Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reaffirmed mutual commitment to a strong partnership between the United States and Afghanistan and the importance of making urgent progress on the Afghan peace process during a call on Friday (local time) with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.

According to a statement by the Pentagon, the Defense Secretary and Ghani "discussed the shared sacrifices of the US and Afghanistan forces and collective gains made over the last 19 years."

President Ghani and Secretary Austin also discussed the Afghan peace process and the imperative for a negotiated settlement to end the war.

"Both sides emphasised the importance of seizing this opportunity for peace," the statement said.

Taking to Twitter to post about his call with President Ghani, Austin said that he looked forward to a productive partnership."I had a great call today with President @AshrafGhani this morning. We discussed our mutual commitment to a strong U.S.-Afghan partnership and the importance of making urgent progress on the Afghan peace process. Looking forward to a productive partnership," he tweeted.

The intra-Afghan peace negotiations began in the Qatari capital of Doha on September 12. The talks were overshadowed by a series of disagreements and a surge in violence, including armed clashes and bomb blasts across the country.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reaffirmed mutual commitment to a strong partnership between the United States and Afghanistan and the importance of making urgent progress on the Afghan peace process during a call on Friday (local time) with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reaffirmed mutual commitment to a strong partnership between the United States and Afghanistan and the importance of making urgent progress on the Afghan peace process during a call on Friday (local time) with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. According to a statement by the Pentagon, the Defense Secretary and Ghani "discussed the shared sacrifices of the US and Afghanistan forces and collective gains made over the last 19 years." President Ghani and Secretary Austin also discussed the Afghan peace process and the imperative for a negotiated settlement to end the war. "Both sides emphasised the importance of seizing this opportunity for peace," the statement said. Taking to Twitter to post about his call with President Ghani, Austin said that he looked forward to a productive partnership."I had a great call today with President @AshrafGhani this morning. We discussed our mutual commitment to a strong U.S.-Afghan partnership and the importance of making urgent progress on the Afghan peace process. Looking forward to a productive partnership," he tweeted. The intra-Afghan peace negotiations began in the Qatari capital of Doha on September 12. The talks were overshadowed by a series of disagreements and a surge in violence, including armed clashes and bomb blasts across the country.

US Defense Secretary discusses bilateral partnership, peace process with Afghanistan president

&nbsp;At least two people were killed and 28 others injured as two bomb blasts rocked the cities of Quetta and Sibi in the restive Balochistan province of Pakistan on Friday, police said.

The first blast took place in Sibi in which 24 people were injured while hours later the second explosion took place in Quetta and was apparently aimed at a Kashmir Day rally, killing two people and leaving four others injured.

Police officials said that two bodies were shifted to Quetta civil hospital after the incident.

Aurangzeb Badini, Deputy Commissioner of Quetta and a retired major, confirmed that the initial investigations hinted the blast was targeted at a Kashmir Solidarity Day rally that was passing from the area.

He added that the nature of the blast couldn't be ascertained as yet.&nbsp;No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attacks.

Earlier, 16 people were injured when a blast went off near another rally in Sibi district, according to police sources. 
&nbsp;

At least two people were killed and 28 others injured as two bomb blasts rocked the cities of Quetta and Sibi in the restive Balochistan province of Pakistan on Friday, police said.

At least two people were killed and 28 others injured as two bomb blasts rocked the cities of Quetta and Sibi in the restive Balochistan province of Pakistan on Friday, police said. The first blast took place in Sibi in which 24 people were injured while hours later the second explosion took place in Quetta and was apparently aimed at a Kashmir Day rally, killing two people and leaving four others injured. Police officials said that two bodies were shifted to Quetta civil hospital after the incident. Aurangzeb Badini, Deputy Commissioner of Quetta and a retired major, confirmed that the initial investigations hinted the blast was targeted at a Kashmir Solidarity Day rally that was passing from the area. He added that the nature of the blast couldn't be ascertained as yet. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attacks. Earlier, 16 people were injured when a blast went off near another rally in Sibi district, according to police sources.

2 killed, 28 injured in Pakistan blast: Police

Teenage climate activist&nbsp;Greta&nbsp;Thunberg&nbsp;took to social networking platform Twitter to tweet about&nbsp;the ongoing farmers protest in India.

"We stand in solidarity with the #FarmersProtest in India," Thunberg wrote on Twitter on Tuesday.

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We stand in solidarity with the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FarmersProtest?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FarmersProtest</a> in India. 
<a href="https://t.co/tqvR0oHgo0">https://t.co/tqvR0oHgo0</a>
— Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) <a href="https://twitter.com/GretaThunberg/status/1356694884615340037?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Thunberg's post on the micro-blogging site came after Rihanna shared a news article regarding the farmers'&nbsp;protest in India where internet&nbsp;services have been shut down in several regions to curb violence.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/rihanna-tweets-about-farmers-protest-in-india-creates-a-stir-on-social-media-360997">Rihanna tweets about farmers' protest in India;&nbsp;creates a stir on social media</a>

India's foreign ministry&nbsp;slammed international celebrities on Wednesday for making comments in support of protesting farmers as inaccurate and irresponsible and said vested interest groups were trying to build opinion against the country.

"Before rushing to comment on such matters, we would urge that the facts be ascertained, and a proper understanding of the issues at hand be undertaken," it said in a statement.

Protesters broke barricades to enter New Delhi and clashed with police in several parts of the national capital during the January 26 'tractor rally'&nbsp;protest organised by farmers. The protesters also entered the iconic Mughal era monument Red Fort.

Police responded by shutting down roads to prevent farmers from entering the capital again.

Meanwhile, the Haryana government has extended the suspension of mobile internet services in several districts of the state till 5 pm on February 3.

Thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been protesting at the national capital's borders for over two months against the laws.

They are demanding that the government repeal the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

Teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg took to social networking platform Twitter to tweet about the ongoing farmers protest in India. "We stand in solidarity with the #FarmersProtest in India," Thunberg wrote on Twitter on Tuesday.

Teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg took to social networking platform Twitter to tweet about the ongoing farmers protest in India. "We stand in solidarity with the #FarmersProtest in India," Thunberg wrote on Twitter on Tuesday. We stand in solidarity with the #FarmersProtest in India. https://t.co/tqvR0oHgo0 — Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) February 2, 2021 × Thunberg's post on the micro-blogging site came after Rihanna shared a news article regarding the farmers' protest in India where internet services have been shut down in several regions to curb violence. Also read: Rihanna tweets about farmers' protest in India; creates a stir on social media India's foreign ministry slammed international celebrities on Wednesday for making comments in support of protesting farmers as inaccurate and irresponsible and said vested interest groups were trying to build opinion against the country. "Before rushing to comment on such matters, we would urge that the facts be ascertained, and a proper understanding of the issues at hand be undertaken," it said in a statement. Protesters broke barricades to enter New Delhi and clashed with police in several parts of the national capital during the January 26 'tractor rally' protest organised by farmers. The protesters also entered the iconic Mughal era monument Red Fort. Police responded by shutting down roads to prevent farmers from entering the capital again. Meanwhile, the Haryana government has extended the suspension of mobile internet services in several districts of the state till 5 pm on February 3. Thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been protesting at the national capital's borders for over two months against the laws. They are demanding that the government repeal the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

After Rihanna, Greta Thunberg tweets about farmers protest in India

“Dogs are a man’s best friend,” saying is an old adage but nobody knows how old? Right, well, now archaeologists have made a significant discovery to ascertain it. A team of archaeologists have found a 1,500-year-old house in Turkey, which has tiles with paw prints of a small-sized dog or a puppy. &nbsp;

The discovery is proof that dogs have been a part of our lives for a long time. The house also boasts of great décor with terracotta tiles and painting on the wall. &nbsp;

“The tiles with paw prints of a dog seems to be pressed into the material of the tiles. These tiles have preserved the paw prints of dogs and a hoofprint of a goat,” said Frances Gallart Marqués during a virtual presentation at the Archaeological Institute of America (AIA) and the Society for Classical Studies (SCS).&nbsp;

It looks like the animals must have walked onto the tile as they laid out drying. The team also found paintings on the tiles, which may have been chickens or ducks. &nbsp;

These tiles were probably 'finger-drawn before the tiles were fired’. The floor tiles seem to be matching well with the overall décor of the house, based on the paintings and décor items recovered from the walls.&nbsp;

The wall paintings were painted on plaster and had mimic draped curtains and polychrome marble. According to the archaeologists, the house might have belonged to people involved with the military of the time based on other objects recovered. They also found five-longswords that suggest the owners were involved in warfare. Buckles were also discovered from the house, which supports the claim.&nbsp;

The team also thinks the house might have been in use for over 200 years but was destroyed in an earthquake during the early seventh century.&nbsp;

“Dogs are a man’s best friend,” saying is an old adage but nobody knows how old? Right, well, now archaeologists have made a significant discovery to ascertain it.

“Dogs are a man’s best friend,” saying is an old adage but nobody knows how old? Right, well, now archaeologists have made a significant discovery to ascertain it. A team of archaeologists have found a 1,500-year-old house in Turkey, which has tiles with paw prints of a small-sized dog or a puppy. The discovery is proof that dogs have been a part of our lives for a long time. The house also boasts of great décor with terracotta tiles and painting on the wall. “The tiles with paw prints of a dog seems to be pressed into the material of the tiles. These tiles have preserved the paw prints of dogs and a hoofprint of a goat,” said Frances Gallart Marqués during a virtual presentation at the Archaeological Institute of America (AIA) and the Society for Classical Studies (SCS). It looks like the animals must have walked onto the tile as they laid out drying. The team also found paintings on the tiles, which may have been chickens or ducks. These tiles were probably 'finger-drawn before the tiles were fired’. The floor tiles seem to be matching well with the overall décor of the house, based on the paintings and décor items recovered from the walls. The wall paintings were painted on plaster and had mimic draped curtains and polychrome marble. According to the archaeologists, the house might have belonged to people involved with the military of the time based on other objects recovered. They also found five-longswords that suggest the owners were involved in warfare. Buckles were also discovered from the house, which supports the claim. The team also thinks the house might have been in use for over 200 years but was destroyed in an earthquake during the early seventh century.

1,500-year-old house with ancient paw marks of dogs found in Turkey

An offline&nbsp;messaging app called Bridgefy was downloaded more than 600,000 times in a few hours in Myanmar after the country's military seized power on Monday and temporarily disrupted internet traffic.

Bridgefy, which a&nbsp;Mexico-based startup,&nbsp;gained popularity during Hong Kong's pro-democracy protests in 2020, tweeted that it hoped people in Myanmar would find its app "useful during tough times."

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We're grateful to share that the Bridgefy App was downloaded more than 600,000 times in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Myanmar?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Myanmar</a> today, in just a few hours. Hopefully, people will find it helpful during tough times. Please stay safe!
— Bridgefy (@bridgefy) <a href="https://twitter.com/bridgefy/status/1356383496999219202?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Myanmar&nbsp;was plunged back into direct military rule when soldiers detained Aung San Suu Kyi and other civilian leaders in a series of dawn raids on Monday, ending the country's brief experiment with democracy.

Suu Kyi, who has not been seen in public since the coup, won a huge landslide with her National League for Democracy (NLD) last November but the military -- whose favoured parties received a drubbing declared the polls were fraudulent.

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Army chief Min Aung Hlaing appointed himself head of a new cabinet stacked with former and current generals, justifying his coup on Tuesday as the "inevitable" result of civilian leaders failure to heed the army's fraud warnings.

The military declared a one-year state of emergency and said it would hold new elections once their allegations of voter irregularities were addressed and investigated.

The move stunned&nbsp;Myanmar, a country left impoverished by decades of junta misrule before it began taking steps towards a more democratic and civilian-led government ten years ago.

After the country's democratically elected leaders were arrested, phone and internet connections were disrupted in the main city Yangon and the capital Naypyitaw and some other parts of the country.

Communications had been restored by late Monday but, in social media posts&nbsp;activists in Myanmar encouraged the download of Bridgefy as a solution to possible further shutdowns.

Bridgefy, whose backers include Twitter co-founder Biz Stone and which has also been used at anti-government rallies in Thailand, is one of several apps based on Bluetooth that use mesh networks to allow users to communicate without internet connections.

They have gained popularity globally, especially in countries which have a history of imposing restrictions on social media platforms and internet providers - though security experts say they can be penetrated, exposing users to surveillance risks.

A similar app, Firechat,&nbsp;uses wireless mesh networking to enable smartphones to connect via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi&nbsp;without an internet connection by connecting peer-to-peer. It has been used in protests in Iran and Iraq.

An offline messaging app called Bridgefy was downloaded more than 600,000 times in a few hours in Myanmar after the country's military seized power on Monday and temporarily disrupted internet traffic.

An offline messaging app called Bridgefy was downloaded more than 600,000 times in a few hours in Myanmar after the country's military seized power on Monday and temporarily disrupted internet traffic. Bridgefy, which a Mexico-based startup, gained popularity during Hong Kong's pro-democracy protests in 2020, tweeted that it hoped people in Myanmar would find its app "useful during tough times." We're grateful to share that the Bridgefy App was downloaded more than 600,000 times in #Myanmar today, in just a few hours. Hopefully, people will find it helpful during tough times. Please stay safe! — Bridgefy (@bridgefy) February 1, 2021 × Myanmar was plunged back into direct military rule when soldiers detained Aung San Suu Kyi and other civilian leaders in a series of dawn raids on Monday, ending the country's brief experiment with democracy. Suu Kyi, who has not been seen in public since the coup, won a huge landslide with her National League for Democracy (NLD) last November but the military -- whose favoured parties received a drubbing declared the polls were fraudulent. Army chief Min Aung Hlaing appointed himself head of a new cabinet stacked with former and current generals, justifying his coup on Tuesday as the "inevitable" result of civilian leaders failure to heed the army's fraud warnings. The military declared a one-year state of emergency and said it would hold new elections once their allegations of voter irregularities were addressed and investigated. The move stunned Myanmar, a country left impoverished by decades of junta misrule before it began taking steps towards a more democratic and civilian-led government ten years ago. After the country's democratically elected leaders were arrested, phone and internet connections were disrupted in the main city Yangon and the capital Naypyitaw and some other parts of the country. Communications had been restored by late Monday but, in social media posts activists in Myanmar encouraged the download of Bridgefy as a solution to possible further shutdowns. Bridgefy, whose backers include Twitter co-founder Biz Stone and which has also been used at anti-government rallies in Thailand, is one of several apps based on Bluetooth that use mesh networks to allow users to communicate without internet connections. They have gained popularity globally, especially in countries which have a history of imposing restrictions on social media platforms and internet providers - though security experts say they can be penetrated, exposing users to surveillance risks. A similar app, Firechat, uses wireless mesh networking to enable smartphones to connect via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi without an internet connection by connecting peer-to-peer. It has been used in protests in Iran and Iraq.

Bridgefy: 600,000 people download offline message app in hours after Myanmar coup

A prototype of&nbsp;SpaceX's Starship rocket crash-landed and exploded in flames after its high altitude test flight from test facilities in Boca Chica, Texas.

The self-guided, 16-story-tall rocket initially soared into the clear, blue South Texas sky from its Gulf Coast launch pad on what appeared from&nbsp;SpaceX's live stream coverage to be a flawless liftoff.

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Live feed of Starship SN9 flight test → <a href="https://t.co/Hs5C53qBxb">https://t.co/Hs5C53qBxb</a> <a href="https://t.co/ioM0D5J91I">https://t.co/ioM0D5J91I</a>
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1356699321840721920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Reaching its peak altitude of about 10 km (6 miles), the spacecraft then hovered momentarily in midair, shut off its engines and executed a planned "belly-flop" manoeuvre to descend nose-down under aerodynamic control back toward Earth.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/spacex-announces-first-commercial-astronaut-mission-to-orbit-earth-360776" hreflang="en">SpaceX announces first commercial astronaut mission to orbit Earth</a>

The trouble came when the Starship, after flipping its nose upward again to begin its landing sequence, tried to reactivate two of its three Raptor thrusters, but one failed to ignite. The rocket then fell rapidly to the ground, exploding in a roaring ball of flames, smoke and debris - 6 minutes and 26 seconds after launch.

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Touchdown...<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Starship?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Starship</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SN9?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SN9</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpaceX</a> <a href="https://t.co/mStYzVpZKs">pic.twitter.com/mStYzVpZKs</a>
— Geoff Barrett 🚀 (@GeoffdBarrett) <a href="https://twitter.com/GeoffdBarrett/status/1356702096154845187?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The Starship SN9 that blew up on its final descent, like the SN8 before it, was a test model of the heavy-lift rocket being developed by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk's private space company to carry humans and 100 tons of cargo on future missions to the moon and Mars.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-spacexs-starship-prototype-blasts-off-crashes-in-fireball-on-landing-348691">Watch: SpaceX's starship prototype blasts off, crashes in fireball on landing</a>

The company's founder Elon Musk was uncharacteristically quiet on social media, having announced the night before he was "Off Twitter for a while."

The stainless steel rocket, dubbed SN9 or "Serial Number 9," was cleared for lift-off from Boca Chica, Texas by the US Federal Aviation Administration&nbsp;(FAA) less than a day earlier.

The complete Starship rocket, which will stand 394-feet (120 meters) tall when mated with its super-heavy first-stage booster, is the company's next-generation fully reusable launch vehicle - the center of Musk's ambitions to make human space travel more affordable and routine.

A first orbital Starship flight is planned for year's end. Musk has said he intends to fly Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa around the moon with the Starship in 2023.

A prototype of SpaceX's Starship rocket crash-landed and exploded in flames after its high altitude test flight from test facilities in Boca Chica, Texas. The self-guided, 16-story-tall rocket initially soared into the clear, blue South Texas sky from its Gulf Coast launch pad on what appeared from SpaceX's live stream coverage to be a flawless liftoff.

A prototype of SpaceX's Starship rocket crash-landed and exploded in flames after its high altitude test flight from test facilities in Boca Chica, Texas. The self-guided, 16-story-tall rocket initially soared into the clear, blue South Texas sky from its Gulf Coast launch pad on what appeared from SpaceX's live stream coverage to be a flawless liftoff. Live feed of Starship SN9 flight test → https://t.co/Hs5C53qBxb https://t.co/ioM0D5J91I — SpaceX (@SpaceX) February 2, 2021 × Reaching its peak altitude of about 10 km (6 miles), the spacecraft then hovered momentarily in midair, shut off its engines and executed a planned "belly-flop" manoeuvre to descend nose-down under aerodynamic control back toward Earth. Also read: SpaceX announces first commercial astronaut mission to orbit Earth The trouble came when the Starship, after flipping its nose upward again to begin its landing sequence, tried to reactivate two of its three Raptor thrusters, but one failed to ignite. The rocket then fell rapidly to the ground, exploding in a roaring ball of flames, smoke and debris - 6 minutes and 26 seconds after launch. Touchdown...#Starship #SN9 @SpaceX pic.twitter.com/mStYzVpZKs — Geoff Barrett 🚀 (@GeoffdBarrett) February 2, 2021 × The Starship SN9 that blew up on its final descent, like the SN8 before it, was a test model of the heavy-lift rocket being developed by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk's private space company to carry humans and 100 tons of cargo on future missions to the moon and Mars. Also read: Watch: SpaceX's starship prototype blasts off, crashes in fireball on landing The company's founder Elon Musk was uncharacteristically quiet on social media, having announced the night before he was "Off Twitter for a while." The stainless steel rocket, dubbed SN9 or "Serial Number 9," was cleared for lift-off from Boca Chica, Texas by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) less than a day earlier. The complete Starship rocket, which will stand 394-feet (120 meters) tall when mated with its super-heavy first-stage booster, is the company's next-generation fully reusable launch vehicle - the center of Musk's ambitions to make human space travel more affordable and routine. A first orbital Starship flight is planned for year's end. Musk has said he intends to fly Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa around the moon with the Starship in 2023.

Watch: SpaceX Starship explodes into a fireball after its high altitude test flight

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/world-health-organization-team-visits-china-virus-lab-in-wuhan-360964" hreflang="en">World Health Organization team visits China virus lab in Wuhan</a>

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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amazon-ceo-jeff-bezos-to-step-down-360973">Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos to step down</a>

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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-has-access-to-us-healthcare-including-genomic-data-us-counterintelligence-report-360971">China has access to US healthcare, including genomic data: US intelligence</a>

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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/shooter-kills-two-fbi-officers-in-florida-3-wounded-360966">Shooter kills two FBI officers in Florida; 3 wounded</a>

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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/kremlin-critic-alexei-navalnys-lawyer-says-will-appeal-against-jail-sentence-360967">Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny's lawyer says will appeal against jail sentence</a>

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World Health Organization team visits China virus lab in Wuhan Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos to step down China has access to US healthcare, including genomic data: US 

World Health Organization team visits China virus lab in Wuhan Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos to step down China has access to US healthcare, including genomic data: US intelligence Shooter kills two FBI officers in Florida; 3 wounded Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny's lawyer says will appeal against jail sentence

Morning news brief: WHO team visits Wuhan virology lab, Jeff Bezos to step down and more

February 03 in history: First soft landing on moon, Pope John Paul II meets Mother Teresa and more

Former President Donald Trump&nbsp;said on Tuesday that the US Senate has no authority to try him as a private citizen on an impeachment charge that he incited the Capitol riots.

Trump&nbsp;became the first US president in history to be impeached twice when the House of Representatives charged him last month with inciting the mayhem inflicted by his followers when they invaded Congress on January 6.

Trump's defence team said that not only does the Senate lack the authority to put Trump on trial as a private citizen but that the chamber also lacks the jurisdiction to prevent Trump from holding office again.

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In a pre-trial brief, the House impeachment managers made their case for the Senate to convict, saying the American people should be protected "against a president who provokes violence to subvert our democracy."

Trump's impeachment was triggered by a speech he delivered to a crowd on the National Mall just before the riot, telling them Joe Biden had stolen the presidential election and that they needed to march on Congress and "fight like hell."

The mob stormed the Capitol, fatally wounded one police officer, wrecked furniture and forced terrified lawmakers and vice president Mike Pence to hide, interrupting a ceremony to put the legal stamp on Biden's victory.&nbsp;

The nine impeachment managers, all Democrats, argued in their sweeping 77-page document that&nbsp;Trump's speech had whipped the crowd into a "frenzy."

Trump, they said, "is singularly responsible for the violence and destruction" during the riot that left five people dead.

During his January&nbsp;6 speech, Trump repeated false claims that the election was fraudulent and exhorted supporters to march on the Capitol, telling them to "stop the steal," "show strength" and "fight like hell." The rampage interrupted the formal congressional certification of Democrat Joe Biden's election victory and sent lawmakers into hiding for their own safety.

"The Senate must make clear to him and all who follow that a president who provokes armed violence against the government of the United States in an effort to overturn the results of an election will face trial and judgment," the Democratic managers added.

Trump is just the third president to have been impeached, the first to be impeached twice and the first to face trial after leaving office. Members of the 100-seat Senate will serve as jurors in his trial.

Convicting Trump would require a two-thirds majority, meaning 17 Republicans would need to join the Senate's 50 Democrats in the vote. That presents a daunting hurdle. Last week, 45 of the 50 Republican senators voted in favour of a failed bid to dismiss the impeachment charge as unconstitutional because Trump has left office.

A conviction could lead to a second vote banning Trump from holding public office again.

The Tuesday deadline for briefs in the case came just days after he parted ways with his initial legal team amid a reported dispute over how to respond to the charge. Trump is still making his false claims of a stolen election.

In their brief, the Democratic impeachment managers said the Senate has jurisdiction to try Trump now because the House impeached him while in office for acts he committed as president.

"There is no 'January Exception' to impeachment or any other provision of the Constitution," the managers said. "Presidents do not get a free pass to commit high crimes and misdemeanours near the end of their term."

The brief made no mention of any witnesses the managers planned to call during the trial, though it did cite a phone call Trump placed to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger urging him to "find" just enough votes to undo Biden's victory in that state.

Trump's first impeachment trial, on charges of abuse of power and obstructing Congress arising from his request that Ukraine investigates Biden and his son Hunter, ended last year in an acquittal by the then Republican-led Senate.

A group of Republican former officials rebutted the argument that the trial was unconstitutional in an open letter released on Tuesday.

It is "essential to focus the nation on the gravity of what Trump did," the group said in a statement.

The three dozen former officials signing the letter included former Governors Christine Todd Whitman of New Jersey and William Weld of Massachusetts and Carter Phillips, a veteran Washington litigator and assistant solicitor general under former President Ronald Reagan.

"It will be a permanent stain on the history of the Republican Party and the legacy of its members in the US&nbsp;Senate if they fail to find a way to hold a president of their party to account for this unprecedented mayhem at our nation's Capitol," the group wrote.

Former President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the US Senate has no authority to try him as a private citizen on an impeachment charge that he incited the Capitol riots.

Former President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the US Senate has no authority to try him as a private citizen on an impeachment charge that he incited the Capitol riots. Trump became the first US president in history to be impeached twice when the House of Representatives charged him last month with inciting the mayhem inflicted by his followers when they invaded Congress on January 6. Trump's defence team said that not only does the Senate lack the authority to put Trump on trial as a private citizen but that the chamber also lacks the jurisdiction to prevent Trump from holding office again. In a pre-trial brief, the House impeachment managers made their case for the Senate to convict, saying the American people should be protected "against a president who provokes violence to subvert our democracy." Trump's impeachment was triggered by a speech he delivered to a crowd on the National Mall just before the riot, telling them Joe Biden had stolen the presidential election and that they needed to march on Congress and "fight like hell." The mob stormed the Capitol, fatally wounded one police officer, wrecked furniture and forced terrified lawmakers and vice president Mike Pence to hide, interrupting a ceremony to put the legal stamp on Biden's victory. The nine impeachment managers, all Democrats, argued in their sweeping 77-page document that Trump's speech had whipped the crowd into a "frenzy." Trump, they said, "is singularly responsible for the violence and destruction" during the riot that left five people dead. During his January 6 speech, Trump repeated false claims that the election was fraudulent and exhorted supporters to march on the Capitol, telling them to "stop the steal," "show strength" and "fight like hell." The rampage interrupted the formal congressional certification of Democrat Joe Biden's election victory and sent lawmakers into hiding for their own safety. "The Senate must make clear to him and all who follow that a president who provokes armed violence against the government of the United States in an effort to overturn the results of an election will face trial and judgment," the Democratic managers added. Trump is just the third president to have been impeached, the first to be impeached twice and the first to face trial after leaving office. Members of the 100-seat Senate will serve as jurors in his trial. Convicting Trump would require a two-thirds majority, meaning 17 Republicans would need to join the Senate's 50 Democrats in the vote. That presents a daunting hurdle. Last week, 45 of the 50 Republican senators voted in favour of a failed bid to dismiss the impeachment charge as unconstitutional because Trump has left office. A conviction could lead to a second vote banning Trump from holding public office again. The Tuesday deadline for briefs in the case came just days after he parted ways with his initial legal team amid a reported dispute over how to respond to the charge. Trump is still making his false claims of a stolen election. In their brief, the Democratic impeachment managers said the Senate has jurisdiction to try Trump now because the House impeached him while in office for acts he committed as president. "There is no 'January Exception' to impeachment or any other provision of the Constitution," the managers said. "Presidents do not get a free pass to commit high crimes and misdemeanours near the end of their term." The brief made no mention of any witnesses the managers planned to call during the trial, though it did cite a phone call Trump placed to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger urging him to "find" just enough votes to undo Biden's victory in that state. Trump's first impeachment trial, on charges of abuse of power and obstructing Congress arising from his request that Ukraine investigates Biden and his son Hunter, ended last year in an acquittal by the then Republican-led Senate. A group of Republican former officials rebutted the argument that the trial was unconstitutional in an open letter released on Tuesday. It is "essential to focus the nation on the gravity of what Trump did," the group said in a statement. The three dozen former officials signing the letter included former Governors Christine Todd Whitman of New Jersey and William Weld of Massachusetts and Carter Phillips, a veteran Washington litigator and assistant solicitor general under former President Ronald Reagan. "It will be a permanent stain on the history of the Republican Party and the legacy of its members in the US Senate if they fail to find a way to hold a president of their party to account for this unprecedented mayhem at our nation's Capitol," the group wrote.

Donald Trump's lawyers say Senate has no authority to put him on trial

Lawyers for Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny said on Tuesday they would appeal against the ruling of a Russian court which jailed him for 3.5 years.

Navalny's lawyer said the anti-corruption blogger would serve only two years and eight months in jail because of time he has already spent under house arrest.

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The court's decision to turn a 2014 suspended sentence into real jail time will see&nbsp;Navalny, a 44-year-old anti-corruption campaigner who accuses the Kremlin of poisoning him last year, serve a lengthy prison term for the first time.

He was accused of violating parole conditions by refusing to check in with prison officials and was arrested when he flew back to Moscow on January 17 from Germany, where he spent months recovering from the poisoning.

Navalny&nbsp;said it was impossible to make the appointments while abroad, but the judge said he had skipped meetings prior to the poisoning.

The widely anticipated ruling, which followed nationwide protests calling for Navalny's release, is likely to further strain relations with the West, which is likely to consider imposing sanctions on Russia over its handling of the case.

Navalny, one of President Vladimir Putin's most prominent critics, was arrested last month after returning from Germany where he had been recovering from being poisoned with a military-grade nerve agent.

Tuesday's hearing focused on alleged parole violations over a suspended sentence in a 2014 embezzlement case Navalny says was fabricated.

Navalny, in a fiery speech to the court, alleged he was jailed because of Putin's concerns about him as a political rival, a suggestion the Kremlin has laughed off, referring to Navalny as a troublesome blogger without wide popular support.

'Pure cowardice'

After the ruling, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for&nbsp;Navalny's release, warning Washington and its allies would "hold Russia accountable for failing to uphold the rights of its citizens."

French President Emmanuel Macron called for his release, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel labelling the decision "far removed from any rule of law", while British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called it "pure cowardice".&nbsp;

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, due to visit Moscow later this week, said it "runs counter to Russia's international commitments on rule of law and fundamental freedoms".

Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova described the Western reaction as "disconnected from reality", adding: "There is no need to interfere in the internal affairs of a sovereign state."

Tens of thousands have taken to the streets in Moscow and other Russian cities over the last two weekends to call for&nbsp;Navalny's release, prompting a massive police clampdown that saw several thousand people arrested.

Police detained more than 1,050 protests on Tuesday alone, mostly in Moscow, according to monitoring group OVD-Info.

Lawyers for Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny said on Tuesday they would appeal against the ruling of a Russian court which jailed him for 3.5 years. Navalny's lawyer said the anti-corruption blogger would serve only two years and eight months in jail because of time he has already spent under house arrest.

Lawyers for Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny said on Tuesday they would appeal against the ruling of a Russian court which jailed him for 3.5 years. Navalny's lawyer said the anti-corruption blogger would serve only two years and eight months in jail because of time he has already spent under house arrest. The court's decision to turn a 2014 suspended sentence into real jail time will see Navalny, a 44-year-old anti-corruption campaigner who accuses the Kremlin of poisoning him last year, serve a lengthy prison term for the first time. He was accused of violating parole conditions by refusing to check in with prison officials and was arrested when he flew back to Moscow on January 17 from Germany, where he spent months recovering from the poisoning. Navalny said it was impossible to make the appointments while abroad, but the judge said he had skipped meetings prior to the poisoning. The widely anticipated ruling, which followed nationwide protests calling for Navalny's release, is likely to further strain relations with the West, which is likely to consider imposing sanctions on Russia over its handling of the case. Navalny, one of President Vladimir Putin's most prominent critics, was arrested last month after returning from Germany where he had been recovering from being poisoned with a military-grade nerve agent. Tuesday's hearing focused on alleged parole violations over a suspended sentence in a 2014 embezzlement case Navalny says was fabricated. Navalny, in a fiery speech to the court, alleged he was jailed because of Putin's concerns about him as a political rival, a suggestion the Kremlin has laughed off, referring to Navalny as a troublesome blogger without wide popular support. 'Pure cowardice' After the ruling, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for Navalny's release, warning Washington and its allies would "hold Russia accountable for failing to uphold the rights of its citizens." French President Emmanuel Macron called for his release, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel labelling the decision "far removed from any rule of law", while British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called it "pure cowardice". European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, due to visit Moscow later this week, said it "runs counter to Russia's international commitments on rule of law and fundamental freedoms". Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova described the Western reaction as "disconnected from reality", adding: "There is no need to interfere in the internal affairs of a sovereign state." Tens of thousands have taken to the streets in Moscow and other Russian cities over the last two weekends to call for Navalny's release, prompting a massive police clampdown that saw several thousand people arrested. Police detained more than 1,050 protests on Tuesday alone, mostly in Moscow, according to monitoring group OVD-Info.

Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny's lawyer says will appeal against jail sentence

A team of experts led by the&nbsp;World&nbsp;Health&nbsp;Organization&nbsp;(WHO) investigating the origins of COVID-19&nbsp;on Wednesday visited a laboratory in China's Wuhan Institute of Virology&nbsp;that American officials have suggested could have been the source of the&nbsp;outbreak.

The inspection of the Wuhan virology institute, which conducts research on the world's most dangerous diseases, will be one of the most-watched stops on the team's probe into the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-china-blames-wuhan-virus-outbreak-on-frozen-food-360960/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The sensitive mission, which China had delayed throughout the first year of the pandemic, has a remit to explore how the virus jumped from animal to human.

There was speculation early in the pandemic that the virus could have accidentally leaked from the biosafety lab in Wuhan.

Then-US president Donald Trump and his supporters seized on those rumours and amplified them with conspiracy theories that China deliberately leaked the virus.

Chinese state broadcaster CGTN said Wednesday the WHO team would "visit the national biosafety laboratory and exchange ideas with experts of the institute on their daily work, international scientific cooperation, anti-epidemic efforts and contribution".

The independent team has already visited key hospitals, the regional disease control centre and the city's Huanan seafood market, where the first cluster of infections was believed to have originated late in 2019.

Earlier,&nbsp;WHO&nbsp;blasted critics of its investigation into the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic and challenged those claiming to know better to come forward with the smoking gun.

The UN agency's emergencies director Michael Ryan hit out at those sniping at the mission and said people claiming they have information on how the pandemic broke out should emerge from the shadows.

The WHO mission comes with heavy political baggage,&nbsp;China refused the team access until mid-January and there are question marks over what the experts can hope to find, one year on.

The centre in the province of Hubei, which fights epidemic diseases in animals, could provide information on how a coronavirus endemic in horseshoe bats in southwest China might have crossed into humans, possibly via an intermediary species.

Studies suggest the virus could have been transferred from mink or pangolins, but there has also been speculation that traders dealing in bat products could have carried the disease for months before it began to spread in Wuhan.

A team of experts led by the World Health Organization (WHO) investigating the origins of COVID-19 on Wednesday visited a laboratory in China's Wuhan Institute of Virology that American officials have suggested could have been the source of the outbreak.

A team of experts led by the World Health Organization (WHO) investigating the origins of COVID-19 on Wednesday visited a laboratory in China's Wuhan Institute of Virology that American officials have suggested could have been the source of the outbreak. The inspection of the Wuhan virology institute, which conducts research on the world's most dangerous diseases, will be one of the most-watched stops on the team's probe into the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic. The sensitive mission, which China had delayed throughout the first year of the pandemic, has a remit to explore how the virus jumped from animal to human. There was speculation early in the pandemic that the virus could have accidentally leaked from the biosafety lab in Wuhan. Then-US president Donald Trump and his supporters seized on those rumours and amplified them with conspiracy theories that China deliberately leaked the virus. Chinese state broadcaster CGTN said Wednesday the WHO team would "visit the national biosafety laboratory and exchange ideas with experts of the institute on their daily work, international scientific cooperation, anti-epidemic efforts and contribution". The independent team has already visited key hospitals, the regional disease control centre and the city's Huanan seafood market, where the first cluster of infections was believed to have originated late in 2019. Earlier, WHO blasted critics of its investigation into the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic and challenged those claiming to know better to come forward with the smoking gun. The UN agency's emergencies director Michael Ryan hit out at those sniping at the mission and said people claiming they have information on how the pandemic broke out should emerge from the shadows. The WHO mission comes with heavy political baggage, China refused the team access until mid-January and there are question marks over what the experts can hope to find, one year on. The centre in the province of Hubei, which fights epidemic diseases in animals, could provide information on how a coronavirus endemic in horseshoe bats in southwest China might have crossed into humans, possibly via an intermediary species. Studies suggest the virus could have been transferred from mink or pangolins, but there has also been speculation that traders dealing in bat products could have carried the disease for months before it began to spread in Wuhan.

World Health Organization team visits China virus lab in Wuhan

Iran has agreed to free the 19-member crew of a seized South Korea-flagged ship, both countries said Tuesday, in what appeared to be the first significant gesture by the Iranians to de-escalate the problem since impounding the vessel a month ago.

The Iranian move may also have been intended to send an indirect signal to the Biden administration, which has indicated it wants to avoid a further deterioration in relations with Iran after they worsened sharply under former President Donald Trump.

In return for the release of the crew, the South Korean government said it had pledged speedy action to address Iran’s complaints about its inability to access $7 billion in Iranian money that has been frozen in South Korean banks because of U.S. sanctions reimposed by Trump.

It was not immediately clear from the announcement when the crew members would be released. Iran said the ship and its captain would remain in its custody, pending an investigation into what the Iranians have described as violations of maritime pollution law, the original reason they gave for having seized the vessel.

Laden with 7,200 tons of chemicals, the ship, the Hankuk Chemi, was taken into custody by Iran's Revolutionary Guard during a patrol in the Persian Gulf on Jan. 4. South Korea strongly protested the seizure, and the ship’s owner called Iran’s accusations absurd.

It soon became clear that Iran had taken custody of the ship at least in part to pressure South Korea, a strong U.S. ally, over the sanctions ordered by Trump after he renounced the 2015 nuclear accord between Iran and major world powers. Those sanctions included blocking Iran’s access to billions of dollars in Iranian oil revenue deposited in foreign banks.

Iran began disregarding its commitments under the nuclear agreement in response to Trump’s actions, and has threatened further steps that include possibly blocking international inspectors from visiting nuclear sites.

While President Joe Biden has said he wants to rejoin the nuclear agreement if Iran resumes compliance, Iran has said the United States must drop the sanctions first. Neither side has publicly shown an immediate willingness to find a diplomatic solution.

But Iran’s agreement to free the South Korean ship’s crew, which Saeed Khatibzadeh, a Foreign Ministry spokesman, described as a humanitarian gesture, appeared intended to portray some measure of flexibility on sanctions-related issues.

“This may be a signal to show a willingness to resume discussions or at the least take the tensions down a notch, and perhaps to open the door for South Korea releasing seized Iranian assets,” said Farhad Alavi, a partner at Akrivis Law Group, a Washington firm that specializes in sanctions law.

“Similarly, I would not be surprised if President Biden lifts or suspends some less sensitive or perhaps more political Trump-era sanctions in the coming weeks or months — something more symbolic than substantial,” Alavi said.

There was no immediate comment from the Biden administration on the news about the South Korean crew members.

South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the move to free the crew members came during a telephone conversation on Tuesday between Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, and his South Korean counterpart, Choi Jong-kun.

The crew includes four South Koreans, and the other members are Burmese, Vietnamese and Indonesian, the statement said.

Choi welcomed the Iranian decision and urged the Iranian government to release the captain and the ship as well.

During his telephone conversation with Araghchi, Choi promised “speedy” action to help address Iran’s grievances over the $7 billion in impounded funds.

Choi also told Araghchi that South Korea would consult U.S. officials in Washington over the matter, the ministry said.

Iran has agreed to free the 19-member crew of a seized South Korea-flagged ship, both countries said Tuesday, in what appeared to be the first significant gesture by the Iranians to de-escalate the problem since impounding the vessel a month ago.

Iran has agreed to free the 19-member crew of a seized South Korea-flagged ship, both countries said Tuesday, in what appeared to be the first significant gesture by the Iranians to de-escalate the problem since impounding the vessel a month ago. The Iranian move may also have been intended to send an indirect signal to the Biden administration, which has indicated it wants to avoid a further deterioration in relations with Iran after they worsened sharply under former President Donald Trump. In return for the release of the crew, the South Korean government said it had pledged speedy action to address Iran’s complaints about its inability to access $7 billion in Iranian money that has been frozen in South Korean banks because of U.S. sanctions reimposed by Trump. It was not immediately clear from the announcement when the crew members would be released. Iran said the ship and its captain would remain in its custody, pending an investigation into what the Iranians have described as violations of maritime pollution law, the original reason they gave for having seized the vessel. Laden with 7,200 tons of chemicals, the ship, the Hankuk Chemi, was taken into custody by Iran's Revolutionary Guard during a patrol in the Persian Gulf on Jan. 4. South Korea strongly protested the seizure, and the ship’s owner called Iran’s accusations absurd. It soon became clear that Iran had taken custody of the ship at least in part to pressure South Korea, a strong U.S. ally, over the sanctions ordered by Trump after he renounced the 2015 nuclear accord between Iran and major world powers. Those sanctions included blocking Iran’s access to billions of dollars in Iranian oil revenue deposited in foreign banks. Iran began disregarding its commitments under the nuclear agreement in response to Trump’s actions, and has threatened further steps that include possibly blocking international inspectors from visiting nuclear sites. While President Joe Biden has said he wants to rejoin the nuclear agreement if Iran resumes compliance, Iran has said the United States must drop the sanctions first. Neither side has publicly shown an immediate willingness to find a diplomatic solution. But Iran’s agreement to free the South Korean ship’s crew, which Saeed Khatibzadeh, a Foreign Ministry spokesman, described as a humanitarian gesture, appeared intended to portray some measure of flexibility on sanctions-related issues. “This may be a signal to show a willingness to resume discussions or at the least take the tensions down a notch, and perhaps to open the door for South Korea releasing seized Iranian assets,” said Farhad Alavi, a partner at Akrivis Law Group, a Washington firm that specializes in sanctions law. “Similarly, I would not be surprised if President Biden lifts or suspends some less sensitive or perhaps more political Trump-era sanctions in the coming weeks or months — something more symbolic than substantial,” Alavi said. There was no immediate comment from the Biden administration on the news about the South Korean crew members. South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the move to free the crew members came during a telephone conversation on Tuesday between Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, and his South Korean counterpart, Choi Jong-kun. The crew includes four South Koreans, and the other members are Burmese, Vietnamese and Indonesian, the statement said. Choi welcomed the Iranian decision and urged the Iranian government to release the captain and the ship as well. During his telephone conversation with Araghchi, Choi promised “speedy” action to help address Iran’s grievances over the $7 billion in impounded funds. Choi also told Araghchi that South Korea would consult U.S. officials in Washington over the matter, the ministry said.

Iran agrees to free South Korean ship’s crew

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