Police in Rome are searching for a possible serial killer after three dead bodies were discovered in two apartments in the upmarket district of Prati, reported the Guardian.&nbsp;Out of the three women killed, two were sex workers of Chinese nationality aged between 40 and 50. The body of one of the slain women was discovered on the apartment's doorstep by the building's porter on Thursday morning, while the other body was discovered inside. The third dead woman was identified as Marta Castano Torres, also a sex worker, whose body was found by her sister in a basement apartment on a nearby street.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/drought-reveals-ruins-of-ancient-bridge-in-rome-493615">Drought reveals ruins of ancient bridge in Rome</a>

As reported by the Guardian, stab wounds were found on the throat, chest and back of the bodies of the women. Rome Police are now working on a theory that suggests all three women were murdered by the same person.

The incident took place in an elegant neighbourhood of the city, just a few hundred metres from Italy's Supreme Court, where recently an increase has been reported in criminal networks operating prostitution rackets from apartments.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/italy-bans-facial-recognition-tech-use-limited-to-fighting-crime-534265">Italy bans facial recognition tech, restricts use to fighting crime</a>

The murders have renewed the calls for regulating the profession of prostitution in Italy. Street prostitution is allowed in the country; however, organised prostitution and brothels are strictly prohibited under Italian law.&nbsp;

Ermina Gbido from the Committee for the Civil Rights of Prostitutes said, “These murders are horrific.” She added, “For sure, there are criminal networks that manage sex workers in apartments, exploiting them and making them go from apartment to apartment, working long hours. This is a nasty business. But we also need to understand that there are those who want to do this work but cannot do it in a place of safety as the norms do not allow it.”

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

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Police in Rome are searching for a possible serial killer after three dead bodies were discovered in two apartments in the upmarket district of Prati, reported the Guardian.

Police in Rome are searching for a possible serial killer after three dead bodies were discovered in two apartments in the upmarket district of Prati, reported the Guardian. Out of the three women killed, two were sex workers of Chinese nationality aged between 40 and 50. The body of one of the slain women was discovered on the apartment's doorstep by the building's porter on Thursday morning, while the other body was discovered inside. The third dead woman was identified as Marta Castano Torres, also a sex worker, whose body was found by her sister in a basement apartment on a nearby street. Also read | Drought reveals ruins of ancient bridge in Rome As reported by the Guardian, stab wounds were found on the throat, chest and back of the bodies of the women. Rome Police are now working on a theory that suggests all three women were murdered by the same person. The incident took place in an elegant neighbourhood of the city, just a few hundred metres from Italy's Supreme Court, where recently an increase has been reported in criminal networks operating prostitution rackets from apartments. Also read | Italy bans facial recognition tech, restricts use to fighting crime The murders have renewed the calls for regulating the profession of prostitution in Italy. Street prostitution is allowed in the country; however, organised prostitution and brothels are strictly prohibited under Italian law. Ermina Gbido from the Committee for the Civil Rights of Prostitutes said, “These murders are horrific.” She added, “For sure, there are criminal networks that manage sex workers in apartments, exploiting them and making them go from apartment to apartment, working long hours. This is a nasty business. But we also need to understand that there are those who want to do this work but cannot do it in a place of safety as the norms do not allow it.” (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Police hunt for possible serial killer as three Chinese sex workers are found brutally killed in Rome

Let us take a look at stories generating interest across WION's social media channels.

Trending on WION: Chinese authorities face anger after an infant dies due to delay in treatment

Running a 42 km marathon is not a small feat. Now imagine doing it while chain-smoking. It may sound almost impossible to many but a 50-year-old man in Guangzhou achieved it without much difficulty. The man, who goes by the name “Uncle Chen” finished the endurance marathon in China&nbsp;under four hours and videos showed that he kept smoking cigarettes during the entire stretch of the race.&nbsp;

The videos showing Chen taking part in the race with a cigarette in his mouth found a lot of popularity on social media platforms Weibo and WeChat. According to a report on guancha.cn, he was the 574th person to complete the race among 1500 participants and his official time was 3 hours and 28 minutes.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/rishi-sunak-reveals-details-about-discussion-regarding-fta-with-narendra-modi-at-g20-summit-535040" hreflang="en">Rishi Sunak reveals details about discussion regarding FTA with Narendra Modi at G20 summit</a>

The Canadian Running Magazine reported that Chen has a history of taking part in marathons while smoking and in the past, he has even finished a 50 km race. The report added that his unique style has earned him the name of “Smoking Brother” in China after his debut run in the 2018 Guangzhou Marathon.&nbsp;

He ended up with a better performance at the Xiamen Marathon in 2019 and according to media reports, he has improved his timing every year. However, his smoking has sparked a huge conversation among doctors who view it as an advertisement. &nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/michelle-obama-provides-clear-answer-on-her-possible-us-presidential-run-535018" hreflang="en">Michelle Obama provides clear answer on her possible US presidential run</a>

The South China Morning Post reported that various doctors have criticised him for smoking during the races and have also made it clear that the physical exercise from running does not negate the harmful impacts of smoking.&nbsp;

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Running a 42 km marathon is not a small feat. Now imagine doing it while chain-smoking. It may sound almost impossible to many but a 50-year-old man in Guangzhou achieved it without much difficulty.

Running a 42 km marathon is not a small feat. Now imagine doing it while chain-smoking. It may sound almost impossible to many but a 50-year-old man in Guangzhou achieved it without much difficulty. The man, who goes by the name “Uncle Chen” finished the endurance marathon in China under four hours and videos showed that he kept smoking cigarettes during the entire stretch of the race. The videos showing Chen taking part in the race with a cigarette in his mouth found a lot of popularity on social media platforms Weibo and WeChat. According to a report on guancha.cn, he was the 574th person to complete the race among 1500 participants and his official time was 3 hours and 28 minutes. Also read | Rishi Sunak reveals details about discussion regarding FTA with Narendra Modi at G20 summit The Canadian Running Magazine reported that Chen has a history of taking part in marathons while smoking and in the past, he has even finished a 50 km race. The report added that his unique style has earned him the name of “Smoking Brother” in China after his debut run in the 2018 Guangzhou Marathon. He ended up with a better performance at the Xiamen Marathon in 2019 and according to media reports, he has improved his timing every year. However, his smoking has sparked a huge conversation among doctors who view it as an advertisement. Also read | Michelle Obama provides clear answer on her possible US presidential run The South China Morning Post reported that various doctors have criticised him for smoking during the races and have also made it clear that the physical exercise from running does not negate the harmful impacts of smoking.

50-year-old Chinese man completes 42 km marathon while puffing cigarettes

The Pentagon has issued a waiver allowing Lockheed Martin Corp to resume the deliveries of its F-35 fifth-generation stealth fighter aircraft after it raised objections on using a Chinese-origin alloy.

Last month, the US office suspended deliveries of new F-35s, citing regulations on “speciality metals”. &nbsp;The Defense Contract Management Agency reported the violation to the F-35 program office on August 19.

It found that a magnet in the stealthy fighter's engine was made with unauthorised material from China. The component is supplied by Honeywell International Inc and has been used in the plane since 2003.

As a result, Pentagon paused the delivery of 18 aircraft, Lockheed said in a statement Saturday.

On October 8, William LaPlante, the Pentagon's chief weapons buyer, allowed the delivery of planes after issuing a “national security” waiver.

The waiver will let the Pentagon accept 126 aircraft in current production contracts that run through October 31, 2023.

“Acceptance of the aircraft is necessary for national security interests,” LaPlante said in a statement.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-president-vladimir-putin-blames-ukraine-for-crimea-bridge-blast-523857">Putin blames Ukraine for Crimea bridge blast, calls it 'terrorist act'</a>

The Defense Department of the F-35 programme office brushed aside the security risk on using the Chinese alloy and rebutted any technical flaw in using the component.

It has argued that the concern was raised on supply-chain security and asked Honeywell why didn’t they ban the alloy banned when it was detected.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-believes-world-war-iii-is-a-possibility-blames-stupid-people-for-russia-ukraine-conflict-escalation-523884">Trump says 'World War III' is a possibility because of 'stupid people'</a>

Meanwhile, Lockheed said that the Chinese magnets won’t be used in future aircraft starting in November, adding that Honeywell has found an “alternative US source” for the alloy.

Notably, this is not the first time that Pentagon has issued a waiver to Honeywall over the use of Chinese magnets in F-35 jets.

Almost a decade ago, the Pentagon granted a waiver to Honeywell to use Chinese magnets in other F-35 components, saying that the programme, which had been riddled with delays and cost overruns, would have been slowed even more otherwise.

The US law and Pentagon regulations bar the use of “speciality metals” or alloys made in China, Iran, North Korea or Russia.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE: 

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The Pentagon has issued a waiver allowing Lockheed Martin Corp to resume the deliveries of its F-35 fifth-generation stealth fighter aircraft after it raised objections on using a Chinese-origin alloy.

The Pentagon has issued a waiver allowing Lockheed Martin Corp to resume the deliveries of its F-35 fifth-generation stealth fighter aircraft after it raised objections on using a Chinese-origin alloy. Last month, the US office suspended deliveries of new F-35s, citing regulations on “speciality metals”. The Defense Contract Management Agency reported the violation to the F-35 program office on August 19. It found that a magnet in the stealthy fighter's engine was made with unauthorised material from China. The component is supplied by Honeywell International Inc and has been used in the plane since 2003. As a result, Pentagon paused the delivery of 18 aircraft, Lockheed said in a statement Saturday. On October 8, William LaPlante, the Pentagon's chief weapons buyer, allowed the delivery of planes after issuing a “national security” waiver. The waiver will let the Pentagon accept 126 aircraft in current production contracts that run through October 31, 2023. “Acceptance of the aircraft is necessary for national security interests,” LaPlante said in a statement. Also read | Putin blames Ukraine for Crimea bridge blast, calls it 'terrorist act' The Defense Department of the F-35 programme office brushed aside the security risk on using the Chinese alloy and rebutted any technical flaw in using the component. It has argued that the concern was raised on supply-chain security and asked Honeywell why didn’t they ban the alloy banned when it was detected. Also read | Trump says 'World War III' is a possibility because of 'stupid people' Meanwhile, Lockheed said that the Chinese magnets won’t be used in future aircraft starting in November, adding that Honeywell has found an “alternative US source” for the alloy. Notably, this is not the first time that Pentagon has issued a waiver to Honeywall over the use of Chinese magnets in F-35 jets. Almost a decade ago, the Pentagon granted a waiver to Honeywell to use Chinese magnets in other F-35 components, saying that the programme, which had been riddled with delays and cost overruns, would have been slowed even more otherwise. The US law and Pentagon regulations bar the use of “speciality metals” or alloys made in China, Iran, North Korea or Russia. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

US allows Lockheed to resume delivery of F-35s after row over use of Chinese magnet

The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Mumbai Police has received Look Out Circulars (LOCs) against 56 Chinese nationals for fraudulently becoming directors of Indian companies, some of which turned out to be shell companies.

Since April this year, at least 39 cheating and forgery cases have been registered. The FIRs are registered based on the complaints lodged by the Registrar of Companies, Mumbai. According to the EOW probe, dozens of Chartered Accountants (CAs) and Company Secretaries (CSs) have been named who allegedly have helped the accused foreigners. &nbsp;

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Allegations on which the EOW is probing currently&nbsp;accused CAs and CSs helped them in getting suspected shell companies registered in the names of Indian citizens,&nbsp;inducting the foreigners as directors of the companies, and transferring the entities to them for hefty charges.

EOW officials further stated that they are probing the angle if the accused Chinese nationals have opened companies with an intention of aiding and abetting the commission of any larger financial crimes in India or not.&nbsp;

Talking about the case, officials say the accused used the names of their friends and relatives as promoters. They submitted false information and documents to the registrar's office. On physical verification, all the documents that they had submitted turned out to be fake. And this is where the EOW probe started. No arrest has been made so far. &nbsp;

All accused have been booked under relevant sections of criminal breach of trust, cheating, falsification of accounts, criminal conspiracy, and under relevant sections of Company Act. &nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-and-pacific-island-nations-agree-to-declaration-of-partnership-says-blinken-520760">United States and Pacific island nations agree to ‘declaration of partnership’</a>

Officials say nothing conclusive has come so far in the investigation as questioning is going on currently. “All the CAs and CSs are being questioned currently and their statements are getting recorded. First, for us, the main reason is to find out why the accused Chinese nationals have set up shell companies in India.” &nbsp;

Central agencies like CBI and IB officials are also monitoring the case to check the progress. &nbsp;&nbsp;

This is part of a nationwide crackdown on shell companies with dummy Indian directors with Chinese connections. In April this year, the EOW of the Mumbai Police had registered 34 FIRs against 150 people, including 60 foreigners -- 40 of them from China -- for allegedly violating laws regarding the registration of new companies and for fraudulently becoming directors of Indian companies. &nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Mumbai Police has received Look Out Circulars (LOCs) against 56 Chinese nationals for fraudulently becoming directors of Indian companies, some of which turned out to be shell companies.

The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Mumbai Police has received Look Out Circulars (LOCs) against 56 Chinese nationals for fraudulently becoming directors of Indian companies, some of which turned out to be shell companies. Since April this year, at least 39 cheating and forgery cases have been registered. The FIRs are registered based on the complaints lodged by the Registrar of Companies, Mumbai. According to the EOW probe, dozens of Chartered Accountants (CAs) and Company Secretaries (CSs) have been named who allegedly have helped the accused foreigners. Also read | More than 1.8 million without power as Hurricane Ian causes havoc in Florida Allegations on which the EOW is probing currently accused CAs and CSs helped them in getting suspected shell companies registered in the names of Indian citizens, inducting the foreigners as directors of the companies, and transferring the entities to them for hefty charges. EOW officials further stated that they are probing the angle if the accused Chinese nationals have opened companies with an intention of aiding and abetting the commission of any larger financial crimes in India or not. Talking about the case, officials say the accused used the names of their friends and relatives as promoters. They submitted false information and documents to the registrar's office. On physical verification, all the documents that they had submitted turned out to be fake. And this is where the EOW probe started. No arrest has been made so far. All accused have been booked under relevant sections of criminal breach of trust, cheating, falsification of accounts, criminal conspiracy, and under relevant sections of Company Act. Also read | United States and Pacific island nations agree to ‘declaration of partnership’ Officials say nothing conclusive has come so far in the investigation as questioning is going on currently. “All the CAs and CSs are being questioned currently and their statements are getting recorded. First, for us, the main reason is to find out why the accused Chinese nationals have set up shell companies in India.” Central agencies like CBI and IB officials are also monitoring the case to check the progress. This is part of a nationwide crackdown on shell companies with dummy Indian directors with Chinese connections. In April this year, the EOW of the Mumbai Police had registered 34 FIRs against 150 people, including 60 foreigners -- 40 of them from China -- for allegedly violating laws regarding the registration of new companies and for fraudulently becoming directors of Indian companies.

Mumbai police launch probe against 56 Chinese nationals on fraud, forgery charges

The Pentagon has said it is temporarily halting deliveries of Lockheed Martin Corp’s F-35 aircraft after it found out that an alloy made in China was being used in a component of the fighter jet. A magnet with the alloy is being used in a part of the integrated power package, but Pentagon said that it posed no security issue. However, it violates federal defence acquisition rules.

"We have confirmed that the magnet does not transmit information or harm the integrity of the aircraft and there are no performance, quality, safety, or security risks associated with this issue and flight operations for the F-35 in-service fleet will continue as normal," Defense Department spokesperson Russ Goemaere was quoted as saying by CNN.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-sanctions-us-companies-for-supplying-arms-to-taiwan-455023">China sanctions US companies for supplying arms to Taiwan</a>

Since there is no security issue, the pause won’t affect operations of F-35s already delivered to the US military and other partners. A review to understand how the non-compliance took place is underway after the F-35 programme office voluntarily reported the matter. An alternative source for the alloy has already been found and it will be used in future jets.

Notably, a US law and a separate Pentagon acquisition regulation prohibit the use of certain specialty metals or alloys produced by “covered countries” mentioned in the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation series. These countries are China, Iran, North Korea and Russia. The Defense Contract Management Agency reported the violation to the F-35 programme office on August 19.

"We are working with our partners and DOD to ensure contractual compliance within the supply chain. The magnet has no visibility or access to any sensitive program information. The F-35 remains safe for flight and we are working with the DOD to resolve the issue as quickly as possible to resume deliveries," Lockheed Martin said in a statement.

(With inputs from agencies)

&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

The Pentagon has said it is temporarily halting deliveries of Lockheed Martin Corp’s F-35 aircraft after it found out that an alloy made in China was being used in a component of the fighter jet.

The Pentagon has said it is temporarily halting deliveries of Lockheed Martin Corp’s F-35 aircraft after it found out that an alloy made in China was being used in a component of the fighter jet. A magnet with the alloy is being used in a part of the integrated power package, but Pentagon said that it posed no security issue. However, it violates federal defence acquisition rules. "We have confirmed that the magnet does not transmit information or harm the integrity of the aircraft and there are no performance, quality, safety, or security risks associated with this issue and flight operations for the F-35 in-service fleet will continue as normal," Defense Department spokesperson Russ Goemaere was quoted as saying by CNN. Also Read | China sanctions US companies for supplying arms to Taiwan Since there is no security issue, the pause won’t affect operations of F-35s already delivered to the US military and other partners. A review to understand how the non-compliance took place is underway after the F-35 programme office voluntarily reported the matter. An alternative source for the alloy has already been found and it will be used in future jets. Notably, a US law and a separate Pentagon acquisition regulation prohibit the use of certain specialty metals or alloys produced by “covered countries” mentioned in the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation series. These countries are China, Iran, North Korea and Russia. The Defense Contract Management Agency reported the violation to the F-35 programme office on August 19. "We are working with our partners and DOD to ensure contractual compliance within the supply chain. The magnet has no visibility or access to any sensitive program information. The F-35 remains safe for flight and we are working with the DOD to resolve the issue as quickly as possible to resume deliveries," Lockheed Martin said in a statement. (With inputs from agencies)

Pentagon halts F-35 jets’ deliveries due to use of Chinese alloy in component

A <meta charset="utf-8" /><a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/giving-snakes-their-legs-back-youtuber-gives-robotics-legs-to-walk-netizens-surprised-507706/amp">robotics</a>&nbsp;dog with an anti-tank rocket launcher strapped on its back that was exhibited at Russia's annual Army-2022 international arms expo on Monday rapidly went viral.

A consumer-grade robotic dog that is sold on&nbsp;<meta charset="utf-8" /><a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/alibaba-bytedance-share-top-secret-algorithms-to-chinese-government-for-first-time-507539">Chinese</a> online markets has a remarkable resemblance to the futuristic device, according to investigative media.

The quadruped, known as the "M-81 Complex," was demonstrated walking, lying down, and rotating in a video that was released by Russia's state-run RIA Novosti news agency.

As reported by The Moscow Times, the robotic dog's Russian creator, a small technical firm called Machine Intellect, boasted of its capacity to carry and shoot weapons.

Target selection, patrolling, and security are additional military uses for M-81, a company representative told RIA Novosti. The civilian duties of the robotic dog include carrying medicine, looking around, and traversing rubble in disaster areas.

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A robot dog with a grenade launcher has been demonstrated to a Sputnik correspondent at the Army-2022 military forum. The M-81 robotic system is capable of precisely shooting as well as transporting weapons. The “dog” can also designate targets and conduct patrol missions. <a href="https://t.co/2PyvXotEhz">pic.twitter.com/2PyvXotEhz</a>
— Geopolitics &amp; Empire (@Geopolitics_Emp) <a href="https://twitter.com/Geopolitics_Emp/status/1559301545421856772?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Armed with an RPG-26 anti-tank rocket launcher that weighs up to 3 kg when loaded and has an optical aiming system, the M-81 displayed its skills on the exhibition floor.

The top of the robotic dog's optical sensors could be seen through the coverall of black cloth it was wearing.

The robot's overall chassis and the shape and placement of those optical sensors visually resemble Go1, a companion robot developed by the Chinese startup Unitree Robotics.

The Go1 costs $2,700 on the website of Unitree Robotics and $420 on AliExpress, the largest online retailer in China.

Also watch |&nbsp;'India closely monitoring the docking,' says S Jaishankar on Chinese spy ship Yuan Wang 5

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-closely-monitoring-the-docking-says-s-jaishankar-on-chinese-spy-ship-yuan-wang-5-507719/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

A robotics dog with an anti-tank rocket launcher strapped on its back that was exhibited at Russia's annual Army-2022 international arms expo on Monday rapidly went viral.

A robotics dog with an anti-tank rocket launcher strapped on its back that was exhibited at Russia's annual Army-2022 international arms expo on Monday rapidly went viral. A consumer-grade robotic dog that is sold on Chinese online markets has a remarkable resemblance to the futuristic device, according to investigative media. The quadruped, known as the "M-81 Complex," was demonstrated walking, lying down, and rotating in a video that was released by Russia's state-run RIA Novosti news agency. As reported by The Moscow Times, the robotic dog's Russian creator, a small technical firm called Machine Intellect, boasted of its capacity to carry and shoot weapons. Target selection, patrolling, and security are additional military uses for M-81, a company representative told RIA Novosti. The civilian duties of the robotic dog include carrying medicine, looking around, and traversing rubble in disaster areas. A robot dog with a grenade launcher has been demonstrated to a Sputnik correspondent at the Army-2022 military forum. The M-81 robotic system is capable of precisely shooting as well as transporting weapons. The “dog” can also designate targets and conduct patrol missions. pic.twitter.com/2PyvXotEhz — Geopolitics & Empire (@Geopolitics_Emp) August 15, 2022 × Armed with an RPG-26 anti-tank rocket launcher that weighs up to 3 kg when loaded and has an optical aiming system, the M-81 displayed its skills on the exhibition floor. The top of the robotic dog's optical sensors could be seen through the coverall of black cloth it was wearing. The robot's overall chassis and the shape and placement of those optical sensors visually resemble Go1, a companion robot developed by the Chinese startup Unitree Robotics. The Go1 costs $2,700 on the website of Unitree Robotics and $420 on AliExpress, the largest online retailer in China. Also watch | 'India closely monitoring the docking,' says S Jaishankar on Chinese spy ship Yuan Wang 5

Russia’s ‘fake’ robot gun dog

Thailand police have arrested a <meta charset="utf-8" /><a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/chinese-surveillance-ship-arrives-in-sri-lanka-amid-india-us-concerns-507276">Chinese</a>&nbsp;fugitive wanted by Beijing for allegedly running illegal online gambling operations, and will soon extradite him to China as per authorities.&nbsp;

According to Thailand's deputy police spokeswoman Kissana Phathanacharoen, She Zhijiang, 40, a Chinese national who also holds a Cambodian passport, was detained last week based on an international warrant and an Interpol red alert.

She has been evading capture by Chinese police since 2012, according to the Chinese news source Caixin, and she has been connected to illegal internet gambling enterprises in Southeast Asia.

Since gambling is prohibited in mainland China, Southeast <meta charset="utf-8" /><a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/former-pm-nawaz-sharif-to-return-to-pakistan-in-september-pml-n-507286">Asia</a>&nbsp;has experienced rapid growth in the online gaming industry, which mostly targets Chinese gamblers.

"He is a suspect that the Chinese government wants to investigate... Currently, the extradition procedure to China is in progress "Phathanacharoen added.

When asked about the matter at a routine press conference on Tuesday, Wang Wenbin, a spokesman for the Chinese foreign ministry, did not confirm She's arrest or extradition but issued a warning to anyone suspected of engaging in cross-border gambling to turn themselves in or face severe punishment.

"No matter what corner of the world a criminal suspect runs to, China will initiate law enforcement cooperation with relevant countries and bring the suspect to justice," Wang said.

She is the chairperson of Yatai International Holdings Group, which has invested in the gaming industry in Cambodia, the Philippines, and most recently in Myanmar's Karen State, where Shwe Kokko, a $15 billion casino, entertainment, and tourism complex, is being built.

After Chinese-run casinos proliferated, Cambodia outlawed online gambling in 2019, claiming that it had been exploited by international criminals to coerce clients and launder illegal proceeds.

(With inputs from agencies)

Also WATCH |&nbsp;Thailand's tourism boosts, receives 1.07 million foreign tourists in July

<iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/thailands-tourism-boosts-receives-107-million-foreign-tourists-in-july-506124/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe>

Thailand police have arrested a Chinese fugitive wanted by Beijing for allegedly running illegal online gambling operations, and will soon extradite him to China as per authorities.

Thailand police have arrested a Chinese fugitive wanted by Beijing for allegedly running illegal online gambling operations, and will soon extradite him to China as per authorities. According to Thailand's deputy police spokeswoman Kissana Phathanacharoen, She Zhijiang, 40, a Chinese national who also holds a Cambodian passport, was detained last week based on an international warrant and an Interpol red alert. She has been evading capture by Chinese police since 2012, according to the Chinese news source Caixin, and she has been connected to illegal internet gambling enterprises in Southeast Asia. Since gambling is prohibited in mainland China, Southeast Asia has experienced rapid growth in the online gaming industry, which mostly targets Chinese gamblers. "He is a suspect that the Chinese government wants to investigate... Currently, the extradition procedure to China is in progress "Phathanacharoen added. When asked about the matter at a routine press conference on Tuesday, Wang Wenbin, a spokesman for the Chinese foreign ministry, did not confirm She's arrest or extradition but issued a warning to anyone suspected of engaging in cross-border gambling to turn themselves in or face severe punishment. "No matter what corner of the world a criminal suspect runs to, China will initiate law enforcement cooperation with relevant countries and bring the suspect to justice," Wang said. She is the chairperson of Yatai International Holdings Group, which has invested in the gaming industry in Cambodia, the Philippines, and most recently in Myanmar's Karen State, where Shwe Kokko, a $15 billion casino, entertainment, and tourism complex, is being built. After Chinese-run casinos proliferated, Cambodia outlawed online gambling in 2019, claiming that it had been exploited by international criminals to coerce clients and launder illegal proceeds. (With inputs from agencies) Also WATCH | Thailand's tourism boosts, receives 1.07 million foreign tourists in July

Thai police detain an alleged Chinese gambling lord

In order to increase the chances of domestic businesses, India is reportedly trying to prevent Chinese companies from accessing its sub-$150 (Rs 12000) phone market, according to a report from Bloomberg News on Monday, citing anonymous sources. The change, according to the article, would be devastating for Chinese businesses like Xiaomi and Realme.

As per the Bloomberg story, the effort is intended to force Chinese goliaths out of the lowest section of the second-largest mobile market in the world.

They claimed it correlates with growing anxiety over high-volume brands undercutting local producers, such as Realme and Transsion. They declined to be named because the conversation was delicate.

China cannot afford to give up on the Indian market at this time. After China, the nation of over 1.3 billion people in South Asia is the largest market for smartphones globally. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/tax-evasion-notices-issued-to-three-chinese-mobile-companies-ed-investigating-503135">Also read | India: Tax evasion notices issued to three Chinese mobile companies, ED investigating</a>

Xiaomi and the other firms involved will suffer a great loss if the entry-level market in India is closed off. These businesses have experienced significant growth in the Indian market following the Chinese lockdown thanks to the potential there.&nbsp;

The coronavirus in China nearly put an end to the market for phones because people there are already technologically sophisticated and have access to smartphones.&nbsp;

Watch | Gravitas: Xiaomi &amp; Oppo found violating India's tax laws

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Smartphones priced under $150 made up a third of sales in the three months ending June 2022, according to market researcher Counterpoint. And in that, Chinese smartphone manufacturers held an 80% stake.

Xiaomi and its rivals, Oppo and Vivo, have already been exposed to intense financial examination by New Delhi, which has resulted in tax demands and claims of money laundering. The government has already used clandestine methods to outlaw communications equipment made by ZTE Corp. and Huawei Technologies Co. Although there isn't a formal policy that forbids Chinese networking equipment, wireless operators are urged to buy alternatives.

Since Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. charge more for their phones, the change shouldn't have an impact on them. Requests for comment from Transsion, Realme, and Xiaomi representatives went unanswered. Inquiries from Bloomberg News went unanswered by the technology ministry of India's spokespeople as well.

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

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In order to increase the chances of domestic businesses, India is reportedly trying to prevent Chinese companies from accessing its sub-$150 (Rs 12000) phone market, according to a report from Bloomberg News on Monday, citing anonymous sources.

In order to increase the chances of domestic businesses, India is reportedly trying to prevent Chinese companies from accessing its sub-$150 (Rs 12000) phone market, according to a report from Bloomberg News on Monday, citing anonymous sources. The change, according to the article, would be devastating for Chinese businesses like Xiaomi and Realme. As per the Bloomberg story, the effort is intended to force Chinese goliaths out of the lowest section of the second-largest mobile market in the world. They claimed it correlates with growing anxiety over high-volume brands undercutting local producers, such as Realme and Transsion. They declined to be named because the conversation was delicate. China cannot afford to give up on the Indian market at this time. After China, the nation of over 1.3 billion people in South Asia is the largest market for smartphones globally. Also read | India: Tax evasion notices issued to three Chinese mobile companies, ED investigating Xiaomi and the other firms involved will suffer a great loss if the entry-level market in India is closed off. These businesses have experienced significant growth in the Indian market following the Chinese lockdown thanks to the potential there. The coronavirus in China nearly put an end to the market for phones because people there are already technologically sophisticated and have access to smartphones. Watch | Gravitas: Xiaomi & Oppo found violating India's tax laws Smartphones priced under $150 made up a third of sales in the three months ending June 2022, according to market researcher Counterpoint. And in that, Chinese smartphone manufacturers held an 80% stake. Xiaomi and its rivals, Oppo and Vivo, have already been exposed to intense financial examination by New Delhi, which has resulted in tax demands and claims of money laundering. The government has already used clandestine methods to outlaw communications equipment made by ZTE Corp. and Huawei Technologies Co. Although there isn't a formal policy that forbids Chinese networking equipment, wireless operators are urged to buy alternatives. Since Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. charge more for their phones, the change shouldn't have an impact on them. Requests for comment from Transsion, Realme, and Xiaomi representatives went unanswered. Inquiries from Bloomberg News went unanswered by the technology ministry of India's spokespeople as well. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

India to block sale of Chinese phones priced below $150: Report

The current economic outlook is worrisome. Two of the world's biggest economies the United States and China are struggling. Millions in America are living on the edge, they are struggling amid historically high inflation.

World Bank warns of recession and stagflation: American and Chinese economies on the edge?

Jubilations were witnessed across Croatia after its long-awaited bridge linking its southern Adriatic coast with the rest of the country—as it bypasses&nbsp;a narrow strip of Bosnian territory—was opened for the public.

The 2.4-km cable-stayed bridge was funded by the European Union&nbsp;and built by China, reports BBC.

The Croatian bridge contract was awarded to a Chinese state-owned company, The China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC). It bid far less than its European rivals, prompting an Austrian company to file a complaint, alleging that CRBC was "price-dumping" and receiving Chinese state aid.

The bridge reaches out from the Croatian mainland to the Peljesac peninsula. The inauguration ceremony started Tuesday early morning, with musical performances and a boat race, while scores of pedestrians clocked selfies on the bridge.

“It is a major thing for people here since they did not even feel like they were living in their own country,” said Joso Miletic, 75, who travelled from his village near the city of Zadar, on the central coast, to watch the opening of the bridge, told AFP news agency. “This is the merging of Croatia into a whole.”

The bridge is regarded as the country’s most ambitious infrastructure projects since Croatia declared independence from Yugoslavia&nbsp;in 1991.

Until this bridge was conceived, people used to travel from mainland Croatia to its southern coast via a land belonging to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The present arrangement of the border stems from the fact that when the former Yugoslavia broke up and Croatia became independent in 1991, the new borders of the Croatian coastline were split by a 9-km-long section of Bosnian coastline known as the Neum corridor.

Since Croatia is part of the EU and Bosnia is not, residents trying to travel between the two ends of the Croatian border had to go through two border checks.

But now anyone can drive straight along Croatia's Adriatic coast via the new bridge.

About 85 per cent of the cost of the bridge was funded by the EU, which spent €357m (£300m) using cohesion funds for what it said would improve significantly the everyday lives of Croatians, according to BBC.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Jubilations were witnessed across Croatia after its long-awaited bridge linking its southern Adriatic coast with the rest of the country—as it bypasses a narrow strip of Bosnian territory—was opened for the public.

Jubilations were witnessed across Croatia after its long-awaited bridge linking its southern Adriatic coast with the rest of the country—as it bypasses a narrow strip of Bosnian territory—was opened for the public. The 2.4-km cable-stayed bridge was funded by the European Union and built by China, reports BBC. The Croatian bridge contract was awarded to a Chinese state-owned company, The China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC). It bid far less than its European rivals, prompting an Austrian company to file a complaint, alleging that CRBC was "price-dumping" and receiving Chinese state aid. The bridge reaches out from the Croatian mainland to the Peljesac peninsula. The inauguration ceremony started Tuesday early morning, with musical performances and a boat race, while scores of pedestrians clocked selfies on the bridge. “It is a major thing for people here since they did not even feel like they were living in their own country,” said Joso Miletic, 75, who travelled from his village near the city of Zadar, on the central coast, to watch the opening of the bridge, told AFP news agency. “This is the merging of Croatia into a whole.” The bridge is regarded as the country’s most ambitious infrastructure projects since Croatia declared independence from Yugoslavia in 1991. Until this bridge was conceived, people used to travel from mainland Croatia to its southern coast via a land belonging to Bosnia and Herzegovina. The present arrangement of the border stems from the fact that when the former Yugoslavia broke up and Croatia became independent in 1991, the new borders of the Croatian coastline were split by a 9-km-long section of Bosnian coastline known as the Neum corridor. Since Croatia is part of the EU and Bosnia is not, residents trying to travel between the two ends of the Croatian border had to go through two border checks. But now anyone can drive straight along Croatia's Adriatic coast via the new bridge. About 85 per cent of the cost of the bridge was funded by the EU, which spent €357m (£300m) using cohesion funds for what it said would improve significantly the everyday lives of Croatians, according to BBC. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Croatia opens Chinese-built bridge around Bosnia amid celebrations

Videos showing Chicecream's ice creams staying solid when lighters were held to them went viral, revealing they did not fully melt when left in a 31 degree Celsius (88 degrees Fahrenheit) room for an hour or under a very hot flame. A Chinese brand once dubbed the "Hermes of ice cream" has come under fire after internet users said some of its products do not melt -- even when baked with a blowtorch, as reported by AFP.

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The footage sparked consternation online, prompting users to question the company's high prices and whether the products were overloaded with additives. The most expensive offering of Chicecream -- called "Zhong Xue Gao" in Chinese -- costs 66 yuan ($10). &nbsp;The company said Wednesday that its products were in line with national food safety regulations.

"We believe that it is not scientific to judge the quality of ice cream by baking, drying or heating ice cream," the brand said in a Weibo post that scooped up over 168,000 likes.

The stabilisers -- a food additive used to preserve structure -- commonly used in mass-produced ice creams have been widely approved for use, including by the US Food and Drug Administration. Wang Silu, a senior national food inspector, also said the products used to thicken the ice cream were safe. Chicecream has promoted itself as a Chinese alternative to Western brands such as Magnum and Haagen-Dazs, using supposedly natural ingredients and locally-inspired product designs.

(with inputs from agencies)

Videos showing Chicecream's ice creams staying solid when lighters were held to them went viral, revealing they did not fully melt when left in a 31 degree Celsius (88 degrees Fahrenheit) room for an hour or under a very hot flame.

Videos showing Chicecream's ice creams staying solid when lighters were held to them went viral, revealing they did not fully melt when left in a 31 degree Celsius (88 degrees Fahrenheit) room for an hour or under a very hot flame. A Chinese brand once dubbed the "Hermes of ice cream" has come under fire after internet users said some of its products do not melt -- even when baked with a blowtorch, as reported by AFP. × The footage sparked consternation online, prompting users to question the company's high prices and whether the products were overloaded with additives. The most expensive offering of Chicecream -- called "Zhong Xue Gao" in Chinese -- costs 66 yuan ($10). The company said Wednesday that its products were in line with national food safety regulations. "We believe that it is not scientific to judge the quality of ice cream by baking, drying or heating ice cream," the brand said in a Weibo post that scooped up over 168,000 likes. The stabilisers -- a food additive used to preserve structure -- commonly used in mass-produced ice creams have been widely approved for use, including by the US Food and Drug Administration. Wang Silu, a senior national food inspector, also said the products used to thicken the ice cream were safe. Chicecream has promoted itself as a Chinese alternative to Western brands such as Magnum and Haagen-Dazs, using supposedly natural ingredients and locally-inspired product designs. (with inputs from agencies)

Watch: Chinese company under fire for ice cream that doesn't melt

&nbsp;An uncrewed Chinese spacecraft has acquired imagery data covering all of Mars, including visuals of its south pole, after circling the planet more than 1,300 times since early last year, state media reported on Wednesday.

China's Tianwen-1 successfully reached the Red Planet in February 2021 on the country's inaugural mission there. A robotic rover has since been deployed on the surface as an orbiter surveyed the planet from space.

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-planning-to-bring-mars-sample-to-earth-before-nasa-esa-joint-mission-490054">&nbsp;China planning to bring Mars sample to Earth before NASA, ESA joint mission</a>

Among the images taken from space were China's first photographs of the Martian south pole, where almost all of the planet's water resources are locked.

In 2018, an orbiting probe operated by the European Space Agency had discovered water under the ice of the planet's south pole.

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Mysterious rocks to reveal secrets of Mars?

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Locating subsurface water is key to determining the planet's potential for life, as well as providing a permanent resource for any human exploration there.

Other Tianwen-1 images include photographs of the 4,000 kilometres (2,485-mile) long canyon Valles Marineris, and impact craters of highlands in the north of Mars known as Arabia Terra.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-to-test-3-nuclear-fission-plant-designs-on-the-moon-to-power-martian-and-deep-space-exploration-490657">NASA to test 3 nuclear fission plant designs on the Moon to power Martian and deep space exploration</a>

Tianwen-1 also sent back high-resolution imagery of the edge of the vast Maunder crater, as well as a top-down view of the 18,000 metres (59,055-foot) Ascraeus Mons, a large shield volcano first detected by NASA's Mariner 9 spacecraft more than five decades ago.

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An uncrewed Chinese spacecraft has acquired imagery data covering all of Mars, including visuals of its south pole, after circling the planet more than 1,300 times since early last year, state media reported on Wednesday.

An uncrewed Chinese spacecraft has acquired imagery data covering all of Mars, including visuals of its south pole, after circling the planet more than 1,300 times since early last year, state media reported on Wednesday. China's Tianwen-1 successfully reached the Red Planet in February 2021 on the country's inaugural mission there. A robotic rover has since been deployed on the surface as an orbiter surveyed the planet from space. Also read | China planning to bring Mars sample to Earth before NASA, ESA joint mission Among the images taken from space were China's first photographs of the Martian south pole, where almost all of the planet's water resources are locked. In 2018, an orbiting probe operated by the European Space Agency had discovered water under the ice of the planet's south pole. Watch | Gravitas: Mysterious rocks to reveal secrets of Mars? Locating subsurface water is key to determining the planet's potential for life, as well as providing a permanent resource for any human exploration there. Other Tianwen-1 images include photographs of the 4,000 kilometres (2,485-mile) long canyon Valles Marineris, and impact craters of highlands in the north of Mars known as Arabia Terra. Also read | NASA to test 3 nuclear fission plant designs on the Moon to power Martian and deep space exploration Tianwen-1 also sent back high-resolution imagery of the edge of the vast Maunder crater, as well as a top-down view of the 18,000 metres (59,055-foot) Ascraeus Mons, a large shield volcano first detected by NASA's Mariner 9 spacecraft more than five decades ago. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Chinese spacecraft acquires images of entire planet of Mars

In pics: Record numbers of Chinese graduates enter worst job market in decades

In Pics: Chinese three-person Shenzhou 14 mission arrives at Tiangong space station for six-month stay

For years, scientists have been looking for evidence to prove water existed on Mars once. The efforts seem to have paid off as the China's rover on the red planet has found that water may have been there much more recently than thought by scientists, said a new study. &nbsp;

Around 700 million years ago, water was present on the now cold and dry planet, the study said, citing evidence. This means it was there till the current Amazonian period. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/biological-men-may-be-able-to-get-pregnant-soon-find-out-how-478121" hreflang="en">Biological men may be able to get pregnant soon. Find out how</a>

Till now, scientists used to believe water was present on Mars around 3 billion years ago during the planet’s Hesperian period. Later, it lost much of its water. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The new revelation can be considered a major breakthrough, which also triggers the need to know more about the planet. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The results of the study, which is based on the data from Zhurong rover of China, have been published in the journal ‘Science Advances’ on Wednesday. &nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;Reaching out to the aliens: Astronomers to relay message in space

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The rover is a part of the Tianwen-1 mission and has been scouring the surface of Mars at its landing site in Utopia Planitia since May 2021. &nbsp;

The data taken by rover in its first 92 Martian days, or sols, has been used in the research. Yang Liu, researcher, National Space Science Center (NSSC) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and his colleagues analysed the data. &nbsp;

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(With inputs from agencies)

For years, scientists have been looking for evidence to prove water existed on Mars once. The efforts seem to have paid off as the China's rover on the red planet has found that water may have been there much more recently than thought by scientists, said a new study.

For years, scientists have been looking for evidence to prove water existed on Mars once. The efforts seem to have paid off as the China's rover on the red planet has found that water may have been there much more recently than thought by scientists, said a new study. Around 700 million years ago, water was present on the now cold and dry planet, the study said, citing evidence. This means it was there till the current Amazonian period. Also Read: Biological men may be able to get pregnant soon. Find out how Till now, scientists used to believe water was present on Mars around 3 billion years ago during the planet’s Hesperian period. Later, it lost much of its water. The new revelation can be considered a major breakthrough, which also triggers the need to know more about the planet. The results of the study, which is based on the data from Zhurong rover of China, have been published in the journal ‘Science Advances’ on Wednesday. Watch: Reaching out to the aliens: Astronomers to relay message in space × The rover is a part of the Tianwen-1 mission and has been scouring the surface of Mars at its landing site in Utopia Planitia since May 2021. The data taken by rover in its first 92 Martian days, or sols, has been used in the research. Yang Liu, researcher, National Space Science Center (NSSC) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and his colleagues analysed the data. WATCH WION LIVE HERE (With inputs from agencies)

Big revelation: Chinese rover unearths evidence of water’s presence on Mars. Read details here

Eyeing a historic third term, Chinese President Xi Jinping nowadays seems to be tormented by criticism of zero-Covid policy, strain being faced by economy, 'cerebral aneurysm' and others.&nbsp;Yes, you read it right, 'cerebral aneurysm' too as he&nbsp;seems to be suffering from it for some time, as per media reports.&nbsp;At the end of 2021, Jinping had to be hospitalised as well.&nbsp;But, what is 'cerebral aneurysm'? &nbsp;

Cerebral Aneurysm

A cerebral or intracranial aneurysm is a condition where a blood vessel in the brain weakens, leading to ballooning and getting filled with blood. &nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mental-health-matters-what-is-post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd-477702" hreflang="en">Mental health matters: What is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?</a>

This usually occurs between the base of the skull and the underside of the brain. It can result in life-threatening bleeding if the aneurysm leaks or ruptures, as per experts. &nbsp;

Although unruptured aneurysms have no symptoms, ruptured ones can lead to sudden and severe headaches, experts added.

Watch | China covid-19 crisis: Authorities isolate entire buildings over few covid-19 cases&nbsp;

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Instead of going for surgery, the president seems to have been preferred traditional Chinese medicines for treatment, reports said.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

As Xi has been avoiding meeting foreign leaders after Covid outbreak, there have been numerous speculations regarding his health. &nbsp;

In March 2019, Xi's gait was observed to be unusual and there was a noticeable limp during his visit to Italy. &nbsp;

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(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Eyeing a historic third term, Chinese President Xi Jinping nowadays seems to be tormented by criticism of zero-Covid policy, strain being faced by economy, 'cerebral aneurysm' and others.

Eyeing a historic third term, Chinese President Xi Jinping nowadays seems to be tormented by criticism of zero-Covid policy, strain being faced by economy, 'cerebral aneurysm' and others. Yes, you read it right, 'cerebral aneurysm' too as he seems to be suffering from it for some time, as per media reports. At the end of 2021, Jinping had to be hospitalised as well. But, what is 'cerebral aneurysm'? Cerebral Aneurysm A cerebral or intracranial aneurysm is a condition where a blood vessel in the brain weakens, leading to ballooning and getting filled with blood. Also Read | Mental health matters: What is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)? This usually occurs between the base of the skull and the underside of the brain. It can result in life-threatening bleeding if the aneurysm leaks or ruptures, as per experts. Although unruptured aneurysms have no symptoms, ruptured ones can lead to sudden and severe headaches, experts added. Watch | China covid-19 crisis: Authorities isolate entire buildings over few covid-19 cases × Instead of going for surgery, the president seems to have been preferred traditional Chinese medicines for treatment, reports said. As Xi has been avoiding meeting foreign leaders after Covid outbreak, there have been numerous speculations regarding his health. In March 2019, Xi's gait was observed to be unusual and there was a noticeable limp during his visit to Italy. WATCH WION LIVE HERE (With inputs from agencies)

What is 'cerebral aneurysm' that Chinese President Xi Jinping reportedly suffers from?

In a major development in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, a strategic&nbsp;bridge on Karakoram Highway has been swept away by Shishper glacier’s water on Saturday, media reports said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Located in the Gilgit-Baltistan region, the Hassanabad bridge was reportedly built by China, a report said. There were no casualties in the incident, as per authorities. &nbsp;

This comes as Pakistan has been facing numerous issues like financial crisis, political tussle, etc. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-pm-shehbaz-sharif-vows-to-take-legal-action-against-his-predecessor-imran-khan-477809" hreflang="en">Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif vows to take legal action against his predecessor</a>

The incident led to commotion among tourists, who had visited the area. &nbsp;

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What they don't tell you .. 
Shishper is a surging, or advancing, glacier, unlike those they say are receding due to "Climate Change" 🤔😂 <a href="https://t.co/0GZfIkErtP">https://t.co/0GZfIkErtP</a>
— Lawyerforlaws (@lawyer4laws) <a href="https://twitter.com/lawyer4laws/status/1522953936088489985?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 7, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The persistent heatwave seems to have led to the melting of the Shishper glacier near Mount Shishpar. This resulted in floods which took the bridge down, reported Independent, a news outlet. &nbsp;

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A strategic bridge on KKH collapses due to Shishper Glacier Lake Outburst Flood in Hassanabad, Hunza.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Hunza?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Hunza</a> bound tourist, who intend to visit Karimabad Attabad, Khunjerab &amp; Hoper are advised to travel on alternate 🛣️ from Murtazaabad via SAS valley to reach KKH.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Habadbridge?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Habadbridge</a> <a href="https://t.co/5mcz8uvt0q">pic.twitter.com/5mcz8uvt0q</a>
— Gilgit Baltistan Students Federation#ClimateCrisis (@GilgitStudentsf) <a href="https://twitter.com/GilgitStudentsf/status/1522910915636699137?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 7, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The videos of the incident, which were shared on social media, displayed torrents of water crashing into the bridge, leading to its immediate collapse.

Watch:&nbsp;'Big decisions' expected at Nawaz-Shehbaz meet in London

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The traffic was diverted to other alternate routes. Big trucks were also prohibited by local authorities. &nbsp;

The floods also submerged agricultural land, residences, etc. Two hydroelectric projects were also destroyed by the water. &nbsp;

A temporary bridge will be constructed to restore traffic flow disrupted by the floods, local officials said.&nbsp; &nbsp;

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(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

In a major development in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, a strategic bridge on Karakoram Highway has been swept away by Shishper glacier’s water on Saturday, media reports said.

In a major development in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, a strategic bridge on Karakoram Highway has been swept away by Shishper glacier’s water on Saturday, media reports said. Located in the Gilgit-Baltistan region, the Hassanabad bridge was reportedly built by China, a report said. There were no casualties in the incident, as per authorities. This comes as Pakistan has been facing numerous issues like financial crisis, political tussle, etc. Also Read: Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif vows to take legal action against his predecessor The incident led to commotion among tourists, who had visited the area. What they don't tell you .. Shishper is a surging, or advancing, glacier, unlike those they say are receding due to "Climate Change" 🤔😂 https://t.co/0GZfIkErtP — Lawyerforlaws (@lawyer4laws) May 7, 2022 × The persistent heatwave seems to have led to the melting of the Shishper glacier near Mount Shishpar. This resulted in floods which took the bridge down, reported Independent, a news outlet. A strategic bridge on KKH collapses due to Shishper Glacier Lake Outburst Flood in Hassanabad, Hunza.#Hunza bound tourist, who intend to visit Karimabad Attabad, Khunjerab & Hoper are advised to travel on alternate 🛣️ from Murtazaabad via SAS valley to reach KKH.#Habadbridge pic.twitter.com/5mcz8uvt0q — Gilgit Baltistan Students Federation#ClimateCrisis (@GilgitStudentsf) May 7, 2022 × The videos of the incident, which were shared on social media, displayed torrents of water crashing into the bridge, leading to its immediate collapse. Watch: 'Big decisions' expected at Nawaz-Shehbaz meet in London × The traffic was diverted to other alternate routes. Big trucks were also prohibited by local authorities. The floods also submerged agricultural land, residences, etc. Two hydroelectric projects were also destroyed by the water. A temporary bridge will be constructed to restore traffic flow disrupted by the floods, local officials said. WATCH WION LIVE HERE (With inputs from agencies)

Shishper glacier’s water sweeps away Chinese-built strategic bridge on Karakoram Highway in PoK

A government-backed television station in Taiwan has to apologise on Wednesday (April 20) after it mistakenly reported a Chinese attack in Taipei.&nbsp;

During a live news broadcast on Wednesday morning, Chinese Television System mistakenly showed news ticker alerts at the bottom of the screen about military ships and critical infrastructure near Taipei being hit by Chinese missiles, according to local media reports.

The alerts included words like "A war could break out". The news elements also conveyed that a major train station in Taipei was set on fire by "Chinese agents" and Taiwan's president declared a state of emergency.

The channel eventually had to apologise and appeal for calm.

"Citizens, please don't be overly panicked. We hereby clarify the information and apologise," an anchor said in the network's news bulletin at 10 a.m.

She said the alerts were meant for a drill with the Fire Department in New Taipei City on Tuesday but were mistakenly displayed on Wednesday morning because of a technical error.

There were no overt signs of panic in Taipei after the accidental bulletins.

China openly states Taiwan to be its own territory and has never ruled out use of force to take control of the island nation.

Taiwan has raised its alert level since Russia invaded Ukraine, wary of China making a similar move, though the government has not reported any signs an attack is imminent.

The war in Ukraine, which Russia calls a "special military operation", has prompted debate on the implications for Taiwan and ways to boost preparedness, such as reforms to the training of reservists.

(With inputs from agencies)

A government-backed television station in Taiwan has to apologise on Wednesday (April 20) after it mistakenly reported a Chinese attack in Taipei. During a live news broadcast on Wednesday morning, Chinese Television System mistakenly showed news ticker alerts at the bottom of the screen about military ships and critical infrastructure near Taipei being hit by Chinese missiles, according to local media reports.

A government-backed television station in Taiwan has to apologise on Wednesday (April 20) after it mistakenly reported a Chinese attack in Taipei. During a live news broadcast on Wednesday morning, Chinese Television System mistakenly showed news ticker alerts at the bottom of the screen about military ships and critical infrastructure near Taipei being hit by Chinese missiles, according to local media reports. The alerts included words like "A war could break out". The news elements also conveyed that a major train station in Taipei was set on fire by "Chinese agents" and Taiwan's president declared a state of emergency. The channel eventually had to apologise and appeal for calm. "Citizens, please don't be overly panicked. We hereby clarify the information and apologise," an anchor said in the network's news bulletin at 10 a.m. She said the alerts were meant for a drill with the Fire Department in New Taipei City on Tuesday but were mistakenly displayed on Wednesday morning because of a technical error. There were no overt signs of panic in Taipei after the accidental bulletins. China openly states Taiwan to be its own territory and has never ruled out use of force to take control of the island nation. Taiwan has raised its alert level since Russia invaded Ukraine, wary of China making a similar move, though the government has not reported any signs an attack is imminent. The war in Ukraine, which Russia calls a "special military operation", has prompted debate on the implications for Taiwan and ways to boost preparedness, such as reforms to the training of reservists. (With inputs from agencies)

Taiwan: TV station mistakenly reports Chinese attack, then apologises

Despite intentions to sign a security treaty with Beijing, the Solomon Archipelago stated it would not allow a Chinese military installation in the Pacific islands nation, sparking a regional backlash.

The office of Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare stated on Friday that the deal did not encourage China to create a military facility, a day after officials from the two countries initialled a draft agreement on security.&nbsp;

"Government is conscious of the security ramification of hosting a military base, and it will not be careless to allow such initiative to take place under its watch," a statement said.

Sogavare has not revealed the contents of the security pact with China, which has aroused worry after a leaked draught permitted Chinese navy ships to refuel at the islands.

It has yet to be signed by ministers.

The head of the Federated States of Micronesia encouraged the Solomon Islands not to sign the security treaty on Thursday, citing "severe security concerns" and a worry that the Pacific will become embroiled in a conflict between China and the US.

Watch | Gravitas: China gets another military base in Tajikistan

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New Zealand has also expressed its opposition to the treaty, claiming that it will jeopardise long-standing regional security cooperation.

On Friday, Australia's Defence Minister, Peter Dutton, said he appreciated Sogavare's viewpoint but advised prudence.&nbsp;

Despite promising the US that it would not militarise the region, China had constructed 20 points of military presence in the South China Sea, and Canberra feared Beijing was following a similar route in the Pacific islands, Dutton said in an interview with Sky News.

Watch | Gravitas: Solomon Islands: Under pressure from Beijing?

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-solomon-islands-under-pressure-from-beijing-466792/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

 
"They want a military port in PNG [Papua New Guinea]. They`ve got one in Sri Lanka, and they`re looking obviously at other places where they can put them," he said. 
 
A Chinese military base in the Solomon Islands would prompt Australia to significantly increase its military deployment to the region because it the islands are very close to Australia, he said. 
 
"The Chinese are incredibly aggressive. The tactics that they`re deploying into small island nations is quite remarkable," he added. 
 
"The China-Solomon Islands security cooperation does not target any third party and does not conflict with other nations," China's foreign ministry said on Thursday, adding that the pact covered social order, defending lives and property, and natural disaster relief.

(With inputs from agencies)

Despite intentions to sign a security treaty with Beijing, the Solomon Archipelago stated it would not allow a Chinese military installation in the Pacific islands nation, sparking a regional backlash.

Despite intentions to sign a security treaty with Beijing, the Solomon Archipelago stated it would not allow a Chinese military installation in the Pacific islands nation, sparking a regional backlash. The office of Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare stated on Friday that the deal did not encourage China to create a military facility, a day after officials from the two countries initialled a draft agreement on security. "Government is conscious of the security ramification of hosting a military base, and it will not be careless to allow such initiative to take place under its watch," a statement said. Sogavare has not revealed the contents of the security pact with China, which has aroused worry after a leaked draught permitted Chinese navy ships to refuel at the islands. It has yet to be signed by ministers. The head of the Federated States of Micronesia encouraged the Solomon Islands not to sign the security treaty on Thursday, citing "severe security concerns" and a worry that the Pacific will become embroiled in a conflict between China and the US. Watch | Gravitas: China gets another military base in Tajikistan New Zealand has also expressed its opposition to the treaty, claiming that it will jeopardise long-standing regional security cooperation. On Friday, Australia's Defence Minister, Peter Dutton, said he appreciated Sogavare's viewpoint but advised prudence. Despite promising the US that it would not militarise the region, China had constructed 20 points of military presence in the South China Sea, and Canberra feared Beijing was following a similar route in the Pacific islands, Dutton said in an interview with Sky News. Watch | Gravitas: Solomon Islands: Under pressure from Beijing? "They want a military port in PNG [Papua New Guinea]. They`ve got one in Sri Lanka, and they`re looking obviously at other places where they can put them," he said. A Chinese military base in the Solomon Islands would prompt Australia to significantly increase its military deployment to the region because it the islands are very close to Australia, he said. "The Chinese are incredibly aggressive. The tactics that they`re deploying into small island nations is quite remarkable," he added. "The China-Solomon Islands security cooperation does not target any third party and does not conflict with other nations," China's foreign ministry said on Thursday, adding that the pact covered social order, defending lives and property, and natural disaster relief. (With inputs from agencies)

Won't allow Chinese military base, we know 'ramification': Solomon Islands

In the China Eastern plane crash, no survivors have been found till now. The search is still continuing in the scattered wreckage on Tuesday, said state media’s report. &nbsp;&nbsp;

There were around 132 people onboard the aircraft when it crashed a day earlier in a mountainous area. It is being viewed as China's worst air disaster in a decade. &nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-final-moments-of-china-plane-caught-on-camera-just-before-crash-464336">Watch: Final moments of China plane caught on camera just before crash</a>

"Wreckage of the plane was found at the scene, but up until now, none of those aboard the plane with whom contact was lost have been found," state broadcaster CCTV said on Tuesday morning. &nbsp;

The plane was flying from Kunming in the southwestern province of Yunnan to the industrial center of Guangzhou along the east coast. &nbsp;

The Boeing 737-800, which had crashed near Wuzhou city in the Guangxi region, witnessed a fire big enough to be seen on NASA satellite images. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-passenger-jet-carrying-133-people-crashes-in-guangxi-state-media-464239" hreflang="en">Chinese passenger jet carrying 133 people crashes in Guangxi, Xi orders probe</a>

China Eastern Flight 5735 was travelling 455 knots (523 mph, 842 kph) at around 29,000 feet when it entered a steep dive around 2:20 pm local time, as per data from flight-tracking website, FlightRadar24.com. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The aircraft was carrying 123 passengers and nine crew members, the Civil Aviation Administration of China said. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for an 'all-out' rescue operation, and an investigation into the crash. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

In the China Eastern plane crash, no survivors have been found till now. The search is still continuing in the scattered wreckage on Tuesday, said state media’s report.

In the China Eastern plane crash, no survivors have been found till now. The search is still continuing in the scattered wreckage on Tuesday, said state media’s report. There were around 132 people onboard the aircraft when it crashed a day earlier in a mountainous area. It is being viewed as China's worst air disaster in a decade. Also Read | Watch: Final moments of China plane caught on camera just before crash "Wreckage of the plane was found at the scene, but up until now, none of those aboard the plane with whom contact was lost have been found," state broadcaster CCTV said on Tuesday morning. The plane was flying from Kunming in the southwestern province of Yunnan to the industrial center of Guangzhou along the east coast. The Boeing 737-800, which had crashed near Wuzhou city in the Guangxi region, witnessed a fire big enough to be seen on NASA satellite images. Also Read: Chinese passenger jet carrying 133 people crashes in Guangxi, Xi orders probe China Eastern Flight 5735 was travelling 455 knots (523 mph, 842 kph) at around 29,000 feet when it entered a steep dive around 2:20 pm local time, as per data from flight-tracking website, FlightRadar24.com. The aircraft was carrying 123 passengers and nine crew members, the Civil Aviation Administration of China said. Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for an 'all-out' rescue operation, and an investigation into the crash. (With inputs from agencies)

China Plane Crash: No sign of survivors till now, says report  

If researchers of China are to be believed, a microwave machine called 'Relativistic Klystron Amplifier (RKA)’ has been developed by them. &nbsp;&nbsp;

What’s so special about it? The machine can be used to jam or destroy satellites in space, as per researchers. It seems to have the power to burn out sensitive electronics in satellites. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/sleeping-for-long-hours-may-be-early-sign-of-alzheimers-disease-says-study-463477" hreflang="en">Sleeping for long hours may be early sign of Alzheimer’s disease, says study</a>

The device, which can generate a wave burst measuring five-megawatts in the Ka-band, can be mounted onto satellites to attack enemy assets in space, Taiwan News reported, citing Asia Times. &nbsp;

The Ka-band is a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, which is increasingly used for both civil and military purposes. &nbsp;

It, however, cannot be used to shoot targets in space from the ground. &nbsp;&nbsp;

This technology can function as a high-powered weapon, a Beijing-based space scientist told Taiwan News on condition of anonymity. The expert said that its power was "overwhelming just to think about." &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-finally-decides-to-open-moon-sample-sealed-since-1972-461389" hreflang="en">NASA finally decides to open Moon sample sealed since 1972</a>

China denies the RKA is a Directed Energy Weapon (DEW), which is a system that uses concentrated electromagnetic energy to destroy enemy equipment in a physical conflict. &nbsp;

Still, it can send beams, which are strong enough to rip through metallic materials moving at speed, reported Taiwan News. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

If researchers of China are to be believed, a microwave machine called 'Relativistic Klystron Amplifier (RKA)’ has been developed by them. What’s so special about it?

If researchers of China are to be believed, a microwave machine called 'Relativistic Klystron Amplifier (RKA)’ has been developed by them. What’s so special about it? The machine can be used to jam or destroy satellites in space, as per researchers. It seems to have the power to burn out sensitive electronics in satellites. Also Read: Sleeping for long hours may be early sign of Alzheimer’s disease, says study The device, which can generate a wave burst measuring five-megawatts in the Ka-band, can be mounted onto satellites to attack enemy assets in space, Taiwan News reported, citing Asia Times. The Ka-band is a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, which is increasingly used for both civil and military purposes. It, however, cannot be used to shoot targets in space from the ground. This technology can function as a high-powered weapon, a Beijing-based space scientist told Taiwan News on condition of anonymity. The expert said that its power was "overwhelming just to think about." Also Read: NASA finally decides to open Moon sample sealed since 1972 China denies the RKA is a Directed Energy Weapon (DEW), which is a system that uses concentrated electromagnetic energy to destroy enemy equipment in a physical conflict. Still, it can send beams, which are strong enough to rip through metallic materials moving at speed, reported Taiwan News. (With inputs from agencies)

Chinese researchers claim to develop satellite-killing weapon

Australia wants a "full investigation" into an incident by China where a naval vessel of the Beijing pointed a laser at an Australian defence plane. &nbsp;

It was potentially visible from Australia's mainland, said Prime Minister Scott Morrison. &nbsp;

On radio on Monday, Morrison said that his government had not received an explanation from China over the incident. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/state-of-border-will-define-relations-with-china-says-indias-foreign-minister-jaishankar-454677" hreflang="en">'State of border will define relations with China', says India's foreign minister Jaishankar</a>

The country is seeing the incident as a "dangerous and reckless act". &nbsp;

On Saturday, Australia's defence said that a Chinese navy vessel, which was within Australia's exclusive economic zone, directed a laser at an Australian military aircraft in flight over northern approaches of the country. It illuminated the plane and potentially endangered lives. &nbsp;

<img alt="Brief 3" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4861547b-0e1c-431b-87d5-ea5e96f6f25a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Australia%202.jpg" />

The P-8A Poseidon, which is a maritime patrol aircraft, detected a laser originating from a People's Liberation Army – Navy (PLA-N) vessel, the Defence Department said. It also released the photographs of two Chinese vessels sailing close to northern coast of Australia. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/passenger-found-alive-on-greece-italy-ferry-after-blaze-11-still-missing-454784" hreflang="en">Passenger found alive on Greece-Italy ferry after blaze, 11 still missing</a>

Through diplomatic and defence channels, Australia had called for "a full investigation into this event", Morrison said on local radio. &nbsp;&nbsp;

In Tasmania on Monday, Morrison told reporters, "It's possible people could even see the vessel from our mainland, potentially." &nbsp;

At the time of the incident, a Chinese guided missile destroyer and an amphibious transport dock were sailing east through the Arafura Sea between New Guinea and Australia. They later passed through the narrow Torres Strait. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Australia wants a "full investigation" into an incident by China where a naval vessel of the Beijing pointed a laser at an Australian defence plane. It was potentially visible from Australia's mainland, said Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

Australia wants a "full investigation" into an incident by China where a naval vessel of the Beijing pointed a laser at an Australian defence plane. It was potentially visible from Australia's mainland, said Prime Minister Scott Morrison. On radio on Monday, Morrison said that his government had not received an explanation from China over the incident. Also Read: 'State of border will define relations with China', says India's foreign minister Jaishankar The country is seeing the incident as a "dangerous and reckless act". On Saturday, Australia's defence said that a Chinese navy vessel, which was within Australia's exclusive economic zone, directed a laser at an Australian military aircraft in flight over northern approaches of the country. It illuminated the plane and potentially endangered lives. The P-8A Poseidon, which is a maritime patrol aircraft, detected a laser originating from a People's Liberation Army – Navy (PLA-N) vessel, the Defence Department said. It also released the photographs of two Chinese vessels sailing close to northern coast of Australia. Also Read: Passenger found alive on Greece-Italy ferry after blaze, 11 still missing Through diplomatic and defence channels, Australia had called for "a full investigation into this event", Morrison said on local radio. In Tasmania on Monday, Morrison told reporters, "It's possible people could even see the vessel from our mainland, potentially." At the time of the incident, a Chinese guided missile destroyer and an amphibious transport dock were sailing east through the Arafura Sea between New Guinea and Australia. They later passed through the narrow Torres Strait. (With inputs from agencies)

Australia looks for 'full investigation' into Chinese laser incident, says PM Morrison

After Covid pause, Chinese New Year parade enthralls San Francisco again

Sri Lanka is moving away from China while getting close to India over the failure of Colombo to pay back Chinese loans worth $4.5 billion, amidst fears of a "debt trap".

Sri Lanka's credit rating has been downgraded by Fitch Ratings and Moody's Investor Service due to delays in obtaining new funds, which are necessary to satisfy loan commitments.

The country is on the verge of defaulting.

On January 17, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa told visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi that "it would be a great relief to the country if attention could be paid to restructuring the debt repayments as a solution to the economic crisis that has arisen in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic."

However, China rejected the request, with Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin remarking, "Sri Lanka will surely overcome the temporary difficulties as soon as possible."

Over the past few weeks, the country has struggled to pay off its fuel import bills.Recently, India also provided financial assistance of 2.4 billion USD to Sri Lanka following a two-day official visit by the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister, GL Peiris, to India from February 6 to 8. GL Peiris said that Colombo was committed to special relations with New Delhi.

Last Tuesday, the Indian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka handed over a 40,000 MT fuel consignment by Indian Oil Corp Ltd to the Sri Lankan Energy Minister, Udaya Gammanpila.

"#India - a committed partner and a true friend of #SriLanka. The High Commissioner handed over a 40,000 MT fuel consignment by @IndianOilcl to the Honourable Energy Minister @UPGammanpila today.

India and Sri Lanka partnership continues to work towards energy security of #lka," the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka tweeted.In October last year, the Department of Agriculture in Colombo detected the highly contaminated organic fertiliser sent by China and cancelled the fertiliser and requested India to export nano nitrogen liquid fertilizer.

Fears have also been rife in Colombo regarding Chinese loans, as the country has previously been forced to hand over strategic projects like Hambantota port to the Chinese on lease for non-repayment of loans.

Sri Lanka is moving away from China while getting close to India over the failure of Colombo to pay back Chinese loans worth $4.5 billion, amidst fears of a "debt trap".

Sri Lanka is moving away from China while getting close to India over the failure of Colombo to pay back Chinese loans worth $4.5 billion, amidst fears of a "debt trap". Sri Lanka's credit rating has been downgraded by Fitch Ratings and Moody's Investor Service due to delays in obtaining new funds, which are necessary to satisfy loan commitments. The country is on the verge of defaulting. On January 17, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa told visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi that "it would be a great relief to the country if attention could be paid to restructuring the debt repayments as a solution to the economic crisis that has arisen in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic." However, China rejected the request, with Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin remarking, "Sri Lanka will surely overcome the temporary difficulties as soon as possible." Over the past few weeks, the country has struggled to pay off its fuel import bills.Recently, India also provided financial assistance of 2.4 billion USD to Sri Lanka following a two-day official visit by the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister, GL Peiris, to India from February 6 to 8. GL Peiris said that Colombo was committed to special relations with New Delhi. Last Tuesday, the Indian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka handed over a 40,000 MT fuel consignment by Indian Oil Corp Ltd to the Sri Lankan Energy Minister, Udaya Gammanpila. "#India - a committed partner and a true friend of #SriLanka. The High Commissioner handed over a 40,000 MT fuel consignment by @IndianOilcl to the Honourable Energy Minister @UPGammanpila today. India and Sri Lanka partnership continues to work towards energy security of #lka," the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka tweeted.In October last year, the Department of Agriculture in Colombo detected the highly contaminated organic fertiliser sent by China and cancelled the fertiliser and requested India to export nano nitrogen liquid fertilizer. Fears have also been rife in Colombo regarding Chinese loans, as the country has previously been forced to hand over strategic projects like Hambantota port to the Chinese on lease for non-repayment of loans.

Sri Lanka getting closer to India to deal with Chinese 'debt trap'

Highlighting that the Chinese government has detained about 1.8 million Uyghurs since 2017, an anthropologist said that the mass detentions are part of China's settler colonialism and resource extraction in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR).

Nuriman Abdurashid, writing in Radio Free Asia (RFA) said that an anthropologist Darren Byler, assistant professor of international studies at Canada`s Simon Fraser University, in his book terror capitalism: Uyghur dispossession and masculinity in a Chinese city examined how China's&nbsp;settler colonisation of muslim Uyghurs in Xinjiang`s capital Urumqi.

Terror capitalism is a system that justifies oppression by branding Uyghurs a security threat to generate state investment in policing and surveillance technologies to monitor and control them, said Byler in an interview with RFA.

Byler's ethnographic fieldwork in Urumqi shows how the Chinese government's imposition of ethnic majority Han Chinese values along with efforts to increase the number of Han settlers in the area have perpetuated Uyghur dispossession and expulsion from the city.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/regular-training-amid-ukraine-tensions-putin-to-oversee-russias-nuclear-drills-454476">Also read |&nbsp;'Regular training': Amid Ukraine tensions, Putin to oversee Russia's nuclear drills</a>

He focused on young Uyghur men, the main target of state brutality, and their development of tight social bonds as a protective measure, said Abdurashid. Byler`s other book on Xinjiang, In the Camps: China`s High-Tech Penal Colony, also published in 2021, examines China`s pervasive surveillance network in Xinjiang.

Terror Capitalism is focused on the rise of an economic form of a kind of security-industrial complex where the state has hired over 1,000 contractors - private companies - to build forms of surveillance that will begin to sort through Uyghur and Kazakh behaviour and diagnose who is potentially a criminal, said Byler. The Chinese counterterrorism laws define things as terrorism that are not terrorism.

It is things like having WhatsApp on your phone, using a VPN, and having relatives who live abroad and sending them money.

The first three chapters of Terror Capitalism focus on processes of enclosure devaluation and dispossession, which are all of the ways in which Uyghurs have been systematically targeted by this system, Byler wrote in RFA.

Two of the last three chapters focus on ways that Uyghurs survive and how they find where to live even as these things are being done to them, he added.

Talking about the expectation of the readers, Byler said that he wants readers to know about what`s happening to the Uyghurs is similar to and related to older forms of settler colonialism that occurred in other places like in North America where native Americans were colonised.

The global war on terror is being utilised as a tool to put those colonial systems in place. The same thing is happening in northwest China. That's what I want readers to take away from this.. The decimation of Uyghur society is the most egregious form of settler colonialism that`s in the world right now, said Byler.&nbsp;

Highlighting that the Chinese government has detained about 1.8 million Uyghurs since 2017, an anthropologist said that the mass detentions are part of China's settler colonialism and resource extraction in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR).

Highlighting that the Chinese government has detained about 1.8 million Uyghurs since 2017, an anthropologist said that the mass detentions are part of China's settler colonialism and resource extraction in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR). Nuriman Abdurashid, writing in Radio Free Asia (RFA) said that an anthropologist Darren Byler, assistant professor of international studies at Canada`s Simon Fraser University, in his book terror capitalism: Uyghur dispossession and masculinity in a Chinese city examined how China's settler colonisation of muslim Uyghurs in Xinjiang`s capital Urumqi. Terror capitalism is a system that justifies oppression by branding Uyghurs a security threat to generate state investment in policing and surveillance technologies to monitor and control them, said Byler in an interview with RFA. Byler's ethnographic fieldwork in Urumqi shows how the Chinese government's imposition of ethnic majority Han Chinese values along with efforts to increase the number of Han settlers in the area have perpetuated Uyghur dispossession and expulsion from the city. Also read | 'Regular training': Amid Ukraine tensions, Putin to oversee Russia's nuclear drills He focused on young Uyghur men, the main target of state brutality, and their development of tight social bonds as a protective measure, said Abdurashid. Byler`s other book on Xinjiang, In the Camps: China`s High-Tech Penal Colony, also published in 2021, examines China`s pervasive surveillance network in Xinjiang. Terror Capitalism is focused on the rise of an economic form of a kind of security-industrial complex where the state has hired over 1,000 contractors - private companies - to build forms of surveillance that will begin to sort through Uyghur and Kazakh behaviour and diagnose who is potentially a criminal, said Byler. The Chinese counterterrorism laws define things as terrorism that are not terrorism. It is things like having WhatsApp on your phone, using a VPN, and having relatives who live abroad and sending them money. The first three chapters of Terror Capitalism focus on processes of enclosure devaluation and dispossession, which are all of the ways in which Uyghurs have been systematically targeted by this system, Byler wrote in RFA. Two of the last three chapters focus on ways that Uyghurs survive and how they find where to live even as these things are being done to them, he added. Talking about the expectation of the readers, Byler said that he wants readers to know about what`s happening to the Uyghurs is similar to and related to older forms of settler colonialism that occurred in other places like in North America where native Americans were colonised. The global war on terror is being utilised as a tool to put those colonial systems in place. The same thing is happening in northwest China. That's what I want readers to take away from this.. The decimation of Uyghur society is the most egregious form of settler colonialism that`s in the world right now, said Byler.

Mass detention of Uyghurs by Chinese govt 'egregious form of settler colonialism': Expert

Alexa whistleblower Tang Mingfang has revealed that he was tortured before being jailed by Chinese authorities. This comes after Tang exposed the illegal working conditions in a factory where Amazon's Alexa devices were made.&nbsp;

Describing the condition&nbsp;he said that he was beaten by his interrogators, handcuffed in stress positions until he agreed to sign a confession. “I refused to sign seven times, and they got angry and handcuffed me to the bottom of the iron frame, unable to stand, squat, sit; only bending, half squatting all night. In the early morning, I could not stand anymore,” he said.

Tang revealed that the Hengyang based factory used schoolchildren and made them work for illegally long hours to manufacture Amazon’s popular products including Echo, Echo Dot and Kindle devices.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/god-told-me-to-go-us-man-charged-with-threatening-to-harm-president-joe-biden-448875">Also read |&nbsp;'God told me to go...': US man charged with threatening to harm President Joe Biden</a>

Tang has claimed that his father died while he was in prison and he would have wanted him to speak up when he saw the abuse of young workers. In a report by The Observer, he said, "My father always taught me that I should be a good person and, because I followed my heart and believed that justice should be served, I reported the serious violations at Hengyang Foxconn. Yet my imprisonment has caused such great harm to me and my family."

After spending two years in prison, he is now appealing to the higher courts to clear his name.&nbsp;

Tang has decided to talk publicly even after being aware of the risks as he believes that Amazon and its founder, Jeff Bezos, have a responsibility to support his appeal.&nbsp;

Amazon spokesperson, while speaking to the Observer said, “We do not tolerate violations of our supply chain standards. We regularly assess suppliers, using independent auditors as appropriate, to monitor continued compliance and improvement – if we find violations, we take appropriate steps, including requesting immediate corrective action.”

(With inputs from agencies)

Alexa whistleblower Tang Mingfang has revealed that he was tortured before being jailed by Chinese authorities. This comes after Tang exposed the illegal working conditions in a factory where Amazon's Alexa devices were made.

Alexa whistleblower Tang Mingfang has revealed that he was tortured before being jailed by Chinese authorities. This comes after Tang exposed the illegal working conditions in a factory where Amazon's Alexa devices were made. Describing the condition he said that he was beaten by his interrogators, handcuffed in stress positions until he agreed to sign a confession. “I refused to sign seven times, and they got angry and handcuffed me to the bottom of the iron frame, unable to stand, squat, sit; only bending, half squatting all night. In the early morning, I could not stand anymore,” he said. Tang revealed that the Hengyang based factory used schoolchildren and made them work for illegally long hours to manufacture Amazon’s popular products including Echo, Echo Dot and Kindle devices. Also read | 'God told me to go...': US man charged with threatening to harm President Joe Biden Tang has claimed that his father died while he was in prison and he would have wanted him to speak up when he saw the abuse of young workers. In a report by The Observer, he said, "My father always taught me that I should be a good person and, because I followed my heart and believed that justice should be served, I reported the serious violations at Hengyang Foxconn. Yet my imprisonment has caused such great harm to me and my family." After spending two years in prison, he is now appealing to the higher courts to clear his name. Tang has decided to talk publicly even after being aware of the risks as he believes that Amazon and its founder, Jeff Bezos, have a responsibility to support his appeal. Amazon spokesperson, while speaking to the Observer said, “We do not tolerate violations of our supply chain standards. We regularly assess suppliers, using independent auditors as appropriate, to monitor continued compliance and improvement – if we find violations, we take appropriate steps, including requesting immediate corrective action.” (With inputs from agencies)

Beaten and handcuffed: Alexa whistleblower talks publicly despite knowing the risks

An international cross-party network of legislators across the European Union, the United Kingdom, India, Australia and Canada have called on their governments to block investors from bankrolling firms perpetrating forced labour abuses in China`s Xinjiang province.

This comes after reports emerged that HSBC has held shares in a subsidiary of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC), which was hit by US Treasury Department sanctions in 2020.

The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) said the 35 legislators, representing over 10 countries, urged their governments to draw up a blacklist of entities identified as perpetrating atrocities in the Uyghur Region, with firms barred from investing in blacklisted entities.

The calls were made in a series of separate letters, attached, coordinated by the IPAC and sent last week.

Prominent signatories include Reinhard Butikofer MEP, chair of the European Parliament`s China delegation; Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP, former leader of the UK Conservative party; Australia Labor Senator Kimberley Kitching and Indian BJD MP Sujeet Kumar.

The letters were addressed to the legislators` respective finance ministers, including European Commissioner Mairead McGuinness and UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-supporting-chinese-repression-of-uyghurs-report-446768">Also read |&nbsp;Pakistan supporting Chinese repression of Uyghurs: Report</a>

The calls come after it was revealed that HSBC had purchased GBP £2.2 million of shares in Xinjiang Tianye, a plastics manufacturer owned by the XPCC, IPAC said in a press release.

"The XPCC, a Chinese state-operated paramilitary conglomerate, facilitates the Xinjiang`s coercive labour transfer programmes and operates many of the region`s so-called `vocational training` centres - where experts believe at least one million Uyghurs have been detained and subjected to abuses including, forced labour, torture and sexual abuse," the IPAC release said.

HSBC has previously come under fire from members of IPAC for its role in freezing the assets of former Hong Kong opposition legislator Ted Hui in December 2020.

The events led to HSBC being called before the UK Parliament`s Foreign Affairs Committee, where it was accused of abetting the Hong Kong government`s crackdown on the city`s pro-democracy movement.Reinhard Butikofer, German Green MEP and Co-Chair of IPAC said: "We cannot ignore the role that big banks play in financing the abuses taking place in Xinjiang. If they are knowingly investing in firms perpetrating forced labour and other human rights abuses, then it is right that they should be held to account."

"We are calling on the Commission to urgently bring forward measures to not only prevent goods made with forced labour from entering our markets, but also to prevent our banks from investing in them."

Siobhain McDonagh, UK Labour MP and member of the Treasury Select Committee said: "HSBC`s investments in Xinjiang Tianye demonstrate the deep ties between international finance and the Uyghur Region. It is completely unacceptable that banks like HSBC, which are headquartered and registered in the UK, should invest in groups perpetrating industrial scale human rights abuses against the Uyghurs."

McDonagh added that the UK government must act to stop British firms from bankrolling modern slavery in the Uyghur Region and elsewhere.&nbsp;

An international cross-party network of legislators across the European Union, the United Kingdom, India, Australia and Canada have called on their governments to block investors from bankrolling firms perpetrating forced labour abuses in China`s Xinjiang province.

An international cross-party network of legislators across the European Union, the United Kingdom, India, Australia and Canada have called on their governments to block investors from bankrolling firms perpetrating forced labour abuses in China`s Xinjiang province. This comes after reports emerged that HSBC has held shares in a subsidiary of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC), which was hit by US Treasury Department sanctions in 2020. The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) said the 35 legislators, representing over 10 countries, urged their governments to draw up a blacklist of entities identified as perpetrating atrocities in the Uyghur Region, with firms barred from investing in blacklisted entities. The calls were made in a series of separate letters, attached, coordinated by the IPAC and sent last week. Prominent signatories include Reinhard Butikofer MEP, chair of the European Parliament`s China delegation; Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP, former leader of the UK Conservative party; Australia Labor Senator Kimberley Kitching and Indian BJD MP Sujeet Kumar. The letters were addressed to the legislators` respective finance ministers, including European Commissioner Mairead McGuinness and UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak. Also read | Pakistan supporting Chinese repression of Uyghurs: Report The calls come after it was revealed that HSBC had purchased GBP £2.2 million of shares in Xinjiang Tianye, a plastics manufacturer owned by the XPCC, IPAC said in a press release. "The XPCC, a Chinese state-operated paramilitary conglomerate, facilitates the Xinjiang`s coercive labour transfer programmes and operates many of the region`s so-called `vocational training` centres - where experts believe at least one million Uyghurs have been detained and subjected to abuses including, forced labour, torture and sexual abuse," the IPAC release said. HSBC has previously come under fire from members of IPAC for its role in freezing the assets of former Hong Kong opposition legislator Ted Hui in December 2020. The events led to HSBC being called before the UK Parliament`s Foreign Affairs Committee, where it was accused of abetting the Hong Kong government`s crackdown on the city`s pro-democracy movement.Reinhard Butikofer, German Green MEP and Co-Chair of IPAC said: "We cannot ignore the role that big banks play in financing the abuses taking place in Xinjiang. If they are knowingly investing in firms perpetrating forced labour and other human rights abuses, then it is right that they should be held to account." "We are calling on the Commission to urgently bring forward measures to not only prevent goods made with forced labour from entering our markets, but also to prevent our banks from investing in them." Siobhain McDonagh, UK Labour MP and member of the Treasury Select Committee said: "HSBC`s investments in Xinjiang Tianye demonstrate the deep ties between international finance and the Uyghur Region. It is completely unacceptable that banks like HSBC, which are headquartered and registered in the UK, should invest in groups perpetrating industrial scale human rights abuses against the Uyghurs." McDonagh added that the UK government must act to stop British firms from bankrolling modern slavery in the Uyghur Region and elsewhere.

International alliance of MPs to blacklist Chinese firms over Uyghur 'atrocities'

In yet another example of lack of transparency, a Chinese province officials fudged death toll in a devastating flood disaster last year, said the country’s central government. &nbsp;

Around 139 deaths were underreported or concealed deliberately. Several arrests have also been made in this regard. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-beijings-action-us-suspends-more-than-40-passenger-flights-to-china-operated-by-chinese-carriers-446793" hreflang="en">After Beijing's action, US suspends more than 40 passenger flights to China operated by Chinese carriers</a>

Between July 17 and 23, rainstorms had caused havoc in Henan province in central China. It&nbsp;triggered&nbsp;overflowing of reservoirs and breaching of riverbanks. Several people had lost lives and homes in the flood disaster. &nbsp;

The state council, which is China’s highest government body, said that it had reviewed the investigation into the disaster. &nbsp;

It found local and provincial officials to be “guilty of negligence and dereliction of duty”. &nbsp;

The officials had announced a toll of 302 dead and 50 missing in the province last year. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/taiwan-sees-a-surge-in-covid-cases-ahead-of-lunar-new-year-446707" hreflang="en">Taiwan sees a surge in Covid cases ahead of Lunar New Year</a>

The state council's report gave an official final death toll of 398. The police have detained eight officials and another 89 have been disciplined in the case. &nbsp;&nbsp;

In a statement posted online on Friday, the state council accused city officials of having “deliberately impeded and withheld reports of up to 139 cases”. The officials were expected to make daily reports but had “concealed or delayed the reporting of those killed and missing in the disaster”, it said. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

In yet another example of lack of transparency, a Chinese province officials fudged death toll in a devastating flood disaster last year, said the country’s central government.

In yet another example of lack of transparency, a Chinese province officials fudged death toll in a devastating flood disaster last year, said the country’s central government. Around 139 deaths were underreported or concealed deliberately. Several arrests have also been made in this regard. Also Read: After Beijing's action, US suspends more than 40 passenger flights to China operated by Chinese carriers Between July 17 and 23, rainstorms had caused havoc in Henan province in central China. It triggered overflowing of reservoirs and breaching of riverbanks. Several people had lost lives and homes in the flood disaster. The state council, which is China’s highest government body, said that it had reviewed the investigation into the disaster. It found local and provincial officials to be “guilty of negligence and dereliction of duty”. The officials had announced a toll of 302 dead and 50 missing in the province last year. Also Read: Taiwan sees a surge in Covid cases ahead of Lunar New Year The state council's report gave an official final death toll of 398. The police have detained eight officials and another 89 have been disciplined in the case. In a statement posted online on Friday, the state council accused city officials of having “deliberately impeded and withheld reports of up to 139 cases”. The officials were expected to make daily reports but had “concealed or delayed the reporting of those killed and missing in the disaster”, it said. (With inputs from agencies)

Chinese province's officials fudged death toll of flood disaster last year, says central govt

After Beijing introduced new rules on the country's private education industry, the largest private education provider,&nbsp;New Oriental Education&nbsp;fired nearly 60,000 workers last year.&nbsp;

Yu Minhong, the founder of New Oriental Education,&nbsp;which is known for its after-school tutoring services, confirmed the news in a post on his WeChat account. He said that the company encountered "too many changes in 2021," as he blamed the layoffs on "policies, the pandemic and international relations."&nbsp;

The post further mentioned that the company saw revenue fall by 80 per cent after ending all K-9 tutoring services. In another post, he said that even after the massive layoffs, the company still has about 50,000 employees and teachers.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/cypriot-scientist-refutes-speculations-around-deltacron-variant-says-it-is-not-lab-contamination-443595">Also read |&nbsp;Cypriot scientist refutes speculations around 'Deltacron' variant, says it is not 'lab contamination'</a>

Yu wrote, "In 2021, New Oriental encountered too many unforeseen events from factors such as policy, the pandemic, and international relations. Much of our business remains in a state of uncertainty.”

As per the latest annual report, New Oriental,&nbsp;had over 88,000 full time employees and 17,000 teachers and staff as of May. It is not yet clear if the contract workers were among the 60,000 people who have been fired.&nbsp;

Last year, the company spent $3.1 billion in refunding prepaid tuition to customers. This was done to compensate the employees that were laid off. New Oriental lost some $28 billion in market value last year.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

After Beijing introduced new rules on the country's private education industry, the largest private education provider, New Oriental Education fired nearly 60,000 workers last year.

After Beijing introduced new rules on the country's private education industry, the largest private education provider, New Oriental Education fired nearly 60,000 workers last year. Yu Minhong, the founder of New Oriental Education, which is known for its after-school tutoring services, confirmed the news in a post on his WeChat account. He said that the company encountered "too many changes in 2021," as he blamed the layoffs on "policies, the pandemic and international relations." The post further mentioned that the company saw revenue fall by 80 per cent after ending all K-9 tutoring services. In another post, he said that even after the massive layoffs, the company still has about 50,000 employees and teachers. Also read | Cypriot scientist refutes speculations around 'Deltacron' variant, says it is not 'lab contamination' Yu wrote, "In 2021, New Oriental encountered too many unforeseen events from factors such as policy, the pandemic, and international relations. Much of our business remains in a state of uncertainty.” As per the latest annual report, New Oriental, had over 88,000 full time employees and 17,000 teachers and staff as of May. It is not yet clear if the contract workers were among the 60,000 people who have been fired. Last year, the company spent $3.1 billion in refunding prepaid tuition to customers. This was done to compensate the employees that were laid off. New Oriental lost some $28 billion in market value last year. (With inputs from agencies)

In a massive layoff, Chinese EdTech giant fired nearly 60,000 workers

On a two-day visit, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has arrived in Sri Lanka on Saturday. The leader will meet the top leadership of the country. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The occasion will also mark the 65th anniversary of the diplomatic ties between the two nations. &nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sri-lankas-tough-balancing-act-oil-tanks-for-india-compensation-for-chinese-fertiliser-442858" hreflang="en">Sri Lanka's ploy: Oil tanks for India, compensation for Chinese fertiliser</a>

Arriving from the Maldives, Wang will meet President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and Foreign Minister G L Peiris, said Foreign Secretary Jayanath Colombage. &nbsp;

This visit comes as the relations between the two countries are under stress. The issue of contaminated organic fertiliser being provided to Sri Lanka by a Chinese company has been the bone of contention in last some months. This attempt can be seen as a damage control by the Chinese. &nbsp;

During the visit, new Chinese investment opportunities might get sealed by Sri Lanka, Colombage said. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/foreigners-marrying-lankan-nationals-need-clearance-from-defence-ministry-opposition-slams-move-440406" hreflang="en">Foreigners marrying Lankan nationals need clearance from defence ministry; opposition slams move</a>

Earlier, a Sri Lankan parliamentarian has shot off a letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping to stop its economic invasion of the island nation. &nbsp;&nbsp;

In a 45-point letter to the Chinese president, Sri Lankan lawyer and Member of Parliament Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said that most of the projects carried out with Chinese funds have been wasteful and large commissions have been paid to the corrupt politicians and officials to secure such projects. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

On a two-day visit, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has arrived in Sri Lanka on Saturday. The leader will meet the top leadership of the country. The occasion will also mark the 65th anniversary of the diplomatic ties between the two nations.

On a two-day visit, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has arrived in Sri Lanka on Saturday. The leader will meet the top leadership of the country. The occasion will also mark the 65th anniversary of the diplomatic ties between the two nations. Also Read | Sri Lanka's ploy: Oil tanks for India, compensation for Chinese fertiliser Arriving from the Maldives, Wang will meet President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and Foreign Minister G L Peiris, said Foreign Secretary Jayanath Colombage. This visit comes as the relations between the two countries are under stress. The issue of contaminated organic fertiliser being provided to Sri Lanka by a Chinese company has been the bone of contention in last some months. This attempt can be seen as a damage control by the Chinese. During the visit, new Chinese investment opportunities might get sealed by Sri Lanka, Colombage said. Also Read: Foreigners marrying Lankan nationals need clearance from defence ministry; opposition slams move Earlier, a Sri Lankan parliamentarian has shot off a letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping to stop its economic invasion of the island nation. In a 45-point letter to the Chinese president, Sri Lankan lawyer and Member of Parliament Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said that most of the projects carried out with Chinese funds have been wasteful and large commissions have been paid to the corrupt politicians and officials to secure such projects. (With inputs from agencies)

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi reaches Sri Lanka for two-day visit

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