Pope Francis has blunted the powers of the Vatican department involved in a controversial London property deal and ordered all ties cut with a suspect investment fund, his spokesman said Thursday.

The Secretariat of State is the most important department in the Vatican administration, overseeing the Holy See's diplomacy and general affairs inside the Vatican and has historically controlled its own funds, investments, and real estate holdings.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-pressure-pope-francis-remains-silent-on-uighur-muslims-319565">Chinese pressure? Pope Francis remains silent on Uighur Muslims</a>

The pontiff created a commission Wednesday to oversee the changes, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said, following a vast financial scandal which has already cost one high-ranking Catholic cardinal his post.

An investigation into the London deal, which involved several middlemen, led to the suspension last year of five Vatican employees, the resignation of its police chief and the exit of the former head of its Financial Information Authority.

In a letter released by the Vatican press office on Thursday, the pope said he was transferring all the assets to a Vatican department called APSA, which will manage them, while they will be overseen by the Secretariat for the Economy.

The Secretariat of State's assets include an annual fund for the pope's charities, which is known as Peter's Pence.

In September, Francis fired Cardinal Angelo Becciu, who was number two at the Secretariat when it purchased a building in London as an investment.

Becciu has denied any wrongdoing after the pope alleged embezzlement and nepotism.

Pope Francis has blunted the powers of the Vatican department involved in a controversial London property deal and ordered all ties cut with a suspect investment fund, his spokesman said Thursday.

Pope Francis has blunted the powers of the Vatican department involved in a controversial London property deal and ordered all ties cut with a suspect investment fund, his spokesman said Thursday. The Secretariat of State is the most important department in the Vatican administration, overseeing the Holy See's diplomacy and general affairs inside the Vatican and has historically controlled its own funds, investments, and real estate holdings. Also read: Chinese pressure? Pope Francis remains silent on Uighur Muslims The pontiff created a commission Wednesday to oversee the changes, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said, following a vast financial scandal which has already cost one high-ranking Catholic cardinal his post. An investigation into the London deal, which involved several middlemen, led to the suspension last year of five Vatican employees, the resignation of its police chief and the exit of the former head of its Financial Information Authority. In a letter released by the Vatican press office on Thursday, the pope said he was transferring all the assets to a Vatican department called APSA, which will manage them, while they will be overseen by the Secretariat for the Economy. The Secretariat of State's assets include an annual fund for the pope's charities, which is known as Peter's Pence. In September, Francis fired Cardinal Angelo Becciu, who was number two at the Secretariat when it purchased a building in London as an investment. Becciu has denied any wrongdoing after the pope alleged embezzlement and nepotism.

Pope halts controversial Vatican investments after London property scandal

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said a three-pronged approach is being adopted to address internal security challenges that includes development of areas hit by terrorism and a desire to go "more than half way" to negotiate with dissatisfied groups to secure political settlements of issues.

The defence minister, addressing an online seminar, also said the government was willing to challenge the status quo if it becomes a tool for the exploitation of helpless citizens and the provisions of governance.

Though the defence minister did not refer to any specific situation or issue, his comments come in the backdrop of the government's renewed push for socio-economic development in Jammu and Kashmir as well as in the militancy-infested states of the northeastern region.

"We have undertaken a three-pronged approach towards internal security challenges as well. This includes the development of areas affected by terrorism along with the provision of justice to the aggrieved," he said.

"It also includes the ability and desire to go more than half way to negotiate settlements with dissatisfied groups to enable a political settlement. And finally, we are also willing to challenge status quo, if the status quo becomes a tool for the exploitation of helpless citizens and the provisions of governance," Singh said.

In his address at the seminar at the National Defence College, the defence minister also noted that the government was cognisant of the fact that India's stability and security are closely associated with the ability to grow economically at a desirable rate.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/national-defence-college-opens-doors-for-5-countries-nepal-myanmar-and-bangladesh-get-more-seats-340582" hreflang="en">National Defence College opens doors for 5 countries; Nepal, Myanmar and Bangladesh get more seats</a>

"This progression can only be sustained through our ability to adapt, innovate and strengthen the fundamentals that contribute to this process. On the larger issue of economic security, the government has focused on all aspects of development in sectors of land, labour, capital and industry," he added.

Talking about the country's overall approach in dealing with multiple security challenges, he said the government has developed a blueprint to confront them over the next decade.

"The first is the ability to secure India's territorial integrity and sovereignty from external threats and internal challenges. Second, the ability to create secure and stable conditions that can facilitate India's economic growth," he said.

"Third, we remain steadfast in the desire to protect our interests beyond the borders in areas where our people reside and our security interests converge. And finally, we also believe that in a globalised and interconnected world, a country's security interests are interlinked by shared and secure commons," he added.

The defence minister said each of these principles is defining the way in which India is approaching various elements of its security policy.

"Based on these principles, we have brought about drastic changes in our security policy which are oriented towards strong, legally and morally tenable actions," he said.

"We have proved that countries that employ terrorism as an instrument of national policy can also be deterred through options that were considered unimplementable in the past," the defence minister said, in a clear reference to Pakistan.

Singh also listed various reform measures undertaken by the government to stimulate the economy including in areas of infrastructure, health, education, sanitation, drinking water, energy and defence.

"As India grows, there is a simultaneous movement of people beyond our shores and a growth of our interests worldwide. This entails that we should be able to safeguard Indian citizens who now work across the globe," he said.

"In the past, we have displayed the ability to not only evacuate Indian citizens but also people of different nationalities from war torn and calamitous areas. In fact, we have also successfully provided support and relief as the first responders in our neighbourhood as well," the defence minister said.&nbsp;

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said a three-pronged approach is being adopted to address internal security challenges that includes development of areas hit by terrorism and a desire to go "more than half way" to negotiate with dissatisfied groups to secure political settlements of issues.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said a three-pronged approach is being adopted to address internal security challenges that includes development of areas hit by terrorism and a desire to go "more than half way" to negotiate with dissatisfied groups to secure political settlements of issues. The defence minister, addressing an online seminar, also said the government was willing to challenge the status quo if it becomes a tool for the exploitation of helpless citizens and the provisions of governance. Though the defence minister did not refer to any specific situation or issue, his comments come in the backdrop of the government's renewed push for socio-economic development in Jammu and Kashmir as well as in the militancy-infested states of the northeastern region. "We have undertaken a three-pronged approach towards internal security challenges as well. This includes the development of areas affected by terrorism along with the provision of justice to the aggrieved," he said. "It also includes the ability and desire to go more than half way to negotiate settlements with dissatisfied groups to enable a political settlement. And finally, we are also willing to challenge status quo, if the status quo becomes a tool for the exploitation of helpless citizens and the provisions of governance," Singh said. In his address at the seminar at the National Defence College, the defence minister also noted that the government was cognisant of the fact that India's stability and security are closely associated with the ability to grow economically at a desirable rate. Also read| National Defence College opens doors for 5 countries; Nepal, Myanmar and Bangladesh get more seats "This progression can only be sustained through our ability to adapt, innovate and strengthen the fundamentals that contribute to this process. On the larger issue of economic security, the government has focused on all aspects of development in sectors of land, labour, capital and industry," he added. Talking about the country's overall approach in dealing with multiple security challenges, he said the government has developed a blueprint to confront them over the next decade. "The first is the ability to secure India's territorial integrity and sovereignty from external threats and internal challenges. Second, the ability to create secure and stable conditions that can facilitate India's economic growth," he said. "Third, we remain steadfast in the desire to protect our interests beyond the borders in areas where our people reside and our security interests converge. And finally, we also believe that in a globalised and interconnected world, a country's security interests are interlinked by shared and secure commons," he added. The defence minister said each of these principles is defining the way in which India is approaching various elements of its security policy. "Based on these principles, we have brought about drastic changes in our security policy which are oriented towards strong, legally and morally tenable actions," he said. "We have proved that countries that employ terrorism as an instrument of national policy can also be deterred through options that were considered unimplementable in the past," the defence minister said, in a clear reference to Pakistan. Singh also listed various reform measures undertaken by the government to stimulate the economy including in areas of infrastructure, health, education, sanitation, drinking water, energy and defence. "As India grows, there is a simultaneous movement of people beyond our shores and a growth of our interests worldwide. This entails that we should be able to safeguard Indian citizens who now work across the globe," he said. "In the past, we have displayed the ability to not only evacuate Indian citizens but also people of different nationalities from war torn and calamitous areas. In fact, we have also successfully provided support and relief as the first responders in our neighbourhood as well," the defence minister said.

India adopting three-pronged approach to address internal security challenges, says Rajnath Singh

After the coronavirus pandemic, a zoonotic bacterial infection called&nbsp;brucellosis,&nbsp;caused by a leak at a biopharmaceutical company last year&nbsp;is wreaking havoc in China.

The Health Commission of Lanzhou, the capital city of Gansu province,&nbsp;confirmed that over&nbsp;6,000 people had contracted the disease Brucellosis, caused by contact with livestock carrying the bacteria Brucella.

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The government has tested 55,725 people in the city, of which 6,620 are positive for brucellosis as of now, the Lanzhou government said at a press conference, according to a report on Thursday by the state-owned Global Times.

That represents a big jump from 3,245 positive cases for brucellosis as of September&nbsp;14.

According to the World Health Organization, humans get brucellosis with flu-like symptoms through direct contact with infected animals, by eating or drinking contaminated animal products, or by inhaling airborne agents. Some symptoms can become chronic and never go away.

According to a statement from Lanzhou's health commission dated September, the outbreak originated at a biopharmaceutical factory owned by&nbsp;China&nbsp;Animal Husbandry Industry Co.

The factory used expired disinfectants during July to August 2019 to manufacture brucellosis vaccines, leaving the bacteria in its polluted waste gas, it said, citing the results from an official investigation.

The contaminated waste gas later formed aerosols, which were carried by wind down to the Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, where the outbreak was first recorded in November last year, the health commission said.

The brucellosis vaccine production workshop was shut down in December last year and was dismantled in October, according to Global Times.

After the coronavirus pandemic, a zoonotic bacterial infection called brucellosis, caused by a leak at a biopharmaceutical company last year is wreaking havoc in China.

After the coronavirus pandemic, a zoonotic bacterial infection called brucellosis, caused by a leak at a biopharmaceutical company last year is wreaking havoc in China. The Health Commission of Lanzhou, the capital city of Gansu province, confirmed that over 6,000 people had contracted the disease Brucellosis, caused by contact with livestock carrying the bacteria Brucella. The government has tested 55,725 people in the city, of which 6,620 are positive for brucellosis as of now, the Lanzhou government said at a press conference, according to a report on Thursday by the state-owned Global Times. That represents a big jump from 3,245 positive cases for brucellosis as of September 14. According to the World Health Organization, humans get brucellosis with flu-like symptoms through direct contact with infected animals, by eating or drinking contaminated animal products, or by inhaling airborne agents. Some symptoms can become chronic and never go away. According to a statement from Lanzhou's health commission dated September, the outbreak originated at a biopharmaceutical factory owned by China Animal Husbandry Industry Co. The factory used expired disinfectants during July to August 2019 to manufacture brucellosis vaccines, leaving the bacteria in its polluted waste gas, it said, citing the results from an official investigation. The contaminated waste gas later formed aerosols, which were carried by wind down to the Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, where the outbreak was first recorded in November last year, the health commission said. The brucellosis vaccine production workshop was shut down in December last year and was dismantled in October, according to Global Times.

Brucellosis outbreak infects over 6,000 people in China

French President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday that he would step up border security in the wake of several terror attacks, including a knife rampage in a Nice church blamed on a Tunisian migrant.

During a visit to the border between France and Spain, Macron announced that the number of border guards would be doubled to 4,800 from 2,400&nbsp;"because of the worsening of the threat" from terrorism.

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Macron also&nbsp;called for a strengthening of border controls in the European Union's Schengen zone following recent Islamist attacks in France and Austria.

The increased controls would target illegal immigration amid "a growing terrorism threat", he said.

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"I am in favour of an in-depth re-foundation of Schengen to re-think its organisation and beef up our common border security," Macron added.

France, home to Europe's largest Muslim community, has been hit by a string of militant attacks in recent years.

A knife-wielding Tunisian man shouting "Allahu Akbar" (God is Greatest) beheaded a woman and killed two other people in a church in the French city of Nice on Oct. 30.

France has deployed thousands of soldiers to protect important sites such as places of worship and schools, and France's security alert is at its highest level.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday that he would step up border security in the wake of several terror attacks, including a knife rampage in a Nice church blamed on a Tunisian migrant.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday that he would step up border security in the wake of several terror attacks, including a knife rampage in a Nice church blamed on a Tunisian migrant. During a visit to the border between France and Spain, Macron announced that the number of border guards would be doubled to 4,800 from 2,400 "because of the worsening of the threat" from terrorism. Macron also called for a strengthening of border controls in the European Union's Schengen zone following recent Islamist attacks in France and Austria. The increased controls would target illegal immigration amid "a growing terrorism threat", he said. "I am in favour of an in-depth re-foundation of Schengen to re-think its organisation and beef up our common border security," Macron added. France, home to Europe's largest Muslim community, has been hit by a string of militant attacks in recent years. A knife-wielding Tunisian man shouting "Allahu Akbar" (God is Greatest) beheaded a woman and killed two other people in a church in the French city of Nice on Oct. 30. France has deployed thousands of soldiers to protect important sites such as places of worship and schools, and France's security alert is at its highest level.

France to double security forces on borders in wake of Nice attack

Russia has&nbsp;submitted a bill to the parliament that can grant ex-presidents'immunity from criminal prosecution could be extended to any offences committed in their lifetimes, not merely while in office.

The bill is one of several being introduced following constitutional reforms that, among other things, allow President Vladimir Putin to run again when his term ends in 2024.

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The draft legislation is being carefully parsed for clues as to what Putin, who has dominated Russian politics for more than two decades, plans to do in 2024.

Former presidents already enjoy lifetime immunity for crimes committed in the office under legislation adopted after Russia's first post-Soviet president, Boris Yeltsin, handed the reins of power to Putin at the turn of the century.

The new bill would also make it harder to revoke ex-presidents' expanded immunity.

It would require the upper house of parliament to vote overwhelmingly to revoke it on the strength of accusations by the lower house that the president had committed treason or another serious crime.

The bill will become law if the lower house votes to approve it in three readings, the upper house backs it, and Putin then signs it.

Russia has submitted a bill to the parliament that can grant ex-presidents'immunity from criminal prosecution could be extended to any offences committed in their lifetimes, not merely while in office.

Russia has submitted a bill to the parliament that can grant ex-presidents'immunity from criminal prosecution could be extended to any offences committed in their lifetimes, not merely while in office. The bill is one of several being introduced following constitutional reforms that, among other things, allow President Vladimir Putin to run again when his term ends in 2024. The draft legislation is being carefully parsed for clues as to what Putin, who has dominated Russian politics for more than two decades, plans to do in 2024. Former presidents already enjoy lifetime immunity for crimes committed in the office under legislation adopted after Russia's first post-Soviet president, Boris Yeltsin, handed the reins of power to Putin at the turn of the century. The new bill would also make it harder to revoke ex-presidents' expanded immunity. It would require the upper house of parliament to vote overwhelmingly to revoke it on the strength of accusations by the lower house that the president had committed treason or another serious crime. The bill will become law if the lower house votes to approve it in three readings, the upper house backs it, and Putin then signs it.

Russia submits bill to grant ex-presidents immunity from prosecution

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci resigned with immediate effect on Thursday after learning that the Kosovo war crimes tribunal had confirmed his indictment for war crimes.

It comes as a dramatic downfall for a politician who has dominated the former Serbian province for over a decade.

The 52-year-old said he would step down to appear before the court after it confirmed an indictment&nbsp;against him dating back to the 1990s conflict with Serbia, when Thaci was political chief of Kosovo's rebel army.&nbsp;

"I will not allow under any circumstances that I appear before court as the president of the Republic of Kosovo. Therefore, in order to protect the integrity of the office of the president and the country, as well as the dignity of the citizens, I resign from the position of president of the Republic of Kosovo," Thaci told a press conference in the capital Pristina.

He has long insisted on his innocence in a war that most people in Kosovo, which is home mainly to ethnic Albanians, consider a "just" struggle for their independence from Serbian oppression.&nbsp;

"These are not easy moments for me and my family, and for those who have supported and believed in me in the past three decades of our struggle for freedom, independence and nation-building," Thaci added.&nbsp;

In June, prosecutors accused him of ten counts of crimes including charges of murder, enforced disappearance of persons, persecution, and torture.

Thaci did not say which specific charges had been confirmed, while the prosecutors declined to comment.&nbsp;

Set up with EU-backing in 2015, the Kosovo Specialist Chambers (KSC) operates under Kosovo law but is based in The Hague to protect witnesses from intimidation in a society where many former rebel commanders still dominate politics.

&nbsp;

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci resigned with immediate effect on Thursday after learning that the Kosovo war crimes tribunal had confirmed his indictment for war crimes.

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci resigned with immediate effect on Thursday after learning that the Kosovo war crimes tribunal had confirmed his indictment for war crimes. It comes as a dramatic downfall for a politician who has dominated the former Serbian province for over a decade. The 52-year-old said he would step down to appear before the court after it confirmed an indictment against him dating back to the 1990s conflict with Serbia, when Thaci was political chief of Kosovo's rebel army. "I will not allow under any circumstances that I appear before court as the president of the Republic of Kosovo. Therefore, in order to protect the integrity of the office of the president and the country, as well as the dignity of the citizens, I resign from the position of president of the Republic of Kosovo," Thaci told a press conference in the capital Pristina. He has long insisted on his innocence in a war that most people in Kosovo, which is home mainly to ethnic Albanians, consider a "just" struggle for their independence from Serbian oppression. "These are not easy moments for me and my family, and for those who have supported and believed in me in the past three decades of our struggle for freedom, independence and nation-building," Thaci added. In June, prosecutors accused him of ten counts of crimes including charges of murder, enforced disappearance of persons, persecution, and torture. Thaci did not say which specific charges had been confirmed, while the prosecutors declined to comment. Set up with EU-backing in 2015, the Kosovo Specialist Chambers (KSC) operates under Kosovo law but is based in The Hague to protect witnesses from intimidation in a society where many former rebel commanders still dominate politics.

Kosovo President Thaci resigns after being indicted over war crimes

Bangladesh signed a deal with the Serum Institute of India on Thursday to buy 30 million doses of potential coronavirus vaccine being developed by British drugmaker AstraZeneca.

AstraZeneca’s experimental COVID-19 vaccine is seen as one of the most advanced candidates in the race against the novel coronavirus.

"Whenever the vaccine is ready, the Serum Institute will give us 30 million doses in the first phase," health minister Zahid Maleque told reporters after the deal was signed in Dhaka.

He said five million doses of vaccine per month would be purchased through Bangladesh's drug maker, Beximco Pharmaceuticals.

"We'll be able to vaccinate 15 million people as two shots of vaccine are required for each person 28 days apart," Maleque said.

Bangladesh was in talks with development partners, including the World Bank and Asian Development Bank, to secure funds for the vaccine, government officials said.

Meanwhile, Sinovac Biotech's late-stage trial of a potential coronavirus vaccine in Bangladesh has become uncertain after Dhaka refused to meet the Chinese company's demand for co-funding.

Experts fear Bangladesh might face another surge in infections during the winter, having so far confirmed 416,006 cases, including 6,021 deaths.

The Serum Institute, the world's largest manufacturer of vaccines by volume, has partnered with AstraZeneca, the Gates Foundation and the Gavi vaccine alliance to produce more than a billion doses of a COVID-19 vaccine for global supply.

It is holding trials for three potential coronavirus vaccines, including one licensed to AstraZeneca by Oxford University.

AstraZeneca has signed several supply and manufacturing deals&nbsp;with companies and governments around the world, while data in October showed the vaccine produces a immune response in both old and young adults.

Bangladesh signed a deal with the Serum Institute of India on Thursday to buy 30 million doses of potential coronavirus vaccine being developed by British drugmaker AstraZeneca.

Bangladesh signed a deal with the Serum Institute of India on Thursday to buy 30 million doses of potential coronavirus vaccine being developed by British drugmaker AstraZeneca. AstraZeneca’s experimental COVID-19 vaccine is seen as one of the most advanced candidates in the race against the novel coronavirus. "Whenever the vaccine is ready, the Serum Institute will give us 30 million doses in the first phase," health minister Zahid Maleque told reporters after the deal was signed in Dhaka. He said five million doses of vaccine per month would be purchased through Bangladesh's drug maker, Beximco Pharmaceuticals. "We'll be able to vaccinate 15 million people as two shots of vaccine are required for each person 28 days apart," Maleque said. Bangladesh was in talks with development partners, including the World Bank and Asian Development Bank, to secure funds for the vaccine, government officials said. Meanwhile, Sinovac Biotech's late-stage trial of a potential coronavirus vaccine in Bangladesh has become uncertain after Dhaka refused to meet the Chinese company's demand for co-funding. Experts fear Bangladesh might face another surge in infections during the winter, having so far confirmed 416,006 cases, including 6,021 deaths. The Serum Institute, the world's largest manufacturer of vaccines by volume, has partnered with AstraZeneca, the Gates Foundation and the Gavi vaccine alliance to produce more than a billion doses of a COVID-19 vaccine for global supply. It is holding trials for three potential coronavirus vaccines, including one licensed to AstraZeneca by Oxford University. AstraZeneca has signed several supply and manufacturing deals with companies and governments around the world, while data in October showed the vaccine produces a immune response in both old and young adults.

Bangladesh signs deal with India for 30 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine

As Aung San Suu Kyi is vilified internationally for denying genocide against the Rohingya, her opponents in Sunday's Myanmar election are ramping up the rhetoric against the Muslim minority.

There was global revulsion at military-backed operations in 2017 that saw hundreds of thousands of people flee burning villages into the squalor of refugee camps in neighbouring Bangladesh.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-army-chief-accuses-government-of-unacceptable-mistakes-ahead-of-election-340534" hreflang="en">Myanmar army chief accuses govt of 'unacceptable mistakes' ahead of election</a>

The horrifying violence,&nbsp;including widespread reports of murder and rape,&nbsp;has left Suu Kyi's international reputation in tatters and sees Myanmar facing genocide charges at the UN's top court.

But Than Htay, leader of the military-aligned Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), insists Myanmar has nothing to be sorry for.

"I cannot accept useless people in our country," Than Htay told AFP of the stateless Rohingya.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/un-expert-airs-human-rights-concerns-ahead-of-myanmar-vote-340405" hreflang="en">UN expert airs human rights concerns ahead of Myanmar vote</a>

The USDP is the main opposition group standing against Suu Kyi's ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) party in this week's polls, Myanmar's second after emerging from outright military rule in 2011.

Than Htay told a campaign rally he was free of "Muslim or Chinese" blood, while his deputy slurred an NLD Muslim candidate, according to local news site Myanmar Now.

USDP supporters even created a parody of an NLD anthem, claiming Suu Kyi's party had welcomed "Bengali Muslims as if they were gods".

Stripped of citizenship and rights over decades, the Rohingya are widely referred to in Myanmar by the pejorative term "Bengali", implying they are illegal immigrants.

'Picnic' or genocide?

The uncompromising campaign rhetoric shows that anti-Muslim rhetoric in mainly Buddhist Myanmar remains "fair game",&nbsp;Yangon-based analyst Khin Zaw Win told AFP.

"There is no danger for political parties to speak out against either the Rohingya or Muslims in general," he said.

Just four percent of Myanmar's 55-million population are Muslim.&nbsp;

They have no mainstream political representation and are often discriminated against in schools or when applying for ID cards or jobs.

The brutal ejection of the Rohingya in 2017 was seen very differently inside the country, where the government maintains the military was simply rooting out Rohingya insurgents and did not force the community to flee.

"They left happily," Than Htay told AFP in an interview late August at the USDP's opulent headquarters in the capital, Naypyidaw.

"If they'd been running from the military, they wouldn't have prepared their bags as if going on a picnic."

Rebrand 'failure'&nbsp;

Suu Kyi's NLD party -- born out of the pro-democracy movement under the former junta --&nbsp;is widely expected to be returned to office in Sunday's polls.

The nation only emerged from outright military rule a decade ago and the armed forces still wield enormous power, retaining control of a quarter of parliamentary seats and three key ministries.

Stacked with former army officers, the USDP is now trying to downplay its links to the military in a country still deeply suspicious of the institution.

Than Htay, who attained the rank of Major General before retiring, insisted: "I'm a civilian now," although conceded army chief Min Aung Hlaing was an old childhood friend.

"We were commanders at the same military command. Our families are close. But that's all. We have boundaries between us."

The USDP ruled Myanmar after a hugely flawed election in 2010, boycotted by the NLD and other parties.

In 2015, the party won 28 percent of the popular vote, although the country's electoral system meant this translated as only eight percent of electable seats.

Than Htay underlined to AFP what he saw as the NLD government's economic failures during its five-year term -- a drop in GDP, more debt and an increase in living costs.

But the USDP has "failed to rebrand itself", concluded watchdog International Crisis Group.

Analyst Khin Zaw Win warned a "tacit" alliance between the military and NLD could even make the USDP redundant.&nbsp;

"If this develops, the military will have no further use for the USDP," he said.

"The party runs the risk of losing its main prop."

As Aung San Suu Kyi is vilified internationally for denying genocide against the Rohingya, her opponents in Sunday's Myanmar election are ramping up the rhetoric against the Muslim minority.

As Aung San Suu Kyi is vilified internationally for denying genocide against the Rohingya, her opponents in Sunday's Myanmar election are ramping up the rhetoric against the Muslim minority. There was global revulsion at military-backed operations in 2017 that saw hundreds of thousands of people flee burning villages into the squalor of refugee camps in neighbouring Bangladesh. Also read: Myanmar army chief accuses govt of 'unacceptable mistakes' ahead of election The horrifying violence, including widespread reports of murder and rape, has left Suu Kyi's international reputation in tatters and sees Myanmar facing genocide charges at the UN's top court. But Than Htay, leader of the military-aligned Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), insists Myanmar has nothing to be sorry for. "I cannot accept useless people in our country," Than Htay told AFP of the stateless Rohingya. Also read: UN expert airs human rights concerns ahead of Myanmar vote The USDP is the main opposition group standing against Suu Kyi's ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) party in this week's polls, Myanmar's second after emerging from outright military rule in 2011. Than Htay told a campaign rally he was free of "Muslim or Chinese" blood, while his deputy slurred an NLD Muslim candidate, according to local news site Myanmar Now. USDP supporters even created a parody of an NLD anthem, claiming Suu Kyi's party had welcomed "Bengali Muslims as if they were gods". Stripped of citizenship and rights over decades, the Rohingya are widely referred to in Myanmar by the pejorative term "Bengali", implying they are illegal immigrants. 'Picnic' or genocide? The uncompromising campaign rhetoric shows that anti-Muslim rhetoric in mainly Buddhist Myanmar remains "fair game", Yangon-based analyst Khin Zaw Win told AFP. "There is no danger for political parties to speak out against either the Rohingya or Muslims in general," he said. Just four percent of Myanmar's 55-million population are Muslim. They have no mainstream political representation and are often discriminated against in schools or when applying for ID cards or jobs. The brutal ejection of the Rohingya in 2017 was seen very differently inside the country, where the government maintains the military was simply rooting out Rohingya insurgents and did not force the community to flee. "They left happily," Than Htay told AFP in an interview late August at the USDP's opulent headquarters in the capital, Naypyidaw. "If they'd been running from the military, they wouldn't have prepared their bags as if going on a picnic." Rebrand 'failure' Suu Kyi's NLD party -- born out of the pro-democracy movement under the former junta -- is widely expected to be returned to office in Sunday's polls. The nation only emerged from outright military rule a decade ago and the armed forces still wield enormous power, retaining control of a quarter of parliamentary seats and three key ministries. Stacked with former army officers, the USDP is now trying to downplay its links to the military in a country still deeply suspicious of the institution. Than Htay, who attained the rank of Major General before retiring, insisted: "I'm a civilian now," although conceded army chief Min Aung Hlaing was an old childhood friend. "We were commanders at the same military command. Our families are close. But that's all. We have boundaries between us." The USDP ruled Myanmar after a hugely flawed election in 2010, boycotted by the NLD and other parties. In 2015, the party won 28 percent of the popular vote, although the country's electoral system meant this translated as only eight percent of electable seats. Than Htay underlined to AFP what he saw as the NLD government's economic failures during its five-year term -- a drop in GDP, more debt and an increase in living costs. But the USDP has "failed to rebrand itself", concluded watchdog International Crisis Group. Analyst Khin Zaw Win warned a "tacit" alliance between the military and NLD could even make the USDP redundant. "If this develops, the military will have no further use for the USDP," he said. "The party runs the risk of losing its main prop."

As Suu Kyi denies genocide, opponents up anti-Rohingya rhetoric

Ethiopian lawmakers on Thursday endorsed a six-month state of emergency in the northern region of Tigray, a day after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed ordered military operations there in an escalation of a long-running feud.&nbsp;

The move is part of an attempt by Abiy, winner of last year's Nobel Peace Prize, to assert federal control over a region whose ruling party has openly defied him for months and brands him as illegitimate.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ethiopia-declares-state-of-emergency-in-tigray-region-340539" hreflang="en">Ethiopia declares state of emergency in Tigray region</a>

The lower house of parliament "unanimously approved" the state of emergency in a session Thursday morning, state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporate said.

According to the country's constitution, under a state of emergency the government has "all necessary power to protect the country's peace and sovereignty" and can suspend some "political and democratic rights".&nbsp;

A senior government official told AFP that in Tigray this could lead to a curfew, searches without warrants, transportation and communications restrictions and the detention of "any person that [officials] suspect is taking part in illegal activities that threaten the constitutional order".

The state of emergency could also be extended beyond Tigray if needed, the official said.&nbsp;

Ahead of Thursday's vote, the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, the national rights body, pointed to the need to maintain key services and supplies for civilians.

Lawmakers "should in particular consider ensuring humanitarian access and support including for food, medicine and other essential civilian services to avoid a complete blockage of communication and transport facilities," it said.&nbsp;

TPLF denies 'attack'

Abiy announced the military operations in Tigray Wednesday morning.

He said the move came in response to an "attack" by the region's ruling party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), on a military camp there.&nbsp;

But a senior Tigrayan official told AFP Thursday that the "attack" never happened.

"No attack was launched by us," said the official, Wondimu Asamnew.&nbsp;

Speaking on state television Wednesday night, Abiy said there would be further operations in the "coming days".

"In general, when the operations are finished we will disclose them to the public," he said.&nbsp;

The government has not revealed a timeline or a clear military objective for the campaign, though a spokesman for a newly-formed crisis committee said Wednesday the goal was to "liberate" the region from the TPLF.&nbsp;

Abiy said the initial "attack" produced "many martyrs", but officials have not provided much information on subsequent military operations.

Fighting so far appears to have been largely concentrated in western Tigray, diplomats and aid workers said.

Wondimu, the TPLF official, reiterated the TPLF's claim that the military's Northern Command had broken with Abiy -- a claim dismissed as false by Abiy's office.

"The Northern Command has voluntarily started to cooperate with Tigray to save the country from an all-out civil war," Wondimu said.&nbsp;

He also said there were "no civilian casualties and only a few skirmishes with a few soldiers who have not respected the decision of their commanders".

"I am at work like anyone else in Mekele," he said, referring to the regional capital.&nbsp;

The fighting in Tigray has drawn expressions of concern from the UN, the US and the EU.

An official at the African Union told AFP Thursday that the body, headquartered in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, was reaching out to "all actors" to try to bring a swift end to the conflict.

"The African Union is engaged in shuttle diplomacy in the region and with all actors at the moment to try to find some sort of solution. But it's clearly very sensitive right now," the official said.

"I know that everybody is clamouring for public pronouncements. The situation is so dire that it's really about the doing. A solution is not going to be found on Twitter."&nbsp;

The TPLF dominated politics in Ethiopia for nearly three decades before Abiy came to power in 2018 on the strength of anti-government protests.&nbsp;

Under Abiy, Tigrayan leaders have complained of being unfairly targeted in corruption prosecutions, removed from top positions and broadly scapegoated for the country's woes.&nbsp;

In previous weeks, tensions had been rising over control of military assets in the region.

Ethiopian lawmakers on Thursday endorsed a six-month state of emergency in the northern region of Tigray, a day after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed ordered military operations there in an escalation of a long-running feud.

Ethiopian lawmakers on Thursday endorsed a six-month state of emergency in the northern region of Tigray, a day after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed ordered military operations there in an escalation of a long-running feud. The move is part of an attempt by Abiy, winner of last year's Nobel Peace Prize, to assert federal control over a region whose ruling party has openly defied him for months and brands him as illegitimate. Also read: Ethiopia declares state of emergency in Tigray region The lower house of parliament "unanimously approved" the state of emergency in a session Thursday morning, state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporate said. According to the country's constitution, under a state of emergency the government has "all necessary power to protect the country's peace and sovereignty" and can suspend some "political and democratic rights". A senior government official told AFP that in Tigray this could lead to a curfew, searches without warrants, transportation and communications restrictions and the detention of "any person that [officials] suspect is taking part in illegal activities that threaten the constitutional order". The state of emergency could also be extended beyond Tigray if needed, the official said. Ahead of Thursday's vote, the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, the national rights body, pointed to the need to maintain key services and supplies for civilians. Lawmakers "should in particular consider ensuring humanitarian access and support including for food, medicine and other essential civilian services to avoid a complete blockage of communication and transport facilities," it said. TPLF denies 'attack' Abiy announced the military operations in Tigray Wednesday morning. He said the move came in response to an "attack" by the region's ruling party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), on a military camp there. But a senior Tigrayan official told AFP Thursday that the "attack" never happened. "No attack was launched by us," said the official, Wondimu Asamnew. Speaking on state television Wednesday night, Abiy said there would be further operations in the "coming days". "In general, when the operations are finished we will disclose them to the public," he said. The government has not revealed a timeline or a clear military objective for the campaign, though a spokesman for a newly-formed crisis committee said Wednesday the goal was to "liberate" the region from the TPLF. Abiy said the initial "attack" produced "many martyrs", but officials have not provided much information on subsequent military operations. Fighting so far appears to have been largely concentrated in western Tigray, diplomats and aid workers said. Wondimu, the TPLF official, reiterated the TPLF's claim that the military's Northern Command had broken with Abiy -- a claim dismissed as false by Abiy's office. "The Northern Command has voluntarily started to cooperate with Tigray to save the country from an all-out civil war," Wondimu said. He also said there were "no civilian casualties and only a few skirmishes with a few soldiers who have not respected the decision of their commanders". "I am at work like anyone else in Mekele," he said, referring to the regional capital. The fighting in Tigray has drawn expressions of concern from the UN, the US and the EU. An official at the African Union told AFP Thursday that the body, headquartered in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, was reaching out to "all actors" to try to bring a swift end to the conflict. "The African Union is engaged in shuttle diplomacy in the region and with all actors at the moment to try to find some sort of solution. But it's clearly very sensitive right now," the official said. "I know that everybody is clamouring for public pronouncements. The situation is so dire that it's really about the doing. A solution is not going to be found on Twitter." The TPLF dominated politics in Ethiopia for nearly three decades before Abiy came to power in 2018 on the strength of anti-government protests. Under Abiy, Tigrayan leaders have complained of being unfairly targeted in corruption prosecutions, removed from top positions and broadly scapegoated for the country's woes. In previous weeks, tensions had been rising over control of military assets in the region.

Ethiopia MPs back state of emergency in Tigray amid military campaign

Facebook Inc on Thursday&nbsp;formally announced that it will present another 'disappearing messages' component via an update this month.

The subtleties of the new element, notwithstanding, were revealed earlier this week through&nbsp;a <a href="https://faq.whatsapp.com/general/chats/about-disappearing-messages">FAQ page</a> made by WhatsApp was taken note of.

Also read| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/whatsapp-update-top-5-new-features-in-the-messenger-app-333999">WhatsApp Update: Top 5 new features in the messenger app</a>

The long-anticipated ephemeral messaging feature pioneered by Snapchat was initially spotted a month ago through a WhatsApp beta variant. It will permit clients to empower an alternative on individual and gathering visits that erases new messages following seven days.&nbsp;

Disappearing&nbsp;messages has begun churning out from today, and will be accessible across Android, iOS, and Linux-based KaiOS gadgets, alongside WhatsApp Web and Work area stages, before the current month's over. WhatsApp had not long ago definite how to empower/impair the new 'disappearing messages' component on various gadgets and distributed FAQs on its use on a help page.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/whatsapp-to-get-new-exciting-features-like-video-calling-on-whatsapp-web-heres-what-to-expect-336664">WhatsApp to get new exciting features like video calling on WhatsApp Web. Here's what to expect</a>

The 'disappearing messages' element on WhatsApp is likewise unique in relation to how it takes a shot at Telegram. While Telegram lets clients choose the length before the messages vanish in a visit, messages shipped off a talk on WhatsApp will vanish following seven days. Snapchat, then again, erases Snaps after they've been opened, erases unopened Snaps shipped off a gathering visit in 24 hours, and all other unopened Snaps in 30 days.&nbsp;

The organisation says that it's beginning with seven days since it appears to be a fitting window for its clients to complete a specific discussion while giving them the significant serenity that the discussions aren't perpetual. "We're beginning with 7 days since we think it offers significant serenity that discussions aren't perpetual while staying commonsense so you remember what you were visiting about. The shopping rundown or store address you got a couple of days back will be there while you need it, and afterward vanish after you don't," the organisation said in an assertion.&nbsp;

The disappearing messages highlight must be empowered independently for each visit window — individual or gathering discussions — and can be gotten to by tapping the name of the individual contact or the gathering on WhatsApp. When empowered, the new messages sent by a client will vanish for the chose contacts following seven days. Be that as it may, the see of disappearing messages may show in warnings until WhatsApp is opened on the accepting gadgets. Vanishing messages that are sent to another visit window, which has the choice killed, won't be taken out either. Furthermore, when a client answers to a vanishing message, the cited text may likewise stay in the talk following seven days.&nbsp;

Clients getting the messages can likewise still duplicate the content and take screen captures of the messages inside seven days. Vanishing messages will likewise land in client reinforcements yet will be erased after the client reestablishes messages from it. Given that there are numerous approaches to hold talks shared through vanishing messages, it appears to be more similar to an alternative to clear up discussions than an element to share data that erases naturally.&nbsp;

Aside from Telegram and now WhatsApp, other informing applications to have comparative usefulness incorporate Sign and furthermore Facebook Courier which presently has a disappear mode.

Facebook Inc on Thursday formally announced that it will present another 'disappearing messages' component via an update this month. The subtleties of the new element, notwithstanding, were revealed earlier this week through a FAQ page made by WhatsApp was taken note of.

Facebook Inc on Thursday formally announced that it will present another 'disappearing messages' component via an update this month. The subtleties of the new element, notwithstanding, were revealed earlier this week through a FAQ page made by WhatsApp was taken note of. Also read| WhatsApp Update: Top 5 new features in the messenger app The long-anticipated ephemeral messaging feature pioneered by Snapchat was initially spotted a month ago through a WhatsApp beta variant. It will permit clients to empower an alternative on individual and gathering visits that erases new messages following seven days. Disappearing messages has begun churning out from today, and will be accessible across Android, iOS, and Linux-based KaiOS gadgets, alongside WhatsApp Web and Work area stages, before the current month's over. WhatsApp had not long ago definite how to empower/impair the new 'disappearing messages' component on various gadgets and distributed FAQs on its use on a help page. Also read: WhatsApp to get new exciting features like video calling on WhatsApp Web. Here's what to expect The 'disappearing messages' element on WhatsApp is likewise unique in relation to how it takes a shot at Telegram. While Telegram lets clients choose the length before the messages vanish in a visit, messages shipped off a talk on WhatsApp will vanish following seven days. Snapchat, then again, erases Snaps after they've been opened, erases unopened Snaps shipped off a gathering visit in 24 hours, and all other unopened Snaps in 30 days. The organisation says that it's beginning with seven days since it appears to be a fitting window for its clients to complete a specific discussion while giving them the significant serenity that the discussions aren't perpetual. "We're beginning with 7 days since we think it offers significant serenity that discussions aren't perpetual while staying commonsense so you remember what you were visiting about. The shopping rundown or store address you got a couple of days back will be there while you need it, and afterward vanish after you don't," the organisation said in an assertion. The disappearing messages highlight must be empowered independently for each visit window — individual or gathering discussions — and can be gotten to by tapping the name of the individual contact or the gathering on WhatsApp. When empowered, the new messages sent by a client will vanish for the chose contacts following seven days. Be that as it may, the see of disappearing messages may show in warnings until WhatsApp is opened on the accepting gadgets. Vanishing messages that are sent to another visit window, which has the choice killed, won't be taken out either. Furthermore, when a client answers to a vanishing message, the cited text may likewise stay in the talk following seven days. Clients getting the messages can likewise still duplicate the content and take screen captures of the messages inside seven days. Vanishing messages will likewise land in client reinforcements yet will be erased after the client reestablishes messages from it. Given that there are numerous approaches to hold talks shared through vanishing messages, it appears to be more similar to an alternative to clear up discussions than an element to share data that erases naturally. Aside from Telegram and now WhatsApp, other informing applications to have comparative usefulness incorporate Sign and furthermore Facebook Courier which presently has a disappear mode.

WhatsApp introduces disappearing messages; to rollout in November

Some 230 million years ago, in the forests of what humans would eventually call Brazil, a small bipedal dinosaur zipped after its prey. It had a slender head, a long tail and sharp teeth, and it was about the size of a basset hound.

Buriolestes schultzi, as paleontologists have named the creature, is one of the earliest known relatives of more famous dinosaurs that emerged 100 million years later: the lumbering brachiosaurus, up to 80 feet long and weighing up to 80 metric tons, the likewise massive diplodocus, as well as other sauropod dinosaurs. By the time the Jurassic period rolled around and the time of Buriolestes had passed, these quadrupedal cousins had reached tremendous size. They also had tiny brains around the size of a tennis ball.

Buriolestes’ brain was markedly different, scientists who built a 3D reconstruction of the inside of its skull report in a paper published Tuesday in the Journal of Anatomy. The brain was larger relative to its body size, and it had structures that were much more like those of predatory animals. The findings suggest that the enormous herbivores of later eras, whose ancestors probably looked a lot like Buriolestes lost these features as they transitioned to their ponderous new lifestyle. It’s also a rare glimpse into dinosaurs’ neural anatomy at a very early moment in their evolution.

In 2009, Rodrigo Müller of the Universidade Federal de Santa Maria and colleagues discovered the first partial Buriolestes fossil in southern Brazil. In 2015, they uncovered another Buriolestes nearby — and this time, to their excitement, the dinosaur’s skull was nearly all there. They used computed tomography scanning to get a peek inside, drawing inferences about the brain from the contours of the cavity left behind.

They found that one portion of the cerebellum, the floccular lobe, was particularly large in Buriolestes&lt;em&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;

“This structure is related with the capability to track prey with the eyes,” Müller said.

It’s tiny in the enormous brachiosauruses, diplodocuses and other sauropods that lived later, which suggests that the structure grew less important as they transitioned to eating only plants.

Buriolestes also had small olfactory bulbs, suggesting that smell wasn’t of crucial importance to the little hunter. In later sauropods, these bulbs grew in relative size, which might have helped them smell each other or detect predators.

Most striking, however, was the brain’s large size relative to the rest of the body, Müller said. In many lineages, relative brain size increases over time, he said — but not, apparently, in this case.

“Probably this change is related with the feeding habits changing,” he said. “Carnivorous animals generally need more cognitive capabilities.”

These details about Buriolestes’ brain are intriguing because it is such an early dinosaur, said Lawrence Witmer, a paleontologist and professor of anatomy at Ohio University who studies sauropods.

“It gives us a window into the earliest evolution of the brain and sensory systems of the largest animals ever to walk on land, the sauropod dinosaurs,” he said, noting that Buriolestes’ inner ear canal and floccular lobe suggest it used quick, coordinated movements of the head, neck and eyes.

“For the slow-moving sauropods, there was no premium on retaining such capabilities, and we now know that they must have lost these capabilities,” he said, “since ancestral species like Buriolestes had them.”

Our knowledge of early dinosaur brains is very slight, said Fabien Knoll, a paleontologist at the Dinopolis Foundation in Teruel, Spain. Buriolestes, which is one of the oldest known dinosaurs, and its contemporaries are mainly found in Brazil and Argentina. When fossil remains do turn up, the skulls may be crushed or missing, making this study a rarity.

It helps illuminate a shadowy but fascinating evolutionary story — the slow transformation of small, quick, two-legged hunters into immense, unhurried quadrupeds who ate only plants.

“The study of the brain of dinosaurs is booming as it is now easier than ever to reconstruct the brain morphology thanks to digital technology,” Knoll said. “However, information about the brain in early dinosaurs is hampered by a lack of quality fossils. So I’d say that it is important to keep digging in those sites in Brazil, Argentina and elsewhere that are likely to provide well-preserved very early dinosaurs.”

Some 230 million years ago, in the forests of what humans would eventually call Brazil, a small bipedal dinosaur zipped after its prey. It had a slender head, a long tail and sharp teeth, and it was about the size of a basset hound.

Some 230 million years ago, in the forests of what humans would eventually call Brazil, a small bipedal dinosaur zipped after its prey. It had a slender head, a long tail and sharp teeth, and it was about the size of a basset hound. Buriolestes schultzi, as paleontologists have named the creature, is one of the earliest known relatives of more famous dinosaurs that emerged 100 million years later: the lumbering brachiosaurus, up to 80 feet long and weighing up to 80 metric tons, the likewise massive diplodocus, as well as other sauropod dinosaurs. By the time the Jurassic period rolled around and the time of Buriolestes had passed, these quadrupedal cousins had reached tremendous size. They also had tiny brains around the size of a tennis ball. Buriolestes’ brain was markedly different, scientists who built a 3D reconstruction of the inside of its skull report in a paper published Tuesday in the Journal of Anatomy. The brain was larger relative to its body size, and it had structures that were much more like those of predatory animals. The findings suggest that the enormous herbivores of later eras, whose ancestors probably looked a lot like Buriolestes lost these features as they transitioned to their ponderous new lifestyle. It’s also a rare glimpse into dinosaurs’ neural anatomy at a very early moment in their evolution. In 2009, Rodrigo Müller of the Universidade Federal de Santa Maria and colleagues discovered the first partial Buriolestes fossil in southern Brazil. In 2015, they uncovered another Buriolestes nearby — and this time, to their excitement, the dinosaur’s skull was nearly all there. They used computed tomography scanning to get a peek inside, drawing inferences about the brain from the contours of the cavity left behind. They found that one portion of the cerebellum, the floccular lobe, was particularly large in Buriolestes. “This structure is related with the capability to track prey with the eyes,” Müller said. It’s tiny in the enormous brachiosauruses, diplodocuses and other sauropods that lived later, which suggests that the structure grew less important as they transitioned to eating only plants. Buriolestes also had small olfactory bulbs, suggesting that smell wasn’t of crucial importance to the little hunter. In later sauropods, these bulbs grew in relative size, which might have helped them smell each other or detect predators. Most striking, however, was the brain’s large size relative to the rest of the body, Müller said. In many lineages, relative brain size increases over time, he said — but not, apparently, in this case. “Probably this change is related with the feeding habits changing,” he said. “Carnivorous animals generally need more cognitive capabilities.” These details about Buriolestes’ brain are intriguing because it is such an early dinosaur, said Lawrence Witmer, a paleontologist and professor of anatomy at Ohio University who studies sauropods. “It gives us a window into the earliest evolution of the brain and sensory systems of the largest animals ever to walk on land, the sauropod dinosaurs,” he said, noting that Buriolestes’ inner ear canal and floccular lobe suggest it used quick, coordinated movements of the head, neck and eyes. “For the slow-moving sauropods, there was no premium on retaining such capabilities, and we now know that they must have lost these capabilities,” he said, “since ancestral species like Buriolestes had them.” Our knowledge of early dinosaur brains is very slight, said Fabien Knoll, a paleontologist at the Dinopolis Foundation in Teruel, Spain. Buriolestes, which is one of the oldest known dinosaurs, and its contemporaries are mainly found in Brazil and Argentina. When fossil remains do turn up, the skulls may be crushed or missing, making this study a rarity. It helps illuminate a shadowy but fascinating evolutionary story — the slow transformation of small, quick, two-legged hunters into immense, unhurried quadrupeds who ate only plants. “The study of the brain of dinosaurs is booming as it is now easier than ever to reconstruct the brain morphology thanks to digital technology,” Knoll said. “However, information about the brain in early dinosaurs is hampered by a lack of quality fossils. So I’d say that it is important to keep digging in those sites in Brazil, Argentina and elsewhere that are likely to provide well-preserved very early dinosaurs.”

We’ve rarely seen a dinosaur brain like this before

Low taxes. Duty-free shopping. Sandy beaches. The Communist Party even wants to put people on yachts.

China wants to turn Hainan province, an island the size of Maryland in the South China Sea, into a free-trade port and international commercial hub. The island, with 9.5 million full-time residents, is offering new incentives to transform the snowbird haven into a destination for global companies, jet-setting financiers and sophisticated shoppers alike.

China already has a place like that: Hong Kong, with 7.5 million people. But the future of the former British colony has been thrown into doubt. After last year’s pro-democracy protests, the Chinese government has brought Hong Kong to heel with a stringent national security law and a crackdown on dissenters. It is not clear whether the events have permanently damaged the longtime bastion of economic liberty.

Transforming Hainan would give China a financial and corporate Plan B. Still, copying Hong Kong will not be easy. Much of Hong Kong’s success comes from its laissez-faire regulation, independent judicial system, unfettered movement of money across its borders and the free exchange of information — liberties all lacking in the mainland.

Beijing has shown little inclination to relax its control in a way that would allow Hainan to fully match Hong Kong. Hainan also lacks Hong Kong’s educated, often worldly workforce and Hong Kong’s proximity to China’s Guangdong province manufacturing belt.

Still, in areas like shopping or luring corporate offices, Hainan is starting to compete.

“You don’t need a visa, it’s easy to get there and the COVID situation may drag on for months or a few years before they fully reopen the border with Hong Kong,” said Jean-Pierre Cabestan, a professor of political science at Hong Kong Baptist University. “What’s happening in Hainan is adding to the sense of marginalization in Hong Kong.”

Chinese officials say they want to complement Hong Kong, not replace it. And in any case, making Hainan a free-trade mecca will not be easy. Over the past few years, at least 21 free-trade zones have been introduced in places like Tianjin, Shanghai and elsewhere. Most never took off.

Efforts specific to Hainan have faltered in the past, too. Local officials have for years looked for a way to further develop the province, which is more famous in China for property booms and busts than for finance or shopping. They have repeatedly explored gambling, only to be told no each time by Beijing.

Local officials say their new campaign is different. Rather than catering to importers and exporters, they have unveiled efforts to appeal to shoppers, the wealthy and even those seeking face-lifts.

“The level of Hainan’s opening up is much greater than the mainland free-trade zones,” said Xia Feng, a professor at Hainan University who studies free-trade areas.

Shopping is a big part. New rules allow anyone from the mainland to buy about $15,000 a year worth of goods on Hainan without paying China’s usual import, sales and luxury taxes. The previous limit was only $5,000.

By contrast, tariffs and other taxes raise the price of imported cosmetics on the mainland by half.

Tourists like Xu Yang, a 33-year-old from Qingdao, have been mobbing Hainan stores for brands like Lancôme, SK-II, La Mer and Dior. Xu said Estée Lauder liquid makeup foundation costs about one-third less at the duty-free store in the Hainan capital, Haikou, than at home.

That was worth enduring the crowds of shoppers. Tourist visits jumped by nearly two-thirds after the policy changed July 1 compared with a year ago.

“It’s crazy here, and the line is so long,” Xu said.

Brands like Tiffany and Prada have opened stores in Haikou in recent weeks to reach Chinese buyers who no longer travel overseas because of the outbreak.

“Shopping in Hainan is more convenient,” Mary Liu, a Beijing resident, said as she browsed Coach handbags in Haikou.

Hainan still lacks Hong Kong’s sheen. It lacks the restaurant options of Hong Kong, Tokyo, Paris and New York. Some of the most haute luxury brands are missing. Kering, the Parisian luxury house, has opened Gucci Sunglasses and Gucci Perfume stores in the Hainan beach city of Sanya but not shops for its elite Ulysse Nardin and Girard-Perregaux watches. Kering declined to comment.

“You can imagine what shopping atmosphere there is,” said Rachel Qian, a 33-year-old Shanghai resident who took frequent shopping trips to Tokyo before the pandemic.

She is giving Hainan a pass to avoid rubbing elbows with people who will buy premium brands only to sell them elsewhere in China.

“People are not there for the fun of shopping but to make money,” she said.

In skills, too, officials are trying to overcome Hainan’s deficiencies. The central government has dispatched to the province experienced officials who have overseen successful development programs. Hainan’s governor, Shen Xiaoming, previously ran Shanghai’s free-trade zone and helped persuade Tesla to set up its first overseas car assembly plant there.

To draw skilled workers, the Hainan government bought private preschools all over the island last spring and made them public, with preferential enrollment for the children of well-educated parents who move there.

“There will be more and more high-end talent in the future,” predicted Yu Lei, a telecommunications engineer who has moved there from the city of Chongqing and has just enrolled his 3-year-old daughter in a newly public preschool.

To lure companies and the rich, Hainan officials have slashed taxes. They have cut personal and corporate taxes for some to 15%. In mainland China, high-earning individuals face a 45% income tax rate, while a wide range of corporations pay 25%.

Some wealthy individuals have rushed to set up personal companies on the island to route part of their paychecks through there and save on taxes, say those who work with them. Similarly, Chinese companies are exploring setting up subsidiaries there.

“I persuaded my customers to go there to register companies,” said Kevin Shi, a banker in Shenzhen, across the Chinese border from Hong Kong. “They are exploring how they can benefit there, and there are discussions with the government on what they can do, what they can get.”

Hainan officials hope low taxes will attract new types of business. For example, hospitals and cosmetic surgery offices could use Hainan to lure well-heeled patients who might seek residency while they recuperate. Hong Kong, with its advanced medical care, currently plays this role.

Shi said that he had taken executives from hospitals and other health care businesses to Hainan in September. A team from the European Union Chamber of Commerce in Beijing that visited the island in late September concluded that affluent Chinese may start going to Hainan instead of Hong Kong, Thailand or Europe.

Still, building Hainan as a low-tax, low-regulation haven will be a tough task. Other provinces may come to resent its low taxes and other perks and prompt the central government to push back.

Beijing is not about to give up control. In recent months, even as Hainan officials laid out their plans for the island, Beijing officials pledged to keep in place strict limits on money movement and other restrictions on daily life.

That includes some lingering tariffs. Shen, the island’s governor, said at a news conference in June that someone buying a $1.4 million yacht could save more than $500,000 in tariffs and taxes.

Zou Jiayi, a Chinese vice finance minister, threw cold water on that idea within minutes at the same event. Imported cars, buses and yachts are exempt from tariffs only if used for tourist businesses, she said.

And unlike other goods, they may not be taken back to the mainland.

Low taxes. Duty-free shopping. Sandy beaches. The Communist Party even wants to put people on yachts. China wants to turn Hainan province, an island the size of Maryland in the South China Sea, into a free-trade port and international commercial hub.

Low taxes. Duty-free shopping. Sandy beaches. The Communist Party even wants to put people on yachts. China wants to turn Hainan province, an island the size of Maryland in the South China Sea, into a free-trade port and international commercial hub. The island, with 9.5 million full-time residents, is offering new incentives to transform the snowbird haven into a destination for global companies, jet-setting financiers and sophisticated shoppers alike. China already has a place like that: Hong Kong, with 7.5 million people. But the future of the former British colony has been thrown into doubt. After last year’s pro-democracy protests, the Chinese government has brought Hong Kong to heel with a stringent national security law and a crackdown on dissenters. It is not clear whether the events have permanently damaged the longtime bastion of economic liberty. Transforming Hainan would give China a financial and corporate Plan B. Still, copying Hong Kong will not be easy. Much of Hong Kong’s success comes from its laissez-faire regulation, independent judicial system, unfettered movement of money across its borders and the free exchange of information — liberties all lacking in the mainland. Beijing has shown little inclination to relax its control in a way that would allow Hainan to fully match Hong Kong. Hainan also lacks Hong Kong’s educated, often worldly workforce and Hong Kong’s proximity to China’s Guangdong province manufacturing belt. Still, in areas like shopping or luring corporate offices, Hainan is starting to compete. “You don’t need a visa, it’s easy to get there and the COVID situation may drag on for months or a few years before they fully reopen the border with Hong Kong,” said Jean-Pierre Cabestan, a professor of political science at Hong Kong Baptist University. “What’s happening in Hainan is adding to the sense of marginalization in Hong Kong.” Chinese officials say they want to complement Hong Kong, not replace it. And in any case, making Hainan a free-trade mecca will not be easy. Over the past few years, at least 21 free-trade zones have been introduced in places like Tianjin, Shanghai and elsewhere. Most never took off. Efforts specific to Hainan have faltered in the past, too. Local officials have for years looked for a way to further develop the province, which is more famous in China for property booms and busts than for finance or shopping. They have repeatedly explored gambling, only to be told no each time by Beijing. Local officials say their new campaign is different. Rather than catering to importers and exporters, they have unveiled efforts to appeal to shoppers, the wealthy and even those seeking face-lifts. “The level of Hainan’s opening up is much greater than the mainland free-trade zones,” said Xia Feng, a professor at Hainan University who studies free-trade areas. Shopping is a big part. New rules allow anyone from the mainland to buy about $15,000 a year worth of goods on Hainan without paying China’s usual import, sales and luxury taxes. The previous limit was only $5,000. By contrast, tariffs and other taxes raise the price of imported cosmetics on the mainland by half. Tourists like Xu Yang, a 33-year-old from Qingdao, have been mobbing Hainan stores for brands like Lancôme, SK-II, La Mer and Dior. Xu said Estée Lauder liquid makeup foundation costs about one-third less at the duty-free store in the Hainan capital, Haikou, than at home. That was worth enduring the crowds of shoppers. Tourist visits jumped by nearly two-thirds after the policy changed July 1 compared with a year ago. “It’s crazy here, and the line is so long,” Xu said. Brands like Tiffany and Prada have opened stores in Haikou in recent weeks to reach Chinese buyers who no longer travel overseas because of the outbreak. “Shopping in Hainan is more convenient,” Mary Liu, a Beijing resident, said as she browsed Coach handbags in Haikou. Hainan still lacks Hong Kong’s sheen. It lacks the restaurant options of Hong Kong, Tokyo, Paris and New York. Some of the most haute luxury brands are missing. Kering, the Parisian luxury house, has opened Gucci Sunglasses and Gucci Perfume stores in the Hainan beach city of Sanya but not shops for its elite Ulysse Nardin and Girard-Perregaux watches. Kering declined to comment. “You can imagine what shopping atmosphere there is,” said Rachel Qian, a 33-year-old Shanghai resident who took frequent shopping trips to Tokyo before the pandemic. She is giving Hainan a pass to avoid rubbing elbows with people who will buy premium brands only to sell them elsewhere in China. “People are not there for the fun of shopping but to make money,” she said. In skills, too, officials are trying to overcome Hainan’s deficiencies. The central government has dispatched to the province experienced officials who have overseen successful development programs. Hainan’s governor, Shen Xiaoming, previously ran Shanghai’s free-trade zone and helped persuade Tesla to set up its first overseas car assembly plant there. To draw skilled workers, the Hainan government bought private preschools all over the island last spring and made them public, with preferential enrollment for the children of well-educated parents who move there. “There will be more and more high-end talent in the future,” predicted Yu Lei, a telecommunications engineer who has moved there from the city of Chongqing and has just enrolled his 3-year-old daughter in a newly public preschool. To lure companies and the rich, Hainan officials have slashed taxes. They have cut personal and corporate taxes for some to 15%. In mainland China, high-earning individuals face a 45% income tax rate, while a wide range of corporations pay 25%. Some wealthy individuals have rushed to set up personal companies on the island to route part of their paychecks through there and save on taxes, say those who work with them. Similarly, Chinese companies are exploring setting up subsidiaries there. “I persuaded my customers to go there to register companies,” said Kevin Shi, a banker in Shenzhen, across the Chinese border from Hong Kong. “They are exploring how they can benefit there, and there are discussions with the government on what they can do, what they can get.” Hainan officials hope low taxes will attract new types of business. For example, hospitals and cosmetic surgery offices could use Hainan to lure well-heeled patients who might seek residency while they recuperate. Hong Kong, with its advanced medical care, currently plays this role. Shi said that he had taken executives from hospitals and other health care businesses to Hainan in September. A team from the European Union Chamber of Commerce in Beijing that visited the island in late September concluded that affluent Chinese may start going to Hainan instead of Hong Kong, Thailand or Europe. Still, building Hainan as a low-tax, low-regulation haven will be a tough task. Other provinces may come to resent its low taxes and other perks and prompt the central government to push back. Beijing is not about to give up control. In recent months, even as Hainan officials laid out their plans for the island, Beijing officials pledged to keep in place strict limits on money movement and other restrictions on daily life. That includes some lingering tariffs. Shen, the island’s governor, said at a news conference in June that someone buying a $1.4 million yacht could save more than $500,000 in tariffs and taxes. Zou Jiayi, a Chinese vice finance minister, threw cold water on that idea within minutes at the same event. Imported cars, buses and yachts are exempt from tariffs only if used for tourist businesses, she said. And unlike other goods, they may not be taken back to the mainland.

China envisions a new Hong Kong, firmly under its control

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Zee News Rajasthan

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Vyomica Berry

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