A severe storm system pummelled&nbsp;Australia's&nbsp;northeastern city of Brisbane on Sunday, causing evacuations, power outages and school closures as the death toll climbed to&nbsp;seven&nbsp;from accompanying flash&nbsp;floods.

More than 1,400 homes in the capital of Queensland state were at risk of flooding while more than 28,000 homes were without power statewide, as pristine beaches on the Gold and Sunshine coasts, which are key tourist attractions, all closed.

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"We never expected this rain," state premier Annastacia Palaszczuk told a briefing. "This rain bomb is just really, you know, it's unrelenting ... It's just coming down in buckets."

More than 100 schools across the southeast of a state famed for abundant sunshine will be closed on Monday. State rescue services said they received 100 requests an hour for help in recent days.

Among the six killed in the flooding were a 34-year-old man who tried to swim to safety after the waters submerged his car and another whose vehicle was swept away in the most populous state of New South Wales (NSW).

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About 700 people were asked to evacuate from the city of Gympie on Saturday after the Mary River system surged beyond 22.06 m (72.4 ft) for the town's worst flood since the 1880s.

Meteorologists said the deluge and thunderstorms would continue through Monday, before starting to ease off in Queensland, but moving south to New South Wales, where some communities at risk in its&nbsp;northeast&nbsp;have been told to evacuate.

The risk of riverine and flash flooding was "very real over coming days," said Steph Cooke, the state's emergency services minister.

A severe storm system pummelled Australia's northeastern city of Brisbane on Sunday, causing evacuations, power outages and school closures as the death toll climbed to seven from accompanying flash floods.

A severe storm system pummelled Australia's northeastern city of Brisbane on Sunday, causing evacuations, power outages and school closures as the death toll climbed to seven from accompanying flash floods. More than 1,400 homes in the capital of Queensland state were at risk of flooding while more than 28,000 homes were without power statewide, as pristine beaches on the Gold and Sunshine coasts, which are key tourist attractions, all closed. Also read | Deadly rains, floods hit eastern Australia "We never expected this rain," state premier Annastacia Palaszczuk told a briefing. "This rain bomb is just really, you know, it's unrelenting ... It's just coming down in buckets." More than 100 schools across the southeast of a state famed for abundant sunshine will be closed on Monday. State rescue services said they received 100 requests an hour for help in recent days. Among the six killed in the flooding were a 34-year-old man who tried to swim to safety after the waters submerged his car and another whose vehicle was swept away in the most populous state of New South Wales (NSW). Also read | France removes Australia as 'strategic partner' in a new Indo-Pacific strategy About 700 people were asked to evacuate from the city of Gympie on Saturday after the Mary River system surged beyond 22.06 m (72.4 ft) for the town's worst flood since the 1880s. Meteorologists said the deluge and thunderstorms would continue through Monday, before starting to ease off in Queensland, but moving south to New South Wales, where some communities at risk in its northeast have been told to evacuate. The risk of riverine and flash flooding was "very real over coming days," said Steph Cooke, the state's emergency services minister.

'Rain bomb' hits Australia's northeast, killing seven in floods

A bombardment carried out by&nbsp;Colombia's&nbsp;armed&nbsp;forces&nbsp;killed&nbsp;23&nbsp;FARC dissidents on Thursday as part of a military offensive to seize control of an area in the northeast of the country which sits on the border with Venezuela, the government said.

Dissident&nbsp;members&nbsp;of the demobilised Revolutionary&nbsp;Armed&nbsp;Forces of&nbsp;Colombia&nbsp;(FARC) reject a 2016 peace deal with the government. The dissidents have become a security threat, according to the government, which accuses them of murdering community&nbsp;leaders and civilians.

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Military planes and helicopters took part in the bombardment in the municipality of Puerto Rondon, in&nbsp;Colombia's&nbsp;Arauca&nbsp;province, according to Defence Minister Diego Molano. He said Jorge Eliecer Jimenez, known as Arturo, the FARC dissident commander in&nbsp;Arauca, was among the dead.

"Colombia&nbsp;and&nbsp;Arauca&nbsp;have been liberated from a criminal, from a FARC-dissident&nbsp;leader&nbsp;of the FARC dissidents to bring more security, more peace, and better protect the people of&nbsp;Arauca," Molano said in a news conference at the site of the operation.

Arauca, which plays an important role in&nbsp;Colombia's oil and cattle ranching industries, has seen growing violence in which more than 60 people have died so far this year, according to&nbsp;Colombia's human rights ombudsman.

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FARC dissidents allied with the leftist-guerrilla National Liberation Army (ELN) are fighting for control of drug-trafficking in the region against a rival FARC dissident group led by Arturo.

The government in Bogota accuses Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro of harbouring FARC dissidents and&nbsp;members&nbsp;of the ELN who cross the border to launch attacks in&nbsp;Colombia, something Maduro has repeatedly denied.

A bombardment carried out by Colombia's armed forces killed 23 FARC dissidents on Thursday as part of a military offensive to seize control of an area in the northeast of the country which sits on the border with Venezuela, the government said.

A bombardment carried out by Colombia's armed forces killed 23 FARC dissidents on Thursday as part of a military offensive to seize control of an area in the northeast of the country which sits on the border with Venezuela, the government said. Dissident members of the demobilised Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) reject a 2016 peace deal with the government. The dissidents have become a security threat, according to the government, which accuses them of murdering community leaders and civilians. Also read | Colombian court decriminalises abortion up to 24 weeks of gestation Military planes and helicopters took part in the bombardment in the municipality of Puerto Rondon, in Colombia's Arauca province, according to Defence Minister Diego Molano. He said Jorge Eliecer Jimenez, known as Arturo, the FARC dissident commander in Arauca, was among the dead. "Colombia and Arauca have been liberated from a criminal, from a FARC-dissident leader of the FARC dissidents to bring more security, more peace, and better protect the people of Arauca," Molano said in a news conference at the site of the operation. Arauca, which plays an important role in Colombia's oil and cattle ranching industries, has seen growing violence in which more than 60 people have died so far this year, according to Colombia's human rights ombudsman. Also read | Amazon fires: Colombia issues environmental alert over bad air quality FARC dissidents allied with the leftist-guerrilla National Liberation Army (ELN) are fighting for control of drug-trafficking in the region against a rival FARC dissident group led by Arturo. The government in Bogota accuses Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro of harbouring FARC dissidents and members of the ELN who cross the border to launch attacks in Colombia, something Maduro has repeatedly denied.

Colombia says it killed 23 members of armed groups, including one leader, in Arauca

In humans, sleep patterns, appetites, and everything in between can be affected by the death of a loved one. Research has now found that dogs who lose their canine companion exhibit similar behavioural changes.

According to the study's authors, it is not clear whether the findings represent grief, but that the findings could indicate a welfare concern that went unnoticed.

In addition to humans, great apes, dolphins, elephants and birds have also been observed to mourn and participate in rituals around death.

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According to Federica Pirrone from the University of Milan, one of the study's authors, dogs form very strong bonds with members of their familiar groups. Therefore, if one of them dies, they might be very distressed, and it would be helpful to assist them in coping.

In a <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-05669-y">study published in Scientific Reports</a>, Pirrone and colleagues examined the responses of 426 Italian adults who were asked to complete an online "mourning dog questionnaire" to find out how dogs experience grief.

The questionnaire asked each of the participants to reflect on the behaviour and emotions of the surviving dog and the owner after one of their dogs died.

Eighty-six per cent of respondents said that after the death of another dog in the household, their surviving dogs demonstrated behavioural changes.

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According to Pirrone, dogs played and ate less, slept more, and sought out their owners' attention more. She said the results were not affected by the level of attachment between the owners and their pets, indicating that the humans were not merely projecting their own grief.

Researchers found that the changes were not linked to how long the dogs had lived together or whether the remaining dogs had seen the corpse.

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One possible explanation for the findings, according to the researchers, is that surviving dogs may have had to adjust to a disruption of shared behaviours.

Samantha Hurn, a professor of social anthropology at the University of Exeter, said it is critical to understand what dogs experience upon the death of a canine companion. However, there were limitations to the study. Many dog owners are not skilled at reading their dog's behaviour, so using scales as a measure of something so subjective may lead to faulty conclusions.

In humans, sleep patterns, appetites, and everything in between can be affected by the death of a loved one. Research has now found that dogs who lose their canine companion exhibit similar behavioural changes.

In humans, sleep patterns, appetites, and everything in between can be affected by the death of a loved one. Research has now found that dogs who lose their canine companion exhibit similar behavioural changes. According to the study's authors, it is not clear whether the findings represent grief, but that the findings could indicate a welfare concern that went unnoticed. In addition to humans, great apes, dolphins, elephants and birds have also been observed to mourn and participate in rituals around death. Also read | Vegetarians found to have lower cancer risk than meat-eaters According to Federica Pirrone from the University of Milan, one of the study's authors, dogs form very strong bonds with members of their familiar groups. Therefore, if one of them dies, they might be very distressed, and it would be helpful to assist them in coping. In a study published in Scientific Reports, Pirrone and colleagues examined the responses of 426 Italian adults who were asked to complete an online "mourning dog questionnaire" to find out how dogs experience grief. The questionnaire asked each of the participants to reflect on the behaviour and emotions of the surviving dog and the owner after one of their dogs died. Eighty-six per cent of respondents said that after the death of another dog in the household, their surviving dogs demonstrated behavioural changes. Also read | In a new Israeli study, hyperbaric oxygen therapy relieves PTSD symptoms According to Pirrone, dogs played and ate less, slept more, and sought out their owners' attention more. She said the results were not affected by the level of attachment between the owners and their pets, indicating that the humans were not merely projecting their own grief. Researchers found that the changes were not linked to how long the dogs had lived together or whether the remaining dogs had seen the corpse. Watch | Dubai: Museum of future, 'most beautiful building on earth' now open for visitors One possible explanation for the findings, according to the researchers, is that surviving dogs may have had to adjust to a disruption of shared behaviours. Samantha Hurn, a professor of social anthropology at the University of Exeter, said it is critical to understand what dogs experience upon the death of a canine companion. However, there were limitations to the study. Many dog owners are not skilled at reading their dog's behaviour, so using scales as a measure of something so subjective may lead to faulty conclusions.

Study says that dogs also mourn the loss of a companion

Does the brain play "last recall" of important moments in life just before death? New research suggests it may be true.

Scientists for the first time recorded the brain activity of a dying person just 15 minutes before he died&nbsp;and it revealed astounding results.

The researchers found "rhythmic brain wave patterns" near the time of death with similarities during dreaming and meditation. The researchers recorded there was an increase in "gamma oscillations" which occurs during dreaming and memory retrieval.

“We measured 900 seconds of brain activity around the time of death and set a specific focus to investigate what happened in the 30 seconds before and after the heart stopped beating,” Dr Ajmal Zemmar, a neurosurgeon at the University of Louisville, US, who was behind the study said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/space-travel-rewires-astronauts-brains-due-to-low-gravity-study-454360">Also Read |&nbsp;Space travel rewires astronauts' brains due to low gravity: Study</a>

The research said brain oscillations are "patterns of rhythmic brain activity normally present in living human brains" with different types of oscillations gamma&nbsp;involved in high-cognitive functions.&nbsp;

“Just before and after the heart stopped working, we saw changes in a specific band of neural oscillations, so-called gamma oscillations, but also in others such as delta, theta, alpha and beta oscillations,” Dr Zemmer said.

The study published in<a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2022.813531/full"> </a><a href="https://www.scimex.org/newsfeed/does-our-life-flash-before-our-eyes-during-death">"Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience" </a>said the "brain may remain active and coordinated during and even after the transition to death and may even be programmed to orchestrate the whole ordeal."

The study was conducted as an 87-year-old patient developed epilepsy. The doctors were performing electroencephalography (EEG) to detect the seizures, however, the patient died due to a heart attack. It allowed scientists to record the activity of a dying human brain for the first time ever.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/15-out-of-23-monkeys-die-in-neuralinks-trial-to-link-human-brain-to-computer-452959">Also Read:&nbsp;15 out of 23 monkeys die in Neuralink's trial to link human brain to computer</a>

"Through generating oscillations involved in memory retrieval, the brain may be playing a last recall of important life events just before we die, similar to the ones reported in near-death experiences,” Zemma said.

The study said "similar changes in gamma oscillations have been previously observed in rats" in controlled environments. The study said pointed out that it is&nbsp;"possible that, during death, the brain organises and executes a biological response that could be conserved across species."

However, the study noted that data was collected from a single case and stem of the brain of a patient who had suffered seizures and swelling which complicates interpretation of data while pointing out that more cases will be investigated.

In a hopeful message, Zemmar said: "Something we may learn from this research is that although our loved ones have their eyes closed and are ready to leave us to rest, their brains may be replaying some of the nicest moments they experienced in their lives."

(With inputs from Agencies)

Does the brain play "last recall" of important moments in life just before death? New research suggests it may be true. Scientists for the first time recorded the brain activity of a dying person just 15 minutes before he died and it revealed astounding results.

Does the brain play "last recall" of important moments in life just before death? New research suggests it may be true. Scientists for the first time recorded the brain activity of a dying person just 15 minutes before he died and it revealed astounding results. The researchers found "rhythmic brain wave patterns" near the time of death with similarities during dreaming and meditation. The researchers recorded there was an increase in "gamma oscillations" which occurs during dreaming and memory retrieval. “We measured 900 seconds of brain activity around the time of death and set a specific focus to investigate what happened in the 30 seconds before and after the heart stopped beating,” Dr Ajmal Zemmar, a neurosurgeon at the University of Louisville, US, who was behind the study said. Also Read | Space travel rewires astronauts' brains due to low gravity: Study The research said brain oscillations are "patterns of rhythmic brain activity normally present in living human brains" with different types of oscillations gamma involved in high-cognitive functions. “Just before and after the heart stopped working, we saw changes in a specific band of neural oscillations, so-called gamma oscillations, but also in others such as delta, theta, alpha and beta oscillations,” Dr Zemmer said. The study published in "Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience" said the "brain may remain active and coordinated during and even after the transition to death and may even be programmed to orchestrate the whole ordeal." The study was conducted as an 87-year-old patient developed epilepsy. The doctors were performing electroencephalography (EEG) to detect the seizures, however, the patient died due to a heart attack. It allowed scientists to record the activity of a dying human brain for the first time ever. Also Read: 15 out of 23 monkeys die in Neuralink's trial to link human brain to computer "Through generating oscillations involved in memory retrieval, the brain may be playing a last recall of important life events just before we die, similar to the ones reported in near-death experiences,” Zemma said. The study said "similar changes in gamma oscillations have been previously observed in rats" in controlled environments. The study said pointed out that it is "possible that, during death, the brain organises and executes a biological response that could be conserved across species." However, the study noted that data was collected from a single case and stem of the brain of a patient who had suffered seizures and swelling which complicates interpretation of data while pointing out that more cases will be investigated. In a hopeful message, Zemmar said: "Something we may learn from this research is that although our loved ones have their eyes closed and are ready to leave us to rest, their brains may be replaying some of the nicest moments they experienced in their lives." (With inputs from Agencies)

First ever scan of dying human brain shows astounding results

A&nbsp;Myanmar&nbsp;army&nbsp;officer who defected and fled the country has detailed battlefield&nbsp;losses&nbsp;to&nbsp;rebels&nbsp;in the southern part of&nbsp;Chin&nbsp;state, with at least 50 soldiers killed and 200 badly wounded in 2021 by opposition fighters with homemade weapons.

Kaung Thu Win, a captain who defected in December, offered a rare first-hand account of intensified fighting in&nbsp;Chin, in&nbsp;Myanmar's northwest, where the military junta has faced some of the fiercest armed resistance since it seized power a year ago.

He said he switched sides after hearing reports by colleagues of military abuses during clashes last year.

Speaking in northeastern India where he and his family have fled, the 32-year-old showed Reuters his national and military identity cards and detailed 12 incidents between May and December in which soldiers were killed or wounded by&nbsp;rebels.

He also showed Reuters some 30 classified&nbsp;army&nbsp;documents he said backed up his version of recent events in southern&nbsp;Chin&nbsp;state, where civilians opposed to the coup have taken up arms and are working with an established ethnic insurgent group. He based his estimate of military casualties on that information.

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The documents, stored on his mobile device, add new details of a major clash near the town of Mindat that have not previously been reported. They provide further evidence of a growing popular rebellion against&nbsp;Myanmar's military rulers that has spread across the country.

Four other&nbsp;Myanmar&nbsp;defectors who reviewed some of the documents said they mirrored others they had seen in terms of language, format and descriptions of combat.

Myanmar's military, known as the Tatmadaw, has acknowledged battlefield&nbsp;losses, but it has not provided details.

The Tatmadaw did not respond to requests for comment on events in&nbsp;Chin, the account given by Kaung Thu Win or the documents he produced. The military has previously described armed groups opposed to the junta as "terrorists".

The Indian home ministry did not reply to a request for comment on&nbsp;Myanmar&nbsp;defectors seeking refuge across the border with&nbsp;Chin.

Groups of fighters began forming in&nbsp;Chin&nbsp;state in the weeks after the Feb. 1 coup, but the Tatmadaw felt the full force of the rebellion after a convoy of seven vehicles was ambushed near the town of Mindat on May 14, according to Kaung Thu Win.

In the Mindat attack, one of the biggest clashes reported so far, hundreds of rebel fighters attacked the convoy around dawn, firing at troops from hillside positions, leaving five soldiers dead and 37 personnel unaccounted for, according to one of the documents.

"We were attacked by an estimated 1,000 insurgents," read an internal field report on the fighting. "Six&nbsp;army&nbsp;trucks were burned down, and many weapons were lost."

CASUALTIES MOUNT

In addition to details about the Mindat attack, the documents shown by the former captain include maps of military facilities in southern&nbsp;Chin&nbsp;state, information about&nbsp;army&nbsp;supplies and battlefield reports of skirmishes with&nbsp;rebels.

&nbsp;The fighting in the southern areas of&nbsp;Chin, involving hastily formed&nbsp;Chinland Defence Force (CDF) guerrilla groups, has been fierce.

Kaung Thu Win said at least 20&nbsp;Myanmar&nbsp;soldiers were killed in the May 14 ambush.

"It was only after the May 14 incident that the Tatmadaw started taking the CDF seriously," he told Reuters in an interview. "It was a meeting of ... hunting guns (used by the CDF) and modern weapons."

The military did not respond when asked whether this ambush represented a turning point.

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The captain said his position as liaison officer meant that military documents, including those detailing supplies and convoys, were provided to him by staff at the regional headquarters that oversaw his frontline outpost in&nbsp;Chin.

He said he also had access to accounts of the Mindat ambush because he was part of the military investigation into the incident.

The ex-officer did not know the outcome of the probe, but said Major Yan Naung Htoo, who was involved in the battle, was put under house arrest in Monywa around September.

Reuters has been unable to reach the officer. The military did not comment when asked about his situation or a broader probe.

A Jan. 10 statement from a CDF group in Kalay said Kaung Thu Win had handed them guns and ammunition. The group said they had led the captain and his wife to a safe area and paid him for the arms. His wife had just given birth to their first child.

A spokesman for the Kalay defence force, CDF KKG, said they paid the captain around 6 million kyat ($3,300). That was below the estimated value of 9 million for the weapons and ammunition, but the group could not afford the full amount, the spokesman added.

He said&nbsp;defectors were under no obligation to the defence group, but they ask them about Tatmadaw operations before moving them to safety.

The captain confirmed he had been paid by the CDF KKG in return for the weapons, but declined to say how much.

'ARMED INSURRECTION'

The&nbsp;Myanmar&nbsp;military continued to suffer steady casualties throughout 2021, as guerrilla outfits across the state gained strength, according to Kaung Thu Win.

His account of the May clash underlines the scale of resistance to&nbsp;Myanmar's military. Some analysts now call the conflict a civil war.

The military calls the rebellion an "armed insurrection", and military ruler Min Aung Hlaing said there were more than 9,000 "terrorist attacks" last year. The junta said in January it had "largely restored national stability" by the second half of 2021.

Soldiers whose bodies are not immediately found following a battle are often classified as unaccounted for, Kaung Thu Win said, explaining the difference in fatalities listed in the report of the Mindat ambush - five - and his estimate of 20.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A CDF statement on Jan. 26 put the death toll among troops at 1,029 across the whole of&nbsp;Chin&nbsp;between April and December 2021. During that period, CDF groups sustained 58 fatalities, alongside 27 civilian deaths, the statement added.

Opposition groups say more than 1,000 soldiers have swapped sides in recent months.

The Tatmadaw declined to comment when asked about the figures from the captain and resistance groups.

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: 35 people massacred in Myanmar

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'LOVED MY JOB'

The youngest of three children born to civil servants in&nbsp;Myanmar's Yangon region, Kaung Thu Win said he entered the prestigious Defence Services Academy in 2006. Reuters could not reach the academy for comment.

Three years later, he graduated from the military university and joined Light Infantry Battalion 216, which was deployed to&nbsp;Myanmar's Karen and Shan states to fight ethnic armed groups battling for greater autonomy.

During some operations in Shan, he said he saw civilian properties destroyed, but deemed such incidents the inevitable consequence of armed conflict.

"I was proud of my work and I still loved my job," he said.

In 2016, Kaung Thu Win said he was sent to a command post in&nbsp;Chin&nbsp;state's Matupi town. He said he was posted as its liaison officer at a regional command centre in Monywa when the military staged the coup last February.

He recalled seeing Tatmadaw helicopters flying in wounded troops from the front for treatment at Monywa base, he added.

In October, the military began sending reinforcements into southern&nbsp;Chin&nbsp;state, taking the total number of troops in the area to some 1,200, up from 800 previously, Kaung Thu Win said. CDF fighters have also said troop numbers have increased.

Around the same time, the captain also began hearing of Tatmadaw troops torching villages along the routes their convoys would take, sending civilian populations fleeing into forested areas for safety.

"I received first-hand information (from colleagues)," he said, "I decided to defect because, after the coup, I've seen so many stories and events where the lives and possessions of citizens were targeted intentionally by the Tatmadaw."

Late last year, the United Nations, human rights groups and foreign governments raised concerns over the&nbsp;Myanmar&nbsp;military's&nbsp;heavy-handed response to uprisings in&nbsp;Chin&nbsp;state.

Some rights groups warned it mirrored the Tatmadaw's brutal clamp down on Rohingya Muslims in neighbouring Rakhine state in 2017, which led to the exodus of some 730,000 people.

The military has said it was waging a legitimate campaign in Rakhine against insurgents who attacked police posts.

With Kaung Thu Win's wife still pregnant with their first child, he said the couple decided to wait before trying to leave the country.

On Dec. 22, a day after he abruptly cut communications with his colleagues, Kaung Thu Win, his wife and their infant left Monywa on a bus and travelled to the border of&nbsp;Chin&nbsp;state where they contacted&nbsp;rebels, who guided them to a safe house.

"I am satisfied because I'm not one of those soldiers that people hate," the ex-officer said, cradling his infant. "I am now a normal citizen and I'm proud of it."

A Myanmar army officer who defected and fled the country has detailed battlefield losses to rebels in the southern part of Chin state, with at least 50 soldiers killed and 200 badly wounded in 2021 by opposition fighters with homemade weapons.

A Myanmar army officer who defected and fled the country has detailed battlefield losses to rebels in the southern part of Chin state, with at least 50 soldiers killed and 200 badly wounded in 2021 by opposition fighters with homemade weapons. Kaung Thu Win, a captain who defected in December, offered a rare first-hand account of intensified fighting in Chin, in Myanmar's northwest, where the military junta has faced some of the fiercest armed resistance since it seized power a year ago. He said he switched sides after hearing reports by colleagues of military abuses during clashes last year. Speaking in northeastern India where he and his family have fled, the 32-year-old showed Reuters his national and military identity cards and detailed 12 incidents between May and December in which soldiers were killed or wounded by rebels. He also showed Reuters some 30 classified army documents he said backed up his version of recent events in southern Chin state, where civilians opposed to the coup have taken up arms and are working with an established ethnic insurgent group. He based his estimate of military casualties on that information. Also read | In new trend, Myanmar families disown kin fighting military rule to avert oppression The documents, stored on his mobile device, add new details of a major clash near the town of Mindat that have not previously been reported. They provide further evidence of a growing popular rebellion against Myanmar's military rulers that has spread across the country. Four other Myanmar defectors who reviewed some of the documents said they mirrored others they had seen in terms of language, format and descriptions of combat. Myanmar's military, known as the Tatmadaw, has acknowledged battlefield losses, but it has not provided details. The Tatmadaw did not respond to requests for comment on events in Chin, the account given by Kaung Thu Win or the documents he produced. The military has previously described armed groups opposed to the junta as "terrorists". The Indian home ministry did not reply to a request for comment on Myanmar defectors seeking refuge across the border with Chin. Groups of fighters began forming in Chin state in the weeks after the Feb. 1 coup, but the Tatmadaw felt the full force of the rebellion after a convoy of seven vehicles was ambushed near the town of Mindat on May 14, according to Kaung Thu Win. In the Mindat attack, one of the biggest clashes reported so far, hundreds of rebel fighters attacked the convoy around dawn, firing at troops from hillside positions, leaving five soldiers dead and 37 personnel unaccounted for, according to one of the documents. "We were attacked by an estimated 1,000 insurgents," read an internal field report on the fighting. "Six army trucks were burned down, and many weapons were lost." CASUALTIES MOUNT In addition to details about the Mindat attack, the documents shown by the former captain include maps of military facilities in southern Chin state, information about army supplies and battlefield reports of skirmishes with rebels. The fighting in the southern areas of Chin, involving hastily formed Chinland Defence Force (CDF) guerrilla groups, has been fierce. Kaung Thu Win said at least 20 Myanmar soldiers were killed in the May 14 ambush. "It was only after the May 14 incident that the Tatmadaw started taking the CDF seriously," he told Reuters in an interview. "It was a meeting of ... hunting guns (used by the CDF) and modern weapons." The military did not respond when asked whether this ambush represented a turning point. Also read | Myanmar junta accused of burning hundreds of homes The captain said his position as liaison officer meant that military documents, including those detailing supplies and convoys, were provided to him by staff at the regional headquarters that oversaw his frontline outpost in Chin. He said he also had access to accounts of the Mindat ambush because he was part of the military investigation into the incident. The ex-officer did not know the outcome of the probe, but said Major Yan Naung Htoo, who was involved in the battle, was put under house arrest in Monywa around September. Reuters has been unable to reach the officer. The military did not comment when asked about his situation or a broader probe. A Jan. 10 statement from a CDF group in Kalay said Kaung Thu Win had handed them guns and ammunition. The group said they had led the captain and his wife to a safe area and paid him for the arms. His wife had just given birth to their first child. A spokesman for the Kalay defence force, CDF KKG, said they paid the captain around 6 million kyat ($3,300). That was below the estimated value of 9 million for the weapons and ammunition, but the group could not afford the full amount, the spokesman added. He said defectors were under no obligation to the defence group, but they ask them about Tatmadaw operations before moving them to safety. The captain confirmed he had been paid by the CDF KKG in return for the weapons, but declined to say how much. 'ARMED INSURRECTION' The Myanmar military continued to suffer steady casualties throughout 2021, as guerrilla outfits across the state gained strength, according to Kaung Thu Win. His account of the May clash underlines the scale of resistance to Myanmar's military. Some analysts now call the conflict a civil war. The military calls the rebellion an "armed insurrection", and military ruler Min Aung Hlaing said there were more than 9,000 "terrorist attacks" last year. The junta said in January it had "largely restored national stability" by the second half of 2021. Soldiers whose bodies are not immediately found following a battle are often classified as unaccounted for, Kaung Thu Win said, explaining the difference in fatalities listed in the report of the Mindat ambush - five - and his estimate of 20. A CDF statement on Jan. 26 put the death toll among troops at 1,029 across the whole of Chin between April and December 2021. During that period, CDF groups sustained 58 fatalities, alongside 27 civilian deaths, the statement added. Opposition groups say more than 1,000 soldiers have swapped sides in recent months. The Tatmadaw declined to comment when asked about the figures from the captain and resistance groups. Watch | Gravitas: 35 people massacred in Myanmar 'LOVED MY JOB' The youngest of three children born to civil servants in Myanmar's Yangon region, Kaung Thu Win said he entered the prestigious Defence Services Academy in 2006. Reuters could not reach the academy for comment. Three years later, he graduated from the military university and joined Light Infantry Battalion 216, which was deployed to Myanmar's Karen and Shan states to fight ethnic armed groups battling for greater autonomy. During some operations in Shan, he said he saw civilian properties destroyed, but deemed such incidents the inevitable consequence of armed conflict. "I was proud of my work and I still loved my job," he said. In 2016, Kaung Thu Win said he was sent to a command post in Chin state's Matupi town. He said he was posted as its liaison officer at a regional command centre in Monywa when the military staged the coup last February. He recalled seeing Tatmadaw helicopters flying in wounded troops from the front for treatment at Monywa base, he added. In October, the military began sending reinforcements into southern Chin state, taking the total number of troops in the area to some 1,200, up from 800 previously, Kaung Thu Win said. CDF fighters have also said troop numbers have increased. Around the same time, the captain also began hearing of Tatmadaw troops torching villages along the routes their convoys would take, sending civilian populations fleeing into forested areas for safety. "I received first-hand information (from colleagues)," he said, "I decided to defect because, after the coup, I've seen so many stories and events where the lives and possessions of citizens were targeted intentionally by the Tatmadaw." Late last year, the United Nations, human rights groups and foreign governments raised concerns over the Myanmar military's heavy-handed response to uprisings in Chin state. Some rights groups warned it mirrored the Tatmadaw's brutal clamp down on Rohingya Muslims in neighbouring Rakhine state in 2017, which led to the exodus of some 730,000 people. The military has said it was waging a legitimate campaign in Rakhine against insurgents who attacked police posts. With Kaung Thu Win's wife still pregnant with their first child, he said the couple decided to wait before trying to leave the country. On Dec. 22, a day after he abruptly cut communications with his colleagues, Kaung Thu Win, his wife and their infant left Monywa on a bus and travelled to the border of Chin state where they contacted rebels, who guided them to a safe house. "I am satisfied because I'm not one of those soldiers that people hate," the ex-officer said, cradling his infant. "I am now a normal citizen and I'm proud of it."

Myanmar army defector recounts heavy losses inflicted by Chin rebels

Two British journalists who made the revelation about Russian skater Kamila Valieva’s positive drug test have claimed that they have been facing death threats and warnings. Duncan Mackay and Michael Pavitt have said that they have been warned by Russians to check their tea.

This is a reference to polonium poisoning.

In a report by the Guardian, both the journalists confirmed that they had faced death threats and had also been subjected to “significant” abuse. Other members of the team said that they were confronted by Russian journalists in the main media centre in Beijing.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-skater-valieva-tested-positive-for-banned-drug-olympic-testers-452301">Also read |&nbsp;Russian skater Valieva tested positive for banned drug: Olympic testers</a>

One respondent on Twitter wrote, "You will be positive when you discover some new substances in your tea." 
When he replied that he did not drink the tea, he was told, “Fortunately, you know what bankruptcy is. Prepare yourself to ride this road again, bruh.”

Skating sensation Valieva tested positive for a banned substance. Now, the IOC is appealing against Russia's decision to allow her to continue competing in Beijing.

Valieva tested positive for trimetazidine, which is a metabolic agent.&nbsp;

The case will be decided by the Court of Arbitration for Sport before February 15.&nbsp;This is when the skater is scheduled to take part in the individual event at the Olympics.

(With inputs from agencies)

Two British journalists who made the revelation about Russian skater Kamila Valieva’s positive drug test have claimed that they have been facing death threats and warnings.

Two British journalists who made the revelation about Russian skater Kamila Valieva’s positive drug test have claimed that they have been facing death threats and warnings. Duncan Mackay and Michael Pavitt have said that they have been warned by Russians to check their tea. This is a reference to polonium poisoning. In a report by the Guardian, both the journalists confirmed that they had faced death threats and had also been subjected to “significant” abuse. Other members of the team said that they were confronted by Russian journalists in the main media centre in Beijing. Also read | Russian skater Valieva tested positive for banned drug: Olympic testers One respondent on Twitter wrote, "You will be positive when you discover some new substances in your tea." When he replied that he did not drink the tea, he was told, “Fortunately, you know what bankruptcy is. Prepare yourself to ride this road again, bruh.” Skating sensation Valieva tested positive for a banned substance. Now, the IOC is appealing against Russia's decision to allow her to continue competing in Beijing. Valieva tested positive for trimetazidine, which is a metabolic agent. The case will be decided by the Court of Arbitration for Sport before February 15. This is when the skater is scheduled to take part in the individual event at the Olympics. (With inputs from agencies)

Valieva case: British journalists targeted by Russians; receive death threats and 'significant' abuse

A raging&nbsp;measles&nbsp;outbreak in&nbsp;Afghanistan&nbsp;infected tens of thousands and killed more than 150 people last month alone, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Friday, warning of more&nbsp;deaths.

The UN health agency said the outbreak was particularly concerning since&nbsp;Afghanistan&nbsp;is facing massive food insecurity and malnutrition, leaving children far more vulnerable to the highly contagious disease.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-6-womens-rights-activists-still-missing-un-human-rights-office-expresses-concern-451313">Afghanistan: 6 women’s rights activists still missing; UN human rights office expresses concern</a>

"Measles&nbsp;cases&nbsp;have been increasing in all provinces since the end of July 2021,"&nbsp;WHO&nbsp;spokesman Christian Lindmeier told reporters in Geneva.

He said&nbsp;cases&nbsp;had surged recently, ballooning by 18 per cent in the week of January 24 and by 40 per cent in the last week of the month.

In all, 35,319 suspected&nbsp;measles&nbsp;cases&nbsp;were reported in January, including 3,000 that were laboratory confirmed, and 156&nbsp;deaths.&nbsp;Ninety-one per cent of the&nbsp;cases&nbsp;and 97 per cent of the&nbsp;deaths&nbsp;were children under the age of five.

Lindmeier stressed that the&nbsp;measles-related&nbsp;deaths&nbsp;were likely underreported and the numbers were expected to swell.

"The rapid rise in&nbsp;cases&nbsp;in January suggests that the number of&nbsp;deaths&nbsp;due to&nbsp;measles&nbsp;is likely to increase sharply in the coming weeks," Lindmeier said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/prolonged-humanitarian-crisis-forces-starving-afghans-to-sell-kidneys-says-report-448781">Prolonged humanitarian crisis forces starving Afghans to sell kidneys, says report</a>

Measles&nbsp;is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus that attacks mainly children. The most serious complications include blindness, brain swelling, diarrhoea, and severe respiratory infections.

The latest surge in&nbsp;cases&nbsp;comes as&nbsp;Afghanistan&nbsp;is in the grip of a humanitarian disaster, worsened by the Taliban takeover in August -- when Western countries froze international aid and access to assets held abroad.

The United Nations has warned that half the country is threatened with food shortages.

"Malnutrition weakens immunity, making people more vulnerable to illness and&nbsp;deaths&nbsp;diseases like&nbsp;measles, especially children," Lindmeier said.

The best protection against&nbsp;measles&nbsp;is broad vaccination, with the&nbsp;WHO&nbsp;recommending that countries ensure at least 95-per cent vaccination coverage -- a difficult goal in the Afghan context.

Watch |&nbsp;Women's activism grows in Afghanistan with Taliban in power

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Lindmeier said the&nbsp;WHO&nbsp;and its partners had been working to scale up their&nbsp;measles&nbsp;surveillance capacities and provide support for things like lab testing and immunisation campaigns.

Last December, a vaccination campaign in the hardest-hit areas reached 1.5 million children, he said.

They have also been providing Vitamin A supplements, which are important to help reduce sickness and death from&nbsp;measles, reaching 8.5 million children in a nationwide campaign last November.

The&nbsp;WHO, Lindmeier said, was now working towards a larger&nbsp;measles&nbsp;vaccination drive starting in May, aimed at reaching more than three million children.

A raging measles outbreak in Afghanistan infected tens of thousands and killed more than 150 people last month alone, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Friday, warning of more deaths.

A raging measles outbreak in Afghanistan infected tens of thousands and killed more than 150 people last month alone, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Friday, warning of more deaths. The UN health agency said the outbreak was particularly concerning since Afghanistan is facing massive food insecurity and malnutrition, leaving children far more vulnerable to the highly contagious disease. Also read | Afghanistan: 6 women’s rights activists still missing; UN human rights office expresses concern "Measles cases have been increasing in all provinces since the end of July 2021," WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier told reporters in Geneva. He said cases had surged recently, ballooning by 18 per cent in the week of January 24 and by 40 per cent in the last week of the month. In all, 35,319 suspected measles cases were reported in January, including 3,000 that were laboratory confirmed, and 156 deaths. Ninety-one per cent of the cases and 97 per cent of the deaths were children under the age of five. Lindmeier stressed that the measles-related deaths were likely underreported and the numbers were expected to swell. "The rapid rise in cases in January suggests that the number of deaths due to measles is likely to increase sharply in the coming weeks," Lindmeier said. Also read | Prolonged humanitarian crisis forces starving Afghans to sell kidneys, says report Measles is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus that attacks mainly children. The most serious complications include blindness, brain swelling, diarrhoea, and severe respiratory infections. The latest surge in cases comes as Afghanistan is in the grip of a humanitarian disaster, worsened by the Taliban takeover in August -- when Western countries froze international aid and access to assets held abroad. The United Nations has warned that half the country is threatened with food shortages. "Malnutrition weakens immunity, making people more vulnerable to illness and deaths diseases like measles, especially children," Lindmeier said. The best protection against measles is broad vaccination, with the WHO recommending that countries ensure at least 95-per cent vaccination coverage -- a difficult goal in the Afghan context. Watch | Women's activism grows in Afghanistan with Taliban in power Lindmeier said the WHO and its partners had been working to scale up their measles surveillance capacities and provide support for things like lab testing and immunisation campaigns. Last December, a vaccination campaign in the hardest-hit areas reached 1.5 million children, he said. They have also been providing Vitamin A supplements, which are important to help reduce sickness and death from measles, reaching 8.5 million children in a nationwide campaign last November. The WHO, Lindmeier said, was now working towards a larger measles vaccination drive starting in May, aimed at reaching more than three million children.

Measles cases, deaths surging in Afghanistan, tens of thousands infected: WHO

Few days after frozen bodies of migrants were discovered near the Greek border, hundreds protested against migrant pushback and border violence in Athens blaming Greece's border policy that led to 19 migrants to freeze to death. According to police officials 700 people marched in front of the Greek parliament.

19 froze to death on Greek border, hundreds protest against migrant pushback

In an extremely tragic end to a five-day rescue operation that gripped Morocco, the emergency crews found that the five-year-old boy trapped at the bottom of a well did not survive

Moroccan emergency crews find 5 year old dead

In a notebook, Brian Laundrie, who had taken his own life, had written that he was responsible for death of Gabby Petito, said the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the United States. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The FBI's Denver Field Office in a statement released on Friday, said, "A review of the notebook revealed written statements by Mr Laundrie claiming responsibility for Ms Petito's death." &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-airlines-plane-bound-for-london-turns-around-mid-flight-find-out-why-446315" hreflang="en">US airlines plane bound for London turns around mid-flight. Find out why?</a>

The notebook was found in the same area in October where Laundrie's remains were discovered in Florida's Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park, the authorities said. A revolver was also found nearby, the FBI added. &nbsp;&nbsp;

About four months after Petito's remains were found in Wyoming, the families of Petito and Laundrie have reached an agreement on how the belongings of the couple, including a notebook, will be shared, said Laundrie family attorney Steve Bertolino on Friday. &nbsp;&nbsp;

As per a statement from the family's lawyer, the Petitos thanked the FBI for its support. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mysterious-sand-sculptures-appear-near-us-lake-find-out-how-446483" hreflang="en">Mysterious sand sculptures appear near US lake. Find out how?</a>

"We truly appreciate the FBI's diligent and painstaking efforts in this extremely complicated case. The quality and quantity of the facts and information collected by the FBI leave no doubt (that) Brian Laundrie murdered Gabby," it said. &nbsp;

On Friday, the FBI said its investigation into the death "will be closed in the near future." &nbsp;

"All logical investigative steps have been concluded in this case. The investigation did not identify any other individuals other than Brian Laundrie directly involved in the tragic death of Gabby Petito," FBI Denver Special Agent in-charge Michael Schneider said. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

In a notebook, Brian Laundrie, who had taken his own life, had written that he was responsible for death of Gabby Petito, said the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the United States.

In a notebook, Brian Laundrie, who had taken his own life, had written that he was responsible for death of Gabby Petito, said the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the United States. The FBI's Denver Field Office in a statement released on Friday, said, "A review of the notebook revealed written statements by Mr Laundrie claiming responsibility for Ms Petito's death." Also Read: US airlines plane bound for London turns around mid-flight. Find out why? The notebook was found in the same area in October where Laundrie's remains were discovered in Florida's Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park, the authorities said. A revolver was also found nearby, the FBI added. About four months after Petito's remains were found in Wyoming, the families of Petito and Laundrie have reached an agreement on how the belongings of the couple, including a notebook, will be shared, said Laundrie family attorney Steve Bertolino on Friday. As per a statement from the family's lawyer, the Petitos thanked the FBI for its support. Also Read: Mysterious sand sculptures appear near US lake. Find out how? "We truly appreciate the FBI's diligent and painstaking efforts in this extremely complicated case. The quality and quantity of the facts and information collected by the FBI leave no doubt (that) Brian Laundrie murdered Gabby," it said. On Friday, the FBI said its investigation into the death "will be closed in the near future." "All logical investigative steps have been concluded in this case. The investigation did not identify any other individuals other than Brian Laundrie directly involved in the tragic death of Gabby Petito," FBI Denver Special Agent in-charge Michael Schneider said. (With inputs from agencies)

In notebook, Brian Laundrie took responsibility for Gabby Petito’s death in US, says FBI

Prediction about your time and cause of death might be possible to some extent as a study found that the difference between the biological age of the retina, the light-sensitive layers of nerve tissue at the back of the eye, and a person's real age, is linked to their risk of death. The study, which has been published in the 'British Journal of Opthalmology' might indicate the overall health of the circulatory system and the brain. This 'retinal age gap' could be used as a screening tool.

Can your eyes predict risk of early death? Study reveals

Have you ever spent hours grinding your mind predicting one’s death? Well, the answer is pretty simple. Take a scan of your eyes, and everything will be revealed.

Australian researchers have devised a new Artificial Intelligence (AI) programme that can help predict a person’s years of life simply by looking at their retina—the tissue at the back of the eye.

The findings, published on Wednesday in the British Journal of Ophthalmology, are based on studies of the retina—which the scientists claimed acts as a “window” in allowing doctors to take a deeper look at someone’s health.

The researchers from Melbourne's Centre for Eye Research claimed that the AI algorithm accurately predicts the retinal age after analysing almost 19,000 fundus scans.&nbsp;

“The retina offers a unique, accessible window to evaluate underlying pathological processes of systemic vascular and neurological diseases that are associated with increased risks of mortality,” wrote study author Dr Mingguang He, a professor of ophthalmic epidemiology in the University of Melbourne and Centre for Eye Research in Australia.

The <a href="https://bjo.bmj.com/content/early/2021/11/17/bjophthalmol-2021-319807#">study </a>analysed over 130,000 retinal images from samples given by people participating in the UK BioBank, a long-term government study of over 500,000 UK participants&nbsp;between the ages of 40 and 69.

There was a 2 per cent increase in the risk of death from any cause for each year of difference between a person's actual age and the older biological age identified in the eye, the study found.

“The significant association between retinal age gap and non-cardiovascular/non-cancer mortality, together with the growing evidence of the link between eye and brain, may support the notion that the retina is the 'window' of neurological diseases,” the authors&nbsp;write.

(With inputs from agencies)

Have you ever spent hours grinding your mind predicting one’s death? Well, the answer is pretty simple. Take a scan of your eyes, and everything will be revealed.

Have you ever spent hours grinding your mind predicting one’s death? Well, the answer is pretty simple. Take a scan of your eyes, and everything will be revealed. Australian researchers have devised a new Artificial Intelligence (AI) programme that can help predict a person’s years of life simply by looking at their retina—the tissue at the back of the eye. The findings, published on Wednesday in the British Journal of Ophthalmology, are based on studies of the retina—which the scientists claimed acts as a “window” in allowing doctors to take a deeper look at someone’s health. The researchers from Melbourne's Centre for Eye Research claimed that the AI algorithm accurately predicts the retinal age after analysing almost 19,000 fundus scans. “The retina offers a unique, accessible window to evaluate underlying pathological processes of systemic vascular and neurological diseases that are associated with increased risks of mortality,” wrote study author Dr Mingguang He, a professor of ophthalmic epidemiology in the University of Melbourne and Centre for Eye Research in Australia. The study analysed over 130,000 retinal images from samples given by people participating in the UK BioBank, a long-term government study of over 500,000 UK participants between the ages of 40 and 69. There was a 2 per cent increase in the risk of death from any cause for each year of difference between a person's actual age and the older biological age identified in the eye, the study found. “The significant association between retinal age gap and non-cardiovascular/non-cancer mortality, together with the growing evidence of the link between eye and brain, may support the notion that the retina is the 'window' of neurological diseases,” the authors write. (With inputs from agencies)

Can eyes predict death? Scientists in Australia claim to hold potential evidence

22 tourists 'froze to death' in Pakistan's Murree town. Reports say the victims were compelled to spend the night in their cars due to absurdly high fares at hotels. Pakistanis say they won't visit the town anymore. Palki Sharma tells you more.

Gravitas: The Murree Tragedy: 22 Pakistani tourists freeze to death

Few days ago we reported about the tragic deaths of 22 people in Pakistan's Murree, they were stuck in their cars during a snowstorm and died from the cold or carbon monoxide poisoning from the fumes. Over five-member committee has been announced by the Punjab government to investigate the causes and lapses that led to the death of the tourists.

Pakistan horror: Stranded tourists forced to sleep in cars freezes to death

The new variant of coronavirus, Omicron, has begun to take its toll on India as first case of death related to it seems to have been detected in the state of Maharashtra. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The victim, who is a 52-year-old man, had died of a heart attack on Tuesday at Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation's Yashwantrao Chavan Hospital in Pune. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-state-of-west-bengal-temporarily-suspends-flights-from-uk-amid-rise-in-omicron-cases-441196" hreflang="en">Indian state of West Bengal temporarily suspends flights from UK amid rise in Omicron cases</a>

He was infected with Omicron variant, as per the Public Health Department. It was detected in the samples of the man. &nbsp;

According to the health department, the patient has a travel history to Nigeria. He also had diabetes for the last 13 years. &nbsp;

"The death of this patient is due to non-COVID-19 reasons. Coincidently, today's National Institute of Virology (NIV) report has revealed that he was infected with the Omicron variant of COVID-19," added the health bulletin presented by the Public Health Department, Maharashtra. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/961-omicron-cases-covid-19-cases-have-risen-since-december-26-says-indias-health-ministry-441168" hreflang="en">'961 Omicron cases': COVID-19 cases have risen since December 26, says India's health ministry</a>

India has recorded 16,764 fresh cases of COVID-19 in 24 hours. It includes 309 cases of Omicron variant. Around 220 deaths have also been reported. &nbsp;

The country's total tally of Omicron variant of the coronavirus has gone to 1,270, the Union health ministry said on Friday. Around 374 have either recuperated or migrated, the ministry's data said. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The new variant of coronavirus, Omicron, has begun to take its toll on India as first case of death related to it seems to have been detected in the state of Maharashtra.

The new variant of coronavirus, Omicron, has begun to take its toll on India as first case of death related to it seems to have been detected in the state of Maharashtra. The victim, who is a 52-year-old man, had died of a heart attack on Tuesday at Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation's Yashwantrao Chavan Hospital in Pune. Also Read: Indian state of West Bengal temporarily suspends flights from UK amid rise in Omicron cases He was infected with Omicron variant, as per the Public Health Department. It was detected in the samples of the man. According to the health department, the patient has a travel history to Nigeria. He also had diabetes for the last 13 years. "The death of this patient is due to non-COVID-19 reasons. Coincidently, today's National Institute of Virology (NIV) report has revealed that he was infected with the Omicron variant of COVID-19," added the health bulletin presented by the Public Health Department, Maharashtra. Also Read: '961 Omicron cases': COVID-19 cases have risen since December 26, says India's health ministry India has recorded 16,764 fresh cases of COVID-19 in 24 hours. It includes 309 cases of Omicron variant. Around 220 deaths have also been reported. The country's total tally of Omicron variant of the coronavirus has gone to 1,270, the Union health ministry said on Friday. Around 374 have either recuperated or migrated, the ministry's data said. (With inputs from agencies)

First ‘Omicron death’ registered in India’s Maharashtra state

Israel approves the 4th COVID jab as a booster dose amid rapidly rising COVID-19 cases fueled by the Omicron variant.

Amid rising COVID-19 cases due to Omicron variant, Israel approves 4th COVID shot as a booster

Israel approves 4th COVID dose as a booster against Omicron wave

In a first, Israel reports its first death case from the Omicron variant of COVID-19. Israel has also revised restrictions with the surge in cases.

Israel reports its first death caused due to Omicron as 84-year-old woman dies

Israel reports its first death caused due to the Omicron variant of COVID-19

News reading is a talent and an art that requires a lot of practice and focus, but every human can make mistakes. However, those mistakes turn into disaster if recorded on live telecast.<o:p></o:p>

ITV News presenter Kylie Pentelow was presenting a segment about Pope Francis’ Christmas Day address. What began as a usual news telecast soon turned into an uncomfortable segment.

<o:p></o:p>

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ITV news accidentally announces the death of the pope 
 
👀 <a href="https://t.co/6XyVtuypDi">pic.twitter.com/6XyVtuypDi</a>
— CuriousRabitt 🐇🧐 (@ApocalypseBarB) <a href="https://twitter.com/ApocalypseBarB/status/1474941685696245760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 26, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Pentelow started the segment by telling viewers about Pope’s festive address which was mainly concentrated on prayers for pandemic victims. However, after a pan shot from the Pope’s address to the anchor’s face, she suddenly said that the Pope's death was announced.<o:p></o:p>

Upon realising her mistake, she quickly apologised and changed the segment.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pope-francis-prays-for-covid-19-pandemics-end-healthcare-for-all-on-christmas-439945">Pope Francis prays for COVID-19 pandemic’s end, healthcare for all on Christmas</a></o:p>

"The Pope's festive address focused on his prayers for the pandemic to come to an end. He said vaccines should be made available to those most in need,"&nbsp;Pentelow&nbsp;reported&nbsp;on Saturday evening, before adding,&nbsp;"His death was announced… uh, excuse me."<o:p></o:p>

As soon as she made the mistake, viewers could observe a change in expression in the face of the anchor.<o:p></o:p>

While some ridiculed her for this mistake, others supported the anchor and said 'we all make mistakes'.<o:p></o:p>

"Someone get this newsreader a drink STAT. We all make mistakes," BBC broadcaster Scott Bryan&nbsp;tweeted in support of Pentelow.

<o:p></o:p>

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Someone get this newsreader a drink STAT. We all make mistakes.
— Scott Bryan (@scottygb) <a href="https://twitter.com/scottygb/status/1474799036506984451?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 25, 2021</a></blockquote>
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"When I worked at ITN news we had to do practice runs for announcing the Queen’s death,"&nbsp;another broadcaster by the name of Jenni Regan explained on Twitter. "We had all the right obits ready but all the names were replaced with Mrs Brown to avoid mistakes like this."

<o:p></o:p>

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When I worked at ITN news we had to do practice runs for announcing the Queen’s death. We had all the right obits ready but all the names were replaced with Mrs Brown to avoid mistakes like this…
— Jenni Regan 💛 (@MsJenniRegan) <a href="https://twitter.com/MsJenniRegan/status/1474830106472427521?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 25, 2021</a></blockquote>
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During his Christmas address to the world from the St Peter's Square&nbsp;in Vatican City, Pope Francis talked about pandemic victims, urged vaccine for poor countries and also talked about the ongoing conflicts in Yemen, Syria and Iraq and tensions in Ukraine and Ethiopia, and 'unprecedented crisis' in Lebanon.<o:p></o:p>

"We have become so used to them (conflicts) that immense tragedies are now being passed over in silence; we risk not hearing the cry of pain and distress of so many of our brothers and sisters," he said. "Son of God, comfort the victims of violence against women, which has increased in this time of pandemic. Offer hope to young children and adolescents suffering from bullying and abuse."<o:p></o:p>

News reading is a talent and an art that requires a lot of practice and focus, but every human can make mistakes. However, those mistakes turn into disaster if recorded on live telecast.

News reading is a talent and an art that requires a lot of practice and focus, but every human can make mistakes. However, those mistakes turn into disaster if recorded on live telecast. ITV News presenter Kylie Pentelow was presenting a segment about Pope Francis’ Christmas Day address. What began as a usual news telecast soon turned into an uncomfortable segment. ITV news accidentally announces the death of the pope 👀 pic.twitter.com/6XyVtuypDi — CuriousRabitt 🐇🧐 (@ApocalypseBarB) December 26, 2021 × Pentelow started the segment by telling viewers about Pope’s festive address which was mainly concentrated on prayers for pandemic victims. However, after a pan shot from the Pope’s address to the anchor’s face, she suddenly said that the Pope's death was announced. Upon realising her mistake, she quickly apologised and changed the segment. Also read | Pope Francis prays for COVID-19 pandemic’s end, healthcare for all on Christmas "The Pope's festive address focused on his prayers for the pandemic to come to an end. He said vaccines should be made available to those most in need," Pentelow reported on Saturday evening, before adding, "His death was announced… uh, excuse me." As soon as she made the mistake, viewers could observe a change in expression in the face of the anchor. While some ridiculed her for this mistake, others supported the anchor and said 'we all make mistakes'. "Someone get this newsreader a drink STAT. We all make mistakes," BBC broadcaster Scott Bryan tweeted in support of Pentelow. Someone get this newsreader a drink STAT. We all make mistakes. — Scott Bryan (@scottygb) December 25, 2021 × "When I worked at ITN news we had to do practice runs for announcing the Queen’s death," another broadcaster by the name of Jenni Regan explained on Twitter. "We had all the right obits ready but all the names were replaced with Mrs Brown to avoid mistakes like this." When I worked at ITN news we had to do practice runs for announcing the Queen’s death. We had all the right obits ready but all the names were replaced with Mrs Brown to avoid mistakes like this… — Jenni Regan 💛 (@MsJenniRegan) December 25, 2021 × During his Christmas address to the world from the St Peter's Square in Vatican City, Pope Francis talked about pandemic victims, urged vaccine for poor countries and also talked about the ongoing conflicts in Yemen, Syria and Iraq and tensions in Ukraine and Ethiopia, and 'unprecedented crisis' in Lebanon. "We have become so used to them (conflicts) that immense tragedies are now being passed over in silence; we risk not hearing the cry of pain and distress of so many of our brothers and sisters," he said. "Son of God, comfort the victims of violence against women, which has increased in this time of pandemic. Offer hope to young children and adolescents suffering from bullying and abuse."

WATCH: News anchor mistakenly announces Pope's death on live TV

Malaysia is facing one of its worst floods in years, over 7,000 people have been displaced from their homes in Malaysia on Sunday; the death toll has now risen to 27.

Malaysia is hit by one of the worst floods, death toll rises to 27

Dozens of people have been killed and their villages burned in inter-communal violence in Sudan’s West Darfur state, the United Nations said, worsening the state of crisis that has troubled the region for years.

The violence comes as Sudan’s leaders are working through their own crisis, one that is likely to distract them from Darfur’s mounting problems.

Sudan’s effort at a democratic transition is faltering, with thousands of demonstrators flooding the streets Thursday to denounce the military’s deal with the civilian prime minister, Abdalla Hamdok. After almost a month under house arrest following a coup, Hamdok signed a new power-sharing agreement with the military in a bid to end a bloody standoff and restore the democratic process.

In Darfur, at least 43 people were killed and 46 villages burned and looted after conflict erupted last week in the Jebel Moon area between Arab herders and farmers from the Misseriya Jebel tribe, according to the UN&nbsp;Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

The local branch of the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors said at least 17 people had been injured and were receiving treatment in local hospitals, although activists and aid organizations said the true number was most likely higher. The U.N. refugee agency said in an emailed statement that an unknown number of people had fled across the border into Chad. Several people, including children, remained missing, with some of those displaced fleeing into nearby mountains and caves.

As of Friday, the security situation in the area remained volatile, with humanitarian organizations struggling to get assurances of safety to travel into conflict areas and provide help.

Experts say the deadly unrest in Darfur had already begun to intensify before a hybrid U.N. and African Union mission completed its withdrawal from the region this year. Under deposed dictator Omar al-Bashir, the region endured a campaign of rape, murder and ethnic violence in which at least 300,000 people were killed and 2.7 million others displaced, according to the United Nations.

The latest clash between farmers and herders is part of a seasonal trend around nomadic movements and harvests, but aid workers say the recent attacks have been much more brutal.

Dozens of people have been killed and their villages burned in inter-communal violence in Sudan’s West Darfur state, the United Nations said, worsening the state of crisis that has troubled the region for years.

Dozens of people have been killed and their villages burned in inter-communal violence in Sudan’s West Darfur state, the United Nations said, worsening the state of crisis that has troubled the region for years. The violence comes as Sudan’s leaders are working through their own crisis, one that is likely to distract them from Darfur’s mounting problems. Sudan’s effort at a democratic transition is faltering, with thousands of demonstrators flooding the streets Thursday to denounce the military’s deal with the civilian prime minister, Abdalla Hamdok. After almost a month under house arrest following a coup, Hamdok signed a new power-sharing agreement with the military in a bid to end a bloody standoff and restore the democratic process. In Darfur, at least 43 people were killed and 46 villages burned and looted after conflict erupted last week in the Jebel Moon area between Arab herders and farmers from the Misseriya Jebel tribe, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The local branch of the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors said at least 17 people had been injured and were receiving treatment in local hospitals, although activists and aid organizations said the true number was most likely higher. The U.N. refugee agency said in an emailed statement that an unknown number of people had fled across the border into Chad. Several people, including children, remained missing, with some of those displaced fleeing into nearby mountains and caves. As of Friday, the security situation in the area remained volatile, with humanitarian organizations struggling to get assurances of safety to travel into conflict areas and provide help. Experts say the deadly unrest in Darfur had already begun to intensify before a hybrid U.N. and African Union mission completed its withdrawal from the region this year. Under deposed dictator Omar al-Bashir, the region endured a campaign of rape, murder and ethnic violence in which at least 300,000 people were killed and 2.7 million others displaced, according to the United Nations. The latest clash between farmers and herders is part of a seasonal trend around nomadic movements and harvests, but aid workers say the recent attacks have been much more brutal.

Fresh violence in Darfur adds to Sudan’s crises

Argentine football fans gathered at several sites around the country to remember the former Boca Juniors, Barcelona, and Napoli icon, including La Bombonera stadium, the home of his beloved Boca.

Fans paid tribute to soccer star Maradona on his first death anniversary

A research carried out by scientists from the University of Oxford has discovered a gene that doubles the risk of lung failure and death from the deadly coronavirus. Scientists have claimed that around 60 per cent of people from South Asian backgrounds and 15 per cent of people from European ancestry carry the high-risk version of the gene.

Professor James Davies, a geneticist at Oxford University’s Radcliffe Department of Medicine and a senior author of the paper said, "The genetic factor we have found explains why some people get very seriously ill after coronavirus infection … There’s a single gene that confers quite a significant risk to people of south Asian background."

The risky version of the gene is present in about 2 per cent&nbsp;of people from African-Caribbean backgrounds and 1.8 per cent&nbsp;of people of East Asian descent.

The study relies on previous works that identifies a large chunk of DNA that shows how COVID-19 can cause people to be severely ill.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pfizers-experimental-covid-pill-reduces-hospitalisations-and-deaths-company-claims-426982">Also read |&nbsp;Pfizer's experimental Covid pill reduces hospitalisations and deaths, company claims</a>

Meanwhile, Pfizer recently claimed that their experimental pill against the deadly coronavirus can reduce the risk of hospitalisation and deaths in high-risk patients.

The pharmaceutical company has revealed that the interim analysis before the end of the trial has shown that there is an 89 per cent decline in risk of hospitalisations and COID-19 deaths. However, the data has not been peer reviewed yet.

Pfizer has been testing this pill in high-risk adult Covid patients. In these trials, some of the volunteers have been given the pill combination while others have been given a placebo, within three to five days of the start of their symptoms.

A research carried out by scientists from the University of Oxford has discovered a gene that doubles the risk of lung failure and death from the deadly coronavirus.

A research carried out by scientists from the University of Oxford has discovered a gene that doubles the risk of lung failure and death from the deadly coronavirus. Scientists have claimed that around 60 per cent of people from South Asian backgrounds and 15 per cent of people from European ancestry carry the high-risk version of the gene. Professor James Davies, a geneticist at Oxford University’s Radcliffe Department of Medicine and a senior author of the paper said, "The genetic factor we have found explains why some people get very seriously ill after coronavirus infection … There’s a single gene that confers quite a significant risk to people of south Asian background." The risky version of the gene is present in about 2 per cent of people from African-Caribbean backgrounds and 1.8 per cent of people of East Asian descent. The study relies on previous works that identifies a large chunk of DNA that shows how COVID-19 can cause people to be severely ill. Also read | Pfizer's experimental Covid pill reduces hospitalisations and deaths, company claims Meanwhile, Pfizer recently claimed that their experimental pill against the deadly coronavirus can reduce the risk of hospitalisation and deaths in high-risk patients. The pharmaceutical company has revealed that the interim analysis before the end of the trial has shown that there is an 89 per cent decline in risk of hospitalisations and COID-19 deaths. However, the data has not been peer reviewed yet. Pfizer has been testing this pill in high-risk adult Covid patients. In these trials, some of the volunteers have been given the pill combination while others have been given a placebo, within three to five days of the start of their symptoms.

Common gene in South Asians can double the risk of death due to COVID-19

Authorities in Cook County have identified another victim of John Wayne Gacy, the serial killer who terrorized Chicago in the 1970s, murdering dozens of young men and burying their bodies at his suburban home.

The announcement was the latest in a series of revelations by the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, which reopened the Gacy case a decade ago and has since discovered identities of victims using DNA evidence and expanding genealogical databases.

The latest identification is Francis Wayne Alexander, a native of North Carolina who was living in Chicago at the time of his death.

Alexander’s family was notified in recent days of the results of the investigation, Sheriff Thomas Dart said Monday at a news conference.

“There was family that loved him,” Dart said. “But he had made decisions in his life that led them to believe that he just wanted to be left alone.”

Gacy was arrested in 1978. When officials searched his home in Norwood Park Township, Illinois, they found 29 bodies in or near his house, most of them in the home’s crawl space. Four other victims were found in the nearby Des Plaines River.

Police believe that Gacy lured some men to his home after meeting them in Chicago, and that he abducted and raped some victims. He often killed them by strangulation.

Gacy was executed by lethal injection in 1994.

Detectives in Cook County have painstakingly worked to identify victims who remained unknown, solving three cold cases since 2011. Five victims are still unidentified.

In a statement, the Alexander family thanked the Sheriff’s Department for the investigation and said it finally had a sense of resolution.

“It is hard, even 45 years later, to know the fate of our beloved Wayne,” the statement said. “He was killed at the hands of a vile and evil man. Our hearts are heavy, and our sympathies go out to the other victims’ families. Our only comfort is knowing this killer no longer breathes the same air as we do.”

On Monday, authorities described how they had connected Alexander’s body, found in Gacy’s crawl space, with his identity so many decades later.

Alexander moved to Chicago from New York with his wife in 1975, officials said. The couple divorced months later, and Alexander remained in Chicago.

He lived on Winona Street on the North Side of Chicago, in a neighborhood where Gacy was known to have targeted other victims, including William Bundy, a 19-year-old construction worker.

After Alexander’s divorce, he continued to contact his family in North Carolina, calling to check in or sending notes from his travels. In 1976, a postcard from California arrived. It was the last note from Alexander that his family ever received.

The family contacted the police in California and asked them to check the return address on the postcard. He was no longer at that address, the police replied.

Alexander’s family did not call the Chicago Police Department to ask for help or file a missing persons report, officials said. For decades, his relatives had little idea where he had gone.

Detective Jason Moran of the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, who worked on the case, said he had interviewed dozens of families whose relatives have gone missing for extended periods.

“They live in a cruel limbo,” he said. “Some families have told me in the past that maybe their loved one had amnesia. Some families have real outlandish ideas. Some don’t want to believe their loved ones are dead.”

Alexander’s family was no different, he said: “They were not unlike other families, where they really didn’t know what to think.”

The investigation into Victim No. 5 — the fifth victim discovered at the Gacy house, now found to be Alexander — began about one year ago.

The Sheriff’s Department was aided by a nonprofit organization, the DNA Doe Project, whose all-volunteer staff tries to match unidentified remains with genetic profiles that had been uploaded to an open-source genealogy database.

Using DNA from one of Victim No. 5’s molars, the DNA Doe Project found connections to Alexander’s family. Moran followed up with research, interviews and further DNA testing before confirming that he had found the identity of the victim.

Investigators also searched financial records and found other records, including a parking ticket dated to January 1976. They estimated that Alexander was either 21 or 22 at the time of his death, which they said took place between early 1976 and 1977.

Authorities in Cook County have identified another victim of John Wayne Gacy, the serial killer who terrorized Chicago in the 1970s, murdering dozens of young men and burying their bodies at his suburban home.

Authorities in Cook County have identified another victim of John Wayne Gacy, the serial killer who terrorized Chicago in the 1970s, murdering dozens of young men and burying their bodies at his suburban home. The announcement was the latest in a series of revelations by the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, which reopened the Gacy case a decade ago and has since discovered identities of victims using DNA evidence and expanding genealogical databases. The latest identification is Francis Wayne Alexander, a native of North Carolina who was living in Chicago at the time of his death. Alexander’s family was notified in recent days of the results of the investigation, Sheriff Thomas Dart said Monday at a news conference. “There was family that loved him,” Dart said. “But he had made decisions in his life that led them to believe that he just wanted to be left alone.” Gacy was arrested in 1978. When officials searched his home in Norwood Park Township, Illinois, they found 29 bodies in or near his house, most of them in the home’s crawl space. Four other victims were found in the nearby Des Plaines River. Police believe that Gacy lured some men to his home after meeting them in Chicago, and that he abducted and raped some victims. He often killed them by strangulation. Gacy was executed by lethal injection in 1994. Detectives in Cook County have painstakingly worked to identify victims who remained unknown, solving three cold cases since 2011. Five victims are still unidentified. In a statement, the Alexander family thanked the Sheriff’s Department for the investigation and said it finally had a sense of resolution. “It is hard, even 45 years later, to know the fate of our beloved Wayne,” the statement said. “He was killed at the hands of a vile and evil man. Our hearts are heavy, and our sympathies go out to the other victims’ families. Our only comfort is knowing this killer no longer breathes the same air as we do.” On Monday, authorities described how they had connected Alexander’s body, found in Gacy’s crawl space, with his identity so many decades later. Alexander moved to Chicago from New York with his wife in 1975, officials said. The couple divorced months later, and Alexander remained in Chicago. He lived on Winona Street on the North Side of Chicago, in a neighborhood where Gacy was known to have targeted other victims, including William Bundy, a 19-year-old construction worker. After Alexander’s divorce, he continued to contact his family in North Carolina, calling to check in or sending notes from his travels. In 1976, a postcard from California arrived. It was the last note from Alexander that his family ever received. The family contacted the police in California and asked them to check the return address on the postcard. He was no longer at that address, the police replied. Alexander’s family did not call the Chicago Police Department to ask for help or file a missing persons report, officials said. For decades, his relatives had little idea where he had gone. Detective Jason Moran of the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, who worked on the case, said he had interviewed dozens of families whose relatives have gone missing for extended periods. “They live in a cruel limbo,” he said. “Some families have told me in the past that maybe their loved one had amnesia. Some families have real outlandish ideas. Some don’t want to believe their loved ones are dead.” Alexander’s family was no different, he said: “They were not unlike other families, where they really didn’t know what to think.” The investigation into Victim No. 5 — the fifth victim discovered at the Gacy house, now found to be Alexander — began about one year ago. The Sheriff’s Department was aided by a nonprofit organization, the DNA Doe Project, whose all-volunteer staff tries to match unidentified remains with genetic profiles that had been uploaded to an open-source genealogy database. Using DNA from one of Victim No. 5’s molars, the DNA Doe Project found connections to Alexander’s family. Moran followed up with research, interviews and further DNA testing before confirming that he had found the identity of the victim. Investigators also searched financial records and found other records, including a parking ticket dated to January 1976. They estimated that Alexander was either 21 or 22 at the time of his death, which they said took place between early 1976 and 1977.

Another victim of a serial killer is identified, 4 decades after his death

India reported 14,623 fresh Covid cases on Wednesday, 12 per cent higher than Tuesday and registered 197 deaths in the last 24 hours, as per Union Health Ministry data.

With the new 197 fatalities, the overall death toll has increased to 4,52,651.

The recovery of 19,446 patients in the last 24 hours has increased the cumulative tally of recovered patients to 3,34,78,247.

Also Read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-man-wants-covid-certificate-without-pm-modis-picture-422025">&nbsp;Indian man wants Covid certificate without PM Modi's picture</a>

Consequently, India's recovery rate stands at 98.15 per cent, currently at its highest peak since March 2020.

The active caseload has fallen below 2 lakh mark and is presently at 1,78,098, which is now lowest in 229 days. Active cases presently constitute 0.52 per cent of the country's total positive cases.

The testing capacity across the country continues to be expanded. The last 24 hours saw a total of 13,23,702 tests being conducted. India has so far conducted over 59.44 crore cumulative tests.

While testing capacity has been enhanced across the country, weekly positivity rate at 1.34 per cent remains less than 3 per cent for the last 117 days now. The daily positivity rate stands at 1.10 per cent, below 3 per cent for the last 51 days and below 5 per cent for 134 consecutive days now.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/over-960-million-covid-19-vaccines-administered-in-india-says-health-ministry-420498">Over 960 million COVID-19 vaccines administered in India, says health ministry</a>

With the administration of 41,36,142 vaccine doses in the last 24 hours, India's Covid vaccination coverage has exceeded 99.12 crore as per provisional reports till 7 a.m. on Wednesday. This has been achieved through 97,99,506 sessions.

According to the data shared by the health ministry, over 10.78 cr balance and unutilized vaccine doses are still available with the States/UTs to be administered.

India reported 14,623 fresh Covid cases on Wednesday, 12 per cent higher than Tuesday and registered 197 deaths in the last 24 hours, as per Union Health Ministry data.

India reported 14,623 fresh Covid cases on Wednesday, 12 per cent higher than Tuesday and registered 197 deaths in the last 24 hours, as per Union Health Ministry data. With the new 197 fatalities, the overall death toll has increased to 4,52,651. The recovery of 19,446 patients in the last 24 hours has increased the cumulative tally of recovered patients to 3,34,78,247. Also Read | Indian man wants Covid certificate without PM Modi's picture Consequently, India's recovery rate stands at 98.15 per cent, currently at its highest peak since March 2020. The active caseload has fallen below 2 lakh mark and is presently at 1,78,098, which is now lowest in 229 days. Active cases presently constitute 0.52 per cent of the country's total positive cases. The testing capacity across the country continues to be expanded. The last 24 hours saw a total of 13,23,702 tests being conducted. India has so far conducted over 59.44 crore cumulative tests. While testing capacity has been enhanced across the country, weekly positivity rate at 1.34 per cent remains less than 3 per cent for the last 117 days now. The daily positivity rate stands at 1.10 per cent, below 3 per cent for the last 51 days and below 5 per cent for 134 consecutive days now. Also Read | Over 960 million COVID-19 vaccines administered in India, says health ministry With the administration of 41,36,142 vaccine doses in the last 24 hours, India's Covid vaccination coverage has exceeded 99.12 crore as per provisional reports till 7 a.m. on Wednesday. This has been achieved through 97,99,506 sessions. According to the data shared by the health ministry, over 10.78 cr balance and unutilized vaccine doses are still available with the States/UTs to be administered.

India adds 14,623 fresh Covid cases, 197 deaths in a day

The number of COVID-19 vaccination doses delivered in India is set to surpass one billion.

India has already provided more vaccination doses than any other country in the globe, with the exception of China.

The billion-doses club would consist of only these two countries, as no other country has a population of anything close to 500 million.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/dcgi-seeks-technical-opinion-to-approve-covaxin-for-kids-421886">DCGI seeks 'technical opinion' to approve Covaxin for kids</a>

For a country that had supply constraints and vaccine reluctance in the early stages, reaching the 1 billion mark is a significant accomplishment in and of itself.

India faces logistical challenges in the delivery and storage of vaccinations, as well as in establishing a cold-chain network to distant locations where healthcare facilities are inadequate.

Add to that the fact that India was stricken by the pandemic's deadliest second wave as soon as the vaccines were made available to the general population, crippling the same health care system that was to be utilised for vaccine delivery.

Bloomberg's vaccination tracker, meanwhile, shows that just 20% of the country's 1.4 billion people are completely vaccinated.

Furthermore, the tracker indicated that 51% of individuals are only partially vaccinated. 
 
Just 17 per cent to 25 per cent of the population in states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu are completely vaccinated, while more than 70 per cent have yet to receive their first shot.

For the past 25 days, there have been fewer than 30,000 daily COVID infections in the country. For the past 114 days, there have been fewer than 50,000 daily new cases reported.

In India, 13,058 new coronavirus infections were reported on October 19, the fewest in 231 days, bringing the total number of COVID-19 cases to 3,40,94,373.

Also Read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indias-vaccine-effort-slows-as-dose-gap-trumps-output-jump-421741">&nbsp;India's vaccine effort slows as dose gap trumps output jump</a>

The death toll rose to 4,52,454 with 164 new deaths, but the number of active cases fell to 1,83,118, the lowest in 227 days.

The active cases account for 0.54 percent of overall infections, the lowest since March 2020, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was 98.14 per cent, the greatest since March 2020, according to the health ministry. 
 
Vaccine Maitri Programme

While India was vaccinating its citizens, it was not blind to the catastrophe unfolding in other nations. Earlier this year, India sent over 66 million doses of Covid vaccines to more than 70 nations as part of the Vaccine Maitri programme. Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Brazil, Morocco, South Africa, Afghanistan, Mexico, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, and the United Kingdom were among the countries that benefited from the Vaccine Maitri project.

India is the world's largest vaccine manufacturer and one of the largest contributors to the World Health Organization's COVAX programme, under which more affluent countries such as the United States where Covid vaccines are manufactured contribute to other countries to ensure equitable distribution of the vaccines.

(With inputs from agencies)

The number of COVID-19 vaccination doses delivered in India is set to surpass one billion. India has already provided more vaccination doses than any other country in the globe, with the exception of China.

The number of COVID-19 vaccination doses delivered in India is set to surpass one billion. India has already provided more vaccination doses than any other country in the globe, with the exception of China. The billion-doses club would consist of only these two countries, as no other country has a population of anything close to 500 million. Also Read | DCGI seeks 'technical opinion' to approve Covaxin for kids For a country that had supply constraints and vaccine reluctance in the early stages, reaching the 1 billion mark is a significant accomplishment in and of itself. India faces logistical challenges in the delivery and storage of vaccinations, as well as in establishing a cold-chain network to distant locations where healthcare facilities are inadequate. Add to that the fact that India was stricken by the pandemic's deadliest second wave as soon as the vaccines were made available to the general population, crippling the same health care system that was to be utilised for vaccine delivery. Bloomberg's vaccination tracker, meanwhile, shows that just 20% of the country's 1.4 billion people are completely vaccinated. Furthermore, the tracker indicated that 51% of individuals are only partially vaccinated. Just 17 per cent to 25 per cent of the population in states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu are completely vaccinated, while more than 70 per cent have yet to receive their first shot. For the past 25 days, there have been fewer than 30,000 daily COVID infections in the country. For the past 114 days, there have been fewer than 50,000 daily new cases reported. In India, 13,058 new coronavirus infections were reported on October 19, the fewest in 231 days, bringing the total number of COVID-19 cases to 3,40,94,373. Also Read | India's vaccine effort slows as dose gap trumps output jump The death toll rose to 4,52,454 with 164 new deaths, but the number of active cases fell to 1,83,118, the lowest in 227 days. The active cases account for 0.54 percent of overall infections, the lowest since March 2020, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was 98.14 per cent, the greatest since March 2020, according to the health ministry. Vaccine Maitri Programme While India was vaccinating its citizens, it was not blind to the catastrophe unfolding in other nations. Earlier this year, India sent over 66 million doses of Covid vaccines to more than 70 nations as part of the Vaccine Maitri programme. Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Brazil, Morocco, South Africa, Afghanistan, Mexico, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, and the United Kingdom were among the countries that benefited from the Vaccine Maitri project. India is the world's largest vaccine manufacturer and one of the largest contributors to the World Health Organization's COVAX programme, under which more affluent countries such as the United States where Covid vaccines are manufactured contribute to other countries to ensure equitable distribution of the vaccines. (With inputs from agencies)

India on course to deliver one billion Covid vaccinations: Why is it a big deal?

India recorded 15,981 COVID-19 cases in a day, taking the infection tally to 3,40,53,573 while 166 more fatalities pushed the death toll to 4,51,980, according to the Union Health Ministry's data on Saturday.

The number of active Covid cases has declined to 2,01,632, the lowest in 218 days. The national recovery rate was at 98.07 per cent, the data updated at 8 am showed.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/covid-19-virus-has-properties-that-have-never-been-found-in-nature-before-304229">COVID-19 virus has properties that have never been found in nature before</a>

Active cases account for 0.59 per cent of the total cases, the lowest since March last year.

In a day, the active COVID-19 caseload declined by 2,046. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 3,33,99,961, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.33 per cent.

As many as 9,23,003 tests were conducted on Friday, taking the cumulative tests conducted so far for the detection of COVID-19 in the country to 58,98,35,258.

Over 97.23 crore Covid vaccine doses have been administered in the country till now under the nationwide vaccination drive.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-lab-suspended-after-false-negative-covid-tests-420952">UK lab suspended after false negative Covid tests</a>

India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 2020, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16. It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19.

India crossed the grim milestone of two crore on May 4 and three crore on June 23. The daily case positivity rate was recorded at 1.73 per cent, which has been less than 3 per cent for the last 47 days. The weekly positivity rate was 1.44 per cent and has been less than 3 per cent for the last 113 days, according to the Health Ministry.

The 166 fatalities recorded in a day include 67 from Kerala and 29 from Maharashtra.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-development-finance-corporation-chief-to-visit-india-to-boost-vaccine-manufacturing-421167">US Development Finance Corporation chief to visit India to boost vaccine manufacturing</a>

A total of 4,51,980 deaths have been reported so far in the country, including 1,39,734 from Maharashtra, 37,931 from Karnataka, 35,869 from Tamil Nadu, 26,734 from Kerala, 25,089 from Delhi, 22,897 from Uttar Pradesh, and 18,935 from West Bengal.

The health ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities.

"Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research," the ministry said on its website, adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation

India recorded 15,981 COVID-19 cases in a day, taking the infection tally to 3,40,53,573 while 166 more fatalities pushed the death toll to 4,51,980, according to the Union Health Ministry's data on Saturday.

India recorded 15,981 COVID-19 cases in a day, taking the infection tally to 3,40,53,573 while 166 more fatalities pushed the death toll to 4,51,980, according to the Union Health Ministry's data on Saturday. The number of active Covid cases has declined to 2,01,632, the lowest in 218 days. The national recovery rate was at 98.07 per cent, the data updated at 8 am showed. Also Read | COVID-19 virus has properties that have never been found in nature before Active cases account for 0.59 per cent of the total cases, the lowest since March last year. In a day, the active COVID-19 caseload declined by 2,046. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 3,33,99,961, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.33 per cent. As many as 9,23,003 tests were conducted on Friday, taking the cumulative tests conducted so far for the detection of COVID-19 in the country to 58,98,35,258. Over 97.23 crore Covid vaccine doses have been administered in the country till now under the nationwide vaccination drive. Also Read | UK lab suspended after false negative Covid tests India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 2020, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16. It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19. India crossed the grim milestone of two crore on May 4 and three crore on June 23. The daily case positivity rate was recorded at 1.73 per cent, which has been less than 3 per cent for the last 47 days. The weekly positivity rate was 1.44 per cent and has been less than 3 per cent for the last 113 days, according to the Health Ministry. The 166 fatalities recorded in a day include 67 from Kerala and 29 from Maharashtra. Also Read | US Development Finance Corporation chief to visit India to boost vaccine manufacturing A total of 4,51,980 deaths have been reported so far in the country, including 1,39,734 from Maharashtra, 37,931 from Karnataka, 35,869 from Tamil Nadu, 26,734 from Kerala, 25,089 from Delhi, 22,897 from Uttar Pradesh, and 18,935 from West Bengal. The health ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities. "Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research," the ministry said on its website, adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation

India records 15,981 COVID-19 cases, 166 fatalities in a day

UK PM Boris Johnson on Saturday visited the church on Saturday where British lawmaker David Amess was stabbed to death on Friday. Johnson laid flowers to condole the death. He was accompanied by Interior Minister Priti Patel and Labour Party leader Keir Starmer who also paid tribute to the departed member of the British Parliament.

Amess belonged to Johnson's Conservative Party and the fatal attack came five years after the murder of Jo Cox, a lawmaker from the opposition Labour Party, and has prompted a review of the security of elected politicians.

Amess, 69, was knifed repeatedly in the attack at about midday on Friday in Leigh-on-Sea, east of London, during a meeting with constituents.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/police-declare-fatal-stabbing-of-uk-conservative-mp-as-terrorist-incident-421148">Police declare fatal stabbing of UK Conservative MP as 'terrorist incident'</a>

Police arrested a 25-year-old British man at the scene on suspicion of murder, adding it is believed he acted alone.

In a statement early on Saturday, police said the early investigation had revealed a potential motivation linked to Islamist extremism.

"To the memory of Sir David Amess MP, a fine parliamentarian and a much-loved colleague and friend," Johnson said in a hand-written note placed in the flowers, adding in a Twitter post that his thoughts were with Amess' family and friends.

<img alt="David Amess" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="36c02391-b245-44ce-a801-334254acba41" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/2021-10-16T105145Z_1_LYNXMPEH9F043_RTROPTP_4_BRITAIN-CRIME-LAWMAKER_0.JPG" />

Johnson and Starmer stood side by side in a moment of silence before leaving. Other politicians, police representatives and members of the public came to lay flowers and pay respects.

Cannot be cowed

As tributes poured in for Amess, politicians described the attack as an assault on democracy, and Patel said security for lawmakers, known as MPs, was being reviewed and strengthened.

"All measures are being put in place for the security of MPs so that they can carry on with their duties as elected democratic members," Patel said in a broadcast clip following the visit.

"We live in an open society, a democracy. We cannot be cowed by any individual."

In Westminster, where lawmakers do much of their work in parliament, armed police are on patrol. But in their electoral districts, known as constituencies, more often than not there is no security.

Amess was stabbed while holding a surgery - one-to-one meetings with voters, open to whoever turns up.

(With inputs from agencies)

UK PM Boris Johnson on Saturday visited the church on Saturday where British lawmaker David Amess was stabbed to death on Friday. Johnson laid flowers to condole the death.

UK PM Boris Johnson on Saturday visited the church on Saturday where British lawmaker David Amess was stabbed to death on Friday. Johnson laid flowers to condole the death. He was accompanied by Interior Minister Priti Patel and Labour Party leader Keir Starmer who also paid tribute to the departed member of the British Parliament. Amess belonged to Johnson's Conservative Party and the fatal attack came five years after the murder of Jo Cox, a lawmaker from the opposition Labour Party, and has prompted a review of the security of elected politicians. Amess, 69, was knifed repeatedly in the attack at about midday on Friday in Leigh-on-Sea, east of London, during a meeting with constituents. Also Read | Police declare fatal stabbing of UK Conservative MP as 'terrorist incident' Police arrested a 25-year-old British man at the scene on suspicion of murder, adding it is believed he acted alone. In a statement early on Saturday, police said the early investigation had revealed a potential motivation linked to Islamist extremism. "To the memory of Sir David Amess MP, a fine parliamentarian and a much-loved colleague and friend," Johnson said in a hand-written note placed in the flowers, adding in a Twitter post that his thoughts were with Amess' family and friends. Johnson and Starmer stood side by side in a moment of silence before leaving. Other politicians, police representatives and members of the public came to lay flowers and pay respects. Cannot be cowed As tributes poured in for Amess, politicians described the attack as an assault on democracy, and Patel said security for lawmakers, known as MPs, was being reviewed and strengthened. "All measures are being put in place for the security of MPs so that they can carry on with their duties as elected democratic members," Patel said in a broadcast clip following the visit. "We live in an open society, a democracy. We cannot be cowed by any individual." In Westminster, where lawmakers do much of their work in parliament, armed police are on patrol. But in their electoral districts, known as constituencies, more often than not there is no security. Amess was stabbed while holding a surgery - one-to-one meetings with voters, open to whoever turns up. (With inputs from agencies)

UK PM Boris Johnson visits church where British lawmaker David Amess was stabbed to death 

Russia on Saturday topped 1,000 deaths over 24 hours for the first time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, with the country's jab drive at a standstill and few restrictions in place.

An official government tally showed 1,002 deaths and 33,208 new infections, setting a high for both fatalities and cases for the third day in a row.

Also Read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-development-finance-corporation-chief-to-visit-india-to-boost-vaccine-manufacturing-421167">&nbsp;US Development Finance Corporation chief to visit India to boost vaccine manufacturing</a>

The surging outbreak has come with just 31 per cent of Russians fully inoculated as of Saturday, according to the Gogov website, which tallies COVID-19 data from the regions.

A lack of tough restrictions has allowed the virus to spread unchecked, though a number of regions have re-introduced QR codes for access to public places.

The Kremlin has avoided re-introducing major restrictions despite calling the country's vaccination rate "unacceptably" low, saying this week authorities have to ensure "the economy continues working".

It also said that Russia's medical system is prepared to take in the rising number of patients, describing it as not "overwhelmed".

Authorities have blamed Russians for the growing outbreak.

Health Minister Mikhail Murashko this week pointed to their "behaviour", while Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said everything had been done to give the public the chance to "save their lives by getting vaccinated".&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-adds-18132-new-covid-19-cases-tally-lowest-in-over-7-months-419794">India adds 18,132 new COVID-19 cases, tally lowest in over 7 months</a>

While several Russian-developed jabs have been available for months, authorities have struggled to inoculate a vaccine-sceptic population.

Independent polls show that more than half of Russians do not plan to get a shot.

Russia's fatalities from Covid now stand at 222,315 -- the highest toll in Europe -- even as authorities are accused of downplaying the severity of Russia's outbreak.

Under a broader definition of deaths linked to the virus, the Rosstat statistics agency has said that by the end of August more than 400,000 people in Russia had died with the coronavirus.&nbsp;

Russia on Saturday topped 1,000 deaths over 24 hours for the first time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, with the country's jab drive at a standstill and few restrictions in place.

Russia on Saturday topped 1,000 deaths over 24 hours for the first time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, with the country's jab drive at a standstill and few restrictions in place. An official government tally showed 1,002 deaths and 33,208 new infections, setting a high for both fatalities and cases for the third day in a row. Also Read | US Development Finance Corporation chief to visit India to boost vaccine manufacturing The surging outbreak has come with just 31 per cent of Russians fully inoculated as of Saturday, according to the Gogov website, which tallies COVID-19 data from the regions. A lack of tough restrictions has allowed the virus to spread unchecked, though a number of regions have re-introduced QR codes for access to public places. The Kremlin has avoided re-introducing major restrictions despite calling the country's vaccination rate "unacceptably" low, saying this week authorities have to ensure "the economy continues working". It also said that Russia's medical system is prepared to take in the rising number of patients, describing it as not "overwhelmed". Authorities have blamed Russians for the growing outbreak. Health Minister Mikhail Murashko this week pointed to their "behaviour", while Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said everything had been done to give the public the chance to "save their lives by getting vaccinated". Also Read | India adds 18,132 new COVID-19 cases, tally lowest in over 7 months While several Russian-developed jabs have been available for months, authorities have struggled to inoculate a vaccine-sceptic population. Independent polls show that more than half of Russians do not plan to get a shot. Russia's fatalities from Covid now stand at 222,315 -- the highest toll in Europe -- even as authorities are accused of downplaying the severity of Russia's outbreak. Under a broader definition of deaths linked to the virus, the Rosstat statistics agency has said that by the end of August more than 400,000 people in Russia had died with the coronavirus.

Russia tops 1,000 daily COVID-19 deaths for first time

Eating lots of nuts, seeds and plant oils may cut risks of early death, scientists have revealed. A team of Iranian researchers analysed diets and mortality rates, spanning up to three decades. They specifically looked at the effects of alpha-linolenic acid, which is an omega-3 found in plants such as soybeans and flaxseeds.&nbsp;

The study, published in the British Medical Journal, showed that people with a high intake of the nutrient, around 1.6g a day, were 10 per cent less likely to die from any cause, compared to those who consumed the lowest amounts, around 0.7g.&nbsp;

Also, the deaths from heart disease were lower among people who ate a diet rich in nuts and other ALA-abundant foods.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/study-says-drinking-warm-milk-can-make-one-sleepy-here-is-how-420786">Also read |&nbsp;Study says drinking warm milk can make one sleepy, here is how</a>

Cardiovascular diseases lead to 160,000 deaths in the UK every year and 659,000 in the US.&nbsp;

Earlier, a team from the Tehran University of Medical Sciences analysed results from 41 studies published between 1991 and 2021. In total, the studies included 1.2million adults, mostly from western countries, who were monitored for between two and 32 years.

It was revealed that around 198,113 deaths were recorded, 62,773 of which were caused by cardiovascular disease, while 65,954 were due to cancer. It was also found out that adults who ate lots of ALA-rich foods were 10 per cent less likely to die from all causes, equivalent to 113 fewer deaths per 10,000 person-years. &nbsp;

Also, &nbsp;it reduced the chance of dying from cardiovascular disease by 8 per cent.

Eating lots of nuts, seeds and plant oils may cut risks of early death, scientists have revealed. A team of Iranian researchers analysed diets and mortality rates, spanning up to three decades.

Eating lots of nuts, seeds and plant oils may cut risks of early death, scientists have revealed. A team of Iranian researchers analysed diets and mortality rates, spanning up to three decades. They specifically looked at the effects of alpha-linolenic acid, which is an omega-3 found in plants such as soybeans and flaxseeds. The study, published in the British Medical Journal, showed that people with a high intake of the nutrient, around 1.6g a day, were 10 per cent less likely to die from any cause, compared to those who consumed the lowest amounts, around 0.7g. Also, the deaths from heart disease were lower among people who ate a diet rich in nuts and other ALA-abundant foods. Also read | Study says drinking warm milk can make one sleepy, here is how Cardiovascular diseases lead to 160,000 deaths in the UK every year and 659,000 in the US. Earlier, a team from the Tehran University of Medical Sciences analysed results from 41 studies published between 1991 and 2021. In total, the studies included 1.2million adults, mostly from western countries, who were monitored for between two and 32 years. It was revealed that around 198,113 deaths were recorded, 62,773 of which were caused by cardiovascular disease, while 65,954 were due to cancer. It was also found out that adults who ate lots of ALA-rich foods were 10 per cent less likely to die from all causes, equivalent to 113 fewer deaths per 10,000 person-years. Also, it reduced the chance of dying from cardiovascular disease by 8 per cent.

Nuts, seeds and plant oils reduce risk of an early death by 10%

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