China's&nbsp;ByteDance&nbsp;is cutting the size of its India team and is unsure when it will make a comeback, the company told employees in an internal memo on Wednesday, months after its popular TikTok video app was banned.

The move came after India decided to retain its ban on TikTok and 58 other Chinese apps following responses from the companies on issues such as compliance and privacy.

The ban dates from last year when political tension between the neighbours rose over their disputed border.

"We initially hoped that this situation would be short-lived...we find that has not been the case,"&nbsp;ByteDance&nbsp;wrote in the memo to staff in India, seen by Reuters.

"We simply cannot responsibly stay fully staffed while our apps remain un-operational...we don't know when we will make a comeback in India"

In a statement, Tiktok said it was disappointing that despite its efforts it had not received a clear direction on how and when its apps could be re-instated.

"It is deeply regretful that after supporting our 2,000-plus employees in India for more than half a year, we have no choice but to scale back the size of our workforce," it said, but gave no further specifics.

At the time of last year's ban, the Indian government described the apps as "prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India". The move followed a skirmish with Chinese troops at a disputed Himalayan border site that killed 20 Indian troops.

TikTok had committed to spend $1 billion in the region. Before the ban it had become one of the fastest-growing social media apps in India, once its largest market in terms of users.

China's ByteDance is cutting the size of its India team and is unsure when it will make a comeback, the company told employees in an internal memo on Wednesday, months after its popular TikTok video app was banned.

China's ByteDance is cutting the size of its India team and is unsure when it will make a comeback, the company told employees in an internal memo on Wednesday, months after its popular TikTok video app was banned. The move came after India decided to retain its ban on TikTok and 58 other Chinese apps following responses from the companies on issues such as compliance and privacy. The ban dates from last year when political tension between the neighbours rose over their disputed border. "We initially hoped that this situation would be short-lived...we find that has not been the case," ByteDance wrote in the memo to staff in India, seen by Reuters. "We simply cannot responsibly stay fully staffed while our apps remain un-operational...we don't know when we will make a comeback in India" In a statement, Tiktok said it was disappointing that despite its efforts it had not received a clear direction on how and when its apps could be re-instated. "It is deeply regretful that after supporting our 2,000-plus employees in India for more than half a year, we have no choice but to scale back the size of our workforce," it said, but gave no further specifics. At the time of last year's ban, the Indian government described the apps as "prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India". The move followed a skirmish with Chinese troops at a disputed Himalayan border site that killed 20 Indian troops. TikTok had committed to spend $1 billion in the region. Before the ban it had become one of the fastest-growing social media apps in India, once its largest market in terms of users.

ByteDance says cutting India workforce, unsure of comeback

The Union Health Ministry said on Sunday&nbsp;that over 1.5 million people have&nbsp;been administered Covid-19 vaccines across the country so far.

The figures have come out of 27,776 sessions held since the massive inoculation drive started across the country on January 16, it added.

Prime Minister Narendra&nbsp;Modi&nbsp;said on Friday India was completely self-reliant on coronavirus vaccine supplies&nbsp;as the world's second-most populous country inoculated more than 1 million people within a week of starting its campaign.

India's Covid-19 vaccination drive,&nbsp;what the government calls the world's biggest vaccination programme, started with&nbsp;two shots made locally: one licensed from Oxford University and AstraZeneca Plc, and another developed at home by Bharat Biotech in partnership with the state-run Indian Council of Medical Research.

India, known as the pharmaceutical capital of the world, has gifted vaccines to neighbours and partners such as Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Seychelles, Mauritius and the Maldives. It also started&nbsp;commercial shipments to Brazil and Morocco on Friday.

India's own vaccination drive kicked off with 30 million healthcare and other frontline workers first in the queue, followed by about 270 million people older than 50 or deemed at high-risk because of pre-existing medical conditions.

The health ministry said India inoculated more people on its first day than the United States, Britain or France. Still, it has been urging more frontline workers to come forward to take the shots as only a handful of states have been able to meet their daily targets.

Bharat Biotech said on Friday that 13,000 people participating in the late-stage trial of its COVAXIN had been given the second dose, which could help it soon get some idea about its efficacy. It began the late trial in November, completing the registration of a total 25,800 participants by early January.

In the coming months, India is expected to approve two more vaccines, Russia's Sputnik V and Cadila Healthcare's ZyCov-D.

&nbsp;

The Union Health Ministry said on Sunday that over 1.5 million people have been administered Covid-19 vaccines across the country so far. The figures have come out of 27,776 sessions held since the massive inoculation drive started across the country on January 16, it added.

The Union Health Ministry said on Sunday that over 1.5 million people have been administered Covid-19 vaccines across the country so far. The figures have come out of 27,776 sessions held since the massive inoculation drive started across the country on January 16, it added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday India was completely self-reliant on coronavirus vaccine supplies as the world's second-most populous country inoculated more than 1 million people within a week of starting its campaign. India's Covid-19 vaccination drive, what the government calls the world's biggest vaccination programme, started with two shots made locally: one licensed from Oxford University and AstraZeneca Plc, and another developed at home by Bharat Biotech in partnership with the state-run Indian Council of Medical Research. India, known as the pharmaceutical capital of the world, has gifted vaccines to neighbours and partners such as Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Seychelles, Mauritius and the Maldives. It also started commercial shipments to Brazil and Morocco on Friday. India's own vaccination drive kicked off with 30 million healthcare and other frontline workers first in the queue, followed by about 270 million people older than 50 or deemed at high-risk because of pre-existing medical conditions. The health ministry said India inoculated more people on its first day than the United States, Britain or France. Still, it has been urging more frontline workers to come forward to take the shots as only a handful of states have been able to meet their daily targets. Bharat Biotech said on Friday that 13,000 people participating in the late-stage trial of its COVAXIN had been given the second dose, which could help it soon get some idea about its efficacy. It began the late trial in November, completing the registration of a total 25,800 participants by early January. In the coming months, India is expected to approve two more vaccines, Russia's Sputnik V and Cadila Healthcare's ZyCov-D.

Over 1.5 million vaccinated in inoculation drive, says Health Ministry

Brazil's federally funded Fiocruz Institute said on Saturday&nbsp;it had begun distributing 2 million ready-to-use&nbsp;AstraZeneca&nbsp;PLC COVID-19 vaccines after they arrived in the country from India on Friday.

Brazil's government has a deal with&nbsp;AstraZeneca&nbsp;to produce up to 100 million doses of its vaccine locally at Rio de Janeiro's Fiocruz Institute, but the delivery of the active ingredient needed to manufacture them has been plagued by delays from China.

As a result,&nbsp;AstraZeneca&nbsp;agreed to supply the government with 2 million ready-to-use doses made in India. After a major diplomatic effort, that included a letter from Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, those shots arrived on Friday.

Until now, Brazil's widely criticised vaccine rollout has depended on a shot developed by Sinovac Biotech Ltd vaccine in partnership with Sao Paulo's Butantan Institute.

Bolsonaro had previously decried the Chinese shot as being useless, but his government is becoming increasingly reliant on it to tame the world's second most deadly coronavirus outbreak after the United States.

The far-right former army captain is under growing pressure for his handling of the rollout, which has been plagued by delays and a lack of vaccines, just as a brutal second-wave gathers steam.

Brazil's federally funded Fiocruz Institute said on Saturday it had begun distributing 2 million ready-to-use AstraZeneca PLC COVID-19 vaccines after they arrived in the country from India on Friday.

Brazil's federally funded Fiocruz Institute said on Saturday it had begun distributing 2 million ready-to-use AstraZeneca PLC COVID-19 vaccines after they arrived in the country from India on Friday. Brazil's government has a deal with AstraZeneca to produce up to 100 million doses of its vaccine locally at Rio de Janeiro's Fiocruz Institute, but the delivery of the active ingredient needed to manufacture them has been plagued by delays from China. As a result, AstraZeneca agreed to supply the government with 2 million ready-to-use doses made in India. After a major diplomatic effort, that included a letter from Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, those shots arrived on Friday. Until now, Brazil's widely criticised vaccine rollout has depended on a shot developed by Sinovac Biotech Ltd vaccine in partnership with Sao Paulo's Butantan Institute. Bolsonaro had previously decried the Chinese shot as being useless, but his government is becoming increasingly reliant on it to tame the world's second most deadly coronavirus outbreak after the United States. The far-right former army captain is under growing pressure for his handling of the rollout, which has been plagued by delays and a lack of vaccines, just as a brutal second-wave gathers steam.

Brazil's Fiocruz begins distributing 2 million India-made AstraZeneca shots

A 34-year-old Texas man has been arrested for allegedly taking part in the storming of the US Capitol this month and posting violent threats, including a call to assassinate Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York.

Garret Miller, who is from the Dallas suburb of Richardson, was arrested on Friday after being named in a five-count federal complaint,&nbsp;including for making death threats and trespassing offences.

Prosecutors asked a judge on Friday to keep&nbsp;Miller, in jail ahead of a court appearance, according to court records.&nbsp;

Images of social media posts allegedly authored by Miller, which appear to announce his trip to the Capitol and threaten the life of&nbsp;Ocasio-Cortez&nbsp;as well as a Capitol Police officer, are cited in the court filing.

Prosecutors said Miller made numerous threatening remarks online, including one instance in which he commented: "next time we bring the guns" on a Twitter video showing rioters exiting a Capitol building.

As rioters broke into the Capitol,&nbsp;Ocasio-Cortez&nbsp;worried that her colleagues in Congress might divulge her location to the mob, putting her at risk for kidnapping or worse, according to an Instagram Live video she recorded on January&nbsp;12.

Ocasio-Cortez&nbsp;also said she experienced "a very close encounter where I thought I was going to die" on January&nbsp;6, adding that she could not get into specifics for security reasons, according to a Washington Post account of the video. "I did not know if I was going to make it to the end of that day alive."

Ocasio-Cortez on Friday posted Miller's charging documents on Twitter and then tweeted: ''On one hand you have to laugh, and on the other know that the reason they were this brazen is because they thought they were going to succeed."

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Miller's attorney, Clint Broden, said that Miller regrets the actions he took ''in a misguided effort to show his support for former President Trump."

''His social media comments reflect very ill-considered political hyperbole in very divided times and will certainly not be repeated in the future," Broden said.

''He looks forward to putting all of this behind him." Miller is scheduled for a detention hearing on Monday.

''We are hopeful that, given his family support and regret for his actions, he will be released so that he can resolve the charges against him in a timely fashion," Broden said.

A 34-year-old Texas man has been arrested for allegedly taking part in the storming of the US Capitol this month and posting violent threats, including a call to assassinate Democratic Rep.

A 34-year-old Texas man has been arrested for allegedly taking part in the storming of the US Capitol this month and posting violent threats, including a call to assassinate Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York. Garret Miller, who is from the Dallas suburb of Richardson, was arrested on Friday after being named in a five-count federal complaint, including for making death threats and trespassing offences. Prosecutors asked a judge on Friday to keep Miller, in jail ahead of a court appearance, according to court records. Images of social media posts allegedly authored by Miller, which appear to announce his trip to the Capitol and threaten the life of Ocasio-Cortez as well as a Capitol Police officer, are cited in the court filing. Prosecutors said Miller made numerous threatening remarks online, including one instance in which he commented: "next time we bring the guns" on a Twitter video showing rioters exiting a Capitol building. As rioters broke into the Capitol, Ocasio-Cortez worried that her colleagues in Congress might divulge her location to the mob, putting her at risk for kidnapping or worse, according to an Instagram Live video she recorded on January 12. Ocasio-Cortez also said she experienced "a very close encounter where I thought I was going to die" on January 6, adding that she could not get into specifics for security reasons, according to a Washington Post account of the video. "I did not know if I was going to make it to the end of that day alive." Ocasio-Cortez on Friday posted Miller's charging documents on Twitter and then tweeted: ''On one hand you have to laugh, and on the other know that the reason they were this brazen is because they thought they were going to succeed." On one hand you have to laugh, and on the other know that the reason they were this brazen is because they thought they were going to succeed. — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) January 23, 2021 × Miller's attorney, Clint Broden, said that Miller regrets the actions he took ''in a misguided effort to show his support for former President Trump." ''His social media comments reflect very ill-considered political hyperbole in very divided times and will certainly not be repeated in the future," Broden said. ''He looks forward to putting all of this behind him." Miller is scheduled for a detention hearing on Monday. ''We are hopeful that, given his family support and regret for his actions, he will be released so that he can resolve the charges against him in a timely fashion," Broden said.

FBI arrests 34-year-old Texas man threatening to 'assassinate' Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Dutch police said on Saturday they had arrested the alleged leader of an Asian drug syndicate who is listed as one of the world's most-wanted fugitives and has been compared to Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman.

Police had been chasing alleged&nbsp;drug&nbsp;kingpin Tse Chi Lop, 57, for years until his arrest by Dutch police on Friday acting on a request from Australia's federal police.

In a statement Sunday, Australian authorities said a man "of significant interest" to law enforcement agencies had been detained. A police spokeswoman confirmed his name as Tse Chi Lop.

Tse is expected to be extradited after appearing before a judge, Aling said, adding that his arrest by national police took place without incident at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport.

He has been named by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) as the suspected leader of the Asian mega-cartel known as "Sam Gor", a major producer and supplier of methamphetamines globally.

The Australian Federal Police (AFP), which has taken the lead in a sprawling investigation into the criminal organisation, identified Tse as "the senior leader of the Sam Gor syndicate".

The group has "been connected with or directly involved in at least 13 cases" of drug trafficking since January 2015, the documents showed.

Sam Gor is believed to launder its billions in&nbsp;drug&nbsp;money through businesses springing up in Southeast Asia's Mekong region -- including casinos, hotels and real estate.

Australia's federal police said Friday's arrest followed an operation that in 2012-2013 nabbed 27 people linked to a crime syndicate spanning five countries.

The group were accused of importing "substantial quantities of heroin and methamphetamine" into Australia, long a lucrative market for&nbsp;drug&nbsp;traffickers.

"The syndicate targeted Australia over a number of years, importing and distributing large amounts of illicit narcotics, laundering the profits overseas and living off the wealth obtained from crime," the Australian police said.

As part of the 2012-2013 raids across Melbourne, police seized US$7 million&nbsp;worth of assets, including cash, designer handbags, casino chips and jewellery.

The arrest of Tse Chi Lop almost a decade after that operation's launch is a major breakthrough for Australian authorities.

The country's attorney-general will now begin preparing a formal extradition request for the alleged&nbsp;drug&nbsp;lord to face trial.

Most of Asia's meth comes from "Golden Triangle" border areas between Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and southwest China which are pumping unprecedented quantities of synthetic drugs into global markets.

A study by the UNODC says Southeast Asia's crime groups are netting more than $60 billion a year.

The production of methamphetamine, either in tablet "yaba" form or the highly potent crystallised "ice" version as well as ketamine and fentanyl, take place primarily in Myanmar's eastern Shan state, but much of the precursor chemicals needed to cook them flows across the border from China.&nbsp;

Thailand in 2018 netted more than 515 million yaba tablets, 17 times the amount for the entire Mekong region a decade ago, said the UNODC.

Drug&nbsp;hauls feature near daily in headlines across the region, with traffickers finding more creative ways to ship out their illicit products.

Dutch police said on Saturday they had arrested the alleged leader of an Asian drug syndicate who is listed as one of the world's most-wanted fugitives and has been compared to Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman.

Dutch police said on Saturday they had arrested the alleged leader of an Asian drug syndicate who is listed as one of the world's most-wanted fugitives and has been compared to Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman. Police had been chasing alleged drug kingpin Tse Chi Lop, 57, for years until his arrest by Dutch police on Friday acting on a request from Australia's federal police. In a statement Sunday, Australian authorities said a man "of significant interest" to law enforcement agencies had been detained. A police spokeswoman confirmed his name as Tse Chi Lop. Tse is expected to be extradited after appearing before a judge, Aling said, adding that his arrest by national police took place without incident at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport. He has been named by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) as the suspected leader of the Asian mega-cartel known as "Sam Gor", a major producer and supplier of methamphetamines globally. The Australian Federal Police (AFP), which has taken the lead in a sprawling investigation into the criminal organisation, identified Tse as "the senior leader of the Sam Gor syndicate". The group has "been connected with or directly involved in at least 13 cases" of drug trafficking since January 2015, the documents showed. Sam Gor is believed to launder its billions in drug money through businesses springing up in Southeast Asia's Mekong region -- including casinos, hotels and real estate. Australia's federal police said Friday's arrest followed an operation that in 2012-2013 nabbed 27 people linked to a crime syndicate spanning five countries. The group were accused of importing "substantial quantities of heroin and methamphetamine" into Australia, long a lucrative market for drug traffickers. "The syndicate targeted Australia over a number of years, importing and distributing large amounts of illicit narcotics, laundering the profits overseas and living off the wealth obtained from crime," the Australian police said. As part of the 2012-2013 raids across Melbourne, police seized US$7 million worth of assets, including cash, designer handbags, casino chips and jewellery. The arrest of Tse Chi Lop almost a decade after that operation's launch is a major breakthrough for Australian authorities. The country's attorney-general will now begin preparing a formal extradition request for the alleged drug lord to face trial. Most of Asia's meth comes from "Golden Triangle" border areas between Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and southwest China which are pumping unprecedented quantities of synthetic drugs into global markets. A study by the UNODC says Southeast Asia's crime groups are netting more than $60 billion a year. The production of methamphetamine, either in tablet "yaba" form or the highly potent crystallised "ice" version as well as ketamine and fentanyl, take place primarily in Myanmar's eastern Shan state, but much of the precursor chemicals needed to cook them flows across the border from China. Thailand in 2018 netted more than 515 million yaba tablets, 17 times the amount for the entire Mekong region a decade ago, said the UNODC. Drug hauls feature near daily in headlines across the region, with traffickers finding more creative ways to ship out their illicit products.

Tse Chi Lop: Alleged Asia drug syndicate kingpin arrested by Dutch police

A 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck Saturday off the coast of Antarctica, with authorities issuing a tsunami warning for Chile's Eduardo Frei base on the frigid continent, emergency officials said.

The interior ministry said on Twitter that a tremor of magnitude 7.1 struck at 8.36 p.m. 216 km northeast of the O'Higgins Chilean scientific base and called for the coastal regions of Antarctica to be evacuated because of tsunami risk.

Authorities in Chile said on Saturday they regretted spreading panic with a mistaken tsunami warning calling for people to get out of coastal areas following an earthquake in Antarctica.

The ministry also sent a message to cellphones around the country urging people to abandon coastal areas, though the ministry later said it was sent in error.

People in coastal cities including La Serena, to the north of Santiago, and Valparaiso, started to leave areas close to the coast after the warning until reports started appearing that it was a false alarm.

The Chilean Air Force's base is the country's largest in Antarctica and includes a village, hospital, school, bank, post office and chapel.

The maximum population in summer is 150 people, and the average population in winter is 80.

An unrelated 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck near Santiago on Saturday night, but Onemi said no significant damage or impact was reported.

Chile is one of the most seismically active countries in the world. A 8.8-magnitude temblor in the city of Concepcion on February 27, 2010, left more than 500 dead.&nbsp;

The country suffered the most powerful earthquake ever recorded 60 years ago -- measuring 9.6 magnitude,&nbsp;in the city of Valdivia.

A 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck Saturday off the coast of Antarctica, with authorities issuing a tsunami warning for Chile's Eduardo Frei base on the frigid continent, emergency officials said.

A 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck Saturday off the coast of Antarctica, with authorities issuing a tsunami warning for Chile's Eduardo Frei base on the frigid continent, emergency officials said. The interior ministry said on Twitter that a tremor of magnitude 7.1 struck at 8.36 p.m. 216 km northeast of the O'Higgins Chilean scientific base and called for the coastal regions of Antarctica to be evacuated because of tsunami risk. Authorities in Chile said on Saturday they regretted spreading panic with a mistaken tsunami warning calling for people to get out of coastal areas following an earthquake in Antarctica. The ministry also sent a message to cellphones around the country urging people to abandon coastal areas, though the ministry later said it was sent in error. People in coastal cities including La Serena, to the north of Santiago, and Valparaiso, started to leave areas close to the coast after the warning until reports started appearing that it was a false alarm. The Chilean Air Force's base is the country's largest in Antarctica and includes a village, hospital, school, bank, post office and chapel. The maximum population in summer is 150 people, and the average population in winter is 80. An unrelated 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck near Santiago on Saturday night, but Onemi said no significant damage or impact was reported. Chile is one of the most seismically active countries in the world. A 8.8-magnitude temblor in the city of Concepcion on February 27, 2010, left more than 500 dead. The country suffered the most powerful earthquake ever recorded 60 years ago -- measuring 9.6 magnitude, in the city of Valdivia.

7.0-magnitude earthquake rocks coast of Antarctica

Both US and the&nbsp;European Union have expressed ''deep concerns'' over&nbsp;Russia's response to mass protests in support of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny&nbsp;on Saturday.

Police clashed violently with protesters in Moscow and arrested more than 2,500 in cities across the country Saturday as Russians took to the streets to denounce Kremlin rule and demand the release of Navalny.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/navalnys-wife-among-nearly-2000-people-detained-in-russia-at-rallies-358823">Navalny's wife among nearly 2,000 people detained in Russia at rallies</a>

"The United States strongly condemns the use of harsh tactics against protesters and journalists this weekend in cities throughout Russia," State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement.

Navalny being taken into custody and the arrests of his supporters were "troubling indications of further restrictions on civil society and fundamental freedoms," he added.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/hundreds-arrested-during-protests-in-support-of-opposition-leader-alexei-navalny-358886/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"We call on Russian authorities to release all those detained for exercising their universal rights and for the immediate and unconditional release of Aleksey Navalny," Price said, using an alternative spelling.

"We urge Russia to fully cooperate with the international community's investigation into the poisoning of Aleksey Navalny and credibly explain the use of a chemical weapon on its soil."

"Following unfolding events in #Russia with concern," Josep Borrell wrote on Twitter as tens of thousands protested in Russia in support of opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

"I deplore widespread detentions, disproportionate use of force, cutting down internet and phone connections. We will discuss on Monday next steps with EU Foreign Ministers."

In Russia tens of thousands nationwide answered Navalny's call to rally, which he issued after he was detained at a Moscow airport on arrival from Germany, where he had been recovering from a near-fatal poisoning with a nerve agent.

Saturday's protests took on an unprecedented geographic scale, spanning more than 100 cities across the country. Previous large-scale opposition demonstrations in 2012 and 2019 were largely centered in Moscow.

Both US and the European Union have expressed ''deep concerns'' over Russia's response to mass protests in support of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny on Saturday. Police clashed violently with protesters in Moscow and arrested more than 2,500 in cities across the country Saturday as Russians took to the streets to denounce Kremlin rule and demand the release of Navalny.

Both US and the European Union have expressed ''deep concerns'' over Russia's response to mass protests in support of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny on Saturday. Police clashed violently with protesters in Moscow and arrested more than 2,500 in cities across the country Saturday as Russians took to the streets to denounce Kremlin rule and demand the release of Navalny. Also read: Navalny's wife among nearly 2,000 people detained in Russia at rallies "The United States strongly condemns the use of harsh tactics against protesters and journalists this weekend in cities throughout Russia," State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement. Navalny being taken into custody and the arrests of his supporters were "troubling indications of further restrictions on civil society and fundamental freedoms," he added. "We call on Russian authorities to release all those detained for exercising their universal rights and for the immediate and unconditional release of Aleksey Navalny," Price said, using an alternative spelling. "We urge Russia to fully cooperate with the international community's investigation into the poisoning of Aleksey Navalny and credibly explain the use of a chemical weapon on its soil." "Following unfolding events in #Russia with concern," Josep Borrell wrote on Twitter as tens of thousands protested in Russia in support of opposition leader Alexei Navalny. "I deplore widespread detentions, disproportionate use of force, cutting down internet and phone connections. We will discuss on Monday next steps with EU Foreign Ministers." In Russia tens of thousands nationwide answered Navalny's call to rally, which he issued after he was detained at a Moscow airport on arrival from Germany, where he had been recovering from a near-fatal poisoning with a nerve agent. Saturday's protests took on an unprecedented geographic scale, spanning more than 100 cities across the country. Previous large-scale opposition demonstrations in 2012 and 2019 were largely centered in Moscow.

US, EU express 'deep concerns' over 'widespread detentions' in Russia protests

Boris Johnson and Joe Biden on Saturday vowed to deepen ties and cooperate on tackling climate change in their first conversation since the US president's inauguration, the British prime minister's office said.

Johnson used his first phone call with the US&nbsp;president to welcome&nbsp;Biden's announcements that the United States would rejoin the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate and the World Health Organization, and they discussed the prospects of a free trade deal.

Biden on Friday spoke to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in his first call to a foreign leader.

The White House in a readout of the call said that Biden "conveyed his intention to strengthen the special relationship between our countries and also "noted the importance of cooperation, including through multilateral organizations, on shared challenges".

"Great to speak to President Joe&nbsp;Biden&nbsp;this evening," Johnson said on Twitter. "I look forward to deepening the longstanding alliance between our two countries as we drive a green and sustainable recovery from COVID-19."

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Great to speak to President <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JoeBiden</a> this evening. I look forward to deepening the longstanding alliance between our two countries as we drive a green and sustainable recovery from COVID-19. <a href="https://t.co/Y4P3G74PPz">pic.twitter.com/Y4P3G74PPz</a>
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/BorisJohnson/status/1353080620491165699?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The White House said&nbsp;Biden&nbsp;and Johnson talked about cooperation, including through multilateral organizations, on curbing climate change and fighting COVID-19.

Biden&nbsp;also conveyed his intention to "strengthen the special relationship between our countries and revitalize transatlantic ties, underscoring the critical role of NATO to our collective defence and shared values," the White House said in a release.

A spokeswoman for Johnson said the leaders "also discussed the benefits of a potential free trade deal between our two countries." Britain left the European Union last year.&nbsp;Biden's call with Johnson was his first with a European leader since taking office.

The conversation appeared aimed at warming frosty relations after Biden in 2019 described Johnson as a "physical and emotional clone" of Donald Trump, his predecessor as US president.

Biden has also been critical of Johnson's Brexit policy, but the Downing Street statement said the leaders "discussed the benefits of a potential free trade deal between our two countries".

Johnson said he intended to resolve current trade issues "as soon as possible".

Biden, who has Irish roots, had warned ahead of his election that if Brexit damaged the 1998 Good Friday Agreement he would not consent to a trade deal. That agreement ended 30 years of violence in Northern Ireland.

Johnson praised Biden for swiftly reversing policy decisions made by his predecessor.&nbsp;

He "warmly welcomed" Biden's decision to put the United States back into the Paris climate accord and rejoin the World Health Organization. The prime minister also praised Biden's commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2050.

Boris Johnson and Joe Biden on Saturday vowed to deepen ties and cooperate on tackling climate change in their first conversation since the US president's inauguration, the British prime minister's office said.

Boris Johnson and Joe Biden on Saturday vowed to deepen ties and cooperate on tackling climate change in their first conversation since the US president's inauguration, the British prime minister's office said. Johnson used his first phone call with the US president to welcome Biden's announcements that the United States would rejoin the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate and the World Health Organization, and they discussed the prospects of a free trade deal. Biden on Friday spoke to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in his first call to a foreign leader. The White House in a readout of the call said that Biden "conveyed his intention to strengthen the special relationship between our countries and also "noted the importance of cooperation, including through multilateral organizations, on shared challenges". "Great to speak to President Joe Biden this evening," Johnson said on Twitter. "I look forward to deepening the longstanding alliance between our two countries as we drive a green and sustainable recovery from COVID-19." Great to speak to President @JoeBiden this evening. I look forward to deepening the longstanding alliance between our two countries as we drive a green and sustainable recovery from COVID-19. pic.twitter.com/Y4P3G74PPz — Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) January 23, 2021 × The White House said Biden and Johnson talked about cooperation, including through multilateral organizations, on curbing climate change and fighting COVID-19. Biden also conveyed his intention to "strengthen the special relationship between our countries and revitalize transatlantic ties, underscoring the critical role of NATO to our collective defence and shared values," the White House said in a release. A spokeswoman for Johnson said the leaders "also discussed the benefits of a potential free trade deal between our two countries." Britain left the European Union last year. Biden's call with Johnson was his first with a European leader since taking office. The conversation appeared aimed at warming frosty relations after Biden in 2019 described Johnson as a "physical and emotional clone" of Donald Trump, his predecessor as US president. Biden has also been critical of Johnson's Brexit policy, but the Downing Street statement said the leaders "discussed the benefits of a potential free trade deal between our two countries". Johnson said he intended to resolve current trade issues "as soon as possible". Biden, who has Irish roots, had warned ahead of his election that if Brexit damaged the 1998 Good Friday Agreement he would not consent to a trade deal. That agreement ended 30 years of violence in Northern Ireland. Johnson praised Biden for swiftly reversing policy decisions made by his predecessor. He "warmly welcomed" Biden's decision to put the United States back into the Paris climate accord and rejoin the World Health Organization. The prime minister also praised Biden's commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2050.

Boris Johnson and Joe Biden vow to deepen ties and cooperate on tackling climate change

Jen Ellis, the woman behind the mittens that gave the Vermont senator his viral moment at President Joe Biden's inauguration, has received around 13,000 email orders.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I have heard your requests, and I am happy to tell you that I am making just a few more mittens today and tonight to be auctioned off for good causes. Tune in to MSNBC tomorrow morning at 7:45a.m. EST to find out where you can bid for a pair! <a href="https://t.co/O6Vr7llDLz">pic.twitter.com/O6Vr7llDLz</a>
— Jen Ellis (@vtawesomeness) <a href="https://twitter.com/vtawesomeness/status/1353087519928233985?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Ellis, a 42-year-old elementary school teacher, lived a quiet life in the Vermont town of Essex Junction,&nbsp;until Wednesday.

She was teaching a class online like any other day, as Biden was being sworn in when her phone started pinging with texts.

The messages were all the same, Ellis said&nbsp;via a video interview: "Bernie&nbsp;Sanders is wearing your mittens!"

Not your typical hand warmers, they are made from repurposed wool sweaters and fleece made from recycled plastic bottles for the inside lining.

The ones Sanders wore are big and thick and in shades of brown and beige. And they have story behind them.

Ellis, a fan of Sanders, sent him a pair of mittens after he lost to Hillary Clinton in the 2016 Democratic presidential primary, as a consolation gift.

She learned through a common acquaintance that Sanders liked the mittens.&nbsp;

Last year, as Sanders was running again for president, Ellis learned that he was wearing the mittens, "people were calling them his oven mitts", but had lent them to someone else.

Ellis said she was so touched by this that she sent Sanders another 10 pairs.

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In picture:&nbsp;Senator Bernie Sanders(I-VT) wears mittens as he attends the inauguration of Joe Biden as the 46th President of the United States on the West Front of the US Capitol in Washington/AFP

13,000 emails

That earned her a buzz of notoriety but it was nothing compared with the fuss since the inauguration when people saw Sanders wearing the mittens.&nbsp;

And Sanders's overall look, in a frumpy winter coat, his legs crossed, no glamour whatsoever, prompted a gush of light-hearted memes.

Ellis' phone will not stop ringing and her email inbox is exploding.

One of the memes placed Sanders on a bench next to Tom Hanks in "Forrest Gump", another put him in detention with the teenagers from "The Breakfast Club" and he also made it into numerous "Star Wars" scenes.

"I mean, people are so funny. And that's what we need right now: it's a very tough time for a lot of people, people have had a rough year, and they need something to laugh about that's totally harmless and not political," Ellis said.

"The thing that I wish for everybody is more joy," she added. "And you know, if you have something and you give it away, and it brings somebody joy and then it blows up and the entire world experiences joy, that's amazing."

Ellis could make a lot of money because in two days she says she has received around 13,000 emails from people who want to buy her mittens.

"Not just one pair,&nbsp;people want lots of them," she said.

But she could never satisfy that demand, with her 30-year-old sewing machine, and her job as a second-grade teacher. And she does not even want to.

"I think it would just ruin the beauty of it if I started price gouging people," she said.

She prefers to spend time with her family, including her five-year-old daughter.

And if others are out there selling mittens on the internet, she wishes them well.

On Friday, some websites were advertising mittens they said were identical to Ellis's creation, for $85 a pair.

Jen Ellis, the woman behind the mittens that gave the Vermont senator his viral moment at President Joe Biden's inauguration, has received around 13,000 email orders.

Jen Ellis, the woman behind the mittens that gave the Vermont senator his viral moment at President Joe Biden's inauguration, has received around 13,000 email orders. I have heard your requests, and I am happy to tell you that I am making just a few more mittens today and tonight to be auctioned off for good causes. Tune in to MSNBC tomorrow morning at 7:45a.m. EST to find out where you can bid for a pair! pic.twitter.com/O6Vr7llDLz — Jen Ellis (@vtawesomeness) January 23, 2021 × Ellis, a 42-year-old elementary school teacher, lived a quiet life in the Vermont town of Essex Junction, until Wednesday. She was teaching a class online like any other day, as Biden was being sworn in when her phone started pinging with texts. The messages were all the same, Ellis said via a video interview: "Bernie Sanders is wearing your mittens!" Not your typical hand warmers, they are made from repurposed wool sweaters and fleece made from recycled plastic bottles for the inside lining. The ones Sanders wore are big and thick and in shades of brown and beige. And they have story behind them. Ellis, a fan of Sanders, sent him a pair of mittens after he lost to Hillary Clinton in the 2016 Democratic presidential primary, as a consolation gift. She learned through a common acquaintance that Sanders liked the mittens. Last year, as Sanders was running again for president, Ellis learned that he was wearing the mittens, "people were calling them his oven mitts", but had lent them to someone else. Ellis said she was so touched by this that she sent Sanders another 10 pairs. In picture: Senator Bernie Sanders(I-VT) wears mittens as he attends the inauguration of Joe Biden as the 46th President of the United States on the West Front of the US Capitol in Washington/AFP 13,000 emails That earned her a buzz of notoriety but it was nothing compared with the fuss since the inauguration when people saw Sanders wearing the mittens. And Sanders's overall look, in a frumpy winter coat, his legs crossed, no glamour whatsoever, prompted a gush of light-hearted memes. Ellis' phone will not stop ringing and her email inbox is exploding. One of the memes placed Sanders on a bench next to Tom Hanks in "Forrest Gump", another put him in detention with the teenagers from "The Breakfast Club" and he also made it into numerous "Star Wars" scenes. "I mean, people are so funny. And that's what we need right now: it's a very tough time for a lot of people, people have had a rough year, and they need something to laugh about that's totally harmless and not political," Ellis said. "The thing that I wish for everybody is more joy," she added. "And you know, if you have something and you give it away, and it brings somebody joy and then it blows up and the entire world experiences joy, that's amazing." Ellis could make a lot of money because in two days she says she has received around 13,000 emails from people who want to buy her mittens. "Not just one pair, people want lots of them," she said. But she could never satisfy that demand, with her 30-year-old sewing machine, and her job as a second-grade teacher. And she does not even want to. "I think it would just ruin the beauty of it if I started price gouging people," she said. She prefers to spend time with her family, including her five-year-old daughter. And if others are out there selling mittens on the internet, she wishes them well. On Friday, some websites were advertising mittens they said were identical to Ellis's creation, for $85 a pair.

Jen Ellis, woman behind Bernie Sanders’ inauguration day mittens, receives 13,000 orders

Chinese rescuers pulled 11 gold miners to safety on Sunday, 14 days after they were trapped by an underground explosion, state broadcaster CCTV reported.

Footage showed the first miner to be rescued, a black blindfold across his eyes, being lifted out of a mine shaft in the morning.

The man, discovered Sunday in a separate section of the mine to 10 workers who had already established contact with rescuers, was in "weak physical condition", CCTV said.&nbsp;

The rescue operation, which has been able to get food and medicines to the&nbsp;miners, was expected to take at least another two weeks, authorities have said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-rescuers-prepare-escape-route-for-trapped-gold-miners-one-confirmed-dead-358263">China rescuers prepare escape route for trapped gold miners, one confirmed dead</a>

White bottles of food and water sent down to the trapped workers had a note stuck on them saying, "We are all waiting for you, keep going!", photos shared by propaganda department officials with Reuters on Friday showed.

The food items sent to the workers include millet porridge, quail eggs, pickles and sausages and medical supplies included disinfectant, masks and cotton socks.

"The physical condition, psychological condition and living environment of 10&nbsp;miners in the middle section of the&nbsp;mine&nbsp;are good," the People's Daily, the official newspaper of&nbsp;China's ruling Communist Party, reported on Friday.

"The&nbsp;miners continued to search for other trapped persons through laser pointer projection and loudspeaker shouting," it said.

A total of 22 workers were trapped in the Hushan&nbsp;mine&nbsp;by the January 10 blast in Qixia, a major gold-producing region under the administration of Yantai in coastal Shandong province.

One has died and 11 were not in contact with the rescue teams, according to a Xinhua radio report on Thursday.

At least 15 days may be needed to clear the "severe blockages" as rescuers continued to drill shafts to reach the 10 men, officials said on Thursday.

At the site, security was tight on Friday and Reuters journalists were not permitted to get close to the rescue operation.

Workers in orange high visibility clothing could be seen operating heavy machinery. At the entrance to the site, a medical tent had been set up to administer COVID tests for rescue workers.

About 570 people are involved in the rescue, the newspaper said.

China's&nbsp;mines are among the world's deadliest. It has recorded 573&nbsp;mine-related deaths in 2020, according to the National&nbsp;Mine&nbsp;Safety Administration.

Chinese rescuers pulled 11 gold miners to safety on Sunday, 14 days after they were trapped by an underground explosion, state broadcaster CCTV reported. Footage showed the first miner to be rescued, a black blindfold across his eyes, being lifted out of a mine shaft in the morning.

Chinese rescuers pulled 11 gold miners to safety on Sunday, 14 days after they were trapped by an underground explosion, state broadcaster CCTV reported. Footage showed the first miner to be rescued, a black blindfold across his eyes, being lifted out of a mine shaft in the morning. The man, discovered Sunday in a separate section of the mine to 10 workers who had already established contact with rescuers, was in "weak physical condition", CCTV said. The rescue operation, which has been able to get food and medicines to the miners, was expected to take at least another two weeks, authorities have said. Also read: China rescuers prepare escape route for trapped gold miners, one confirmed dead White bottles of food and water sent down to the trapped workers had a note stuck on them saying, "We are all waiting for you, keep going!", photos shared by propaganda department officials with Reuters on Friday showed. The food items sent to the workers include millet porridge, quail eggs, pickles and sausages and medical supplies included disinfectant, masks and cotton socks. "The physical condition, psychological condition and living environment of 10 miners in the middle section of the mine are good," the People's Daily, the official newspaper of China's ruling Communist Party, reported on Friday. "The miners continued to search for other trapped persons through laser pointer projection and loudspeaker shouting," it said. A total of 22 workers were trapped in the Hushan mine by the January 10 blast in Qixia, a major gold-producing region under the administration of Yantai in coastal Shandong province. One has died and 11 were not in contact with the rescue teams, according to a Xinhua radio report on Thursday. At least 15 days may be needed to clear the "severe blockages" as rescuers continued to drill shafts to reach the 10 men, officials said on Thursday. At the site, security was tight on Friday and Reuters journalists were not permitted to get close to the rescue operation. Workers in orange high visibility clothing could be seen operating heavy machinery. At the entrance to the site, a medical tent had been set up to administer COVID tests for rescue workers. About 570 people are involved in the rescue, the newspaper said. China's mines are among the world's deadliest. It has recorded 573 mine-related deaths in 2020, according to the National Mine Safety Administration.

Chinese authorities rescue 11 out of 22 miners trapped underground in Qixia

Exactly one year after it thrust the word "lockdown" into the global conversation,&nbsp;Wuhan&nbsp;passed the anniversary with a mix of pride at emerging from Covid-19's grip and caution over a possible relapse.

Wuhan, in the central province of Hubei, is believed to be the epicentre of the global pandemic that has infected nearly 100 million people and killed over two million so far.

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A year ago Saturday,&nbsp;Wuhan&nbsp;shocked the world by confining its 11 million anxious citizens&nbsp;to their homes, beginning a traumatic 76-day lockdown that underscored the growing threat of a mysterious pathogen emanating from the city.

One by one, adjacent areas in hard-hit Hubei province quickly followed suit, as did governments worldwide as the coronavirus went global.

But while the world's pandemic struggles continue, Wuhan today is nothing like the locked-down ghost town of a year ago, with traffic humming, sidewalks bustling, and citizens packing public transport and parks.

However, memories of Wuhan's ordeal remain fresh, especially as localised Covid-19 clusters multiply across China, prompting mass testing in Beijing and targeted lockdowns in other areas.

The virus has killed at least two million people globally and continues to rage, but in China authorities have reported fewer than 5,000 deaths, the vast majority coming in Wuhan at the pandemic's outset.

Beijing has sought to control the narrative around the outbreak by silencing critics.&nbsp;Dozens of laudatory documentaries have been released by local propaganda authorities and government-backed media on China's COVID-19 outbreak, evoking wartime analogies to describe the actions of medical workers and policymakers, including President Xi Jinping.

There was an outpouring of public grief and anger in February 2020 following the COVID-19-linked death of a Chinese doctor who had been reprimanded for issuing an early warning about the disease.

In December, a Chinese court jailed citizen journalist Zhang Zhan for four years for sharing her own series of first-hand accounts from&nbsp;Wuhan's streets and hospitals.

Wuhan&nbsp;has officially recorded 46,483 cases of the disease and 3,869 deaths.

Exactly one year after it thrust the word "lockdown" into the global conversation, Wuhan passed the anniversary with a mix of pride at emerging from Covid-19's grip and caution over a possible relapse.

Exactly one year after it thrust the word "lockdown" into the global conversation, Wuhan passed the anniversary with a mix of pride at emerging from Covid-19's grip and caution over a possible relapse. Wuhan, in the central province of Hubei, is believed to be the epicentre of the global pandemic that has infected nearly 100 million people and killed over two million so far. A year ago Saturday, Wuhan shocked the world by confining its 11 million anxious citizens to their homes, beginning a traumatic 76-day lockdown that underscored the growing threat of a mysterious pathogen emanating from the city. One by one, adjacent areas in hard-hit Hubei province quickly followed suit, as did governments worldwide as the coronavirus went global. But while the world's pandemic struggles continue, Wuhan today is nothing like the locked-down ghost town of a year ago, with traffic humming, sidewalks bustling, and citizens packing public transport and parks. However, memories of Wuhan's ordeal remain fresh, especially as localised Covid-19 clusters multiply across China, prompting mass testing in Beijing and targeted lockdowns in other areas. The virus has killed at least two million people globally and continues to rage, but in China authorities have reported fewer than 5,000 deaths, the vast majority coming in Wuhan at the pandemic's outset. Beijing has sought to control the narrative around the outbreak by silencing critics. Dozens of laudatory documentaries have been released by local propaganda authorities and government-backed media on China's COVID-19 outbreak, evoking wartime analogies to describe the actions of medical workers and policymakers, including President Xi Jinping. There was an outpouring of public grief and anger in February 2020 following the COVID-19-linked death of a Chinese doctor who had been reprimanded for issuing an early warning about the disease. In December, a Chinese court jailed citizen journalist Zhang Zhan for four years for sharing her own series of first-hand accounts from Wuhan's streets and hospitals. Wuhan has officially recorded 46,483 cases of the disease and 3,869 deaths.

China marks Wuhan lockdown anniversary amid spiraling coronavirus cases

A clear majority of Swiss voters favour introducing a nationwide prohibition against wearing face-covering garments in public spaces, known as a "burqa ban", a poll showed Friday.

According to the Tamedia poll of 15,000 eligible voters, a full 63 per cent of those questioned said they would vote yes or were considering voting yes in an upcoming popular vote on the ban, the Tages Anzeiger daily reported.

The Swiss are set to vote on whether they want to ban face coverings in public on March 7, when they will also vote on a range of other issues as part of the country's famous direct democratic system.

The text does not mention Muslim veils explicitly, stating only that "no one shall cover their face in public, nor in areas accessible to the public or in areas where services are ordinarily accessible to all."

But the proposed ban, which has been opposed by the Swiss government, is widely seen as targeting burqas and other face-covering Muslim veils.

The initiative also makes several exceptions, including in "places of worship", and, vitally in these pandemic times, for "health reasons".&nbsp;

The Egerkingen committee which presented the initiative is heavily backed by the populist right-wing Swiss People's Party, but some left-leaning politicians have also joined the campaign in the name of protecting women's rights.

Swiss Justice Minister Karin Keller-Sutter announced this week that the government opposed the nationwide ban, stressing that women wearing full body-covering veils were rarely seen in&nbsp;Switzerland.

She stressed that most women seen in the country wearing such veils are tourists.

The justice minister also insisted the issue should be left up to&nbsp;Switzerland's 26 cantons.

Two cantons, Ticino and St.Gallen have already introduced such bans, while three other cantons, Zurich, Solothurn and Glarus, have rejected doing so in recent years.&nbsp;

The government and parliament are backing a counter-proposal, which would require people to reveal their faces to the authorities for identification purposes, for instance at borders or on public transport.

Fines of up to 10,000 Swiss francs ($11,300, 9,300 euros) could be given to anyone who refused, according to the counter proposal, which will enter into force if the Egerkingen initiative is rejected.

A clear majority of Swiss voters favour introducing a nationwide prohibition against wearing face-covering garments in public spaces, known as a "burqa ban", a poll showed Friday.

A clear majority of Swiss voters favour introducing a nationwide prohibition against wearing face-covering garments in public spaces, known as a "burqa ban", a poll showed Friday. According to the Tamedia poll of 15,000 eligible voters, a full 63 per cent of those questioned said they would vote yes or were considering voting yes in an upcoming popular vote on the ban, the Tages Anzeiger daily reported. The Swiss are set to vote on whether they want to ban face coverings in public on March 7, when they will also vote on a range of other issues as part of the country's famous direct democratic system. The text does not mention Muslim veils explicitly, stating only that "no one shall cover their face in public, nor in areas accessible to the public or in areas where services are ordinarily accessible to all." But the proposed ban, which has been opposed by the Swiss government, is widely seen as targeting burqas and other face-covering Muslim veils. The initiative also makes several exceptions, including in "places of worship", and, vitally in these pandemic times, for "health reasons". The Egerkingen committee which presented the initiative is heavily backed by the populist right-wing Swiss People's Party, but some left-leaning politicians have also joined the campaign in the name of protecting women's rights. Swiss Justice Minister Karin Keller-Sutter announced this week that the government opposed the nationwide ban, stressing that women wearing full body-covering veils were rarely seen in Switzerland. She stressed that most women seen in the country wearing such veils are tourists. The justice minister also insisted the issue should be left up to Switzerland's 26 cantons. Two cantons, Ticino and St.Gallen have already introduced such bans, while three other cantons, Zurich, Solothurn and Glarus, have rejected doing so in recent years. The government and parliament are backing a counter-proposal, which would require people to reveal their faces to the authorities for identification purposes, for instance at borders or on public transport. Fines of up to 10,000 Swiss francs ($11,300, 9,300 euros) could be given to anyone who refused, according to the counter proposal, which will enter into force if the Egerkingen initiative is rejected.

People in Switzerland favour 'burqa ban', poll shows

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