called on vaccines manufacturers to "adjust" and take into account the variants.

The lead investigator on the South African trial of&nbsp;AstraZeneca's vaccine said he believed the vaccine had a major role to play in Africa and globally, despite data showing it offered minimal protection against mild-to-moderate COVID-19 disease by the country's dominant virus variant.

"It is vastly too early to be dismissing this vaccine," said Richard Hatchett, who heads the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), which co-leads the Covax vaccine facility with the WHO and Gavi after the AstraZeneca shot ran into a number of setbacks, including questions about its efficacy for over-65s.&nbsp;

"It is absolutely crucial to use the tools that we have as effectively as we possibly can," he said, speaking at the WHO's regular bi-weekly press briefing on the coronavirus pandemic.&nbsp;

The AstraZeneca vaccine is currently a vital part of Covax, which was set up to procure Covid-19 vaccines and ensure their equitable distribution around the world.

It accounts for almost all of the 337.2 million vaccine doses Covax is preparing to begin shipping to some 145 countries during the first half of the year, once it receives WHO authorisation, which is expected next week.&nbsp;

But a trial at Johannesburg's University of Witwatersrand concluded the vaccine provided only "minimal" protection against mild to moderate Covid-19 caused by the variant first detected in South Africa.

That was bad news for many poorer nations counting on the logistical advantages offered by the AstraZeneca shot.

South Africa, the continent's hardest-hit nation, had been due to start its campaign in the coming days with a million AstraZeneca doses.

However, the government decided to hold off because of the results from the trial.

"It's a temporary issue that we have to hold on AstraZeneca until we figure out these issues," Health Minister Zweli Mkhize told reporters on Sunday.

South Africa has 1.5 million AstraZeneca vaccine doses, which will expire in April.

AstraZeneca, which developed the shot with the University of Oxford, also stood by its product.

The World Health Organization insisted Monday that the AstraZeneca vaccine was still a vital tool in the global fight against the coronavirus pandemic after South Africa delayed the start of its inoculation programme over concerns about its efficacy against a virus variant.

The World Health Organization insisted Monday that the AstraZeneca vaccine was still a vital tool in the global fight against the coronavirus pandemic after South Africa delayed the start of its inoculation programme over concerns about its efficacy against a virus variant. South Africa said on Sunday it would put on hold its use of the AstraZeneca shot after research showing it was only minimally effective in preventing mild-to-moderate illness against a variant of the coronavirus now dominant in the country. WHO director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said it was "a concerning news" but noted that the South African study was small and had tested the vaccine using a short four-week interval between the first and second doses. He called on vaccines manufacturers to "adjust" and take into account the variants. The lead investigator on the South African trial of AstraZeneca's vaccine said he believed the vaccine had a major role to play in Africa and globally, despite data showing it offered minimal protection against mild-to-moderate COVID-19 disease by the country's dominant virus variant. "It is vastly too early to be dismissing this vaccine," said Richard Hatchett, who heads the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), which co-leads the Covax vaccine facility with the WHO and Gavi after the AstraZeneca shot ran into a number of setbacks, including questions about its efficacy for over-65s. "It is absolutely crucial to use the tools that we have as effectively as we possibly can," he said, speaking at the WHO's regular bi-weekly press briefing on the coronavirus pandemic. The AstraZeneca vaccine is currently a vital part of Covax, which was set up to procure Covid-19 vaccines and ensure their equitable distribution around the world. It accounts for almost all of the 337.2 million vaccine doses Covax is preparing to begin shipping to some 145 countries during the first half of the year, once it receives WHO authorisation, which is expected next week. But a trial at Johannesburg's University of Witwatersrand concluded the vaccine provided only "minimal" protection against mild to moderate Covid-19 caused by the variant first detected in South Africa. That was bad news for many poorer nations counting on the logistical advantages offered by the AstraZeneca shot. South Africa, the continent's hardest-hit nation, had been due to start its campaign in the coming days with a million AstraZeneca doses. However, the government decided to hold off because of the results from the trial. "It's a temporary issue that we have to hold on AstraZeneca until we figure out these issues," Health Minister Zweli Mkhize told reporters on Sunday. South Africa has 1.5 million AstraZeneca vaccine doses, which will expire in April. AstraZeneca, which developed the shot with the University of Oxford, also stood by its product.

WHO says do not dismiss AstraZeneca jab after South Africa suspends vaccine campaign

Aides of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny said they discussed possible sanctions against prominent members of President Vladimir Putin's circle including business tycoons to ramp up pressure on Russia.

Leonid Volkov, the head of Navalny's regional network and another associate Vladimir Ashurkov on Monday discussed via video link with EU states the bloc's "next steps" on Russia.

The video call was hosted by Poland and included envoys from the United States, Canada, Britain and Ukraine, Poland's mission in the EU said on Twitter.

Volkov wrote on the Telegram messenger late Monday that he and Ashurkov discussed "personal sanctions" against billionaires Roman Abramovich and Alisher Usmanov.&nbsp;

He said they also named the head of Russian state bank VTB Andrey Kostin and television executive Konstantin Ernst, among others.

Volkov did not say whether the meeting resulted in concrete agreements, but said Navalny's team will promote personal sanctions against the Putin circle "in the coming weeks and months."

The video call took place at a time of heightened tensions between the European Union and Russia, exacerbated by the arrest and jailing of Navalny.

Moscow on Friday expelled three European diplomats during the visit of EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell to Russia for allegedly taking part in protests in support of Navalny.

On Monday Germany, Sweden and Poland each ordered the removal of a Russian diplomat in retaliation.

EU foreign ministers have said they will debate punitive measures and possible sanctions against the Kremlin when they meet next on February 22.&nbsp;

Aides of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny said they discussed possible sanctions against prominent members of President Vladimir Putin's circle including business tycoons to ramp up pressure on Russia.

Aides of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny said they discussed possible sanctions against prominent members of President Vladimir Putin's circle including business tycoons to ramp up pressure on Russia. Leonid Volkov, the head of Navalny's regional network and another associate Vladimir Ashurkov on Monday discussed via video link with EU states the bloc's "next steps" on Russia. The video call was hosted by Poland and included envoys from the United States, Canada, Britain and Ukraine, Poland's mission in the EU said on Twitter. Volkov wrote on the Telegram messenger late Monday that he and Ashurkov discussed "personal sanctions" against billionaires Roman Abramovich and Alisher Usmanov. He said they also named the head of Russian state bank VTB Andrey Kostin and television executive Konstantin Ernst, among others. Volkov did not say whether the meeting resulted in concrete agreements, but said Navalny's team will promote personal sanctions against the Putin circle "in the coming weeks and months." The video call took place at a time of heightened tensions between the European Union and Russia, exacerbated by the arrest and jailing of Navalny. Moscow on Friday expelled three European diplomats during the visit of EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell to Russia for allegedly taking part in protests in support of Navalny. On Monday Germany, Sweden and Poland each ordered the removal of a Russian diplomat in retaliation. EU foreign ministers have said they will debate punitive measures and possible sanctions against the Kremlin when they meet next on February 22.

Navalny aides say discussed new Russia sanctions with EU

Two U.S. carrier groups conducted joint exercises in the South China Sea on Tuesday, days after a US&nbsp;warship sailed near Chinese-controlled islands in the disputed waters, as China denounced the United States for damaging peace and stability.

The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group and the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group "conducted a multitude of exercises aimed at increasing interoperability between assets as well as command and control capabilities", the US&nbsp;Navy said, marking the first dual-carrier operations in the busy waterway since July 2020.

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In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said the frequent moves by US&nbsp;warships and aircraft into the South China Sea in a "show of force" was not conducive to regional peace and stability.

"China will continue to take necessary measures to firmly safeguard national sovereignty and security and work with countries in the region to firmly safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea," he said.

The exercise comes days after China condemned the sailing of the destroyer, the USS John S. McCain, near the Chinese-controlled Paracel Islands in what the United States calls freedom of navigation operation - the first such mission by the US&nbsp;navy since President Joe Biden took office.

Last month, the US&nbsp;military said Chinese military flights over the South China Sea fit a pattern of destabilising and aggressive behaviour but posed no threat to a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier strike group in the region.

The United States has contested China's extensive territorial claims in the region, accusing it of militarising the South China Sea and trying to intimidate neighbours such as Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam, who have claims that overlap with China's in the resource-rich area.

"We are committed to ensuring the lawful use of the sea that all nations enjoy under international law," Rear Admiral Jim Kirk, commander of the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group, said in a statement.

China has been infuriated by repeated US&nbsp;sailings near the islands it occupies and controls in the South China Sea. China says it has irrefutable sovereignty and has accused the United States of deliberately stoking tension.

China has also been angered by US&nbsp;warships sailing through the Taiwan Strait, including one last week, also the first such operation under the Biden administration.

Speaking in Taipei, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said US&nbsp;ships and aircraft carrying out freedom of navigation operations was reassuring.

"This demonstrates the clear US&nbsp;attitude towards challenges to the security status quo in the Indo-Pacific region," she said.

Two U.S. carrier groups conducted joint exercises in the South China Sea on Tuesday, days after a US warship sailed near Chinese-controlled islands in the disputed waters, as China denounced the United States for damaging peace and stability.

Two U.S. carrier groups conducted joint exercises in the South China Sea on Tuesday, days after a US warship sailed near Chinese-controlled islands in the disputed waters, as China denounced the United States for damaging peace and stability. The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group and the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group "conducted a multitude of exercises aimed at increasing interoperability between assets as well as command and control capabilities", the US Navy said, marking the first dual-carrier operations in the busy waterway since July 2020. In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said the frequent moves by US warships and aircraft into the South China Sea in a "show of force" was not conducive to regional peace and stability. "China will continue to take necessary measures to firmly safeguard national sovereignty and security and work with countries in the region to firmly safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea," he said. The exercise comes days after China condemned the sailing of the destroyer, the USS John S. McCain, near the Chinese-controlled Paracel Islands in what the United States calls freedom of navigation operation - the first such mission by the US navy since President Joe Biden took office. Last month, the US military said Chinese military flights over the South China Sea fit a pattern of destabilising and aggressive behaviour but posed no threat to a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier strike group in the region. The United States has contested China's extensive territorial claims in the region, accusing it of militarising the South China Sea and trying to intimidate neighbours such as Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam, who have claims that overlap with China's in the resource-rich area. "We are committed to ensuring the lawful use of the sea that all nations enjoy under international law," Rear Admiral Jim Kirk, commander of the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group, said in a statement. China has been infuriated by repeated US sailings near the islands it occupies and controls in the South China Sea. China says it has irrefutable sovereignty and has accused the United States of deliberately stoking tension. China has also been angered by US warships sailing through the Taiwan Strait, including one last week, also the first such operation under the Biden administration. Speaking in Taipei, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said US ships and aircraft carrying out freedom of navigation operations was reassuring. "This demonstrates the clear US attitude towards challenges to the security status quo in the Indo-Pacific region," she said.

Two US carrier groups conduct exercises in South China Sea

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Zee News Rajasthan

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Vyomica Berry

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