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<p>President Joe Biden has commented for the first time as the House speaker election remains in a logjam. Biden took a shot at the Republicans and said they needed to 'get their act together'.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"This is not a good look. It's not a good thing. This is the United States of America, and I hope they get their act together," said Biden before adding, “The rest of the world is looking.”</p>

<p>"How do you think this looks to the rest of the world? We're finally coming out of - the first time we're getting through the whole issue relating to January 6."</p>

<p>The Republican-led House of Representatives could not elect the speaker on Tuesday after Republican nominee Kevin McCarthy was stalled by a rebel group of far-right party men.&nbsp;</p>

<p>McCarthy became the only political leader in a century - the first since the Civil War to lose the opening three rounds of the ballot to become the House speaker. After McCarthy's colleagues pulled their vote, a chaotic House was forced to be adjourned.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/kevin-mccarthy-becomes-the-only-person-to-lose-first-round-of-house-speaker-voting-in-a-century-549201" target="_blank"><strong>Read more: Kevin McCarthy becomes the first person to lose three rounds of House speaker voting in a century</strong></a></p>

<p>As of the last update, the House gathered on Wednesday where McCarthy once again lost in the fourth ballot.&nbsp;</p>

<p>McCarthy needs to win 218 votes of the full House to become the speaker and replace former Democrat leader Nancy Pelosi. Usually, the speaker is elected much before the official voting. However, the conservatives of the party are staunchly against McCarthy and have used the razor-thin majority in the House to their advantage.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-house-speaker-voting-no-majority-for-republican-speaker-candidate-kevin-mccarthy-549475"><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;U.S. House Speaker Voting: No majority for republican speaker candidate Kevin McCarthy</strong></a></p>

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<p>Meanwhile, former present Donald Trump lent his weight behind McCarthy by taking to Truth Social and penning a supporting message.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Republicans, do not turn a great triumph into a giant and embarrassing defeat,” Trump posted on his Truth Social website Wednesday morning. “It’s&nbsp;time to celebrate. You deserve it.&nbsp;Kevin McCarthy will do a good job, and maybe even a great job – just&nbsp;watch!” wrote Trump.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-is-republican-kevin-mccarthy-the-last-of-the-young-guns-in-us-congress-549366" target="_blank"><strong>Read more: Who is Republican Kevin McCarthy, the last of the 'young guns' in US Congress?</strong></a></p>

<p>Despite the majority of the rebels being Trump supporters, it is highly unlikely that McCarthy is going to witness a change of heart amongst the lot.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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President Joe Biden has commented for the first time as the House speaker election remains in a logjam. Biden took a shot at the Republicans and said they needed to 'get their act together'.

President Joe Biden has commented for the first time as the House speaker election remains in a logjam. Biden took a shot at the Republicans and said they needed to 'get their act together'. "This is not a good look. It's not a good thing. This is the United States of America, and I hope they get their act together," said Biden before adding, “The rest of the world is looking.” "How do you think this looks to the rest of the world? We're finally coming out of - the first time we're getting through the whole issue relating to January 6." The Republican-led House of Representatives could not elect the speaker on Tuesday after Republican nominee Kevin McCarthy was stalled by a rebel group of far-right party men. McCarthy became the only political leader in a century - the first since the Civil War to lose the opening three rounds of the ballot to become the House speaker. After McCarthy's colleagues pulled their vote, a chaotic House was forced to be adjourned. Read more: Kevin McCarthy becomes the first person to lose three rounds of House speaker voting in a century As of the last update, the House gathered on Wednesday where McCarthy once again lost in the fourth ballot. McCarthy needs to win 218 votes of the full House to become the speaker and replace former Democrat leader Nancy Pelosi. Usually, the speaker is elected much before the official voting. However, the conservatives of the party are staunchly against McCarthy and have used the razor-thin majority in the House to their advantage. WATCH | U.S. House Speaker Voting: No majority for republican speaker candidate Kevin McCarthy × Meanwhile, former present Donald Trump lent his weight behind McCarthy by taking to Truth Social and penning a supporting message. Republicans, do not turn a great triumph into a giant and embarrassing defeat,” Trump posted on his Truth Social website Wednesday morning. “It’s time to celebrate. You deserve it. Kevin McCarthy will do a good job, and maybe even a great job – just watch!” wrote Trump. Read more: Who is Republican Kevin McCarthy, the last of the 'young guns' in US Congress? Despite the majority of the rebels being Trump supporters, it is highly unlikely that McCarthy is going to witness a change of heart amongst the lot. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Biden wants Republicans to get their 'act together' on House speaker voting

<p>Amid the US House of Representatives speaker election conundrum, where Republicans are unable to reach a consensus, Democrat leader and House member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has pitched a rather unusual solution.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Speaking to&nbsp;MSNBC, Ocasio-Cortez suggested that Republican speaker nominee Kevin McCarthy may consider entering into negotiations with the Democrats to secure the required votes.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I do not believe that Kevin McCarthy has the votes. I believe that a lot of the opposition to him is very personal. I believe his leadership style is incompatible with a lot of Republican members and certainly the Democratic caucus," said&nbsp;Ocasio-Cortez.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"So the question is, is there anyone in their caucus that can build that consensus? If there isn't, McCarthy's team may have to come to the Democratic party. And, if that's the case, then what would that even look like? It's rather unprecedented. Could it result in a potential coalition government?"</p>

<p>The far-left leader also wondered what could the Democrats benefit from in exchange for the votes.&nbsp;"Could we get Democratic chairs of committees as a result?"&nbsp;</p>

<p>AOC suggested that her opinion did not mean the party was open to such a discussion but if McCarthy approached the Democrats, there could be a potential for a coalition government.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"But, really, it's about the cards that are in McCarthy's hands. And if he chooses to approach the Democratic Caucus, then that would be a negotiation, in and of itself, for a potential coalition government. But, again, this is very much an unprecedented time."</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-house-speaker-voting-no-majority-for-republican-speaker-candidate-kevin-mccarthy-549475"><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;U.S. House Speaker Voting: No majority for republican speaker candidate Kevin McCarthy</strong></a></p>

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<p>McCarthy needs to win 218 votes of the full House to become the speaker and replace former Democrat leader Nancy Pelosi.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Usually, the speaker is elected much before the official voting. However, the conservatives of the party are staunchly against McCarthy and have used the razor-thin majority in the House to their advantage.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The likes of&nbsp;Andy Biggs,&nbsp;Paul Gosar, and&nbsp;Matt Gaetz have been the loud voices objecting to McCarthy's endorsement as the Republican nominee since November.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-urges-republicans-to-back-mccarthy-in-race-to-become-us-house-speaker-549468"><strong>Read more:&nbsp;Trump urges Republicans to back McCarthy in race to become US House speaker</strong></a></p>

<p>As of the last update, McCarthy had failed to secure a majority in the fifth round of ballots as well.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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Amid the US House of Representatives speaker election conundrum, where Republicans are unable to reach a consensus, Democrat leader and House member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has pitched a rather unusual solution.

Amid the US House of Representatives speaker election conundrum, where Republicans are unable to reach a consensus, Democrat leader and House member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has pitched a rather unusual solution. Speaking to MSNBC, Ocasio-Cortez suggested that Republican speaker nominee Kevin McCarthy may consider entering into negotiations with the Democrats to secure the required votes. "I do not believe that Kevin McCarthy has the votes. I believe that a lot of the opposition to him is very personal. I believe his leadership style is incompatible with a lot of Republican members and certainly the Democratic caucus," said Ocasio-Cortez. "So the question is, is there anyone in their caucus that can build that consensus? If there isn't, McCarthy's team may have to come to the Democratic party. And, if that's the case, then what would that even look like? It's rather unprecedented. Could it result in a potential coalition government?" The far-left leader also wondered what could the Democrats benefit from in exchange for the votes. "Could we get Democratic chairs of committees as a result?" AOC suggested that her opinion did not mean the party was open to such a discussion but if McCarthy approached the Democrats, there could be a potential for a coalition government. "But, really, it's about the cards that are in McCarthy's hands. And if he chooses to approach the Democratic Caucus, then that would be a negotiation, in and of itself, for a potential coalition government. But, again, this is very much an unprecedented time." WATCH | U.S. House Speaker Voting: No majority for republican speaker candidate Kevin McCarthy × McCarthy needs to win 218 votes of the full House to become the speaker and replace former Democrat leader Nancy Pelosi. Usually, the speaker is elected much before the official voting. However, the conservatives of the party are staunchly against McCarthy and have used the razor-thin majority in the House to their advantage. The likes of Andy Biggs, Paul Gosar, and Matt Gaetz have been the loud voices objecting to McCarthy's endorsement as the Republican nominee since November. Read more: Trump urges Republicans to back McCarthy in race to become US House speaker As of the last update, McCarthy had failed to secure a majority in the fifth round of ballots as well. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez suggests McCarthy open negotiations with the Democrats for House speaker votes

<p>"If you hear the word Ceylon (Sri Lankan) tea, you must see the picture of the tea plucker (lady), that plucker is of Indian origin...Yet, this woman is not recognised at all.. She is the one who plucks the tea leaf that the Queen or King of England drinks! Yet, she does not know that.. We have been striving hard to give them better living conditions", says Sivakumar Nadesan, President of the Global Organisation of the People of Indian origin in Sri Lanka. Nadesan is a recipient of the 2023 Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award (PBSA), the highest honour conferred by the Indian Government on the country's diaspora.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The award that has been announced by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs is a recognition of Nadesan's efforts towards the welfare of the Indian Tamil community, an economically disadvantaged and neglected minority community in the island nation of Sri Lanka. He actively promotes business and cultural exchanges between India and Sri Lanka and has been instrumental in inviting many Indian artists to perform in Sri Lanka.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-space-agency-isro-trains-31-foreign-engineers-in-nanosatellite-building-547145"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;Indian Space agency ISRO trains 31 foreign engineers in nanosatellite building</strong></a></p>

<p>"We have been looking at the issue of Indian origin Tamils (IOTs), who came here 200 years ago and worked on the tea plantations, railways, roads.They (IOTs) were brought here by the British and they developed Sri Lanka to the extent that the country was known. Our first roads and railways were laid by the IOTs. There were coffee plantations originally and then it got wiped out owing to a disease affecting the plant. Then the tea plantation workers began planting tea bushes", Nadesan highlights the contributions of the community that he and his organization have been striving for.</p>

<p>Providing better living conditions, education, housing, healthcare, and nutrition and creating awareness about the same among the Indian Tamils in Sri Lanka, are his key focus areas. He also looks forward to working with the Indian Government to provide housing for the Indian Tamil population in the island nation. He also hopes to negotiate with the Indian Government to set up classrooms, science labs, a nursing school and a university, in addition to the hospital that India has already provided. Among his projects is also to create&nbsp;of a museum to chronicle the history of the Indian Tamil community and their culture and traditions.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indias-first-project-to-conserve-endangered-mountain-goat-nilgiri-tahr-547440"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;India's first project to conserve endangered mountain goat 'Nilgiri Tahr'</strong></a></p>

<p>Nadesan is the second Sri Lankan national to be conferred the PBSA and he has been selected for his work in the realm of 'Community Welfare'. The PBSA jury is chaired by Indian Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar and Co-chaired by External Affairs Minister Dr S&nbsp;Jaishankar. The 17<span style="font-size: 12.5px;">th&nbsp;</span>edition of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (Indian Diaspora Day) Convention is to be held between 8-10<span style="font-size: 12.5px;">th</span>&nbsp;January at Indore, Madhya Pradesh and the awards will be conferred by the Indian president. A total of 27 awardees from across categories will be receiving the awards, as per the Indian Ministry of External Affairs.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sivakumar Nadesan has been serving as the Managing Director of Express Newspapers Ceylon Limited and as the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Press Institute and the Press Complaints Commission of Sri Lanka.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>


"If you hear the word Ceylon (Sri Lankan) tea, you must see the picture of the tea plucker (lady), that plucker is of Indian origin...Yet, this woman is not recognised at all.

"If you hear the word Ceylon (Sri Lankan) tea, you must see the picture of the tea plucker (lady), that plucker is of Indian origin...Yet, this woman is not recognised at all.. She is the one who plucks the tea leaf that the Queen or King of England drinks! Yet, she does not know that.. We have been striving hard to give them better living conditions", says Sivakumar Nadesan, President of the Global Organisation of the People of Indian origin in Sri Lanka. Nadesan is a recipient of the 2023 Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award (PBSA), the highest honour conferred by the Indian Government on the country's diaspora. The award that has been announced by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs is a recognition of Nadesan's efforts towards the welfare of the Indian Tamil community, an economically disadvantaged and neglected minority community in the island nation of Sri Lanka. He actively promotes business and cultural exchanges between India and Sri Lanka and has been instrumental in inviting many Indian artists to perform in Sri Lanka. Also read | Indian Space agency ISRO trains 31 foreign engineers in nanosatellite building "We have been looking at the issue of Indian origin Tamils (IOTs), who came here 200 years ago and worked on the tea plantations, railways, roads.They (IOTs) were brought here by the British and they developed Sri Lanka to the extent that the country was known. Our first roads and railways were laid by the IOTs. There were coffee plantations originally and then it got wiped out owing to a disease affecting the plant. Then the tea plantation workers began planting tea bushes", Nadesan highlights the contributions of the community that he and his organization have been striving for. Providing better living conditions, education, housing, healthcare, and nutrition and creating awareness about the same among the Indian Tamils in Sri Lanka, are his key focus areas. He also looks forward to working with the Indian Government to provide housing for the Indian Tamil population in the island nation. He also hopes to negotiate with the Indian Government to set up classrooms, science labs, a nursing school and a university, in addition to the hospital that India has already provided. Among his projects is also to create of a museum to chronicle the history of the Indian Tamil community and their culture and traditions. Also read | India's first project to conserve endangered mountain goat 'Nilgiri Tahr' Nadesan is the second Sri Lankan national to be conferred the PBSA and he has been selected for his work in the realm of 'Community Welfare'. The PBSA jury is chaired by Indian Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar and Co-chaired by External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar. The 17th edition of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (Indian Diaspora Day) Convention is to be held between 8-10th January at Indore, Madhya Pradesh and the awards will be conferred by the Indian president. A total of 27 awardees from across categories will be receiving the awards, as per the Indian Ministry of External Affairs. Sivakumar Nadesan has been serving as the Managing Director of Express Newspapers Ceylon Limited and as the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Press Institute and the Press Complaints Commission of Sri Lanka. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Sivakumar Nadesan awarded 2023 Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award for upliftment of Indian-origin Tamils in Lanka

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<p>The US House of Representatives was adjourned till 8 PM ET (0100 hours GMT) for the&nbsp;second consecutive day after six rounds of voting to elect the next speaker yielded no result.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After the house reassembled, the Republicans brought in a motion to adjourn for the night. While all Democrats voted no, the Republicans managed to band together and voted 216-214 to have the House adjourned till noon tomorrow.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The House remained in a deadlock as a civil war within the Republican party meant that speaker nominee Kevin McCarthy could not reach the magical figure of 218.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After Tuesday's disappointment where McCarthy lost in three ballot rounds, the House gathered on Wednesday to find a solution.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, through the course of the fourth, fifth and sixth rounds of voting, it became clear that a solution was far from being found. As many as 20 Republicans pledged to not support McCarthy who stood 17 shy of the majority with 201 votes.&nbsp;</p>

<p>McCarthy's party opponents on Wednesday nominated Bryon Donalds as their candidate after he flipped to the anti-McCarthy side on Tuesday during the last ballot voting.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Donalds managed to gain 20 votes throughout Wednesday's ballots while Democrats remained united and kept voting Rep. Hakeem Jeffries who stood closest with 212 votes.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-house-speaker-voting-no-majority-for-republican-speaker-candidate-kevin-mccarthy-549475"><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;U.S. House Speaker Voting: No majority for republican speaker candidate Kevin McCarthy</strong></a></p>

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<p>This is the first time in a century that a speaker nominee has not been able to secure the votes. With no light at the end of the tunnel visible, Democrat leaders are offering suggestions to break the deadlock.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Democrat leader and House member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez&nbsp;suggested that McCarthy may consider entering into negotiations with the Democrats to secure the required votes.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The question is, is there anyone in their caucus that can build that consensus? If there isn't, McCarthy's team may have to come to the Democratic party. And, if that's the case, then what would that even look like? It's rather unprecedented. Could it result in a potential coalition government?" said AOC in an interview with&nbsp;MSNBC.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"It's about the cards that are in McCarthy's hands. And if he chooses to approach the Democratic Caucus, then that would be a negotiation, in and of itself, for a potential coalition government. But, again, this is very much an unprecedented time."</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-suggests-mccarthy-open-negotiations-with-the-democrats-for-house-speaker-votes-549525"><strong>Read more:&nbsp;Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez suggests McCarthy open negotiations with the Democrats for House speaker votes</strong></a></p>

<p>AOC's sentiments were echoed by California Democrat leader Ami Bera who said he may consider backing a 'unity candidate'.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The Republicans need to fast forward this process to pick a candidate so we can get on with doing the people’s business. I would support a unity candidate if that's what it takes, because we need a Speaker of the House."</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>


The US House of Representatives was adjourned till 8 PM ET (0100 hours GMT) for the second consecutive day after six rounds of voting to elect the next speaker yielded no result.

The US House of Representatives was adjourned till 8 PM ET (0100 hours GMT) for the second consecutive day after six rounds of voting to elect the next speaker yielded no result. After the house reassembled, the Republicans brought in a motion to adjourn for the night. While all Democrats voted no, the Republicans managed to band together and voted 216-214 to have the House adjourned till noon tomorrow. The House remained in a deadlock as a civil war within the Republican party meant that speaker nominee Kevin McCarthy could not reach the magical figure of 218. After Tuesday's disappointment where McCarthy lost in three ballot rounds, the House gathered on Wednesday to find a solution. However, through the course of the fourth, fifth and sixth rounds of voting, it became clear that a solution was far from being found. As many as 20 Republicans pledged to not support McCarthy who stood 17 shy of the majority with 201 votes. McCarthy's party opponents on Wednesday nominated Bryon Donalds as their candidate after he flipped to the anti-McCarthy side on Tuesday during the last ballot voting. Donalds managed to gain 20 votes throughout Wednesday's ballots while Democrats remained united and kept voting Rep. Hakeem Jeffries who stood closest with 212 votes. WATCH | U.S. House Speaker Voting: No majority for republican speaker candidate Kevin McCarthy × This is the first time in a century that a speaker nominee has not been able to secure the votes. With no light at the end of the tunnel visible, Democrat leaders are offering suggestions to break the deadlock. Democrat leader and House member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez suggested that McCarthy may consider entering into negotiations with the Democrats to secure the required votes. "The question is, is there anyone in their caucus that can build that consensus? If there isn't, McCarthy's team may have to come to the Democratic party. And, if that's the case, then what would that even look like? It's rather unprecedented. Could it result in a potential coalition government?" said AOC in an interview with MSNBC. "It's about the cards that are in McCarthy's hands. And if he chooses to approach the Democratic Caucus, then that would be a negotiation, in and of itself, for a potential coalition government. But, again, this is very much an unprecedented time." Read more: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez suggests McCarthy open negotiations with the Democrats for House speaker votes AOC's sentiments were echoed by California Democrat leader Ami Bera who said he may consider backing a 'unity candidate'. "The Republicans need to fast forward this process to pick a candidate so we can get on with doing the people’s business. I would support a unity candidate if that's what it takes, because we need a Speaker of the House." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

US House adjourned as Republican speaker nominee Kevin McCarthy loses sixth ballot

<p>The US House of Representatives was adjourned till 8 PM ET (0100 hours GMT) for the&nbsp;second consecutive day after six rounds of voting to elect the next speaker yielded no result. In other news, the United Nations Security Council will hold a private meeting with the Taliban next week.&nbsp;Meanwhile, e-commerce giant Amazon unveiled its plan to cut more than 18,000 jobs as it cuts costs, chief executive&nbsp;Andy Jassy said. Finally, check WION's live updates&nbsp;for live updates on the status of Covid-19 across the world.</p>

<p><strong>Click on the headlines to read more:</strong></p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-house-adjourned-as-republican-speaker-nominee-kevin-mccarthy-loses-sixth-ballot-549530"><strong>US House adjourned as Republican speaker nominee Kevin McCarthy loses sixth ballot</strong></a></p>

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<p>After the house reassembled, the Republicans brought in a motion to adjourn for the night. While all Democrats voted no, the Republicans managed to band together and voted 216-214, to have the House adjourned till noon tomorrow.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The House remained in a deadlock as a civil war within the Republican party meant that speaker nominee Kevin McCarthy could not reach the magical figure of 218.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/un-to-hold-closed-door-meeting-with-taliban-to-discuss-ban-on-women-ngo-workers-549545"><strong>UN to hold closed-door meeting with Taliban to discuss ban on women NGO workers</strong></a></p>

<p><img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/01/05/323271-new-wion-100.png?imwidth=1920" /></p>

<p>The closed-door meeting as per Reuters was requested by the United Arab&nbsp;Emirates (UAE) and Japan, with the former floating their request via a tweet.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amazon-to-cut-over-18000-workers-says-ceo-andy-jassy-549539"><strong>Amazon to cut over 18,000 jobs, says CEO Andy Jassy; workers to know employment status by Jan 18</strong></a></p>

<p><img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/01/05/323265-2022-12-28t232712z3lynxmpeibr0aprtroptp4amazon-com-layoffs.JPG?imwidth=1920" /></p>

<p>In a note to his staff, Jassy said, "Between the reductions we made in November and the ones we're sharing today, we plan to eliminate just over 18,000 roles."</p>

<p>He added that affected workers will be informed from January 18.&nbsp;These 18,000 workers stand for 6 per cent of the firm's nearly 300,000 corporate workforces, AFP reported.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-live-updates-hong-kong-residents-rush-to-get-vaccinated-as-borders-set-to-reopen-with-china-549537"><strong>COVID LIVE updates | Chinese CDC data suggests no new COVID-19 strains in China, says WHO</strong></a></p>

<p><img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/01/05/323264-untitled-design-2023-01-05t080842710.png?imwidth=1920" /></p>

<h4><strong>No new strains identified in China: WHO</strong><img alt="" data-nimg="intrinsic" decoding="async" src="https://www.wionews.com/assets/images/twitter.svg?imwidth=64" srcset="/assets/images/twitter.svg?imwidth=32 1x, /assets/images/twitter.svg?imwidth=64 2x" /></h4>

<p>The World Health Organization said on Wednesday that no new COVID-19 variants have been identified in data from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, it reiterated, the data coming from China is still not complete and comprehensive.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A closed-door meeting of the WHO Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution, in which the Chinese CDC shared data, showed that the variants circulating in China are the Omicron strains already out in the open and no new variants were reported.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;Meta fined $412 mn for EU data breaches; Europe's data rules violated, says Irish regulator</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/meta-fined-412-mn-for-eu-data-breaches-europes-data-rules-violated-says-irish-regulator-549543/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>


The US House of Representatives was adjourned till 8 PM ET (0100 hours GMT) for the second consecutive day after six rounds of voting to elect the next speaker yielded no result. In other news, the United Nations Security Council will hold a private meeting with the Taliban next week. Meanwhile, e-commerce giant Amazon unveiled its plan to cut more than 18,000 jobs as it cuts costs, chief executive Andy Jassy said. Finally, check WION's live updates for live updates on the status of Covid-19 across the world. Click on the headlines to read more: US House adjourned as Republican speaker nominee Kevin McCarthy loses sixth ballot After the house reassembled, the Republicans brought in a motion to adjourn for the night. While all Democrats voted no, the Republicans managed to band together and voted 216-214, to have the House adjourned till noon tomorrow. The House remained in a deadlock as a civil war within the Republican party meant that speaker nominee Kevin McCarthy could not reach the magical figure of 218. UN to hold closed-door meeting with Taliban to discuss ban on women NGO workers The closed-door meeting as per Reuters was requested by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Japan, with the former floating their request via a tweet. Amazon to cut over 18,000 jobs, says CEO Andy Jassy; workers to know employment status by Jan 18 In a note to his staff, Jassy said, "Between the reductions we made in November and the ones we're sharing today, we plan to eliminate just over 18,000 roles." He added that affected workers will be informed from January 18. These 18,000 workers stand for 6 per cent of the firm's nearly 300,000 corporate workforces, AFP reported. COVID LIVE updates | Chinese CDC data suggests no new COVID-19 strains in China, says WHO No new strains identified in China: WHO The World Health Organization said on Wednesday that no new COVID-19 variants have been identified in data from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, it reiterated, the data coming from China is still not complete and comprehensive. A closed-door meeting of the WHO Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution, in which the Chinese CDC shared data, showed that the variants circulating in China are the Omicron strains already out in the open and no new variants were reported. Watch | Meta fined $412 mn for EU data breaches; Europe's data rules violated, says Irish regulator

Morning news brief: China Covid situation, Amazon to cut over 18,000 jobs, and more

<p>E-commerce giant Amazon unveiled its plan to cut more than 18,000 jobs as it cuts costs, chief executive&nbsp;Andy Jassy said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In a note to his staff, Jassy said, "Between the reductions we made in November and the ones we're sharing today, we plan to eliminate just over 18,000 roles."</p>

<p>He added that affected workers will be informed from January 18.&nbsp;These 18,000 workers stand for 6 per cent of the firm's nearly 300,000 corporate workforces, AFP reported.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/online-retail-giant-amazon-reaches-settlement-with-eu-agrees-to-make-big-business-changes-skips-10-fine-544904"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;Online retail giant Amazon reaches settlement with EU, agrees to make big business changes, skips 10% fine</strong></a></p>

<p>Admitting layoffs to be a difficult decision for people, Jassy said&nbsp;that the company is working towards helping with that. He said, " We are working to support those who are affected and are providing packages that include a separation payment, transitional health insurance benefits, and external job placement support."</p>

<p>He added that Amazon has weathered uncertain and difficult economic times in the past and will continue to do so.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Not mentioning any specific region for layoffs, he&nbsp;indicated that some of the layoffs will be in Europe.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to him, this sudden announcement was made as one of Amazon's teammates leaked this information externally.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/amazon-sued-and-accused-of-stealing-tips-given-to-delivery-drivers-541060"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;Amazon sued and accused of 'stealing' tips given to delivery drivers</strong></a></p>

<p>Two months ago, the e-commerce giant said that it will focus on cutting expenses in its annual business review operation. It had already introduced a hiring freeze and even halted some of its warehouse expansions.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It even closed some of its businesses and cancelled many projects.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In November, the company said that it will begin its layoffs but did not give a specific amount.</p>

<p>(With inputs from agencies)</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>


E-commerce giant Amazon unveiled its plan to cut more than 18,000 jobs as it cuts costs, chief executive Andy Jassy said. In a note to his staff, Jassy said, "Between the reductions we made in November and the ones we're sharing today, we plan to eliminate just over 18,000 roles.

E-commerce giant Amazon unveiled its plan to cut more than 18,000 jobs as it cuts costs, chief executive Andy Jassy said. In a note to his staff, Jassy said, "Between the reductions we made in November and the ones we're sharing today, we plan to eliminate just over 18,000 roles." He added that affected workers will be informed from January 18. These 18,000 workers stand for 6 per cent of the firm's nearly 300,000 corporate workforces, AFP reported. Also read | Online retail giant Amazon reaches settlement with EU, agrees to make big business changes, skips 10% fine Admitting layoffs to be a difficult decision for people, Jassy said that the company is working towards helping with that. He said, " We are working to support those who are affected and are providing packages that include a separation payment, transitional health insurance benefits, and external job placement support." He added that Amazon has weathered uncertain and difficult economic times in the past and will continue to do so. Not mentioning any specific region for layoffs, he indicated that some of the layoffs will be in Europe. According to him, this sudden announcement was made as one of Amazon's teammates leaked this information externally. Also read | Amazon sued and accused of 'stealing' tips given to delivery drivers Two months ago, the e-commerce giant said that it will focus on cutting expenses in its annual business review operation. It had already introduced a hiring freeze and even halted some of its warehouse expansions. It even closed some of its businesses and cancelled many projects. In November, the company said that it will begin its layoffs but did not give a specific amount. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Amazon to cut over 18,000 jobs, says CEO Andy Jassy; workers to know employment status by Jan 18

<p>Thai authorities said Thursday that travellers from China could enter the kingdom without pre-departure coronavirus tests, hoping their return would be a shot in the arm for the recovery of the country's tourism sector.&nbsp;China has experienced a surge in infections and its hospitals and crematoriums have been inundated after Beijing last month wound back tight restrictions.</p>

<p>The United States, Canada, Japan and France are among the countries that have imposed new rules requiring travellers from China to provide negative Covid test reports&nbsp;as concerns grow over the spike in cases.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-live-updates-hong-kong-residents-rush-to-get-vaccinated-as-borders-set-to-reopen-with-china-549537"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;COVID Highlights | Chinese CDC data suggests no new COVID-19 strains in China, says WHO</strong></a></p>

<p>But Thai authorities on Thursday said all countries should be treated the same.</p>

<p>"Thailand&nbsp;does not require Covid test results from tourists from any country," Public Health Minister Anutin&nbsp;Charnvirakul told reporters on Thursday following a meeting between health, tourism and transportation officials.</p>

<p>China was the largest source of foreign tourists for&nbsp;Thailand&nbsp;before the pandemic, with almost 11 million arrivals in 2019, according to government data.</p>

<p>Tourism accounted for nearly 20 per cent of national income before the pandemic, and tough border restrictions at the height of the health crisis took a toll on hotels, restaurants and tour operators across the country.</p>

<p>"This is an opportunity to restore our economic situation and recover from losses we suffered for nearly three years," Anutin said.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amid-beijings-covid-spike-chinas-healthcare-system-worsens-forces-people-to-take-risks-in-black-market-549628"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;China's healthcare system at its worst amid Covid spike; forces people to take risks in black market</strong></a></p>

<p>Tanes Petsuwan, deputy governor of the Tourism Authority of&nbsp;Thailand, said he expected about 60,000 Chinese nationals to enter&nbsp;Thailand&nbsp;this month and the numbers to steadily rise further.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We expect Chinese tourists to come to&nbsp;Thailand&nbsp;after Chinese New Year," Tourism Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakan said.</p>

<p>In December, Thailand&nbsp;clocked its 10 millionth international visitor for 2022 -- a major increase on the 430,000 seen in 2021 but still way off the 40 million arrivals of 2019.</p>

<p>Thai officials are forecasting some 20 million arrivals in 2023, though they believe Chinese tourists could push the figure up to around 25 million.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>


Thai authorities said Thursday that travellers from China could enter the kingdom without pre-departure coronavirus tests, hoping their return would be a shot in the arm for the recovery of the country's tourism sector.

Thai authorities said Thursday that travellers from China could enter the kingdom without pre-departure coronavirus tests, hoping their return would be a shot in the arm for the recovery of the country's tourism sector. China has experienced a surge in infections and its hospitals and crematoriums have been inundated after Beijing last month wound back tight restrictions. The United States, Canada, Japan and France are among the countries that have imposed new rules requiring travellers from China to provide negative Covid test reports as concerns grow over the spike in cases. Also read | COVID Highlights | Chinese CDC data suggests no new COVID-19 strains in China, says WHO But Thai authorities on Thursday said all countries should be treated the same. "Thailand does not require Covid test results from tourists from any country," Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told reporters on Thursday following a meeting between health, tourism and transportation officials. China was the largest source of foreign tourists for Thailand before the pandemic, with almost 11 million arrivals in 2019, according to government data. Tourism accounted for nearly 20 per cent of national income before the pandemic, and tough border restrictions at the height of the health crisis took a toll on hotels, restaurants and tour operators across the country. "This is an opportunity to restore our economic situation and recover from losses we suffered for nearly three years," Anutin said. Also read | China's healthcare system at its worst amid Covid spike; forces people to take risks in black market Tanes Petsuwan, deputy governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, said he expected about 60,000 Chinese nationals to enter Thailand this month and the numbers to steadily rise further. "We expect Chinese tourists to come to Thailand after Chinese New Year," Tourism Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakan said. In December, Thailand clocked its 10 millionth international visitor for 2022 -- a major increase on the 430,000 seen in 2021 but still way off the 40 million arrivals of 2019. Thai officials are forecasting some 20 million arrivals in 2023, though they believe Chinese tourists could push the figure up to around 25 million. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

No pre-departure Covid test needed for travellers from China, says Thailand

<p>Jammu and Kashmir is&nbsp;reeling under harsh cold wave conditions with temperatures dipping to below zero degrees celsius. Srinagar recorded the season's coldest night with minimum temperature at -6.4°C. Due to the severe cold conditions, parts of Dal Lake have&nbsp;frozen, making it difficult for the people living on the lake to move around. However, the tourists were enjoying the visuals of the frozen lake.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The tourist resort in South Kashmir's Pahalgam recorded the temperature at -9.2°C. While in Awantipora, the temperature was recorded at -8.2°C. The famous Ski resort, Gulmarg recorded the temperature at&nbsp;-7.5°C.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/temperatures-across-kashmir-region-plummet-further-547255"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;Temperatures across Kashmir region plummet further</strong></a></p>

<p>The local population of the Kashmir Valley is facing difficulties due to the intense cold weather. However, it is a visual treat for the tourists coming to Kashmir to experience the cold weather and snow-clad mountains. And it is for the first time, such a big number of tourists are staying in the houseboats on Dal Lake during the extreme winter.</p>

<p>The coldest place in India, Ladakh, is witnessing extreme cold waves as well. The temperature in Leh was recorded at -15.2°C while in Kargil the lowest temperature was recorded at -16.9°C. The second coldest place in the world, Drass recorded the minimum temperature at -23.9°C.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/kashmir-temperature-hits-lowest-of-the-season-dal-lake-freezes-at-minus-55degc-545493"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;Kashmir: Temperature hits new low of the season at minus 5.5°C; Dal Lake freezes</strong></a></p>

<p>Kashmir's coldest period known as Chillai-Kalan is a 40-day long period starting from December 21. However, the winters don't end with this 40-day period, as it is followed by a 20-day-long period called ‘Chillai-Khurd’ that occurs between January 30 and February 19 and a 10-day-long period ‘Chillai-Bachha’ (baby cold) which is from February 20 to March 1.</p>

<p>The Met Department has predicted clear weather till January 7, which will result in a further drop in the temperature across the region. From January 8th to January 10th, the weather is expected to be cloudy with the possibility of snowfall and rain in the region.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>


Jammu and Kashmir is reeling under harsh cold wave conditions with temperatures dipping to below zero degrees celsius. Srinagar recorded the season's coldest night with minimum temperature at -6.

Jammu and Kashmir is reeling under harsh cold wave conditions with temperatures dipping to below zero degrees celsius. Srinagar recorded the season's coldest night with minimum temperature at -6.4°C. Due to the severe cold conditions, parts of Dal Lake have frozen, making it difficult for the people living on the lake to move around. However, the tourists were enjoying the visuals of the frozen lake. The tourist resort in South Kashmir's Pahalgam recorded the temperature at -9.2°C. While in Awantipora, the temperature was recorded at -8.2°C. The famous Ski resort, Gulmarg recorded the temperature at -7.5°C. Also read | Temperatures across Kashmir region plummet further The local population of the Kashmir Valley is facing difficulties due to the intense cold weather. However, it is a visual treat for the tourists coming to Kashmir to experience the cold weather and snow-clad mountains. And it is for the first time, such a big number of tourists are staying in the houseboats on Dal Lake during the extreme winter. The coldest place in India, Ladakh, is witnessing extreme cold waves as well. The temperature in Leh was recorded at -15.2°C while in Kargil the lowest temperature was recorded at -16.9°C. The second coldest place in the world, Drass recorded the minimum temperature at -23.9°C. Also read | Kashmir: Temperature hits new low of the season at minus 5.5°C; Dal Lake freezes Kashmir's coldest period known as Chillai-Kalan is a 40-day long period starting from December 21. However, the winters don't end with this 40-day period, as it is followed by a 20-day-long period called ‘Chillai-Khurd’ that occurs between January 30 and February 19 and a 10-day-long period ‘Chillai-Bachha’ (baby cold) which is from February 20 to March 1. The Met Department has predicted clear weather till January 7, which will result in a further drop in the temperature across the region. From January 8th to January 10th, the weather is expected to be cloudy with the possibility of snowfall and rain in the region. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

India: Srinagar records coldest night of the season at minus 6.4°C, MeT says mercury to drop further

As the cold wave tightened its grip over parts of northern India, New Delhi on Thursday (January 05) reported the coldest day of the season.

India: New Delhi records the coldest day of the season

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Byalyatski went on trial in Belarus on Thursday, facing up to 12 years in jail in a case his allies see as political retribution for his rights work.

Belarus begins trial of Nobel Prize-winning rights defender

<p>China's healthcare system is facing several hardships and is on the verge of near collapse amid a Covid spike in the Chinese mainland after a shift from President Xi Jinping's 'Zero Covid policy' which not only harmed the economy but also failed to control the outbreak.&nbsp;In a country where not even a mask mandate exists right now, thousands of people have died and many medical workers are walking out of their jobs.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Almost everything is open now, even schools, but kids are not going due to the fear of getting infected at a time when even medicines are not easily available.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-live-updates-hong-kong-residents-rush-to-get-vaccinated-as-borders-set-to-reopen-with-china-549537"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;COVID Highlights | Chinese CDC data suggests no new COVID-19 strains in China, says WHO</strong></a></p>

<p>As per several media reports, China's manufacturing and service sectors were at their worst by the end of 2022.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The healthcare system is experiencing a huge shortage of COVID-19 medications. The current coronavirus wave saw drug stores stripped of supplies, promoting people to buy from online marketplaces with price gouging and online fraud.&nbsp;</p>

<p>China's public security ministry on Monday ordered a crackdown on illegal and criminal activity involving the production and sale of counterfeit epidemic-related medicines and related items.</p>

<p>Despite this, people were forced to turn towards the black market for their loved ones.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-asks-china-to-provide-a-more-realistic-picture-of-covid-19-situation-549382"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;WHO says data provided by China ‘under-represents’ true impact of Covid outbreak</strong></a></p>

<p>The&nbsp;black market and online frauds include tainted medicines, fabricated clinical trials and lax regulation in the industry.</p>

<p>A 22-year-old Qiu told AFP that she spent&nbsp;thousands on online Covid medicines that never arrived.</p>

<p>Authorities claimed that they have begun shipping&nbsp;paxvloid, a Beijing-approved Covid treatment medicine developed by US drug giant Pfizer, to many hospitals and communities but is difficult to obtain.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to AFP, limited stocks have compelled citizens to buy medicines at a higher price. It said that an online seller told the news agency that they were charging 18,000 yuan ($2,610) for a single box of the medicine, almost nine times more than the original price.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
<em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>


China's healthcare system is facing several hardships and is on the verge of near collapse amid a Covid spike in the Chinese mainland after a shift from President Xi Jinping's 'Zero Covid policy' which not only harmed the economy but also failed to control the outbreak.

China's healthcare system is facing several hardships and is on the verge of near collapse amid a Covid spike in the Chinese mainland after a shift from President Xi Jinping's 'Zero Covid policy' which not only harmed the economy but also failed to control the outbreak. In a country where not even a mask mandate exists right now, thousands of people have died and many medical workers are walking out of their jobs. Almost everything is open now, even schools, but kids are not going due to the fear of getting infected at a time when even medicines are not easily available. Also read | COVID Highlights | Chinese CDC data suggests no new COVID-19 strains in China, says WHO As per several media reports, China's manufacturing and service sectors were at their worst by the end of 2022. The healthcare system is experiencing a huge shortage of COVID-19 medications. The current coronavirus wave saw drug stores stripped of supplies, promoting people to buy from online marketplaces with price gouging and online fraud. China's public security ministry on Monday ordered a crackdown on illegal and criminal activity involving the production and sale of counterfeit epidemic-related medicines and related items. Despite this, people were forced to turn towards the black market for their loved ones. Also read | WHO says data provided by China ‘under-represents’ true impact of Covid outbreak The black market and online frauds include tainted medicines, fabricated clinical trials and lax regulation in the industry. A 22-year-old Qiu told AFP that she spent thousands on online Covid medicines that never arrived. Authorities claimed that they have begun shipping paxvloid, a Beijing-approved Covid treatment medicine developed by US drug giant Pfizer, to many hospitals and communities but is difficult to obtain. According to AFP, limited stocks have compelled citizens to buy medicines at a higher price. It said that an online seller told the news agency that they were charging 18,000 yuan ($2,610) for a single box of the medicine, almost nine times more than the original price. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

China’s healthcare system crumbles amid Covid spike; people buying medicines from black market

Ex-Sri Lanka's president Gotabaya Rajapaska visits private zoo in Dubai. Have a look!

<p>Amid constant disruptions in China due to lockdown, a surge in Covid cases, and employee unrest at a Foxconn factory, technology giant Apple Inc is all set to sign its manufacturing contractor Luxshare Precision Industry Co Ltd to produce premium iPhone models, people familiar with the matter said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Earlier, Luxshare was producing only a small number of the iPhone 14 pro-Max at its Kunshan plant to make up for the lost production of Foxconn's Zhengzhou factory, the Financial Times reported.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/apple-has-lost-1-trillion-market-value-in-just-a-year-549233"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;Apple has lost $1 trillion market value in just a year</strong></a></p>

<p>The COVID-19 outbreak and the curbs to control it, prompted thousands of workers to leave the Foxconn plant.</p>

<p>In November, Apple warned of lower shipments of its premium iPhone 14 and models following production cuts.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Foxconn also known as Hon Hai Precision Industry and Pegatron Corp has been leading a dominant position in Apple's supply chain.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;World Business Watch: Apple to sign deal with Luxshare for iPhone production in China</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/world-business-watch-apple-to-sign-deal-with-luxshare-for-iphone-production-in-china-549562/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>While a source told Reuters that the Foxconn plant is almost back to its originals position with almost 90 per cent of December's shipments reaching, some media reports believe that Apple's shipments are likely to slip in the holiday quarter.&nbsp;</p>

<p>For upcoming projects, TrendForce, an industry research firm on Saturday said that Apple has decided to employ Luxshare as one of the assemblers for its iPhone 15 Pro Max.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/apple-tesla-stock-hit-major-lows-as-concerns-prevail-over-production-amid-covid-547428"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;Apple, Tesla stocks hit major lows as concerns prevail over production amid Covid</strong></a></p>

<p>The firm also added that only Luxshare's assembling plant is set up in China and has no plans on setting up its iPhone production line.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The tech giant this week on its website also&nbsp;said that the out-of-warranty iPhone owners will have to now spend $20 more to replace their batteries at an Apple store.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Starting from March 01, all old iPhones before 2022 will see their battery replacements charge increased by $20.</p>

<p>These increased battery prices will also apply to not just iPhones but also MacBooks, some iPads and a few international markets.</p>

<p>(with inputs from agencies)</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>


Amid constant disruptions in China due to lockdown, a surge in Covid cases, and employee unrest at a Foxconn factory, technology giant Apple Inc is all set to sign its manufacturing contractor Luxshare Precision Industry Co Ltd to produce premium iPhone models, people familiar with the matter said.

Amid constant disruptions in China due to lockdown, a surge in Covid cases, and employee unrest at a Foxconn factory, technology giant Apple Inc is all set to sign its manufacturing contractor Luxshare Precision Industry Co Ltd to produce premium iPhone models, people familiar with the matter said. Earlier, Luxshare was producing only a small number of the iPhone 14 pro-Max at its Kunshan plant to make up for the lost production of Foxconn's Zhengzhou factory, the Financial Times reported. Also read | Apple has lost $1 trillion market value in just a year The COVID-19 outbreak and the curbs to control it, prompted thousands of workers to leave the Foxconn plant. In November, Apple warned of lower shipments of its premium iPhone 14 and models following production cuts. Foxconn also known as Hon Hai Precision Industry and Pegatron Corp has been leading a dominant position in Apple's supply chain. Watch | World Business Watch: Apple to sign deal with Luxshare for iPhone production in China While a source told Reuters that the Foxconn plant is almost back to its originals position with almost 90 per cent of December's shipments reaching, some media reports believe that Apple's shipments are likely to slip in the holiday quarter. For upcoming projects, TrendForce, an industry research firm on Saturday said that Apple has decided to employ Luxshare as one of the assemblers for its iPhone 15 Pro Max. Also read | Apple, Tesla stocks hit major lows as concerns prevail over production amid Covid The firm also added that only Luxshare's assembling plant is set up in China and has no plans on setting up its iPhone production line. The tech giant this week on its website also said that the out-of-warranty iPhone owners will have to now spend $20 more to replace their batteries at an Apple store. Starting from March 01, all old iPhones before 2022 will see their battery replacements charge increased by $20. These increased battery prices will also apply to not just iPhones but also MacBooks, some iPads and a few international markets. (with inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Apple to sign Luxshare for iPhone production in China, says report; hikes battery replacement price by $20

<p>The South Korean authorities on Wednesday (Jan 04) said that they are tracking a Chinese national, who tested positive for COVID-19 on arrival but went missing while waiting at a quarantine facility.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Kim Joo-young, a health official said that the Chinese passenger tested positive after his arrival at the Icheon International Airport near Seoul on Tuesday.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-makes-covid-negative-test-mandatory-for-arrivals-from-china-549103"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;UK makes Covid negative test mandatory for arrivals from China</strong></a></p>

<p>He added that the individual has not yet been identified and has been listed on a 'wanted list.' Kim said that the individual might be subjected to a year in prison or a 10 million won ($7,840) fine for violating the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act.</p>

<p>Amid Beijing's Covid spike, several countries have imposed travel restrictions. After the UK, South Korea also joined the list. It announced some mandatory coronavirus tests on arrivals from China on Tuesday.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also&nbsp;read | '<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/deeply-impressed-chinas-new-foreign-minister-heaps-praises-on-americans-549162">Deeply impressed': China's new foreign minister heaps praises on Americans</a></strong></p>

<p>It includes individuals arriving from China to undergo a PCR after arrival. &nbsp;Starting from Jan 05, passengers can also submit a PCR taken not more than 48 hours before their departure or a negative test not more than 24 hours old before departure.</p>

<p>Since Jan 02, a total of 2,189 people have arrived from China. South Korea's (KDCA) said that some 590 tests showed that around 136 people have tested positive for COVID-19.</p>

<p>The KDCA&nbsp;also said on Tuesday, 281 people tested positive for coronavirus.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


The South Korean authorities on Wednesday (Jan 04) said that they are tracking a Chinese national, who tested positive for COVID-19 on arrival but went missing while waiting at a quarantine facility.

The South Korean authorities on Wednesday (Jan 04) said that they are tracking a Chinese national, who tested positive for COVID-19 on arrival but went missing while waiting at a quarantine facility. Kim Joo-young, a health official said that the Chinese passenger tested positive after his arrival at the Icheon International Airport near Seoul on Tuesday. Also read | UK makes Covid negative test mandatory for arrivals from China He added that the individual has not yet been identified and has been listed on a 'wanted list.' Kim said that the individual might be subjected to a year in prison or a 10 million won ($7,840) fine for violating the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act. Amid Beijing's Covid spike, several countries have imposed travel restrictions. After the UK, South Korea also joined the list. It announced some mandatory coronavirus tests on arrivals from China on Tuesday. Also read | 'Deeply impressed': China's new foreign minister heaps praises on Americans It includes individuals arriving from China to undergo a PCR after arrival. Starting from Jan 05, passengers can also submit a PCR taken not more than 48 hours before their departure or a negative test not more than 24 hours old before departure. Since Jan 02, a total of 2,189 people have arrived from China. South Korea's (KDCA) said that some 590 tests showed that around 136 people have tested positive for COVID-19. The KDCA also said on Tuesday, 281 people tested positive for coronavirus. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

South Korea searches for 'wanted' Chinese national who escaped from Covid quarantine centre

<p>More than a couple of months after Poland officially signed a note to Germany seeking reparations for the damages sustained in WWII, Berlin has rebuffed such demands.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Polish foreign ministry on Tuesday said it received a response from Germany rejecting Polish claims.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"According to the German government, the issue of reparations and compensation for wartime losses remains closed and it does not intend to enter into negotiations," read the statement released.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Poland's Deputy Foreign Minister Arkadiusz Mularczyk in an interview slammed Germany for its 'disrespectful' attitude.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"This answer, to sum it up, shows an absolutely disrespectful attitude towards Poland and Poles.&nbsp;Germany does not pursue a friendly policy towards Poland, they want to build their sphere of influence here and treat Poland as a vassal state," said&nbsp;Mularczyk.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Despite the outright rejection, the ministry added that it will "continue to seek compensation for German aggression and occupation in 1939-1945".</p>

<p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/poland-prepared-if-russia-cuts-oil-supply-says-minister-547790">Read more:&nbsp;Poland prepared if Russia cuts oil supply, has alternative supplies, says minister</a></strong></p>

<p>Ever since coming to power in 2015, Poland's governing Law and Justice (PiS) party has been quite vocal in demanding war reparations with a strong focus on Germany. The party argues that Germany has a 'moral duty' in the matter and that it owes compensation.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It was in September last year, the 83rd anniversary of the war that the Polish government presented an exhaustive report on the damages. It arrived at an estimated figure of $1.3 trillion as the appropriate reparation amount that the Germans owed their EU partner.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-climate-tracker-study-wwii-german-vessel-shipwreck-is-polluting-north-sea-526873"><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;WION Climate Tracker: Study: WWII German vessel shipwreck is polluting North Sea</strong></a></p>

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<p>The German government continues to avoid paying the reparation saying Poland officially renounced such demands in a 1953 accord.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, the Polish government rejects the said declaration saying it was signed under pressure from the Soviet Union by the country's then-communist leaders.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Notably, over six million Poles, including three million Polish Jews were killed by the Nazis during the war. The capital city of Warsaw was razed to the ground by the Germans, leading to the death of almost 200,000 civilians.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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More than a couple of months after Poland officially signed a note to Germany seeking reparations for the damages sustained in WWII, Berlin has rebuffed such demands.

More than a couple of months after Poland officially signed a note to Germany seeking reparations for the damages sustained in WWII, Berlin has rebuffed such demands. The Polish foreign ministry on Tuesday said it received a response from Germany rejecting Polish claims. "According to the German government, the issue of reparations and compensation for wartime losses remains closed and it does not intend to enter into negotiations," read the statement released. Poland's Deputy Foreign Minister Arkadiusz Mularczyk in an interview slammed Germany for its 'disrespectful' attitude. "This answer, to sum it up, shows an absolutely disrespectful attitude towards Poland and Poles. Germany does not pursue a friendly policy towards Poland, they want to build their sphere of influence here and treat Poland as a vassal state," said Mularczyk. Despite the outright rejection, the ministry added that it will "continue to seek compensation for German aggression and occupation in 1939-1945". Read more: Poland prepared if Russia cuts oil supply, has alternative supplies, says minister Ever since coming to power in 2015, Poland's governing Law and Justice (PiS) party has been quite vocal in demanding war reparations with a strong focus on Germany. The party argues that Germany has a 'moral duty' in the matter and that it owes compensation. It was in September last year, the 83rd anniversary of the war that the Polish government presented an exhaustive report on the damages. It arrived at an estimated figure of $1.3 trillion as the appropriate reparation amount that the Germans owed their EU partner. WATCH | WION Climate Tracker: Study: WWII German vessel shipwreck is polluting North Sea × The German government continues to avoid paying the reparation saying Poland officially renounced such demands in a 1953 accord. However, the Polish government rejects the said declaration saying it was signed under pressure from the Soviet Union by the country's then-communist leaders. Notably, over six million Poles, including three million Polish Jews were killed by the Nazis during the war. The capital city of Warsaw was razed to the ground by the Germans, leading to the death of almost 200,000 civilians. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Germany rejects Poland's $1.4 trillion demand for WWII reparations

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<p>As expected, embattled crypto trader and co-founder of FTX Sam Bankman-Fried on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to fraud charges at a New York federal court.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The eight charges levelled on Bankman-Fried were related to the collapse of FTX and hedge fund Alameda Research.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The charges vary from wire fraud to money laundering to campaign finance violations with five carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/as-top-democrat-donor-sam-bankman-fried-had-access-to-white-house-report-547922"><strong>Read more:&nbsp;As top Democrat donor, Sam Bankman-Fried had access to White House: Report</strong></a></p>

<p>With Bankman-Fried pleading not guilty, the stage is set for a court trial which is expected to begin in October, according to federal judge Lewis Kaplan.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The US prosecutors argued that the 30-year-old former billionaire misused the funds of FTX and Alameda Research whilst duping the customers.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/ftx-founder-sam-bankman-fried-is-ready-to-face-music-544155"><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried is 'ready to face music?'</strong></a></p>

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<p>Bankman-Fried, who was regarded as a crypto genius at the time quickly went to the Bahamas to avoid scrutiny by the US authorities. It was only after the request of the federal prosecutors in New York that he was sent to a prison on the island country where he spent nine days.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Banman-Fried was released on a $250 million bail package last month only after he accepted to be extradited out of the Bahamas. During the ruling, a US magistrate judge said Bankman-Fried would have to remain under strict supervision at his parents’ home in Palo Alto, California.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/economy/ftx-co-founder-sam-bankman-fried-released-on-250m-bail-545702" target="_blank"><strong>Read more: FTX co-founder Sam Bankman-Fried released on $250m bail</strong></a></p>

<p>While Bankman-Fried is willing to do the whole nine yards in the court, his top lieutenants in Caroline Ellison, the former chief executive of FTX's trading affiliate Alameda Research, and Gary Wang, another FTX co-founder have already pleaded guilty.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>What happened to FTX?</strong></p>

<p>FTX filed for bankruptcy in November last year after traders rushed to remove $6 billion off the platform in only 72 hours. The fate of the company was sealed after rival exchange Binance's rescue deal fell through.</p>

<p>According to US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), Bankman-Fried masterminded the misappropriation of more than&nbsp;$8 billion in funds from customer accounts.&nbsp;</p>

<p>During one of the bankruptcy hearings, the attorneys representing FTX informed the court that Bankaman-Fried ran the now-bankrupt company as a 'personal fiefdom'. The attorneys said he splurged as much as $300 million on homes and vacation properties for senior staff, home and abroad.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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As expected, embattled crypto trader and co-founder of FTX Sam Bankman-Fried on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to fraud charges at a New York federal court. The eight charges levelled on Bankman-Fried were related to the collapse of FTX and hedge fund Alameda Research.

As expected, embattled crypto trader and co-founder of FTX Sam Bankman-Fried on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to fraud charges at a New York federal court. The eight charges levelled on Bankman-Fried were related to the collapse of FTX and hedge fund Alameda Research. The charges vary from wire fraud to money laundering to campaign finance violations with five carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Read more: As top Democrat donor, Sam Bankman-Fried had access to White House: Report With Bankman-Fried pleading not guilty, the stage is set for a court trial which is expected to begin in October, according to federal judge Lewis Kaplan. The US prosecutors argued that the 30-year-old former billionaire misused the funds of FTX and Alameda Research whilst duping the customers. WATCH | FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried is 'ready to face music?' × Bankman-Fried, who was regarded as a crypto genius at the time quickly went to the Bahamas to avoid scrutiny by the US authorities. It was only after the request of the federal prosecutors in New York that he was sent to a prison on the island country where he spent nine days. Banman-Fried was released on a $250 million bail package last month only after he accepted to be extradited out of the Bahamas. During the ruling, a US magistrate judge said Bankman-Fried would have to remain under strict supervision at his parents’ home in Palo Alto, California. Read more: FTX co-founder Sam Bankman-Fried released on $250m bail While Bankman-Fried is willing to do the whole nine yards in the court, his top lieutenants in Caroline Ellison, the former chief executive of FTX's trading affiliate Alameda Research, and Gary Wang, another FTX co-founder have already pleaded guilty. What happened to FTX? FTX filed for bankruptcy in November last year after traders rushed to remove $6 billion off the platform in only 72 hours. The fate of the company was sealed after rival exchange Binance's rescue deal fell through. According to US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), Bankman-Fried masterminded the misappropriation of more than $8 billion in funds from customer accounts. During one of the bankruptcy hearings, the attorneys representing FTX informed the court that Bankaman-Fried ran the now-bankrupt company as a 'personal fiefdom'. The attorneys said he splurged as much as $300 million on homes and vacation properties for senior staff, home and abroad. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

FTX co-founder Sam Bankman-Fried pleads not guilty to fraud, setting stage for a court trial

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<p>Currently going through a harrowing economic crisis, the Pakistan government on Tuesday announced a slew of plans to reduce energy consumption and in turn reduce the financial load on the exchequer.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The government proposed to close markets and wedding halls by 8:30 PM and 10 PM respectively to keep the rising debt in check.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“The plan will change the overall lifestyle and habit pattern of the nation and save us $26 million (Pkr 60 billion)," Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif was quoted as saying by Dawn.</p>

<p>The radical changes by Asif also included a plan to halt the production of fans running on electricity by July.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“Inefficient fans use around 120-130 watts of electricity. Across the globe, fans are available that use 60-80 watts."</p>

<p>Similarly, the manufacturing of incandescent bulbs will be stopped from next month. Meanwhile, the government will&nbsp;make the use of conical geysers mandatory and employ alternative use of streetlights to further cut the wage bill.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Asif added the country is going through a 'critical' situation and that it could not afford to sustain current levels of power consumption. He also announced plans of implementing a 'work from home policy'.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"All government buildings and offices will also reduce the use of energy under the plan, and a policy to work from home will be completed in 10 days," said Asif before adding, "No lights were on in the cabinet meeting today. The meeting was held in full sunlight."</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-pakistans-facing-a-financial-crisis-537529" target="_blank"><strong>WATCH | Gravitas: Pakistan's facing a financial crisis</strong></a></p>

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<p>According to reports quoting Pakistan's power division, the country's circular debt stood at $10.5 billion (Rs2.437 trillion) which was an increase of $815 million (Rs 185 billion) from September last year.</p>

<p>Such is the state of the economy that Islamabad is unable to provide basic amenities to a common Pakistani citizen. Notably, people are being forced to store LPG (cooking gas) in plastic balloons and bags as the government fails to address the shortage in supply.</p>

<p>In the videos that have gone viral on different social media platforms, citizens in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province can be seen storing cooking gas in plastic bags due to shortage.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Local media reports have suggested that people in Hangu city of the province have been living without gas for the past two years.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/watch-people-in-pakistan-store-cooking-gas-in-plastic-bags-amid-economic-crisis-549060" target="_blank"><strong>WATCH | People in Pakistan store cooking gas in plastic bags amid economic crisis</strong></a></p>

<p>Pakistan's fiscal deficit stood at 1.5 percent of GDP from July-October 2022-23. The country's foreign&nbsp;exchange reserves plummeted to its lowest since April 2014 last month when it shrank by $294 million to $5.8 billion, primarily due to external debt repayment.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Consequently, economic pundits have sounded the warning bells that Pakistan might be perilously close to default.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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Currently going through a harrowing economic crisis, the Pakistan government on Tuesday announced a slew of plans to reduce energy consumption and in turn reduce the financial load on the exchequer.

Currently going through a harrowing economic crisis, the Pakistan government on Tuesday announced a slew of plans to reduce energy consumption and in turn reduce the financial load on the exchequer. The government proposed to close markets and wedding halls by 8:30 PM and 10 PM respectively to keep the rising debt in check. “The plan will change the overall lifestyle and habit pattern of the nation and save us $26 million (Pkr 60 billion)," Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif was quoted as saying by Dawn. The radical changes by Asif also included a plan to halt the production of fans running on electricity by July. “Inefficient fans use around 120-130 watts of electricity. Across the globe, fans are available that use 60-80 watts." Similarly, the manufacturing of incandescent bulbs will be stopped from next month. Meanwhile, the government will make the use of conical geysers mandatory and employ alternative use of streetlights to further cut the wage bill. Asif added the country is going through a 'critical' situation and that it could not afford to sustain current levels of power consumption. He also announced plans of implementing a 'work from home policy'. "All government buildings and offices will also reduce the use of energy under the plan, and a policy to work from home will be completed in 10 days," said Asif before adding, "No lights were on in the cabinet meeting today. The meeting was held in full sunlight." WATCH | Gravitas: Pakistan's facing a financial crisis × According to reports quoting Pakistan's power division, the country's circular debt stood at $10.5 billion (Rs2.437 trillion) which was an increase of $815 million (Rs 185 billion) from September last year. Such is the state of the economy that Islamabad is unable to provide basic amenities to a common Pakistani citizen. Notably, people are being forced to store LPG (cooking gas) in plastic balloons and bags as the government fails to address the shortage in supply. In the videos that have gone viral on different social media platforms, citizens in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province can be seen storing cooking gas in plastic bags due to shortage. Local media reports have suggested that people in Hangu city of the province have been living without gas for the past two years. WATCH | People in Pakistan store cooking gas in plastic bags amid economic crisis Pakistan's fiscal deficit stood at 1.5 percent of GDP from July-October 2022-23. The country's foreign exchange reserves plummeted to its lowest since April 2014 last month when it shrank by $294 million to $5.8 billion, primarily due to external debt repayment. Consequently, economic pundits have sounded the warning bells that Pakistan might be perilously close to default. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Pakistan to close wedding halls, malls early; stop production of bulbs, fans to save money

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<p>In what comes as astonishing news for the wildlife conservation projects in India, no rhinos were poached in the northeastern state of Assam in the 2022 calendar year.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma took to Twitter to share the celebratory news and said the 'gentle giant' was much safer in the state.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Zero Poaching! 2022 was really special for our rhino conservation efforts. Not a single rhino being poached in 2022 &amp; just 2 in 2021, the gentle giant is now much safer in Assam. Kudos to @assamforest dept &amp; @assampolice for their sincere efforts to protect the iconic animal," tweeted Sarma.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Zero Poaching!<br />
<br />
2022 was really special for our rhino conservation efforts. Not a single rhino being poached in 2022 &amp; just 2 in 2021, the gentle giant is now much safer in Assam.<br />
<br />
Kudos to <a href="https://twitter.com/assamforest?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@assamforest</a> dept &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/assampolice?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@assampolice</a> for their sincere efforts to protect the iconic animal. <a href="https://t.co/mVIHsD0xFe">pic.twitter.com/mVIHsD0xFe</a></p>
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) <a href="https://twitter.com/himantabiswa/status/1609975984534720513?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>According to Special DGP G P Singh, the last poaching attempt was recorded on December 28, 2021.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“Anti-Rhino poaching efforts have yielded spectacular results. There has been no rhino poaching in Assam in the year 2022. The last poaching was on Dec 28th, 2021 at Hilakunda, Kohora in the Golaghat district. We would strive to keep the graph flat,” said Singh.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Anti Rhino poaching efforts have yielded spectacular results. There has been no rhino poaching in Assam in Year 2022. Last poaching was on Dec 28th 2021 at Hilakunda, kohora in Golaghat district. We would strive to keep the graph flat. <a href="https://twitter.com/assampolice?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@assampolice</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/assamforest?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@assamforest</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CMOfficeAssam?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CMOfficeAssam</a> <a href="https://t.co/vfT4BPKECl">pic.twitter.com/vfT4BPKECl</a></p>
— GP Singh (@gpsinghips) <a href="https://twitter.com/gpsinghips/status/1609623826463338497?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>The vulnerable species of Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) is often poached for its unique horn which fetches thousands of dollars in the black market.</p>

<p>The horn, which can grow up to 60 centimetres in size has medical value in certain countries while it is seen as a status symbol in others. As a result,&nbsp;the horn trade has been one of the major reasons for the poaching attempts.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-climate-tracker-south-african-rhino-poaching-drops-conservation-efforts-are-paying-off-509865" target="_blank"><strong>WATCH | WION Climate Tracker: South African Rhino poaching drops; conservation efforts are paying off</strong></a></p>

<p>However, for the first time in nearly 45 years, the state has witnessed zero poaching incidents, setting a new standard for government agencies to follow.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to data, over 191 rhinos were poached between 2000 and 2021. The most number of rhinos were poached in 2013 and 2014 when the figure stood at 27. In 2020 and 2021, the number came down and only two rhinos were killed.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The change was made possible after the state BJP government in 2019 decided to constitute a Special Rhino Protection Force to keep a close tab on poaching and its related activities, especially the Kaziranga National Park - home to these majestic creatures.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The task force collated data, used past-poaching activities, and devised a plan that was used to target the poachers.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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In what comes as astonishing news for the wildlife conservation projects in India, no rhinos were poached in the northeastern state of Assam in the 2022 calendar year.

In what comes as astonishing news for the wildlife conservation projects in India, no rhinos were poached in the northeastern state of Assam in the 2022 calendar year. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma took to Twitter to share the celebratory news and said the 'gentle giant' was much safer in the state. "Zero Poaching! 2022 was really special for our rhino conservation efforts. Not a single rhino being poached in 2022 & just 2 in 2021, the gentle giant is now much safer in Assam. Kudos to @assamforest dept & @assampolice for their sincere efforts to protect the iconic animal," tweeted Sarma. Zero Poaching! 2022 was really special for our rhino conservation efforts. Not a single rhino being poached in 2022 & just 2 in 2021, the gentle giant is now much safer in Assam. Kudos to @assamforest dept & @assampolice for their sincere efforts to protect the iconic animal. pic.twitter.com/mVIHsD0xFe — Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) January 2, 2023 × According to Special DGP G P Singh, the last poaching attempt was recorded on December 28, 2021. “Anti-Rhino poaching efforts have yielded spectacular results. There has been no rhino poaching in Assam in the year 2022. The last poaching was on Dec 28th, 2021 at Hilakunda, Kohora in the Golaghat district. We would strive to keep the graph flat,” said Singh. Anti Rhino poaching efforts have yielded spectacular results. There has been no rhino poaching in Assam in Year 2022. Last poaching was on Dec 28th 2021 at Hilakunda, kohora in Golaghat district. We would strive to keep the graph flat. @assampolice @assamforest @CMOfficeAssam pic.twitter.com/vfT4BPKECl — GP Singh (@gpsinghips) January 1, 2023 × The vulnerable species of Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) is often poached for its unique horn which fetches thousands of dollars in the black market. The horn, which can grow up to 60 centimetres in size has medical value in certain countries while it is seen as a status symbol in others. As a result, the horn trade has been one of the major reasons for the poaching attempts. WATCH | WION Climate Tracker: South African Rhino poaching drops; conservation efforts are paying off However, for the first time in nearly 45 years, the state has witnessed zero poaching incidents, setting a new standard for government agencies to follow. According to data, over 191 rhinos were poached between 2000 and 2021. The most number of rhinos were poached in 2013 and 2014 when the figure stood at 27. In 2020 and 2021, the number came down and only two rhinos were killed. The change was made possible after the state BJP government in 2019 decided to constitute a Special Rhino Protection Force to keep a close tab on poaching and its related activities, especially the Kaziranga National Park - home to these majestic creatures. The task force collated data, used past-poaching activities, and devised a plan that was used to target the poachers. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

STUNNING! Zero rhinos poached in the Indian state of Assam in nearly 45 years

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<p>The infighting in the Republican camp has stalled the coronation of Kevin McCarthy as the speaker of the House of Representatives. McCarthy on Tuesday became the only political leader in&nbsp;a century - the first since the Civil War to lose the opening three rounds of the ballot to become the House speaker.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After far-right Republican rebel colleagues pulled their vote, a chaotic House was forced to adjourn without electing a speaker.&nbsp;</p>

<p>McCarthy needed to win 218 votes of the full House to become the speaker and replace&nbsp;former Democrat leader Nancy Pelosi.</p>

<p>However, with Republicans gaining a razor-thin&nbsp;222-212 majority in the House after the November midterm elections, the refusal of the Republican leaders to vote for McCarthy has caused the logjam. The situation is unlikely to resolve unless Democrats vote for him which appears to be a foregone conclusion.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-will-the-us-house-have-a-speaker-before-it-convenes-549146"><strong>Read more:&nbsp;Explained: Will the US House of Representatives have a speaker when it convenes?</strong></a></p>

<p>After the first round of voting, McCarthy only had 203 votes while&nbsp;Democrat Hakim Jeffries amassed 212 votes. Meanwhile, Andy Biggs managed to secure 10 votes and nine lawmakers did not support any of the three candidates. The trend continued in the next two ballots where McCarthy received as many as 20 no-votes from his own side.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The likes of&nbsp;Andy Biggs,&nbsp;Paul Gosar, and&nbsp;Matt Gaetz have been the loud voices objecting to McCarthy's endorsement as the Republican nominee since November.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“It’s true we struggle with trust with Mr. McCarthy because time and again his viewpoints, his positions, they shift like sands underneath you. If you want to drain the swamp, you cannot put the biggest alligator in charge of the exercise," Gaetz had remarked ahead of the voting.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/kevin-mccarthy-struggles-to-clinch-support-to-be-us-house-speaker-amid-hardline-opposition-549139" target="_blank"><strong>WATCH | Kevin McCarthy struggles to clinch support to be U.S. House speaker amid hardline opposition</strong></a></p>

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<p>The party's conservative wing has made it&nbsp;clear that it will not vote for McCarthy and that the second ballot will show support for the 'true' leader.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“I think you’ll see on the second ballot an increasing number of members vote for a true candidate who can represent the conservative center of the conference, can motivate the base,"&nbsp;&nbsp;Rep. Bob Good of Virginia, one of McCarthy's fiercest rivals was quoted as saying by Fox.&nbsp;</p>

<p>McCarthy had previously stood for the position in 2015 but had to withdraw following some confusion. He became House minority leader after the 2018 midterms after Republicans lost control of the House.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/kevin-mccarthy-is-republican-nominee-for-house-speaker-534644"><strong>Read more:&nbsp;Kevin McCarthy is Republican nominee for House speaker</strong></a></p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>


The infighting in the Republican camp has stalled the coronation of Kevin McCarthy as the speaker of the House of Representatives. McCarthy on Tuesday became the only political leader in a century - the first since the Civil War to lose the opening three rounds of the ballot to become the House speaker.

The infighting in the Republican camp has stalled the coronation of Kevin McCarthy as the speaker of the House of Representatives. McCarthy on Tuesday became the only political leader in a century - the first since the Civil War to lose the opening three rounds of the ballot to become the House speaker. After far-right Republican rebel colleagues pulled their vote, a chaotic House was forced to adjourn without electing a speaker. McCarthy needed to win 218 votes of the full House to become the speaker and replace former Democrat leader Nancy Pelosi. However, with Republicans gaining a razor-thin 222-212 majority in the House after the November midterm elections, the refusal of the Republican leaders to vote for McCarthy has caused the logjam. The situation is unlikely to resolve unless Democrats vote for him which appears to be a foregone conclusion. Read more: Explained: Will the US House of Representatives have a speaker when it convenes? After the first round of voting, McCarthy only had 203 votes while Democrat Hakim Jeffries amassed 212 votes. Meanwhile, Andy Biggs managed to secure 10 votes and nine lawmakers did not support any of the three candidates. The trend continued in the next two ballots where McCarthy received as many as 20 no-votes from his own side. The likes of Andy Biggs, Paul Gosar, and Matt Gaetz have been the loud voices objecting to McCarthy's endorsement as the Republican nominee since November. “It’s true we struggle with trust with Mr. McCarthy because time and again his viewpoints, his positions, they shift like sands underneath you. If you want to drain the swamp, you cannot put the biggest alligator in charge of the exercise," Gaetz had remarked ahead of the voting. WATCH | Kevin McCarthy struggles to clinch support to be U.S. House speaker amid hardline opposition × The party's conservative wing has made it clear that it will not vote for McCarthy and that the second ballot will show support for the 'true' leader. “I think you’ll see on the second ballot an increasing number of members vote for a true candidate who can represent the conservative center of the conference, can motivate the base," Rep. Bob Good of Virginia, one of McCarthy's fiercest rivals was quoted as saying by Fox. McCarthy had previously stood for the position in 2015 but had to withdraw following some confusion. He became House minority leader after the 2018 midterms after Republicans lost control of the House. Read more: Kevin McCarthy is Republican nominee for House speaker (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Kevin McCarthy becomes the first person to lose three rounds of House speaker voting in a century

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<p>Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo made an embarrassing gaffe during his unveiling as the new Al-Nassr player on Tuesday. The striker mistakenly said 'South Africa' instead of 'Saudi Arabia' when referring to the place he had to come to finish his storied career.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"For me, it is not the end of my career coming to South Africa," Ronaldo could be heard saying in the video which has gone viral on social media platforms.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"This is why I want to change and to be honest I really don't worry about what people say. I took my decision and I have a responsibility to change that," added Ronaldo.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Ronaldo thinks he’s in South Africa 😭😭 <a href="https://t.co/SjSOu4aZxt">pic.twitter.com/SjSOu4aZxt</a></p>
— Andrew 🍻 (@AndyArsenal17) <a href="https://twitter.com/AndyArsenal17/status/1610312939990286342?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/explained-why-cristiano-ronaldo-joined-the-riyadh-based-club-al-nassr-everything-you-need-to-know-549104" target="_blank"><strong>Read more: Explained: Why Cristiano Ronaldo joined the Riyadh-based club Al Nassr? Everything you need to know</strong></a></p>

<p>During the same press conference, Ronaldo also revealed that a number of clubs across the continents had lined up to sign him but he gave his word to Al-Nassr only.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Nobody knows but I can say now that I had many opportunities in Europe, many clubs in Brazil, in Australia, in the U.S. even in Portugal, many clubs tried to sign me," said Ronaldo.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"But I give credit to this club for the opportunity to develop not only football but this amazing country. I know what I want and of course what I don't want as well."</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/al-nassr-confirm-the-signing-of-cristiano-ronaldo-on-a-free-transfer-548353"><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Al-Nassr confirm the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo on a free transfer</strong></a></p>

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<p>Ronaldo has been in the news ever since his infamous interview with British TV personality Piers Morgan dropped where he burnt all the bridges with Manchester United.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Afterwards, the club and Ronaldo decided to part ways on a mutual note to avoid any ugliness. However, the premature exit from the World Cup meant that Ronaldo was forced to look for options.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After all the hullabaloo surrounding his future, the five-time Ballon d'Or signed for Al-Nassr for a world record $214.04 million fee for two years.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After putting pen to paper, Ronaldo said he was thrilled about a new experience in a new country.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“I’m thrilled for a new experience in a different league and a different country, the vision that Al Nassr has is very inspiring."&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-am-thrilled-for-a-new-experience-cristiano-ronaldo-on-joining-saudi-arabia-club-al-nassr-548242"><strong>Read more:&nbsp;'I am thrilled for a new experience...' - Cristiano Ronaldo on joining Saudi Arabia club Al Nassr</strong></a></p>

<p>Ronaldo won everything there was to win in Europe. However, not many could have predicted that one of the modern greats of the game will be ending his career in Saudi Arabia.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo made an embarrassing gaffe during his unveiling as the new Al-Nassr player on Tuesday. The striker mistakenly said 'South Africa' instead of 'Saudi Arabia' when referring to the place he had to come to finish his storied career.

Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo made an embarrassing gaffe during his unveiling as the new Al-Nassr player on Tuesday. The striker mistakenly said 'South Africa' instead of 'Saudi Arabia' when referring to the place he had to come to finish his storied career. "For me, it is not the end of my career coming to South Africa," Ronaldo could be heard saying in the video which has gone viral on social media platforms. "This is why I want to change and to be honest I really don't worry about what people say. I took my decision and I have a responsibility to change that," added Ronaldo. Ronaldo thinks he’s in South Africa 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/SjSOu4aZxt — Andrew 🍻 (@AndyArsenal17) January 3, 2023 × Read more: Explained: Why Cristiano Ronaldo joined the Riyadh-based club Al Nassr? Everything you need to know During the same press conference, Ronaldo also revealed that a number of clubs across the continents had lined up to sign him but he gave his word to Al-Nassr only. "Nobody knows but I can say now that I had many opportunities in Europe, many clubs in Brazil, in Australia, in the U.S. even in Portugal, many clubs tried to sign me," said Ronaldo. "But I give credit to this club for the opportunity to develop not only football but this amazing country. I know what I want and of course what I don't want as well." WATCH | Al-Nassr confirm the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo on a free transfer × Ronaldo has been in the news ever since his infamous interview with British TV personality Piers Morgan dropped where he burnt all the bridges with Manchester United. Afterwards, the club and Ronaldo decided to part ways on a mutual note to avoid any ugliness. However, the premature exit from the World Cup meant that Ronaldo was forced to look for options. After all the hullabaloo surrounding his future, the five-time Ballon d'Or signed for Al-Nassr for a world record $214.04 million fee for two years. After putting pen to paper, Ronaldo said he was thrilled about a new experience in a new country. “I’m thrilled for a new experience in a different league and a different country, the vision that Al Nassr has is very inspiring." Read more: 'I am thrilled for a new experience...' - Cristiano Ronaldo on joining Saudi Arabia club Al Nassr Ronaldo won everything there was to win in Europe. However, not many could have predicted that one of the modern greats of the game will be ending his career in Saudi Arabia. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

WATCH | Cristiano Ronaldo makes a geographical gaffe during Al-Nassr unveiling

<p>With Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's return to the Brazilian Presidential office, the fund to save the Amazon Forest once again has strong backing. Norway, a major donor to the Amazon Fund on Monday announced the revival of the initiative for backing the protection of the forest often referred to as the Earth's lungs.</p>

<p>Announcing the &nbsp;revival of the fund that is aimed at fighting the removal of vegetation in the Amazon, Norwegian Minister of Climate and Environment Espen Barth Eide said "Brazil's new President has signalled a clear ambition to stop deforestation by 2030."</p>

<p><strong><strong>Watch |&nbsp;WI</strong>ON Climate Tracker: Lula vows to work to undo a 'legacy of economic decline'</strong></p>

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<p>"He has reinstated strategies to make this happen, and appointed ministers with substantial knowledge and expertise in the area," added Eide.</p>

<p>In August 2019 Lula's predecessor Jair Bolsonaro abolished the fund's governing board and action plan, and since then the fund has been frozen. However, as per Reuters it still holds 3.4 billion reais ($620 million).</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-brazil-president-lulas-biggest-challenge-is-saving-the-amazon-how-does-he-plan-on-tackling-the-problem-548638">Lula's biggest challenge is to save the Amazon. How does he plan on doing it?</a></strong></p>

<p>Lula was the one who introduced the fund in 2008, opening the floodgates for international contributions towards aiding Brazil's own efforts to stop deforestation in the Amazon.</p>

<p>Upon taking over the Presidential office one of the initial decrees passed by Lula was the reinstatement of the Amazon Fund's governing board. As per Barth Eide the re-establishment of the fund "is globally significant," &nbsp;as it "gives the international community a great opportunity to contribute." As per reports Britain is also considering contributing to the fund.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/lula-takes-over-as-new-brazil-president-aims-to-turn-around-several-of-bolsonaros-policies-548589">Lula takes over as new Brazil president, aims to turn around several of Bolsonaro's policies</a></strong></p>

<p>Lula has also passed decrees re-establishing the nation's strategies to reduce deforestation of the forest, and others revoking previous government policies that diluted environmental protection like the one that encouraged mining on protected indigenous lands. Under Bolsonaro deforestation in the Amazon had surged to a 15-year high.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

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<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


With Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's return to the Brazilian Presidential office, the fund to save the Amazon Forest once again has strong backing. Norway, a major donor to the Amazon Fund on Monday announced the revival of the initiative for backing the protection of the forest often referred to as the Earth's lungs.

With Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's return to the Brazilian Presidential office, the fund to save the Amazon Forest once again has strong backing. Norway, a major donor to the Amazon Fund on Monday announced the revival of the initiative for backing the protection of the forest often referred to as the Earth's lungs. Announcing the revival of the fund that is aimed at fighting the removal of vegetation in the Amazon, Norwegian Minister of Climate and Environment Espen Barth Eide said "Brazil's new President has signalled a clear ambition to stop deforestation by 2030." Watch | WION Climate Tracker: Lula vows to work to undo a 'legacy of economic decline' "He has reinstated strategies to make this happen, and appointed ministers with substantial knowledge and expertise in the area," added Eide. In August 2019 Lula's predecessor Jair Bolsonaro abolished the fund's governing board and action plan, and since then the fund has been frozen. However, as per Reuters it still holds 3.4 billion reais ($620 million). Also read | Lula's biggest challenge is to save the Amazon. How does he plan on doing it? Lula was the one who introduced the fund in 2008, opening the floodgates for international contributions towards aiding Brazil's own efforts to stop deforestation in the Amazon. Upon taking over the Presidential office one of the initial decrees passed by Lula was the reinstatement of the Amazon Fund's governing board. As per Barth Eide the re-establishment of the fund "is globally significant," as it "gives the international community a great opportunity to contribute." As per reports Britain is also considering contributing to the fund. Also read | Lula takes over as new Brazil president, aims to turn around several of Bolsonaro's policies Lula has also passed decrees re-establishing the nation's strategies to reduce deforestation of the forest, and others revoking previous government policies that diluted environmental protection like the one that encouraged mining on protected indigenous lands. Under Bolsonaro deforestation in the Amazon had surged to a 15-year high. (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.

Norway announces it will once again back 'globally significant' fund to save Amazon forest

<p>Russia’s defence ministry blamed the illegal use of mobile phones by its soldiers for the deadly New Year’s attack in Makiivka that killed 89 soldiers. In other news,&nbsp;Japanese&nbsp;Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is set to pay a visit to US President Joe Biden on January 13, the White House said in a statement. Finally,&nbsp;Twitter Inc has announced the reversal of a 2019 ban on political ads and said that it will expand, to allow them on the social media platform.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Click on the headlines to read more:&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/deadly-new-years-attack-russia-blames-mobile-phones-for-missile-strike-in-makiivka-that-killed-89-549226"><strong>Russia blames mobile phones for missile strike in Makiivka that killed 89</strong></a></p>

<p><img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/01/02/322661-000was8906022.jpg?imwidth=1920" /></p>

<p>“It is already obvious that the main reason for what happened was the switching on and massive use - contrary to the prohibition - by personnel of mobile phones in a reach zone of enemy weapons,” the ministry said in a statement. "This factor allowed the enemy to track and determine the coordinates of the soldiers' location for a missile strike."</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/japan-pm-kishida-to-meet-biden-at-the-white-house-on-january-13-549217"><strong>Japan PM Kishida to meet Biden at the White House on January 13</strong></a></p>

<p><img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/01/04/323016-untitled-design-2023-01-04t083039619.png?imwidth=1920" /></p>

<p>"President Biden looks forward to welcoming Prime Minister Kishida Fumio of Japan to the White House on Friday, January 13th to further deepen ties between our governments, economies, and our people," the statement said.</p>

<p>On top of the agenda will be security issues regarding North Korea, Ukraine and China, and a "free and open Indo-Pacific".</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/from-reach-is-earned-not-bought-to-cause-based-advertising-twitter-to-lift-ban-on-political-advertising-549220"><strong>Shifting gears from reach is 'earned, not bought' to 'cause-based advt', Twitter lifts ban on political ads</strong></a></p>

<p><img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/01/04/323017-new-wion-94.png?imwidth=1920" /></p>

<p>The company in a tweet announced the move and said "We believe that cause-based advertising can facilitate a public conversation around important topics. Today, we're relaxing our ads policy for cause-based ads in the US. We also plan to expand the political advertising we permit in the coming weeks."</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;Israel's ally US criticises minister Ben-Gvir's move to visit Al-Aqsa mosque | English News | WION</strong></p>

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<p>Watch | US House adjourns without electing speaker; McCarthy loses 3rd US House speaker vote</p>

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Russia’s defence ministry blamed the illegal use of mobile phones by its soldiers for the deadly New Year’s attack in Makiivka that killed 89 soldiers. In other news, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is set to pay a visit to US President Joe Biden on January 13, the White House said in a statement.

Russia’s defence ministry blamed the illegal use of mobile phones by its soldiers for the deadly New Year’s attack in Makiivka that killed 89 soldiers. In other news, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is set to pay a visit to US President Joe Biden on January 13, the White House said in a statement. Finally, Twitter Inc has announced the reversal of a 2019 ban on political ads and said that it will expand, to allow them on the social media platform. Click on the headlines to read more: Russia blames mobile phones for missile strike in Makiivka that killed 89 “It is already obvious that the main reason for what happened was the switching on and massive use - contrary to the prohibition - by personnel of mobile phones in a reach zone of enemy weapons,” the ministry said in a statement. "This factor allowed the enemy to track and determine the coordinates of the soldiers' location for a missile strike." Japan PM Kishida to meet Biden at the White House on January 13 "President Biden looks forward to welcoming Prime Minister Kishida Fumio of Japan to the White House on Friday, January 13th to further deepen ties between our governments, economies, and our people," the statement said. On top of the agenda will be security issues regarding North Korea, Ukraine and China, and a "free and open Indo-Pacific". Shifting gears from reach is 'earned, not bought' to 'cause-based advt', Twitter lifts ban on political ads The company in a tweet announced the move and said "We believe that cause-based advertising can facilitate a public conversation around important topics. Today, we're relaxing our ads policy for cause-based ads in the US. We also plan to expand the political advertising we permit in the coming weeks." Watch | Israel's ally US criticises minister Ben-Gvir's move to visit Al-Aqsa mosque | English News | WION Watch | US House adjourns without electing speaker; McCarthy loses 3rd US House speaker vote

Morning news brief: Japanese PM Kishida to meet Biden on Jan 13, Twitter lifts ban on political ads, and more

<p>The last surviving astronaut of&nbsp;NASA's first successful crewed space mission, Walter Cunningham, passed away at the age of 90.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The death was confirmed by a NASA spokesperson, Bob Jacobs. His wife, Dot Cunnigham, in a statement, said he passed away on Tuesday (Jan 3) but did not mention the cause of death.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/outer-space-not-a-wrestling-ground-retorts-china-after-nasa-official-says-it-might-claim-moons-resources-549014">'Outer space not a wrestling ground', retorts China after NASA official says it might claim Moon's resources</a></strong></p>

<p>Apollo 7 was a magnificent step toward space, making way for the moon landing. It was also NASA's first successful crew mission since the deaths of Apollo 1 astronauts on the Kennedy launching pad in January 1967.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Cunningham, then a civilian, was one of the three astronauts aboard the 1968 Apollo 7 mission, an 11-day flight transmitting live broadcasts as it orbited Earth.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He crewed the mission with US navy Capt Walter M Schirra and US air force major Donn F Eisele.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/elon-musks-spacex-to-raise-750mn-in-first-funding-round-of-2023-report-549117"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;Elon Musk's SpaceX to raise $750mn in first funding round of 2023: Report</strong></a></p>

<p>NASA in a statement said that the three astronauts flew a perfect mission, making the space agency send the next crew during the Apollo 8 mission.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Remembering the successful mission, Cunningham in 2017 during an event at the Kennedy Space Sation said, "enabled us to overcome all the obstacles we had after the Apollo 1 fire and it became the longest, most successful test flight of any flying machine ever."</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

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The last surviving astronaut of NASA's first successful crewed space mission, Walter Cunningham, passed away at the age of 90. The death was confirmed by a NASA spokesperson, Bob Jacobs.

The last surviving astronaut of NASA's first successful crewed space mission, Walter Cunningham, passed away at the age of 90. The death was confirmed by a NASA spokesperson, Bob Jacobs. His wife, Dot Cunnigham, in a statement, said he passed away on Tuesday (Jan 3) but did not mention the cause of death. Also read | 'Outer space not a wrestling ground', retorts China after NASA official says it might claim Moon's resources Apollo 7 was a magnificent step toward space, making way for the moon landing. It was also NASA's first successful crew mission since the deaths of Apollo 1 astronauts on the Kennedy launching pad in January 1967. Cunningham, then a civilian, was one of the three astronauts aboard the 1968 Apollo 7 mission, an 11-day flight transmitting live broadcasts as it orbited Earth. He crewed the mission with US navy Capt Walter M Schirra and US air force major Donn F Eisele. Also read | Elon Musk's SpaceX to raise $750mn in first funding round of 2023: Report NASA in a statement said that the three astronauts flew a perfect mission, making the space agency send the next crew during the Apollo 8 mission. Remembering the successful mission, Cunningham in 2017 during an event at the Kennedy Space Sation said, "enabled us to overcome all the obstacles we had after the Apollo 1 fire and it became the longest, most successful test flight of any flying machine ever." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Last surviving astronaut of NASA'S Apollo 7 mission, Walter Cunningham, passes away at 90

<p>Amid growing tensions between neighbours Afghanistan and Pakistan, the United States has, in a rare move, backed Islamabad, remarking that the nation has the right to "defend" itself from terrorists.&nbsp;Speaking to the press on Tuesday, US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said:&nbsp;"We're aware of the recent statement by the Pakistani National Security Committee. The Pakistani people have suffered tremendously from terrorist attacks. Pakistan has a right to defend itself from terrorism."</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;Pakistan has a right to defend itself from terrorism, says U.S.</strong></p>

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<p>Recent days have witnessed tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The already-strained relationship was exacerbated when Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah&nbsp;proclaimed that Pakistan may target Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) hideouts on Afghanistan soil.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-says-will-target-ttp-on-afghan-soil-taliban-says-things-can-be-resolved-by-dialogue-548657">Pakistan says will target TTP on Afghan soil, Taliban say would not let anyone attack Islamic Emirate</a></strong></p>

<p>Predictably, the Taliban&nbsp;rule in Afghanistan did not take the remark lightly, and warned Pakistan that its officials should "use caution" while speaking.</p>

<p>Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid said the group would not allow anyone to attack the Islamic Emirate, adding that the nation wants good relations with Pakistan and that such "baseless talks and provocative ideas" are not in the interest of any side.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-issue-stark-warning-as-ttp-forms-new-cabinet-to-challenge-pakistan-govt-548567">Taliban issue stark warning as TTP forms 'new cabinet' to challenge Pakistan govt</a></strong></p>

<p>However, Washington as per reports, supports what was said by Pakistani top officials.</p>

<p>White House spokesperson Ned Price remarked that the Taliban has been "unable or unwilling" to fulfil its commitment and called on the group to "uphold the very commitment they have made to see to it that Afghan soil is never again used as a launchpad for international terrorist attacks".</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

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Amid growing tensions between neighbours Afghanistan and Pakistan, the United States has, in a rare move, backed Islamabad, remarking that the nation has the right to "defend" itself from terrorists.

Amid growing tensions between neighbours Afghanistan and Pakistan, the United States has, in a rare move, backed Islamabad, remarking that the nation has the right to "defend" itself from terrorists. Speaking to the press on Tuesday, US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said: "We're aware of the recent statement by the Pakistani National Security Committee. The Pakistani people have suffered tremendously from terrorist attacks. Pakistan has a right to defend itself from terrorism." Watch | Pakistan has a right to defend itself from terrorism, says U.S. Recent days have witnessed tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The already-strained relationship was exacerbated when Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah proclaimed that Pakistan may target Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) hideouts on Afghanistan soil. Also read | Pakistan says will target TTP on Afghan soil, Taliban say would not let anyone attack Islamic Emirate Predictably, the Taliban rule in Afghanistan did not take the remark lightly, and warned Pakistan that its officials should "use caution" while speaking. Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid said the group would not allow anyone to attack the Islamic Emirate, adding that the nation wants good relations with Pakistan and that such "baseless talks and provocative ideas" are not in the interest of any side. Also read | Taliban issue stark warning as TTP forms 'new cabinet' to challenge Pakistan govt However, Washington as per reports, supports what was said by Pakistani top officials. White House spokesperson Ned Price remarked that the Taliban has been "unable or unwilling" to fulfil its commitment and called on the group to "uphold the very commitment they have made to see to it that Afghan soil is never again used as a launchpad for international terrorist attacks". (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.

Taliban 'unable or unwilling’ to fulfil commitments, Pakistan has the right to defend itself: US

<p>The mystery of a bunch of balloons carrying a Pakistani flag and banners into Indian territory may have been solved. On December 30, several green balloons were found in the forests of the Tulyara village, Chinyalisaur in the Uttarkashi district, in India's northern state of&nbsp;Uttarakhand and now as per reports based on a social media post, they may not have nefarious origins as previously thought.</p>

<p>Last month's discovery had sparked a wave of panic among the residents and security agencies with local officials indicating that unruly elements of the society may have purposefully left the balloons and the flag with the intention of causing panic among the locals.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/new-years-week-saw-indian-capital-delhi-guzzle-liquor-worth-263-million-548991">New Year's week saw Indian capital Delhi guzzle liquor worth $26.3 million</a></strong></p>

<p>Gulab Singh Panwar, a revenue official, as per reports had at the time speculated that the flags probably represented a plot to “disturb the atmosphere” as the village celebrated an annual fair.</p>

<p>However, a post by a Pakistani advocate may have uncovered the mystery behind the said objects, which could’ve just floated across the border.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>Umar Afzal, an advocate at Lahore's high court in a January 1 post on Facebook posted an article link reporting the discovery of the balloons and banners wrote "Our banner of Lahore Bar Association found in India".</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/india-and-pakistan-exchange-lists-of-nuclear-facilities-as-part-of-annual-practice-548537">India and Pakistan exchange lists of nuclear facilities as part of annual practice</a></strong></p>

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<p>One of the banners which were found had LBA written on it while another one had some text in Urdu.</p>

<p>Apparently, a celebration of the Lahore Bar Association (LAB) had used similar green coloured balloons and it is possible that they might've simply drifted across the border and landed in the forest where they were found.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

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<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


The mystery of a bunch of balloons carrying a Pakistani flag and banners into Indian territory may have been solved. On December 30, several green balloons were found in the forests of the Tulyara village, Chinyalisaur in the Uttarkashi district, in India's northern state of Uttarakhand and now as per reports based on a social media post, they may not have nefarious origins as previously thought.

The mystery of a bunch of balloons carrying a Pakistani flag and banners into Indian territory may have been solved. On December 30, several green balloons were found in the forests of the Tulyara village, Chinyalisaur in the Uttarkashi district, in India's northern state of Uttarakhand and now as per reports based on a social media post, they may not have nefarious origins as previously thought. Last month's discovery had sparked a wave of panic among the residents and security agencies with local officials indicating that unruly elements of the society may have purposefully left the balloons and the flag with the intention of causing panic among the locals. Also read | New Year's week saw Indian capital Delhi guzzle liquor worth $26.3 million Gulab Singh Panwar, a revenue official, as per reports had at the time speculated that the flags probably represented a plot to “disturb the atmosphere” as the village celebrated an annual fair. However, a post by a Pakistani advocate may have uncovered the mystery behind the said objects, which could’ve just floated across the border. × Umar Afzal, an advocate at Lahore's high court in a January 1 post on Facebook posted an article link reporting the discovery of the balloons and banners wrote "Our banner of Lahore Bar Association found in India". Also read | India and Pakistan exchange lists of nuclear facilities as part of annual practice × One of the banners which were found had LBA written on it while another one had some text in Urdu. Apparently, a celebration of the Lahore Bar Association (LAB) had used similar green coloured balloons and it is possible that they might've simply drifted across the border and landed in the forest where they were found. (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.

Mystery behind Pakistani flag, banners, green balloons found in Uttarakhand forest solved

<p>Some believe that racism doesn't exist, but it does.&nbsp;An annual state report released on Tuesday proved the belief wrong.&nbsp;The report showed that in California, law enforcement action by police was nearly twice on Black people than Whites. The report found that California law enforcement searched Black teenagers almost six times more than white teens during vehicle and pedestrian stops, AP reported.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
The annual report was released by California's Racial and Identity Profiling Advisory Board, which focuses on police brutality and racial injustice in the US.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/health-and-wellness/racism-xenophobia-are-public-health-threats-scientific-review-finds-541547"><strong>Also&nbsp;read |&nbsp;Racism, xenophobia are public health threats, need to be addressed, says scientific review</strong></a></p>

<p>The report said, "The data show that racial and identity disparities persist year after year. The Board remains committed to analysing and highlighting these disparities to compel evidence-driven strategies for reforming policing and eliminating racial and identity profiling in California."</p>

<p>The Racial and Identity Profiling Advisory Board gathered data from 58 law enforcement agencies on vehicle and pedestrian stops in 2021. These 58 agencies include the 23 largest departments in the state, which collectively made nearly 3.1 million pedestrian and vehicle stops.</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;WION Dispatch | Racism Attack: 3 white men charged with assault on teens in SA</strong></p>

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<p>The data basically includes how an&nbsp;official differentiates one's race and gender, even if it's different from how the individual&nbsp;identifies, to determine bias.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
According to the board's report, in these 3.1 million stops, police officers perceived nearly 42 per cent of individuals to be Latino or Hispanic.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Over 30 per cent of individuals were perceived as white, while 15 per cent as Black.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, in the state, according to the 2021 census, only 6.5 per cent of individuals made up Black while 35 per cent were White.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The report said that despite being stopped by officers, no actions were taken indicating the Black individuals stopped were not engaged in criminal activity.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

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Some believe that racism doesn't exist, but it does. An annual state report released on Tuesday proved the belief wrong. The report showed that in California, law enforcement action by police was nearly twice on Black people than Whites.

Some believe that racism doesn't exist, but it does. An annual state report released on Tuesday proved the belief wrong. The report showed that in California, law enforcement action by police was nearly twice on Black people than Whites. The report found that California law enforcement searched Black teenagers almost six times more than white teens during vehicle and pedestrian stops, AP reported. The annual report was released by California's Racial and Identity Profiling Advisory Board, which focuses on police brutality and racial injustice in the US. Also read | Racism, xenophobia are public health threats, need to be addressed, says scientific review The report said, "The data show that racial and identity disparities persist year after year. The Board remains committed to analysing and highlighting these disparities to compel evidence-driven strategies for reforming policing and eliminating racial and identity profiling in California." The Racial and Identity Profiling Advisory Board gathered data from 58 law enforcement agencies on vehicle and pedestrian stops in 2021. These 58 agencies include the 23 largest departments in the state, which collectively made nearly 3.1 million pedestrian and vehicle stops. Watch | WION Dispatch | Racism Attack: 3 white men charged with assault on teens in SA The data basically includes how an official differentiates one's race and gender, even if it's different from how the individual identifies, to determine bias. According to the board's report, in these 3.1 million stops, police officers perceived nearly 42 per cent of individuals to be Latino or Hispanic. Over 30 per cent of individuals were perceived as white, while 15 per cent as Black. However, in the state, according to the 2021 census, only 6.5 per cent of individuals made up Black while 35 per cent were White. The report said that despite being stopped by officers, no actions were taken indicating the Black individuals stopped were not engaged in criminal activity. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

US: California police more likely to use force against Black people, claims report

A research has shown that time plays a more significant role in happiness than money — particularly for parents. People who prioritize time to do the things they love are happier and experience more fulfilling social relationships, more satisfying careers and more joy. Watch this to know more.

The key to happiness is more time, not more money

A tornado swept through a field at Macon County in central Illinois on Tuesday (January 3), as severe storms triggered weather warnings across the region.

US: Tornado swirls past wind farm in central Illinois

<p>Elon Musk's Twitter Inc has announced the reversal of a 2019 ban on political ads and said that it will expand to allow them on the social media platform. This as per reports is an important step in the company's attempts to grow its revenue.</p>

<p>The company in a tweet announced the move and said "We believe that cause-based advertising can facilitate a public conversation around important topics. Today, we're relaxing our ads policy for cause-based ads in the US. We also plan to expand the political advertising we permit in the coming weeks."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">We believe that cause-based advertising can facilitate public conversation around important topics. Today, we're relaxing our ads policy for cause-based ads in the US. We also plan to expand the political advertising we permit in the coming weeks.</p>
— Twitter Safety (@TwitterSafety) <a href="https://twitter.com/TwitterSafety/status/1610399203481784320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>After social media giants like Facebook and Twitter faced widespread criticism for their ads and the alleged political misinformation campaigns run through them, political ads were banned on the platform in 2019.</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;2022 in tech: Crypto collapse to Twitter-Musk saga | Tech It Out Rewind</strong></p>

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<p>Jack Dorsey the then Twitter chief executive while announcing the ban remarked "We believe political message reach should be earned, not bought".</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/another-data-breach-at-twitter-details-of-over-400-million-users-up-for-sale-probe-on-548132">Another data breach at Twitter, details of over 400 million users up for sale; probe on</a></strong></p>

<p>Now moving away from the beliefs of the bygone time, Twitter's new owner Elon Musk has decided to reverse the decision.</p>

<p>Users were quick to point out that their feeds are already flooded with ads. As one user puts it "Someone cranked up the ad revenue dial".</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Anyone else seeing an unusual amount of random ass promoted tweets all of a sudden? Someone cranked up the ad revenue dial. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/twitter?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#twitter</a> <a href="https://t.co/ThCdSyY9As">pic.twitter.com/ThCdSyY9As</a></p>
— A.J. Hartless (@redzrage) <a href="https://twitter.com/redzrage/status/1610466689573085190?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Twitter is just broken. My feed is so discombobulated and seems like every other thing is an ad. I miss the olden days of Twitter, before Elmo messed it all up.</p>
— 🌻 Julie James Dio 🖤✨ (@03jewell) <a href="https://twitter.com/03jewell/status/1610465710710599681?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">twitter ads got random as fuck tonight.</p>
— INTUITION (@ItsIntuition) <a href="https://twitter.com/ItsIntuition/status/1610448322552279044?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Twitter ODing w these ads</p>
— 🪶 (@LASTNAMELORDE) <a href="https://twitter.com/LASTNAMELORDE/status/1610288589535064065?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Twitter is now an app I visit to spend some free moments blocking ads.</p>
— WOMEN ARE LITERALLY HUMANS get tote bag in my pic (@JenKirkman) <a href="https://twitter.com/JenKirkman/status/1610072775628328962?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Anyone else's thumb hurt from scrolling through all the ads on twitter lately? 😫</p>
— aria🏅 (@AriaSaki) <a href="https://twitter.com/AriaSaki/status/1610314017830244358?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">has anyone else been getting an increase of weird twitter ads</p>
— t 心 (@stiinken) <a href="https://twitter.com/stiinken/status/1610435700964442112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/twitter-sued-after-it-fails-to-pay-office-space-rent-report-548457">Twitter sued for failure to pay rent of San Francisco office, may default on lease: Report</a></strong></p>

<p>Since Musk's takeover of the platform, ad venue of Twitter has seen a drastic fall with corporate advertisers pulling out or pausing their campaigns.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As per Reuters, Musk's aggressive approach in laying off thousands of employees, reversing the suspension of notorious celebrities like Donald Trump and Ye a.k.a Kanye West, and its paid verification feature which gave rise to "verified" fake accounts, trolls are behind the advertisers exit from Twitter.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

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Elon Musk's Twitter Inc has announced the reversal of a 2019 ban on political ads and said that it will expand to allow them on the social media platform. This as per reports is an important step in the company's attempts to grow its revenue.

Elon Musk's Twitter Inc has announced the reversal of a 2019 ban on political ads and said that it will expand to allow them on the social media platform. This as per reports is an important step in the company's attempts to grow its revenue. The company in a tweet announced the move and said "We believe that cause-based advertising can facilitate a public conversation around important topics. Today, we're relaxing our ads policy for cause-based ads in the US. We also plan to expand the political advertising we permit in the coming weeks." We believe that cause-based advertising can facilitate public conversation around important topics. Today, we're relaxing our ads policy for cause-based ads in the US. We also plan to expand the political advertising we permit in the coming weeks. — Twitter Safety (@TwitterSafety) January 3, 2023 × After social media giants like Facebook and Twitter faced widespread criticism for their ads and the alleged political misinformation campaigns run through them, political ads were banned on the platform in 2019. Watch | 2022 in tech: Crypto collapse to Twitter-Musk saga | Tech It Out Rewind Jack Dorsey the then Twitter chief executive while announcing the ban remarked "We believe political message reach should be earned, not bought". Also read | Another data breach at Twitter, details of over 400 million users up for sale; probe on Now moving away from the beliefs of the bygone time, Twitter's new owner Elon Musk has decided to reverse the decision. Users were quick to point out that their feeds are already flooded with ads. As one user puts it "Someone cranked up the ad revenue dial". Anyone else seeing an unusual amount of random ass promoted tweets all of a sudden? Someone cranked up the ad revenue dial. #twitter pic.twitter.com/ThCdSyY9As — A.J. Hartless (@redzrage) January 4, 2023 × Twitter is just broken. My feed is so discombobulated and seems like every other thing is an ad. I miss the olden days of Twitter, before Elmo messed it all up. — 🌻 Julie James Dio 🖤✨ (@03jewell) January 4, 2023 × twitter ads got random as fuck tonight. — INTUITION (@ItsIntuition) January 4, 2023 × Twitter ODing w these ads — 🪶 (@LASTNAMELORDE) January 3, 2023 × Twitter is now an app I visit to spend some free moments blocking ads. — WOMEN ARE LITERALLY HUMANS get tote bag in my pic (@JenKirkman) January 3, 2023 × Anyone else's thumb hurt from scrolling through all the ads on twitter lately? 😫 — aria🏅 (@AriaSaki) January 3, 2023 × has anyone else been getting an increase of weird twitter ads — t 心 (@stiinken) January 4, 2023 × Also read | Twitter sued for failure to pay rent of San Francisco office, may default on lease: Report Since Musk's takeover of the platform, ad venue of Twitter has seen a drastic fall with corporate advertisers pulling out or pausing their campaigns. As per Reuters, Musk's aggressive approach in laying off thousands of employees, reversing the suspension of notorious celebrities like Donald Trump and Ye a.k.a Kanye West, and its paid verification feature which gave rise to "verified" fake accounts, trolls are behind the advertisers exit from Twitter. (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.

Shifting gears from reach is 'earned not bought' to 'cause-based advt', Twitter lifts ban on political ads

<p>The Indian Supreme Court on Tuesday in a paramount ruling said that no additional restrictions can be imposed on the country's fundamental right to Freedom of Speech and Expression, even in cases involving officials holding high offices.</p>

<p>A five-member bench comprising of Justices V Ramasubramanian, S. Abdul Nazeer, B R Gavai, A S Bopanna, and B V Nagarathna agreed on the larger question with regard to the imposition of additional curbs on the fundamental right and said that it could not be done.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The issue had originally gained heat in 2016 when Azam Khan a minister in the then Uttar Pradesh government had alleged that a ghastly gang rape incident involving a mother-daughter duo on a highway near Bulandshahr district of the northern Indian state was a "political conspiracy".</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;India on path to position itself as global power</strong></p>

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<p>Emphasising the importance of "sweet speech" the bench quoted Tamil poet and philosopher Tiruvalluvar of the Tamil Sangam age.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Tiruvalluvar &nbsp;in his classic "Tirukkural" had written that the "scar left behind by a burn injury may heal, but not the one left behind by an offensive speech."</p>

<p>The bench said, "Though religious texts of all faiths and ancient literature of all languages and geographical locations are full of such moral injunctions emphasising the importance of sweet speech (more than free speech), history shows that humanity has consistently defied those diktats."</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/new-years-week-saw-indian-capital-delhi-guzzle-liquor-worth-263-million-548991">New Year's week saw Indian capital Delhi guzzle liquor worth $26.3 million</a></strong></p>

<p>Addressing a suggestion by the petitioner they said that it is not always possible for a prime Minister or a Chief minister to maintain disciplinary control over their council of ministers.</p>

<p>"In a country like ours where there is a multi-party system and where coalition governments are often formed, it is not possible at all times for a Prime Minister/Chief Minister to take the whip, whenever a statement is made by someone in the Council of Ministers," said the judgement by four justices; V Ramasubramanian, Nazeer, B R Gavai and A S Bopanna. They said that when governments at time exist on "wafer thin" majority it is not always possible for the PM or the CM to drop any minister out of the Cabinet.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/stunning-zero-rhinos-poached-in-the-indian-state-of-assam-in-nearly-45-years-549207">STUNNING! Zero rhinos poached in the Indian state of Assam in nearly 45 years</a></strong></p>

<p>However, as per PTI, Justice B V Nagarathna who wrote a separate judgement differed on the question of whether the government can be held liable for disparaging utterances of its ministers. She said that the government can in fact be held liable if the statement can be traced back to the views of the government.</p>

<p>She added that public functionaries and people of influence due to the influence they wield owe a duty to the society at large to be more responsible and restrained in regard to their speech.</p>

<p>"A mere statement made by a Minister, inconsistent with the rights of a citizen under Part III of the Constitution, may not constitute a violation of the constitutional rights and become actionable as Constitutional tort. But if as a consequence of such a statement, any act of omission or commission is done by the officers resulting in harm or loss to a person/citizen, then the same may be actionable as a constitutional tort," said the apex court.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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The Indian Supreme Court on Tuesday in a paramount ruling said that no additional restrictions can be imposed on the country's fundamental right to Freedom of Speech and Expression, even in cases involving officials holding high offices.

The Indian Supreme Court on Tuesday in a paramount ruling said that no additional restrictions can be imposed on the country's fundamental right to Freedom of Speech and Expression, even in cases involving officials holding high offices. A five-member bench comprising of Justices V Ramasubramanian, S. Abdul Nazeer, B R Gavai, A S Bopanna, and B V Nagarathna agreed on the larger question with regard to the imposition of additional curbs on the fundamental right and said that it could not be done. The issue had originally gained heat in 2016 when Azam Khan a minister in the then Uttar Pradesh government had alleged that a ghastly gang rape incident involving a mother-daughter duo on a highway near Bulandshahr district of the northern Indian state was a "political conspiracy". Watch | India on path to position itself as global power Emphasising the importance of "sweet speech" the bench quoted Tamil poet and philosopher Tiruvalluvar of the Tamil Sangam age. Tiruvalluvar in his classic "Tirukkural" had written that the "scar left behind by a burn injury may heal, but not the one left behind by an offensive speech." The bench said, "Though religious texts of all faiths and ancient literature of all languages and geographical locations are full of such moral injunctions emphasising the importance of sweet speech (more than free speech), history shows that humanity has consistently defied those diktats." Also read | New Year's week saw Indian capital Delhi guzzle liquor worth $26.3 million Addressing a suggestion by the petitioner they said that it is not always possible for a prime Minister or a Chief minister to maintain disciplinary control over their council of ministers. "In a country like ours where there is a multi-party system and where coalition governments are often formed, it is not possible at all times for a Prime Minister/Chief Minister to take the whip, whenever a statement is made by someone in the Council of Ministers," said the judgement by four justices; V Ramasubramanian, Nazeer, B R Gavai and A S Bopanna. They said that when governments at time exist on "wafer thin" majority it is not always possible for the PM or the CM to drop any minister out of the Cabinet. Also read | STUNNING! Zero rhinos poached in the Indian state of Assam in nearly 45 years However, as per PTI, Justice B V Nagarathna who wrote a separate judgement differed on the question of whether the government can be held liable for disparaging utterances of its ministers. She said that the government can in fact be held liable if the statement can be traced back to the views of the government. She added that public functionaries and people of influence due to the influence they wield owe a duty to the society at large to be more responsible and restrained in regard to their speech. "A mere statement made by a Minister, inconsistent with the rights of a citizen under Part III of the Constitution, may not constitute a violation of the constitutional rights and become actionable as Constitutional tort. But if as a consequence of such a statement, any act of omission or commission is done by the officers resulting in harm or loss to a person/citizen, then the same may be actionable as a constitutional tort," said the apex court. (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.

No additional curbs on freedom of speech and expression: Indian Supreme Court

<p>At least two Pakistani Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) officials were killed at a&nbsp;local hotel in Khanewal in Punjab, a senior official claimed.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Police officials claimed that the attackers were in the parking lot on a motorcycle, where they attacked the CTD officials. Director CTD Naveed Sial and Inspector Nasir Abbas were killed, while another inspector escaped unhurt, Geo News reported.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;Pakistan: Two counter-terror officials killed, Interior Minister expresses concern</strong></p>

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<p>Pakistan's south Punjab Additional Inspector General of Police (AIGP) Sahabzada Shahzad Sultan described the attack as an act of "terror."</p>

<p>Pakistan's Interior Minster Rana Sanaullah expressed his grief and said "the incident is lamentable." He said the security situation in Punjab is a matter of concern and the provisional government should take steps&nbsp;to avoid such kind of incidents in future.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He has asked Punjab's inspector general of police and the province's chief secretary to submit a probe report.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also&nbsp;read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-to-close-wedding-halls-malls-early-stop-production-of-bulbs-fans-to-save-money-549205">Pakistan to close wedding halls, malls early; stop production of bulbs, fans to save money</a></strong></p>

<p>The South Asian country has lately witnessed a spate of terror attacks, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.</p>

<p>These attacks heightened&nbsp;after the terror group&nbsp;Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)&nbsp;ended its ceasefire with Islamabad.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Amid a rise in the terrorist strikes by&nbsp;TTP&nbsp;and cross-border terrorism at the Pak-Afghan border, Pakistan's National Security Committee (NSC) pledged to show "zero tolerance for terrorism."</p>

<p>Recently, Pakistan's Defence Minister Khwaja Asif alleged that despite the 'peace agreement', Afghanistan's soil was being used to attack Pakistan.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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At least two Pakistani Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) officials were killed at a local hotel in Khanewal in Punjab, a senior official claimed. Police officials claimed that the attackers were in the parking lot on a motorcycle, where they attacked the CTD officials.

At least two Pakistani Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) officials were killed at a local hotel in Khanewal in Punjab, a senior official claimed. Police officials claimed that the attackers were in the parking lot on a motorcycle, where they attacked the CTD officials. Director CTD Naveed Sial and Inspector Nasir Abbas were killed, while another inspector escaped unhurt, Geo News reported. Watch | Pakistan: Two counter-terror officials killed, Interior Minister expresses concern Pakistan's south Punjab Additional Inspector General of Police (AIGP) Sahabzada Shahzad Sultan described the attack as an act of "terror." Pakistan's Interior Minster Rana Sanaullah expressed his grief and said "the incident is lamentable." He said the security situation in Punjab is a matter of concern and the provisional government should take steps to avoid such kind of incidents in future. He has asked Punjab's inspector general of police and the province's chief secretary to submit a probe report. Also read | Pakistan to close wedding halls, malls early; stop production of bulbs, fans to save money The South Asian country has lately witnessed a spate of terror attacks, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. These attacks heightened after the terror group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ended its ceasefire with Islamabad. Amid a rise in the terrorist strikes by TTP and cross-border terrorism at the Pak-Afghan border, Pakistan's National Security Committee (NSC) pledged to show "zero tolerance for terrorism." Recently, Pakistan's Defence Minister Khwaja Asif alleged that despite the 'peace agreement', Afghanistan's soil was being used to attack Pakistan. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

At least 2 Pak counter-terror officials killed; interior minister seeks investigation

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