According to senior American and European officials, the Biden administration is subtly indicating that it is now in favor of seizing over $300 billion in assets that the Russian central bank has hidden in Western countries. It has also commenced urgent talks with allies about utilizing these funds to support Ukraine's war effort during a period when financial support is diminishing.

Russia-Ukraine war: Europe eyes Russian assets to aid Ukraine

Russia-Ukraine war: US to use Russian assets as aid to Ukraine

A second wartime winter has arrived in Ukraine and the country is working to make sure this one is not as difficult as last year’s, when Russian shelling caused severe damage to the power grid and heat delivery systems. Funding to counter China in the Pacific is now caught in the Congressional battle in Washington over foreign aid and border security. The White House calls the package a “critical component” of its National Security strategy.

Funding to counter China in the Pacific caught in Congressional battle

Pranjali Awasthi, a 16-year-old prodigy from India, has secured an impressive $450,000 in funding for her AI startup,&nbsp;Delv.AI, according to a report by India Today.&nbsp;According to the report, she founded&nbsp;Delv.AI&nbsp;in January 2022. &nbsp;

Pranjali's journey into the tech world was inspired by her father, an engineer, who ignited her interest in computer science and coding when she was just seven years old.&nbsp;

Her passion for technology led to her internship at the research labs of Florida International University, where she delved into machine learning projects while continuing her regular schooling.&nbsp;

Pranjali's internship sparked the idea for Delv.AI, where she sought to harness AI to address real-world challenges. In 2021, she gained a place in an AI startup accelerator in Miami, led by tech enthusiasts Lucy Guo and Dave Fontenot from Backend Capital, in exchange for a stake in her future company. This accelerator provided the launchpad that attracted investments from notable names in the tech industry, such as On Deck and Village Global.&nbsp;

Delv.AI, with a team of up to 10 employees, focuses on leveraging AI to streamline data extraction processes and eliminate data silos. Pranjali's primary objective with Delv.AI is to assist researchers in efficiently accessing specific information amidst the ever-expanding online content landscape.&nbsp;

Pranjali's dedication to her growing company led her to temporarily step away from her high school education. With a recent funding injection of $450,000 and a current valuation of around $12 million, Delv.AI is poised for a promising future.&nbsp;

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Pranjali Awasthi, a 16-year-old prodigy from India, has secured an impressive $450,000 in funding for her AI startup, Delv.AI, according to a report by India Today.

Pranjali Awasthi, a 16-year-old prodigy from India, has secured an impressive $450,000 in funding for her AI startup, Delv.AI, according to a report by India Today. According to the report, she founded Delv.AI in January 2022. Pranjali's journey into the tech world was inspired by her father, an engineer, who ignited her interest in computer science and coding when she was just seven years old. Her passion for technology led to her internship at the research labs of Florida International University, where she delved into machine learning projects while continuing her regular schooling. Pranjali's internship sparked the idea for Delv.AI, where she sought to harness AI to address real-world challenges. In 2021, she gained a place in an AI startup accelerator in Miami, led by tech enthusiasts Lucy Guo and Dave Fontenot from Backend Capital, in exchange for a stake in her future company. This accelerator provided the launchpad that attracted investments from notable names in the tech industry, such as On Deck and Village Global. Delv.AI, with a team of up to 10 employees, focuses on leveraging AI to streamline data extraction processes and eliminate data silos. Pranjali's primary objective with Delv.AI is to assist researchers in efficiently accessing specific information amidst the ever-expanding online content landscape. Pranjali's dedication to her growing company led her to temporarily step away from her high school education. With a recent funding injection of $450,000 and a current valuation of around $12 million, Delv.AI is poised for a promising future. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Teen entrepreneur Pranjali Awasthi's Delv.AI receives $450,000 funding 

Kevin McCarthy's position as the speaker of the US House of Representatives is hanging by a thread as a rebel faction within his own Republican party is calling out to oust him. The brewing storm within the GOP erupted after McCarthy's&nbsp;move to ram through a stopgap funding bill mere moments before the federal agencies were on the brink of shutdown.

The 45-day funding bill was passed in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives&nbsp; by a vote of 335-91. The Democratic-led Senate later endorsed the same bill voting 88-9. President Joe Biden signed the bill to keep the government open.

Hardline Republican Representative Matt Gaetz spoke of his intention to file a "motion to vacate" against Kevin McCarthy. The passing of the bill was followed by severe criticism from conservative Republicans. They argued that McCarthy's actions align too closely with the so-called "Uniparty" in Washington.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chipotle-manager-rips-off-employees-hijab-sparks-legal-firestorm-641500">Chipotle manager rips off employee's Hijab, sparks legal firestorm</a>

"Should he remain Speaker of the House?" Republican Representative Andy Biggs posted on X.&nbsp;McCarthy's decision to support a measure that could gain Democratic support was a calculated risk, as he was aware that some hardliners within his party might attempt to unseat him regardless.

In response to these condemnations, McCarthy stated, "If I have to risk my job for standing up for the American public, I will do that."

He also reportedly said, "I'll survive" adding&nbsp;Gaetz is&nbsp;"more interested in securing TV interviews."&nbsp;"Let's get over with it. Let's start governing. If he's upset because he tried to push us into a shutdown and I made sure government didn't shut down, then let's have that talk," McCarthy continued.&nbsp;

<h2>Complaints from hardliners</h2>

Critics on the right argue that the temporary spending bill upheld policies favoured by Democrats, including President Biden, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Representative Bob Good said,&nbsp;"Kevin McCarthy put a CR on the Floor that got 209 Democrat votes, since it kept in place the Biden-Pelosi-Schumer policies that are destroying the country and the spending levels that are bankrupting us."

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/you-aint-seen-anything-yet-jaishankar-says-india-us-ties-to-reach-another-level-641491">‘You ain’t seen anything yet’: Jaishankar says India-US ties to reach another level</a>

"One thing I know. If Kevin McCarthy uses Democrat votes in the House of Representatives to advance Joe Biden's spending priorities, he cannot remain as the Republican speaker," Gatez reportedly said.&nbsp;

<h2>Potential Democratic response</h2>

It remains uncertain how Democrats might react if a Republican initiates a motion to vacate and the House votes on the matter.

Watch |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/qin-gang-affair-how-china-dictates-private-and-social-lives-of-officials-641499">Qin Gang affair: How China dictates private and social lives of officials</a>

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Some Democrats have suggested they could support McCarthy during turbulent times, while others have hinted at backing a moderate Republican who would share power within House committees.

Some Democrats, however, have shown little interest in supporting any Speaker candidate other than House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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Kevin McCarthy's position as the speaker of the US House of Representatives is hanging by a thread as a rebel faction within his own Republican party is calling out to oust him.

Kevin McCarthy's position as the speaker of the US House of Representatives is hanging by a thread as a rebel faction within his own Republican party is calling out to oust him. The brewing storm within the GOP erupted after McCarthy's move to ram through a stopgap funding bill mere moments before the federal agencies were on the brink of shutdown. The 45-day funding bill was passed in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives by a vote of 335-91. The Democratic-led Senate later endorsed the same bill voting 88-9. President Joe Biden signed the bill to keep the government open. Hardline Republican Representative Matt Gaetz spoke of his intention to file a "motion to vacate" against Kevin McCarthy. The passing of the bill was followed by severe criticism from conservative Republicans. They argued that McCarthy's actions align too closely with the so-called "Uniparty" in Washington. Also Read | Chipotle manager rips off employee's Hijab, sparks legal firestorm "Should he remain Speaker of the House?" Republican Representative Andy Biggs posted on X. McCarthy's decision to support a measure that could gain Democratic support was a calculated risk, as he was aware that some hardliners within his party might attempt to unseat him regardless. In response to these condemnations, McCarthy stated, "If I have to risk my job for standing up for the American public, I will do that." He also reportedly said, "I'll survive" adding Gaetz is "more interested in securing TV interviews." "Let's get over with it. Let's start governing. If he's upset because he tried to push us into a shutdown and I made sure government didn't shut down, then let's have that talk," McCarthy continued. Complaints from hardliners Critics on the right argue that the temporary spending bill upheld policies favoured by Democrats, including President Biden, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Representative Bob Good said, "Kevin McCarthy put a CR on the Floor that got 209 Democrat votes, since it kept in place the Biden-Pelosi-Schumer policies that are destroying the country and the spending levels that are bankrupting us." Also Read | ‘You ain’t seen anything yet’: Jaishankar says India-US ties to reach another level "One thing I know. If Kevin McCarthy uses Democrat votes in the House of Representatives to advance Joe Biden's spending priorities, he cannot remain as the Republican speaker," Gatez reportedly said. Potential Democratic response It remains uncertain how Democrats might react if a Republican initiates a motion to vacate and the House votes on the matter. Watch | Qin Gang affair: How China dictates private and social lives of officials × Some Democrats have suggested they could support McCarthy during turbulent times, while others have hinted at backing a moderate Republican who would share power within House committees. Some Democrats, however, have shown little interest in supporting any Speaker candidate other than House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Kevin McCarthy's Speakership teeters on brink, GOP hardliners furious over stopgap funding bill

Based on recently revealed political financing reports from the Japanese government, it appears that a number of political organisations are funding Japanese Prime Minister Kishida by misreporting donations made in 2021. The reports come after it was recently discovered that other cabinet members had also been involved in inappropriate contribution management. It is further alleged that Kishida's fund management organisation and his support group also made other errors in declaring the names of donors and the dates.

Japan Funding Row: PM Kishida under scanner

As the clock ticks down to a looming government shutdown, the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives find themselves on duelling paths regarding funding measures, raising concerns about the stability of government operations.&nbsp;

In a move towards averting a shutdown, the Senate voted 77-19 to initiate debates on a bipartisan bill aimed at funding the government through November 17. This bill includes allocations of approximately $6 billion for domestic disaster responses and an additional roughly $6 billion in aid for Ukraine.&nbsp;

Contrastingly, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives is advancing its own partisan approach that leans heavily on conservative priorities. However, this approach, according to reports, faces significant hurdles in the Democratic-majority Senate and is unlikely to become law. Even if enacted, these measures would fund only a portion of the government, insufficient to prevent a shutdown.&nbsp;

This divide between the two chambers raises the spectre of the federal government experiencing its fourth shutdown in a decade come Sunday. The electoral deadlock tendencies have started to impact Wall Street's assessment of the credibility of the US government.&nbsp;

A cooperative short-term extension of federal funding at existing levels was passed with the help of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell in an effort to maintain the continuity of the government.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is pursuing a path that would temporarily fund the government but comes with stringent border and immigration restrictions that are unlikely to garner enough Democratic support in both chambers to become law.&nbsp;

In an effort to prevent a shutdown, President Joe Biden and McCarthy had previously reached an agreement in May, which outlined discretionary spending of $1.59 trillion for the fiscal year commencing on October 1. &nbsp;

According to Reuters, the White House now urged Republicans to honour this deal, with Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stating, "House Republicans should join the Senate in doing their job, stop playing political games with peoples' lives, and abide by the bipartisan deal two-thirds of them voted for in May."&nbsp;

However, Republicans have rejected this deal, demanding an additional $120 billion in cuts. McCarthy's proposed legislation not only seeks to restart the construction of the U.S.-Mexico border wall, a hallmark policy of former President Donald Trump, but also aims to control immigration policies, a move criticised for potentially limiting U.S. asylum for immigrants.&nbsp;

What does the shutdown mean?&nbsp;

A government shutdown could have far-reaching effects, including the dismissal of hundreds of thousands of federal employees and the suspension of a number of services, from the release of economic data to nutrition support, beginning on Sunday if an agreement cannot be reached.&nbsp;

While credit rating agency Moody's has expressed concerns, the impact on U.S. creditworthiness remains uncertain, as past shutdowns have had limited effects on the world's largest economy.&nbsp;

Against this backdrop, former President Donald Trump, the front-runner for the 2024 Republican nomination, has publicly supported the notion of a shutdown.&nbsp;

The cuts advocated by the Republicans represent only a fraction of the total U.S. budget, projected to reach $6.4 trillion for this fiscal year. Notably, popular benefit programs like Social Security and Medicare are not under consideration for cuts.&nbsp;

Historically, Congress has resorted to government shutdowns 14 times since 1981, though most of these funding gaps have been short-lived, lasting only a day or two.&nbsp;

(With inputs from Reuters)&nbsp;

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As the clock ticks down to a looming government shutdown, the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives find themselves on duelling paths regarding funding measures, raising concerns about the stability of government operations.

As the clock ticks down to a looming government shutdown, the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives find themselves on duelling paths regarding funding measures, raising concerns about the stability of government operations. In a move towards averting a shutdown, the Senate voted 77-19 to initiate debates on a bipartisan bill aimed at funding the government through November 17. This bill includes allocations of approximately $6 billion for domestic disaster responses and an additional roughly $6 billion in aid for Ukraine. Contrastingly, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives is advancing its own partisan approach that leans heavily on conservative priorities. However, this approach, according to reports, faces significant hurdles in the Democratic-majority Senate and is unlikely to become law. Even if enacted, these measures would fund only a portion of the government, insufficient to prevent a shutdown. This divide between the two chambers raises the spectre of the federal government experiencing its fourth shutdown in a decade come Sunday. The electoral deadlock tendencies have started to impact Wall Street's assessment of the credibility of the US government. A cooperative short-term extension of federal funding at existing levels was passed with the help of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell in an effort to maintain the continuity of the government. Meanwhile, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is pursuing a path that would temporarily fund the government but comes with stringent border and immigration restrictions that are unlikely to garner enough Democratic support in both chambers to become law. In an effort to prevent a shutdown, President Joe Biden and McCarthy had previously reached an agreement in May, which outlined discretionary spending of $1.59 trillion for the fiscal year commencing on October 1. According to Reuters, the White House now urged Republicans to honour this deal, with Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stating, "House Republicans should join the Senate in doing their job, stop playing political games with peoples' lives, and abide by the bipartisan deal two-thirds of them voted for in May." However, Republicans have rejected this deal, demanding an additional $120 billion in cuts. McCarthy's proposed legislation not only seeks to restart the construction of the U.S.-Mexico border wall, a hallmark policy of former President Donald Trump, but also aims to control immigration policies, a move criticised for potentially limiting U.S. asylum for immigrants. What does the shutdown mean? A government shutdown could have far-reaching effects, including the dismissal of hundreds of thousands of federal employees and the suspension of a number of services, from the release of economic data to nutrition support, beginning on Sunday if an agreement cannot be reached. While credit rating agency Moody's has expressed concerns, the impact on U.S. creditworthiness remains uncertain, as past shutdowns have had limited effects on the world's largest economy. Against this backdrop, former President Donald Trump, the front-runner for the 2024 Republican nomination, has publicly supported the notion of a shutdown. The cuts advocated by the Republicans represent only a fraction of the total U.S. budget, projected to reach $6.4 trillion for this fiscal year. Notably, popular benefit programs like Social Security and Medicare are not under consideration for cuts. Historically, Congress has resorted to government shutdowns 14 times since 1981, though most of these funding gaps have been short-lived, lasting only a day or two. (With inputs from Reuters) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Impending government shutdown threatens US as Senate and House clash over funding 

The US Senate on Tuesday (Sept 26) took a step forward on a bipartisan bill meant to stop the government from shutting down in just five days, while the House sought to push ahead with a conflicting measure backed only by Republicans.

The Senate voted 77-19 to begin debate on a measure that would fund the government through Nov. 17, and includes around $6 billion for domestic disaster responses and another roughly $6 billion in aid for Ukraine.

The Republican-controlled House of Representatives, however, planned to push along with its own partisan approach that was unlikely to win support in the Democratic-majority Senate.

The House took a procedural vote to move ahead on four spending bills that reflect conservative priorities and stand no chance of becoming law. Even if enacted, the measures fund only a portion of the government and would not avert a shutdown.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/impending-government-shutdown-threatens-us-as-senate-and-house-clash-over-funding-640058">Impending government shutdown threatens US as Senate and House clash over funding</a>&nbsp;

The split between the two chambers suggests the federal government is increasingly likely to enter its fourth shutdown in a decade on Sunday, a pattern of partisan gridlock that has begun to darken Wall Street's view of U.S. government credit.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell worked in tandem to win passage of a bipartisan short-term extension of federal funding at current levels.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Tuesday told reporters he would seek approval from his splintered Republicans on a bill that also would temporarily fund the government.

Also watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: US senate gets a 'makeover'

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But he intends to attach tough border and immigration restrictions that are unlikely to win support from enough Democrats in the House or Senate to become law.

Democratic President Joe Biden and McCarthy had aimed to head off a shutdown this year when they agreed in May, at the end of a standoff over the federal debt ceiling, to discretionary spending of $1.59 trillion for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1.

The White House on Tuesday urged Republicans to honor that deal.

"House Republicans should join the Senate in doing their job, stop playing political games with peoples' lives, and abide by the bipartisan deal two-thirds of them voted for in May," said Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre in a statement.

But hardliners to the right of McCarthy have rejected that deal, demanding another $120 billion in cuts.

McCarthy's measure would restart construction of the US-Mexico border wall, a signature policy of former President Donald Trump, and tighten immigration policies.

Critics have said it would effectively put an end to US asylum for immigrants.

McCarthy called on the Biden and congressional Democrats to reconsider their opposition. The top Senate Republican pleaded with his House counterpart to embrace the Senate bill.

"Government shutdowns are bad news, whichever way you'd look at it," McConnell said.

McCarthy countered: "Let's do something on the border, keep the government open and show this nation that we can do it right, and solve the rest of our problems as we go."

Hundreds of thousands of federal workers will be furloughed and a wide range of services, from economic data releases to nutrition benefits, will be suspended beginning on Sunday if the two sides do not reach agreement.

The standoff has caused concern at credit rating agency Moody's, though it is unclear whether it will hurt U.S. creditworthiness, as past shutdowns have not had a significant impact on the world's largest economy.

Trump, the front-runner for the 2024 Republican nomination, has cheered on the shutdown talk.

The cuts that hardliners are pushing for only account for a fraction of the total U.S. budget, which will come to $6.4 trillion for this fiscal year. Lawmakers are not considering cuts to popular benefit programs like Social Security and Medicare, which are projected to grow dramatically as the population ages.

Congress has shut down the government 14 times since 1981, though most of those funding gaps have lasted only a day or two.

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The US Senate on Tuesday (Sept 26) took a step forward on a bipartisan bill meant to stop the government from shutting down in just five days, while the House sought to push ahead with a conflicting measure backed only by Republicans.

The US Senate on Tuesday (Sept 26) took a step forward on a bipartisan bill meant to stop the government from shutting down in just five days, while the House sought to push ahead with a conflicting measure backed only by Republicans. The Senate voted 77-19 to begin debate on a measure that would fund the government through Nov. 17, and includes around $6 billion for domestic disaster responses and another roughly $6 billion in aid for Ukraine. The Republican-controlled House of Representatives, however, planned to push along with its own partisan approach that was unlikely to win support in the Democratic-majority Senate. The House took a procedural vote to move ahead on four spending bills that reflect conservative priorities and stand no chance of becoming law. Even if enacted, the measures fund only a portion of the government and would not avert a shutdown. Also read | Impending government shutdown threatens US as Senate and House clash over funding The split between the two chambers suggests the federal government is increasingly likely to enter its fourth shutdown in a decade on Sunday, a pattern of partisan gridlock that has begun to darken Wall Street's view of U.S. government credit. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell worked in tandem to win passage of a bipartisan short-term extension of federal funding at current levels. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Tuesday told reporters he would seek approval from his splintered Republicans on a bill that also would temporarily fund the government. Also watch | Gravitas: US senate gets a 'makeover' × But he intends to attach tough border and immigration restrictions that are unlikely to win support from enough Democrats in the House or Senate to become law. Democratic President Joe Biden and McCarthy had aimed to head off a shutdown this year when they agreed in May, at the end of a standoff over the federal debt ceiling, to discretionary spending of $1.59 trillion for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1. The White House on Tuesday urged Republicans to honor that deal. "House Republicans should join the Senate in doing their job, stop playing political games with peoples' lives, and abide by the bipartisan deal two-thirds of them voted for in May," said Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre in a statement. But hardliners to the right of McCarthy have rejected that deal, demanding another $120 billion in cuts. McCarthy's measure would restart construction of the US-Mexico border wall, a signature policy of former President Donald Trump, and tighten immigration policies. Critics have said it would effectively put an end to US asylum for immigrants. McCarthy called on the Biden and congressional Democrats to reconsider their opposition. The top Senate Republican pleaded with his House counterpart to embrace the Senate bill. "Government shutdowns are bad news, whichever way you'd look at it," McConnell said. McCarthy countered: "Let's do something on the border, keep the government open and show this nation that we can do it right, and solve the rest of our problems as we go." Hundreds of thousands of federal workers will be furloughed and a wide range of services, from economic data releases to nutrition benefits, will be suspended beginning on Sunday if the two sides do not reach agreement. The standoff has caused concern at credit rating agency Moody's, though it is unclear whether it will hurt U.S. creditworthiness, as past shutdowns have not had a significant impact on the world's largest economy. Trump, the front-runner for the 2024 Republican nomination, has cheered on the shutdown talk. The cuts that hardliners are pushing for only account for a fraction of the total U.S. budget, which will come to $6.4 trillion for this fiscal year. Lawmakers are not considering cuts to popular benefit programs like Social Security and Medicare, which are projected to grow dramatically as the population ages. Congress has shut down the government 14 times since 1981, though most of those funding gaps have lasted only a day or two. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

US Senate, House to shut down? Standoff on funding persists

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has unearthed a complex financial network linking Canada-based top Khalistani terrorists and gangsters to money generated in India through extortion, smuggling, and other illicit activities.

This nefarious wealth not only fuels their violent activities in both India and Canada, but also finds its way into unexpected investments, including yachts, movies, and even the Canadian Premier League.

The&nbsp;investigation further reveals that the money amassed by gangsters through extortion, smuggling and other illegal activities has also been funnelled to clubs and bars in Thailand as investment, accentuating the global scale of these financial activities, said a report&nbsp;in the Hindustan Times.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/india-canada-row-us-accepts-sharing-intel-among-five-eyes-partners-regarding-trudeaus-allegations-638939">Shared intel among Five Eyes helped Trudeau make allegations against India: US</a>

<h2>Funds transcending&nbsp;borders</h2>

The NIA's probe has exposed a series of financial transactions spanning from 2019 to 2021, where amounts ranging from ₹5 lakh ($6.5K) to ₹60 lakh ($72.2K)&nbsp;were sent by gangster Lawrence Bishnoi to Canada and Thailand through the hawala route.

Bishnoi, working closely with Khalistani groups in Canada, particularly with Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) leader Lakhbir Singh Landa, was a key figure in this illicit operation.

According to the NIA's charge sheet, money collected through extortion, illegal liquor, arms smuggling, and other illicit activities was transferred to Canada, specifically to one Satbir Singh alias Sam, for further investment and to fund radical activities of pro-Khalistan elements (PKEs).

The charge sheet identifies Sam as the pointsperson for managing illegal funds in Canada, mentioning investments in yachts, film financing, and the organisation of the Canadian Premier League. Bishnoi, currently incarcerated, confessed to receiving funds from Sam on multiple occasions.

The NIA's revelations include transactions such as ₹2 lakh ($2.4K) sent monthly to Goldy Brar in 2021, two payments of ₹20 lakh ($25K) each to Brar in 2020, ₹50 lakh ($60K)&nbsp;given to Sam in 2020, and a total of ₹60 lakh ($72K) distributed to both Brar and Sam in 2021. While the agency has yet to provide detailed information on the nature of these investments in Canada, it is clear that substantial amounts were involved.

The probe also uncovered that funds collected by the Lawrence Bishnoi gang were funnelled to Manish Bhandari in Thailand through hawala. Bhandari is&nbsp;a Delhi resident, who is based in Thailand where he&nbsp;owns clubs in Bangkok and Pattaya. 
 
Bhandari, reportedly, invested these funds in nightclubs and bars. Additionally, when members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang traveled to Thailand, Bhandari provided them accommodation and logistical support.

Highlighting the collaboration between Bishnoi's gang and pro-Khalistan elements (PKEs), the NIA charge sheet reveals that Pakistan-based Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) leaders sought experienced shooters in India.

The Lawrence Bishnoi gang, with its extensive presence across multiple Indian states and Union territories, filled this void, offering an array of illegal services. For Indian gangs, partnering with PKEs and terror groups offers access to advanced weaponry, money laundering opportunities, and the means to relocate members abroad through the PKE network.

&nbsp;

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The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has unearthed a complex financial network linking Canada-based top Khalistani terrorists and gangsters to money generated in India through extortion, smuggling, and other illicit activities.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has unearthed a complex financial network linking Canada-based top Khalistani terrorists and gangsters to money generated in India through extortion, smuggling, and other illicit activities. This nefarious wealth not only fuels their violent activities in both India and Canada, but also finds its way into unexpected investments, including yachts, movies, and even the Canadian Premier League. The investigation further reveals that the money amassed by gangsters through extortion, smuggling and other illegal activities has also been funnelled to clubs and bars in Thailand as investment, accentuating the global scale of these financial activities, said a report in the Hindustan Times. Also read | Shared intel among Five Eyes helped Trudeau make allegations against India: US Funds transcending borders The NIA's probe has exposed a series of financial transactions spanning from 2019 to 2021, where amounts ranging from ₹5 lakh ($6.5K) to ₹60 lakh ($72.2K) were sent by gangster Lawrence Bishnoi to Canada and Thailand through the hawala route. Bishnoi, working closely with Khalistani groups in Canada, particularly with Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) leader Lakhbir Singh Landa, was a key figure in this illicit operation. According to the NIA's charge sheet, money collected through extortion, illegal liquor, arms smuggling, and other illicit activities was transferred to Canada, specifically to one Satbir Singh alias Sam, for further investment and to fund radical activities of pro-Khalistan elements (PKEs). The charge sheet identifies Sam as the pointsperson for managing illegal funds in Canada, mentioning investments in yachts, film financing, and the organisation of the Canadian Premier League. Bishnoi, currently incarcerated, confessed to receiving funds from Sam on multiple occasions. The NIA's revelations include transactions such as ₹2 lakh ($2.4K) sent monthly to Goldy Brar in 2021, two payments of ₹20 lakh ($25K) each to Brar in 2020, ₹50 lakh ($60K) given to Sam in 2020, and a total of ₹60 lakh ($72K) distributed to both Brar and Sam in 2021. While the agency has yet to provide detailed information on the nature of these investments in Canada, it is clear that substantial amounts were involved. The probe also uncovered that funds collected by the Lawrence Bishnoi gang were funnelled to Manish Bhandari in Thailand through hawala. Bhandari is a Delhi resident, who is based in Thailand where he owns clubs in Bangkok and Pattaya. Bhandari, reportedly, invested these funds in nightclubs and bars. Additionally, when members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang traveled to Thailand, Bhandari provided them accommodation and logistical support. Highlighting the collaboration between Bishnoi's gang and pro-Khalistan elements (PKEs), the NIA charge sheet reveals that Pakistan-based Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) leaders sought experienced shooters in India. The Lawrence Bishnoi gang, with its extensive presence across multiple Indian states and Union territories, filled this void, offering an array of illegal services. For Indian gangs, partnering with PKEs and terror groups offers access to advanced weaponry, money laundering opportunities, and the means to relocate members abroad through the PKE network. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

From extortion, arms smuggling to buying fancy yachts, this is how Khalistanis invested funds and flourished

In an effort to promote the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), the Biden administration has allocated $12 billion in grants and loans to assist automakers and suppliers in adapting their manufacturing facilities to produce electric and advanced vehicles, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said on Thursday.

"While we transition to EVs, we want to ensure that workers can transition in place, that there is no worker, no community left behind," Granholm, a former governor of car-manufacturing state Michigan, told reporters in a phone conversation.

Accelerating grants and other subsidies to support the conversion of existing auto factories for electric vehicles might help the White House deflect criticism from automakers and the United Auto Workers (UAW) union over new environmental restrictions aimed at ushering in the electric vehicle era.

The United Auto Workers has cautioned that a quick transformation might threaten thousands of jobs in areas such as Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana.

However, UAW President Shawn Fain applauded the policy move on Thursday. He said "it makes clear to employers that the EV transition must include strong union partnerships with the high pay and safety standards that generations of UAW members have fought for and won."

Reuters quoted President Joe Biden as saying, "Building a clean energy economy can and should provide a win-win opportunity for auto companies and unionised workers who have anchored the American economy for decades."

Furthermore, when asked if the incentives might keep the factory operational, Granholm stated that factories constructed near communities will be important for "funding opportunities".

There will be no particular labour requirements for firms to acquire the cash, but projects with better labour conditions will have a better chance of securing the funding, according to an Energy Department official on the call.

According to Granholm, the administration would also provide $3.5 billion in support to domestic battery makers. The advanced cars will get $2 billion in subsidies from the Inflation Reduction Act, which Democrats enacted last year, and $10 billion in loans from the Energy Department's Loans Programme Office.

(Inputs from Reuters)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

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In an effort to promote the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), the Biden administration has allocated $12 billion in grants and loans to assist automakers and suppliers in adapting their manufacturing facilities to produce electric and advanced vehicles, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said on Thursday.

In an effort to promote the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), the Biden administration has allocated $12 billion in grants and loans to assist automakers and suppliers in adapting their manufacturing facilities to produce electric and advanced vehicles, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said on Thursday. "While we transition to EVs, we want to ensure that workers can transition in place, that there is no worker, no community left behind," Granholm, a former governor of car-manufacturing state Michigan, told reporters in a phone conversation. Accelerating grants and other subsidies to support the conversion of existing auto factories for electric vehicles might help the White House deflect criticism from automakers and the United Auto Workers (UAW) union over new environmental restrictions aimed at ushering in the electric vehicle era. The United Auto Workers has cautioned that a quick transformation might threaten thousands of jobs in areas such as Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana. However, UAW President Shawn Fain applauded the policy move on Thursday. He said "it makes clear to employers that the EV transition must include strong union partnerships with the high pay and safety standards that generations of UAW members have fought for and won." Reuters quoted President Joe Biden as saying, "Building a clean energy economy can and should provide a win-win opportunity for auto companies and unionised workers who have anchored the American economy for decades." Furthermore, when asked if the incentives might keep the factory operational, Granholm stated that factories constructed near communities will be important for "funding opportunities". There will be no particular labour requirements for firms to acquire the cash, but projects with better labour conditions will have a better chance of securing the funding, according to an Energy Department official on the call. According to Granholm, the administration would also provide $3.5 billion in support to domestic battery makers. The advanced cars will get $2 billion in subsidies from the Inflation Reduction Act, which Democrats enacted last year, and $10 billion in loans from the Energy Department's Loans Programme Office. (Inputs from Reuters) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

US government allocates $12 billion for advanced vehicle manufacturing and suppliers

We delve into the exhilarating world of indian fintech, where billionaires are created faster than anywhere else in the world. But there's a plot twist in this gripping tale of high stakes and ambition as most of these unicorns struggle to turn profitable. Will their valuation burst like a bubble or aid the india growth story?

Indian fintechs: golden goose for growth?

The Indian startup ecosystem is currently facing a challenging funding landscape, with a significant decrease in venture capital (VC) investments compared to the previous year. Between January and June 2023, the total value of VC investments barely reached $4 billion, a drastic decrease from the $18.4 billion secured during the same period in 2022.

Indian startup funding struggles: VC investments decrease, caution for growth stage firms

The International Monetary Fund stated that Pakistan's bailout money requirements had not altered, and the IMF's resident representative in Pakistan categorically refuted media claims to the contrary.

IMF: No change in Pakistan's financial requirements

An investigation has revealed that the UK government has been supporting&nbsp;the funding of a virulently homophobic religious group in Uganda, whose leaders have sponsored a law that would make homosexuality a crime in the country.

The Institute for Journalism and Social Change (IJSC) found a "staggering" number of connections between anti-LGBTQ+ organisations in Uganda and foreign assistance donors, including the UK, after analysing official data provided to the International assistance Transparency Initiative (IATI), reported The Guardian.

In accordance with IATI remarks, the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda (IRCU), an interfaith organisation, has been a direct recipient of UK aid funds in its capacity as "implementing partner" of a scheme intended to realise the Foreign Office's "ambition for an open society in Uganda."

The Church of Uganda and numerous evangelical churches were among the IRCU members that signed a statement in February expressing "great concern" over "the growing spread of homosexuality" in Uganda and the impact of "the LGBTQ agenda" on children's well-being.

In an effort to broaden the nation's anti-gay laws, the anti-homosexuality bill 2023 was introduced into parliament two weeks later. Last month, the Ugandan parliament passed the bill with 387 of 389 MPs voting in favour.

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/tobacco-giant-british-american-tobacco-fined-for-north-korea-deals-to-pay-635-mn-wion-586401">Tobacco giant British American Tobacco fined for North Korea deals, to pay $635 mn</a>

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The IRCU received financing from 2021 until earlier this year, according to the Foreign Office's (FCDO) confirmation. According to FCDO data, the organisation received $168,244&nbsp;as part of the Uganda-Open Society programme, which started in June 2021 and is scheduled to last until March 2024.

However, a spokesperson claimed that the UK made the decision to cease financing in February as a result of remarks made by the IRCU regarding the anti-homosexuality bill.

The proposed law, which Volker Türk, the UN human rights chief, called "probably among the worst of its kind in the world," stipulates death penalty and life in prison for homosexual acts, as well as up to 14 years in prison for "attempted" homosexuality and 20 years for "recruitment, promotion, and funding" of same-sex "activities."

The maximum sentence for anyone who declares themselves to be "a lesbian, gay, transgender, a queer, or any other sexual or gender identity that is contrary to the binary categories of male and female" is 10&nbsp;years in prison.

President Yoweri Museveni, who this month called homosexuality a "threat to the human race," declined to sign the bill into law and asked the parliament to have another look at it, leaving it in limbo.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-report-highlights-pro-khalistan-extremism-in-britain-calls-for-government-action-586383">UK report highlights pro-Khalistan extremism in Britain, calls for government action</a>

The IRCU allegedly lost government funding from the Obama administration in 2014 as a result of the group's advocacy for the Anti-Homosexuality Act, the predecessor to the 2023 legislation that was eventually struck down by the constitutional court.

The UK's development minister, Andrew Mitchell, expressed the country's "deep disappointment" at the outcome after the 2023 law was overwhelmingly adopted by the Ugandan parliament.

An FCDO spokesperson who spoke to The guardian said,&nbsp;“The UK government has long been at the forefront of promoting LGBT+ rights internationally and is concerned by the increasing criminalisation of LGBT+ persons in Uganda which threatens minority rights and risks persecution.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

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An investigation has revealed that the UK government has been supporting the funding of a virulently homophobic religious group in Uganda, whose leaders have sponsored a law that would make homosexuality a crime in the country.

An investigation has revealed that the UK government has been supporting the funding of a virulently homophobic religious group in Uganda, whose leaders have sponsored a law that would make homosexuality a crime in the country. The Institute for Journalism and Social Change (IJSC) found a "staggering" number of connections between anti-LGBTQ+ organisations in Uganda and foreign assistance donors, including the UK, after analysing official data provided to the International assistance Transparency Initiative (IATI), reported The Guardian. In accordance with IATI remarks, the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda (IRCU), an interfaith organisation, has been a direct recipient of UK aid funds in its capacity as "implementing partner" of a scheme intended to realise the Foreign Office's "ambition for an open society in Uganda." The Church of Uganda and numerous evangelical churches were among the IRCU members that signed a statement in February expressing "great concern" over "the growing spread of homosexuality" in Uganda and the impact of "the LGBTQ agenda" on children's well-being. In an effort to broaden the nation's anti-gay laws, the anti-homosexuality bill 2023 was introduced into parliament two weeks later. Last month, the Ugandan parliament passed the bill with 387 of 389 MPs voting in favour. ALSO WATCH | Tobacco giant British American Tobacco fined for North Korea deals, to pay $635 mn The IRCU received financing from 2021 until earlier this year, according to the Foreign Office's (FCDO) confirmation. According to FCDO data, the organisation received $168,244 as part of the Uganda-Open Society programme, which started in June 2021 and is scheduled to last until March 2024. However, a spokesperson claimed that the UK made the decision to cease financing in February as a result of remarks made by the IRCU regarding the anti-homosexuality bill. The proposed law, which Volker Türk, the UN human rights chief, called "probably among the worst of its kind in the world," stipulates death penalty and life in prison for homosexual acts, as well as up to 14 years in prison for "attempted" homosexuality and 20 years for "recruitment, promotion, and funding" of same-sex "activities." The maximum sentence for anyone who declares themselves to be "a lesbian, gay, transgender, a queer, or any other sexual or gender identity that is contrary to the binary categories of male and female" is 10 years in prison. President Yoweri Museveni, who this month called homosexuality a "threat to the human race," declined to sign the bill into law and asked the parliament to have another look at it, leaving it in limbo. ALSO READ | UK report highlights pro-Khalistan extremism in Britain, calls for government action The IRCU allegedly lost government funding from the Obama administration in 2014 as a result of the group's advocacy for the Anti-Homosexuality Act, the predecessor to the 2023 legislation that was eventually struck down by the constitutional court. The UK's development minister, Andrew Mitchell, expressed the country's "deep disappointment" at the outcome after the 2023 law was overwhelmingly adopted by the Ugandan parliament. An FCDO spokesperson who spoke to The guardian said, “The UK government has long been at the forefront of promoting LGBT+ rights internationally and is concerned by the increasing criminalisation of LGBT+ persons in Uganda which threatens minority rights and risks persecution. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Report: UK government funded anti-LGBTQ+ group in Uganda

UK government is expected to stop funding for Mandarin teaching at branches of the Chinese state-linked Confucius Institute, but they will not be closed, as Rishi Sunak promised last year. The step is expected to be announced by James Cleverly, the foreign secretary, on Tuesday and comes as research shows that a secretive visa scheme has been used to fast-track Chinese government-vetted staff to come to the UK to promote Chinese Communist party (CCP) values at the institutes.

UK expected to stop funding Chinese state-linked Mandarin teaching schools

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been found not guilty by a US jury over his 2018 tweet that was perceived to be misleading investors when he mentioned about securing funding to make Tesla a private company. Shares of Tesla rose 1.6 per cent in after-hours trading following the verdict.&nbsp;The tweets sent the Tesla share price on a rollercoaster ride, and a class action suit was filed against Musk claiming that the tech billionaire acted recklessly in an effort to squeeze investors who had bet against the company.

Musk then had agreed to step aside as Tesla board chairman and settled for $20m.

On August 7, 2018, Musk tweeted,&nbsp;"Am considering taking Tesla private at $420. Funding secured."

According to reports, the nine jurors in California court took less than two hours to reach their verdict on Friday afternoon.

While appearing on the witness stand, Musk said, "Just because I tweet something does not mean people believe it or will act accordingly."

Shareholders had argued that "funding secured" suggested more than a verbal agreement.

<h2>Elon Musk’s Starlink goes live in Nigeria</h2>

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Musk—who had wanted the trial shifted to Texas, where Tesla is based, arguing that he could not get a fair trial in San Francisco—welcomed the verdict.

Taking to Twitter, the 51-year-old said, “Thank goodness, the wisdom of the people has prevailed!”

"I am deeply appreciative of the jury's unanimous finding of innocence in the Tesla 420 take-private case."

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Thank goodness, the wisdom of the people has prevailed! 
 
I am deeply appreciative of the jury’s unanimous finding of innocence in the Tesla 420 take-private case.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1621653950947799042?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Nicholas Porritt, a lawyer for the investors, said in a statement, "We are disappointed with the verdict and are considering next steps."

"A dark chapter is now closed for Musk and Tesla," Wedbush analyst Dan Ives told Reuters, adding that some Tesla investors feared Musk might have to sell more Tesla stock if he lost.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been found not guilty by a US jury over his 2018 tweet that was perceived to be misleading investors when he mentioned about securing funding to make Tesla a private company.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been found not guilty by a US jury over his 2018 tweet that was perceived to be misleading investors when he mentioned about securing funding to make Tesla a private company. Shares of Tesla rose 1.6 per cent in after-hours trading following the verdict. The tweets sent the Tesla share price on a rollercoaster ride, and a class action suit was filed against Musk claiming that the tech billionaire acted recklessly in an effort to squeeze investors who had bet against the company. Musk then had agreed to step aside as Tesla board chairman and settled for $20m. On August 7, 2018, Musk tweeted, "Am considering taking Tesla private at $420. Funding secured." According to reports, the nine jurors in California court took less than two hours to reach their verdict on Friday afternoon. While appearing on the witness stand, Musk said, "Just because I tweet something does not mean people believe it or will act accordingly." Shareholders had argued that "funding secured" suggested more than a verbal agreement. Elon Musk’s Starlink goes live in Nigeria Musk—who had wanted the trial shifted to Texas, where Tesla is based, arguing that he could not get a fair trial in San Francisco—welcomed the verdict. Taking to Twitter, the 51-year-old said, “Thank goodness, the wisdom of the people has prevailed!” "I am deeply appreciative of the jury's unanimous finding of innocence in the Tesla 420 take-private case." Thank goodness, the wisdom of the people has prevailed! I am deeply appreciative of the jury’s unanimous finding of innocence in the Tesla 420 take-private case. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 3, 2023 × Nicholas Porritt, a lawyer for the investors, said in a statement, "We are disappointed with the verdict and are considering next steps." "A dark chapter is now closed for Musk and Tesla," Wedbush analyst Dan Ives told Reuters, adding that some Tesla investors feared Musk might have to sell more Tesla stock if he lost. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Elon Musk found not guilty in 2018 Tesla ‘funding secured’ tweet case

A Turkish court froze the funding for the main pro-Kurdish party, Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), on Thursday ahead of the possible imposition of a ban over the party's alleged terrorism ties.&nbsp;

The decision of the consitutional court will stop HDP, which is the second largest opposition party in the parliament, from receiving income from a key source for the general election which is slated for June.&nbsp;

The party has been accused by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of being the political faction of the outlawed militants who have waged an insurgency for decades against the Turkish state.

ALSO READ| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkeys-erdogan-presses-putin-to-declare-unilateral-ceasefire-in-ukraine-549711">Putin says open for dialogue if Ukraine accepts 'new territorial realities'</a>

The HDP has refuted any formal links with the militants and slams the government for targeting the party since it is Erdogan's fervent opposition.&nbsp;

Currently, thousands of party supporters and its former and current officials are serving jail on highly contentious charges which have strained relations of Turkey with allies in the West.

The ruling of the court on Thursday was compared by the party with assets' illegal seizure as it promised to clinch victory in the polls.

"This is yet another blow to democratic politics," HDP spokesperson Ebru Gunay said.

"This decision will not intimidate us. Now, we are more committed and more determined. Now, we are more militant," she added.&nbsp;

WATCH|&nbsp;Turkey: Headscarf debate reaches Parliament; Turkish feminists condemn Erdogan's move

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Human Rights Watch's Emma Sinclair-Webb said that the ruling of the court gave more proof "that Erdogan's government uses courts to disadvantage, remove and punish the political opposition".

The future of HDP can play an important role in deciding the success of Erdogan in parliamentary and presidential elections that pose as one of the toughest challenge&nbsp;to his rule of two decades.&nbsp;

The constitutional court of Turkey will be hearing the request of chief prosecutor Bekir Sahin to dissolve HDP.&nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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A Turkish court froze the funding for the main pro-Kurdish party, Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), on Thursday ahead of the possible imposition of a ban over the party's alleged terrorism ties.

A Turkish court froze the funding for the main pro-Kurdish party, Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), on Thursday ahead of the possible imposition of a ban over the party's alleged terrorism ties. The decision of the consitutional court will stop HDP, which is the second largest opposition party in the parliament, from receiving income from a key source for the general election which is slated for June. The party has been accused by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of being the political faction of the outlawed militants who have waged an insurgency for decades against the Turkish state. ALSO READ| Putin says open for dialogue if Ukraine accepts 'new territorial realities' The HDP has refuted any formal links with the militants and slams the government for targeting the party since it is Erdogan's fervent opposition. Currently, thousands of party supporters and its former and current officials are serving jail on highly contentious charges which have strained relations of Turkey with allies in the West. The ruling of the court on Thursday was compared by the party with assets' illegal seizure as it promised to clinch victory in the polls. "This is yet another blow to democratic politics," HDP spokesperson Ebru Gunay said. "This decision will not intimidate us. Now, we are more committed and more determined. Now, we are more militant," she added. WATCH| Turkey: Headscarf debate reaches Parliament; Turkish feminists condemn Erdogan's move Human Rights Watch's Emma Sinclair-Webb said that the ruling of the court gave more proof "that Erdogan's government uses courts to disadvantage, remove and punish the political opposition". The future of HDP can play an important role in deciding the success of Erdogan in parliamentary and presidential elections that pose as one of the toughest challenge to his rule of two decades. The constitutional court of Turkey will be hearing the request of chief prosecutor Bekir Sahin to dissolve HDP. (With inputs from agencies)

Turkish court suspends funding for pro-Kurdish party over terror ties

In China, local governments are cutting back on stationary supplies and monitoring their use of air conditioners. Reports say China faces a nearly $1 trillion funding gap. Molly Gambhir tells you more.

Gravitas: China has a $1 Trillion problem

The British monarchy is caught in another storm, this time it is related to foreign funding involving Prince Charles. Reportedly, the Prince accepted three cash donations between 2011 and 2015.

Anti-monarchy campaign demands probe as Prince Charles received $3.2 million in cash

According to a new report by Oxfam titled 'Footing the bill', the funding needed by the UN Climate Disaster appeals is now eight times higher than what it was 20 years ago but only half of it is being met by rich countries

Funding needed for climate disasters rose by 8 times

Avishkar Hyperloop, a student-led team from India, has secured funding and technical support from a private company to take forth their 'Hyperloop Pod' developmental efforts.

Based at IIT-Madras in Chennai, the team comprises 70 members who belong to as many as 11 diverse Engineering disciplines.

Hyperloop is a futuristic mode of transport that aims to facilitate extremely rapid travel by using specially designed capsules (vehicles or pods) that travel in a vacuum tube, running the entire length between two distant locations. The proposed speed of this hyperloop technology is expected to be well over 1,100Kmph.

IIT-Madras has claimed&nbsp;that the hyperloop model proposed by Team Avishkar can achieve a top speed of over 1,200 kilometres per hour. The institute added that the team is spearheading Hyperloop Tube research in India and has already patented a novel and cost-effective tube design.

The team is also constructing a 500-meter-long hyperloop test facility, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2022 at the Institute's Discovery campus on the outskirts of Chennai.&nbsp;

“The vacuum tube, when developed, will be the first of its kind in academia anywhere globally and would be on par with the test facility of the commercial entity, Virgin Hyperloop One in the US. As such, ours would be the only one of its kind available in public, which we intend to utilise to organise international hyperloop competitions" said Prof. V Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras.&nbsp;

L&amp;T Technology Services Limited (LTTS) will be offering technical guidance across multiple facets of engineering to the students involved in the project.&nbsp;

Besides taking part in international events and competitions that deal with the research and development of hyperloop pods, the team from IIT-M is also working on incorporating further technological advancements into their existing hyperloop pod prototype.

Avishkar Hyperloop, a student-led team from India, has secured funding and technical support from a private company to take forth their 'Hyperloop Pod' developmental efforts.

Avishkar Hyperloop, a student-led team from India, has secured funding and technical support from a private company to take forth their 'Hyperloop Pod' developmental efforts. Based at IIT-Madras in Chennai, the team comprises 70 members who belong to as many as 11 diverse Engineering disciplines. Hyperloop is a futuristic mode of transport that aims to facilitate extremely rapid travel by using specially designed capsules (vehicles or pods) that travel in a vacuum tube, running the entire length between two distant locations. The proposed speed of this hyperloop technology is expected to be well over 1,100Kmph. IIT-Madras has claimed that the hyperloop model proposed by Team Avishkar can achieve a top speed of over 1,200 kilometres per hour. The institute added that the team is spearheading Hyperloop Tube research in India and has already patented a novel and cost-effective tube design. The team is also constructing a 500-meter-long hyperloop test facility, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2022 at the Institute's Discovery campus on the outskirts of Chennai. “The vacuum tube, when developed, will be the first of its kind in academia anywhere globally and would be on par with the test facility of the commercial entity, Virgin Hyperloop One in the US. As such, ours would be the only one of its kind available in public, which we intend to utilise to organise international hyperloop competitions" said Prof. V Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras. L&T Technology Services Limited (LTTS) will be offering technical guidance across multiple facets of engineering to the students involved in the project. Besides taking part in international events and competitions that deal with the research and development of hyperloop pods, the team from IIT-M is also working on incorporating further technological advancements into their existing hyperloop pod prototype.

500-meter-long hyperloop test facility to come up in India, IIT-Madras students’ team secures funding

Tougher times are ahead for Indian football team. In what comes as a shocker, the central government has slashed the funding of football by more than 50 per cent (i.e. by 85%).&nbsp;The decision came&nbsp;after the government&nbsp;dubbed the national team’s display as "poor performance" over the last few years.

As a result, a senior AIFF official has lashed out at the new development and rued&nbsp;at the ‘differential treatment’ meted out to the sport, as&nbsp;reported by the Indian Express. “Despite the differential treatment by the government, the AIFF has not compromised on any activity for the senior and junior teams, both men and women. However, it is surprising that a mass sport like football gets less funding compared to other sports that are nowhere close in terms of participation numbers and competitiveness.”

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/aiff-general-secretary-kushal-das-molested-employees-at-workplace-ranjit-bajaj-makes-big-accusation-473947">AIFF general secretary Kushal Das molested employees at workplace: Ranjit Bajaj makes big accusation</a>

For the unversed, the AIFF officials had reportedly asked for funding at least three times within the sanctioned budget. Much to their dismay,&nbsp;the sports ministry and the Sports Authority of India (SAI) were not satisfied. AIFF’s demands were termed insignificant as the federation’s developmental work has not been deemed to be satisfactory by any means,&nbsp;exposing the inability of age-group teams to make their presence felt at the continental level and a women’s football programme that ‘lacked structure’.&nbsp;

It is to be noted&nbsp;that the funds allocated to football are way less than what has been set aside for other major sports.&nbsp;Athletics (INR 300 million), badminton, boxing, hockey, shooting (INR 240 million each), archery (INR 158.5 crore) and weightlifting (INR 110 million) are way ahead of football in terms of total funding received. To the surprise of many, even sports like tennis and yachting are all set to receive greater funding than football for the current financial year.

The&nbsp;central government’s call has come as a massive blow to the beautiful game amid its rising popularity in India. Over the years, efforts have been made to popularise the game, however, such a dent will act as a severe hit for Indian football across the country. It will be interesting to see if and how&nbsp;some big football names, in India, react to the big development.

Tougher times are ahead for Indian football team. In what comes as a shocker, the central government has slashed the funding of football by more than 50 per cent (i.

Tougher times are ahead for Indian football team. In what comes as a shocker, the central government has slashed the funding of football by more than 50 per cent (i.e. by 85%). The decision came after the government dubbed the national team’s display as "poor performance" over the last few years. As a result, a senior AIFF official has lashed out at the new development and rued at the ‘differential treatment’ meted out to the sport, as reported by the Indian Express. “Despite the differential treatment by the government, the AIFF has not compromised on any activity for the senior and junior teams, both men and women. However, it is surprising that a mass sport like football gets less funding compared to other sports that are nowhere close in terms of participation numbers and competitiveness.” ALSO READ | AIFF general secretary Kushal Das molested employees at workplace: Ranjit Bajaj makes big accusation For the unversed, the AIFF officials had reportedly asked for funding at least three times within the sanctioned budget. Much to their dismay, the sports ministry and the Sports Authority of India (SAI) were not satisfied. AIFF’s demands were termed insignificant as the federation’s developmental work has not been deemed to be satisfactory by any means, exposing the inability of age-group teams to make their presence felt at the continental level and a women’s football programme that ‘lacked structure’. It is to be noted that the funds allocated to football are way less than what has been set aside for other major sports. Athletics (INR 300 million), badminton, boxing, hockey, shooting (INR 240 million each), archery (INR 158.5 crore) and weightlifting (INR 110 million) are way ahead of football in terms of total funding received. To the surprise of many, even sports like tennis and yachting are all set to receive greater funding than football for the current financial year. The central government’s call has come as a massive blow to the beautiful game amid its rising popularity in India. Over the years, efforts have been made to popularise the game, however, such a dent will act as a severe hit for Indian football across the country. It will be interesting to see if and how some big football names, in India, react to the big development.

Indian football in huge crisis! Government slashes funding by almost 85% for AIFF - Report

Last month, SoftBank Group withdrew from a US$34 billion project in Indonesia. After the withdrawal, Indonesia is looking to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, crowdfunding for the capital city in Borneo, reported by South China Morning Post last week.&nbsp;

SoftBank's exit was revealed by Luhut Pandjaitan, the Coordinating Minister of Maritime and Investment Affairs. The reports by SCMP mentioned that he cited a "decline in the share price" and Saudi Arabia's withdrawal of funds from the company's venture capital arm Vision Fund 2 as reasons.&nbsp;

But on the contrary, the company's board director Ken Miyauchi in a statement said: "Return of investment, whether from timing or the amount of ROI itself, is the main reason why we were backing out from the project."&nbsp;

The report mentioned that Luhut, who is the right hand of the country's President Joko Widodo, is putting in efforts to seek funds from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.&nbsp;

"When I visited Saudi Arabia, Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman asked to get into [the capital development project]. We are still discussing how big [Saudi Arabia’s] investments will be. We are continuing to have virtual meetings with his team," Luhut told reporters as quoted by SCMP.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;A story of hope: Rare Sumatran rhino born in Indonesia

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/a-story-of-hope-rare-sumatran-rhino-born-in-indonesia-466988/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

(With inputs from agencies)

Last month, SoftBank Group withdrew from a US$34 billion project in Indonesia. After the withdrawal, Indonesia is looking to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, crowdfunding for the capital city in Borneo, reported by South China Morning Post last week.

Last month, SoftBank Group withdrew from a US$34 billion project in Indonesia. After the withdrawal, Indonesia is looking to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, crowdfunding for the capital city in Borneo, reported by South China Morning Post last week. SoftBank's exit was revealed by Luhut Pandjaitan, the Coordinating Minister of Maritime and Investment Affairs. The reports by SCMP mentioned that he cited a "decline in the share price" and Saudi Arabia's withdrawal of funds from the company's venture capital arm Vision Fund 2 as reasons. But on the contrary, the company's board director Ken Miyauchi in a statement said: "Return of investment, whether from timing or the amount of ROI itself, is the main reason why we were backing out from the project." The report mentioned that Luhut, who is the right hand of the country's President Joko Widodo, is putting in efforts to seek funds from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. "When I visited Saudi Arabia, Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman asked to get into [the capital development project]. We are still discussing how big [Saudi Arabia’s] investments will be. We are continuing to have virtual meetings with his team," Luhut told reporters as quoted by SCMP. Watch | A story of hope: Rare Sumatran rhino born in Indonesia (With inputs from agencies)

Indonesia to seek funds from Saudi Arabia, UAE and crowdfunding after SoftBank's withdrawal

For months, cryptocurrency enthusiasts poured hundreds of millions of dollars into a project called Wonderland, which claimed to provide a system of exchange for the murky world of decentralized finance.

To take part in the project, the investors — who called themselves Frog Nation — entrusted their money to Wonderland’s treasury manager, a crypto developer whom they knew only by the profile name of 0xSifu.

In late January, 0xSifu was revealed to be an alias for Michael Patryn, who had served 18 months in federal prison for fraud. The price of the Wonderland token, $TIME, crashed overnight as Frog Nation’s panicked denizens debated shutting down the project.

“I was like, ‘Oh, man, this is going to get ugly,’” said Brad Nickel, a Wonderland investor in Florida who runs the crypto podcast “Mission: DeFi.” “Immediately, that was a total loss of confidence.”

From its inception, the crypto industry has been built on anonymity. Bitcoin was conceived more than a decade ago by a mysterious figure who went by the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto. For years, thieves and drug dealers have used cryptocurrencies to do business in the shadows.

The ability to operate anonymously is a central tenet of crypto technology. All cryptocurrency transactions are recorded on decentralized ledger systems called blockchains, which let users transact namelessly, without registering a bank account or interacting with traditional financial gatekeepers.

Now as crypto transforms into an increasingly mainstream industry, even the ostensibly legitimate actors — startup founders, engineers and investors — insist on anonymity. A growing number of crypto entrepreneurs, many of whom control hundreds of millions of dollars in investor funds, conduct business via mysterious internet avatars scrubbed of identifying information. Some venture capital firms are backing founders without ever learning their real names.

But the near collapse of Wonderland is forcing a reckoning over whether this culture of anonymity undermines accountability and enables fraud. Last month, BuzzFeed News set off a fresh round of debate by identifying two of the pseudonymous founders of Bored Ape Yacht Club, a $2.5 billion collection of non-fungible tokens, the unique digital collectibles known as NFTs.

“This pseudonymous stuff is so dangerous,” said Brian Nguyen, a crypto entrepreneur who used a pseudonym last year before making his identity public. “They could be a good actor today, but they could turn bad in two or three years.”

Nguyen once lost more than $400,000 in a common crypto scam called a rug pull, in which an anonymous developer launches a project, solicits funds from investors and then disappears with the money. Victims of rug pulls are often left with little recourse against nameless thieves.

Still, some of the industry’s most powerful companies have accepted that crypto engineers and startup founders often prefer to operate anonymously. Crypto evangelists argue that this creates a more egalitarian marketplace, in which entrepreneurs are judged on their technical expertise rather than their academic or family backgrounds. The blockchain provides a public record of transactions, allowing savvy observers to gauge the qualifications of a nameless entrepreneur without consulting a résumé.

Amy Wu, who leads the venture arm of the cryptocurrency exchange FTX, said she sometimes collaborated with anonymous investors she met online. One rose to fame running an Elon Musk parody Twitter account that now has nearly 2 million followers.

“I don’t know who he is. I don’t know what company he worked at,” Wu said. “And I don’t need to. I know that he’s an expert in the industry.”

Last year, FTX recruited an influencer with the Twitter pseudonym SolanaLegend to advise corporate clients interested in NFTs. An FTX employee introduced The New York Times to SolanaLegend, who in an interview declined to provide his real name, saying he stays anonymous to protect his safety and privacy. While he divulged his true identity during an initial call with his FTX supervisors, he said, his company email address features his pseudonym, which he chose as a joke.

At work, he makes one exception to the secrecy. On calls with clients, he often uses his actual first name to introduce himself, concerned that traditional business executives may be uncomfortable working with someone known simply as Legend.

Over the last year, the venture capital firm Paradigm has also hired engineers and researchers who operate anonymously; they appear on the company’s staff page under pseudonyms. The most recent hire was a crypto engineer who goes by Transmissions11 and attends high school “in his spare time,” according to his company bio. (Jim Prosser, a Paradigm spokesman, said the employees’ bosses knew their identities.)

In interviews, anonymous crypto entrepreneurs and engineers offered a variety of reasons for concealing their names. Some feared that a regulatory crackdown could put them in the cross hairs of law enforcement. Others said they disliked the attention or worried that their growing wealth could make them targets for thieves and hackers.

The nameless entrepreneurs often take extreme steps to keep their identities private, using voice-altering software on calls or requiring business partners to sign nondisclosure agreements.

Some venture firms are willing to invest in them anyway. Last year, 0xMaki, a developer who helped run the prominent crypto project SushiSwap, raised $60 million from a group of venture investors, including Wu, without disclosing his real name to them. (The deal fell through after members of SushiSwap — a so-called decentralized autonomous organization, or DAO, in which individual investors hold significant sway — raised concerns about the funding.)

Last summer, the anonymous founder of Alchemix, another major crypto project, raised $4.9 million from a group of venture firms led by CMS Holdings. Dan Matuszewski, a founder of CMS, said he never asked the project’s leader, who uses the pseudonym Scoopy Trooples, to reveal his identity.

“A lot of these guys have reputations from over the years,” Matuszewski said. “It doesn’t seem like it makes a ton of sense for them to run off and abscond with the funds.”

But for many people, it can be difficult to evaluate the credentials of an unknown developer operating under a pseudonym. The anonymous founders of a crypto collective called AnubisDAO raised nearly $60 million in a few hours last year; less than a day later, the funds disappeared in the second-largest rug pull of 2021, according to blockchain-tracking firm Chainalysis.

“No one is ultimately auditing,” said Jordi Alexander, chief investment officer at the crypto trading firm Selini Capital. “You have anonymous people on the internet now. Sometimes they end up being scammers.”

These days, crypto entrepreneurs who use their real names sometimes advertise their startups as “fully doxxed,” meaning their backgrounds are public. And founders are finding it harder to keep their identities secret. BuzzFeed analyzed publicly available business records to establish the identities of the Bored Apes founders, Greg Solano and Wylie Aronow. (Neither responded to requests for comment.)

Wonderland was established in September by Daniele Sestagalli, a crypto entrepreneur who managed the project with Patryn, using whimsical imagery from “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” to entice investors. In a January blog post, Sestagalli said he had known since December that Patryn was an ex-fraudster but decided not to take action because he believed in “second chances.” (Sestagalli did not respond to requests for comment.)

His investors were not as forgiving. Like SushiSwap, Wonderland is run as a DAO. After a vote in January, Patryn was forced to resign from the project. (He did not respond to emails.) A second referendum calling for Wonderland to shut down was narrowly defeated.

Patryn’s identity may have remained secret if not for the work of an influential crypto sleuth, who tweeted screenshots of a text conversation he had with Sestagalli. In those messages, the Wonderland founder appeared to acknowledge 0xSifu’s real name.

Last month, the sleuth was at it again, tweeting evidence that an anonymous leader of another crypto project had once been fined by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The sleuth’s name? Unknown. He uses a pseudonym.

For months, cryptocurrency enthusiasts poured hundreds of millions of dollars into a project called Wonderland, which claimed to provide a system of exchange for the murky world of decentralized finance.

For months, cryptocurrency enthusiasts poured hundreds of millions of dollars into a project called Wonderland, which claimed to provide a system of exchange for the murky world of decentralized finance. To take part in the project, the investors — who called themselves Frog Nation — entrusted their money to Wonderland’s treasury manager, a crypto developer whom they knew only by the profile name of 0xSifu. In late January, 0xSifu was revealed to be an alias for Michael Patryn, who had served 18 months in federal prison for fraud. The price of the Wonderland token, $TIME, crashed overnight as Frog Nation’s panicked denizens debated shutting down the project. “I was like, ‘Oh, man, this is going to get ugly,’” said Brad Nickel, a Wonderland investor in Florida who runs the crypto podcast “Mission: DeFi.” “Immediately, that was a total loss of confidence.” From its inception, the crypto industry has been built on anonymity. Bitcoin was conceived more than a decade ago by a mysterious figure who went by the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto. For years, thieves and drug dealers have used cryptocurrencies to do business in the shadows. The ability to operate anonymously is a central tenet of crypto technology. All cryptocurrency transactions are recorded on decentralized ledger systems called blockchains, which let users transact namelessly, without registering a bank account or interacting with traditional financial gatekeepers. Now as crypto transforms into an increasingly mainstream industry, even the ostensibly legitimate actors — startup founders, engineers and investors — insist on anonymity. A growing number of crypto entrepreneurs, many of whom control hundreds of millions of dollars in investor funds, conduct business via mysterious internet avatars scrubbed of identifying information. Some venture capital firms are backing founders without ever learning their real names. But the near collapse of Wonderland is forcing a reckoning over whether this culture of anonymity undermines accountability and enables fraud. Last month, BuzzFeed News set off a fresh round of debate by identifying two of the pseudonymous founders of Bored Ape Yacht Club, a $2.5 billion collection of non-fungible tokens, the unique digital collectibles known as NFTs. “This pseudonymous stuff is so dangerous,” said Brian Nguyen, a crypto entrepreneur who used a pseudonym last year before making his identity public. “They could be a good actor today, but they could turn bad in two or three years.” Nguyen once lost more than $400,000 in a common crypto scam called a rug pull, in which an anonymous developer launches a project, solicits funds from investors and then disappears with the money. Victims of rug pulls are often left with little recourse against nameless thieves. Still, some of the industry’s most powerful companies have accepted that crypto engineers and startup founders often prefer to operate anonymously. Crypto evangelists argue that this creates a more egalitarian marketplace, in which entrepreneurs are judged on their technical expertise rather than their academic or family backgrounds. The blockchain provides a public record of transactions, allowing savvy observers to gauge the qualifications of a nameless entrepreneur without consulting a résumé. Amy Wu, who leads the venture arm of the cryptocurrency exchange FTX, said she sometimes collaborated with anonymous investors she met online. One rose to fame running an Elon Musk parody Twitter account that now has nearly 2 million followers. “I don’t know who he is. I don’t know what company he worked at,” Wu said. “And I don’t need to. I know that he’s an expert in the industry.” Last year, FTX recruited an influencer with the Twitter pseudonym SolanaLegend to advise corporate clients interested in NFTs. An FTX employee introduced The New York Times to SolanaLegend, who in an interview declined to provide his real name, saying he stays anonymous to protect his safety and privacy. While he divulged his true identity during an initial call with his FTX supervisors, he said, his company email address features his pseudonym, which he chose as a joke. At work, he makes one exception to the secrecy. On calls with clients, he often uses his actual first name to introduce himself, concerned that traditional business executives may be uncomfortable working with someone known simply as Legend. Over the last year, the venture capital firm Paradigm has also hired engineers and researchers who operate anonymously; they appear on the company’s staff page under pseudonyms. The most recent hire was a crypto engineer who goes by Transmissions11 and attends high school “in his spare time,” according to his company bio. (Jim Prosser, a Paradigm spokesman, said the employees’ bosses knew their identities.) In interviews, anonymous crypto entrepreneurs and engineers offered a variety of reasons for concealing their names. Some feared that a regulatory crackdown could put them in the cross hairs of law enforcement. Others said they disliked the attention or worried that their growing wealth could make them targets for thieves and hackers. The nameless entrepreneurs often take extreme steps to keep their identities private, using voice-altering software on calls or requiring business partners to sign nondisclosure agreements. Some venture firms are willing to invest in them anyway. Last year, 0xMaki, a developer who helped run the prominent crypto project SushiSwap, raised $60 million from a group of venture investors, including Wu, without disclosing his real name to them. (The deal fell through after members of SushiSwap — a so-called decentralized autonomous organization, or DAO, in which individual investors hold significant sway — raised concerns about the funding.) Last summer, the anonymous founder of Alchemix, another major crypto project, raised $4.9 million from a group of venture firms led by CMS Holdings. Dan Matuszewski, a founder of CMS, said he never asked the project’s leader, who uses the pseudonym Scoopy Trooples, to reveal his identity. “A lot of these guys have reputations from over the years,” Matuszewski said. “It doesn’t seem like it makes a ton of sense for them to run off and abscond with the funds.” But for many people, it can be difficult to evaluate the credentials of an unknown developer operating under a pseudonym. The anonymous founders of a crypto collective called AnubisDAO raised nearly $60 million in a few hours last year; less than a day later, the funds disappeared in the second-largest rug pull of 2021, according to blockchain-tracking firm Chainalysis. “No one is ultimately auditing,” said Jordi Alexander, chief investment officer at the crypto trading firm Selini Capital. “You have anonymous people on the internet now. Sometimes they end up being scammers.” These days, crypto entrepreneurs who use their real names sometimes advertise their startups as “fully doxxed,” meaning their backgrounds are public. And founders are finding it harder to keep their identities secret. BuzzFeed analyzed publicly available business records to establish the identities of the Bored Apes founders, Greg Solano and Wylie Aronow. (Neither responded to requests for comment.) Wonderland was established in September by Daniele Sestagalli, a crypto entrepreneur who managed the project with Patryn, using whimsical imagery from “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” to entice investors. In a January blog post, Sestagalli said he had known since December that Patryn was an ex-fraudster but decided not to take action because he believed in “second chances.” (Sestagalli did not respond to requests for comment.) His investors were not as forgiving. Like SushiSwap, Wonderland is run as a DAO. After a vote in January, Patryn was forced to resign from the project. (He did not respond to emails.) A second referendum calling for Wonderland to shut down was narrowly defeated. Patryn’s identity may have remained secret if not for the work of an influential crypto sleuth, who tweeted screenshots of a text conversation he had with Sestagalli. In those messages, the Wonderland founder appeared to acknowledge 0xSifu’s real name. Last month, the sleuth was at it again, tweeting evidence that an anonymous leader of another crypto project had once been fined by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The sleuth’s name? Unknown. He uses a pseudonym.

Millions for crypto startups, no real names necessary 

United Kingdom's cut to its aid budget comes to about £4 billion a year. 
Such a massive reduction is a blow to many. However, the most affected will be the local organisations who perpetually find themselves last in line for funding.

A new research by the Vodafone Foundation has revealed that too often, only a small proportion of philanthropic funding earmarked for African development reaches local, African-led civil society organisations. This is because most development funding favours intermediaries in the global north and international organisations.

Fundings that make it to Africa are distributed among locally registered international NGO counterparts. After that, they are allocated to African-led organisations on a project basis.&nbsp;

This limits the scope and flexibility of activities on the ground and promotes aid reliance, instead of durable, transformative change.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-and-eu-pledge-30-per-cent-cut-in-methane-emissions-413907">Also read |&nbsp;US and EU pledge 30 per cent cut in methane emissions</a>

In a Guardian report by Kennedy Odede, he said that a year after Geoge Floyd's death, the report on funding is a reminder that the racial bias and microaggressions experienced as an African leader and CEO are deeper, more pernicious and prevalent.

He highlights that racial bias needs to be replaced with trust, redistribution of power, acknowledgement of a global anti-black bias, and flexible funding.

The report talks about how during COVID-19, the power of local actors to effectively respond to the pandemic and protect marginalised communities have failed.

This means, in some ways, COVID-19 has erased the boundaries between humanitarian aid, as it is traditionally known, and long-term development work.

United Kingdom's cut to its aid budget comes to about £4 billion a year. Such a massive reduction is a blow to many. However, the most affected will be the local organisations who perpetually find themselves last in line for funding.

United Kingdom's cut to its aid budget comes to about £4 billion a year. Such a massive reduction is a blow to many. However, the most affected will be the local organisations who perpetually find themselves last in line for funding. A new research by the Vodafone Foundation has revealed that too often, only a small proportion of philanthropic funding earmarked for African development reaches local, African-led civil society organisations. This is because most development funding favours intermediaries in the global north and international organisations. Fundings that make it to Africa are distributed among locally registered international NGO counterparts. After that, they are allocated to African-led organisations on a project basis. This limits the scope and flexibility of activities on the ground and promotes aid reliance, instead of durable, transformative change. Also read | US and EU pledge 30 per cent cut in methane emissions In a Guardian report by Kennedy Odede, he said that a year after Geoge Floyd's death, the report on funding is a reminder that the racial bias and microaggressions experienced as an African leader and CEO are deeper, more pernicious and prevalent. He highlights that racial bias needs to be replaced with trust, redistribution of power, acknowledgement of a global anti-black bias, and flexible funding. The report talks about how during COVID-19, the power of local actors to effectively respond to the pandemic and protect marginalised communities have failed. This means, in some ways, COVID-19 has erased the boundaries between humanitarian aid, as it is traditionally known, and long-term development work.

UK aid cuts make it important to address anti-black bias in funding

A presidential decree published on Saturday added cryptocurrency exchanges to a list of firms covered by Turkey’s terror financing and money laundering.&nbsp;

The move came after a ban on using cryptocurrencies for making payments, which was introduced in response to claims that such transactions are too risky, took effect in Turkey on Friday.&nbsp;

The presidential decree makes 'crypto asset service providers' responsible for seeing their assets are not used illegally. The decree immediately went into force with its publication in Turkey’s Official Gazette.&nbsp;

Turkish authorities last month launched fraud investigations into two cryptocurrency exchanges, Thodex and Vebitcoin. Six suspects linked to the Thodex probe were jailed on Friday pending trial.&nbsp;

The investigation into Thodex, which handled daily trades of hundreds of millions of dollars, initially led to the arrests of 83 people after customers complained of not being able to access their funds. Interpol issued a detention warrant for the firm’s CEO on Turkey’s behalf.&nbsp;

Turks have been increasingly attracted by cryptocurrencies as protection against the decline of the lira and double-digit inflation.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

A presidential decree published on Saturday added cryptocurrency exchanges to a list of firms covered by Turkey’s terror financing and money laundering. The move came after a ban on using cryptocurrencies for making payments, which was introduced in response to claims that such transactions are too risky, took effect in Turkey on Friday.

A presidential decree published on Saturday added cryptocurrency exchanges to a list of firms covered by Turkey’s terror financing and money laundering. The move came after a ban on using cryptocurrencies for making payments, which was introduced in response to claims that such transactions are too risky, took effect in Turkey on Friday. The presidential decree makes 'crypto asset service providers' responsible for seeing their assets are not used illegally. The decree immediately went into force with its publication in Turkey’s Official Gazette. Turkish authorities last month launched fraud investigations into two cryptocurrency exchanges, Thodex and Vebitcoin. Six suspects linked to the Thodex probe were jailed on Friday pending trial. The investigation into Thodex, which handled daily trades of hundreds of millions of dollars, initially led to the arrests of 83 people after customers complained of not being able to access their funds. Interpol issued a detention warrant for the firm’s CEO on Turkey’s behalf. Turks have been increasingly attracted by cryptocurrencies as protection against the decline of the lira and double-digit inflation. (With inputs from agencies)

Turkey adds cryptocurrency exchanges to terror funding rules 

As the UN urged countries to not pull back funding amid the coronavirus pandemic, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has slashed funding for the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency (UNFPA).

Johnson has decided to impose a huge cut to the funding made to the UN agency that helps women fight against violence and sexual and reproductive problems.

Also read |&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/world/unease-rising-about-astrazeneca-covid-19-vaccine-in-uk-380960" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/unease-rising-about-astrazeneca-covid-19-vaccine-in-uk-380960&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwi-862mvKPwAhXXzDgGHcm0DiEQFjACegQIBxAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2ellHkr3kYJ_gPX0KqKw7f" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/unease-rising-about-astrazeneca-covid-19-vaccine-in-uk-380960" target="_blank">Unease rising about AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in UK</a>

The UK will be implementing a nearly 85 per cent cut to UNFPA’s flagship programme for family planning. The funding will be slashed from £154 million to £23 million this year.

These cuts have brought a ‘devastating’ effect in the working of the agency’s programmes, the agency authorities said.

"These cuts will be devastating for women and girls and their families across the world," UNFPA said in a statement. "With the now-withdrawn £130 million, the UNFPA Supplies Partnership would have helped prevent around 250,000 maternal and child deaths, 14.6 million unintended pregnancies, and 4.3 million unsafe abortions."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-boris-johnson-let-the-bodies-pile-high-380948">Watch |</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-boris-johnson-let-the-bodies-pile-high-380948/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Boris Johnson, however, has asked people and agencies to ‘understand’ the situation and has blamed the pandemic for fund cuts.

"We are still one of the biggest donors in the world and I think people in this country should be very proud of that," Johnson said. "But I also think that they will understand, and I know that other countries around the world understand, the particular pressures of the pandemic that means we have to economise in that way."

Responding to Johnson'&nbsp;statement, UNFPA said that while it understands "the challenging situation facing many donor governments", the agency is also "deeply regrets the decision of our longstanding partner".

"The truth is that when funding stops, women and girls suffer, especially the poor, those living in remote, underserved communities and those living through humanitarian crises," UNFPA said.

(With inputs from agencies)

As the UN urged countries to not pull back funding amid the coronavirus pandemic, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has slashed funding for the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency (UNFPA).

As the UN urged countries to not pull back funding amid the coronavirus pandemic, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has slashed funding for the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency (UNFPA). Johnson has decided to impose a huge cut to the funding made to the UN agency that helps women fight against violence and sexual and reproductive problems. Also read | Unease rising about AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in UK The UK will be implementing a nearly 85 per cent cut to UNFPA’s flagship programme for family planning. The funding will be slashed from £154 million to £23 million this year. These cuts have brought a ‘devastating’ effect in the working of the agency’s programmes, the agency authorities said. "These cuts will be devastating for women and girls and their families across the world," UNFPA said in a statement. "With the now-withdrawn £130 million, the UNFPA Supplies Partnership would have helped prevent around 250,000 maternal and child deaths, 14.6 million unintended pregnancies, and 4.3 million unsafe abortions." Watch | Boris Johnson, however, has asked people and agencies to ‘understand’ the situation and has blamed the pandemic for fund cuts. "We are still one of the biggest donors in the world and I think people in this country should be very proud of that," Johnson said. "But I also think that they will understand, and I know that other countries around the world understand, the particular pressures of the pandemic that means we have to economise in that way." Responding to Johnson' statement, UNFPA said that while it understands "the challenging situation facing many donor governments", the agency is also "deeply regrets the decision of our longstanding partner". "The truth is that when funding stops, women and girls suffer, especially the poor, those living in remote, underserved communities and those living through humanitarian crises," UNFPA said. (With inputs from agencies)

As UN agency laments aid fund cuts, UK PM Boris Johnson pleads people to 'understand'

Cambodia has razed a US-funded defence facility on its southern coast, the deputy prime minister confirmed Sunday, the latest move in the ongoing controversial expansion of a strategically crucial naval base being developed with Chinese aid.

The Wall Street Journal reported last year on a secret draft deal allowing China to dock warships at the Ream naval base near the kingdom's coastal city of Sihanoukville.&nbsp;

But Cambodia — awash in recent years with Chinese investments — has strenuously denied the report, although strongman premier Hun Sen has said aid from Beijing will fund the naval base's development.&nbsp;

Satellite images released by the Center for Strategic and International Studies this week showed a US-funded facility on Ream's naval base had been demolished, raising questions "about rumoured Chinese access", said the Washington-based think tank.&nbsp;

But Tea Banh, Cambodia's deputy prime minister and defence minister, dismissed concerns Sunday.&nbsp;

"We relocated the facility to a new spot. We cannot keep it anymore and the building is already old," he told AFP, confirming that it was knocked down last month.&nbsp;

The Tactical Headquarters of the National Committee for Maritime Security was inaugurated in 2012.&nbsp;

It will be "far better" in its new location, Tea Banh said, adding that Cambodia used "only a small assistance" from the US for the now-demolished building.

The new facility is currently under construction about 30 kilometres (18 miles) north of Ream.&nbsp;

The Ream base has generated scrutiny for its strategic location in the Gulf of Thailand, which would provide ready access to the fiercely contested South China Sea — a key global shipping route.

Beijing claims the majority of the resource-rich sea, vying with six other countries.

Hun Sen has repeatedly insisted Cambodia's constitution forbids any foreign military base within its borders.&nbsp;

Analysts say the wily premier is deeply attuned to the potential for an anti-China backlash from the public -- especially in Sihanoukville, where businesses and casinos are largely now Chinese-owned.&nbsp;

One of the world's longest-serving leaders, Hun Sen has in recent years tilted away from the US due to Washington's criticism of his government's alleged abuses.&nbsp;

On Saturday night, he issued a public letter wishing US President&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a> a "speedy recovery" from the coronavirus.&nbsp;

Cambodia has razed a US-funded defence facility on its southern coast, the deputy prime minister confirmed Sunday, the latest move in the ongoing controversial expansion of a strategically crucial naval base being developed with Chinese aid.

Cambodia has razed a US-funded defence facility on its southern coast, the deputy prime minister confirmed Sunday, the latest move in the ongoing controversial expansion of a strategically crucial naval base being developed with Chinese aid. The Wall Street Journal reported last year on a secret draft deal allowing China to dock warships at the Ream naval base near the kingdom's coastal city of Sihanoukville. But Cambodia — awash in recent years with Chinese investments — has strenuously denied the report, although strongman premier Hun Sen has said aid from Beijing will fund the naval base's development. Satellite images released by the Center for Strategic and International Studies this week showed a US-funded facility on Ream's naval base had been demolished, raising questions "about rumoured Chinese access", said the Washington-based think tank. But Tea Banh, Cambodia's deputy prime minister and defence minister, dismissed concerns Sunday. "We relocated the facility to a new spot. We cannot keep it anymore and the building is already old," he told AFP, confirming that it was knocked down last month. The Tactical Headquarters of the National Committee for Maritime Security was inaugurated in 2012. It will be "far better" in its new location, Tea Banh said, adding that Cambodia used "only a small assistance" from the US for the now-demolished building. The new facility is currently under construction about 30 kilometres (18 miles) north of Ream. The Ream base has generated scrutiny for its strategic location in the Gulf of Thailand, which would provide ready access to the fiercely contested South China Sea — a key global shipping route. Beijing claims the majority of the resource-rich sea, vying with six other countries. Hun Sen has repeatedly insisted Cambodia's constitution forbids any foreign military base within its borders. Analysts say the wily premier is deeply attuned to the potential for an anti-China backlash from the public -- especially in Sihanoukville, where businesses and casinos are largely now Chinese-owned. One of the world's longest-serving leaders, Hun Sen has in recent years tilted away from the US due to Washington's criticism of his government's alleged abuses. On Saturday night, he issued a public letter wishing US President Donald Trump a "speedy recovery" from the coronavirus.

Cambodia confirms US-funded defence facility has been razed

China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the multi-billion-dollar bilateral infrastructure between Pakistan & China has reportedly hits snacks. Apparently Chinese banks wary of continuosly funding Pakistan's projects.

CPEC Project: Chinese banks wary of continuously funding Pak projects

According to the media report, India has directed the US government's health agency CDC to stop funding research in India without government approval.

India stops US Nipah project with lab

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/choose-hope-or-climate-surrender-says-un-chief-265756">Climate change</a> is harming human health as more people suffer from heat stress, extreme weather and mosquito-borne diseases including malaria, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Tuesday.

The UN&nbsp;agency, in a report, issued a day after a climate summit began in Madrid, urged governments to meet ambitious targets to reduce heat-trapping carbon emissions saying it could save a million lives a year through lower air pollution alone.

"Health is paying the price of the climate crisis. Why? Because our lungs, our brains, our cardiovascular system is very much suffering from the causes of climate change which are overlapping very much with the causes of air pollution," Maria Neira, Director of WHO's Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health, told a news briefing.

Yet less than 1 per cent&nbsp;of international financing for climate action goes to the health sector, she said, calling it "absolutely outrageous".

Global temperatures could rise sharply this century with "wide-ranging and destructive" consequences after greenhouse gas emissions hit record levels last year, international climate experts warned last week.

Watch: Climate change 'tipping points'

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-climate-change-tipping-points-265326/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"WHO considers that climate change is potentially the greatest health threat of the 21st Century," said WHO expert Diarmid Campbell-Lendrum.

"The reason for that is that unless we cut our carbon emissions, then we will continue to undermine our food supplies, our water supplies and our air quality - everything that we need to maintain the good health of our populations," he said.

The same sources cause <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/urge-for-climate-change-spreads-like-wildfire-across-the-globe-265246">air pollution and climate change</a>, Campbell-Lendrum said, adding: "So about two-thirds of the exposure to outdoor air pollution is from burning of fossil fuels."

"WHO estimates that over 7 million people a year die from indoor and outdoor air pollution. That is where the big win is," he said.

Some 101 countries responded to WHO's survey about the risks from climate change, but not big players including India and the United States.

"Over two-thirds have assessed that they have increased risks from heat stress, from injury and death from extreme weather, from food, water and vector-borne diseases and those range from everything from cholera to malaria," Campbell-Lendrum said.

Climate change is harming human health as more people suffer from heat stress, extreme weather and mosquito-borne diseases including malaria, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Tuesday.

Climate change is harming human health as more people suffer from heat stress, extreme weather and mosquito-borne diseases including malaria, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Tuesday. The UN agency, in a report, issued a day after a climate summit began in Madrid, urged governments to meet ambitious targets to reduce heat-trapping carbon emissions saying it could save a million lives a year through lower air pollution alone. "Health is paying the price of the climate crisis. Why? Because our lungs, our brains, our cardiovascular system is very much suffering from the causes of climate change which are overlapping very much with the causes of air pollution," Maria Neira, Director of WHO's Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health, told a news briefing. Yet less than 1 per cent of international financing for climate action goes to the health sector, she said, calling it "absolutely outrageous". Global temperatures could rise sharply this century with "wide-ranging and destructive" consequences after greenhouse gas emissions hit record levels last year, international climate experts warned last week. Watch: Climate change 'tipping points' "WHO considers that climate change is potentially the greatest health threat of the 21st Century," said WHO expert Diarmid Campbell-Lendrum. "The reason for that is that unless we cut our carbon emissions, then we will continue to undermine our food supplies, our water supplies and our air quality - everything that we need to maintain the good health of our populations," he said. The same sources cause air pollution and climate change, Campbell-Lendrum said, adding: "So about two-thirds of the exposure to outdoor air pollution is from burning of fossil fuels." "WHO estimates that over 7 million people a year die from indoor and outdoor air pollution. That is where the big win is," he said. Some 101 countries responded to WHO's survey about the risks from climate change, but not big players including India and the United States. "Over two-thirds have assessed that they have increased risks from heat stress, from injury and death from extreme weather, from food, water and vector-borne diseases and those range from everything from cholera to malaria," Campbell-Lendrum said.

Climate change has ill-effects on health, but not enough funding: World Health Organisation

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