Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday he wanted to improve relations with the European Union and was hoping for the same approach from the 27-nation bloc.

"We are ready to put our relations back on track," Erdogan said during a televised meeting with EU ambassadors in Ankara. "We expect our European friends to show the same goodwill."

After talking to Erdogan on video call&nbsp; President of the EU Commission&nbsp;Ursula von der Leyen tweeted she had a ''Good exchange with Turkish President''.

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Good exchange with Turkish President <a href="https://twitter.com/RTErdogan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RTErdogan</a>. 
 
We exchanged on the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> situation, the economic recovery and the implementation of tasking of the European Council of December 2020. <a href="https://t.co/uiWY5g58Nx">pic.twitter.com/uiWY5g58Nx</a>
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) <a href="https://twitter.com/vonderleyen/status/1347943142528589824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Turkey&nbsp;and Greece will resume long-suspended exploratory talks over territorial claims in the Mediterranean Sea that brought them close to conflict last year, on Jan. 25 in Istanbul, the NATO members said on Monday.

Ankara and Athens held 60 rounds of talks from 2002 to 2016, but plans for a resumption of talks last year foundered after a disagreement over a Turkish seismic exploration vessel deployed to disputed waters. The ship has since returned to Turkish shores.

"The 61st round of the Exploratory Talks will take place in Istanbul on 25 January 2021," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement, without elaborating. The Greek Foreign Ministry confirmed the date and location in a statement but provided no further details.

Earlier on Monday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said he was inviting Greece for talks by the end of January on all issues, adding that Athens "has no excuse" since the Oruc Reis returned to&nbsp;Turkey.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said later that Athens was seeking a "fertile and productive" relationship with its neighbour&nbsp;Turkey, adding his government would join the talks once finalised.

Turkey&nbsp;and Greece are at odds over the extent of their continental shelves in the Mediterranean, energy rights in the region, air space and the status of some islands in the Aegean Sea.

Their dispute threatened to spill into open conflict when Turkish and Greek warships collided in August as they shadowed the Oruc Reis as it surveyed for oil and gas west of Cyprus.

Previous attempts to resume the talks had been complicated by what both sides were prepared to discuss. The Greek Foreign Ministry said on Monday it was willing to talk about the demarcation of an Exclusive Economic Zone and the continental shelf.

Ankara has said all issues between the NATO members should be discussed, saying that was the format before the talks were suspended in 2016.

On Monday, Cavusoglu said he was ready to meet Greek Foreign Minister Niko Dendias in Tirana after Albania's premier offered to mediate. He also said some European Union members, including Germany, which has mediated the dispute thus far, had urged Greece to engage with&nbsp;Turkey.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday he wanted to improve relations with the European Union and was hoping for the same approach from the 27-nation bloc.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday he wanted to improve relations with the European Union and was hoping for the same approach from the 27-nation bloc. "We are ready to put our relations back on track," Erdogan said during a televised meeting with EU ambassadors in Ankara. "We expect our European friends to show the same goodwill." After talking to Erdogan on video call President of the EU Commission Ursula von der Leyen tweeted she had a ''Good exchange with Turkish President''. Good exchange with Turkish President @RTErdogan. We exchanged on the #COVID19 situation, the economic recovery and the implementation of tasking of the European Council of December 2020. pic.twitter.com/uiWY5g58Nx — Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) January 9, 2021 × Turkey and Greece will resume long-suspended exploratory talks over territorial claims in the Mediterranean Sea that brought them close to conflict last year, on Jan. 25 in Istanbul, the NATO members said on Monday. Ankara and Athens held 60 rounds of talks from 2002 to 2016, but plans for a resumption of talks last year foundered after a disagreement over a Turkish seismic exploration vessel deployed to disputed waters. The ship has since returned to Turkish shores. "The 61st round of the Exploratory Talks will take place in Istanbul on 25 January 2021," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement, without elaborating. The Greek Foreign Ministry confirmed the date and location in a statement but provided no further details. Earlier on Monday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said he was inviting Greece for talks by the end of January on all issues, adding that Athens "has no excuse" since the Oruc Reis returned to Turkey. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said later that Athens was seeking a "fertile and productive" relationship with its neighbour Turkey, adding his government would join the talks once finalised. Turkey and Greece are at odds over the extent of their continental shelves in the Mediterranean, energy rights in the region, air space and the status of some islands in the Aegean Sea. Their dispute threatened to spill into open conflict when Turkish and Greek warships collided in August as they shadowed the Oruc Reis as it surveyed for oil and gas west of Cyprus. Previous attempts to resume the talks had been complicated by what both sides were prepared to discuss. The Greek Foreign Ministry said on Monday it was willing to talk about the demarcation of an Exclusive Economic Zone and the continental shelf. Ankara has said all issues between the NATO members should be discussed, saying that was the format before the talks were suspended in 2016. On Monday, Cavusoglu said he was ready to meet Greek Foreign Minister Niko Dendias in Tirana after Albania's premier offered to mediate. He also said some European Union members, including Germany, which has mediated the dispute thus far, had urged Greece to engage with Turkey.

Turkish President Erdogan says want EU ties 'back on track'

Afghan authorities said Tuesday they had foiled a plan by the jihadist Islamic State group to assassinate the top US envoy in Kabul, as a wave of targeted killings continues to rock the country.

Intelligence officers dismantled a four-member IS cell in the eastern province of Nangarhar that had planned to murder Ross Wilson as well as Afghan officials, the National Directorate of Security said.

Wilson, the US Charge d'Affaires in Kabul, has steadfastly condemned a series of assassinations in the capital and other cities of prominent Afghans including journalists, activists and politicians in recent months.

"The main assassin and facilitator of the cell, Abdul Wahid, had planned to assassinate the US ambassador in Afghanistan as well as some high ranking Afghan officials," the NDS said in a statement.

"Their plan was foiled with their arrest."

The NDS did not offer further details and the US embassy in Kabul did not respond to requests for comment.

In recent months, deadly violence has rocked Afghanistan, including a new trend of targeted killing of prominent Afghans which has sowed fear and chaos despite the Taliban and government engaging in peace talks.

Last week the US military blamed the terror group for these largely unclaimed targeted killings, although some of them have been claimed by IS.

Over the years IS has claimed several deadly attacks in Nangarhar, once the bastion of the jihadist group in the country.

In a separate incident on Tuesday, three Afghan women soldiers were shot dead in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif.

Two gunmen opened fire on a vehicle carrying the troops to work, army spokesman Hanif Rezayee said.

Two soldiers died at the scene and one died later in hospital, he said, adding that another military servicewoman and the male driver were wounded in the attack.

No group has so far claimed responsibility.

Afghan authorities said Tuesday they had foiled a plan by the jihadist Islamic State group to assassinate the top US envoy in Kabul, as a wave of targeted killings continues to rock the country.

Afghan authorities said Tuesday they had foiled a plan by the jihadist Islamic State group to assassinate the top US envoy in Kabul, as a wave of targeted killings continues to rock the country. Intelligence officers dismantled a four-member IS cell in the eastern province of Nangarhar that had planned to murder Ross Wilson as well as Afghan officials, the National Directorate of Security said. Wilson, the US Charge d'Affaires in Kabul, has steadfastly condemned a series of assassinations in the capital and other cities of prominent Afghans including journalists, activists and politicians in recent months. "The main assassin and facilitator of the cell, Abdul Wahid, had planned to assassinate the US ambassador in Afghanistan as well as some high ranking Afghan officials," the NDS said in a statement. "Their plan was foiled with their arrest." The NDS did not offer further details and the US embassy in Kabul did not respond to requests for comment. In recent months, deadly violence has rocked Afghanistan, including a new trend of targeted killing of prominent Afghans which has sowed fear and chaos despite the Taliban and government engaging in peace talks. Last week the US military blamed the terror group for these largely unclaimed targeted killings, although some of them have been claimed by IS. Over the years IS has claimed several deadly attacks in Nangarhar, once the bastion of the jihadist group in the country. In a separate incident on Tuesday, three Afghan women soldiers were shot dead in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif. Two gunmen opened fire on a vehicle carrying the troops to work, army spokesman Hanif Rezayee said. Two soldiers died at the scene and one died later in hospital, he said, adding that another military servicewoman and the male driver were wounded in the attack. No group has so far claimed responsibility.

Afghan forces foil IS plan to assassinate top US envoy

A tweet by world's richest person Elon Musk recommending the use of Signal app spurred a massive rally for another NGO by the same name.

The&nbsp;Tesla CEO Musk had appealed to people to switch to more encrypted apps than&nbsp;WhatsApp and Facebook and specifically mentioned Signal when asked about a safer alternative by his followers.

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Use Signal
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1347165127036977153?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/elon-musk-asks-people-to-use-signal-app-instead-of-whatsapp-and-facebook-over-privacy-issues-355704">Elon Musk asks people to use Signal app instead of WhatsApp and Facebook over privacy issues</a>

By the end of January 7, the shares of a tiny medical company called Signal Advance Inc had surged by more than six-fold.

Despite reports about the confusion over the weekend, the stock value of Signal's shares&nbsp;increased by 5,100 per cent in three days to reach $390 million.

Chris Hymel, President and CEO of Signal Advance, Inc said: "We strongly recommend people do their due diligence and always invest with care."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/it-stays-between-you-whatsapp-issues-clarification-after-update-in-privacy-policy-356211" hreflang="en">'It stays between you': WhatsApp issues clarification after update in privacy policy</a>

Signal Advance Inc has not filed an annual report with Securities and Exchange Commission in 2019 and it reportedly had no revenue from 2014 to 2016.

Musk's tweet about&nbsp;the Signal app had come after it was witnessing&nbsp;a sudden increase in demand due to larger rival&nbsp;WhatsApp's updated terms of service raised eyebrows on social media.

WhatsApp, which uses Signal's encryption technology, laid out fresh terms on Wednesday, asking users to agree to let owner Facebook Inc and its subsidiaries collect user data, including their phone number and location.

Some privacy activists questioned the "accept our data grab or get out" move on Twitter, and suggested users to switch to apps like Signal and Telegram.

Signal's popularity shot up further on Thursday after it was endorsed by Elon Musk, who has one of the most-followed accounts on Twitter and by the micro-blogging site's top boss Jack Dorsey.

More than 100,000 users installed Signal across the app stores of Apple and Google in the last two days, while Telegram picked up nearly 2.2 million downloads, according to data analytics firm Sensor Tower.

New installs of&nbsp;WhatsApp&nbsp;fell 11 per cent&nbsp;in the first seven days of 2021 compared with the prior week, but that still amounted to an estimated 10.5 million downloads globally, Sensor Tower said.

A tweet by world's richest person Elon Musk recommending the use of Signal app spurred a massive rally for another NGO by the same name. The Tesla CEO Musk had appealed to people to switch to more encrypted apps than WhatsApp and Facebook and specifically mentioned Signal when asked about a safer alternative by his followers.

A tweet by world's richest person Elon Musk recommending the use of Signal app spurred a massive rally for another NGO by the same name. The Tesla CEO Musk had appealed to people to switch to more encrypted apps than WhatsApp and Facebook and specifically mentioned Signal when asked about a safer alternative by his followers. Use Signal — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 7, 2021 × Also read: Elon Musk asks people to use Signal app instead of WhatsApp and Facebook over privacy issues By the end of January 7, the shares of a tiny medical company called Signal Advance Inc had surged by more than six-fold. Despite reports about the confusion over the weekend, the stock value of Signal's shares increased by 5,100 per cent in three days to reach $390 million. Chris Hymel, President and CEO of Signal Advance, Inc said: "We strongly recommend people do their due diligence and always invest with care." Also read: 'It stays between you': WhatsApp issues clarification after update in privacy policy Signal Advance Inc has not filed an annual report with Securities and Exchange Commission in 2019 and it reportedly had no revenue from 2014 to 2016. Musk's tweet about the Signal app had come after it was witnessing a sudden increase in demand due to larger rival WhatsApp's updated terms of service raised eyebrows on social media. WhatsApp, which uses Signal's encryption technology, laid out fresh terms on Wednesday, asking users to agree to let owner Facebook Inc and its subsidiaries collect user data, including their phone number and location. Some privacy activists questioned the "accept our data grab or get out" move on Twitter, and suggested users to switch to apps like Signal and Telegram. Signal's popularity shot up further on Thursday after it was endorsed by Elon Musk, who has one of the most-followed accounts on Twitter and by the micro-blogging site's top boss Jack Dorsey. More than 100,000 users installed Signal across the app stores of Apple and Google in the last two days, while Telegram picked up nearly 2.2 million downloads, according to data analytics firm Sensor Tower. New installs of WhatsApp fell 11 per cent in the first seven days of 2021 compared with the prior week, but that still amounted to an estimated 10.5 million downloads globally, Sensor Tower said.

'Use Signal': How Elon Musk's tweet about the app benefitted a NGO

The Trump administration on Monday announced it was returning&nbsp;Cuba&nbsp;to the US&nbsp;list of state sponsors of terrorism, a move that could complicate any efforts by the incoming Biden administration to revive Obama-era detente with Havana.

Just nine days before Republican President Donald Trump leaves office, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said&nbsp;Cuba&nbsp;was being listed for "repeatedly providing support for acts of international terrorism" by harbouring US&nbsp;fugitives and Colombian rebel leaders.

Pompeo also cited Communist-ruled&nbsp;Cuba's security support for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, which he said had allowed the socialist leader to maintain his grip on power and create "a permissive environment for international terrorists to live and thrive within Venezuela."

"With this action, we will once again hold&nbsp;Cuba’s government accountable and send a clear message: the Castro regime must end its support for international terrorism and subversion of US&nbsp;justice," Pompeo said in a statement.

Returning&nbsp;Cuba&nbsp;to the list is a further rollback of the detente that Democratic former President Barack Obama orchestrated between the old Cold War foes. Obama's decision to formally remove&nbsp;Cuba&nbsp;from the terrorism list in 2015 was an important step toward restoring diplomatic ties that year.

The terrorism list decision followed months of legal review, with some administration experts questioning whether it was justified, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.

It would require further lengthy legal deliberations for Democratic President-elect Joe Biden to reverse the designation.

Trump has clamped down on&nbsp;Cuba&nbsp;since coming to power in 2017, tightening restrictions on US&nbsp;travel and remittances to&nbsp;Cuba, and imposing sanctions on shipments of Venezuelan oil to the island.

Trump's policy was popular among the large&nbsp;Cuban-American population in South Florida, helping him win the state in November though he lost the election to Biden, who was Obama's vice president.

Biden said during the election campaign he would promptly reverse Trump policies on&nbsp;Cuba&nbsp;that “have inflicted harm on the&nbsp;Cuban people and done nothing to advance democracy and human rights.”

But Trump's move could make it more difficult for Biden to resume rapprochement when he takes office. Syria, Iran and North Korea are other countries on the list.

"We condemn the US announced the hypocritical and cynical designation of #Cuba&nbsp;as a State sponsoring terrorism,"&nbsp;Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said on Twitter. "The US political opportunism is recognized by those who are honestly concerned about the scourge of terrorism and its victims."

Trump has kept up a steady stream of 11th-hour sanctions announcements and other actions against targets including&nbsp;Cuba, Venezuela and Iran, and Biden aides have said some appear designed to tie his hands when he is sworn in on Jan. 20.

"We’ve taken note of these last-minute manoeuvres," a Biden official said. "The transition team is reviewing each one."

Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy, a staunch supporter of Obama's rapprochement, condemned Pompeo for a "blatantly politicized designation," saying "domestic terrorism in the United States poses a far greater threat to Americans."

A re-listing of&nbsp;Cuba&nbsp;has heavy symbolic meaning for Havana, which had chafed for decades under the US&nbsp;designation, though it is unclear how much practical impact there will be.

The designation carries a prohibition on US&nbsp;economic aid, a ban on US&nbsp;arms exports, controls on "dual-use" items with military and civilian applications, and a requirement that the United States oppose loans to&nbsp;Cuba&nbsp;by institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

But many of those restrictions are already in place - or have even been tightened by Trump - and a decades-old US&nbsp;economic embargo remains and can only be lifted by Congress.

In Monday's announcement, Pompeo singled out, among others, the case of the most prominent US&nbsp;fugitive in&nbsp;Cuba: Joanne Chesimard, who fled there after escaping a New Jersey prison following her conviction for killing a New Jersey State trooper in 1973 and who changed her name to Assata Shakur.

Pompeo also condemned&nbsp;Cuba's refusal of Colombia's request to extradite leaders of the ELN rebel group after it claimed responsibility for an attack at a Bogota police academy in January 2019 that killed 22 people.

The leaders of the National Liberation Army (ELN), the largest active guerrilla group in Colombia, travelled to Havana as part of peace negotiations that collapsed after the attack.

Cuba&nbsp;has received plaudits in the past for hosting the successful peace talks between the Colombian government and the former FARC rebel army.

The Trump administration on Monday announced it was returning Cuba to the US list of state sponsors of terrorism, a move that could complicate any efforts by the incoming Biden administration to revive Obama-era detente with Havana.

The Trump administration on Monday announced it was returning Cuba to the US list of state sponsors of terrorism, a move that could complicate any efforts by the incoming Biden administration to revive Obama-era detente with Havana. Just nine days before Republican President Donald Trump leaves office, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Cuba was being listed for "repeatedly providing support for acts of international terrorism" by harbouring US fugitives and Colombian rebel leaders. Pompeo also cited Communist-ruled Cuba's security support for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, which he said had allowed the socialist leader to maintain his grip on power and create "a permissive environment for international terrorists to live and thrive within Venezuela." "With this action, we will once again hold Cuba’s government accountable and send a clear message: the Castro regime must end its support for international terrorism and subversion of US justice," Pompeo said in a statement. Returning Cuba to the list is a further rollback of the detente that Democratic former President Barack Obama orchestrated between the old Cold War foes. Obama's decision to formally remove Cuba from the terrorism list in 2015 was an important step toward restoring diplomatic ties that year. The terrorism list decision followed months of legal review, with some administration experts questioning whether it was justified, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity. It would require further lengthy legal deliberations for Democratic President-elect Joe Biden to reverse the designation. Trump has clamped down on Cuba since coming to power in 2017, tightening restrictions on US travel and remittances to Cuba, and imposing sanctions on shipments of Venezuelan oil to the island. Trump's policy was popular among the large Cuban-American population in South Florida, helping him win the state in November though he lost the election to Biden, who was Obama's vice president. Biden said during the election campaign he would promptly reverse Trump policies on Cuba that “have inflicted harm on the Cuban people and done nothing to advance democracy and human rights.” But Trump's move could make it more difficult for Biden to resume rapprochement when he takes office. Syria, Iran and North Korea are other countries on the list. "We condemn the US announced the hypocritical and cynical designation of #Cuba as a State sponsoring terrorism," Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said on Twitter. "The US political opportunism is recognized by those who are honestly concerned about the scourge of terrorism and its victims." Trump has kept up a steady stream of 11th-hour sanctions announcements and other actions against targets including Cuba, Venezuela and Iran, and Biden aides have said some appear designed to tie his hands when he is sworn in on Jan. 20. "We’ve taken note of these last-minute manoeuvres," a Biden official said. "The transition team is reviewing each one." Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy, a staunch supporter of Obama's rapprochement, condemned Pompeo for a "blatantly politicized designation," saying "domestic terrorism in the United States poses a far greater threat to Americans." A re-listing of Cuba has heavy symbolic meaning for Havana, which had chafed for decades under the US designation, though it is unclear how much practical impact there will be. The designation carries a prohibition on US economic aid, a ban on US arms exports, controls on "dual-use" items with military and civilian applications, and a requirement that the United States oppose loans to Cuba by institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. But many of those restrictions are already in place - or have even been tightened by Trump - and a decades-old US economic embargo remains and can only be lifted by Congress. In Monday's announcement, Pompeo singled out, among others, the case of the most prominent US fugitive in Cuba: Joanne Chesimard, who fled there after escaping a New Jersey prison following her conviction for killing a New Jersey State trooper in 1973 and who changed her name to Assata Shakur. Pompeo also condemned Cuba's refusal of Colombia's request to extradite leaders of the ELN rebel group after it claimed responsibility for an attack at a Bogota police academy in January 2019 that killed 22 people. The leaders of the National Liberation Army (ELN), the largest active guerrilla group in Colombia, travelled to Havana as part of peace negotiations that collapsed after the attack. Cuba has received plaudits in the past for hosting the successful peace talks between the Colombian government and the former FARC rebel army.

Donald Trump returns Cuba to US list of state sponsors of terrorism

Hong&nbsp;Kong's new top judge stressed on Monday the importance of the city's judicial independence and rule of law, describing them as crucial to business confidence and the international reputation of the global business hub.

Andrew Cheung made his remarks hours after he was sworn in to replace Geoffrey Ma, 65, who is retiring after a decade as chief justice in the former British colony.

Cheung, 59, takes office at a pivotal moment for the city's judges, long seen as the pillars of support for its broad rights and freedoms,&nbsp;amid rising political pressures and a new national security regime imposed by Beijing.

The first prosecutions under the security law are now moving through the courts while some pro-Beijing figures are demanding reviews of the way sentences are meted out and judges appointed.

"An independent judiciary is essential to the rule of law of in&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;and the due administration of justice," Cheung said.

"It is equally crucial to public and business confidence - whether local or overseas - in our judicial system, as well as to the international reputation of&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong."

That independence, he said, meant in part that the courts "must not be subject to improper extraneous pressure or influence."

The law makes anything Beijing regards as subversion, secession, terrorism or colluding with foreign forces punishable by up to life in prison.

It also allows the city's chief executive to decide which judges can hear national security cases and allows for suspects to be taken across the border for trial in courts in mainland China, where the ruling Communist Party ultimately controls the legal system.

The independence of&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong's judiciary is outlined in the city's Basic Law, the mini-constitution that enshrines its extensive autonomy and freedoms following its handover from British colonial rule to Chinese sovereignty in 1997.

Cheung said those freedoms – including of assembly, speech and due process - were "fundamental" under the Basic Law.

"Society expects the courts and our judges to generously interpret and jealously protect these rights when they are threatened or otherwise interfered with," he said in remarks to formally open the legal year.

Hong Kong's new top judge stressed on Monday the importance of the city's judicial independence and rule of law, describing them as crucial to business confidence and the international reputation of the global business hub.

Hong Kong's new top judge stressed on Monday the importance of the city's judicial independence and rule of law, describing them as crucial to business confidence and the international reputation of the global business hub. Andrew Cheung made his remarks hours after he was sworn in to replace Geoffrey Ma, 65, who is retiring after a decade as chief justice in the former British colony. Cheung, 59, takes office at a pivotal moment for the city's judges, long seen as the pillars of support for its broad rights and freedoms, amid rising political pressures and a new national security regime imposed by Beijing. The first prosecutions under the security law are now moving through the courts while some pro-Beijing figures are demanding reviews of the way sentences are meted out and judges appointed. "An independent judiciary is essential to the rule of law of in Hong Kong and the due administration of justice," Cheung said. "It is equally crucial to public and business confidence - whether local or overseas - in our judicial system, as well as to the international reputation of Hong Kong." That independence, he said, meant in part that the courts "must not be subject to improper extraneous pressure or influence." The law makes anything Beijing regards as subversion, secession, terrorism or colluding with foreign forces punishable by up to life in prison. It also allows the city's chief executive to decide which judges can hear national security cases and allows for suspects to be taken across the border for trial in courts in mainland China, where the ruling Communist Party ultimately controls the legal system. The independence of Hong Kong's judiciary is outlined in the city's Basic Law, the mini-constitution that enshrines its extensive autonomy and freedoms following its handover from British colonial rule to Chinese sovereignty in 1997. Cheung said those freedoms – including of assembly, speech and due process - were "fundamental" under the Basic Law. "Society expects the courts and our judges to generously interpret and jealously protect these rights when they are threatened or otherwise interfered with," he said in remarks to formally open the legal year.

Hong Kong's new top judge points to importance of city's rule of law

76&nbsp;per cent or&nbsp;three-quarters of Wuhan patients who were hospitalised after they contacted the novel coronavirus still had symptoms six months later and the proportion was higher in women,&nbsp;according to a new study published the Lancet.

The research, involving&nbsp;hundreds of patients in the Chinese city of&nbsp;Wuhan, is among the few to trace the long-term symptoms of Covid-19 infection.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wuhans-infections-may-have-been-almost-10-times-higher-than-official-figure-study-353197">Wuhan's infections may have been almost 10 times higher than official figure: Study</a>

As per Lancet's latest study, at six&nbsp;months after acute infection, COVID-19 survivors in Wuhan were mainly troubled with fatigue or muscle weakness, sleep difficulties, and anxiety or depression.&nbsp;

"Because Covid-19 is such a new disease, we are only beginning to understand some of its long-term effects on patients' health," said lead author Bin Cao, of the National Center for Respiratory Medicine.

The professor said the research highlighted the need for ongoing care for patients after they have been discharged from hospital, particularly those who have had severe infections.

"Our work also underscores the importance of conducting longer follow-up studies in larger populations in order to understand the full spectrum of effects that Covid-19 can have on people," he added.

Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/wuhan-virus-10-steps-on-how-to-be-china-and-make-most-of-the-pandemic-348872">Wuhan virus: 10 steps on how to be China and make most of the pandemic</a>

The World Health Organization has said the virus poses a risk for some people of serious ongoing effects -- even among young, otherwise healthy people who were not hospitalised.

The new study included 1,733 Covid-19 patients discharged from Jinyintan Hospital in&nbsp;Wuhan&nbsp;between January and May last year.

Researchers also conducted physical examinations and lab tests.&nbsp;

The study found that 76 per cent of patients who participated in the follow-up (1,265 of 1,655) said they still had symptoms. Fatigue or muscle weakness was reported by 63 per cent, while 26 per cent had sleep problems.

The study also looked at 94 patients whose blood antibody levels were recorded at the height of the infection as part of another trial.&nbsp;

When these patients were retested after six months, their levels of neutralising antibodies were 52.5 per cent lower.&nbsp;

The authors said this raises concerns about the possibility of Covid-19 re-infection, although they said larger samples would be needed to clarify how immunity to the virus changes over time.&nbsp;

Patients, who had an average age of 57, were visited between June and September and answered questions on their symptoms and health-related quality of life.&nbsp;

It comes as mainland China saw its biggest daily increase in COVID-19 cases in over five months, the country's health authority said on Monday, as new infections in Hebei province surrounding Beijing continued to rise.

Chinese authorities introduced new COVID-19 curbs in areas surrounding Beijing on Tuesday, putting 4.9 million residents under lockdown as new infections raised worries about a second wave in a nation that has mostly contained the disease.

China has been accused of initially covering up the outbreak that first emerged in the central city of&nbsp;Wuhan&nbsp;in late 2019, which critics say delayed China's initial response and allowed COVID-19 to spread globally.

Earlier,&nbsp;the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had said that the nearly half a million residents of Wuhan, the original epicentre of the novel coronavirus,&nbsp;may have been infected with it almost 10 times its official number of confirmed cases.

&nbsp;

76 per cent or three-quarters of Wuhan patients who were hospitalised after they contacted the novel coronavirus still had symptoms six months later and the proportion was higher in women, according to a new study published the Lancet.

76 per cent or three-quarters of Wuhan patients who were hospitalised after they contacted the novel coronavirus still had symptoms six months later and the proportion was higher in women, according to a new study published the Lancet. The research, involving hundreds of patients in the Chinese city of Wuhan, is among the few to trace the long-term symptoms of Covid-19 infection. Also read: Wuhan's infections may have been almost 10 times higher than official figure: Study As per Lancet's latest study, at six months after acute infection, COVID-19 survivors in Wuhan were mainly troubled with fatigue or muscle weakness, sleep difficulties, and anxiety or depression. "Because Covid-19 is such a new disease, we are only beginning to understand some of its long-term effects on patients' health," said lead author Bin Cao, of the National Center for Respiratory Medicine. The professor said the research highlighted the need for ongoing care for patients after they have been discharged from hospital, particularly those who have had severe infections. "Our work also underscores the importance of conducting longer follow-up studies in larger populations in order to understand the full spectrum of effects that Covid-19 can have on people," he added. Also see: Wuhan virus: 10 steps on how to be China and make most of the pandemic The World Health Organization has said the virus poses a risk for some people of serious ongoing effects -- even among young, otherwise healthy people who were not hospitalised. The new study included 1,733 Covid-19 patients discharged from Jinyintan Hospital in Wuhan between January and May last year. Researchers also conducted physical examinations and lab tests. The study found that 76 per cent of patients who participated in the follow-up (1,265 of 1,655) said they still had symptoms. Fatigue or muscle weakness was reported by 63 per cent, while 26 per cent had sleep problems. The study also looked at 94 patients whose blood antibody levels were recorded at the height of the infection as part of another trial. When these patients were retested after six months, their levels of neutralising antibodies were 52.5 per cent lower. The authors said this raises concerns about the possibility of Covid-19 re-infection, although they said larger samples would be needed to clarify how immunity to the virus changes over time. Patients, who had an average age of 57, were visited between June and September and answered questions on their symptoms and health-related quality of life. It comes as mainland China saw its biggest daily increase in COVID-19 cases in over five months, the country's health authority said on Monday, as new infections in Hebei province surrounding Beijing continued to rise. Chinese authorities introduced new COVID-19 curbs in areas surrounding Beijing on Tuesday, putting 4.9 million residents under lockdown as new infections raised worries about a second wave in a nation that has mostly contained the disease. China has been accused of initially covering up the outbreak that first emerged in the central city of Wuhan in late 2019, which critics say delayed China's initial response and allowed COVID-19 to spread globally. Earlier, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had said that the nearly half a million residents of Wuhan, the original epicentre of the novel coronavirus, may have been infected with it almost 10 times its official number of confirmed cases.

76% of Wuhan patients hospitalised for coronavirus still had symptoms six months later: Study

Twenty-two gold miners have been trapped underground for nearly two days after an explosion in a mine under construction in eastern&nbsp;China.

The accident happened at 2 p.m. local time on Sunday in Xicheng Township, located in eastern Shandong province.

Rescue workers have so far been unable to contact the trapped miners because the blast damaged the communication signal system, the report said.

The explosion badly damaged the exit ladder from the mine and the communications system, so authorities could not contact the trapped miners, the statement released late Monday said.

Authorities have sent rescuers to the mine, which is owned by the Shandong Wucailong Investment Co. Ltd. The&nbsp;company is named by Zhaojin Mining, China’s fourth-biggest gold miner, as a related party/“subsidiary of an associate” in its 2019 annual report.

Mining accidents are common in&nbsp;China, where the industry has a poor safety record and regulations are often weakly enforced.

In December, 23 miners died after being trapped in a mine in the southwestern city of Chongqing,&nbsp;just months after 16 others died from carbon monoxide poisoning after being trapped underground at another coal mine in the city.

Twenty-two gold miners have been trapped underground for nearly two days after an explosion in a mine under construction in eastern China. The accident happened at 2 p.

Twenty-two gold miners have been trapped underground for nearly two days after an explosion in a mine under construction in eastern China. The accident happened at 2 p.m. local time on Sunday in Xicheng Township, located in eastern Shandong province. Rescue workers have so far been unable to contact the trapped miners because the blast damaged the communication signal system, the report said. The explosion badly damaged the exit ladder from the mine and the communications system, so authorities could not contact the trapped miners, the statement released late Monday said. Authorities have sent rescuers to the mine, which is owned by the Shandong Wucailong Investment Co. Ltd. The company is named by Zhaojin Mining, China’s fourth-biggest gold miner, as a related party/“subsidiary of an associate” in its 2019 annual report. Mining accidents are common in China, where the industry has a poor safety record and regulations are often weakly enforced. In December, 23 miners died after being trapped in a mine in the southwestern city of Chongqing, just months after 16 others died from carbon monoxide poisoning after being trapped underground at another coal mine in the city.

Explosion in goldmine traps 22 workers in China

Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Monday hosted talks with&nbsp;Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and&nbsp;Azeri President Ilham Aliyev to resolve the&nbsp;Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

A&nbsp;Russian-brokered ceasefire agreement in November halted the six-week conflict between Azeri and ethnic Armenian forces, locking in territorial gains for Azerbaijan.

But tensions persist, with low-level sporadic violence, prisoners of war still held by both sides, and ambiguity about how a prospective transport corridor through the region will work.

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Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan&nbsp;insisted Monday that key issues surrounding the conflict were in limbo and needed to be resolved immediately.

"Unfortunately, this conflict is still not settled," he told journalists after talks in the Kremlin that lasted nearly four hours.&nbsp;

Clashes over the mountainous region broke out in late September, reigniting fighting over the territory controlled for three decades by Armenia-backed separatists.&nbsp;

More than 6,000 people, including civilians, were killed before a Moscow-brokered peace agreement that saw Armenia cede swathes of territory it had controlled for decades to Azerbaijan.

Pashinyan said several issues remained unresolved including the question of the future status of Karabakh, an ethnic Armenian enclave recognised internationally as part of Azerbaijan.&nbsp;

He also said that the meeting did not render a solution to the "most sensitive and painful question" of prisoners of war.&nbsp;

Armenia and Azerbaijan exchanged their first prisoners in early December, more than a month after the peace deal was signed.

However, it remains unclear how many more prisoners the two sides intend to exchange.&nbsp;

Joint working group

Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev, whose better-equipped army secured a victory, said on Monday that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict "remained in the past".&nbsp;

The three leaders issued a joint statement on the Kremlin website announcing the creation of a trilateral working group to oversee the "unblocking of all economic and transport links" in the region.&nbsp;

The group will be jointly chaired by deputy prime ministers from the three countries and will hold its first meeting before January 30, the statement said.&nbsp;

At the start of the meeting,&nbsp;Putin&nbsp;thanked the two leaders for their cooperation with Russia's mediation efforts aimed at "stopping the bloodshed, stabilising the situation and achieving a sustainable ceasefire".

Putin&nbsp;said over 48,000 people who fled Karabakh when the recent fighting broke out had returned since the peace deal came into force.&nbsp;

As part of the ceasefire agreement, Moscow deployed nearly 2,000 peacekeeping troops in the region. They will remain there for at least five years.

Russia has also set up a joint monitoring centre with Azerbaijan's ally Turkey to oversee the implementation of the ceasefire agreements.&nbsp;

The United States, France and Russia co-chair the so-called Minsk Group of negotiators that for years led talks on the Karabakh conflict but failed to achieve a lasting ceasefire.&nbsp;

Armenian separatists gained control of Karabakh following a post-Soviet war in the 1990s which left around 30,000 dead and displaced many Azerbaijanis.&nbsp;

Nagorno-Karabakh proclaimed its independence from Baku but its autonomy has not been recognised internationally, not even by Armenia.

&nbsp;

Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Monday hosted talks with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azeri President Ilham Aliyev to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Monday hosted talks with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azeri President Ilham Aliyev to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. A Russian-brokered ceasefire agreement in November halted the six-week conflict between Azeri and ethnic Armenian forces, locking in territorial gains for Azerbaijan. But tensions persist, with low-level sporadic violence, prisoners of war still held by both sides, and ambiguity about how a prospective transport corridor through the region will work. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan insisted Monday that key issues surrounding the conflict were in limbo and needed to be resolved immediately. "Unfortunately, this conflict is still not settled," he told journalists after talks in the Kremlin that lasted nearly four hours. Clashes over the mountainous region broke out in late September, reigniting fighting over the territory controlled for three decades by Armenia-backed separatists. More than 6,000 people, including civilians, were killed before a Moscow-brokered peace agreement that saw Armenia cede swathes of territory it had controlled for decades to Azerbaijan. Pashinyan said several issues remained unresolved including the question of the future status of Karabakh, an ethnic Armenian enclave recognised internationally as part of Azerbaijan. He also said that the meeting did not render a solution to the "most sensitive and painful question" of prisoners of war. Armenia and Azerbaijan exchanged their first prisoners in early December, more than a month after the peace deal was signed. However, it remains unclear how many more prisoners the two sides intend to exchange. Joint working group Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev, whose better-equipped army secured a victory, said on Monday that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict "remained in the past". The three leaders issued a joint statement on the Kremlin website announcing the creation of a trilateral working group to oversee the "unblocking of all economic and transport links" in the region. The group will be jointly chaired by deputy prime ministers from the three countries and will hold its first meeting before January 30, the statement said. At the start of the meeting, Putin thanked the two leaders for their cooperation with Russia's mediation efforts aimed at "stopping the bloodshed, stabilising the situation and achieving a sustainable ceasefire". Putin said over 48,000 people who fled Karabakh when the recent fighting broke out had returned since the peace deal came into force. As part of the ceasefire agreement, Moscow deployed nearly 2,000 peacekeeping troops in the region. They will remain there for at least five years. Russia has also set up a joint monitoring centre with Azerbaijan's ally Turkey to oversee the implementation of the ceasefire agreements. The United States, France and Russia co-chair the so-called Minsk Group of negotiators that for years led talks on the Karabakh conflict but failed to achieve a lasting ceasefire. Armenian separatists gained control of Karabakh following a post-Soviet war in the 1990s which left around 30,000 dead and displaced many Azerbaijanis. Nagorno-Karabakh proclaimed its independence from Baku but its autonomy has not been recognised internationally, not even by Armenia.

Nagorno-Karabakh: Putin hosts talks between Armenia, Azerbaijan leaders

Hong Kong’s biggest mobile telecom companies appear to have severed access to a website that listed the personal information of police officers, setting off fears that authorities may use a new national security law to adopt censorship tactics widely used in mainland China.

Users attempting to access the site, called HKChronicles, on their mobile devices first noticed the disruption Wednesday evening, according to the site’s owner, Naomi Chan, an 18-year-old high school student. Disruption came without any warning or explanation, she said.

A New York Times analysis confirmed that the problem accessing the site comes from the telecom service providers. At least some people in Hong Kong were still able to reach the site through their home or office internet connections.

The police in Hong Kong declined to comment on the disruption but insisted they had the power under the new national security law to block access to information online. In a statement, the police said they “can require service providers to take restrictive actions against messages posted on digital platforms, which likely constitute the offense of endangering national security or incite a national security offense.”

The disruption raised the prospect that the city, long a bastion of online freedom, could begin to fall under the shadow of the tight censorship system that separates mainland Chinese internet from the rest of the online world. On Hong Kong social media, many people worried that authorities could eventually bring the city’s overall access to the open internet to an end.

“Their talking point has been the national security law will only target a small group of people,” said Lokman Tsui, an assistant professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong who specializes in online communication.

Since the law went into effect over the summer, however, Hong Kong authorities have cited the law to arrest growing numbers of pro-democracy activists and politicians and well as a high profile newspaper publisher.

“In practice it hasn’t been limited to a small group of people,” he said. “My concern is that internet censorship similarly won’t be limited to a small group of websites.”

The national security law, which empowers police to censor and use invasive surveillance tactics, has already constricted online life in Hong Kong. Police have hung a camera outside the house of one prominent politician, broken into the Facebook account of another and demanded passwords and fingerprints from the people they arrest to get access to their phones.

Caught in the middle, major American technology companies like Google said they no longer accept user data requests from Hong Kong authorities, though the law could punish refusals with jail time for employees. Many in Hong Kong have switched to encrypted chat apps and scrubbed social media accounts of posts they worry could bring new police attention.

“Today it’s HKChronicles — would it be foreign media or local media tomorrow?” said Glacier Kwong, of Keyboard Frontline, a nongovernmental organization that monitors digital rights in Hong Kong. “Would Telegram and Signal be the next ones? The government can do whatever they want with the national security law, and Hong Kong can easily become another Chinese city behind the Great Firewall.”

HKChronicles was inspired by the pro-democracy protests of 2019, which shook Hong Kong and prompted mainland Chinese officials to eventually crack down. As images of the violent tactics of police began to spread around the world, many police stopped wearing identifying markers.

In response, protesters began to share information online to identify and sometimes harass them. The HKChronicles listed the personal information of about 1,500 police officers and another 1,000 pro-Beijing supporters.

The Times attempted to connect to hkchronicles.com on three different Hong Kong internet service providers. Each attempt failed, though in a different way.

That suggested to experts that the blockage was deliberate. If it were an error, the disruptions would look the same.

“None of this is a misconfiguration mistake,” said Ben April, the chief technology officer at Farsight Security, an internet security firm that specializes in what is called the domain name system, or DNS, which acts as a sort of phone book for the internet. “There is no typo that can cause this.”

At one internet provider, China Mobile Hong Kong, the disconnection — of a type known as a drop action — indicates direct involvement by the telecom company. “A drop action is a specifically configured element of a DNS firewall environment,” April said. “This is not something the owner could have configured, intentionally or accidentally.”

China Mobile Hong Kong, an arm of China Mobile, the Chinese state-run company, declined to comment. Two others tested by the Times, SmarTone and Hutchison Telecommunications, which are controlled by local conglomerates, did not respond to emailed requests for comment.

Users of PCCW, another locally owned carrier, told The Times their access to the site was blocked, too. A spokesperson declined to comment.

While the site blockage resembles mainland Chinese censorship at a quick glance, the methods differ sharply from China’s sophisticated system.

With China Mobile, SmarTone and Hutchison, the process that links a website address to the series of numbers that a computer uses to look it up was disrupted. The practice would be akin to listing an incorrect number under someone’s name in a phone book. If you know that person’s correct number, you could still call them.

In mainland China, by contrast, the hardware of the Great Firewall — as Beijing’s system of filters and blocks is known — actively severs connections. In the phone book comparison, the call would not go through even if you have the right phone number.

The Hong Kong blockages are “really easy to circumvent and clumsy,” said Tsui, the professor. Still, he said, authorities may not want to control the internet as tightly as Beijing for fear of scaring off the global banks and international companies that have made the city their Asian headquarters.

“They want the city to be one that can make money and have the financial flows, and the internet is important for that, so they have to get the balance of censorship and surveillance right,” he said.

Chan, the HKChronicles operator, said she believes the government is testing new approaches to cut off access to websites.

Though she is at the center of what could become a historic shift in Hong Kong’s internet, Chan said she was no tech enthusiast. She learned her basic website management skills while at organizational events for the 2019 protests and decided she wanted to put them to use by making an easy to search website. As she built her archive, protesters helped with funds and know-how, though she said she now keeps up the site on her own.

“The number of page views isn’t high, and the popularity is not like that of major media or larger sites,” she said. “That’s why I’m a reasonable target.”

She expects matters to get worse, however.

“Just as the scope of the national security law has widened,” she said, “and more and more people are being arrested, I think the police will use it to block more and more websites, until something like the Great Firewall takes shape.”

Hong Kong’s biggest mobile telecom companies appear to have severed access to a website that listed the personal information of police officers, setting off fears that authorities may use a new national security law to adopt censorship tactics widely used in mainland China.

Hong Kong’s biggest mobile telecom companies appear to have severed access to a website that listed the personal information of police officers, setting off fears that authorities may use a new national security law to adopt censorship tactics widely used in mainland China. Users attempting to access the site, called HKChronicles, on their mobile devices first noticed the disruption Wednesday evening, according to the site’s owner, Naomi Chan, an 18-year-old high school student. Disruption came without any warning or explanation, she said. A New York Times analysis confirmed that the problem accessing the site comes from the telecom service providers. At least some people in Hong Kong were still able to reach the site through their home or office internet connections. The police in Hong Kong declined to comment on the disruption but insisted they had the power under the new national security law to block access to information online. In a statement, the police said they “can require service providers to take restrictive actions against messages posted on digital platforms, which likely constitute the offense of endangering national security or incite a national security offense.” The disruption raised the prospect that the city, long a bastion of online freedom, could begin to fall under the shadow of the tight censorship system that separates mainland Chinese internet from the rest of the online world. On Hong Kong social media, many people worried that authorities could eventually bring the city’s overall access to the open internet to an end. “Their talking point has been the national security law will only target a small group of people,” said Lokman Tsui, an assistant professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong who specializes in online communication. Since the law went into effect over the summer, however, Hong Kong authorities have cited the law to arrest growing numbers of pro-democracy activists and politicians and well as a high profile newspaper publisher. “In practice it hasn’t been limited to a small group of people,” he said. “My concern is that internet censorship similarly won’t be limited to a small group of websites.” The national security law, which empowers police to censor and use invasive surveillance tactics, has already constricted online life in Hong Kong. Police have hung a camera outside the house of one prominent politician, broken into the Facebook account of another and demanded passwords and fingerprints from the people they arrest to get access to their phones. Caught in the middle, major American technology companies like Google said they no longer accept user data requests from Hong Kong authorities, though the law could punish refusals with jail time for employees. Many in Hong Kong have switched to encrypted chat apps and scrubbed social media accounts of posts they worry could bring new police attention. “Today it’s HKChronicles — would it be foreign media or local media tomorrow?” said Glacier Kwong, of Keyboard Frontline, a nongovernmental organization that monitors digital rights in Hong Kong. “Would Telegram and Signal be the next ones? The government can do whatever they want with the national security law, and Hong Kong can easily become another Chinese city behind the Great Firewall.” HKChronicles was inspired by the pro-democracy protests of 2019, which shook Hong Kong and prompted mainland Chinese officials to eventually crack down. As images of the violent tactics of police began to spread around the world, many police stopped wearing identifying markers. In response, protesters began to share information online to identify and sometimes harass them. The HKChronicles listed the personal information of about 1,500 police officers and another 1,000 pro-Beijing supporters. The Times attempted to connect to hkchronicles.com on three different Hong Kong internet service providers. Each attempt failed, though in a different way. That suggested to experts that the blockage was deliberate. If it were an error, the disruptions would look the same. “None of this is a misconfiguration mistake,” said Ben April, the chief technology officer at Farsight Security, an internet security firm that specializes in what is called the domain name system, or DNS, which acts as a sort of phone book for the internet. “There is no typo that can cause this.” At one internet provider, China Mobile Hong Kong, the disconnection — of a type known as a drop action — indicates direct involvement by the telecom company. “A drop action is a specifically configured element of a DNS firewall environment,” April said. “This is not something the owner could have configured, intentionally or accidentally.” China Mobile Hong Kong, an arm of China Mobile, the Chinese state-run company, declined to comment. Two others tested by the Times, SmarTone and Hutchison Telecommunications, which are controlled by local conglomerates, did not respond to emailed requests for comment. Users of PCCW, another locally owned carrier, told The Times their access to the site was blocked, too. A spokesperson declined to comment. While the site blockage resembles mainland Chinese censorship at a quick glance, the methods differ sharply from China’s sophisticated system. With China Mobile, SmarTone and Hutchison, the process that links a website address to the series of numbers that a computer uses to look it up was disrupted. The practice would be akin to listing an incorrect number under someone’s name in a phone book. If you know that person’s correct number, you could still call them. In mainland China, by contrast, the hardware of the Great Firewall — as Beijing’s system of filters and blocks is known — actively severs connections. In the phone book comparison, the call would not go through even if you have the right phone number. The Hong Kong blockages are “really easy to circumvent and clumsy,” said Tsui, the professor. Still, he said, authorities may not want to control the internet as tightly as Beijing for fear of scaring off the global banks and international companies that have made the city their Asian headquarters. “They want the city to be one that can make money and have the financial flows, and the internet is important for that, so they have to get the balance of censorship and surveillance right,” he said. Chan, the HKChronicles operator, said she believes the government is testing new approaches to cut off access to websites. Though she is at the center of what could become a historic shift in Hong Kong’s internet, Chan said she was no tech enthusiast. She learned her basic website management skills while at organizational events for the 2019 protests and decided she wanted to put them to use by making an easy to search website. As she built her archive, protesters helped with funds and know-how, though she said she now keeps up the site on her own. “The number of page views isn’t high, and the popularity is not like that of major media or larger sites,” she said. “That’s why I’m a reasonable target.” She expects matters to get worse, however. “Just as the scope of the national security law has widened,” she said, “and more and more people are being arrested, I think the police will use it to block more and more websites, until something like the Great Firewall takes shape.”

Hong Kong website listing police data gets blocked, raising censorship fears

Encroaching sands have left little evidence that the Omani village of Wadi al-Murr ever existed, but former inhabitants and curious visitors are coming to rediscover the hamlet engulfed by the desert.

Salem al-Arimi, originally from the area, looked out nostalgically over the expanse.

According to local elders, "all the houses in the village were invaded by the sand that assailed them 30 years ago, forcing the inhabitants to leave their homes," he said.

Building tops and sections of stone wall emerge here and there, bearing witness to those who once lived here.

Deserts are expanding all over the world, pushed on by climate change, and affected populations have few weapons to fight back.

Wadi al-Murr's inhabitants, who mostly relied on pastoral activities, had to give up their village, swelling the ranks of those migrating to towns and cities.

Nostalgia

Located at the bottom of a valley nearly 400 kilometres (250 miles) southwest of the capital Muscat, Wadi al-Murr is cut off from main roads and only reachable via a long, rough track.

Its isolation, including from the electricity and water grids, contributed to its slide into obscurity.

But that has not prevented erstwhile residents from returning to visit, along with trekking enthusiasts who take desert hikes in the region.

Mohammed al-Ghanbousi, a former inhabitant, said the moving dunes had re-exposed some dwellings after they were covered by sand.

This phenomenon has prompted "nostalgic people to visit the village, whose structures still stand because they are built from stone," he said.

"The village has recently been included in trekking tours and also attracts photography enthusiasts," he added.

A mosque that sits within the village, which in its heyday had about 30 houses and 150 inhabitants, is one building that has resurfaced.

Mohammed al-Alaoui said that when his mother learnt some homes had reappeared, she asked him to take her back.

"She often wants to go, and she likes to be there while she relates her memories of the old days, and sheds a few tears," he said.

Tourism

Rashed al-Ameri is among the Omani tourists who have come to discover the hamlet swallowed by the desert.

He travelled from Sur, hundreds of kilometres away, with two friends who were also keen to see Wadi al-Murr.

Oman, which is trying to diversify its oil-reliant economy, is seeking to develop its tourism industry -- capitalising on its rich heritage, scenic coasts and stunning mountain geography.

The sultanate attracted three million foreign tourists in 2019, but like almost everywhere else, the novel coronavirus pandemic reduced visitors to a trickle in 2020.&nbsp;

Ameri is among those who believe Wadi al-Murr could easily be included on Oman's tourist trail.

"What amazed me was that the force of nature could erase an entire village," he said.

"And what's more amazing is how this place, with its old walls, resists these assaults."

Encroaching sands have left little evidence that the Omani village of Wadi al-Murr ever existed, but former inhabitants and curious visitors are coming to rediscover the hamlet engulfed by the desert.

Encroaching sands have left little evidence that the Omani village of Wadi al-Murr ever existed, but former inhabitants and curious visitors are coming to rediscover the hamlet engulfed by the desert. Salem al-Arimi, originally from the area, looked out nostalgically over the expanse. According to local elders, "all the houses in the village were invaded by the sand that assailed them 30 years ago, forcing the inhabitants to leave their homes," he said. Building tops and sections of stone wall emerge here and there, bearing witness to those who once lived here. Deserts are expanding all over the world, pushed on by climate change, and affected populations have few weapons to fight back. Wadi al-Murr's inhabitants, who mostly relied on pastoral activities, had to give up their village, swelling the ranks of those migrating to towns and cities. Nostalgia Located at the bottom of a valley nearly 400 kilometres (250 miles) southwest of the capital Muscat, Wadi al-Murr is cut off from main roads and only reachable via a long, rough track. Its isolation, including from the electricity and water grids, contributed to its slide into obscurity. But that has not prevented erstwhile residents from returning to visit, along with trekking enthusiasts who take desert hikes in the region. Mohammed al-Ghanbousi, a former inhabitant, said the moving dunes had re-exposed some dwellings after they were covered by sand. This phenomenon has prompted "nostalgic people to visit the village, whose structures still stand because they are built from stone," he said. "The village has recently been included in trekking tours and also attracts photography enthusiasts," he added. A mosque that sits within the village, which in its heyday had about 30 houses and 150 inhabitants, is one building that has resurfaced. Mohammed al-Alaoui said that when his mother learnt some homes had reappeared, she asked him to take her back. "She often wants to go, and she likes to be there while she relates her memories of the old days, and sheds a few tears," he said. Tourism Rashed al-Ameri is among the Omani tourists who have come to discover the hamlet swallowed by the desert. He travelled from Sur, hundreds of kilometres away, with two friends who were also keen to see Wadi al-Murr. Oman, which is trying to diversify its oil-reliant economy, is seeking to develop its tourism industry -- capitalising on its rich heritage, scenic coasts and stunning mountain geography. The sultanate attracted three million foreign tourists in 2019, but like almost everywhere else, the novel coronavirus pandemic reduced visitors to a trickle in 2020. Ameri is among those who believe Wadi al-Murr could easily be included on Oman's tourist trail. "What amazed me was that the force of nature could erase an entire village," he said. "And what's more amazing is how this place, with its old walls, resists these assaults."

Omanis revive memory of village swallowed by desert

Thousands of Israelis renewed weekly demonstrations against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling for the long-serving leader to resign over corruption charges against him and his alleged mishandling of the coronavirus crisis.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received his second dose of COVID vaccine on Saturday.&nbsp;While Netanyahu was getting the vaccine, hundreds of protesters gathered in Jerusalem to demand his resignation and criticised the government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Protesters on Saturday held signs reading ''Go,''&nbsp;and ''Bibi, let my people go,''&nbsp;referring to Netanyahu by his nickname.

The protest in a Jerusalem square near Netanyahu's official residence comes as Israel is in the midst of its third national lockdown, which was recently tightened to shutter schools, and as the country presses forward with a world-leading vaccination drive.

Netanyahu's trial was set to resume this week but was postponed indefinitely amid the tighter restrictions.

Netanyahu has been indicted on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust connected to three long-running investigations. He has denied any wrongdoing and says he is the victim of a ''witch hunt''&nbsp;by hostile media, law enforcement and judicial officials.

Protesters argue that Netanyahu cannot properly lead the country while under indictment.

Israel had last month imposed its third national lockdown since the start of the pandemic, but decided not to close schools and to allow a wide range of businesses to remain open.&nbsp;

But the daily caseload has remained high,&nbsp;often around 8,000 in the country of about nine million people,&nbsp;prompting Netanyahu to push for a more comprehensive closure, notably shuttering schools and all non-essential businesses.&nbsp;

The country has given the first of two vaccine doses to nearly 20 per cent of its population, and Netanyahu said Thursday that Israel has secured enough vaccines to inoculate the whole adult population by the end of March.

Netanyahu has placed the vaccination drive at the centre of his campaign for reelection that same month. On March 23, Israel will hold its fourth nationwide vote in less than two years. In the meantime, he has called on Israelis to make ''one last big effort''&nbsp;to halt transmission by adhering to the tightened restrictions.&nbsp;

Israel, with a population of 9 million, has reported 484,083 coronavirus cases and 3,633 deaths. It has imposed two national lockdowns and may soon order curbs on high-contagion areas

Thousands of Israelis renewed weekly demonstrations against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling for the long-serving leader to resign over corruption charges against him and his alleged mishandling of the coronavirus crisis.

Thousands of Israelis renewed weekly demonstrations against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling for the long-serving leader to resign over corruption charges against him and his alleged mishandling of the coronavirus crisis. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received his second dose of COVID vaccine on Saturday. While Netanyahu was getting the vaccine, hundreds of protesters gathered in Jerusalem to demand his resignation and criticised the government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Protesters on Saturday held signs reading ''Go,'' and ''Bibi, let my people go,'' referring to Netanyahu by his nickname. The protest in a Jerusalem square near Netanyahu's official residence comes as Israel is in the midst of its third national lockdown, which was recently tightened to shutter schools, and as the country presses forward with a world-leading vaccination drive. Netanyahu's trial was set to resume this week but was postponed indefinitely amid the tighter restrictions. Netanyahu has been indicted on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust connected to three long-running investigations. He has denied any wrongdoing and says he is the victim of a ''witch hunt'' by hostile media, law enforcement and judicial officials. Protesters argue that Netanyahu cannot properly lead the country while under indictment. Israel had last month imposed its third national lockdown since the start of the pandemic, but decided not to close schools and to allow a wide range of businesses to remain open. But the daily caseload has remained high, often around 8,000 in the country of about nine million people, prompting Netanyahu to push for a more comprehensive closure, notably shuttering schools and all non-essential businesses. The country has given the first of two vaccine doses to nearly 20 per cent of its population, and Netanyahu said Thursday that Israel has secured enough vaccines to inoculate the whole adult population by the end of March. Netanyahu has placed the vaccination drive at the centre of his campaign for reelection that same month. On March 23, Israel will hold its fourth nationwide vote in less than two years. In the meantime, he has called on Israelis to make ''one last big effort'' to halt transmission by adhering to the tightened restrictions. Israel, with a population of 9 million, has reported 484,083 coronavirus cases and 3,633 deaths. It has imposed two national lockdowns and may soon order curbs on high-contagion areas

Protest in Israel against Netanyahu amid third coronavirus lockdown

Foreign ministers from the United States, Canada, Britain and Australia condemned last week's arrest of over 50 democracy activists in Hong Kong in a joint statement on Sunday, calling on China to respect the freedom of the people on the island.

Hong Kong police made the arrests on Wednesday in dawn raids, the biggest crackdown since China imposed a security law in 2020, which opponents say is aimed at quashing dissent in the former British colony.

"It is clear that the National Security Law is being used to eliminate dissent and opposing political views," the foreign ministers said in the joint statement issued by Australia's Foreign Minister Marise Payne.

"We call on the Hong Kong and Chinese central authorities to respect the legally guaranteed rights and freedoms of the people of Hong Kong without fear of arrest and detention."

Hong Kong's most prominent pro-democracy advocates were arrested as authorities said last year's unofficial vote to choose opposition candidates in city elections was part of a plan to "overthrow" the government.

On Thursday, US&nbsp;Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Washington may sanction those involved in the arrests and will send the US&nbsp;ambassador to the United Nations to visit Taiwan.

Foreign ministers from the United States, Canada, Britain and Australia condemned last week's arrest of over 50 democracy activists in Hong Kong in a joint statement on Sunday, calling on China to respect the freedom of the people on the island.

Foreign ministers from the United States, Canada, Britain and Australia condemned last week's arrest of over 50 democracy activists in Hong Kong in a joint statement on Sunday, calling on China to respect the freedom of the people on the island. Hong Kong police made the arrests on Wednesday in dawn raids, the biggest crackdown since China imposed a security law in 2020, which opponents say is aimed at quashing dissent in the former British colony. "It is clear that the National Security Law is being used to eliminate dissent and opposing political views," the foreign ministers said in the joint statement issued by Australia's Foreign Minister Marise Payne. "We call on the Hong Kong and Chinese central authorities to respect the legally guaranteed rights and freedoms of the people of Hong Kong without fear of arrest and detention." Hong Kong's most prominent pro-democracy advocates were arrested as authorities said last year's unofficial vote to choose opposition candidates in city elections was part of a plan to "overthrow" the government. On Thursday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Washington may sanction those involved in the arrests and will send the US ambassador to the United Nations to visit Taiwan.

US, Canada, Britain, Australia condemn Hong Kong arrests of activists

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