Families of the three mountaineers who went missing in Pakistan last week while attempting to scale K2, the world's second-highest mountain, were growing more desperate on Tuesday, a day after bad weather halted the search for the climbers.

Hopes for the survival of the three&nbsp;Pakistani climbers Ali Sadpara, John Snorri of Iceland and Juan Pablo Mohr of Chile&nbsp;were waning as heavy clouds continued to obscure K2.

Pakistani military helicopters were grounded, waiting for an opening in the weather to resume the search, said Karrar Haidri, head of the Pakistan Alpine Club.

The three lost contact with base camp late on Friday and were reported missing on Saturday after their support team stopped receiving communications from them during their ascent of the 8,611-metre (28,250-foot) high K2&nbsp;sometimes referred to as ''killer mountain''.

Located in the Karakorum mountain range, K2 is one of the most dangerous climbs ? one never accomplished in winter until last month, when a team of 10 Nepalese climbers made history by scaling K2 for the first time in winter.

The three-day search for the climbers was halted on Monday as heavy clouds enveloped most of K2. The families in a statement late Monday said they made the ''difficult decision''&nbsp;to wait for the weather to improve before the search resumes.

The statement said the search-and-rescue mission was receiving high-resolution satellite imagery that can enable it to view ''areas inaccessible to helicopters because of harsh winter conditions and excessive winds".

In winter, winds on K2 can blow at more than 200 kph (125 mph) and temperatures can drop to minus 60 degrees Celsius (minus 76 Fahrenheit). In one of the deadliest mountaineering accidents ever, 11 climbers died in a single day trying to scale K2 in 2008.

From New York, where she is assisting in the search and rescue mission, Vanessa O'Brien, the first American woman to summit K2, said she has spoken with the families of the climbers as time is running out and the survival of the three seems more impossible with every hour.

Together they crafted the statement thanking all those who have been assisting the search, including the Pakistani military which has been flying the helicopters, even as clouds hid the mountain and made each successive run increasingly dangerous. The family statement said of the search that, before it halted, it was ''72 gruelling hours of nonstop intensive search-and-rescue efforts". The dimming hope was particularly poignant as Tuesday marks the Chilean climber Mohr's 34 birthday.

''The families are so gutted as weather and winds have stopped the search and rescue,''&nbsp;O'Brien said in an email to The Associated Press.

Among those waiting at the base camp was Sadpara's son Sajid Ali Sadpara, who had begun the climb with his father but was forced to abandon the summit attempt after his equipment failed. He waited 20 hours at a lower camp before making the descent last week. Since the search started, he has been on helicopter flights, searching for his father.

''We know only a miracle can bring them back alive and we are waiting for the miracle,? Sajid said on Tuesday. He also said his father had volunteered for dozens of search operations and had ''saved many climbers.''

Dwarfed by Mount Everest, K2 is considered one of the most difficult ascents ''for every four climbers attempting to summit K2, one climber dies, said O'Brien, compared to one in every 20 attempting to climb Nepal's Mount Everest.

Chhang Dawa Sherpa, a member of the Nepalese expedition last month, has also been assisting in the search and rescue, as has Sadpara's close friend Roa Ahmad. 
O'Brien summitted K2 in 2017, after three unsuccessful attempts, becoming the first American and British woman&nbsp;since she holds dual nationality&nbsp;to summit the treacherous peak. It was a ''tough summit," she recounted to the AP. ''Sixteen hours one-way."

Few people would consider something as difficult and dangerous as a summit ascent, she added, but ''mountaineers do it all the time''.&nbsp;

Families of the three mountaineers who went missing in Pakistan last week while attempting to scale K2, the world's second-highest mountain, were growing more desperate on Tuesday, a day after bad weather halted the search for the climbers.

Families of the three mountaineers who went missing in Pakistan last week while attempting to scale K2, the world's second-highest mountain, were growing more desperate on Tuesday, a day after bad weather halted the search for the climbers. Hopes for the survival of the three Pakistani climbers Ali Sadpara, John Snorri of Iceland and Juan Pablo Mohr of Chile were waning as heavy clouds continued to obscure K2. Pakistani military helicopters were grounded, waiting for an opening in the weather to resume the search, said Karrar Haidri, head of the Pakistan Alpine Club. The three lost contact with base camp late on Friday and were reported missing on Saturday after their support team stopped receiving communications from them during their ascent of the 8,611-metre (28,250-foot) high K2 sometimes referred to as ''killer mountain''. Located in the Karakorum mountain range, K2 is one of the most dangerous climbs ? one never accomplished in winter until last month, when a team of 10 Nepalese climbers made history by scaling K2 for the first time in winter. The three-day search for the climbers was halted on Monday as heavy clouds enveloped most of K2. The families in a statement late Monday said they made the ''difficult decision'' to wait for the weather to improve before the search resumes. The statement said the search-and-rescue mission was receiving high-resolution satellite imagery that can enable it to view ''areas inaccessible to helicopters because of harsh winter conditions and excessive winds". In winter, winds on K2 can blow at more than 200 kph (125 mph) and temperatures can drop to minus 60 degrees Celsius (minus 76 Fahrenheit). In one of the deadliest mountaineering accidents ever, 11 climbers died in a single day trying to scale K2 in 2008. From New York, where she is assisting in the search and rescue mission, Vanessa O'Brien, the first American woman to summit K2, said she has spoken with the families of the climbers as time is running out and the survival of the three seems more impossible with every hour. Together they crafted the statement thanking all those who have been assisting the search, including the Pakistani military which has been flying the helicopters, even as clouds hid the mountain and made each successive run increasingly dangerous. The family statement said of the search that, before it halted, it was ''72 gruelling hours of nonstop intensive search-and-rescue efforts". The dimming hope was particularly poignant as Tuesday marks the Chilean climber Mohr's 34 birthday. ''The families are so gutted as weather and winds have stopped the search and rescue,'' O'Brien said in an email to The Associated Press. Among those waiting at the base camp was Sadpara's son Sajid Ali Sadpara, who had begun the climb with his father but was forced to abandon the summit attempt after his equipment failed. He waited 20 hours at a lower camp before making the descent last week. Since the search started, he has been on helicopter flights, searching for his father. ''We know only a miracle can bring them back alive and we are waiting for the miracle,? Sajid said on Tuesday. He also said his father had volunteered for dozens of search operations and had ''saved many climbers.'' Dwarfed by Mount Everest, K2 is considered one of the most difficult ascents ''for every four climbers attempting to summit K2, one climber dies, said O'Brien, compared to one in every 20 attempting to climb Nepal's Mount Everest. Chhang Dawa Sherpa, a member of the Nepalese expedition last month, has also been assisting in the search and rescue, as has Sadpara's close friend Roa Ahmad. O'Brien summitted K2 in 2017, after three unsuccessful attempts, becoming the first American and British woman since she holds dual nationality to summit the treacherous peak. It was a ''tough summit," she recounted to the AP. ''Sixteen hours one-way." Few people would consider something as difficult and dangerous as a summit ascent, she added, but ''mountaineers do it all the time''.

Families despair; weather halts Pakistan search for climbers

Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Sunday said that the upcoming long march planned by the 11-party alliance on March 26 will be held to demand fresh elections as the Imran Khan`s government is `not acceptable`.

During an interview with Geo News, Rehman asserted that the march would not be so "we simply come and go", adding that Prime Minister Imran Khan will be put under public pressure.

Speaking of the alliance`s anti-government campaign so far, he said: "The people`s war is fought in the people`s court." We never needed to approach any other forum against election rigging," added the PDM chief.

Rehman also denied any `secret talks with anyone`, reported Geo News." I or the PDM do not need to speak secretly with anyone," he said."No one, including NAB, can hold me accountable for anything," Rehman remarked when asked about the National Accountability Bureau`s (NAB) probe against him.

Last year, NAB initiated a probe against the PDM chief for illegally buying expensive land. According to Geo News, Rehman was asked to provide details on what he owns, including any inherent properties.

This comes as the PDM announced a long march against the Imran Khan-led government on March 26.

The march is seen as one of the major components of the opposition`s anti-government movement, which began last year.

"Caravans of long march will leave for Islamabad from across the country on March 26," Rehman said on Thursday while adding that the PDM had decided that "we will contest the Senate elections jointly; there will be a joint strategy for it and we will not compete against each other. We will field joint candidates."&nbsp;

Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Sunday said that the upcoming long march planned by the 11-party alliance on March 26 will be held to demand fresh elections as the Imran Khan`s government is `not acceptable`.

Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Sunday said that the upcoming long march planned by the 11-party alliance on March 26 will be held to demand fresh elections as the Imran Khan`s government is `not acceptable`. During an interview with Geo News, Rehman asserted that the march would not be so "we simply come and go", adding that Prime Minister Imran Khan will be put under public pressure. Speaking of the alliance`s anti-government campaign so far, he said: "The people`s war is fought in the people`s court." We never needed to approach any other forum against election rigging," added the PDM chief. Rehman also denied any `secret talks with anyone`, reported Geo News." I or the PDM do not need to speak secretly with anyone," he said."No one, including NAB, can hold me accountable for anything," Rehman remarked when asked about the National Accountability Bureau`s (NAB) probe against him. Last year, NAB initiated a probe against the PDM chief for illegally buying expensive land. According to Geo News, Rehman was asked to provide details on what he owns, including any inherent properties. This comes as the PDM announced a long march against the Imran Khan-led government on March 26. The march is seen as one of the major components of the opposition`s anti-government movement, which began last year. "Caravans of long march will leave for Islamabad from across the country on March 26," Rehman said on Thursday while adding that the PDM had decided that "we will contest the Senate elections jointly; there will be a joint strategy for it and we will not compete against each other. We will field joint candidates."

Pak opposition will demand fresh elections in long march against 'unacceptable' govt, says PDM chief

Avi Loeb, a Harvard professor is claiming&nbsp;scientists have collectively ignored evidence suggesting that an alien vessel paid us a visit.

In his&nbsp;new book, American-Israeli physicist&nbsp;Loeb&nbsp;argues that the simplest and best explanation for the highly unusual characteristics of an interstellar object that sped through our solar system in 2017 is that it was alien technology.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-israeli-official-says-aliens-exist-348428/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe>

Avi Loeb says the evidence holds otherwise and is convinced his peers in the scientific community are so consumed by groupthink they're unwilling to wield Occam's razor.

Loeb's stellar credentials,&nbsp;&nbsp;he was the longest-serving chair of&nbsp;astronomy&nbsp;at Harvard, has published hundreds of pioneering papers, and has collaborated with greats like the late Stephen Hawking,&nbsp;make him difficult to dismiss outright.

"Thinking that we are unique and special and privileged is arrogant," he told in an interview.

"The correct approach is to be modest and say: 'We're nothing special, there are lots of other cultures out there, and we just need to find them.'"&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/neighbours-trash-harvard-professor-claims-celestial-objects-are-space-garbage-354170">Neighbour's trash: Harvard professor claims celestial objects are space garbage</a>

Mysterious visitor&nbsp;

Loeb, 58, lays out the argument for the alien origins of the object named 'Oumuamua,&nbsp;"scout" in Hawaiian, in "Extraterrestrial: The First Sign of Intelligent Life Beyond Earth."

The facts are as follows.

In October 2017, astronomers observed an object moving so quickly, it could only have come from another star -- the first recorded interstellar interloper.

It didn't seem to be an ordinary rock, because after slingshotting around the Sun, it sped up and deviated from the expected trajectory, propelled by a mysterious force.&nbsp;

This could be easily explained if it was a comet expelling gas and debris -- but there was no visible evidence of this "outgassing." &nbsp;

The traveller also tumbled in a strange way, as inferred by how it got brighter and dimmer in scientists' telescopes, and it was unusually luminous, possibly suggesting it was made from a bright metal.

In order to explain what happened, astronomers had to come up with novel theories, such as that it was made of hydrogen ice and would therefore not have visible trails, or that it disintegrated into a dust cloud.

"These ideas that came to explain specific properties of 'Oumuamua always involve something that we have never seen before," said Loeb.&nbsp;

"If that's the direction we are taking, then why not contemplate an artificial origin?"

Sailing on light

'Oumuamua was never photographed close-up during its brief sojourn, we only learned of its existence once it was already on its way out of our solar system.

There are two shapes that fit the peculiarities observed,&nbsp;long and thin like a cigar, or flat and round like a pancake, almost razor-thin.

Loeb says simulations favour the latter and believes the object was deliberately crafted as a light sail propelled by stellar radiation.

Another oddity was the way the object moved,&nbsp;compounding the strangeness of its passage.

Before encountering our Sun, 'Oumuamua was "at rest" relative to nearby stars, statistically very rare. Rather than think of it as a vessel hurtling through space, from the object's perspective, our solar system slammed into it.

"Perhaps 'Oumuamua was like a buoy resting in the expanse of the universe," writes Loeb.&nbsp;

Like a tripwire left by an intelligent lifeform, waiting to be triggered by a star system.&nbsp;

Uniting humanity

Loeb's ideas have placed him at odds with fellow astronomers.

Writing in Forbes, astrophysicist Ethan Siegel called Loeb a "once-respected scientist" who, having failed to convince his peers of his arguments, had taken to pandering to the public.

Loeb, for his part, protests a "culture of bullying" in the academy that punishes those who question orthodoxy,&nbsp;just as Galileo was punished when he proposed the Earth was not the centre of the universe.

Compared to speculative yet respected branches of theoretical&nbsp;physics, such as looking for dark matter or multiverses,&nbsp;the search for alien life is a far more commonsense avenue to pursue, he said.

That's why Loeb's pushing for a new branch of&nbsp;astronomy, "space archaeology," to hunt for the biological and technological signatures of extraterrestrials.

"If we find evidence for technologies that took a million years to develop, then we can get a shortcut into these technologies, we can employ them on Earth," said Loeb, who spent his childhood on an Israeli farm reading philosophy and pondering life's big questions.

Such a discovery could also "give us a sense that we are part of the same team" as humanity confronts threats ranging from climate change to nuclear conflict.

"Rather than fight each other like nations do very often, we would perhaps collaborate."

Avi Loeb, a Harvard professor is claiming scientists have collectively ignored evidence suggesting that an alien vessel paid us a visit. In his new book, American-Israeli physicist Loeb argues that the simplest and best explanation for the highly unusual characteristics of an interstellar object that sped through our solar system in 2017 is that it was alien technology.

Avi Loeb, a Harvard professor is claiming scientists have collectively ignored evidence suggesting that an alien vessel paid us a visit. In his new book, American-Israeli physicist Loeb argues that the simplest and best explanation for the highly unusual characteristics of an interstellar object that sped through our solar system in 2017 is that it was alien technology. Avi Loeb says the evidence holds otherwise and is convinced his peers in the scientific community are so consumed by groupthink they're unwilling to wield Occam's razor. Loeb's stellar credentials, he was the longest-serving chair of astronomy at Harvard, has published hundreds of pioneering papers, and has collaborated with greats like the late Stephen Hawking, make him difficult to dismiss outright. "Thinking that we are unique and special and privileged is arrogant," he told in an interview. "The correct approach is to be modest and say: 'We're nothing special, there are lots of other cultures out there, and we just need to find them.'" Also read: Neighbour's trash: Harvard professor claims celestial objects are space garbage Mysterious visitor Loeb, 58, lays out the argument for the alien origins of the object named 'Oumuamua, "scout" in Hawaiian, in "Extraterrestrial: The First Sign of Intelligent Life Beyond Earth." The facts are as follows. In October 2017, astronomers observed an object moving so quickly, it could only have come from another star -- the first recorded interstellar interloper. It didn't seem to be an ordinary rock, because after slingshotting around the Sun, it sped up and deviated from the expected trajectory, propelled by a mysterious force. This could be easily explained if it was a comet expelling gas and debris -- but there was no visible evidence of this "outgassing." The traveller also tumbled in a strange way, as inferred by how it got brighter and dimmer in scientists' telescopes, and it was unusually luminous, possibly suggesting it was made from a bright metal. In order to explain what happened, astronomers had to come up with novel theories, such as that it was made of hydrogen ice and would therefore not have visible trails, or that it disintegrated into a dust cloud. "These ideas that came to explain specific properties of 'Oumuamua always involve something that we have never seen before," said Loeb. "If that's the direction we are taking, then why not contemplate an artificial origin?" Sailing on light 'Oumuamua was never photographed close-up during its brief sojourn, we only learned of its existence once it was already on its way out of our solar system. There are two shapes that fit the peculiarities observed, long and thin like a cigar, or flat and round like a pancake, almost razor-thin. Loeb says simulations favour the latter and believes the object was deliberately crafted as a light sail propelled by stellar radiation. Another oddity was the way the object moved, compounding the strangeness of its passage. Before encountering our Sun, 'Oumuamua was "at rest" relative to nearby stars, statistically very rare. Rather than think of it as a vessel hurtling through space, from the object's perspective, our solar system slammed into it. "Perhaps 'Oumuamua was like a buoy resting in the expanse of the universe," writes Loeb. Like a tripwire left by an intelligent lifeform, waiting to be triggered by a star system. Uniting humanity Loeb's ideas have placed him at odds with fellow astronomers. Writing in Forbes, astrophysicist Ethan Siegel called Loeb a "once-respected scientist" who, having failed to convince his peers of his arguments, had taken to pandering to the public. Loeb, for his part, protests a "culture of bullying" in the academy that punishes those who question orthodoxy, just as Galileo was punished when he proposed the Earth was not the centre of the universe. Compared to speculative yet respected branches of theoretical physics, such as looking for dark matter or multiverses, the search for alien life is a far more commonsense avenue to pursue, he said. That's why Loeb's pushing for a new branch of astronomy, "space archaeology," to hunt for the biological and technological signatures of extraterrestrials. "If we find evidence for technologies that took a million years to develop, then we can get a shortcut into these technologies, we can employ them on Earth," said Loeb, who spent his childhood on an Israeli farm reading philosophy and pondering life's big questions. Such a discovery could also "give us a sense that we are part of the same team" as humanity confronts threats ranging from climate change to nuclear conflict. "Rather than fight each other like nations do very often, we would perhaps collaborate."

'Occam's razor': Harvard astronomer says that alien vessel paid us a visit

The largest asteroid to fly past the Earth in 2021 is set to make a close approach to the planet on March 21.

Comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge, asteroid 231937&nbsp;or 2001 FO32, will&nbsp;pass within 2,016,351 km of Earth in 2021.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/a-giant-asteroid-just-whizzed-past-earth-and-no-one-had-a-clue-239162/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2001 FO32 is approximately between 0.767 to 1.714 kilometres in diameter.&nbsp;At Congress's direction, NASA has supported a ground-based program to identify the NEOs larger than one kilometre in diameter.

NASA's&nbsp;Jet Propulsion Laboratory has classified 2001 FO32 as a "potentially hazardous asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.

Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs) are currently defined based on parameters that measure the asteroid's potential to make threatening close approaches to the Earth.

The high-altitude explosion of a body 80 meters in diameter above Tunguska, Siberia, in 1908 flattened trees over a broad area. A differently aimed impact of this scale could flatten a modern city, with deaths in the millions.

Bodies larger than about 100 metre in size cause ground-level explosions in the giga-ton, or billions of tons, range. Such impacts would devastate whole countries. There is about a 1 per cent chance&nbsp;that such an impact will occur in the next century.

Assessment of the Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA) population down to 100-meter scales, as part of an organized inventory of the small bodies of the solar system, is recognized as a high priority for NASA's Solar System Exploration program.

Extrapolations from existing surveys suggest that the number of PHAs larger than 100 m is on the order of 10,000 to 20,000.&nbsp;

The largest asteroid to fly past the Earth in 2021 is set to make a close approach to the planet on March 21. Comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge, asteroid 231937 or 2001 FO32, will pass within 2,016,351 km of Earth in 2021.

The largest asteroid to fly past the Earth in 2021 is set to make a close approach to the planet on March 21. Comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge, asteroid 231937 or 2001 FO32, will pass within 2,016,351 km of Earth in 2021. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2001 FO32 is approximately between 0.767 to 1.714 kilometres in diameter. At Congress's direction, NASA has supported a ground-based program to identify the NEOs larger than one kilometre in diameter. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory has classified 2001 FO32 as a "potentially hazardous asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth. Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs) are currently defined based on parameters that measure the asteroid's potential to make threatening close approaches to the Earth. The high-altitude explosion of a body 80 meters in diameter above Tunguska, Siberia, in 1908 flattened trees over a broad area. A differently aimed impact of this scale could flatten a modern city, with deaths in the millions. Bodies larger than about 100 metre in size cause ground-level explosions in the giga-ton, or billions of tons, range. Such impacts would devastate whole countries. There is about a 1 per cent chance that such an impact will occur in the next century. Assessment of the Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA) population down to 100-meter scales, as part of an organized inventory of the small bodies of the solar system, is recognized as a high priority for NASA's Solar System Exploration program. Extrapolations from existing surveys suggest that the number of PHAs larger than 100 m is on the order of 10,000 to 20,000.

'Potentially hazardous': Largest known asteroid to fly past Earth in 2021

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australia-says-journalist-arrested-in-china-for-supplying-state-secrets-362031">Australia says journalist arrested in China for 'supplying state secrets'</a>

<img alt="aa" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="69ccefd4-09d5-499a-8619-c2d21b99c337" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/1604979269-20201110001502587245-original-960x540.jpg" />

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-africa-halts-astrazeneca-vaccinations-over-variant-data-362025">South Africa halts AstraZeneca vaccinations over variant data</a>

<img alt="aa" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f85edd85-59db-4829-806d-df3742fb3500" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%281%29_179.jpg" />

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/josep-borrell-says-russia-is-rejecting-constructive-dialogue-with-european-union-362028">Russia is rejecting constructive dialogue with European Union: Josep Borrell</a>

<img alt="aa" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9f931663-bbd5-4f5e-9009-a52f5968578d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Josep-Borrell.jpg" />

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/at-least-8-rescued-170-labourers-missing-in-uttarakhand-glacier-burst-362027" hreflang="en">At least 8 rescued, 170 labourers missing in Uttarakhand glacier burst</a>

<img alt="aa" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f803de69-1f61-445a-bc67-4875c1c35400" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Shot1.jpg" />

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-president-joe-biden-says-no-to-unilaterally-lifting-sanctions-against-iran-362029/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Australia says journalist arrested in China for 'supplying state secrets' South Africa halts AstraZeneca vaccinations over variant data Russia is rejecting cons

Australia says journalist arrested in China for 'supplying state secrets' South Africa halts AstraZeneca vaccinations over variant data Russia is rejecting constructive dialogue with European Union: Josep Borrell At least 8 rescued, 170 labourers missing in Uttarakhand glacier burst

Morning news brief: China arrests Australian journalist, South Africa halts AstraZeneca vaccinations and more

An Australian news anchor for Chinese state television has been formally arrested and accused of "illegally supplying state secrets overseas", Canberra said Monday, six months after she was detained in China without explanation.

Australia's foreign minister Marise Payne said Chinese authorities informed her that Cheng Lei was formally arrested on February 5, after disappearing from public view and being detained last August.

Meanwhile,&nbsp;a spokesman for China’s foreign ministry told a media briefing that the&nbsp;Australian journalist for Chinese state television&nbsp;is suspected of carrying out illegal activities that endanger the country’s security.

“The Australian national Cheng Lei is suspected of carrying out criminal activities endangering China’s national security, and compulsory measures have been taken and an investigation is underway by the relevant authority,” foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said.

Payne said Australian diplomats had visited Cheng six times since she was detained, most recently on January 27.

"The Australian Government has raised its serious concerns about Ms Cheng's detention regularly at senior levels, including about her welfare and conditions of detention," she said.

"We expect basic standards of justice, procedural fairness and humane treatment to be met, in accordance with international norms."

Cheng was the second high-profile Australian citizen to be held in Beijing after writer Yang Hengjun was arrested in January 2019 on suspicion of espionage. Her detention sent shock waves through China's foreign journalist community.&nbsp;

She has written a number of Facebook posts critical of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Beijing's approach to the coronavirus outbreak.

One post poked fun at Xi's visit in March to Wuhan, the Covid-19 ground zero: "The big story today, Dear Leader's visit, triggered titters in the newsroom,&nbsp;waving to a big TV screen showing the coronavirus hospital in Wuhan apparently equals a visit."

Two other Australian reporters, Bill Birtles and Michael Smith,&nbsp;fled China last September shortly after being interrogated about Cheng.

The incident is bound to&nbsp;further sour&nbsp;already tense relations between the two nations.

Australia’s ties with top trade partner China soured in 2018 when it became the first country to publicly ban China’s Huawei from its 5G network, and worsened after Canberra called for an enquiry into the origins of the coronavirus.

Tit-for-tat diplomatic reprisals have since followed, including raids on the homes of Chinese journalists in Australia, evacuation of some Australian journalists from China and a raft of trade measures imposed by China on Australian exports.

An Australian news anchor for Chinese state television has been formally arrested and accused of "illegally supplying state secrets overseas", Canberra said Monday, six months after she was detained in China without explanation.

An Australian news anchor for Chinese state television has been formally arrested and accused of "illegally supplying state secrets overseas", Canberra said Monday, six months after she was detained in China without explanation. Australia's foreign minister Marise Payne said Chinese authorities informed her that Cheng Lei was formally arrested on February 5, after disappearing from public view and being detained last August. Meanwhile, a spokesman for China’s foreign ministry told a media briefing that the Australian journalist for Chinese state television is suspected of carrying out illegal activities that endanger the country’s security. “The Australian national Cheng Lei is suspected of carrying out criminal activities endangering China’s national security, and compulsory measures have been taken and an investigation is underway by the relevant authority,” foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said. Payne said Australian diplomats had visited Cheng six times since she was detained, most recently on January 27. "The Australian Government has raised its serious concerns about Ms Cheng's detention regularly at senior levels, including about her welfare and conditions of detention," she said. "We expect basic standards of justice, procedural fairness and humane treatment to be met, in accordance with international norms." Cheng was the second high-profile Australian citizen to be held in Beijing after writer Yang Hengjun was arrested in January 2019 on suspicion of espionage. Her detention sent shock waves through China's foreign journalist community. She has written a number of Facebook posts critical of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Beijing's approach to the coronavirus outbreak. One post poked fun at Xi's visit in March to Wuhan, the Covid-19 ground zero: "The big story today, Dear Leader's visit, triggered titters in the newsroom, waving to a big TV screen showing the coronavirus hospital in Wuhan apparently equals a visit." Two other Australian reporters, Bill Birtles and Michael Smith, fled China last September shortly after being interrogated about Cheng. The incident is bound to further sour already tense relations between the two nations. Australia’s ties with top trade partner China soured in 2018 when it became the first country to publicly ban China’s Huawei from its 5G network, and worsened after Canberra called for an enquiry into the origins of the coronavirus. Tit-for-tat diplomatic reprisals have since followed, including raids on the homes of Chinese journalists in Australia, evacuation of some Australian journalists from China and a raft of trade measures imposed by China on Australian exports.

Australia says journalist arrested in China for 'supplying state secrets'

February 08 in history: Beheading of Queen of Scots, establishment of East Germany's notorious secret police and more

Russia is rejecting constructive dialogue with the EU and that Europe must draw the consequences, including the possibility of new sanctions according to the bloc's top diplomat Josep Borell.

In a blog post, Josep Borrell said the shock expulsion of three EU diplomats during his two-day visit to Moscow, showed that Russia "did not want to seize this opportunity to have a more constructive dialogue with the EU".

The bloc "will have to draw the consequences" he wrote, insisting that "it will be for member states to decide the next steps, and yes, these could include sanctions."

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russia-expelled-3-european-diplomats-over-navalny-protest-361786/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Borrell's trip, which ended on Saturday, had been a controversial journey that divided the EU's 27 member states, with France and Germany backing dialogue with the Kremlin.

Other countries backed a harder line after the jailing of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny and a crackdown on pro-Navalny protesters that has seen more than 10,000 people arrested in recent weeks.

Borrell's trip took a negative turn when Moscow expelled diplomats from Poland, Germany and Sweden just hours after he met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to discuss ties.

The former Spanish foreign minister described the trip as "very complicated" and said he returned to Brussels "with deep concerns".&nbsp;

"It seems that Russia is progressively disconnecting itself from Europe and looking at democratic values as an existential threat," he said.

Borrell defended his visit arguing that criticising Russia from a distance "will not bring greater security to the European Union".&nbsp;

"We have to face challenges, including meeting others in their home turf, just when negative events are unfolding" in order to better assess the action to take.

"If we want a safer world for tomorrow, we have to act decidedly today and be ready to take some risks," he said.

Borrell will debrief his trip to foreign ministers from the 27 member states on February 22 and EU leaders will discuss their strained ties with Moscow at a summit in March.

Drawing up EU sanctions are strictly up to the member&nbsp;states and require unanimity among the 27.

Russia is rejecting constructive dialogue with the EU and that Europe must draw the consequences, including the possibility of new sanctions according to the bloc's top diplomat Josep Borell.

Russia is rejecting constructive dialogue with the EU and that Europe must draw the consequences, including the possibility of new sanctions according to the bloc's top diplomat Josep Borell. In a blog post, Josep Borrell said the shock expulsion of three EU diplomats during his two-day visit to Moscow, showed that Russia "did not want to seize this opportunity to have a more constructive dialogue with the EU". The bloc "will have to draw the consequences" he wrote, insisting that "it will be for member states to decide the next steps, and yes, these could include sanctions." Borrell's trip, which ended on Saturday, had been a controversial journey that divided the EU's 27 member states, with France and Germany backing dialogue with the Kremlin. Other countries backed a harder line after the jailing of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny and a crackdown on pro-Navalny protesters that has seen more than 10,000 people arrested in recent weeks. Borrell's trip took a negative turn when Moscow expelled diplomats from Poland, Germany and Sweden just hours after he met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to discuss ties. The former Spanish foreign minister described the trip as "very complicated" and said he returned to Brussels "with deep concerns". "It seems that Russia is progressively disconnecting itself from Europe and looking at democratic values as an existential threat," he said. Borrell defended his visit arguing that criticising Russia from a distance "will not bring greater security to the European Union". "We have to face challenges, including meeting others in their home turf, just when negative events are unfolding" in order to better assess the action to take. "If we want a safer world for tomorrow, we have to act decidedly today and be ready to take some risks," he said. Borrell will debrief his trip to foreign ministers from the 27 member states on February 22 and EU leaders will discuss their strained ties with Moscow at a summit in March. Drawing up EU sanctions are strictly up to the member states and require unanimity among the 27.

Josep Borrell says Russia is rejecting constructive dialogue with European Union

Nepal on Sunday offered condolences to the families of the victims of a glacial burst in Chamoli district in Uttarakhand that has led to massive flooding in the state.

In a Twitter post, Nepal`s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was saddened by the news of death and missing of many individuals due to the flash floods in Uttarakhand.

Also see|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/uttarakhand-landslide-rescue-operation-underway-after-glacier-burst-in-indian-himalayas-362117" hreflang="en">In pics: Rescue operation underway after glacier burst in Indian Himalayas</a>

"We are saddened by the news of death and missing of many individuals due to flash flood caused by an avalanche in Uttarakhand, India. We express deep condolences to the bereaved family members of the deceased and pray for the safety of those missing.@PradeepgyawaliK @PaudyalBR," tweeted MOFA Nepal.

A glacier broke in the Tapovan-Reni area of Chamoli District of Uttarakhand on Sunday led to massive flooding in Dhauliganga and Alaknanda Rivers and damaged houses and the nearby Rishiganga power project.

Following the incident, leaders across the world including French President Emmanuel Macron and Japanese Ambassador to India Satoshi Suzuki expressed condolences to the victims of the glacial burst.

In a tweet, the US State Department said: "Our deepest condolences to those affected by the glacier burst and landslide in India. We grieve with the family and friends of the deceased and extend our hopes for a speedy and full recovery for the injured."The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has rescued all 16 people who were trapped in the tunnel near the Tapovan area following a glacier burst.

The ITBP was carrying out the rescue operation at the tunnel near Tapovan dam in Chamoli to rescue trapped people. At least nine bodies have been recovered from the National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) site in the Tapovan area, informed SS Deswal, Director General, ITBP.

"We are assuming that around 125 people are missing. The number can be higher," said Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat.&nbsp;

Nepal on Sunday offered condolences to the families of the victims of a glacial burst in Chamoli district in Uttarakhand that has led to massive flooding in the state.

Nepal on Sunday offered condolences to the families of the victims of a glacial burst in Chamoli district in Uttarakhand that has led to massive flooding in the state. In a Twitter post, Nepal`s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was saddened by the news of death and missing of many individuals due to the flash floods in Uttarakhand. Also see| In pics: Rescue operation underway after glacier burst in Indian Himalayas "We are saddened by the news of death and missing of many individuals due to flash flood caused by an avalanche in Uttarakhand, India. We express deep condolences to the bereaved family members of the deceased and pray for the safety of those missing.@PradeepgyawaliK @PaudyalBR," tweeted MOFA Nepal. A glacier broke in the Tapovan-Reni area of Chamoli District of Uttarakhand on Sunday led to massive flooding in Dhauliganga and Alaknanda Rivers and damaged houses and the nearby Rishiganga power project. Following the incident, leaders across the world including French President Emmanuel Macron and Japanese Ambassador to India Satoshi Suzuki expressed condolences to the victims of the glacial burst. In a tweet, the US State Department said: "Our deepest condolences to those affected by the glacier burst and landslide in India. We grieve with the family and friends of the deceased and extend our hopes for a speedy and full recovery for the injured."The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has rescued all 16 people who were trapped in the tunnel near the Tapovan area following a glacier burst. The ITBP was carrying out the rescue operation at the tunnel near Tapovan dam in Chamoli to rescue trapped people. At least nine bodies have been recovered from the National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) site in the Tapovan area, informed SS Deswal, Director General, ITBP. "We are assuming that around 125 people are missing. The number can be higher," said Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat.

Nepal expresses condolences to families of Uttarakhand's glacial burst victims

Donald Trump's defenders in the Senate on Sunday rallied around the former president before his impeachment trial, dismissing it as a waste of time and arguing that the former president's fiery speech before the US Capitol insurrection does not make him responsible for the violence of January 6.

''If being held accountable means being impeached by the House and being convicted by the Senate, the answer to that is no,'' said Republican Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi, making clear his belief that Trump should and will be acquitted. Asked if Congress could consider other punishment, such as censure, Wicker said the Democratic-led House had that option earlier but rejected it in favour of impeaching him.

The Senate is set to launch the impeachment trial Tuesday to consider the charge that Trump's fighting words to protesters at a Capitol rally, as well as weeks of falsehoods about a stolen and rigged presidential election, provoked a mob to storm the Capitol. Five people as a result of the melee, including a police officer.

Many senators including Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell immediately denounced the violence and pointed a finger of blame at Trump.

Following the riot, Wicker said Americans ''will not stand for this kind of attack on the rule of law''&nbsp;and without naming names, said ''we must prosecute''&nbsp;those who undermine democracy.

But with Trump now gone from the presidency, Republicans have shown little political appetite to take further action, such as an impeachment conviction that could lead to barring him from running for future office.

Those partisan divisions appear to be hardening ahead of Trump's trial, a sign of his continuing grip on the GOP.

On Sunday, Wicker described Trump's impeachment trial as a ''meaningless messaging partisan exercise."

When asked if Trump's conduct should be more deserving of impeachment than President Bill Clinton's, whom Wicker voted to impeach, he said: ''I'm not conceding that President Trump incited an insurrection.''

Clinton's impeachment, in 1998, was sparked by his false denial in a deposition of a sexual relationship with a White House intern.

Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky dismissed Trump's trial as a farce with ''zero chance of conviction,''&nbsp;describing Trump's words to protesters to ''fight like hell''&nbsp;as Congress was voting to ratify Joe Biden's presidential victory as ''figurative''&nbsp;speech.

''If we're going to criminalise speech, and somehow impeach everybody who says, Go fight to hear your voices heard,' I mean really we ought to impeach Chuck Schumer then,? Paul said, referring to the now Democratic Senate majority leader and his criticisms of Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh.

''He went to the Supreme Court, stood in front of the Supreme Court and said specifically, Hey Gorsuch, Hey Kavanaugh, you've unleashed a whirlwind. And you're going to pay the price.'' 
Paul noted that Chief Justice John Roberts had declined to preside over this week's impeachment proceeding because Trump was no longer president.

Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy will preside over the trial as Senate president pro tempore.

''It is a farce, it is unconstitutional. But more than anything it's unwise, and going to divide the country,''&nbsp;Paul said.

Last month, Paul forced a vote to set aside the trial as unconstitutional because Trump is no longer in office, which legal experts say is disputable. But the vote suggested the near impossibility in reaching a conviction in a Senate where Democrats hold 50 seats but a two-thirds vote&nbsp;or 67 senators&nbsp;would be needed to convict Trump.

Forty-four Republican senators sided with Paul and voted to oppose holding an impeachment trial at all.

Five Republican senators joined with Democrats to reject Paul's motion: Mitt Romney of Utah, Ben Sasse of Nebraska, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania.

Some Republicans have said the vote doesn't ''bind''&nbsp;them into voting a particular way on conviction, with Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy on Louisiana saying Sunday he would listen carefully to the evidence. But even Trump's sharper GOP critics on Sunday acknowledged the widely expected outcome.

''You did have 45 Republican senators vote to suggest that they didn't think it was appropriate to conduct a trial, so you can infer how likely it is that those folks will vote to convict,''&nbsp;said Toomey, who has made clear he believes Trump committed ''impeachable offenses.''

''I still think the best outcome would have been for the president to resign''&nbsp;before he left office, he said. ''Obviously he chose not to do that.''

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, one of Trump's ardent defenders, said he believes Trump's actions were wrong and ''he's going to have a place in history for all of this,''&nbsp;but insisted it's not the Senate's job to judge.

''It's not a question of how the trial ends, it's a question of when it ends,''&nbsp;Graham said.

''Republicans are going to view this as an unconstitutional exercise, and the only question is, will they call witnesses, how long does the trial take.&nbsp;But the outcome is really not in doubt.''

Donald Trump's defenders in the Senate on Sunday rallied around the former president before his impeachment trial, dismissing it as a waste of time and arguing that the former president's fiery speech before the US Capitol insurrection does not make him responsible for the violence of January 6.

Donald Trump's defenders in the Senate on Sunday rallied around the former president before his impeachment trial, dismissing it as a waste of time and arguing that the former president's fiery speech before the US Capitol insurrection does not make him responsible for the violence of January 6. ''If being held accountable means being impeached by the House and being convicted by the Senate, the answer to that is no,'' said Republican Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi, making clear his belief that Trump should and will be acquitted. Asked if Congress could consider other punishment, such as censure, Wicker said the Democratic-led House had that option earlier but rejected it in favour of impeaching him. The Senate is set to launch the impeachment trial Tuesday to consider the charge that Trump's fighting words to protesters at a Capitol rally, as well as weeks of falsehoods about a stolen and rigged presidential election, provoked a mob to storm the Capitol. Five people as a result of the melee, including a police officer. Many senators including Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell immediately denounced the violence and pointed a finger of blame at Trump. Following the riot, Wicker said Americans ''will not stand for this kind of attack on the rule of law'' and without naming names, said ''we must prosecute'' those who undermine democracy. But with Trump now gone from the presidency, Republicans have shown little political appetite to take further action, such as an impeachment conviction that could lead to barring him from running for future office. Those partisan divisions appear to be hardening ahead of Trump's trial, a sign of his continuing grip on the GOP. On Sunday, Wicker described Trump's impeachment trial as a ''meaningless messaging partisan exercise." When asked if Trump's conduct should be more deserving of impeachment than President Bill Clinton's, whom Wicker voted to impeach, he said: ''I'm not conceding that President Trump incited an insurrection.'' Clinton's impeachment, in 1998, was sparked by his false denial in a deposition of a sexual relationship with a White House intern. Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky dismissed Trump's trial as a farce with ''zero chance of conviction,'' describing Trump's words to protesters to ''fight like hell'' as Congress was voting to ratify Joe Biden's presidential victory as ''figurative'' speech. ''If we're going to criminalise speech, and somehow impeach everybody who says, Go fight to hear your voices heard,' I mean really we ought to impeach Chuck Schumer then,? Paul said, referring to the now Democratic Senate majority leader and his criticisms of Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh. ''He went to the Supreme Court, stood in front of the Supreme Court and said specifically, Hey Gorsuch, Hey Kavanaugh, you've unleashed a whirlwind. And you're going to pay the price.'' Paul noted that Chief Justice John Roberts had declined to preside over this week's impeachment proceeding because Trump was no longer president. Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy will preside over the trial as Senate president pro tempore. ''It is a farce, it is unconstitutional. But more than anything it's unwise, and going to divide the country,'' Paul said. Last month, Paul forced a vote to set aside the trial as unconstitutional because Trump is no longer in office, which legal experts say is disputable. But the vote suggested the near impossibility in reaching a conviction in a Senate where Democrats hold 50 seats but a two-thirds vote or 67 senators would be needed to convict Trump. Forty-four Republican senators sided with Paul and voted to oppose holding an impeachment trial at all. Five Republican senators joined with Democrats to reject Paul's motion: Mitt Romney of Utah, Ben Sasse of Nebraska, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania. Some Republicans have said the vote doesn't ''bind'' them into voting a particular way on conviction, with Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy on Louisiana saying Sunday he would listen carefully to the evidence. But even Trump's sharper GOP critics on Sunday acknowledged the widely expected outcome. ''You did have 45 Republican senators vote to suggest that they didn't think it was appropriate to conduct a trial, so you can infer how likely it is that those folks will vote to convict,'' said Toomey, who has made clear he believes Trump committed ''impeachable offenses.'' ''I still think the best outcome would have been for the president to resign'' before he left office, he said. ''Obviously he chose not to do that.'' Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, one of Trump's ardent defenders, said he believes Trump's actions were wrong and ''he's going to have a place in history for all of this,'' but insisted it's not the Senate's job to judge. ''It's not a question of how the trial ends, it's a question of when it ends,'' Graham said. ''Republicans are going to view this as an unconstitutional exercise, and the only question is, will they call witnesses, how long does the trial take. But the outcome is really not in doubt.''

Republicans in US Senate back former President Trump on eve of impeachment trial

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in court on Monday to formally respond to corruption charges, as his trial enters an intensified phase six weeks before he faces re-election.&nbsp;

Netanyahu, the first Israeli premier to be indicted in office, was charged last year over allegations that he accepted improper gifts and sought to trade regulatory favour with media moguls in exchange for positive coverage.

The combative 71-year-old prime minister, who has blasted the charges as "fabricated and ludicrous", was at the Jerusalem court conferring with his legal team shortly before the hearing was due to start.&nbsp;

Repeatedly suggesting the charges against him have been trumped up, Netanyahu has taken direct aim at his hand-picked attorney general, Avichai Mandelblit.&nbsp;

At the Monday hearing, which was pushed back multiple times due to coronavirus restrictions, Netanyahu is compelled to deliver the defendant's formal response to the allegations.

This marks the last pre-trial hearing with upcoming sessions focused on testimony and evidence.&nbsp;

The trial schedule may force Netanyahu to appear in court multiple times a week, as he campaigns ahead of Israel's fourth election in less than two years to be held on March 23.&nbsp;

'Election meddling'? 

When Netanyahu last appeared in court nine months ago, he was fresh off a political victory, forming a coalition government with his election rival Benny Gantz, following three inconclusive votes.&nbsp;

But that fraught coalition proved short-lived and collapsed in December, with Gantz branding Netanyahu as serially dishonest. &nbsp;

It is unclear whether the cloud of the trial will hurt the premier's re-election chances in March.&nbsp;

Israel's parliament speaker and Netanyahu loyalist Yariv Levin insisted the court must "postpone" the trial's upcoming phase.

Proceeding now "will be lending a hand to blatant meddling in the elections", he told the right-wing Israel Hayom newspaper on Sunday.&nbsp;

Levin charged that it was unfair for the prosecution to present its case during the election campaign, while the defence rebuttals are scheduled for after election day. &nbsp;

Several recent polls show that Netanyahu's right-wing Likud remains the strongest party by a comfortable margin, but it is far from certain that it will be able to form a 61-seat majority with its conservative and religious allies.&nbsp;

For the first time in his political career, Netanyahu is also facing a challenge from a prominent Likud defector: Gideon Saar, who broke with the prime minister to form his own New Hope party.&nbsp;

4,000, 2,000, 1,000&nbsp;

The charges against Netanyahu are divided into three separate cases.&nbsp;

The most serious -- known as Case 4,000, in which the premier is accused of bribery, fraud and breach of trust -- centres on the allegation that he negotiated with Shaul Elovitch of the telecommunications giant Bezeq to secure positive coverage on his Walla! news site in exchange for policies benefiting Bezeq.

Elovitch and his wife were also indicted.

Case 2,000 concerns allegations Netanyahu sought a deal with the owner of the Yediot Aharonot newspaper that would have seen it give him more favourable coverage. &nbsp;

Case 1,000 involves allegations Netanyahu and his family received gifts, including luxury cigars, champagne and jewellery estimated to be worth more than 700,000 shekels ($213,000), from wealthy individuals, in exchange for financial or personal favours.

The prime minister denies wrongdoing.&nbsp;

Weekly protests against him have rumbled on for months, with demonstrators focusing on the graft allegations.

Others have protested against the government's handling of the pandemic.&nbsp;

A crowd of protesters, at least one holding a banner emblazoned with the words "Crime Minister", was outside the courtroom on Monday as Netanyahu's motorcade arrived.&nbsp;

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in court on Monday to formally respond to corruption charges, as his trial enters an intensified phase six weeks before he faces re-election.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in court on Monday to formally respond to corruption charges, as his trial enters an intensified phase six weeks before he faces re-election. Netanyahu, the first Israeli premier to be indicted in office, was charged last year over allegations that he accepted improper gifts and sought to trade regulatory favour with media moguls in exchange for positive coverage. The combative 71-year-old prime minister, who has blasted the charges as "fabricated and ludicrous", was at the Jerusalem court conferring with his legal team shortly before the hearing was due to start. Repeatedly suggesting the charges against him have been trumped up, Netanyahu has taken direct aim at his hand-picked attorney general, Avichai Mandelblit. At the Monday hearing, which was pushed back multiple times due to coronavirus restrictions, Netanyahu is compelled to deliver the defendant's formal response to the allegations. This marks the last pre-trial hearing with upcoming sessions focused on testimony and evidence. The trial schedule may force Netanyahu to appear in court multiple times a week, as he campaigns ahead of Israel's fourth election in less than two years to be held on March 23. 'Election meddling'? When Netanyahu last appeared in court nine months ago, he was fresh off a political victory, forming a coalition government with his election rival Benny Gantz, following three inconclusive votes. But that fraught coalition proved short-lived and collapsed in December, with Gantz branding Netanyahu as serially dishonest. It is unclear whether the cloud of the trial will hurt the premier's re-election chances in March. Israel's parliament speaker and Netanyahu loyalist Yariv Levin insisted the court must "postpone" the trial's upcoming phase. Proceeding now "will be lending a hand to blatant meddling in the elections", he told the right-wing Israel Hayom newspaper on Sunday. Levin charged that it was unfair for the prosecution to present its case during the election campaign, while the defence rebuttals are scheduled for after election day. Several recent polls show that Netanyahu's right-wing Likud remains the strongest party by a comfortable margin, but it is far from certain that it will be able to form a 61-seat majority with its conservative and religious allies. For the first time in his political career, Netanyahu is also facing a challenge from a prominent Likud defector: Gideon Saar, who broke with the prime minister to form his own New Hope party. 4,000, 2,000, 1,000 The charges against Netanyahu are divided into three separate cases. The most serious -- known as Case 4,000, in which the premier is accused of bribery, fraud and breach of trust -- centres on the allegation that he negotiated with Shaul Elovitch of the telecommunications giant Bezeq to secure positive coverage on his Walla! news site in exchange for policies benefiting Bezeq. Elovitch and his wife were also indicted. Case 2,000 concerns allegations Netanyahu sought a deal with the owner of the Yediot Aharonot newspaper that would have seen it give him more favourable coverage. Case 1,000 involves allegations Netanyahu and his family received gifts, including luxury cigars, champagne and jewellery estimated to be worth more than 700,000 shekels ($213,000), from wealthy individuals, in exchange for financial or personal favours. The prime minister denies wrongdoing. Weekly protests against him have rumbled on for months, with demonstrators focusing on the graft allegations. Others have protested against the government's handling of the pandemic. A crowd of protesters, at least one holding a banner emblazoned with the words "Crime Minister", was outside the courtroom on Monday as Netanyahu's motorcade arrived.

Israel's Netanyahu returns to court as graft trial ramps up

The Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine from the Serum Institute of India (SII) is being rolled out across Bangladesh on Sunday amid lukewarm interest from the people to receive the shots against the virus. 
 
Two million vaccine doses arrived in the country on time from India as a gift. The vials were sent across the country as planned, and the vaccinators and volunteers have been trained. 
 
The nationwide immunisation drive against the coronavirus in 1,015 centres started on Sunday after revising its vaccination plan to administer 3.5 million doses in the first month instead of 6 million. 
 
The programme will include as many as 2,402 teams of health workers. Each team will comprise four members, two health workers and two volunteers. 
 
"Although the Bangladesh government is set to launch the mass vaccination programme across the country on Sunday, due to country-wide Anti-India propaganda public apathy to get registered for it looks to be a major challenge to make the drive a success," ABM Abdullah physician, academic, professor emeritus of Dhaka University and the personal physician of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, said on Saturday night. 
 
Under the circumstances, the government has decided to vaccinate 3.5 million people instead of over 6 million in the first month of the drive, said Zahid Maleque, the Health Minister of Bangladesh. 
 
The Bangladesh government has purchased 30 million doses of the vaccine. It has already received a total of seven million doses of the vaccine. 
 
Bangladesh is expected to receive 12.5 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine in the first half of 2021 under COVAX, the WHO-backed global scheme for distributing the coronavirus vaccines. 
 
The two-day piloting was successfully carried out on January 28, but none of the 567 volunteers who took the first shot of the two-dose Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine has complained of any major side effect. 
 
But the response from people eligible for inoculation in the first phase has been underwhelming. 
 
Employees of the Health Ministry will be administered with the Covid-19 vaccine on Sunday morning, said Abul Bashar Mohammad Khurshid Alam, director-general of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). 
 
"Political leaders and people`s representatives will take part in vaccination centres in different hospitals of the capital and the country to motivate the people for the vaccination," he added. 
 
Mohammad Enamur Rahim, physician and State Minister for Relief and Disaster Management and Farhad Hossain, state minister for Public Administration will administer the corona vaccine at Gastroliver Hospital in the capital and Minister for Home Affairs Asaduzzaman Khan at Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital in Dhaka. 
 
While the government`s target was to vaccinate 260,000 people each day, only 3,28,000 people got registered online in eleven days as of Saturday afternoon. 
 
The doses will be administered in five stages under three phases. Priorities will be given to health workers and others on the frontline. 
 
Health workers from each group can vaccinate a maximum of 150 people. Hence it will be possible to vaccinate 3,29,400 people on the first day. 
 
According to the national Covid vaccine distribution and preparation plan, the Bangladesh government will inoculate 80 per cent of the country`s population or around 138.24 million people, Health Minister Maleque said. 
 
Each person will be given two doses of the vaccine, he added. 
 
"Anyone will be registered and vaccinated. If there is a delay in registration, the vaccines will be given first and the data will be recorded later. We will not send anyone back." 
 
Zahid urged all to get vaccinated saying that preparations for the inoculation drive are almost complete. "All those who have been vaccinated so far are healthy." 
 
At least 2,400 teams will work in the country. Each team has the capacity to vaccinate 150 people. 
 
At the district and Upazila level, vaccination will be administered from 8 am to 2.30 p.m. 
 
Health representatives are conducting campaigns, including using loudspeakers, publishing contents in various media outlets to encourage people in rural areas across the country to take the shot. 
 
A participant has to bring his National Identity Card for registration. 
 
Many people do not have smartphones and may not be able to register and or this reason, chairmen, mayors and MPs will bring the people to the centres and get them registered and vaccinate.

The Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine from the Serum Institute of India (SII) is being rolled out across Bangladesh on Sunday amid lukewarm interest from the people to receive the shots against the virus.

The Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine from the Serum Institute of India (SII) is being rolled out across Bangladesh on Sunday amid lukewarm interest from the people to receive the shots against the virus. Two million vaccine doses arrived in the country on time from India as a gift. The vials were sent across the country as planned, and the vaccinators and volunteers have been trained. The nationwide immunisation drive against the coronavirus in 1,015 centres started on Sunday after revising its vaccination plan to administer 3.5 million doses in the first month instead of 6 million. The programme will include as many as 2,402 teams of health workers. Each team will comprise four members, two health workers and two volunteers. "Although the Bangladesh government is set to launch the mass vaccination programme across the country on Sunday, due to country-wide Anti-India propaganda public apathy to get registered for it looks to be a major challenge to make the drive a success," ABM Abdullah physician, academic, professor emeritus of Dhaka University and the personal physician of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, said on Saturday night. Under the circumstances, the government has decided to vaccinate 3.5 million people instead of over 6 million in the first month of the drive, said Zahid Maleque, the Health Minister of Bangladesh. The Bangladesh government has purchased 30 million doses of the vaccine. It has already received a total of seven million doses of the vaccine. Bangladesh is expected to receive 12.5 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine in the first half of 2021 under COVAX, the WHO-backed global scheme for distributing the coronavirus vaccines. The two-day piloting was successfully carried out on January 28, but none of the 567 volunteers who took the first shot of the two-dose Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine has complained of any major side effect. But the response from people eligible for inoculation in the first phase has been underwhelming. Employees of the Health Ministry will be administered with the Covid-19 vaccine on Sunday morning, said Abul Bashar Mohammad Khurshid Alam, director-general of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). "Political leaders and people`s representatives will take part in vaccination centres in different hospitals of the capital and the country to motivate the people for the vaccination," he added. Mohammad Enamur Rahim, physician and State Minister for Relief and Disaster Management and Farhad Hossain, state minister for Public Administration will administer the corona vaccine at Gastroliver Hospital in the capital and Minister for Home Affairs Asaduzzaman Khan at Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital in Dhaka. While the government`s target was to vaccinate 260,000 people each day, only 3,28,000 people got registered online in eleven days as of Saturday afternoon. The doses will be administered in five stages under three phases. Priorities will be given to health workers and others on the frontline. Health workers from each group can vaccinate a maximum of 150 people. Hence it will be possible to vaccinate 3,29,400 people on the first day. According to the national Covid vaccine distribution and preparation plan, the Bangladesh government will inoculate 80 per cent of the country`s population or around 138.24 million people, Health Minister Maleque said. Each person will be given two doses of the vaccine, he added. "Anyone will be registered and vaccinated. If there is a delay in registration, the vaccines will be given first and the data will be recorded later. We will not send anyone back." Zahid urged all to get vaccinated saying that preparations for the inoculation drive are almost complete. "All those who have been vaccinated so far are healthy." At least 2,400 teams will work in the country. Each team has the capacity to vaccinate 150 people. At the district and Upazila level, vaccination will be administered from 8 am to 2.30 p.m. Health representatives are conducting campaigns, including using loudspeakers, publishing contents in various media outlets to encourage people in rural areas across the country to take the shot. A participant has to bring his National Identity Card for registration. Many people do not have smartphones and may not be able to register and or this reason, chairmen, mayors and MPs will bring the people to the centres and get them registered and vaccinate.

Bangladesh rolls out Covid-19 vaccine from Serum Institute of India

Author

Zee News Rajasthan

Editor

Vyomica Berry

Home

Live Tv

Latest

World

India

Business

Entertainment

Sports

Opinions

Videos

Photos

Gravitas

Lifestyle

Science

Tech

Rajasthan News in Hindi: In-depth coverage of Rajasthan Crime, Political News, Education, Rajasthan Weather Update and Latest Rajasthan News on Zee News Rajasthan.