Kuwait's Prime Minister Sabah al-Khalid al-Sabah presented the resignation of his cabinet to the country's ruler on Wednesday, days before the premiere was due to be questioned in parliament over his choice of ministers and other issues.

It comes as 38 members of parliament backed a request to question the prime minister, who they accuse of violating the constitution when forming the government and of failing to present a cabinet work programme.

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The standoff between the government and parliament less than a month after the cabinet was appointed poses the first big challenge to Emir Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmed al-Sabah, who assumed power in September.

It complicates government efforts to tackle the OPEC state's deepest economic crisis in decades, caused by low oil prices and the coronavirus crisis.

Ministers had submitted their resignations on Tuesday&nbsp;to Sheikh Sabah, a move the government said was related to "developments in the relationship between the National Assembly (parliament) and the government".

It was not immediately clear if the emir, who has the final say in matters of state, would accept the cabinet's resignation.

The motion to question Sheikh Sabah, who has been prime minister since late 2019, was submitted by three lawmakers on Jan. 5 in the first regular session of the new assembly, in which the opposition made gains in last year's election.

More than 30 other MPs in the assembly, which has 50 elected members, supported the request to question him. The motion seen by Reuters referred to a cabinet that did not reflect the poll result and government "interference" in electing the speaker and members of parliamentary committees. In addition to its elected members, cabinet ministers also sit in parliament.

The oil-rich country has been shaken by political disputes between lawmakers and the ruling family-led government for over a decade, with parliament and cabinets dissolved several times.

A previous cabinet stepped down in November 2019 amid accusations of corruption and infighting, while the last cabinet was replaced in December 2020 elections.

Kuwait&nbsp;is the only Gulf state with a fully elected parliament, which enjoys wide legislative powers and can vote ministers out of office.

The country has the Gulf's oldest elected parliament, but under the constitution, the emir has extensive powers and can dissolve the legislature at the recommendation of the government.

Like most Gulf countries,&nbsp;Kuwait's economy and state budgets have been hit by both the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and the low price of oil.

In December elections, the opposition or allied candidates won nearly half of the parliament's 50 seats in elections.

The polls were the first since the new emir, Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, took office in September following the death of his half-brother, Sheikh Sabah, at the age of 91.

Kuwaitis have in recent years expressed their desire for reform in their country, where 70 per cent of the 4.8 million population are foreigners.

Kuwait's Prime Minister Sabah al-Khalid al-Sabah presented the resignation of his cabinet to the country's ruler on Wednesday, days before the premiere was due to be questioned in parliament over his choice of ministers and other issues.

Kuwait's Prime Minister Sabah al-Khalid al-Sabah presented the resignation of his cabinet to the country's ruler on Wednesday, days before the premiere was due to be questioned in parliament over his choice of ministers and other issues. It comes as 38 members of parliament backed a request to question the prime minister, who they accuse of violating the constitution when forming the government and of failing to present a cabinet work programme. The standoff between the government and parliament less than a month after the cabinet was appointed poses the first big challenge to Emir Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmed al-Sabah, who assumed power in September. It complicates government efforts to tackle the OPEC state's deepest economic crisis in decades, caused by low oil prices and the coronavirus crisis. Ministers had submitted their resignations on Tuesday to Sheikh Sabah, a move the government said was related to "developments in the relationship between the National Assembly (parliament) and the government". It was not immediately clear if the emir, who has the final say in matters of state, would accept the cabinet's resignation. The motion to question Sheikh Sabah, who has been prime minister since late 2019, was submitted by three lawmakers on Jan. 5 in the first regular session of the new assembly, in which the opposition made gains in last year's election. More than 30 other MPs in the assembly, which has 50 elected members, supported the request to question him. The motion seen by Reuters referred to a cabinet that did not reflect the poll result and government "interference" in electing the speaker and members of parliamentary committees. In addition to its elected members, cabinet ministers also sit in parliament. The oil-rich country has been shaken by political disputes between lawmakers and the ruling family-led government for over a decade, with parliament and cabinets dissolved several times. A previous cabinet stepped down in November 2019 amid accusations of corruption and infighting, while the last cabinet was replaced in December 2020 elections. Kuwait is the only Gulf state with a fully elected parliament, which enjoys wide legislative powers and can vote ministers out of office. The country has the Gulf's oldest elected parliament, but under the constitution, the emir has extensive powers and can dissolve the legislature at the recommendation of the government. Like most Gulf countries, Kuwait's economy and state budgets have been hit by both the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and the low price of oil. In December elections, the opposition or allied candidates won nearly half of the parliament's 50 seats in elections. The polls were the first since the new emir, Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, took office in September following the death of his half-brother, Sheikh Sabah, at the age of 91. Kuwaitis have in recent years expressed their desire for reform in their country, where 70 per cent of the 4.8 million population are foreigners.

Kuwait's cabinet members resign en masse in standoff with parliament

A government-commissioned report released Tuesday found a shocking number of deaths and widespread abuses at religious institutions in Ireland for unwed mothers and their children.

The report, the culmination of a six-year investigation, detailed some 9,000 deaths of children at 14 of the country’s so-called mother and baby homes and four county homes over several decades, a mortality rate far higher than the rest of the population. The institutions, where unmarried women and girls were sent to give birth in secrecy and were pressured to give their children up for adoption, were also responsible for unethical vaccine trials and traumatic emotional abuse, the report found.

Ireland’s leader, or Taoiseach, Micheal Martin, at a news conference said the report outlined an “a dark, difficult and shameful chapter” of the country’s past, acknowledging significant failures by the state, society and church.

Survivors of the homes say urgent action by the state is needed, and many say the Roman Catholic Church, which ran the homes, needs to be held more fully accountable.

The Coalition of Mother and Baby Home Survivors said it was disappointed in the “fundamentally incomplete” nature of the final report.

The church had been silent on the issue in the past, but late Tuesday, Eamon Martin, the archbishop of Armagh and the head of the Irish Catholic Church, issued an apology. The church, he said, was clearly part of a culture in which people “were frequently stigmatized, judged and rejected.”

Martin and the country’s minister for children, Roderic O’Gorman, spoke with survivors earlier in the afternoon by video to discuss the contents of the report, which is more than 3,000 pages. Martin said he would issue an official state apology in front of Parliament on Wednesday, and O’Gorman pledged that the government was committed to working with survivors.

Mother and baby homes were run by religious orders, starting in the 1920s, and funded by the Irish government. The last of the facilities was closed in 1998.

The commission focused on 18 institutions between 1922 to 1998 and was set up after reports emerged that the remains of nearly 800 babies and children were interred in an unmarked mass grave at a home run by nuns in the town of Tuam in County Galway.

A government-commissioned report released Tuesday found a shocking number of deaths and widespread abuses at religious institutions in Ireland for unwed mothers and their children.

A government-commissioned report released Tuesday found a shocking number of deaths and widespread abuses at religious institutions in Ireland for unwed mothers and their children. The report, the culmination of a six-year investigation, detailed some 9,000 deaths of children at 14 of the country’s so-called mother and baby homes and four county homes over several decades, a mortality rate far higher than the rest of the population. The institutions, where unmarried women and girls were sent to give birth in secrecy and were pressured to give their children up for adoption, were also responsible for unethical vaccine trials and traumatic emotional abuse, the report found. Ireland’s leader, or Taoiseach, Micheal Martin, at a news conference said the report outlined an “a dark, difficult and shameful chapter” of the country’s past, acknowledging significant failures by the state, society and church. Survivors of the homes say urgent action by the state is needed, and many say the Roman Catholic Church, which ran the homes, needs to be held more fully accountable. The Coalition of Mother and Baby Home Survivors said it was disappointed in the “fundamentally incomplete” nature of the final report. The church had been silent on the issue in the past, but late Tuesday, Eamon Martin, the archbishop of Armagh and the head of the Irish Catholic Church, issued an apology. The church, he said, was clearly part of a culture in which people “were frequently stigmatized, judged and rejected.” Martin and the country’s minister for children, Roderic O’Gorman, spoke with survivors earlier in the afternoon by video to discuss the contents of the report, which is more than 3,000 pages. Martin said he would issue an official state apology in front of Parliament on Wednesday, and O’Gorman pledged that the government was committed to working with survivors. Mother and baby homes were run by religious orders, starting in the 1920s, and funded by the Irish government. The last of the facilities was closed in 1998. The commission focused on 18 institutions between 1922 to 1998 and was set up after reports emerged that the remains of nearly 800 babies and children were interred in an unmarked mass grave at a home run by nuns in the town of Tuam in County Galway.

Report gives glimpse into horrors of Ireland’s mother and baby homes

For the first time in independent India, the Union Budget 2021 is going to be completely paperless due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Instead of hard copies, soft copies of the budget will be provided to all members of the parliament.

The Central government has received permission from the upper and lower houses of parliament for the measure.&nbsp;

The Union Budget is printed every year in the finance ministry's house press in the North Block by nearly 100 employees who stay together for nearly a fortnight till it is printed, sealed and delivered.

Although in a bid to go green,&nbsp;the Central Government had tried to cut down had first tried to cut down on printing hard copies of the Union Budget 2016-2017. But this could be the first time when printing is halted altogether.

Breaking conventions

The coronavirus pandemic has forced the government to look for alternatives because it will be challenging to maintain&nbsp;social distancing in a limited space.

The traditional ''halwa ceremony'' which takes place every year before the budget is presented in the parliament will also be 'low-key'' or subdued as it will be held with a limited gathering.&nbsp;

Usually, this ceremony is attended by all people involved in budget-making and marks the beginning of printing.

The Union Budget 2021 will be introduced in two parts by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1.

President Ramnath Kovind will address the joint sitting of both the houses on January 29 after which the Economic Survey will be presented in&nbsp;the Lok Sabha.

Changing times

This will not be the change in the presentation of the Union Budget. Last year, Sitharaman&nbsp;broke away from long-standing traditions of colonial-era when she ditched the briefcase and opted for traditional&nbsp;'Bahi-Khata', which is a kind of a ledger wrapped in a red coloured cloth.

The word 'budget'&nbsp;has its origin in the French word 'Bougette', which means leather briefcase. Traditionally, budget documents -- which primarily include papers related to revenue receipt and expenditure as well as the speech of finance minister -- were carried in a brown briefcase, a legacy passed on by the British.

For the first time in independent India, the Union Budget 2021 is going to be completely paperless due to the coronavirus pandemic. Instead of hard copies, soft copies of the budget will be provided to all members of the parliament.

For the first time in independent India, the Union Budget 2021 is going to be completely paperless due to the coronavirus pandemic. Instead of hard copies, soft copies of the budget will be provided to all members of the parliament. The Central government has received permission from the upper and lower houses of parliament for the measure. The Union Budget is printed every year in the finance ministry's house press in the North Block by nearly 100 employees who stay together for nearly a fortnight till it is printed, sealed and delivered. Although in a bid to go green, the Central Government had tried to cut down had first tried to cut down on printing hard copies of the Union Budget 2016-2017. But this could be the first time when printing is halted altogether. Breaking conventions The coronavirus pandemic has forced the government to look for alternatives because it will be challenging to maintain social distancing in a limited space. The traditional ''halwa ceremony'' which takes place every year before the budget is presented in the parliament will also be 'low-key'' or subdued as it will be held with a limited gathering. Usually, this ceremony is attended by all people involved in budget-making and marks the beginning of printing. The Union Budget 2021 will be introduced in two parts by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1. President Ramnath Kovind will address the joint sitting of both the houses on January 29 after which the Economic Survey will be presented in the Lok Sabha. Changing times This will not be the change in the presentation of the Union Budget. Last year, Sitharaman broke away from long-standing traditions of colonial-era when she ditched the briefcase and opted for traditional 'Bahi-Khata', which is a kind of a ledger wrapped in a red coloured cloth. The word 'budget' has its origin in the French word 'Bougette', which means leather briefcase. Traditionally, budget documents -- which primarily include papers related to revenue receipt and expenditure as well as the speech of finance minister -- were carried in a brown briefcase, a legacy passed on by the British.

Union Budget 2021 goes paperless; hard copies not to be printed for first time in history

An Indian fast-food restaurant owner in Bath called Neeraj Gadher tried to send samosa and a wrap in space, however, the package landed in France.

To achieve this feat, Gadher packed the snacks in a box and attached it to helium weather balloon along with GoPro camera and a GPS tracker.

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In picture: Samosa and a wrap packed by Neeraj Gadher near the Bath skyline as captured by&nbsp;GoPro camera

However, Gadher's method&nbsp;to document the project malfunctioned when the GPS stopped working after reaching the Bath skyline.

A&nbsp;video summing up the entire experience is laughed upon online after endeavour made global headlines.&nbsp;

 
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/I1UlEa7m_zs" width="560"></iframe>

In an interview with Somerset Live, Gadher said: “I said as a joke once that I would send a samosa into space, and then I thought during this bleak times we could all use a reason to laugh.”

Gadher's package landed in a forest in Cais, France. It was tracked down&nbsp;after one Instagram user called Alex Mathon responded to Gadher's plea of hunting it down.

''I was quite surprised when I received this message on Instagram. I didn’t understand why he contacted me, because it’s still an hour from my house,'' Mathon told&nbsp;La Voix du Nord.

“It was a bit like a treasure hunt, I thought it was crazy! We usually see this kind of story in the United States. Well, this is in a lost field in Picardy,” Mathon told&nbsp;France3.

An Indian fast-food restaurant owner in Bath called Neeraj Gadher tried to send samosa and a wrap in space, however, the package landed in France. To achieve this feat, Gadher packed the snacks in a box and attached it to helium weather balloon along with GoPro camera and a GPS tracker.

An Indian fast-food restaurant owner in Bath called Neeraj Gadher tried to send samosa and a wrap in space, however, the package landed in France. To achieve this feat, Gadher packed the snacks in a box and attached it to helium weather balloon along with GoPro camera and a GPS tracker. In picture: Samosa and a wrap packed by Neeraj Gadher near the Bath skyline as captured by GoPro camera However, Gadher's method to document the project malfunctioned when the GPS stopped working after reaching the Bath skyline. A video summing up the entire experience is laughed upon online after endeavour made global headlines. In an interview with Somerset Live, Gadher said: “I said as a joke once that I would send a samosa into space, and then I thought during this bleak times we could all use a reason to laugh.” Gadher's package landed in a forest in Cais, France. It was tracked down after one Instagram user called Alex Mathon responded to Gadher's plea of hunting it down. ''I was quite surprised when I received this message on Instagram. I didn’t understand why he contacted me, because it’s still an hour from my house,'' Mathon told La Voix du Nord. “It was a bit like a treasure hunt, I thought it was crazy! We usually see this kind of story in the United States. Well, this is in a lost field in Picardy,” Mathon told France3.

Indian restaurant owner tries to send samosa into space, package lands in France

Astronomers at the European Southern Observatory have captured a distant galaxy dying and&nbsp;losing its ability to form stars.

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A galaxy caught dying? <a href="https://twitter.com/almaobs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ALMAObs</a> sees a distant galaxy ejecting nearly half of its star-forming gas at a rate equivalent to 10,000 Suns worth of gas a year, causing the galaxy to lose its fuel to make new stars. 
Credit: <a href="https://twitter.com/ESO?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ESO</a> /M. Kornmesser <a href="https://t.co/JXduGUEoya">https://t.co/JXduGUEoya</a> <a href="https://t.co/QHqfoNmTCR">pic.twitter.com/QHqfoNmTCR</a>
— ESO (@ESO) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESO/status/1348664765619589121?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The spectacular event was triggered by the collision of another galaxy as per the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA).&nbsp;

The new study was published in Nature Astronomy and suggests galactic mergers can be responsible for ejecting star-forming fuel into space.

Earlier, astronomers&nbsp;believed that winds caused by star formation and the activity of black holes at the centre of the galaxies are responsible for launching star-forming material into space thus ending thus, ending galaxies abilities to make new stars.

Scientists were able to trace it due to the ejected gas called ''tidal tail'', which are elongated streams of stars and gas extending into interstellar space due to the merger of two galaxies.

The galaxy, known as ID2299 was formed when the Universe was just 4.5 million years old. It will shut down in a few tens of millions of years as it is ejecting 46 per cent of its total star-forming gas while new stars are being formed by other galaxies very rapidly.

Annagrazia Puglisi, the lead researcher on the new study, said: “This is the first time we have observed a typical massive star-forming galaxy in the distant Universe about to ‘die’ because of a massive cold gas ejection.”

While the&nbsp;study's co-author Emanuele Daddi from&nbsp;CEA-Saclay believes&nbsp;“Our study suggests that gas ejections can be produced by mergers and that winds and tidal tails can appear very similar.”

“This might lead us to revise our understanding of how galaxies ‘die’,” Daddi adds.

Astronomers at the European Southern Observatory have captured a distant galaxy dying and losing its ability to form stars. A galaxy caught dying? @ALMAObs sees a distant galaxy ejecting nearly half of its star-forming gas at a rate equivalent to 10,000 Suns worth of gas a year, causing the galaxy to lose its fuel to make new stars.

Astronomers at the European Southern Observatory have captured a distant galaxy dying and losing its ability to form stars. A galaxy caught dying? @ALMAObs sees a distant galaxy ejecting nearly half of its star-forming gas at a rate equivalent to 10,000 Suns worth of gas a year, causing the galaxy to lose its fuel to make new stars. Credit: @ESO /M. Kornmesser https://t.co/JXduGUEoya pic.twitter.com/QHqfoNmTCR — ESO (@ESO) January 11, 2021 × The spectacular event was triggered by the collision of another galaxy as per the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). The new study was published in Nature Astronomy and suggests galactic mergers can be responsible for ejecting star-forming fuel into space. Earlier, astronomers believed that winds caused by star formation and the activity of black holes at the centre of the galaxies are responsible for launching star-forming material into space thus ending thus, ending galaxies abilities to make new stars. Scientists were able to trace it due to the ejected gas called ''tidal tail'', which are elongated streams of stars and gas extending into interstellar space due to the merger of two galaxies. The galaxy, known as ID2299 was formed when the Universe was just 4.5 million years old. It will shut down in a few tens of millions of years as it is ejecting 46 per cent of its total star-forming gas while new stars are being formed by other galaxies very rapidly. Annagrazia Puglisi, the lead researcher on the new study, said: “This is the first time we have observed a typical massive star-forming galaxy in the distant Universe about to ‘die’ because of a massive cold gas ejection.” While the study's co-author Emanuele Daddi from CEA-Saclay believes “Our study suggests that gas ejections can be produced by mergers and that winds and tidal tails can appear very similar.” “This might lead us to revise our understanding of how galaxies ‘die’,” Daddi adds.

A galaxy caught dying? Astronomers capture distant galaxy losing its ability to form stars

January 12 in history: Transmission of first long-distance radio message from Eiffel Tower and more

Dutch custom officials have seized ham sandwiches from British drivers post-Brexit rules banning personal imports of meat and&nbsp;dairy products in the European Union.

Officers wearing high visibility jackets were captured confiscating ham sandwiches wrapped in tinfoil from drivers by Dutch media.

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Next time people tell you there's no new friction at the borders because of Brexit, you can show them this Dutch TV clip of drivers being stopped and having their lunches confiscated. <a href="https://t.co/B9eZfDWKFB">pic.twitter.com/B9eZfDWKFB</a>
— OwenAdamsYT (@OwenAdamsYT1) <a href="https://twitter.com/OwenAdamsYT1/status/1348256421331275776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2021</a></blockquote>
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In an announcement made by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affair, the transport representatives had&nbsp;been advised to impose a strict ban of ham and cheese sandwich and all other meat and dairy products from January 01.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ahead-of-brexit-uk-lorry-drivers-en-route-eu-face-ban-on-ham-and-cheese-sandwiches-351024">Ahead of Brexit, UK lorry drivers en route EU face ban on 'ham and cheese' sandwiches</a>

This ban came&nbsp;into effect from December 31 from 11 pm and&nbsp;disallowed the lorry drivers to carry these products, even if they are meant for travel snacking in the long drives. The same ban also applied&nbsp;to tourists travelling to the EU.

"Drivers travelling to the EU should be aware of additional restrictions to personal imports taking effect from 1 January 2021. If you are carrying prohibited items in your luggage, vehicle or person you will need to use, consume, or dispose of them at or before the border," the official guidelines read.

The guidelines used the example of 'hand cheese' sandwich in particular sending a furry of laughter across the country. "From 1 January 2021 you will not be able to bring POAO (products of an animal origin) such as those containing meat or dairy (eg a ham and cheese sandwich) into the EU," the officials stated.

As per the European Union, the ban is necessary as it prevents the spread of pathogens in meat and dairy products.

As per the official guidelines and the advice leaflets being handed over, if the drivers fail to declare possession of these sandwiches, or any other meat and dairy product, they&nbsp;could bear a fine or even criminal prosecution.

While the meat and dairy products were&nbsp;disallowed,&nbsp;meat extracts and meat concentrates are still&nbsp;allowed across the country borders, giving a sigh of relief to the Britishers.

The decision has not gained popular vote from the lorry drivers who claim this has been their staple diet for the last few years when travelling to the EU for long trips.

Dutch custom officials have seized ham sandwiches from British drivers post-Brexit rules banning personal imports of meat and dairy products in the European Union.

Dutch custom officials have seized ham sandwiches from British drivers post-Brexit rules banning personal imports of meat and dairy products in the European Union. Officers wearing high visibility jackets were captured confiscating ham sandwiches wrapped in tinfoil from drivers by Dutch media. Next time people tell you there's no new friction at the borders because of Brexit, you can show them this Dutch TV clip of drivers being stopped and having their lunches confiscated. pic.twitter.com/B9eZfDWKFB — OwenAdamsYT (@OwenAdamsYT1) January 10, 2021 × In an announcement made by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affair, the transport representatives had been advised to impose a strict ban of ham and cheese sandwich and all other meat and dairy products from January 01. Also read: Ahead of Brexit, UK lorry drivers en route EU face ban on 'ham and cheese' sandwiches This ban came into effect from December 31 from 11 pm and disallowed the lorry drivers to carry these products, even if they are meant for travel snacking in the long drives. The same ban also applied to tourists travelling to the EU. "Drivers travelling to the EU should be aware of additional restrictions to personal imports taking effect from 1 January 2021. If you are carrying prohibited items in your luggage, vehicle or person you will need to use, consume, or dispose of them at or before the border," the official guidelines read. The guidelines used the example of 'hand cheese' sandwich in particular sending a furry of laughter across the country. "From 1 January 2021 you will not be able to bring POAO (products of an animal origin) such as those containing meat or dairy (eg a ham and cheese sandwich) into the EU," the officials stated. As per the European Union, the ban is necessary as it prevents the spread of pathogens in meat and dairy products. As per the official guidelines and the advice leaflets being handed over, if the drivers fail to declare possession of these sandwiches, or any other meat and dairy product, they could bear a fine or even criminal prosecution. While the meat and dairy products were disallowed, meat extracts and meat concentrates are still allowed across the country borders, giving a sigh of relief to the Britishers. The decision has not gained popular vote from the lorry drivers who claim this has been their staple diet for the last few years when travelling to the EU for long trips.

Brexit: Dutch custom officials seize ham sandwiches from British drivers

Canada is planning to label far-right and white supremacist group Proud Boys as a ''terrorist organisation'' alongside ISIS,&nbsp;al-Qaeda and Boko Haram over its role in the US Capitol riots last week.

Canada's public safety minister Bill Blair said the country is keeping a close eye on the Proud Boys and its ''ideologically-motivated extremist members''.

“They are white supremacists, antisemitic, Islamophobic, misogynist groups. They’re all hateful, they’re all dangerous,” Blair said in an interview.

“We’re working very diligently to ensure that where the evidence is available, where we have the intelligence, that we’ll deal appropriately with those organizations,'' he added.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-capitol-invader-qanon-shaman-jake-angeli-charged-over-pro-trump-riots-355695">US Capitol invader 'QAnon Shaman' Jake Angeli charged over pro-Trump riots</a>

The bulk of online platforms used by the Canadian Proud Boys went offline post after Parler app was suspended from the play stores of Goggle, Apple and&nbsp;web hosting service of Amazon.com.

Elizabeth Simons, the deputy director of Canadian anti-hate network said, ''There’s definitely a sense of panic.''

The Canadian Proud Boys had already split into factions last year with many members forming a far-right nationalist group called Canada First.

New Democratic Party head Jagmeet Singh, the first minority leader of a federal Canadian political party, had asked the Candian government to ban the Proud Boys.

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Yesterday was an act of domestic terrorism. 
 
The Proud Boys helped execute it. 
 
Their founder is Canadian. 
 
They operate in Canada, right now. 
 
And, I am calling for them to be designated as a terrorist organization, immediately. 
 
Sign here if you agree👇🏾<a href="https://t.co/DCFanYVijm">https://t.co/DCFanYVijm</a>
— Jagmeet Singh (@theJagmeetSingh) <a href="https://twitter.com/theJagmeetSingh/status/1347284583709093889?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Dozens of people have been charged following the storming of the Capitol on Wednesday, with the FBI asking the public to help identify participants, given the proliferation of images of the riots on the internet. Five people have died, including a police officer.

Nicholas Ochs, self-professed leader of the Hawaii chapter of the far-right&nbsp;Proud&nbsp;Boys&nbsp;group and who made a failed bid for a seat in the Hawaii House of Representatives in November, was arrested on his return to Honolulu and charged with unlawful entry into restricted buildings or grounds, federal prosecutors said in a statement.&nbsp;

Previously,&nbsp;Enrique Tarrio, leader of the Proud Boys, was&nbsp;arrested after being accused of burning a "Black Lives Matter"&nbsp;banner that was torn down from a historic Black church in downtown Washington last year.

Canada is planning to label far-right and white supremacist group Proud Boys as a ''terrorist organisation'' alongside ISIS, al-Qaeda and Boko Haram over its role in the US Capitol riots last week.

Canada is planning to label far-right and white supremacist group Proud Boys as a ''terrorist organisation'' alongside ISIS, al-Qaeda and Boko Haram over its role in the US Capitol riots last week. Canada's public safety minister Bill Blair said the country is keeping a close eye on the Proud Boys and its ''ideologically-motivated extremist members''. “They are white supremacists, antisemitic, Islamophobic, misogynist groups. They’re all hateful, they’re all dangerous,” Blair said in an interview. “We’re working very diligently to ensure that where the evidence is available, where we have the intelligence, that we’ll deal appropriately with those organizations,'' he added. Also read: US Capitol invader 'QAnon Shaman' Jake Angeli charged over pro-Trump riots The bulk of online platforms used by the Canadian Proud Boys went offline post after Parler app was suspended from the play stores of Goggle, Apple and web hosting service of Amazon.com. Elizabeth Simons, the deputy director of Canadian anti-hate network said, ''There’s definitely a sense of panic.'' The Canadian Proud Boys had already split into factions last year with many members forming a far-right nationalist group called Canada First. New Democratic Party head Jagmeet Singh, the first minority leader of a federal Canadian political party, had asked the Candian government to ban the Proud Boys. Yesterday was an act of domestic terrorism. The Proud Boys helped execute it. Their founder is Canadian. They operate in Canada, right now. And, I am calling for them to be designated as a terrorist organization, immediately. Sign here if you agree👇🏾https://t.co/DCFanYVijm — Jagmeet Singh (@theJagmeetSingh) January 7, 2021 × Dozens of people have been charged following the storming of the Capitol on Wednesday, with the FBI asking the public to help identify participants, given the proliferation of images of the riots on the internet. Five people have died, including a police officer. Nicholas Ochs, self-professed leader of the Hawaii chapter of the far-right Proud Boys group and who made a failed bid for a seat in the Hawaii House of Representatives in November, was arrested on his return to Honolulu and charged with unlawful entry into restricted buildings or grounds, federal prosecutors said in a statement. Previously, Enrique Tarrio, leader of the Proud Boys, was arrested after being accused of burning a "Black Lives Matter" banner that was torn down from a historic Black church in downtown Washington last year.

Canada mulls labeling Proud Boys as 'terrorist organisation' after US Capitol Hill riots

A hacker from Austria has revealed a massive data leak in&nbsp;Parler&nbsp;LLC, a social media platform favoured by many supporters of US&nbsp;President Donald Trump.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I am now crawling URLs of all videos uploaded to Parler. Sequentially from latest to oldest. VIDXXX.txt files coming up, 50k chunks, there will be 1.1M URLs total: <a href="https://t.co/YUl8CtoeEA">https://t.co/YUl8CtoeEA</a> 
 
This may include things from deleted/private posts.
— crash override (@donk_enby) <a href="https://twitter.com/donk_enby/status/1348281459031814146?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
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These are the original, unprocessed, raw files as uploaded to Parler with all associated metadata.
— crash override (@donk_enby) <a href="https://twitter.com/donk_enby/status/1348281461435207680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
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Similarly, a Reddit user called '<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/ParlerWatch/comments/kuqvs3/all_parler_user_data_is_being_downloaded_as_we/giu04o6/?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=web2x&amp;context=3">BlueMountainDace</a>' exposed how Parler's hosting platform Twilio, accidentally revealed the app's security authentications in a press release. This made it very easy for anybody to access Parler's private content including chat history, geodata and even driver's license.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Remember how people were dunking on Parler for being built on WordPress? Well, through a plug-in exploit, literally all the user data (including photos of verified state id cards) has been retrieved by hackers and is being posted online. Lmao ♾️<a href="https://t.co/w1yexoUOxq">https://t.co/w1yexoUOxq</a> <a href="https://t.co/h2Mf7Fn1Sc">pic.twitter.com/h2Mf7Fn1Sc</a>
— Classic Bird Respecter (@BirdRespecter) <a href="https://twitter.com/BirdRespecter/status/1348557067351519234?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
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As per technology expert&nbsp;Matthew Sheffield, the breach was possible due the Parler's&nbsp;long criticised lax security standards.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
This Parler user explains it quite well here. Because of yet more security flaws at Parler, it's now possible for all that "free speech" to be shared and archived with the world, even if the posters tried to erase their not-at-all innocent videos and GPS data. <a href="https://t.co/YbjbwXQitj">https://t.co/YbjbwXQitj</a>
— Matthew Sheffield (@mattsheffield) <a href="https://twitter.com/mattsheffield/status/1348573748450918402?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
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The conservative social network&nbsp;Parler&nbsp;was forced offline Monday, tracking websites showed after Amazon warned the company would lose access to its servers for its failure to properly police violent content.

The site's popularity soared in recent weeks, becoming the number one download from Apple's App Store after the much larger Twitter banned US President Donald Trump from its platform for his role in inciting a riot at the US Capitol last week.

Messages of support for Wednesday's attack in Washington DC, along with calls for more demonstrations, had flourished on the platform, leading Google to remove it from its app store on Friday, followed by Apple on Saturday.

Amazon then confirmed it would suspend the platform from its cloud hosting services for allowing "threats of violence."

Parler&nbsp;Chief Executive John Matze lashed out at Amazon, Google and Apple, saying it was a coordinated effort knowing&nbsp;Parler's options would be limited and it would inflict the most damage right as Trump was banned from other social media platforms.

"There is the possibility&nbsp;Parler&nbsp;will be unavailable on internet for up to a week as we rebuild from scratch," he said in a post on&nbsp;Parler.

"This was a coordinated attack by the tech giants to kill competition in the market place... You can expect the war on competition and free speech to continue, but don't count us out."

In addition to&nbsp;Parler, right-leaning social media users in the United States have flocked to messaging app Telegram and hands-off social site Gab, citing the more aggressive policing of political comments on mainstream platforms such as Twitter Inc and Facebook Inc.

The social network, launched in 2018, operates much like Twitter, with profiles to follow and "parleys" instead of tweets.

In its early days, the platform attracted a crowd of ultra-conservative and even extreme-right users. But it now attracts many more traditional Republican voices.&nbsp;

The platform drew fierce criticism in 2018 when investigators found that the shooter who killed 11 people in an attack on a Pittsburgh synagogue had earlier posted anti-Semitic messages on the site.

A hacker from Austria has revealed a massive data leak in Parler LLC, a social media platform favoured by many supporters of US President Donald Trump. I am now crawling URLs of all videos uploaded to Parler.

A hacker from Austria has revealed a massive data leak in Parler LLC, a social media platform favoured by many supporters of US President Donald Trump. I am now crawling URLs of all videos uploaded to Parler. Sequentially from latest to oldest. VIDXXX.txt files coming up, 50k chunks, there will be 1.1M URLs total: https://t.co/YUl8CtoeEA This may include things from deleted/private posts. — crash override (@donk_enby) January 10, 2021 × These are the original, unprocessed, raw files as uploaded to Parler with all associated metadata. — crash override (@donk_enby) January 10, 2021 × Similarly, a Reddit user called 'BlueMountainDace' exposed how Parler's hosting platform Twilio, accidentally revealed the app's security authentications in a press release. This made it very easy for anybody to access Parler's private content including chat history, geodata and even driver's license. Remember how people were dunking on Parler for being built on WordPress? Well, through a plug-in exploit, literally all the user data (including photos of verified state id cards) has been retrieved by hackers and is being posted online. Lmao ♾️https://t.co/w1yexoUOxq pic.twitter.com/h2Mf7Fn1Sc — Classic Bird Respecter (@BirdRespecter) January 11, 2021 × As per technology expert Matthew Sheffield, the breach was possible due the Parler's long criticised lax security standards. This Parler user explains it quite well here. Because of yet more security flaws at Parler, it's now possible for all that "free speech" to be shared and archived with the world, even if the posters tried to erase their not-at-all innocent videos and GPS data. https://t.co/YbjbwXQitj — Matthew Sheffield (@mattsheffield) January 11, 2021 × The conservative social network Parler was forced offline Monday, tracking websites showed after Amazon warned the company would lose access to its servers for its failure to properly police violent content. The site's popularity soared in recent weeks, becoming the number one download from Apple's App Store after the much larger Twitter banned US President Donald Trump from its platform for his role in inciting a riot at the US Capitol last week. Messages of support for Wednesday's attack in Washington DC, along with calls for more demonstrations, had flourished on the platform, leading Google to remove it from its app store on Friday, followed by Apple on Saturday. Amazon then confirmed it would suspend the platform from its cloud hosting services for allowing "threats of violence." Parler Chief Executive John Matze lashed out at Amazon, Google and Apple, saying it was a coordinated effort knowing Parler's options would be limited and it would inflict the most damage right as Trump was banned from other social media platforms. "There is the possibility Parler will be unavailable on internet for up to a week as we rebuild from scratch," he said in a post on Parler. "This was a coordinated attack by the tech giants to kill competition in the market place... You can expect the war on competition and free speech to continue, but don't count us out." In addition to Parler, right-leaning social media users in the United States have flocked to messaging app Telegram and hands-off social site Gab, citing the more aggressive policing of political comments on mainstream platforms such as Twitter Inc and Facebook Inc. The social network, launched in 2018, operates much like Twitter, with profiles to follow and "parleys" instead of tweets. In its early days, the platform attracted a crowd of ultra-conservative and even extreme-right users. But it now attracts many more traditional Republican voices. The platform drew fierce criticism in 2018 when investigators found that the shooter who killed 11 people in an attack on a Pittsburgh synagogue had earlier posted anti-Semitic messages on the site.

Hacker reveals massive data leak in social networking app Parler after US Capitol siege

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday said that the United Kingdom is&nbsp;in "a race against time" to roll out COVID-19 vaccines as deaths hit record highs and hospitals ran out of oxygen, and his top medical adviser said the pandemic's worst weeks were imminent.

"The next few weeks are going to be the worst weeks of this pandemic in terms of numbers into the NHS," Johnson said in an interview.

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A new, more transmissible variant of the disease is now surging through the population, with one in 20 people in parts of London now infected, threatening to overwhelm the National Health Service (NHS) as hospitals fill up with patients.

The death toll in the United Kingdom has been soaring and now stands in excess of 81,000,&nbsp;the world's fifth-highest official toll, while more than three million people have tested positive.

In a bid to get on top of the pandemic and to try to restore some degree of normality by the spring, Britain is rushing out its largest ever vaccination programme, with shots to be offered to about 15 million people by the middle of next month.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/britain-steps-up-vaccinations-as-coronavirus-cases-surge-worst-weeks-still-to-come-356014" hreflang="en">UK steps up vaccinations as coronavirus cases surge, worst weeks still to come</a>

"It's a race against time because we can all see the threat that our NHS faces, the pressure it's under, the demand in intensive care units, the pressure on ventilated beds, even the shortage of oxygen in some places,"&nbsp;Johnson&nbsp;said on a visit to a vaccination centre in Bristol, in southwest England.

"This is a very perilous moment. The worst thing now for us is to allow success in rolling out a vaccine programme to breed any kind of complacency about the state of the pandemic."

"Anybody who is not shocked by the number of people in the hospital who are seriously ill at the moment and who are dying over the course of this pandemic, I think, has not understood this at all. This is an appalling situation," he added.

The government's chief medical adviser Chris Whitty earlier said the situation was set to deteriorate.

Health minister Matt Hancock said there were now more than 32,000 COVID-19 patients in hospital, far more than the roughly 18,000 hospitalised during the peak of the first wave of the pandemic in April.

Johnson's government is pinning its hopes on a mass vaccination programme after Britain became the first country to approve vaccines developed by Oxford-AstraZeneca and by Pfizer/BioNTech. It also approved Moderna's shot last Friday.

Its plan, announced on Monday, envisages two million shots being delivered to around 2,700 centres a week in England by the end of January, with the aim of immunising tens of millions of people by the spring and all adults offered a vaccine by the autumn.&nbsp;

The first daily vaccination statistics showed that nearly 2.3 million people had so far received their first doses of a COVID vaccine and nearly 400,000 had received a second dose.

Johnson&nbsp;said more had received the vaccine in Britain than in any other European country but admitted that inoculating 15 million people in the four highest risk levels, including those over 70 and frontline health workers, by a February&nbsp;15 target was "a huge ask".

"We believe it's achievable, we're going throw absolutely everything at it, to get it done," he said.

Opposition Labour leader Keir Starmer, who has repeatedly accused&nbsp;Johnson&nbsp;of being too slow to respond to the pandemic, said the prime minister's indecision had cost lives and worsened the economic impact

Ministers and health chiefs have pleaded with Britons to stay at home, amid fears that some people are not adhering to the rules strictly enough, along with concern that the virus is being spread in supermarkets.

Hancock said that support bubbles, where households can "bubble" with another if they are single-person or fit other criteria, would be maintained, but that rules on exercising with someone else could be restricted.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday said that the United Kingdom is in "a race against time" to roll out COVID-19 vaccines as deaths hit record highs and hospitals ran out of oxygen, and his top medical adviser said the pandemic's worst weeks were imminent.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday said that the United Kingdom is in "a race against time" to roll out COVID-19 vaccines as deaths hit record highs and hospitals ran out of oxygen, and his top medical adviser said the pandemic's worst weeks were imminent. "The next few weeks are going to be the worst weeks of this pandemic in terms of numbers into the NHS," Johnson said in an interview. A new, more transmissible variant of the disease is now surging through the population, with one in 20 people in parts of London now infected, threatening to overwhelm the National Health Service (NHS) as hospitals fill up with patients. The death toll in the United Kingdom has been soaring and now stands in excess of 81,000, the world's fifth-highest official toll, while more than three million people have tested positive. In a bid to get on top of the pandemic and to try to restore some degree of normality by the spring, Britain is rushing out its largest ever vaccination programme, with shots to be offered to about 15 million people by the middle of next month. Also read: UK steps up vaccinations as coronavirus cases surge, worst weeks still to come "It's a race against time because we can all see the threat that our NHS faces, the pressure it's under, the demand in intensive care units, the pressure on ventilated beds, even the shortage of oxygen in some places," Johnson said on a visit to a vaccination centre in Bristol, in southwest England. "This is a very perilous moment. The worst thing now for us is to allow success in rolling out a vaccine programme to breed any kind of complacency about the state of the pandemic." "Anybody who is not shocked by the number of people in the hospital who are seriously ill at the moment and who are dying over the course of this pandemic, I think, has not understood this at all. This is an appalling situation," he added. The government's chief medical adviser Chris Whitty earlier said the situation was set to deteriorate. Health minister Matt Hancock said there were now more than 32,000 COVID-19 patients in hospital, far more than the roughly 18,000 hospitalised during the peak of the first wave of the pandemic in April. Johnson's government is pinning its hopes on a mass vaccination programme after Britain became the first country to approve vaccines developed by Oxford-AstraZeneca and by Pfizer/BioNTech. It also approved Moderna's shot last Friday. Its plan, announced on Monday, envisages two million shots being delivered to around 2,700 centres a week in England by the end of January, with the aim of immunising tens of millions of people by the spring and all adults offered a vaccine by the autumn. The first daily vaccination statistics showed that nearly 2.3 million people had so far received their first doses of a COVID vaccine and nearly 400,000 had received a second dose. Johnson said more had received the vaccine in Britain than in any other European country but admitted that inoculating 15 million people in the four highest risk levels, including those over 70 and frontline health workers, by a February 15 target was "a huge ask". "We believe it's achievable, we're going throw absolutely everything at it, to get it done," he said. Opposition Labour leader Keir Starmer, who has repeatedly accused Johnson of being too slow to respond to the pandemic, said the prime minister's indecision had cost lives and worsened the economic impact Ministers and health chiefs have pleaded with Britons to stay at home, amid fears that some people are not adhering to the rules strictly enough, along with concern that the virus is being spread in supermarkets. Hancock said that support bubbles, where households can "bubble" with another if they are single-person or fit other criteria, would be maintained, but that rules on exercising with someone else could be restricted.

UK in 'race against time' to roll out coronavirus vaccine, says Boris Johnson

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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/greenhouse-emissions-in-us-witness-largest-dip-since-world-war-ii-356268" hreflang="en">Greenhouse emissions in US witness largest dip since World War II</a>

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Indonesia retrieves black box from Sriwijaya plane that crashed into Java Sea Turkish President Erdogan says want EU ties 'back on track' Explosion in goldmine 

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Top 10 world news today: Indonesia retrieves black box from Sriwijaya air plane, Erdogan wants EU ties 'back on track' and more

Recession-hit Sri Lanka appealed Tuesday for international investors to roll over bonds maturing this year, a further indication of the island nation's dire financial situation.

The South Asian nation's tourism-and the trade-dependent economy is reeling from the twin impacts of the deadly 2019 Easter bombings and the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic.

International rating agencies have already slashed Sri Lanka's creditworthiness after raising fears over the island's ability to repay its debt.

Government spokesman Udaya Gammanpila said capital and interest repayments on foreign debt this year was $6.86 billion.

"We encourage investors to roll over (bonds) and if they do that, it would be a great help for our country," Gammanpila told reporters at the weekly cabinet briefing.

Gammanpila stressed that the country had honoured its debt commitments last year.

China owns about 10 per cent of Sri Lanka's foreign debt, according to official figures from August. The government did not say how much of the maturing debt was Chinese.

Sri Lanka's economy contracted by 3.9 per cent last year, its worst-ever slump.

The country has imposed restrictions on foreign exchange and banned non-essential imports, including most vehicles.

The island is battling a new wave of coronavirus infections with the number of cases nearing 50,000 from 3,300 in October, with 240 deaths.

Recession-hit Sri Lanka appealed Tuesday for international investors to roll over bonds maturing this year, a further indication of the island nation's dire financial situation.

Recession-hit Sri Lanka appealed Tuesday for international investors to roll over bonds maturing this year, a further indication of the island nation's dire financial situation. The South Asian nation's tourism-and the trade-dependent economy is reeling from the twin impacts of the deadly 2019 Easter bombings and the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. International rating agencies have already slashed Sri Lanka's creditworthiness after raising fears over the island's ability to repay its debt. Government spokesman Udaya Gammanpila said capital and interest repayments on foreign debt this year was $6.86 billion. "We encourage investors to roll over (bonds) and if they do that, it would be a great help for our country," Gammanpila told reporters at the weekly cabinet briefing. Gammanpila stressed that the country had honoured its debt commitments last year. China owns about 10 per cent of Sri Lanka's foreign debt, according to official figures from August. The government did not say how much of the maturing debt was Chinese. Sri Lanka's economy contracted by 3.9 per cent last year, its worst-ever slump. The country has imposed restrictions on foreign exchange and banned non-essential imports, including most vehicles. The island is battling a new wave of coronavirus infections with the number of cases nearing 50,000 from 3,300 in October, with 240 deaths.

Sri Lanka pleads for debt rollover as economy falters

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