A powerful geomagnetic storm, expected to last several days, will hit Earth on October 24. The magnetic storm has a K-index of 6, which corresponds to the red level, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported.

A powerful geomagnetic storm, expected to last several days, will hit Earth on October 24. The magnetic storm has a K-index of 6, which corresponds to the red level, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported. Here's everything you need to know about the magnetic storm and how to protect the human body from its harmful effects. Magnetic Storm About To Hit Earth A magnetic storm of K-index 5 enveloped the Earth on October 21, according to reports from NOAA satellite systems, TESIS, and international meteorological laboratories worldwide. On October 24, the storm will get stronger as it reaches the K-index of 6, corresponding to a red-level magnetic storm. The geomagnetic activity will only subside on Thursday, October 26. What is a Magnetic Storm? Several eruptions and flares on the Sun cause solar energy emissions, leading to increased geomagnetic activity. During this time, the solar energy scatters in different directions, including towards Earth. The energy emitted during these eruptions contains charged particles that can move swiftly through space. These charged particles (protons and electrons) collide with Earth's magnetosphere, triggering geomagnetic activity called solar or magnetic storms. ALSO READ | NASA to take 'amusement park' approach to bring Mars samples back to Earth Scientists differentiate magnetic storms by their strength, depending on the flares. While tiny fluctuations are undetectable and classified under storms with K-index 2 or 3, those with K-index 4 and above are noticeable. Storms with a K-index higher than 5 come under the red-level magnetic storm category. Such storms can cause hindrances in satellite operation, GPRS, mobile communication, and electrical grid functioning. Moreover, powerful magnetic storms can cause aurora, a natural light display that shimmers in the sky. Impact of Magnetic Storms Powerful magnetic storms can affect the well-being of people on Earth. Scientists worldwide have been observing the impact of solar storms on human beings, but there is still no consensus. However, numerous researches verified a connection between people's deteriorating health and magnetic storms. Here are the common complaints people make during a magnetic storm: Headaches, migraines, and dizziness Insomnia or excessive sleepiness General weakness and worsened well-being Increased fatigue, decreased concentration, and productivity Heightened anxiety, depression, irritability, and aggression However, magnetic storms are more dangerous for astronauts beyond the protective shield of Earth's atmosphere, as the high radiation levels can significantly increase the risk of developing cancer. According to medical professionals, people must rest more, get proper sleep, avoid exertion, drink plenty of water and breathe fresh air during a magnetic storm. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Giant solar storm to hit Earth on Oct 24. Here's how to protect yourself

Pakistan's government is announcing the country's first-ever National security policy at a meeting that will cover all internal and external security aspects. This will include the situation in Afghanistan.&nbsp;

Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, in a report by Dawn, said, "It will be the first-ever National Security Policy to be approved at the meeting and later it will be made public."

He further said that the meeting will be attended by several senior military officials, including Chief of the Army staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa and Inter-Services Intelligence Director General Lt Gen Nadeem Anjum.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-ruling-partys-workers-resentful-of-changes-introduced-by-imran-khan-440032">Also read |&nbsp;Pakistan: Ruling party's workers resentful of changes introduced by Imran Khan</a>

This comes at a time of turmoil within the ruling party of Pakistan, Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI). It happened after Prime Minister Imran Khan, dissolved the ruling party's organisational structure and many workers reacted strongly. The workers expressed concern over the appointment of federal ministers as new party officials.&nbsp;

The party had to go through a major defeat in the first phase of local body polls, which were recently held in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of the country. PTI won less than 10 chairperson or mayor posts of the 39 seats it had contested on during the polls.

Several senior party leaders believe that the PTI could face major challenges in the upcoming elections. They further said that dissolving functional systems would not help.

(With inputs from agencies)

Pakistan's government is announcing the country's first-ever National security policy at a meeting that will cover all internal and external security aspects. This will include the situation in Afghanistan.

Pakistan's government is announcing the country's first-ever National security policy at a meeting that will cover all internal and external security aspects. This will include the situation in Afghanistan. Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, in a report by Dawn, said, "It will be the first-ever National Security Policy to be approved at the meeting and later it will be made public." He further said that the meeting will be attended by several senior military officials, including Chief of the Army staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa and Inter-Services Intelligence Director General Lt Gen Nadeem Anjum. Also read | Pakistan: Ruling party's workers resentful of changes introduced by Imran Khan This comes at a time of turmoil within the ruling party of Pakistan, Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI). It happened after Prime Minister Imran Khan, dissolved the ruling party's organisational structure and many workers reacted strongly. The workers expressed concern over the appointment of federal ministers as new party officials. The party had to go through a major defeat in the first phase of local body polls, which were recently held in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of the country. PTI won less than 10 chairperson or mayor posts of the 39 seats it had contested on during the polls. Several senior party leaders believe that the PTI could face major challenges in the upcoming elections. They further said that dissolving functional systems would not help. (With inputs from agencies)

Pakistan to announce its first-ever National security policy today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate in an event marking Abhidhamma Day at the Mahaparinirvana Temple in Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar on the auspicious occasion of Ashwin Poornima on Wednesday.

Eminent monks from Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, South Korea, Nepal, Bhutan, Cambodia and ambassadors of various countries will take part in the Abhidhamma Day event.

Also Read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/namal-rajapaksa-100-lankan-buddhist-clergy-at-inauguration-of-kushinagar-international-airport-421269">&nbsp;Namal Rajapaksa, 100+ Lankan Buddhist clergy at inauguration of Kushinagar international airport</a>

Union Ministry of Culture, International Buddhist Confederation in association with the Government of Uttar Pradesh has organised the event.

A Sri Lankan delegation consisting of 123 delegates including a 12-member Holy Relic entourage led by current Mahanayaka of Waskaduwa Temple is attending the event with Holy Relics.

The delegation also comprises of Anunayakas (deputy heads) of all four Nikatas (orders) of Buddhism in Sri Lanka i.e., Asgiriya, Amarapura, Ramanya, Malwatta as well as 5 ministers of the Government of Sri Lanka led by Cabinet Minister Namal Rajapakshe.

The highlight of the event is the Exposition of Holy Buddha Relic being brought from Waskaduwa Subuddhi Rajvihara Temple, Sri Lanka by the Mahanayaka of the temple.

The Prime Minister will offer prayers to the Holy Relic and also visit the Mahaparinirvana temple to offer flowers and chivar to the reclining statue of Buddha. The ancient city of Kushinagar is the final resting place of Gautama Buddha, where he attained Mahaparinirvana after his death. It is among the most important pilgrim spots for Buddhists since ancient times.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-man-wants-covid-certificate-without-pm-modis-picture-422025">Indian man wants Covid certificate without PM Modi's picture</a>

The inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the Kushinagar International Airport is an important landmark connecting the Buddhist- pilgrimage- holy sites for Buddhists around the world.

The Prime Minister will also do 'Chivar Dana'&nbsp;to monks from Sri Lanka and other countries attending the event. Chivar refers to a "monk's robe". The period after three-month-long Varshavas, observed as a retreat by monks and nuns by staying in vihara during rainy season, is a time of giving, for the laity to express gratitude to Sangh. "Lay Buddhists bring donations to temples, especially new robes for the monks and nuns. Also the gift of the atthaparikara (in Sri Lanka it is known as Atapirikara) - the Eight Requisites - is part of the offerings. However, dana of Chivara can also be given on other occasions," the release said.

The Prime Minister has offered Chivar and Sangha Dana on several occasions both in India and abroad.

He had offered it at Mahabodhi Society of Sri Lanka temple, Colombo in 2014, sacred Mahabodhi Temple in Bodhgaya to senior monks from various countries in October 2015 and Vesak Buddha Poornima Diwas event in 2018 at New Delhi to senior monks and nuns from various countries.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/congress-deletes-tweet-that-called-pm-modi-illiterate-422052">Congress deletes tweet that called PM Modi 'illiterate'</a>

Paintings of Ajanta Frescos, Buddhist sutra calligraphy, Buddhist artefacts excavated from Vadnagar and other sites in Gujarat will also be exhibited.

The PM will also view an exhibition of recreation paintings of Ajanta cave frescos by late MR Pimpare of Aurangabad. The exhibition also comprises Buddhist calligraphy of Sutras by noted calligrapher Jamyang Dorjee of Sikkim.

The works of Buddhist art and artefacts excavated from various sites of Gujarat showcases the span of Buddhism in India and the various sources of origins from where it travelled and spread to different directions in the world.

"Vadnagar once thrived with a large Buddhist Vihara where ancient travellers described seeing a congregation of 10,000 Buddhist monks. The exhibition is curated by Ms Kshipra," the release said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate in an event marking Abhidhamma Day at the Mahaparinirvana Temple in Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar on the auspicious occasion of Ashwin Poornima on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate in an event marking Abhidhamma Day at the Mahaparinirvana Temple in Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar on the auspicious occasion of Ashwin Poornima on Wednesday. Eminent monks from Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, South Korea, Nepal, Bhutan, Cambodia and ambassadors of various countries will take part in the Abhidhamma Day event. Also Read | Namal Rajapaksa, 100+ Lankan Buddhist clergy at inauguration of Kushinagar international airport Union Ministry of Culture, International Buddhist Confederation in association with the Government of Uttar Pradesh has organised the event. A Sri Lankan delegation consisting of 123 delegates including a 12-member Holy Relic entourage led by current Mahanayaka of Waskaduwa Temple is attending the event with Holy Relics. The delegation also comprises of Anunayakas (deputy heads) of all four Nikatas (orders) of Buddhism in Sri Lanka i.e., Asgiriya, Amarapura, Ramanya, Malwatta as well as 5 ministers of the Government of Sri Lanka led by Cabinet Minister Namal Rajapakshe. The highlight of the event is the Exposition of Holy Buddha Relic being brought from Waskaduwa Subuddhi Rajvihara Temple, Sri Lanka by the Mahanayaka of the temple. The Prime Minister will offer prayers to the Holy Relic and also visit the Mahaparinirvana temple to offer flowers and chivar to the reclining statue of Buddha. The ancient city of Kushinagar is the final resting place of Gautama Buddha, where he attained Mahaparinirvana after his death. It is among the most important pilgrim spots for Buddhists since ancient times. Also Read | Indian man wants Covid certificate without PM Modi's picture The inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the Kushinagar International Airport is an important landmark connecting the Buddhist- pilgrimage- holy sites for Buddhists around the world. The Prime Minister will also do 'Chivar Dana' to monks from Sri Lanka and other countries attending the event. Chivar refers to a "monk's robe". The period after three-month-long Varshavas, observed as a retreat by monks and nuns by staying in vihara during rainy season, is a time of giving, for the laity to express gratitude to Sangh. "Lay Buddhists bring donations to temples, especially new robes for the monks and nuns. Also the gift of the atthaparikara (in Sri Lanka it is known as Atapirikara) - the Eight Requisites - is part of the offerings. However, dana of Chivara can also be given on other occasions," the release said. The Prime Minister has offered Chivar and Sangha Dana on several occasions both in India and abroad. He had offered it at Mahabodhi Society of Sri Lanka temple, Colombo in 2014, sacred Mahabodhi Temple in Bodhgaya to senior monks from various countries in October 2015 and Vesak Buddha Poornima Diwas event in 2018 at New Delhi to senior monks and nuns from various countries. Also Read | Congress deletes tweet that called PM Modi 'illiterate' Paintings of Ajanta Frescos, Buddhist sutra calligraphy, Buddhist artefacts excavated from Vadnagar and other sites in Gujarat will also be exhibited. The PM will also view an exhibition of recreation paintings of Ajanta cave frescos by late MR Pimpare of Aurangabad. The exhibition also comprises Buddhist calligraphy of Sutras by noted calligrapher Jamyang Dorjee of Sikkim. The works of Buddhist art and artefacts excavated from various sites of Gujarat showcases the span of Buddhism in India and the various sources of origins from where it travelled and spread to different directions in the world. "Vadnagar once thrived with a large Buddhist Vihara where ancient travellers described seeing a congregation of 10,000 Buddhist monks. The exhibition is curated by Ms Kshipra," the release said.

A boost to Buddhist pilgrimage: PM Modi to inaugurate Kushinagar airport

Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin will launch the New Shepard spacecraft on August 26, 2021.&nbsp;

As per a public statement by Blue Origins, the spacecraft will be carrying a NASA lunar landing tech on the external boosters and other commercial payloads inside the capsule.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NewShepard?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NewShepard</a> NS-17 is go for launch tomorrow at 8:35 AM CDT / 13:35 UTC with the second flight of <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NASA</a>'s lunar landing technology demonstration on board. Live webcast starts at T-30 mins on <a href="https://t.co/7Y4TherpLr">https://t.co/7Y4TherpLr</a> <a href="https://t.co/hRTUojHsR4">pic.twitter.com/hRTUojHsR4</a>
— Blue Origin (@blueorigin) <a href="https://twitter.com/blueorigin/status/1430569091371253760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 25, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Also, the spacecraft has already flown to space with Jeff Bezos, his brother, Wally Funk, and another passenger in July 2021.&nbsp;

“This will be the 4th flight for the New Shepard program this year and the 8th flight for this particular vehicle, which is dedicated to flying scientific and research payloads to space and back,” Blue Origin said in a statement on August 23.

The NS-17 flight, which was flown for the first time in October 2020, is all set to test further a suite of lunar landing technologies.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/former-afghanistan-minister-now-delivers-pizzas-in-germany-report-408316">Also read |&nbsp;Former Afghanistan minister now delivers pizzas in Germany: Report</a>

This is being done to reduce risk and increase confidence for successful missions to the Moon in its latest spaceflight.

“The technologies could allow future missions—both crewed and robotic—to target landing sites that weren’t possible during the Apollo missions, such as regions with varied terrain near craters,” said Blue Origins.

For the first-ever time, NS-17 will also feature the Suborbital Tryptych, which is a series of portraits by Amoako Boafo, a Ghanaian artist, on the top of the capsule which houses the crew.&nbsp;

The flight remains to be controversial among scientists and space enthusiasts. Famous astrophysicist Neil Degrasse Tyson called out the Blue Origin's flight did not cross the Karman Line, which is considered as the threshold for the beginning of space.&nbsp;

Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin will launch the New Shepard spacecraft on August 26, 2021. As per a public statement by Blue Origins, the spacecraft will be carrying a NASA lunar landing tech on the external boosters and other commercial payloads inside the capsule.

Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin will launch the New Shepard spacecraft on August 26, 2021. As per a public statement by Blue Origins, the spacecraft will be carrying a NASA lunar landing tech on the external boosters and other commercial payloads inside the capsule. #NewShepard NS-17 is go for launch tomorrow at 8:35 AM CDT / 13:35 UTC with the second flight of @NASA's lunar landing technology demonstration on board. Live webcast starts at T-30 mins on https://t.co/7Y4TherpLr pic.twitter.com/hRTUojHsR4 — Blue Origin (@blueorigin) August 25, 2021 × Also, the spacecraft has already flown to space with Jeff Bezos, his brother, Wally Funk, and another passenger in July 2021. “This will be the 4th flight for the New Shepard program this year and the 8th flight for this particular vehicle, which is dedicated to flying scientific and research payloads to space and back,” Blue Origin said in a statement on August 23. The NS-17 flight, which was flown for the first time in October 2020, is all set to test further a suite of lunar landing technologies. Also read | Former Afghanistan minister now delivers pizzas in Germany: Report This is being done to reduce risk and increase confidence for successful missions to the Moon in its latest spaceflight. “The technologies could allow future missions—both crewed and robotic—to target landing sites that weren’t possible during the Apollo missions, such as regions with varied terrain near craters,” said Blue Origins. For the first-ever time, NS-17 will also feature the Suborbital Tryptych, which is a series of portraits by Amoako Boafo, a Ghanaian artist, on the top of the capsule which houses the crew. The flight remains to be controversial among scientists and space enthusiasts. Famous astrophysicist Neil Degrasse Tyson called out the Blue Origin's flight did not cross the Karman Line, which is considered as the threshold for the beginning of space.

Blue Origin to launch New Shepard spacecraft today with NASA's lunar landing tech

Twitter has announced that its updated privacy policy comes into effect from Thursday, August 19.

In a blog post Twitter highlighted the changes in its privacy policy, including those around Twitter Blue, Twitter Spaces, payment features, and the like.

"The updated Privacy Policy will go into effect on August 19, 2021. We believe you should always know what data we collect from you and how we use it, and that you should have meaningful control over both. We want to empower you to make the best decisions about the information that you share with us. That’s the basic purpose of this Privacy Policy," read the blog.

One of the major updates include the introduction of Twitter spaces.

Twitter Spaces is a social audio feature that enables users to host or participate in a live-audio virtual environment.

It is a key part of the updated privacy policy.&nbsp;

Twitter said that it produces audio transcripts for the conversations taking place on the platform. This text is then scrutinised for any potential violations of Twitter's rules and guidelines.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/nadia-ghulam-the-woman-who-disguised-herself-as-a-man-for-10-years-to-survive-torture-of-taliban-406742">Also read |&nbsp;Nadia Ghulam: The woman who disguised herself as a man for 10 years to survive 'torture' of Taliban</a>

This is also used to make "improvements" to the way the Twitter Spaces feature works, the company said.

Twitter also highlighted that in order to improve user experience, the company works with third-party partners to display their video content on the platform.&nbsp;

"When you watch or otherwise interact with content from these partners, they may receive and process your personal data as described in their privacy policies," the social media giant said.&nbsp;

"If you do not want this content to play automatically, you can adjust your autoplay settings. If you’ve shared information like Direct Messages or protected Tweets with someone else who accesses Twitter through a third-party service, keep in mind that the information may be shared with the third-party service."

"Twitter does not sell your personal data. We’ve updated our Privacy Policy to make this clear, and also clarified how we protect your data when it is transferred outside the country you reside in," the firm said in the blog post.

Twitter has announced that its updated privacy policy comes into effect from Thursday, August 19. In a blog post Twitter highlighted the changes in its privacy policy, including those around Twitter Blue, Twitter Spaces, payment features, and the like.

Twitter has announced that its updated privacy policy comes into effect from Thursday, August 19. In a blog post Twitter highlighted the changes in its privacy policy, including those around Twitter Blue, Twitter Spaces, payment features, and the like. "The updated Privacy Policy will go into effect on August 19, 2021. We believe you should always know what data we collect from you and how we use it, and that you should have meaningful control over both. We want to empower you to make the best decisions about the information that you share with us. That’s the basic purpose of this Privacy Policy," read the blog. One of the major updates include the introduction of Twitter spaces. Twitter Spaces is a social audio feature that enables users to host or participate in a live-audio virtual environment. It is a key part of the updated privacy policy. Twitter said that it produces audio transcripts for the conversations taking place on the platform. This text is then scrutinised for any potential violations of Twitter's rules and guidelines. Also read | Nadia Ghulam: The woman who disguised herself as a man for 10 years to survive 'torture' of Taliban This is also used to make "improvements" to the way the Twitter Spaces feature works, the company said. Twitter also highlighted that in order to improve user experience, the company works with third-party partners to display their video content on the platform. "When you watch or otherwise interact with content from these partners, they may receive and process your personal data as described in their privacy policies," the social media giant said. "If you do not want this content to play automatically, you can adjust your autoplay settings. If you’ve shared information like Direct Messages or protected Tweets with someone else who accesses Twitter through a third-party service, keep in mind that the information may be shared with the third-party service." "Twitter does not sell your personal data. We’ve updated our Privacy Policy to make this clear, and also clarified how we protect your data when it is transferred outside the country you reside in," the firm said in the blog post.

Twitter's updated privacy policy to come into effect from today, read everything here

Saudi Arabia, on Sunday, will be opening its borders for fully vaccinated foreign tourists after a 17-month closure due to the coronavirus pandemic.

As per AFP, the Saudi Press Agency reported, "The Ministry of Tourism announced that the Kingdom will open its doors to foreign tourists, and lift... the suspension of entry for tourist visa holders, starting from August 1".

As per the agency, travellers fully vaccinated with Saudi-approved jabs, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna or Johnson &amp; Johnson, will be able to enter the kingdom "without the need for an institutional quarantine period".&nbsp;

They also need to have proof of a negative PCR COVID-19 test taken within the last 72 hours and register their details with health authorities.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/saudi-arabia-invites-pm-narendra-modi-for-climate-summit-402023">Also read |&nbsp;Saudi Arabia invites PM Narendra Modi for climate summit</a>

Visitors to the Kingdom are also required to register their data related to vaccination doses via the new electronic portal dedicated to this, “muqeem.sa/#/vaccine-registration/home", in addition to registering their data via “Tawakkalna" application, which is mandatory to enter public places," the state media said.&nbsp;

Riyadh has spent billions trying to build a tourism industry from scratch.

The government has accelerated a nationwide vaccination drive as it moves to revive tourism and host sports and entertainment extravaganzas, all pandemic-hit sectors.

So far, 26 million jabs have been administered to the population of 35 million, and the kingdom has said that from August 1, vaccinations will be mandatory to enter government and private establishments.&nbsp;

This also includes educational institutions and entertainment venues, as well as to use public transport. 
&nbsp;

Saudi Arabia, on Sunday, will be opening its borders for fully vaccinated foreign tourists after a 17-month closure due to the coronavirus pandemic. As per AFP, the Saudi Press Agency reported, "The Ministry of Tourism announced that the Kingdom will open its doors to foreign tourists, and lift.

Saudi Arabia, on Sunday, will be opening its borders for fully vaccinated foreign tourists after a 17-month closure due to the coronavirus pandemic. As per AFP, the Saudi Press Agency reported, "The Ministry of Tourism announced that the Kingdom will open its doors to foreign tourists, and lift... the suspension of entry for tourist visa holders, starting from August 1". As per the agency, travellers fully vaccinated with Saudi-approved jabs, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson, will be able to enter the kingdom "without the need for an institutional quarantine period". They also need to have proof of a negative PCR COVID-19 test taken within the last 72 hours and register their details with health authorities. Also read | Saudi Arabia invites PM Narendra Modi for climate summit Visitors to the Kingdom are also required to register their data related to vaccination doses via the new electronic portal dedicated to this, “muqeem.sa/#/vaccine-registration/home", in addition to registering their data via “Tawakkalna" application, which is mandatory to enter public places," the state media said. Riyadh has spent billions trying to build a tourism industry from scratch. The government has accelerated a nationwide vaccination drive as it moves to revive tourism and host sports and entertainment extravaganzas, all pandemic-hit sectors. So far, 26 million jabs have been administered to the population of 35 million, and the kingdom has said that from August 1, vaccinations will be mandatory to enter government and private establishments. This also includes educational institutions and entertainment venues, as well as to use public transport.

Saudi Arabia to reopen for tourists vaccinated with approved jabs from today

May 09 in history: First birth control pill, West Germany joins NATO, and more

March 01 in history: Radioactivity discovered, IMF formed, and more

NBC News fired popular &quot;Today&quot; show host Matt Lauer after receiving what it called a detailed complaint from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace, the network said on Wednesday.

NBC News chairman Andrew Lack said that, after serious review, the complaint received on Monday night represented &quot;a clear violation&quot; of the company&#39;s standards.

&quot;As a result, we&#39;ve decided to terminate his employment,&quot; Lack said in a statement. &quot;While it is the first complaint about his behavior in the over twenty years he&#39;s been at NBC News, we were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident.&quot;

Lauer&#39;s agent Ken Lindner did not respond to a request for comment.

The news was announced by &quot;Today&quot; co-anchor Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb at the start of the talk show, a staple of US&nbsp;morning television for more than six decades that, NBC says, averages more than 4 million viewers.

&quot;We just learned this moments ago just this morning,&quot; Guthrie said, visibly shaken. &quot;As I&#39;m sure you can imagine we are devastated.&quot;

Lack&#39;s statement did not say who made the accusation. Lauer, 59, is married.

&quot;We are deeply saddened by this turn of events,&quot; the statement said. &quot;But we will face it together as a news organization - and do it in as transparent a manner as we can.&quot;

The New York Times quoted Ari Wilkenfeld, a civil rights lawyer with the firm Wilkenfeld, Herendeen &amp; Atkinson in Washington, who said he represented the woman who made the complaint to NBC but declined to publicly identify her.

&ldquo;My client and I met with representatives from NBC&rsquo;s Human Resources and Legal Departments at 6 pm&nbsp;on Monday for an interview that lasted several hours. Our impression at this point is that NBC acted quickly, as all companies should when confronted with credible allegations of sexual misconduct in the workplace,&quot; Wilkenfeld said in a story published by the Times on Wednesday.

The law firm representing Lauer&#39;s accuser did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The complaint said the sexual misconduct occurred while Lauer and the female colleague were covering the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics in Russia, NBC News reporter Stephanie Gosk said on-air.

The misconduct continued after the Games, Gosk said. An NBC representative did not respond to a request for more details.

Fellow NBC News anchor Willie Geist, who hosts the &quot;Today&quot; show&#39;s Sunday program, told MSNBC&#39;s &quot;Morning Joe&quot; that he was stunned, especially given Lauer&#39;s role.

&quot;Matt Lauer is the most powerful person at NBC News, arguably,&quot; Geist said, referring to Lauer as a friend and mentor who he said had always led by example on the show&#39;s set.

Comcast Corp, the largest US&nbsp;cable television company, owns NBCUniversal. Shares of Comcast rose 3.4 per cent to $37.49 in morning trade on Nasdaq.

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump responded with messages on Twitter calling for some of Lauer&#39;s colleagues to be fired too and adding to his recent attacks against multiple US&nbsp;news outlets for their reporting on his administration.

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Wow, Matt Lauer was just fired from NBC for &ldquo;inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace.&rdquo; But when will the top executives at NBC &amp; Comcast be fired for putting out so much Fake News. Check out Andy Lack&rsquo;s past!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/935844881825763328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 29, 2017</a></blockquote>
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&quot;Wow,&quot; Trump wrote about the Lauer announcement. &quot;But when will the top executives at NBC &amp; Comcast be fired for putting out so much Fake News. Check out Andy Lack&#39;s past!&quot; he added, without further explanation.

An NBC spokeswoman did not respond to questions about Trump&#39;s comments.

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So now that Matt Lauer is gone when will the Fake News practitioners at NBC be terminating the contract of Phil Griffin? And will they terminate low ratings Joe Scarborough based on the &ldquo;unsolved mystery&rdquo; that took place in Florida years ago? Investigate!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/935874566701842434?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 29, 2017</a></blockquote>
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During the 2016 presidential campaign, then-Republican candidate Trump was accused by 13 women who publicly said that in the past he had physically touched them inappropriately in some way, the Washington Post reported.

Trump denied the accusations, accused rival Democrats and the media of a smear campaign, and went on to win the election.

Just last week, Lauer co-hosted with Guthrie NBC&#39;s Thanksgiving Day coverage of the Macy&#39;s parade in Manhattan.

Since Lauer took over the anchor chair in 1997, &quot;Today&quot; has dominated morning show ratings. It earned $509 million in advertising revenue last year, more than any other morning show, New York-based analysts Kantar Media said.

Lauer signed a two-year deal in 2016 that would pay him $20 million per year, according to Fortune Magazine. He joined &quot;Today&quot; in January 1994 and has interviewed presidents George Bush and Barack Obama and broadcast from seven Olympic games.

There were reports that journalists from multiple outlets had been investigating complaints against Lauer.

Elizabeth Wagmeister and Ramin Setoodeh, two Variety reporters, said they had been working for months on a story about sexual harassment allegations by multiple women against Lauer. &quot;NBC was aware that Variety was working on a bombshell story about sexual harassment allegations against Matt Lauer,&quot; Setoodeh wrote on Twitter.

&ldquo;This is not a Hollywood media problem, this is a problem across all industries including the US&nbsp;government,&rdquo; said Bob Bakish, CEO of Viacom Inc, when asked about the Matt Lauer firing, at the Business Insider IGNITION Conference in New York on Wednesday. &ldquo;Secondly, this is not a US&nbsp;problem, it is a global problem.&rdquo;

NBC News chairman Andrew Lack said that, after serious review, the complaint received on Monday night represented "a clear violation" of the company's standards

NBC News fired popular "Today" show host Matt Lauer after receiving what it called a detailed complaint from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace, the network said on Wednesday. NBC News chairman Andrew Lack said that, after serious review, the complaint received on Monday night represented "a clear violation" of the company's standards. "As a result, we've decided to terminate his employment," Lack said in a statement. "While it is the first complaint about his behavior in the over twenty years he's been at NBC News, we were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident." Lauer's agent Ken Lindner did not respond to a request for comment. The news was announced by "Today" co-anchor Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb at the start of the talk show, a staple of US morning television for more than six decades that, NBC says, averages more than 4 million viewers. "We just learned this moments ago just this morning," Guthrie said, visibly shaken. "As I'm sure you can imagine we are devastated." Lack's statement did not say who made the accusation. Lauer, 59, is married. "We are deeply saddened by this turn of events," the statement said. "But we will face it together as a news organization - and do it in as transparent a manner as we can." The New York Times quoted Ari Wilkenfeld, a civil rights lawyer with the firm Wilkenfeld, Herendeen & Atkinson in Washington, who said he represented the woman who made the complaint to NBC but declined to publicly identify her. “My client and I met with representatives from NBC’s Human Resources and Legal Departments at 6 pm on Monday for an interview that lasted several hours. Our impression at this point is that NBC acted quickly, as all companies should when confronted with credible allegations of sexual misconduct in the workplace," Wilkenfeld said in a story published by the Times on Wednesday. The law firm representing Lauer's accuser did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The complaint said the sexual misconduct occurred while Lauer and the female colleague were covering the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics in Russia, NBC News reporter Stephanie Gosk said on-air. The misconduct continued after the Games, Gosk said. An NBC representative did not respond to a request for more details. Fellow NBC News anchor Willie Geist, who hosts the "Today" show's Sunday program, told MSNBC's "Morning Joe" that he was stunned, especially given Lauer's role. "Matt Lauer is the most powerful person at NBC News, arguably," Geist said, referring to Lauer as a friend and mentor who he said had always led by example on the show's set. Comcast Corp, the largest US cable television company, owns NBCUniversal. Shares of Comcast rose 3.4 per cent to $37.49 in morning trade on Nasdaq. US President Donald Trump responded with messages on Twitter calling for some of Lauer's colleagues to be fired too and adding to his recent attacks against multiple US news outlets for their reporting on his administration. Wow, Matt Lauer was just fired from NBC for “inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace.” But when will the top executives at NBC & Comcast be fired for putting out so much Fake News. Check out Andy Lack’s past! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 29, 2017 × "Wow," Trump wrote about the Lauer announcement. "But when will the top executives at NBC & Comcast be fired for putting out so much Fake News. Check out Andy Lack's past!" he added, without further explanation. An NBC spokeswoman did not respond to questions about Trump's comments. So now that Matt Lauer is gone when will the Fake News practitioners at NBC be terminating the contract of Phil Griffin? And will they terminate low ratings Joe Scarborough based on the “unsolved mystery” that took place in Florida years ago? Investigate! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 29, 2017 × During the 2016 presidential campaign, then-Republican candidate Trump was accused by 13 women who publicly said that in the past he had physically touched them inappropriately in some way, the Washington Post reported. Trump denied the accusations, accused rival Democrats and the media of a smear campaign, and went on to win the election. Just last week, Lauer co-hosted with Guthrie NBC's Thanksgiving Day coverage of the Macy's parade in Manhattan. Since Lauer took over the anchor chair in 1997, "Today" has dominated morning show ratings. It earned $509 million in advertising revenue last year, more than any other morning show, New York-based analysts Kantar Media said. Lauer signed a two-year deal in 2016 that would pay him $20 million per year, according to Fortune Magazine. He joined "Today" in January 1994 and has interviewed presidents George Bush and Barack Obama and broadcast from seven Olympic games. There were reports that journalists from multiple outlets had been investigating complaints against Lauer. Elizabeth Wagmeister and Ramin Setoodeh, two Variety reporters, said they had been working for months on a story about sexual harassment allegations by multiple women against Lauer. "NBC was aware that Variety was working on a bombshell story about sexual harassment allegations against Matt Lauer," Setoodeh wrote on Twitter. “This is not a Hollywood media problem, this is a problem across all industries including the US government,” said Bob Bakish, CEO of Viacom Inc, when asked about the Matt Lauer firing, at the Business Insider IGNITION Conference in New York on Wednesday. “Secondly, this is not a US problem, it is a global problem.”

NBC News fires 'Today' co-host Matt Lauer for sexual misconduct

After a week of protests following the public beating of four Dalits (also known as &quot;untouchables) for skinning a dead cow, which Hindus revere as holy, the chief minister of the Indian state of Gujarat has resigned. 
 
Anandiben Patel, who took over as CM after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi vacated the position, posted her letter of resignation on Facebook.&nbsp;In it, she asked the BJP top brass to relieve her of her post as she was soon going to turn 75. 
 
Patel had come in for critcism for her handling of the fallout from the public beating of the Dalits. And under her leadership, the BJP has for the first time in the post-Narendra Modi era had to put up with a tough challenge from its opponents in the state. 
 
Patel, who will turn 75 on November 21 and who been a minister in the BJP government since 1998 and CM since 2014, said in her post-cum-resignation letter that the BJP needed a fresh face in the state before the elections next year. 
 
&quot;For the last some time there has been a tradition in the party that those who attain the age of 75, voluntarily retires from the post. I will attain the age of 75 in November,&quot; she said.&nbsp;&quot;Two months ago I had requested the party to relieve me from the post and today also through this letter, I request the party to relieve me of the post,&quot; she added. 
 
&quot;I am asking the party to relieve me two months in advance as the new chief minister will require the time to work, when the state is going to face elections in 2017 and an important event like Vibrant Gujarat Summit to be held in January,&quot; Patel said.&nbsp;&quot;It (the rule of 75) is a good thing and it will give a chance to young leaders to come up,&quot; she added. 
 
Elections in the state are due in the second half of 2017.&nbsp;The unwritten convention in the party in recent times, set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been that people quit their posts when they turn 75. 
 
Patel has had to deal a number of recent upsets. The BJP fared badly in the rural civic bodies poll of December 2015 and the opposition Congress made gains at the cost of the ruling party. 
 
She also had to deal with the fierce Patel community quota agitation, one of the factors which contributed to the BJP losing in the rural local bodies poll. The BJP though retained its hold over the urban areas. 
 
The Dalit uprising after the Una public beating incident also dented the image of the party.&nbsp; 
 
(WION with inputs from PTI)

Anandiben Patel's government had come in for criticism for its handling of the furore caused by the public beating of four low-caste Dalits

After a week of protests following the public beating of four Dalits (also known as "untouchables) for skinning a dead cow, which Hindus revere as holy, the chief minister of the Indian state of Gujarat has resigned. Anandiben Patel, who took over as CM after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi vacated the position, posted her letter of resignation on Facebook. In it, she asked the BJP top brass to relieve her of her post as she was soon going to turn 75. Patel had come in for critcism for her handling of the fallout from the public beating of the Dalits. And under her leadership, the BJP has for the first time in the post-Narendra Modi era had to put up with a tough challenge from its opponents in the state. Patel, who will turn 75 on November 21 and who been a minister in the BJP government since 1998 and CM since 2014, said in her post-cum-resignation letter that the BJP needed a fresh face in the state before the elections next year. "For the last some time there has been a tradition in the party that those who attain the age of 75, voluntarily retires from the post. I will attain the age of 75 in November," she said. "Two months ago I had requested the party to relieve me from the post and today also through this letter, I request the party to relieve me of the post," she added. "I am asking the party to relieve me two months in advance as the new chief minister will require the time to work, when the state is going to face elections in 2017 and an important event like Vibrant Gujarat Summit to be held in January," Patel said. "It (the rule of 75) is a good thing and it will give a chance to young leaders to come up," she added. Elections in the state are due in the second half of 2017. The unwritten convention in the party in recent times, set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been that people quit their posts when they turn 75. Patel has had to deal a number of recent upsets. The BJP fared badly in the rural civic bodies poll of December 2015 and the opposition Congress made gains at the cost of the ruling party. She also had to deal with the fierce Patel community quota agitation, one of the factors which contributed to the BJP losing in the rural local bodies poll. The BJP though retained its hold over the urban areas. The Dalit uprising after the Una public beating incident also dented the image of the party. (WION with inputs from PTI)

After week of protests, Gujarat chief minister posts her resignation on Facebook

Japanese mobile carrier SoftBank announced Wednesday they are planning to sell at least $ 7.9 billion (USD) of its stake in Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, as it looks to pay down a whopping debt load. 
 
The move will reduce SoftBank&#39;s 32.2 per cent holding in the Chinese company to about 28 per cent with the sale, it said, adding that proceeds would be earmarked to pay down debts. 
 
SoftBank said in a statement it has &quot;approved of a series of capital raising transactions, which involve monetising a portion of the shares of Alibaba&quot;. 
 
The Japanese mobile carrier, led by Masayoshi Son, first made its investment in Alibaba in 2000. 
 
&quot;This investment has been phenomenally successful and, over the past 16 years, we have built a close relationship, working together on 
many exciting projects,&quot; Son said in the statement, adding that the pair would continue to work together. 
 
Led by Son, SoftBank launched an acquisition streak that saw it pick up an assortment of firms, including its $16 billion purchase of US-based mobile giant Sprint. 
 
But the buying spree has put pressure on SoftBank&#39;s finances, and the firm also announced earlier this year it would buy back more than 14 per cent of its stock at a cost of about 500 billion yen. 
 
&nbsp;As per the official statement, Son and Alibaba&#39;s executive chairman Jack Ma will remain on the board of the other&#39;s firms 
 
&quot;Under the leadership of Masayoshi Son, SoftBank has been a highly valued, long-time partner of Alibaba for more than 16 years, and we look forward to continuing our strong partnership together,&quot; Ma said in a separate statement. 
 
&quot;As SoftBank looks to strengthen its own balance sheet, Alibaba determined that it was the best use of our capital to re-invest in our own business through an efficient buyback of a large number of shares in our own company that is accretive to our stockholders.&quot; 
 
SoftBank said Alibaba itself would buy back at least USD 2.0 billion worth of the shares it is selling. 
 
SoftBank has seen its profits boosted thanks to Alibaba&#39;s record USD 25 billion market debut in 2014 in New York. 
Today&#39;s announcement came after the Chinese online giant disclosed last week that US securities regulators were probing its accounting for possible violations of US securities laws. 
 
SoftBank shares rose more than two percent shortly after the opening bell today. 
 
Alibaba&#39;s US-listed shares declined 3.1 per cent yesterday after the announcement of SoftBank&#39;s planned share sale. (AFP)

Japanese mobile carrier SoftBank today said it will sell at least $ 7.9 billion (USD) of its stake in Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, as it looks to pay down a whopping debt.

Japanese mobile carrier SoftBank announced Wednesday they are planning to sell at least $ 7.9 billion (USD) of its stake in Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, as it looks to pay down a whopping debt load. The move will reduce SoftBank's 32.2 per cent holding in the Chinese company to about 28 per cent with the sale, it said, adding that proceeds would be earmarked to pay down debts. SoftBank said in a statement it has "approved of a series of capital raising transactions, which involve monetising a portion of the shares of Alibaba". The Japanese mobile carrier, led by Masayoshi Son, first made its investment in Alibaba in 2000. "This investment has been phenomenally successful and, over the past 16 years, we have built a close relationship, working together on many exciting projects," Son said in the statement, adding that the pair would continue to work together. Led by Son, SoftBank launched an acquisition streak that saw it pick up an assortment of firms, including its $16 billion purchase of US-based mobile giant Sprint. But the buying spree has put pressure on SoftBank's finances, and the firm also announced earlier this year it would buy back more than 14 per cent of its stock at a cost of about 500 billion yen. As per the official statement, Son and Alibaba's executive chairman Jack Ma will remain on the board of the other's firms "Under the leadership of Masayoshi Son, SoftBank has been a highly valued, long-time partner of Alibaba for more than 16 years, and we look forward to continuing our strong partnership together," Ma said in a separate statement. "As SoftBank looks to strengthen its own balance sheet, Alibaba determined that it was the best use of our capital to re-invest in our own business through an efficient buyback of a large number of shares in our own company that is accretive to our stockholders." SoftBank said Alibaba itself would buy back at least USD 2.0 billion worth of the shares it is selling. SoftBank has seen its profits boosted thanks to Alibaba's record USD 25 billion market debut in 2014 in New York. Today's announcement came after the Chinese online giant disclosed last week that US securities regulators were probing its accounting for possible violations of US securities laws. SoftBank shares rose more than two percent shortly after the opening bell today. Alibaba's US-listed shares declined 3.1 per cent yesterday after the announcement of SoftBank's planned share sale. (AFP)

SoftBank to sell part of stake in China's Alibaba for $7.9 billion

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