Some days, Cathy Yau wanders down dark alleys looking for rats to poison. Other days, she helps food banks deliver meals to older people. Often her phone rings with calls from constituents: neighbors asking about their rights during a police stop-and-frisk, or how to best navigate the city’s welfare bureaucracy.

Such is life for a Hong Kong district councilor.

“I do things that nobody’s directed you to do, but which no one else would do if I didn’t,” she said.

Yau, a 37-year-old former police officer, is among the hundreds of pro-democracy candidates who were elected to local government offices in Hong Kong in November 2019 on a wave of anti-establishment sentiment that followed months of street protests.

As the political climate in Hong Kong has rapidly changed, the councilors’ advocacy for the Chinese territory’s fragile democratic institutions has made them the latest target of Communist Party officials in Beijing. In recent months, about 50 of the city’s 392 opposition councilors have been arrested on charges related to the 2019 protests, campaign finances and violations of a contentious anti-sedition law.

Since the passage in June of the national security law — legislation that grants Beijing broad powers to crack down on political crimes in Hong Kong — pro-democracy activists have been surveilled and arrested. In November, Beijing forced the ouster of four elected pro-democracy lawmakers from the city’s main legislative body, a purge that prompted the rest of the opposition to resign en masse.

The job of district councilor, the lowest rung of public office in Hong Kong, was never a particularly political position. Councilors typically tended to mundane neighborhood matters like pest control and the locations of new bus stops.

Now, they are the last line of defense in keeping the city’s pro-democracy opposition alive. And Beijing does not plan to make it easy.

“When the opposition walked out of the legislature, the district councils became one of the last remaining institutions that could voice public interests,” said Edmund Cheng, an associate professor of public policy at the City University of Hong Kong. “What happens to them will put to the test Hong Kong’s resilience as a pluralistic society and how it’s governed.”

Since taking up their posts a year ago, many district councilors have sought to redefine the office — with mixed results. They have boycotted meetings with senior officials, accused the city’s police chief of lying and extracted information about the surveillance infrastructure in their neighborhoods. In turn, government representatives have staged walkouts when the councilors tried to discuss political issues at meetings.

Next month, for the first time, all 452 district councilors will have to swear a loyalty oath, a new requirement under the national security law and the latest test for the remaining elected opposition leaders.

Some pro-establishment district councilors have grown impatient with the pro-democracy bloc’s tactics. “If they refuse to communicate with the government, are they still carrying out their duties?” asked Frankie Ngan, a pro-Beijing councilor. “I’m doubtful.”

The campaign by the pro-democracy councilors to take on the government underscores a sense that everything today in Hong Kong — from maintaining the streets to collecting garbage — is political.

Yau, the district councilor, works out of a cluttered office in the downtown district of Causeway Bay, a stone’s throw from Victoria Park. In the early days of the 2019 protests, she patrolled the neighborhood as a police officer. That June, Yau watched as a sea of protesters calling for democracy and police accountability streamed past, shouting: “Corrupt cops! Corrupt cops!”

At the time, Yau thought to herself: “This isn’t who I am. And if I didn’t have to work, I think I’d be marching with you.” As the police cracked down on the protesters that summer, she resigned, feeling disillusioned.

Tear gas and barricades have not been seen on the streets of Causeway Bay in more than a year, but the area still bears the scars of the protests. Holes in the pavement left as demonstrators removed bricks to throw at the police have been filled with concrete, creating a patchwork of red and gray. The streets remain devoid of trash cans after the authorities hauled them away when protesters used them to build roadblocks. Yau lobbied to have the trash cans returned, and the government replaced them with less imposing plastic bags.

Leung Ming-yu, a Causeway Bay resident who sells backpacks at a neighborhood street market, said he expected district councilors to prioritize serving residents’ everyday needs over politics. But he also said he was disappointed to see some establishment-backed officials “acting as yes-men” and approving costly government projects that did not benefit the community.

“Of course it’s a good thing to have a very competent councilor who can solve all of our problems,” Leung said. “But we want a genuine councilor, so we can feel like we have a higher level of participation.”

Yau said she had tried to walk the line between striving for democracy and making sure she can survive to work another day for her constituents. As a result, she has shied away from more sensitive political issues. When a group of fugitive Hong Kong activists were captured at sea last year by the mainland authorities — a case that touched a raw nerve in the city — she left the work to other lawmakers who had the institutional standing and resources to advocate for the activists’ rights in custody.

Despite the divisions between the pro-democracy and pro-establishment camps, Yau said she planned to focus on the little common ground the groups still share.

“Despite our clashes with the authorities in the council meetings, we still need to work with government departments on everyday issues,” she said. “I just hope to work on things that the authorities think make sense and that actually benefit the community.”

Some days, Cathy Yau wanders down dark alleys looking for rats to poison. Other days, she helps food banks deliver meals to older people. Often her phone rings with calls from constituents: neighbors asking about their rights during a police stop-and-frisk, or how to best navigate the city’s welfare bureaucracy.

Some days, Cathy Yau wanders down dark alleys looking for rats to poison. Other days, she helps food banks deliver meals to older people. Often her phone rings with calls from constituents: neighbors asking about their rights during a police stop-and-frisk, or how to best navigate the city’s welfare bureaucracy. Such is life for a Hong Kong district councilor. “I do things that nobody’s directed you to do, but which no one else would do if I didn’t,” she said. Yau, a 37-year-old former police officer, is among the hundreds of pro-democracy candidates who were elected to local government offices in Hong Kong in November 2019 on a wave of anti-establishment sentiment that followed months of street protests. As the political climate in Hong Kong has rapidly changed, the councilors’ advocacy for the Chinese territory’s fragile democratic institutions has made them the latest target of Communist Party officials in Beijing. In recent months, about 50 of the city’s 392 opposition councilors have been arrested on charges related to the 2019 protests, campaign finances and violations of a contentious anti-sedition law. Since the passage in June of the national security law — legislation that grants Beijing broad powers to crack down on political crimes in Hong Kong — pro-democracy activists have been surveilled and arrested. In November, Beijing forced the ouster of four elected pro-democracy lawmakers from the city’s main legislative body, a purge that prompted the rest of the opposition to resign en masse. The job of district councilor, the lowest rung of public office in Hong Kong, was never a particularly political position. Councilors typically tended to mundane neighborhood matters like pest control and the locations of new bus stops. Now, they are the last line of defense in keeping the city’s pro-democracy opposition alive. And Beijing does not plan to make it easy. “When the opposition walked out of the legislature, the district councils became one of the last remaining institutions that could voice public interests,” said Edmund Cheng, an associate professor of public policy at the City University of Hong Kong. “What happens to them will put to the test Hong Kong’s resilience as a pluralistic society and how it’s governed.” Since taking up their posts a year ago, many district councilors have sought to redefine the office — with mixed results. They have boycotted meetings with senior officials, accused the city’s police chief of lying and extracted information about the surveillance infrastructure in their neighborhoods. In turn, government representatives have staged walkouts when the councilors tried to discuss political issues at meetings. Next month, for the first time, all 452 district councilors will have to swear a loyalty oath, a new requirement under the national security law and the latest test for the remaining elected opposition leaders. Some pro-establishment district councilors have grown impatient with the pro-democracy bloc’s tactics. “If they refuse to communicate with the government, are they still carrying out their duties?” asked Frankie Ngan, a pro-Beijing councilor. “I’m doubtful.” The campaign by the pro-democracy councilors to take on the government underscores a sense that everything today in Hong Kong — from maintaining the streets to collecting garbage — is political. Yau, the district councilor, works out of a cluttered office in the downtown district of Causeway Bay, a stone’s throw from Victoria Park. In the early days of the 2019 protests, she patrolled the neighborhood as a police officer. That June, Yau watched as a sea of protesters calling for democracy and police accountability streamed past, shouting: “Corrupt cops! Corrupt cops!” At the time, Yau thought to herself: “This isn’t who I am. And if I didn’t have to work, I think I’d be marching with you.” As the police cracked down on the protesters that summer, she resigned, feeling disillusioned. Tear gas and barricades have not been seen on the streets of Causeway Bay in more than a year, but the area still bears the scars of the protests. Holes in the pavement left as demonstrators removed bricks to throw at the police have been filled with concrete, creating a patchwork of red and gray. The streets remain devoid of trash cans after the authorities hauled them away when protesters used them to build roadblocks. Yau lobbied to have the trash cans returned, and the government replaced them with less imposing plastic bags. Leung Ming-yu, a Causeway Bay resident who sells backpacks at a neighborhood street market, said he expected district councilors to prioritize serving residents’ everyday needs over politics. But he also said he was disappointed to see some establishment-backed officials “acting as yes-men” and approving costly government projects that did not benefit the community. “Of course it’s a good thing to have a very competent councilor who can solve all of our problems,” Leung said. “But we want a genuine councilor, so we can feel like we have a higher level of participation.” Yau said she had tried to walk the line between striving for democracy and making sure she can survive to work another day for her constituents. As a result, she has shied away from more sensitive political issues. When a group of fugitive Hong Kong activists were captured at sea last year by the mainland authorities — a case that touched a raw nerve in the city — she left the work to other lawmakers who had the institutional standing and resources to advocate for the activists’ rights in custody. Despite the divisions between the pro-democracy and pro-establishment camps, Yau said she planned to focus on the little common ground the groups still share. “Despite our clashes with the authorities in the council meetings, we still need to work with government departments on everyday issues,” she said. “I just hope to work on things that the authorities think make sense and that actually benefit the community.”

How Hong Kong’s lowliest politicians became its champions of freedom

Scientists have discovered a unique star flipping its polarity and&nbsp;blasting its radio wave beam in odd directions around 15,000 light-years away.

With a magnetic field up to 1,000 times stronger than a typical neutron star&nbsp;and about 100 million times stronger than the most powerful magnets made by humans,&nbsp;Swift J1818.0−1607 belongs to a special class of objects called magnetars, which are the most magnetic objects in the universe.

"This object is showing us an earlier time in a magnetar's life than we've ever seen before, very shortly after its formation," said Nanda Rea, a researcher at the Institute of Space Sciences in Barcelona and principal investigator on the observation campaigns.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/a-dead-star-in-our-galaxy-is-emitting-radiation-never-witnessed-before-316671">A dead star in our galaxy is emitting radiation never witnessed before!</a>

The magnetar Swift&nbsp;J1818.0–1607&nbsp;is only about 240 years old,&nbsp;a veritable newborn by cosmic standards as per a study published in the journal Astrophysical Journal Letters.

Magnetars are a type of&nbsp;neutron star, an incredibly dense object mainly made up of tightly packed&nbsp;neutrons, which forms from the collapsed core of a massive star during a&nbsp;supernova.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9OkvqyuBaQ4" width="560"></iframe>

Magnetars differ from other neutron stars is that they also have the most powerful known&nbsp;magnetic fields&nbsp;in the Universe.&nbsp;

"This object is showing us an earlier time in a magnetar's life than we've ever seen before, very shortly after its formation," said Nanda Rea, a researcher at the Institute of Space Sciences in Barcelona and principal investigator on the observation campaigns by XMM Newton and NuSTAR (short for Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array).

While there are over 3,000 known neutron stars, scientists have identified just 31 confirmed magnetars — including this newest entry. Because their physical properties can't be re-created on Earth, neutron stars (including magnetars) are natural laboratories for testing our understanding of the physical world.

"Maybe if we understand the formation story of these objects, we'll understand why there is such a huge difference between the number of magnetars we've found and the total number of known neutron stars," Rea said.

Swift J1818.0−1607 is located in the constellation Sagittarius and is relatively close to Earth — only about 16,000 light-years away. (Because light takes time to travel these cosmic distances, we are seeing the light that the neutron star emitted about 16,000 years ago when it was about 240 years old.)

Many scientific models suggest that the physical properties and behaviours of magnetars change as they age and that magnetars may be most active when they are younger. So finding a younger sample close by like this will help refine those models.

Other astronomers have also observed J1818.0-1607 with&nbsp;radio&nbsp;telescopes, such as the NSF's Karl Jansky Very Large Array (VLA), and determined that it gives off radio waves. This implies that it also has properties similar to that of a typical "rotation-powered pulsar," a type of neutron star that gives off beams of radiation that are detected as repeating pulses of emission as it rotates and slows down.

Only five magnetars including this one have been recorded to also act like pulsars, constituting less than 0.2 per cent&nbsp;of the known neutron star population.

Scientists have discovered a unique star flipping its polarity and blasting its radio wave beam in odd directions around 15,000 light-years away. With a magnetic field up to 1,000 times stronger than a typical neutron star and about 100 million times stronger than the most powerful magnets made by humans, Swift J1818.

Scientists have discovered a unique star flipping its polarity and blasting its radio wave beam in odd directions around 15,000 light-years away. With a magnetic field up to 1,000 times stronger than a typical neutron star and about 100 million times stronger than the most powerful magnets made by humans, Swift J1818.0−1607 belongs to a special class of objects called magnetars, which are the most magnetic objects in the universe. "This object is showing us an earlier time in a magnetar's life than we've ever seen before, very shortly after its formation," said Nanda Rea, a researcher at the Institute of Space Sciences in Barcelona and principal investigator on the observation campaigns. Also read: A dead star in our galaxy is emitting radiation never witnessed before! The magnetar Swift J1818.0–1607 is only about 240 years old, a veritable newborn by cosmic standards as per a study published in the journal Astrophysical Journal Letters. Magnetars are a type of neutron star, an incredibly dense object mainly made up of tightly packed neutrons, which forms from the collapsed core of a massive star during a supernova. Magnetars differ from other neutron stars is that they also have the most powerful known magnetic fields in the Universe. "This object is showing us an earlier time in a magnetar's life than we've ever seen before, very shortly after its formation," said Nanda Rea, a researcher at the Institute of Space Sciences in Barcelona and principal investigator on the observation campaigns by XMM Newton and NuSTAR (short for Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array). While there are over 3,000 known neutron stars, scientists have identified just 31 confirmed magnetars — including this newest entry. Because their physical properties can't be re-created on Earth, neutron stars (including magnetars) are natural laboratories for testing our understanding of the physical world. "Maybe if we understand the formation story of these objects, we'll understand why there is such a huge difference between the number of magnetars we've found and the total number of known neutron stars," Rea said. Swift J1818.0−1607 is located in the constellation Sagittarius and is relatively close to Earth — only about 16,000 light-years away. (Because light takes time to travel these cosmic distances, we are seeing the light that the neutron star emitted about 16,000 years ago when it was about 240 years old.) Many scientific models suggest that the physical properties and behaviours of magnetars change as they age and that magnetars may be most active when they are younger. So finding a younger sample close by like this will help refine those models. Other astronomers have also observed J1818.0-1607 with radio telescopes, such as the NSF's Karl Jansky Very Large Array (VLA), and determined that it gives off radio waves. This implies that it also has properties similar to that of a typical "rotation-powered pulsar," a type of neutron star that gives off beams of radiation that are detected as repeating pulses of emission as it rotates and slows down. Only five magnetars including this one have been recorded to also act like pulsars, constituting less than 0.2 per cent of the known neutron star population.

Astronomers discover unique star blasting its radio wave beam in odd directions

&nbsp;A total of 36 members of the US Congress on Tuesday issued a letter to Pakistan`s Ambassador to the United States, urging the country to undertake a full review of acquittal of the accused in the case of 2002 killing of American journalist Daniel Pearl.

In a letter to Pakistan envoy Asad Majeed Khan, the US lawmakers said, "In the years since the tragic murder of Daniel Pearl, the US and Pakistan have maintained a robust partnership, particularly in the areas of security cooperation, energy, trade, and investment. We look forward to continuing to work with you to advance this relationship."

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"Nevertheless, in pursuit of justice for Pearl and the countless others who have been murdered by acts of terrorism, it is incumbent upon us to urge you to do your utmost to ensure that the Government of Pakistan conducts a full review of the acquittal in the case of Daniel Pearl," the letter said.

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This comes after Pakistan's&nbsp;Supreme Court ordered the release of Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, convicted in 2002 of orchestrating the abduction and killing of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl.

Last week, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had said in a statement that the US is prepared to prosecute Sheikh in the US, a position that the lawmakers strongly supported.

The letter, which was signed by the likes of Ro Khanna and Brad Sherman further said, "A statement issued on January 28th by the office of the Attorney General for Pakistan indicates that your government will conduct a full review of the acquittal passed by the Supreme Court. We welcome the decision to file a Review Petition and expect the Pakistani government to expeditiously move to recall the order of acquittal to ensure justice is served."

''We expect the Pakistani government to expeditiously move to recall the order of acquittal to ensure justice is served," said Congressman Sherman. Pakistan`s Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the authorities to shift terrorist Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, the prime accused in Pearl`s murder, from a death cell in the Karachi Central Prison to government rest house within the next two or three days.

The country`s apex court also ordered authorities to ensure the complete security of the rest house, Geo News reported.

A three-member bench of the Supreme Court resumed hearing on Tuesday on the petition filed by the Sindh government seeking review of the apex court order to release the terrorist in connection with the journalist`s murder case.

The apex court, on Monday, had extended the detention of Sheikh by one day on the request of the Sindh government to review his release. Sheikh was one of three terrorists released by India in 1999 in exchange for a hijacked airliner.

In 2002, Pearl, the 38-year-old journalist of The Wall Street Journal`s South Asia bureau, was abducted and beheaded while he was in Pakistan to investigate a story of terror groups` links to Al-Qaeda.

A total of 36 members of the US Congress on Tuesday issued a letter to Pakistan`s Ambassador to the United States, urging the country to undertake a full review of acquittal of the accused in the case of 2002 killing of American journalist Daniel Pearl.

A total of 36 members of the US Congress on Tuesday issued a letter to Pakistan`s Ambassador to the United States, urging the country to undertake a full review of acquittal of the accused in the case of 2002 killing of American journalist Daniel Pearl. In a letter to Pakistan envoy Asad Majeed Khan, the US lawmakers said, "In the years since the tragic murder of Daniel Pearl, the US and Pakistan have maintained a robust partnership, particularly in the areas of security cooperation, energy, trade, and investment. We look forward to continuing to work with you to advance this relationship." "Nevertheless, in pursuit of justice for Pearl and the countless others who have been murdered by acts of terrorism, it is incumbent upon us to urge you to do your utmost to ensure that the Government of Pakistan conducts a full review of the acquittal in the case of Daniel Pearl," the letter said. This comes after Pakistan's Supreme Court ordered the release of Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, convicted in 2002 of orchestrating the abduction and killing of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl. Last week, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had said in a statement that the US is prepared to prosecute Sheikh in the US, a position that the lawmakers strongly supported. The letter, which was signed by the likes of Ro Khanna and Brad Sherman further said, "A statement issued on January 28th by the office of the Attorney General for Pakistan indicates that your government will conduct a full review of the acquittal passed by the Supreme Court. We welcome the decision to file a Review Petition and expect the Pakistani government to expeditiously move to recall the order of acquittal to ensure justice is served." ''We expect the Pakistani government to expeditiously move to recall the order of acquittal to ensure justice is served," said Congressman Sherman. Pakistan`s Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the authorities to shift terrorist Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, the prime accused in Pearl`s murder, from a death cell in the Karachi Central Prison to government rest house within the next two or three days. The country`s apex court also ordered authorities to ensure the complete security of the rest house, Geo News reported. A three-member bench of the Supreme Court resumed hearing on Tuesday on the petition filed by the Sindh government seeking review of the apex court order to release the terrorist in connection with the journalist`s murder case. The apex court, on Monday, had extended the detention of Sheikh by one day on the request of the Sindh government to review his release. Sheikh was one of three terrorists released by India in 1999 in exchange for a hijacked airliner. In 2002, Pearl, the 38-year-old journalist of The Wall Street Journal`s South Asia bureau, was abducted and beheaded while he was in Pakistan to investigate a story of terror groups` links to Al-Qaeda.

36 US lawmakers ask Pak for review of acquittal in Daniel Pearl's murder case

India is vigilant in the face of attempts to change status quo at its border and prepared to defeat any misadventures to defend territorial integrity, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Wednesday, amid a continued military standoff with China.

"We have long witnessed unfortunate attempts to employ force to change the status quo at our unresolved borders", Singh said at the inaugural ceremony of Aero India-2021, the country's premier Defence and aerospace show, at Yelahanka Air Force Station here.

"India is vigilant and prepared to counter and defeat any misadventures to defend our people and territorial integrity at all costs", the Minister said.

China and India are locked in a military standoff in eastern Ladakh since May 5 last.

The two countries have held several rounds of military and diplomatic talks to resolve the face-off, but no significant headway has been made so far.

Singh also said that India plans to spend USD 130 billion on Defence modernisation in the next seven to eight years with a focus on domestic manufacturing of bigger and complex platforms.

The government has since 2014 brought in many reforms in the defence sector to create a conducive ecosystem for exports, Foreign Direct Investment and offset discharge, he noted.

To achieve the twin goals of self-reliance and exports, the government has set a target to achieve a turnover of Rs 1,75,000 crore in the field of Defence manufacturing, including export of Rs 35,000 crore in Aerospace and Defence goods and services, by 2024, Singh said.

"We plan to spend USD 130 billion on Defence modernisation in the next seven to eight years", he added.

Like many of our friendly countries India also faces threats and challenges emanating from multiple fronts, the union minister said adding the country was a "victim of state-sponsored and state inflicted terrorism which is now a global threat".

The government has taken many steps to strengthen the country's security apparatus recently.

Domestic manufacturing of bigger and complex defence platforms has now become the focus of our policy under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan.

Singh said he has been informed that about 540 exhibitors including 80 foreign companies, Defence Ministers, Delegates, Service chiefs and officials from more than 55 nations are participating in the event.

"It reflects the growing optimism of the global community", he said.

India is vigilant in the face of attempts to change status quo at its border and prepared to defeat any misadventures to defend territorial integrity, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Wednesday, amid a continued military standoff with China.

India is vigilant in the face of attempts to change status quo at its border and prepared to defeat any misadventures to defend territorial integrity, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Wednesday, amid a continued military standoff with China. "We have long witnessed unfortunate attempts to employ force to change the status quo at our unresolved borders", Singh said at the inaugural ceremony of Aero India-2021, the country's premier Defence and aerospace show, at Yelahanka Air Force Station here. "India is vigilant and prepared to counter and defeat any misadventures to defend our people and territorial integrity at all costs", the Minister said. China and India are locked in a military standoff in eastern Ladakh since May 5 last. The two countries have held several rounds of military and diplomatic talks to resolve the face-off, but no significant headway has been made so far. Singh also said that India plans to spend USD 130 billion on Defence modernisation in the next seven to eight years with a focus on domestic manufacturing of bigger and complex platforms. The government has since 2014 brought in many reforms in the defence sector to create a conducive ecosystem for exports, Foreign Direct Investment and offset discharge, he noted. To achieve the twin goals of self-reliance and exports, the government has set a target to achieve a turnover of Rs 1,75,000 crore in the field of Defence manufacturing, including export of Rs 35,000 crore in Aerospace and Defence goods and services, by 2024, Singh said. "We plan to spend USD 130 billion on Defence modernisation in the next seven to eight years", he added. Like many of our friendly countries India also faces threats and challenges emanating from multiple fronts, the union minister said adding the country was a "victim of state-sponsored and state inflicted terrorism which is now a global threat". The government has taken many steps to strengthen the country's security apparatus recently. Domestic manufacturing of bigger and complex defence platforms has now become the focus of our policy under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan. Singh said he has been informed that about 540 exhibitors including 80 foreign companies, Defence Ministers, Delegates, Service chiefs and officials from more than 55 nations are participating in the event. "It reflects the growing optimism of the global community", he said.

Prepared to defeat any misadventures to defend territorial integrity: Rajnath Singh

Microsoft&nbsp;Corp said on Wednesday it fully supported proposed new laws in Australia that would force internet giants Google and Facebook Inc to pay domestic media outlets for their content.

Microsoft has been positioning itself to increase market share for its search engine, Bing after a Google executive told a Senate hearing last month that it would likely make its search engine unavailable in Australia if the government goes ahead with a draft law that would make tech giants pay for news content.

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Microsoft President Brad Smith said in a statement that he and Microsoft Chief Executive Satya Nadella had told Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Communications Minister Paul Fletcher in an online meeting&nbsp; that&nbsp;"While&nbsp;Microsoft&nbsp;is not subject to the legislation currently pending, we'd be willing to live by these rules if the government designates us."

"The code reasonably attempts to address the bargaining power imbalance between digital platforms and Australian news businesses."

Both Alphabet Inc's Google and Facebook have called the laws unworkable and said last month they would withdraw some key services from Australia if the regulations went ahead.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Monday&nbsp;Microsoft&nbsp;was ready to step in and expand its search product Bing in Australia if Google pulls its search engine after he spoke with&nbsp;Microsoft&nbsp;Chief Executive Satya Nadella last week.

Although Bing is Australia's second most popular search engine, it has only a 3.6 per cent&nbsp;market share, according to web analytics service Statcounter.

Google's search engine has 94 per cent of&nbsp;the country's search market, according to industry data.

Microsoft&nbsp;in its statement said it will offer small firms a chance to transfer advertising business to Bing with no costs and that it would invest further in the product to ensure it is competitive.

The mandatory code proposed by the government aims to make Google and Facebook pay Australian media companies fairly for using news content the tech giants siphon from news sites.

There are no plans to make smaller search engines such as Bing pay for linking users to Australian news, but the government has not ruled that option out. 
Google has faced pressure from authorities elsewhere to pay for news.

Last month, it signed a deal with a group of French publishers paving the way for the company to make digital copyright payments. Under the agreement, Google will negotiate individual licensing deals with newspapers, with payments based on factors such as the amount published daily and monthly internet site traffic.

But Google is resisting the Australian plan because it would have less control over how much it would have to pay. Under the Australian system, if an online platform and a news business can't agree on a price for news, an arbitration panel will make a binding decision on payment.

Microsoft Corp said on Wednesday it fully supported proposed new laws in Australia that would force internet giants Google and Facebook Inc to pay domestic media outlets for their content.

Microsoft Corp said on Wednesday it fully supported proposed new laws in Australia that would force internet giants Google and Facebook Inc to pay domestic media outlets for their content. Microsoft has been positioning itself to increase market share for its search engine, Bing after a Google executive told a Senate hearing last month that it would likely make its search engine unavailable in Australia if the government goes ahead with a draft law that would make tech giants pay for news content. Microsoft President Brad Smith said in a statement that he and Microsoft Chief Executive Satya Nadella had told Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Communications Minister Paul Fletcher in an online meeting that "While Microsoft is not subject to the legislation currently pending, we'd be willing to live by these rules if the government designates us." "The code reasonably attempts to address the bargaining power imbalance between digital platforms and Australian news businesses." Both Alphabet Inc's Google and Facebook have called the laws unworkable and said last month they would withdraw some key services from Australia if the regulations went ahead. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Monday Microsoft was ready to step in and expand its search product Bing in Australia if Google pulls its search engine after he spoke with Microsoft Chief Executive Satya Nadella last week. Although Bing is Australia's second most popular search engine, it has only a 3.6 per cent market share, according to web analytics service Statcounter. Google's search engine has 94 per cent of the country's search market, according to industry data. Microsoft in its statement said it will offer small firms a chance to transfer advertising business to Bing with no costs and that it would invest further in the product to ensure it is competitive. The mandatory code proposed by the government aims to make Google and Facebook pay Australian media companies fairly for using news content the tech giants siphon from news sites. There are no plans to make smaller search engines such as Bing pay for linking users to Australian news, but the government has not ruled that option out. Google has faced pressure from authorities elsewhere to pay for news. Last month, it signed a deal with a group of French publishers paving the way for the company to make digital copyright payments. Under the agreement, Google will negotiate individual licensing deals with newspapers, with payments based on factors such as the amount published daily and monthly internet site traffic. But Google is resisting the Australian plan because it would have less control over how much it would have to pay. Under the Australian system, if an online platform and a news business can't agree on a price for news, an arbitration panel will make a binding decision on payment.

Microsoft says it supports Australia's plans to make Google pay for news

Pakistan&nbsp;will begin administering a Chinese-made Covid-19 vaccine to frontline health workers Wednesday, but the country is still months away from a mass roll-out.

China has donated around 500,000 doses of the Sinopharm vaccine, which is yet to be fully approved by China's health authorities. &nbsp;A million doses are expected to be delivered by the end of the month.&nbsp;

Pakistan has recorded more than half a million coronavirus cases and around 11,000 deaths. However, the limited testing done by the country suggests true figures are likely to be much higher.&nbsp;

Lawmaker Nausheen Hamid, who leads Pakistan parliament's health committee, said health workers will get priority in the first phase of vaccinations. "I can't say with certainty, but we would still need around two months to start a mass vaccination campaign," Hamid added.&nbsp;

According to the Sindh province health authority, around 100 healthcare workers nationwide had died since the virus spread in the world's fifth-most populous country last year.&nbsp;

Pulmonologist and Covid-19 expert Shazli Manzoor said the Chinese vaccine suits Pakistan as it can be easily stored at between two and eight degrees Celsius, compared to -70 degrees Celsius for other vaccines. The government would also set up special clinics to monitor the effects of the inoculation.&nbsp;

Some doctors have questioned the effectiveness of the vaccine. "It lacks transparency and data compared to other vaccines," said a Pakistani healthcare worker.&nbsp;

Pakistan has also been promised up to 17 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine in the first half of 2021 under the Covax global pool, the government has said.&nbsp;

Pakistan has not been included in the list of countries, which are receiving vaccines from neighbouring India.&nbsp;

In a symbolic ceremony in front of Prime Minister Imran Khan, a doctor in Islamabad was the first health worker to receive the jab on Tuesday night.&nbsp;

Pakistan will begin administering a Chinese-made Covid-19 vaccine to frontline health workers Wednesday, but the country is still months away from a mass roll-out.

Pakistan will begin administering a Chinese-made Covid-19 vaccine to frontline health workers Wednesday, but the country is still months away from a mass roll-out. China has donated around 500,000 doses of the Sinopharm vaccine, which is yet to be fully approved by China's health authorities. A million doses are expected to be delivered by the end of the month. Pakistan has recorded more than half a million coronavirus cases and around 11,000 deaths. However, the limited testing done by the country suggests true figures are likely to be much higher. Lawmaker Nausheen Hamid, who leads Pakistan parliament's health committee, said health workers will get priority in the first phase of vaccinations. "I can't say with certainty, but we would still need around two months to start a mass vaccination campaign," Hamid added. According to the Sindh province health authority, around 100 healthcare workers nationwide had died since the virus spread in the world's fifth-most populous country last year. Pulmonologist and Covid-19 expert Shazli Manzoor said the Chinese vaccine suits Pakistan as it can be easily stored at between two and eight degrees Celsius, compared to -70 degrees Celsius for other vaccines. The government would also set up special clinics to monitor the effects of the inoculation. Some doctors have questioned the effectiveness of the vaccine. "It lacks transparency and data compared to other vaccines," said a Pakistani healthcare worker. Pakistan has also been promised up to 17 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine in the first half of 2021 under the Covax global pool, the government has said. Pakistan has not been included in the list of countries, which are receiving vaccines from neighbouring India. In a symbolic ceremony in front of Prime Minister Imran Khan, a doctor in Islamabad was the first health worker to receive the jab on Tuesday night.

Pakistan healthcare workers to begin receiving Chinese-made vaccine

Several top executives and prominent figures around the world have been sending congratulatory messages to Jeff Bezos and Andy Jassy via Twitter after the former announced he will stand aside as chief executive. Bezos will take up the role of executive chair in the third quarter and hand over the CEO role to Jassy, who currently heads Amazon Web Services.&nbsp;

Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff and others have congratulated Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his successor Andy Jassy on their new roles on Wednesday.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amazon-ceo-jeff-bezos-to-step-down-360973">Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos to step down</a>

In a communique to Amazon employees, Bezos said, he would 'stay engaged in important Amazon initiatives' but would pivot towards philanthropic initiatives, including the Day One Fund and Bezos Earth Fund, and other ventures in space exploration and journalism.&nbsp;

Pichai sent his best wishes for the two passion projects of the outgoing Amazon CEO, namely the Day One Fund and the Bezos Earth Fund.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/meet-andy-jassy-next-amazon-ceo-after-jeff-bezos-361003" hreflang="en">Meet Andy Jassy, next Amazon CEO after Jeff Bezos</a>

Noting Jassy's accomplishments, Nadella said, "a well-deserved recognition of what you have accomplished." Benioff also took to Twitter to say, Amazon 'could not be in better hands’.&nbsp;

Bezos, 57, founded Amazon in his garage in 1994. He went on to grow it into a colossus, which dominates online retail, with operations in streaming music and television, robotics, artificial intelligence, groceries, cloud computing, and more.&nbsp;

In 1997, Jassy joined Amazon as a marketing manager and in 2003, he founded AWS, the cloud services division of the tech giant, which has been one of the most profitable, yet least-known units of the company.&nbsp;

Several top executives and prominent figures around the world have been sending congratulatory messages to Jeff Bezos and Andy Jassy via Twitter after the former announced he will stand aside as chief executive.

Several top executives and prominent figures around the world have been sending congratulatory messages to Jeff Bezos and Andy Jassy via Twitter after the former announced he will stand aside as chief executive. Bezos will take up the role of executive chair in the third quarter and hand over the CEO role to Jassy, who currently heads Amazon Web Services. Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff and others have congratulated Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his successor Andy Jassy on their new roles on Wednesday. Also read: Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos to step down In a communique to Amazon employees, Bezos said, he would 'stay engaged in important Amazon initiatives' but would pivot towards philanthropic initiatives, including the Day One Fund and Bezos Earth Fund, and other ventures in space exploration and journalism. Pichai sent his best wishes for the two passion projects of the outgoing Amazon CEO, namely the Day One Fund and the Bezos Earth Fund. Also read: Meet Andy Jassy, next Amazon CEO after Jeff Bezos Noting Jassy's accomplishments, Nadella said, "a well-deserved recognition of what you have accomplished." Benioff also took to Twitter to say, Amazon 'could not be in better hands’. Bezos, 57, founded Amazon in his garage in 1994. He went on to grow it into a colossus, which dominates online retail, with operations in streaming music and television, robotics, artificial intelligence, groceries, cloud computing, and more. In 1997, Jassy joined Amazon as a marketing manager and in 2003, he founded AWS, the cloud services division of the tech giant, which has been one of the most profitable, yet least-known units of the company.

Pichai, Nadella join bigwigs in congratulating Bezos, Jassy

Tesla chief Elon Musk grilled&nbsp;Vladimir&nbsp;Tenev,&nbsp;co-founder of online stock broker app Robinhood, which is under fire for blocking retail investors from purchasing GameStop stock.

Musk asked on private social audio app&nbsp;Clubhouse&nbsp;"Do you want to hear the real story from Vlad [from] Robinhood about what happened on the Street with GameStop?"

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/gamestop-prompts-surge-in-hyper-rally-after-elon-musks-tweet-359791">GameStop prompts surge in hyper-rally after Elon Musk's tweet</a>

On the wide-ranging chat, Musk discussed memes, Mars, his companies, and vaccines, among other topics.&nbsp;

Clubhouse&nbsp;built a following among venture capitalists and startup founders gossiping in its audio-only chatrooms following its launch last March as the COVID-19 pandemic spread around the world. It provides&nbsp;an alternative forum to Twitter.

GameStop stock surged some 400 per cent&nbsp;in the past week after retail investors banded together to buy shares in the US&nbsp;video game retailer, sending hedge funds scrambling to cover losing bets.

Musk questioned&nbsp;Tenev saying&nbsp;"What happened last week? Why couldn't people buy the GameStop shares? The people demand answers, and they want to know the truth."

Tenev&nbsp;said the market rumour was untrue that Citadel Securities - the market-making arm of billionaire hedge-fund manager Ken Griffin - had pressured Robinhood into blocking retail investors.

"That's just false,"&nbsp;Tenev&nbsp;said, adding that Robinhood temporarily halted trading to meet regulatory capital requirements.

The Menlo Park, California-based company was founded in 2013 by Baiju Bhatt and&nbsp;Tenev, aiming to democratize finance. Its platform allows users to make unlimited commission-free trades in stocks, exchange-traded funds, options and cryptocurrencies.

Musk last week tweeted "Gamestonk!!," which many in the market interpreted as an apparent show of support for small investors. "Stonks" is a tongue-in-cheek term for stocks widely used on social media.

Tesla chief Elon Musk grilled Vladimir Tenev, co-founder of online stock broker app Robinhood, which is under fire for blocking retail investors from purchasing GameStop stock.

Tesla chief Elon Musk grilled Vladimir Tenev, co-founder of online stock broker app Robinhood, which is under fire for blocking retail investors from purchasing GameStop stock. Musk asked on private social audio app Clubhouse "Do you want to hear the real story from Vlad [from] Robinhood about what happened on the Street with GameStop?" Also read: GameStop prompts surge in hyper-rally after Elon Musk's tweet On the wide-ranging chat, Musk discussed memes, Mars, his companies, and vaccines, among other topics. Clubhouse built a following among venture capitalists and startup founders gossiping in its audio-only chatrooms following its launch last March as the COVID-19 pandemic spread around the world. It provides an alternative forum to Twitter. GameStop stock surged some 400 per cent in the past week after retail investors banded together to buy shares in the US video game retailer, sending hedge funds scrambling to cover losing bets. Musk questioned Tenev saying "What happened last week? Why couldn't people buy the GameStop shares? The people demand answers, and they want to know the truth." Tenev said the market rumour was untrue that Citadel Securities - the market-making arm of billionaire hedge-fund manager Ken Griffin - had pressured Robinhood into blocking retail investors. "That's just false," Tenev said, adding that Robinhood temporarily halted trading to meet regulatory capital requirements. The Menlo Park, California-based company was founded in 2013 by Baiju Bhatt and Tenev, aiming to democratize finance. Its platform allows users to make unlimited commission-free trades in stocks, exchange-traded funds, options and cryptocurrencies. Musk last week tweeted "Gamestonk!!," which many in the market interpreted as an apparent show of support for small investors. "Stonks" is a tongue-in-cheek term for stocks widely used on social media.

Tesla's Elon Musk grills Robinhood CEO Vladimir Tenev over GameStop trading freeze

Alibaba Group founder Jack Ma has been left off a list of Chinese entrepreneurial leaders published by state media,&nbsp;the snub underscoring how just far he has run afoul of Beijing.

Shanghai Securities News said, "A generation of Chinese entrepreneurs emerged from the rigid structures of our old economic system with the desire to escape poverty and passion to achieve business ambitions."

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China's best-known businessman was not mentioned in a front-page article published by a newspaper backed state-run&nbsp;Xinhua News Agency. Instead, Huawei Technologies' Ren Zhengfei, Xiaomi Corp's Lei Jun and BYD's Wang Chuanfu were lauded for their contributions.

The editorial, published on the same day&nbsp;when Alibaba will also report its latest quarterly earnings may help assuage fears that Tencent may get caught up in a broader industry crackdown which is now focused on Ma's Alibaba and the Ant Group Co.

The catalyst for Ma's current woes was an Oct. 24 speech in which he blasted China's regulatory system, leading to the suspension of his Ant Group's $37 billion IPO just days before the fintech giant's listing.

Regulators have since launched an anti-trust probe into the tech sector with Alibaba taking much of the heat, while tighter regulations for Ant Group are also being considered.

Ma, who is not known for shying away from the limelight, subsequently disappeared from the public eye for about three months, triggering frenzied speculation about his whereabouts. He re-emerged last month with a 50-second video appearance.

The Shanghai Securities News said that while some of the entrepreneurs it praised had once behaved like "reckless heroes" in their efforts to break away from an old, rigid economic system, they now led "a group of companies that respected the rules of development and abided by market rules."

Alibaba Group founder Jack Ma has been left off a list of Chinese entrepreneurial leaders published by state media, the snub underscoring how just far he has run afoul of Beijing.

Alibaba Group founder Jack Ma has been left off a list of Chinese entrepreneurial leaders published by state media, the snub underscoring how just far he has run afoul of Beijing. Shanghai Securities News said, "A generation of Chinese entrepreneurs emerged from the rigid structures of our old economic system with the desire to escape poverty and passion to achieve business ambitions." China's best-known businessman was not mentioned in a front-page article published by a newspaper backed state-run Xinhua News Agency. Instead, Huawei Technologies' Ren Zhengfei, Xiaomi Corp's Lei Jun and BYD's Wang Chuanfu were lauded for their contributions. The editorial, published on the same day when Alibaba will also report its latest quarterly earnings may help assuage fears that Tencent may get caught up in a broader industry crackdown which is now focused on Ma's Alibaba and the Ant Group Co. The catalyst for Ma's current woes was an Oct. 24 speech in which he blasted China's regulatory system, leading to the suspension of his Ant Group's $37 billion IPO just days before the fintech giant's listing. Regulators have since launched an anti-trust probe into the tech sector with Alibaba taking much of the heat, while tighter regulations for Ant Group are also being considered. Ma, who is not known for shying away from the limelight, subsequently disappeared from the public eye for about three months, triggering frenzied speculation about his whereabouts. He re-emerged last month with a 50-second video appearance. The Shanghai Securities News said that while some of the entrepreneurs it praised had once behaved like "reckless heroes" in their efforts to break away from an old, rigid economic system, they now led "a group of companies that respected the rules of development and abided by market rules."

Chinese state media omits Jack Ma's name from list of entrepreneurial leaders

Elon Musk's SpaceX on Tuesday announced the first commercial astronaut mission to orbit Earth aboard Dragon spacecraft.

According to SpaceX, this mission will enable&nbsp;access for ''everyday people who dream of going to space''.

US billionaire Jared Isaacman, who will be the space commander for this mission is paying for the entire flight, plans to take three people along with him. He aims to use the multi-day trip to raise $200 million for St Jude Children's Research Hospital in Tennessee.

The four crew members will receive ''emergency preparedness'' training on SpaceX's Falcon 9&nbsp; and Dragon spacecraft before blasting off Kennedy Space Station in Florida.&nbsp;

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/elon-musk-and-jeff-bezos-are-fighting-against-each-other-over-space-real-estate-359556">Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are fighting against each other over space real estate</a>

The Dragon spacecraft is capable of carrying up to seven passengers to and from Earth orbit, and beyond. It is the only spacecraft currently flying that is capable of returning significant amounts of cargo to Earth and is the first private spacecraft to take humans to the space station.

“It will be the first mission to fly two international partner crew members as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program,” NASA announced.

The announcement comes after billionaire&nbsp;Jeff&nbsp;Bezos-owned space company Blue Origin said it&nbsp;aims to carry the first passengers on its New Shepard space vehicle as early as April.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/jeff-bezos-blue-origin-launches-a-rocket-that-could-fly-first-space-passengers-by-april-356788">Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin launches a rocket that could fly first space passengers by April</a>

Blue Origin completed the fourteenth test flight of its New Shepard rocket booster and capsule on Thursday, marking one of the last remaining steps before the company flies its first crew to space, the report said.

It said that it aims to launch the second test flight within six weeks, or by late February, and the first crewed flight six weeks after that, or by early April.

Bezos aims to provide government and private customers low-cost access to space, though he trails rival billionaire Elon Musk’s SpaceX.

Earlier this month, Elon Musk, the outspoken and envelope-pushing founder and CEO of Tesla, overtook Amazon boss Jeff&nbsp;Bezos&nbsp;to become the world's wealthiest person

Elon Musk's SpaceX on Tuesday announced the first commercial astronaut mission to orbit Earth aboard Dragon spacecraft. According to SpaceX, this mission will enable access for ''everyday people who dream of going to space''.

Elon Musk's SpaceX on Tuesday announced the first commercial astronaut mission to orbit Earth aboard Dragon spacecraft. According to SpaceX, this mission will enable access for ''everyday people who dream of going to space''. US billionaire Jared Isaacman, who will be the space commander for this mission is paying for the entire flight, plans to take three people along with him. He aims to use the multi-day trip to raise $200 million for St Jude Children's Research Hospital in Tennessee. The four crew members will receive ''emergency preparedness'' training on SpaceX's Falcon 9 and Dragon spacecraft before blasting off Kennedy Space Station in Florida. Also read: Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are fighting against each other over space real estate The Dragon spacecraft is capable of carrying up to seven passengers to and from Earth orbit, and beyond. It is the only spacecraft currently flying that is capable of returning significant amounts of cargo to Earth and is the first private spacecraft to take humans to the space station. “It will be the first mission to fly two international partner crew members as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program,” NASA announced. The announcement comes after billionaire Jeff Bezos-owned space company Blue Origin said it aims to carry the first passengers on its New Shepard space vehicle as early as April. Also read: Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin launches a rocket that could fly first space passengers by April Blue Origin completed the fourteenth test flight of its New Shepard rocket booster and capsule on Thursday, marking one of the last remaining steps before the company flies its first crew to space, the report said. It said that it aims to launch the second test flight within six weeks, or by late February, and the first crewed flight six weeks after that, or by early April. Bezos aims to provide government and private customers low-cost access to space, though he trails rival billionaire Elon Musk’s SpaceX. Earlier this month, Elon Musk, the outspoken and envelope-pushing founder and CEO of Tesla, overtook Amazon boss Jeff Bezos to become the world's wealthiest person

SpaceX announces first commercial astronaut mission to orbit Earth

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-president-joe-biden-demands-myanmar-military-cede-power-orders-sanctions-review-360746" hreflang="en">Biden demands Myanmar military cede power, orders sanctions review</a>

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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-and-kosovo-establish-diplomatic-relations-in-us-brokered-deal-360769">Israel and Kosovo establish diplomatic relations in US-brokered deal</a>

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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-team-says-it-is-having-productive-talks-in-china-about-covids-origins-360750">WHO team says it is having 'productive talks' in China about COVID's origins</a>

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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-launches-satellite-carrying-rocket-360748">Iran launches satellite-carrying rocket</a>

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Biden demands Myanmar military cede power, orders sanctions review Israel and Kosovo establish diplomatic relations in US-brokered deal WHO team says it is havi

Biden demands Myanmar military cede power, orders sanctions review Israel and Kosovo establish diplomatic relations in US-brokered deal WHO team says it is having 'productive talks' in China about COVID's origins Iran launches satellite-carrying rocket

Morning news brief: Biden demands Myanmar military cede power, Israel and Kosovo establish diplomatic relations and more

Israel&nbsp;and Kosovo established diplomatic relations on Monday, via online links due to the coronavirus crisis, under a US-brokered deal that includes a pledge by the Muslim-majority country to open an embassy in Jerusalem.

Israel&nbsp;has since August normalised ties with four Arab nations under a series of deals brokered by former US President Donald Trump, collectively known as the Abraham Accords.&nbsp;

But the majority-Muslim parties to those accords,&nbsp;the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Suda,&nbsp;have all said their diplomatic missions will be in Tel Aviv, in line with a global consensus against recognising Jerusalem as&nbsp;Israel's capital until the Palestinian conflict is resolved.

During a signing ceremony held via Zoom video conference,&nbsp;Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi said the new ties were "historic" and "reflect a change in the region and in the Arab (and) Muslim world's relationship with&nbsp;Israel".

Ashkenazi said he had received an official request from Kosovo to establish a Jerusalem embassy, which&nbsp;Israeli officials hope will open by end-March.

Only two countries - the United States and Guatemala - have embassies in Jerusalem. Others, including Malawi and Honduras, have pledged to make the move.

The status of Jerusalem is one of the thorniest obstacles to forging a peace deal between&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;and the Palestinians, who with broad international backing want East Jerusalem, captured by&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;in the 1967 Middle East war, as their capital.

The ceremony included the unveiling of a commemorative plaque that will be placed at the entrance to Kosovo's embassy in Jerusalem upon opening,&nbsp;Israel's foreign ministry said.

Kosovo Foreign Minister Meliza Haradinaj-Stublla said Kosovo and&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;share a "historic bond" and had both "witnessed a long and challenging path to existing as a people and becoming states".

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, almost a decade after a guerrilla uprising by its ethnic Albanian majority.

Haradinaj-Stublla said she had spoken in recent days with US&nbsp;Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who she said voiced President Joe Biden's support for Kosovo's new relations with&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;and economic agreement with Serbia.

Israel and Kosovo established diplomatic relations on Monday, via online links due to the coronavirus crisis, under a US-brokered deal that includes a pledge by the Muslim-majority country to open an embassy in Jerusalem.

Israel and Kosovo established diplomatic relations on Monday, via online links due to the coronavirus crisis, under a US-brokered deal that includes a pledge by the Muslim-majority country to open an embassy in Jerusalem. Israel has since August normalised ties with four Arab nations under a series of deals brokered by former US President Donald Trump, collectively known as the Abraham Accords. But the majority-Muslim parties to those accords, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Suda, have all said their diplomatic missions will be in Tel Aviv, in line with a global consensus against recognising Jerusalem as Israel's capital until the Palestinian conflict is resolved. During a signing ceremony held via Zoom video conference, Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi said the new ties were "historic" and "reflect a change in the region and in the Arab (and) Muslim world's relationship with Israel". Ashkenazi said he had received an official request from Kosovo to establish a Jerusalem embassy, which Israeli officials hope will open by end-March. Only two countries - the United States and Guatemala - have embassies in Jerusalem. Others, including Malawi and Honduras, have pledged to make the move. The status of Jerusalem is one of the thorniest obstacles to forging a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians, who with broad international backing want East Jerusalem, captured by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war, as their capital. The ceremony included the unveiling of a commemorative plaque that will be placed at the entrance to Kosovo's embassy in Jerusalem upon opening, Israel's foreign ministry said. Kosovo Foreign Minister Meliza Haradinaj-Stublla said Kosovo and Israel share a "historic bond" and had both "witnessed a long and challenging path to existing as a people and becoming states". Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, almost a decade after a guerrilla uprising by its ethnic Albanian majority. Haradinaj-Stublla said she had spoken in recent days with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who she said voiced President Joe Biden's support for Kosovo's new relations with Israel and economic agreement with Serbia.

Israel and Kosovo establish diplomatic relations in US-brokered deal

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