Sputnik V, the COVID-19 vaccine from Russia, has been given 'Emergency Use Authorisation' in India by a panel of experts. Meanwhile, the British government has opened an official independently-run investigation into former Prime Minister David Cameron's lobbying activities for financier Lex Greensill, The Sun newspaper reported.&nbsp;

 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/russias-sputnik-v-covid-vaccine-gets-emergency-nod-from-expert-panel-in-india-377064">Russia's Sputnik V COVID vaccine gets emergency nod in India from experts</a>

<img alt="Top 1" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d898c3a1-65b7-4cc1-a096-4549eb358806" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Top%201.PNG" />

This is the third vaccine to get a go-ahead for use after Covishield and Covaxin.

&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-opens-official-investigation-into-ex-pm-camerons-lobbying-says-the-sun-377100">UK opens official investigation into ex-PM Cameron's lobbying, says The Sun</a>

<img alt="Top 2" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="63ad47ba-9478-48aa-a3d9-f1722c5b970b" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Top%202.PNG" />

The Financial Times and Sunday Times newspapers have reported that Cameron contacted ministers directly to lobby on behalf of Greensill Capital, including sending texts to finance minister Rishi Sunak and arranging a private drink between Greensill and Health Secretary Matt Hancock.

&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/syrian-air-force-may-have-dropped-chlorine-bomb-on-town-in-rebel-area-in-2018-says-watchdog-377084">Syrian air force may have dropped chlorine bomb on town in rebel area in 2018, says watchdog&nbsp;</a>

<img alt="Top 3" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="52609a85-fe8c-46fa-af98-8334df6e55cb" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Top%203.PNG" />

The new report by the OPCW chemical weapons watchdog's investigative arm said no one was killed when the cylinder of chlorine gas, delivered in a barrel bomb, hit the Al Talil neighbourhood in the city of Saraqib in February 2018.

&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/lebanese-minister-expands-claim-in-maritime-area-dispute-with-israel-377099">Lebanese minister expands claim in maritime area dispute with Israel&nbsp;</a>

<img alt="Top 4" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="21e9077e-de3b-4b62-bdfe-ab8f70d016ba" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Top%204.PNG" />

The amendment would add around 1,400 square kilometres (540.54 square miles) to the exclusive economic zone claimed by Lebanon in its original submission to the United Nations.

&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-huge-fire-in-historic-factory-in-st-petersburg-377093">Russia: Huge fire in historic factory in St Petersburg</a>

<img alt="Top 5" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="56ea1e88-afb3-4b34-9da7-5671896d8922" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Top%205.PNG" />

The enormous factory, founded as a cloth manufacturer in 1841, was engulfed in flames.

&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-prince-harry-praises-philip-for-dedication-to-granny-377111">Prince Harry praises Philip for 'dedication to Granny'</a>

<img alt="Top 6" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="04e7c3a6-b138-4da1-a9ec-14eb5b902d76" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Top%206.PNG" />

Releasing a statement on his return to Britain from his home in the United States ahead of Philip`s funeral on Saturday, Harry said the Duke of Edinburgh had been a man of "service, honour and great humour".

&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/one-person-shot-dead-in-front-of-paris-hospital-says-police-source-377106">One person shot dead in front of Paris hospital, says police source</a>&nbsp;

<img alt="Top 7" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b5ade238-ab16-4c26-a559-595abe6b4ba8" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Top%207%20A.PNG" />

The source said the injured person was now being treated inside the hospital, the Henry Dunant, which is also a Covid-19 vaccination centre. The motive for the shootings remains unknown.

&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-prince-philip-reportedly-wasnt-keen-to-turn-100-can%E2%80%99t-imagine-anything-worse-377094">Prince Philip reportedly wasn't keen to turn 100: 'Can’t imagine anything worse'</a>

<img alt="Top 8 A" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="cf552730-491d-4104-999d-cac21215811a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Top%208%20A.PNG" />

The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip died two months short of his centenary birthday.

&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/houthis-claim-to-attack-saudi-aramco-facilities-no-confirmation-from-riyadh-377090">Houthis claim to attack Saudi Aramco facilities; no confirmation from Riyadh</a>

<img alt="Top 9 A" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="449b784f-509b-4d84-8352-e3e540af864c" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Top%209%20A.PNG" />

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said on Twitter the group's barrage included 10 Samad-3 drones fired at refineries in the Red Sea city of Jeddah and Jubail in the Eastern Province.

&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/czech-foreign-minister-to-lose-job-after-challenging-party-leader-377083">Czech foreign minister to lose job after challenging party leader</a>

<img alt="Top 10 A" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d2505bc8-2e0b-4c36-8563-60ef2b236472" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Top%2010%20A.PNG" />

Party chief Jan Hamacek will submit a proposal to the prime minister later on Monday to dismiss Petricek, Hamacek said.

Sputnik V, the COVID-19 vaccine from Russia, has been given 'Emergency Use Authorisation' in India by a panel of experts. Meanwhile, the British government has opened an official independently-run investigation into former Prime Minister David Cameron's lobbying activities for financier Lex Greensill, The Sun newspaper reported.

Sputnik V, the COVID-19 vaccine from Russia, has been given 'Emergency Use Authorisation' in India by a panel of experts. Meanwhile, the British government has opened an official independently-run investigation into former Prime Minister David Cameron's lobbying activities for financier Lex Greensill, The Sun newspaper reported. Russia's Sputnik V COVID vaccine gets emergency nod in India from experts This is the third vaccine to get a go-ahead for use after Covishield and Covaxin. UK opens official investigation into ex-PM Cameron's lobbying, says The Sun The Financial Times and Sunday Times newspapers have reported that Cameron contacted ministers directly to lobby on behalf of Greensill Capital, including sending texts to finance minister Rishi Sunak and arranging a private drink between Greensill and Health Secretary Matt Hancock. Syrian air force may have dropped chlorine bomb on town in rebel area in 2018, says watchdog The new report by the OPCW chemical weapons watchdog's investigative arm said no one was killed when the cylinder of chlorine gas, delivered in a barrel bomb, hit the Al Talil neighbourhood in the city of Saraqib in February 2018. Lebanese minister expands claim in maritime area dispute with Israel The amendment would add around 1,400 square kilometres (540.54 square miles) to the exclusive economic zone claimed by Lebanon in its original submission to the United Nations. Russia: Huge fire in historic factory in St Petersburg The enormous factory, founded as a cloth manufacturer in 1841, was engulfed in flames. Prince Harry praises Philip for 'dedication to Granny' Releasing a statement on his return to Britain from his home in the United States ahead of Philip`s funeral on Saturday, Harry said the Duke of Edinburgh had been a man of "service, honour and great humour". One person shot dead in front of Paris hospital, says police source The source said the injured person was now being treated inside the hospital, the Henry Dunant, which is also a Covid-19 vaccination centre. The motive for the shootings remains unknown. Prince Philip reportedly wasn't keen to turn 100: 'Can’t imagine anything worse' The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip died two months short of his centenary birthday. Houthis claim to attack Saudi Aramco facilities; no confirmation from Riyadh Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said on Twitter the group's barrage included 10 Samad-3 drones fired at refineries in the Red Sea city of Jeddah and Jubail in the Eastern Province. Czech foreign minister to lose job after challenging party leader Party chief Jan Hamacek will submit a proposal to the prime minister later on Monday to dismiss Petricek, Hamacek said.

Top 10 World News: Sputnik V vaccine gets emergency nod in India, and more

Israel's legal and political dramas converged Monday as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced court in his corruption trial while his bid to form a government after another inconclusive election reached a critical phase. Taiwan’s Defence Ministry on Monday reported a new incursion by China’s air force into the island’s air defence identification zone, made up of eight fighter jets and two other aircraft, one of which flew through the strategic Bashi Channel. Taiwan’s Defence Ministry on Monday reported a new incursion by China’s air force into the island’s air defence identification zone, made up of eight fighter jets and two other aircraft, one of which flew through the strategic Bashi Channel. Read this and more in our Top 10 World News brief.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-prime-minister-benjamin-netanyahu-faces-court-in-corruption-trial-375515">Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces court in corruption trial</a>

<img alt="Israel" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="6fd1ee7e-b309-4ce1-9e43-a5ca61688a2f" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Top%2010%20-%20Final%20-%202.jpg" />

The 71-year-old veteran premier -- who last month contested his fourth election in less than two years -- arrived at the Jerusalem courthouse where he was met by supporters but also opponents who called him Israel's "crime minister".

 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/taiwan-reports-new-incursion-by-chinas-air-force-into-defence-zone-375512">Taiwan reports new incursion by China’s Air Force into defence zone</a>

<img alt="Taiwan" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="6ad46134-2381-4ce7-ad42-d707efb91e96" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Top%2010%20-%20Final%20-%203.jpg" />

Chinese-claimed Taiwan has complained over the last few months of repeated missions by China’s air force near the island, concentrated in the southwestern part its air defence zone near the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands

 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/police-communities-across-us-fight-back-against-anti-asian-hate-crimes-375520">Police, communities across US fight back against anti-Asian hate crimes</a>

<img alt="US" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2ab9c909-8ced-4272-ae09-7b4a0f9789fe" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Top%2010%20-%20Final%20-%204.jpg" />

The officers walked through the arcade of hair and nail salons, restaurants serving Vietnamese cuisine, and herbal medicine shops on Saturday, talking to business owners and patrons

 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-extends-deadline-for-twitter-to-remove-banned-content-375503">Russia extends deadline for Twitter to remove 'banned' content</a>

<img alt="Russia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="6f130269-f2fb-4644-897e-5c82d0cd514d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Top%2010%20-%20Final%20-%205.jpg" />

State telecommunications watchdog Roskomnadzor imposed slowdowns on Twitter's services in mid-March, accusing it of failing to remove banned content

 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-shuts-secret-guantanamo-prison-unit-moves-prisoners-to-another-nearby-camp-375521">US shuts secret Guantanamo prison unit, moves prisoners to another nearby camp</a>

<img alt="Guantamo" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="58ddfb38-31f4-46fc-a1fc-3dd99f0425fa" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Top%2010%20-%20Final%20-%206.jpg" />

Biden's Democratic predecessor Obama had pitched for closing the camps but could not reach a deal with Congress when Biden was his vice-president.

 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-to-announce-new-rules-to-restart-international-travel-375522">UK to announce new rules to restart international travel</a>

<img alt="UK" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d8250a17-004f-4b42-bfe4-acf28147e620" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Top%2010%20-%20Final%20-%207.jpg" />

Travel destinations will be categorised as red, amber or green based on the virus risk.

 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/former-chief-of-chinese-defence-giant-norinco-being-probed-for-corruption-375495">Former chief of Chinese defence giant Norinco being probed for corruption</a>

<img alt="CHina" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="cd0e4e40-1661-497e-9ba5-fe396cb9b869" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Top%2010%20-%20Final%20-%208.jpg" />

Yin was at the helm of the company’s leadership between 2013-2018, and is among many being probed from the defence industry

 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/jordans-prince-hamzah-refuses-to-obey-restrictions-on-movements-amid-coup-allegations-375489">Jordan's Prince Hamzah refuses to obey restrictions on movements amid 'coup' allegations</a>

<img alt="Jordan" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7e5cd50e-3389-450d-8585-ace6994ad582" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Top%2010%20-%20Final%20-%209.jpg" />

The government has accused Hamzah of involvement in a seditious conspiracy to "destabilise the kingdom's security", placed him under house arrest and detained at least 16 more people.

 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-extends-easter-wishes-especially-to-radical-left-crazies-375487">Donald Trump extends Easter wishes, especially to 'Radical Left CRAZIES'</a>

<img alt="Trump" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b3452439-13f0-42e8-b5f3-fa8258c6de87" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Top%2010%20-%20Final%20-%2010.jpg" />

After being banned from Twitter and Facebook in the aftermath of the Capitol riot, Trump has been assessing other ways to get his word out

 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/over-100-nabbed-10-officers-injured-in-londons-kill-the-bill-protests-375484">Over 100 nabbed, 10 officers injured in London's 'Kill the Bill' protests</a>

<img alt="London" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8a3b6158-8c03-4d0e-b460-f172648632e2" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Top%2010%20-%20Final%20-%2011.jpg" />

Earlier on Sunday, London police said that 10 officers were left with minor injuries after police and protesters clashed in central London on Saturday

Israel's legal and political dramas converged Monday as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced court in his corruption trial while his bid to form a government after another inconclusive election reached a critical phase.

Israel's legal and political dramas converged Monday as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced court in his corruption trial while his bid to form a government after another inconclusive election reached a critical phase. Taiwan’s Defence Ministry on Monday reported a new incursion by China’s air force into the island’s air defence identification zone, made up of eight fighter jets and two other aircraft, one of which flew through the strategic Bashi Channel. Taiwan’s Defence Ministry on Monday reported a new incursion by China’s air force into the island’s air defence identification zone, made up of eight fighter jets and two other aircraft, one of which flew through the strategic Bashi Channel. Read this and more in our Top 10 World News brief. Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces court in corruption trial The 71-year-old veteran premier -- who last month contested his fourth election in less than two years -- arrived at the Jerusalem courthouse where he was met by supporters but also opponents who called him Israel's "crime minister". Taiwan reports new incursion by China’s Air Force into defence zone Chinese-claimed Taiwan has complained over the last few months of repeated missions by China’s air force near the island, concentrated in the southwestern part its air defence zone near the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands Police, communities across US fight back against anti-Asian hate crimes The officers walked through the arcade of hair and nail salons, restaurants serving Vietnamese cuisine, and herbal medicine shops on Saturday, talking to business owners and patrons Russia extends deadline for Twitter to remove 'banned' content State telecommunications watchdog Roskomnadzor imposed slowdowns on Twitter's services in mid-March, accusing it of failing to remove banned content US shuts secret Guantanamo prison unit, moves prisoners to another nearby camp Biden's Democratic predecessor Obama had pitched for closing the camps but could not reach a deal with Congress when Biden was his vice-president. UK to announce new rules to restart international travel Travel destinations will be categorised as red, amber or green based on the virus risk. Former chief of Chinese defence giant Norinco being probed for corruption Yin was at the helm of the company’s leadership between 2013-2018, and is among many being probed from the defence industry Jordan's Prince Hamzah refuses to obey restrictions on movements amid 'coup' allegations The government has accused Hamzah of involvement in a seditious conspiracy to "destabilise the kingdom's security", placed him under house arrest and detained at least 16 more people. Donald Trump extends Easter wishes, especially to 'Radical Left CRAZIES' After being banned from Twitter and Facebook in the aftermath of the Capitol riot, Trump has been assessing other ways to get his word out Over 100 nabbed, 10 officers injured in London's 'Kill the Bill' protests Earlier on Sunday, London police said that 10 officers were left with minor injuries after police and protesters clashed in central London on Saturday

Top 10 World News: Netanyahu faces court, Taiwan reports incursion, and more

Russia has registered the world's first vaccine for animals against Covid-19, its agricultural regulator said on Wednesday, after tests showed it generated antibodies against the virus in dogs, cats, foxes and mink.&nbsp;

Mass production of the vaccine, called Carnivac-Cov, can start in April, regulator Rosselkhoznadzor said.&nbsp;

The World Health Organisation has expressed concern over the transmission of the virus between humans and animals. The regulator said the vaccine would be able to protect vulnerable species and thwart viral mutations.&nbsp;

Russia has so far only registered two cases of Covid-19 among animals, both in cats.&nbsp;

Denmark culled all 17 million mink on its farms last year after concluding that a strain of the virus had passed from humans to mink and that mutated strains of the virus had then turned up among people.&nbsp;

Rosselkhoznadzor said Russian fur farms planned to buy the vaccine, along with businesses in Greece, Poland and Austria. Russia's fur farm industry accounts for around 3% of the global market, down from 30% in the Soviet era, according to the main trade body.&nbsp;

Alexander Gintsburg, head of the institute that developed Russia's Sputnik V human vaccine, was quoted in Izvestia newspaper on Monday as saying Covid-19 was likely to hit animals next.&nbsp;

“The next stage of the epidemic is the infection with the coronavirus of farm and domestic animals," Gintsburg said.&nbsp;

Some scientists say that cats and dogs do not play a major role in transmitting the coronavirus to humans and that their own symptoms are often mild if they contract Covid-19.&nbsp;

Clinical trials of the Russian animal vaccine began in October last year and involved dogs, cats, Arctic foxes, mink, foxes and other animals.&nbsp;

"The results of the trials allow us to conclude that the vaccine is safe and highly immunogenic as all the vaccinated animals developed antibodies to the coronavirus," Konstantin Savenkov, Rosselkhoznadzor's deputy head, said in the statement.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Russia has registered the world's first vaccine for animals against Covid-19, its agricultural regulator said on Wednesday, after tests showed it generated antibodies against the virus in dogs, cats, foxes and mink.

Russia has registered the world's first vaccine for animals against Covid-19, its agricultural regulator said on Wednesday, after tests showed it generated antibodies against the virus in dogs, cats, foxes and mink. Mass production of the vaccine, called Carnivac-Cov, can start in April, regulator Rosselkhoznadzor said. The World Health Organisation has expressed concern over the transmission of the virus between humans and animals. The regulator said the vaccine would be able to protect vulnerable species and thwart viral mutations. Russia has so far only registered two cases of Covid-19 among animals, both in cats. Denmark culled all 17 million mink on its farms last year after concluding that a strain of the virus had passed from humans to mink and that mutated strains of the virus had then turned up among people. Rosselkhoznadzor said Russian fur farms planned to buy the vaccine, along with businesses in Greece, Poland and Austria. Russia's fur farm industry accounts for around 3% of the global market, down from 30% in the Soviet era, according to the main trade body. Alexander Gintsburg, head of the institute that developed Russia's Sputnik V human vaccine, was quoted in Izvestia newspaper on Monday as saying Covid-19 was likely to hit animals next. “The next stage of the epidemic is the infection with the coronavirus of farm and domestic animals," Gintsburg said. Some scientists say that cats and dogs do not play a major role in transmitting the coronavirus to humans and that their own symptoms are often mild if they contract Covid-19. Clinical trials of the Russian animal vaccine began in October last year and involved dogs, cats, Arctic foxes, mink, foxes and other animals. "The results of the trials allow us to conclude that the vaccine is safe and highly immunogenic as all the vaccinated animals developed antibodies to the coronavirus," Konstantin Savenkov, Rosselkhoznadzor's deputy head, said in the statement. (With inputs from agencies)

In a first, Russia registers Covid-19 vaccine for animals 

President Joe Biden wants to forge an “alliance of democracies.” China wants to make clear that it has alliances of its own.

Only days after a rancorous encounter with U.S. officials in Alaska, China’s foreign minister joined his Russian counterpart last week to denounce Western meddling and sanctions.

He then headed to the Middle East to visit traditional U.S. allies, including Saudi Arabia and Turkey, as well as Iran, where he signed a sweeping investment agreement Saturday. China’s leader, Xi Jinping, reached out to Colombia one day and pledged support for North Korea on another.

Although officials denied the timing was intentional, the message clearly was. China hopes to position itself as the main challenger to an international order, led by the United States, that is generally guided by principles of democracy, respect for human rights and adherence to rule of law.

Such a system “does not represent the will of the international community,” China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, told Russia’s, Sergey Lavrov, when they met in the southern Chinese city of Guilin.

In a joint statement, they accused the United States of bullying and interference and urged it to “reflect on the damage it has done to global peace and development in recent years.”

The threat of a U.S.-led coalition challenging China’s authoritarian policies has only bolstered Beijing’s ambition to be a global leader of nations that oppose Washington and its allies. It shows an increasingly confident and unapologetic China, one that not only refutes U.S. criticism of its internal affairs but that presents its own values as a model for others.

“They’re actually trying to build an argument like, ‘We’re the more responsible power. We’re not the spoilers or an axis of evil,’” John Delury, a professor of Chinese studies at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea, said of China’s strategy.

As result, the world is increasingly dividing into distinct if not purely ideological camps, with both China and the United States hoping to lure supporters.

Biden made that clear in his first presidential news conference Thursday, presenting a foreign policy based on geopolitical competition between models of governance. He compared Xi to Russian President Vladimir Putin, “who thinks that autocracy is the wave of the future and democracy can’t function” in “an ever-complex world.”

He later called the challenge “a battle between the utility of democracies in the 21st century and autocracies.”

China, for its part, argues that it is the United States dividing the world into blocs. Xi set the tone shortly after Biden’s inauguration, telling this year’s World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that multilateralism should be based on consensus among many countries, not a view advanced by “one or the few.”

“To build small circles or start a new Cold War, to reject, threaten or intimidate others, to willfully impose decoupling, supply disruption or sanctions, and to create isolation or estrangement will only push the world into division and even confrontation,” Xi said.

In pushing back on criticism of its policies in recent days, China has championed the primacy of international organizations like the United Nations, where Beijing’s clout has grown.

Wang noted that more than 80 countries at the U.N. Human Rights Council had expressed support for China’s actions in Xinjiang, the far western region where authorities have detained and interned Uyghur Muslims in a campaign the United States declared a genocide.

As a result, the world is increasingly dividing into distinct, if not purely ideological, camps, with both China and the United States hoping to lure in supporters. China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs claimed that Wang secured an endorsement of its Xinjiang policies, as well as its quashing of dissent in Hong Kong, from Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, though a Saudi statement did not mention Xinjiang.

China’s most striking alignment is with Russia, where Putin has long complained about U.S. hegemony and its use — abuse, in his view — of the global financial system as an instrument of foreign policy.

The Russian foreign minister arrived in China on March 22 railing about U.S. sanctions and saying the world needed to reduce its reliance on the U.S. dollar.

China and Russia have drawn closer especially since Putin’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 was met with international outrage and Western penalties. While the possibility of a formal alliance remains remote, the countries’ diplomatic and economic ties have deepened in common cause against the United States. So have strategic ties. The People’s Liberation Army and the Russian military now routinely hold exercises together and have twice conducted joint air patrols along Japan’s coast, most recently in December.

The two countries announced this month that they would build a research station on the moon together, setting the stage for competing space programs, one led by China and the other by the United States.

“The latest steps and gestures by the Biden administration, seen as hostile and insulting by the Russian and Chinese leaders, have predictably pushed Moscow and Beijing even deeper into a mutual embrace,” said Artyom Lukin, a professor of international studies at the Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok, Russia.

Chinese officials, like the Russians, have repeatedly said the United States lacks the standing to criticize other nations. They cite as evidence its military interventions in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya and accuse it of instigating public protests against governments it opposes.

In his extraordinary confrontation with U.S. officials in Alaska, China’s top diplomat, Yang Jiechi, cited racism and police brutality in the United States, along with mishandling of the coronavirus pandemic, as evidence of the country’s decline.

China’s State Council released a report on human rights in the United States on Wednesday, using as an epigraph George Floyd’s plea to the police, “I can’t breathe.”

“The United States should lower the tone of democracy and human rights and talk more about cooperation in global affairs,” Yuan Peng, president of the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, a government think tank, wrote the same day.

From that perspective, Xi’s outreach to North Korea and Wang’s visit to Iran could signal China’s interest in working with the United States to resolve disputes over those two countries’ nuclear programs.

Biden’s administration may be open to that. After the Alaska meetings, Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioned both as potential areas where “our interests intersect” with China’s.

In other areas, a chasm is widening.

Since Biden’s election, China has sought to prevent the United States from forging a united front against it. It appealed to the new administration to resume cooperation after the confrontations of the Trump years. It sealed trade and investment agreements, including one with the European Union, hoping to box out Biden.

It did not work. The first results of Biden’s strategy emerged last week, when the United States, Canada, Britain and the European Union jointly announced sanctions on Chinese officials over Xinjiang. China’s condemnation was swift.

“The era when it was possible to make up a story and concoct lies to wantonly meddle in Chinese domestic affairs is past and will not come back,” Wang said.

China retaliated with sanctions of its own against elected officials and scholars in the European Union and Britain. Similar penalties followed Saturday on Canadians and Americans, including top officials at the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, a government body that held a hearing this month on forced labor in Xinjiang. All affected will be barred from traveling to China or conducting business with Chinese companies or individuals.

Theresa Fallon, director of the Center for Russia Europe Asia Studies in Brussels, said China’s sanctions on Europeans were an overreaction that would drive officials into an anti-China camp.

They could also jeopardize China’s investment deal with the European Union, as many of those penalized are members of the European Parliament, whose approval is required. So could new campaigns by Chinese consumers against major Western brands like H&amp;amp;M and Nike.

Until now, many EU nations have not wanted to explicitly choose sides, eschewing the kind of bipolar ideological divisions seen during the Cold War, in part because of deepening economic ties with China.

With each new twist in relations, however, clearer camps are emerging.

“The Chinese mirror all the time,” Fallon said. “They always accuse people of Cold War thinking because I think that’s really, deep down, how they think.”

President Joe Biden wants to forge an “alliance of democracies.” China wants to make clear that it has alliances of its own. Only days after a rancorous encounter with U.

President Joe Biden wants to forge an “alliance of democracies.” China wants to make clear that it has alliances of its own. Only days after a rancorous encounter with U.S. officials in Alaska, China’s foreign minister joined his Russian counterpart last week to denounce Western meddling and sanctions. He then headed to the Middle East to visit traditional U.S. allies, including Saudi Arabia and Turkey, as well as Iran, where he signed a sweeping investment agreement Saturday. China’s leader, Xi Jinping, reached out to Colombia one day and pledged support for North Korea on another. Although officials denied the timing was intentional, the message clearly was. China hopes to position itself as the main challenger to an international order, led by the United States, that is generally guided by principles of democracy, respect for human rights and adherence to rule of law. Such a system “does not represent the will of the international community,” China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, told Russia’s, Sergey Lavrov, when they met in the southern Chinese city of Guilin. In a joint statement, they accused the United States of bullying and interference and urged it to “reflect on the damage it has done to global peace and development in recent years.” The threat of a U.S.-led coalition challenging China’s authoritarian policies has only bolstered Beijing’s ambition to be a global leader of nations that oppose Washington and its allies. It shows an increasingly confident and unapologetic China, one that not only refutes U.S. criticism of its internal affairs but that presents its own values as a model for others. “They’re actually trying to build an argument like, ‘We’re the more responsible power. We’re not the spoilers or an axis of evil,’” John Delury, a professor of Chinese studies at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea, said of China’s strategy. As result, the world is increasingly dividing into distinct if not purely ideological camps, with both China and the United States hoping to lure supporters. Biden made that clear in his first presidential news conference Thursday, presenting a foreign policy based on geopolitical competition between models of governance. He compared Xi to Russian President Vladimir Putin, “who thinks that autocracy is the wave of the future and democracy can’t function” in “an ever-complex world.” He later called the challenge “a battle between the utility of democracies in the 21st century and autocracies.” China, for its part, argues that it is the United States dividing the world into blocs. Xi set the tone shortly after Biden’s inauguration, telling this year’s World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that multilateralism should be based on consensus among many countries, not a view advanced by “one or the few.” “To build small circles or start a new Cold War, to reject, threaten or intimidate others, to willfully impose decoupling, supply disruption or sanctions, and to create isolation or estrangement will only push the world into division and even confrontation,” Xi said. In pushing back on criticism of its policies in recent days, China has championed the primacy of international organizations like the United Nations, where Beijing’s clout has grown. Wang noted that more than 80 countries at the U.N. Human Rights Council had expressed support for China’s actions in Xinjiang, the far western region where authorities have detained and interned Uyghur Muslims in a campaign the United States declared a genocide. As a result, the world is increasingly dividing into distinct, if not purely ideological, camps, with both China and the United States hoping to lure in supporters. China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs claimed that Wang secured an endorsement of its Xinjiang policies, as well as its quashing of dissent in Hong Kong, from Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, though a Saudi statement did not mention Xinjiang. China’s most striking alignment is with Russia, where Putin has long complained about U.S. hegemony and its use — abuse, in his view — of the global financial system as an instrument of foreign policy. The Russian foreign minister arrived in China on March 22 railing about U.S. sanctions and saying the world needed to reduce its reliance on the U.S. dollar. China and Russia have drawn closer especially since Putin’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 was met with international outrage and Western penalties. While the possibility of a formal alliance remains remote, the countries’ diplomatic and economic ties have deepened in common cause against the United States. So have strategic ties. The People’s Liberation Army and the Russian military now routinely hold exercises together and have twice conducted joint air patrols along Japan’s coast, most recently in December. The two countries announced this month that they would build a research station on the moon together, setting the stage for competing space programs, one led by China and the other by the United States. “The latest steps and gestures by the Biden administration, seen as hostile and insulting by the Russian and Chinese leaders, have predictably pushed Moscow and Beijing even deeper into a mutual embrace,” said Artyom Lukin, a professor of international studies at the Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok, Russia. Chinese officials, like the Russians, have repeatedly said the United States lacks the standing to criticize other nations. They cite as evidence its military interventions in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya and accuse it of instigating public protests against governments it opposes. In his extraordinary confrontation with U.S. officials in Alaska, China’s top diplomat, Yang Jiechi, cited racism and police brutality in the United States, along with mishandling of the coronavirus pandemic, as evidence of the country’s decline. China’s State Council released a report on human rights in the United States on Wednesday, using as an epigraph George Floyd’s plea to the police, “I can’t breathe.” “The United States should lower the tone of democracy and human rights and talk more about cooperation in global affairs,” Yuan Peng, president of the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, a government think tank, wrote the same day. From that perspective, Xi’s outreach to North Korea and Wang’s visit to Iran could signal China’s interest in working with the United States to resolve disputes over those two countries’ nuclear programs. Biden’s administration may be open to that. After the Alaska meetings, Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioned both as potential areas where “our interests intersect” with China’s. In other areas, a chasm is widening. Since Biden’s election, China has sought to prevent the United States from forging a united front against it. It appealed to the new administration to resume cooperation after the confrontations of the Trump years. It sealed trade and investment agreements, including one with the European Union, hoping to box out Biden. It did not work. The first results of Biden’s strategy emerged last week, when the United States, Canada, Britain and the European Union jointly announced sanctions on Chinese officials over Xinjiang. China’s condemnation was swift. “The era when it was possible to make up a story and concoct lies to wantonly meddle in Chinese domestic affairs is past and will not come back,” Wang said. China retaliated with sanctions of its own against elected officials and scholars in the European Union and Britain. Similar penalties followed Saturday on Canadians and Americans, including top officials at the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, a government body that held a hearing this month on forced labor in Xinjiang. All affected will be barred from traveling to China or conducting business with Chinese companies or individuals. Theresa Fallon, director of the Center for Russia Europe Asia Studies in Brussels, said China’s sanctions on Europeans were an overreaction that would drive officials into an anti-China camp. They could also jeopardize China’s investment deal with the European Union, as many of those penalized are members of the European Parliament, whose approval is required. So could new campaigns by Chinese consumers against major Western brands like H&amp;M and Nike. Until now, many EU nations have not wanted to explicitly choose sides, eschewing the kind of bipolar ideological divisions seen during the Cold War, in part because of deepening economic ties with China. With each new twist in relations, however, clearer camps are emerging. “The Chinese mirror all the time,” Fallon said. “They always accuse people of Cold War thinking because I think that’s really, deep down, how they think.”

An alliance of autocracies? China wants to lead a new world order.

India, China, Brazil are among nations from which leadership will emerge in the post-pandemic world order, but it is too early to tell, according to Youssef Chahed, former chief of government, Tunisia.

"The new leadership will come from many countries like India, Brazil, Europe and China. It is still too early to tell," he said at the WION Global summit in Dubai on Wednesday.

"The country or the force having recognised as safe from the pandemic will gain power. The lesson from Covid-19 is that it doesn't apply to all...We can imagine basic outlines of how the new leadership will be, though&nbsp;it still remains speculative."&nbsp;

The recovery of the economies from the pandemic is likely to depend on the crisis management and the quick containment of the virus. "The speed and amount of the recovery will vary across regions and depend on access to medical facilities, effectiveness of the policy support, characteristics of the companies before the beginning of the crisis," said Chahed.&nbsp;

According to the politician, the response of Asian countries such as China, India, South Korea and&nbsp;Vietnam&nbsp;to the pandemic contrasted with that of the&nbsp;US and Europe. While we see China and India continue to grow in 2021, the Europe and Latin America will lag behind, he added.&nbsp;

Pointing out that the recovery will also depend on innovation, he said, "In 2008, companies who invested in innovation&nbsp;survived the recession." &nbsp;

He said it is too early to say that multilateral global system has failed. But it is clear that no country played global leadership during the pandemic. Today, China and US have internal challenges. And China will also probably try to continue to promote its model of controlling the virus. &nbsp;

Chahed looked to indicate that the political leaders, who did management mistakes during the pandemic, will pay high political prices as the mistakes have the power to undermine the government or leader.&nbsp;

India, China, Brazil are among nations from which leadership will emerge in the post-pandemic world order, but it is too early to tell, according to Youssef Chahed, former chief of government, Tunisia.

India, China, Brazil are among nations from which leadership will emerge in the post-pandemic world order, but it is too early to tell, according to Youssef Chahed, former chief of government, Tunisia. "The new leadership will come from many countries like India, Brazil, Europe and China. It is still too early to tell," he said at the WION Global summit in Dubai on Wednesday. "The country or the force having recognised as safe from the pandemic will gain power. The lesson from Covid-19 is that it doesn't apply to all...We can imagine basic outlines of how the new leadership will be, though it still remains speculative." The recovery of the economies from the pandemic is likely to depend on the crisis management and the quick containment of the virus. "The speed and amount of the recovery will vary across regions and depend on access to medical facilities, effectiveness of the policy support, characteristics of the companies before the beginning of the crisis," said Chahed. According to the politician, the response of Asian countries such as China, India, South Korea and Vietnam to the pandemic contrasted with that of the US and Europe. While we see China and India continue to grow in 2021, the Europe and Latin America will lag behind, he added. Pointing out that the recovery will also depend on innovation, he said, "In 2008, companies who invested in innovation survived the recession." He said it is too early to say that multilateral global system has failed. But it is clear that no country played global leadership during the pandemic. Today, China and US have internal challenges. And China will also probably try to continue to promote its model of controlling the virus. Chahed looked to indicate that the political leaders, who did management mistakes during the pandemic, will pay high political prices as the mistakes have the power to undermine the government or leader.

Who will lead the post-pandemic order? Leaders debate at WION Global Summit

Are you ready to live with the coronavirus for another five years? Answer is surely no. The entire world is desperate for the pandemic to end, but for it, we need herd immunity. The global population is now close to eight billion. Out of this, 75 per cent needs to be vaccinated. Each individual need two doses. So, where do we stand?&nbsp;

Right now, more than six million shots are being administered every day across the world. At this rate, it will take five years to cover 75 per cent of the world's population. We started in 2021 with vaccines but the rollout has been terribly slow. Rich countries are hoarding vaccines and there is a supply shortage.&nbsp;

Countries like Japan might waste millions of shots as they don't have the right needles. Last week, the United Nations said 130 countries still haven't received even a single shot. The global vaccination programme needs a jump start and India can help.&nbsp;

India is running the world's largest vaccination drive right now. It could be the catalyst that the global vaccination drive needs. There are two reasons. &nbsp;

Firstly, India has a population of more than one billion. It is almost 18 per cent of the world's total population. If India vaccinates 75 per cent of its population. Close to a billion people will be immune to the virus. This can encourage more people around the world to take vaccines.&nbsp;

Secondly, India's vaccine manufacturing capabilities. Before the pandemic, India produced 60 per cent of the vaccines for the world and delivering 390 million doses annually for aliments like measles and tuberculosis already.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-is-india-going-slow-with-wuhan-vaccine-shots-365770">WATCH|</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-is-india-going-slow-with-wuhan-vaccine-shots-365770/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

India is contributing to the global fight as it is sending vaccines to all corners of the world. Both under commercial contracts as well as gifts. By mid February, India exported more than 1.6 crore shots. 37 per cent of these supplies were gifts to friendly countries and a large shipment of the oxford vaccine was dispatched from India for Covax, the global vaccine alliance, led by the World Health Organization. These shots will be sent to 25 to 30 countries.&nbsp;

What about India's own vaccination drive? How is the world's largest vaccination drive faring?&nbsp;

It depends on which numbers you consider. India was the fastest country to administer six million shots. The second fastest to complete 10 million vaccinations. As of today, more than 1.17 crore shots have been given.&nbsp;

India ranks number five after the United States, China, the European Union, the United Kingdom, when it comes to the sheer number of doses administered. India administered its first shot on the 16th of January.&nbsp;

In less than 40 days, it has administered more than one crore shots. But how close are we to inoculating 75 per cent of our population, the herd immunity mark? India has a long way to go.&nbsp;

As of the Feburary 21, India has administered just 0.8 doses per 100 people. Not even one shot per 100.&nbsp;

Till Monday, less than 0.1 per cent of India had been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. Not even one per cent of India has got a shot. And India is the pharmacy of the world. But is it doing enough when it comes to inoculating its own people?&nbsp;

Supplying vaccines to the world is great, but is it happening at the cost of people at home? It's important to understand India's current rollout plan.&nbsp;

Right now, the vaccine drive is in the hands of the government. The government procures the vaccines and sends them to vaccination centres around the country.&nbsp;

For the moment, only health workers are being inoculated in India. The govt's targets are ambitious as India set a goal to inoculate 300 million people by August but as of the beginning of February, the Serum Institute of India, the world's largest vaccine maker and the supplier of the oxford shot was sitting on a stockpile of 70 million doses. &nbsp;

India has more than enough doses to share with the world and vaccinate its own. There's a stockpile of millions waiting to be used. What India needs is wider administration of the vaccine and more centres.&nbsp;

This is where the private players come in. If the vaccine is safe and the stock is available. The private sector should be allowed to join the programme. The same happened with testing. Virus testing on a wide scale began once the private sector was made part of it. So why is the govt shy of including the private sector in the vaccination drive?&nbsp;

Remember, these vaccines are still new and most countries in the world have granted restricted permissions to vaccine makers for two reasons. One for shortage in supplies and two to avoid adverse events, in case the vaccines show any major side effects.&nbsp;

India is following global standards with restricted permissions. It granted vaccines an emergency approval first. Reports say no adverse effects have been found so far. So, India needs to evolve its strategy and rollout plan, and consider involving the private sector. In fact, the serum institute has said that the rest of the world will have to wait for its supplies. It has been directed to fulfil the domestic needs first. It's a welcome step as India needs to expand its domestic programme. Else, the 300 million target will be hard to chase. &nbsp;

Are you ready to live with the coronavirus for another five years? Answer is surely no. The entire world is desperate for the pandemic to end, but for it, we need herd immunity.

Are you ready to live with the coronavirus for another five years? Answer is surely no. The entire world is desperate for the pandemic to end, but for it, we need herd immunity. The global population is now close to eight billion. Out of this, 75 per cent needs to be vaccinated. Each individual need two doses. So, where do we stand? Right now, more than six million shots are being administered every day across the world. At this rate, it will take five years to cover 75 per cent of the world's population. We started in 2021 with vaccines but the rollout has been terribly slow. Rich countries are hoarding vaccines and there is a supply shortage. Countries like Japan might waste millions of shots as they don't have the right needles. Last week, the United Nations said 130 countries still haven't received even a single shot. The global vaccination programme needs a jump start and India can help. India is running the world's largest vaccination drive right now. It could be the catalyst that the global vaccination drive needs. There are two reasons. Firstly, India has a population of more than one billion. It is almost 18 per cent of the world's total population. If India vaccinates 75 per cent of its population. Close to a billion people will be immune to the virus. This can encourage more people around the world to take vaccines. Secondly, India's vaccine manufacturing capabilities. Before the pandemic, India produced 60 per cent of the vaccines for the world and delivering 390 million doses annually for aliments like measles and tuberculosis already. WATCH| India is contributing to the global fight as it is sending vaccines to all corners of the world. Both under commercial contracts as well as gifts. By mid February, India exported more than 1.6 crore shots. 37 per cent of these supplies were gifts to friendly countries and a large shipment of the oxford vaccine was dispatched from India for Covax, the global vaccine alliance, led by the World Health Organization. These shots will be sent to 25 to 30 countries. What about India's own vaccination drive? How is the world's largest vaccination drive faring? It depends on which numbers you consider. India was the fastest country to administer six million shots. The second fastest to complete 10 million vaccinations. As of today, more than 1.17 crore shots have been given. India ranks number five after the United States, China, the European Union, the United Kingdom, when it comes to the sheer number of doses administered. India administered its first shot on the 16th of January. In less than 40 days, it has administered more than one crore shots. But how close are we to inoculating 75 per cent of our population, the herd immunity mark? India has a long way to go. As of the Feburary 21, India has administered just 0.8 doses per 100 people. Not even one shot per 100. Till Monday, less than 0.1 per cent of India had been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. Not even one per cent of India has got a shot. And India is the pharmacy of the world. But is it doing enough when it comes to inoculating its own people? Supplying vaccines to the world is great, but is it happening at the cost of people at home? It's important to understand India's current rollout plan. Right now, the vaccine drive is in the hands of the government. The government procures the vaccines and sends them to vaccination centres around the country. For the moment, only health workers are being inoculated in India. The govt's targets are ambitious as India set a goal to inoculate 300 million people by August but as of the beginning of February, the Serum Institute of India, the world's largest vaccine maker and the supplier of the oxford shot was sitting on a stockpile of 70 million doses. India has more than enough doses to share with the world and vaccinate its own. There's a stockpile of millions waiting to be used. What India needs is wider administration of the vaccine and more centres. This is where the private players come in. If the vaccine is safe and the stock is available. The private sector should be allowed to join the programme. The same happened with testing. Virus testing on a wide scale began once the private sector was made part of it. So why is the govt shy of including the private sector in the vaccination drive? Remember, these vaccines are still new and most countries in the world have granted restricted permissions to vaccine makers for two reasons. One for shortage in supplies and two to avoid adverse events, in case the vaccines show any major side effects. India is following global standards with restricted permissions. It granted vaccines an emergency approval first. Reports say no adverse effects have been found so far. So, India needs to evolve its strategy and rollout plan, and consider involving the private sector. In fact, the serum institute has said that the rest of the world will have to wait for its supplies. It has been directed to fulfil the domestic needs first. It's a welcome step as India needs to expand its domestic programme. Else, the 300 million target will be hard to chase.

What role can India play in coronavirus vaccine inoculation?

South Korea's fertility rate fell to the lowest in the world last year, data showed on Wednesday, as uncertainty over the coronavirus discouraged couples from marrying and having children.&nbsp;

The number of expected babies per South Korean woman fell to 0.84 in 2020, dropping further from the country's previous record low of 0.92 a year earlier, the official annual reading from the Statistics Korea showed.&nbsp;

That is the lowest among over 180 member countries of the World Bank, and far below 1.73 in the United States and 1.42 in Japan.&nbsp;

The grim milestone comes after the population fell for the first time ever last year.&nbsp;

Asia's fourth-largest economy is the fastest aging country in the OECD. The government has failed to reverse the falling birth rate despite spending billions of dollars each year on childcare subsidies and maternity leave support.&nbsp;

The nation's capital Seoul logged the lowest birth rate of 0.64.&nbsp;

In some recent reports, the number of newborns in China also plummeted by 15 per cent in 2020 from a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Public Security, with the onset of the novel coronavirus disrupting the economy and weighing on decisions to have a family.&nbsp;

China saw 10.035 million births last year, the ministry said on Monday, compared with 11.79 million in 2019. Of those born last year, 52.7% were boys and 47.3% girls.&nbsp;

Posts on Chinese social media with the hashtag 'How to get China out of a low fertility trap' were viewed 120 million times recently, with some comments linking low fertility rates to high living costs, while others said social norms were changing.&nbsp;

“The declining fertility rate actually reflects the progress in the thinking of Chinese people - women are no longer a fertility tool,” wrote a user of Weibo, a Twitter-like microblog popular in China.&nbsp;

South Korea's fertility rate fell to the lowest in the world last year, data showed on Wednesday, as uncertainty over the coronavirus discouraged couples from marrying and having children.

South Korea's fertility rate fell to the lowest in the world last year, data showed on Wednesday, as uncertainty over the coronavirus discouraged couples from marrying and having children. The number of expected babies per South Korean woman fell to 0.84 in 2020, dropping further from the country's previous record low of 0.92 a year earlier, the official annual reading from the Statistics Korea showed. That is the lowest among over 180 member countries of the World Bank, and far below 1.73 in the United States and 1.42 in Japan. The grim milestone comes after the population fell for the first time ever last year. Asia's fourth-largest economy is the fastest aging country in the OECD. The government has failed to reverse the falling birth rate despite spending billions of dollars each year on childcare subsidies and maternity leave support. The nation's capital Seoul logged the lowest birth rate of 0.64. In some recent reports, the number of newborns in China also plummeted by 15 per cent in 2020 from a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Public Security, with the onset of the novel coronavirus disrupting the economy and weighing on decisions to have a family. China saw 10.035 million births last year, the ministry said on Monday, compared with 11.79 million in 2019. Of those born last year, 52.7% were boys and 47.3% girls. Posts on Chinese social media with the hashtag 'How to get China out of a low fertility trap' were viewed 120 million times recently, with some comments linking low fertility rates to high living costs, while others said social norms were changing. “The declining fertility rate actually reflects the progress in the thinking of Chinese people - women are no longer a fertility tool,” wrote a user of Weibo, a Twitter-like microblog popular in China.

South Korea's fertility rate drops to lowest in world

Feb 10 in history: Treat of Paris, Satellites collide in space and more

The new strain of COVID-19 is spreading in advanced and scarier version, days after Britain reported multiple cases of mutated virus similar cases has been discovered in different parts of the world. In India no cases of mutated strain has been reported but the government is not taking any chances at least six labs across the country are conducting Genome sequencing test to detected the presence of the mutant strain.

What steps are to be taken by India to prevent this new strain of COVID-19 from reaching the country?

Indian health ministry said that the country is doing relatively well in its fight against COVID-19 pandemic. It also spoke about the way forward for vaccine against the infection.

India: Central govt asks states to be ready for COVID-19 vaccination

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Monday said that coronavirus pandemic has taken a toll in ways that no one can measure.&nbsp;

It was vital, he said, for people to follow the science and resist the urge to turn a blind eye to the virus.

"We might be tired of COVID-19. But it is not tired of us," he said.

Tedros, speaking from quarantine after coming in contact with someone who tested positive for Covid-19, warned that the virus preys on weakness.

"It preys on those in weaker health, but it preys on other weaknesses too: inequality, division, denial, wishful thinking and willful ignorance, he said.

"We cannot negotiate with it, nor close our eyes and hope it goes away."

"It pays no heed to political rhetoric or conspiracy theories," he said.

"Our only hope is science, solutions and solidarity."

Addressing the WHO's main annual assembly he said that "We can’t measure the grief of families who weren’t able to say goodbye to their loved ones. We can’t measure the fear felt by so many in the face of an uncertain future."

"Almost 50 million cases of COVID-19 have now been reported to WHO, and more than 1.2 million people have lost their lives. Millions more have died due to disruption of essential health services".

"No one knows the long-term effects of this virus on the human body, or on the type of world, our children and grandchildren will inherit. Although this is a global crisis, we must remember that countries have responded differently, and they have been affected differently,”.

(With inputs from agencies)

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Monday said that coronavirus pandemic has taken a toll in ways that no one can measure. It was vital, he said, for people to follow the science and resist the urge to turn a blind eye to the virus.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Monday said that coronavirus pandemic has taken a toll in ways that no one can measure. It was vital, he said, for people to follow the science and resist the urge to turn a blind eye to the virus. "We might be tired of COVID-19. But it is not tired of us," he said. Tedros, speaking from quarantine after coming in contact with someone who tested positive for Covid-19, warned that the virus preys on weakness. "It preys on those in weaker health, but it preys on other weaknesses too: inequality, division, denial, wishful thinking and willful ignorance, he said. "We cannot negotiate with it, nor close our eyes and hope it goes away." "It pays no heed to political rhetoric or conspiracy theories," he said. "Our only hope is science, solutions and solidarity." Addressing the WHO's main annual assembly he said that "We can’t measure the grief of families who weren’t able to say goodbye to their loved ones. We can’t measure the fear felt by so many in the face of an uncertain future." "Almost 50 million cases of COVID-19 have now been reported to WHO, and more than 1.2 million people have lost their lives. Millions more have died due to disruption of essential health services". "No one knows the long-term effects of this virus on the human body, or on the type of world, our children and grandchildren will inherit. Although this is a global crisis, we must remember that countries have responded differently, and they have been affected differently,”. (With inputs from agencies)

World may be tired, but the virus 'not tired of us': WHO chief

5 million young voters will be able to cast ballots for the first time in Myanmar elections. WION brings you a report.

Myanmar Election: Aung San Suu Kyi expected to win again

French President Emmanuel Macron calls for an overhaul of the rules governing the Schengen area of the free movement in Europe. He also announces to double their forces of border control to fight against the terrorist threat.

France wants stronger response to illegal immigration

A Pakistani reporter who went missing in Karachi returned home on Saturday, his family and government officials said.

Pak journalist returns home a day after going missing in Karachi

Due to the severe water shortage in Zimbabwe, a desperate community near the capital city of Harare is drawing water from a graveyard. The practice is continuous despite warnings from health experts.

Harare suburb faces severe water shortage: Community drinks water from Graveyard wells

Nigeria's sprawling city of Lagos and the surrounding region were under an indefinite 24-hour curfew on October 21 after claims that security forces had opened fire on and even killed people protesting police brutality in the country. Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari called for protesters to stop demonstration & engage with the government.

Protest against police brutality in Nigeria: Nigerian President addresses the nation

Thailand's Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha today revoked emergency measures banning gatherings of more than four people amid large-scale street protests against the government and the monarchy.

WION Dispatch: Thai PM backs down on protest ban

Nigeria's sprawling city of Lagos and the surrounding region were under an indefinite 24-hour curfew on October 21 after claims that security forces had opened fire on and even killed people protesting police brutality in the country. Watch report.

WION Dispatch: Protests against police brutality in Nigeria: Eyewitness claimed soldiers opened fire

Protesters had blocked the international airport of Nigeria in Lagos as protests sparked by police brutality. Demonstrations have been going for over a week now.

Protests against police brutality continues in Nigeria

For a 5th consecutive night, protesters defied a ban on gatherings in Thailand. 10,000 people in colourful ponchos assembled near Bangkok's Victory Monument.

Thailand Anti-govt protests: Thousands attend rally despite police warning

According to a report the Chinese government has warned the US that it may detain Americans in China in response to the justice department’s prosecution of Chinese military-affiliated scholars.

China responds to FBI's detention of Chinese scholars

Day 3 of the confirmation hearing for Amy Coney Barrett, President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, is underway in Washington. Watch report.

US Supreme Court Nominee: Day 3 of Barrett's conformation hearing

Armenia and Azerbaijan accused each other on Tuesday of violating a ceasefire agreed three days ago to quell fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh, drawing warnings from international groups of a humanitarian crisis in the region.

The Russia-brokered truce is buckling despite mounting calls from world powers to halt the fighting, with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the Minsk Group security watchdog among those urging greater commitment to the ceasefire terms.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/nagorno-karabakh-truce-frays-russia-appeals-for-peace-334925" hreflang="en">Nagorno-Karabakh truce frays; Russia appeals for peace</a>

A Reuters cameraman witnessed shelling in the town of Martuni in Nagorno-Karabakh, a mountain enclave which is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan but governed and populated by ethnic Armenians.

A Reuters television crew in Terter in Azerbaijan also said the city centre was being shelled earlier on Tuesday.

Azerbaijan accused Armenian forces of "grossly violating the humanitarian truce", which was agreed on Saturday to allow the sides to swap prisoners and bodies of those killed..

Defence ministry spokesman Vagif Dargiahly said Armenia was shelling the Azeri territories of Goranboy and Aghdam, as well as Terter. Azeri forces were not violating the truce, he added.

Armenian defence ministry spokeswoman Shushan Stepanyan denied the accusation. She said Azeri forces had resumed military operations after an overnight lull, "supported by active artillery fire in the southern, northern, northeastern and eastern directions".

The fighting which erupted on Sept. 27, is the worst since a 1991-94 war over Nagorno-Karabakh that killed about 30,000.

It is being closely watched abroad, not only due to its proximity to Azeri energy pipelines to Europe but also because of fears that Russia and Turkey could be drawn in.

Russia has a defence pact with Armenia and Turkey is allied with Azerbaijan.

"CATASTROPHIC CONSEQUENCES"

The Minsk Group called on the Armenian and Azeri leaders to immediately implement the ceasefire to prevent "catastrophic consequences for the region".

The 11-member group includes both Russia and Turkey, but the latter is not involved in the Nagorno-Karabakh talks. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu suggested holding talks that would include Turkey.

Ceasefire demands were "reasonable", according to Cavusoglu, but he said the international community should ask Armenia to withdraw from Azeri territory.

"Sadly no such call is being made," he told reporters.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/extremely-concerned-over-civilian-casualties-in-nagorno-karabakh-eu-334555" hreflang="en">Extremely concerned over civilian casualties in Nagorno-Karabakh: EU</a>

Influential Turkish politician Devlet Bahceli, whose party supports President Erdogan's AKP in parliament, took a more belligerent note, telling Azerbaijan to secure Nagorno-Karabakh by "hitting Armenia over the head over and over again".

While Turkey denies military involvement in Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenian President Armen Sarkissian told Germany's Bild newspaper Ankara's behaviour was worrying.

"I worry because, firstly, there is a third party involved. If it were only about Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan, I would be much more hopeful that the conflict can be contained," he said.

DEAD AND WOUNDED

The death toll has risen further, meanwhile. Nagorno-Karabakh officials said 542 servicemen had been killed so far, up 17 from Monday.

Azerbaijan has reported 42 Azeri civilian deaths and 206 wounded since Sept. 27. It has not disclosed military casualties.

Martin Schuepp, Eurasia regional director for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), said his organisation was in "continuous discussions" to facilitate the handover of detainees or bodies of those killed.

But the security situation meant "it has not been possible for us to access all locations that might have been affected," Schuepp said.

The conflict is also worsening the spread of COVID-19, World Health Organisation spokesman Tarik Jasarevic told a United Nations briefing in Geneva.

In Pics:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/azerbaijan-armenia-conflict-the-human-cost-of-war-in-pictures-333182">Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict: The human cost of war in pictures</a>

Armenia's new cases had doubled over the past 14 days as of Monday, while new infections were up approximately 80% over the past week in Azerbaijan, Jasarevic said. He warned of "direct disruption to health care and a further burden on health systems that are already stretched during the COVID pandemic."

With tens of thousands of people potentially needing help in coming months, the ICRC is appealing for another 9.2 million Swiss francs ($10.10 million) to fund its humanitarian efforts in the region, Schuepp said.

Armenia and Azerbaijan accused each other on Tuesday of violating a ceasefire agreed three days ago to quell fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh, drawing warnings from international groups of a humanitarian crisis in the region.

Armenia and Azerbaijan accused each other on Tuesday of violating a ceasefire agreed three days ago to quell fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh, drawing warnings from international groups of a humanitarian crisis in the region. The Russia-brokered truce is buckling despite mounting calls from world powers to halt the fighting, with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the Minsk Group security watchdog among those urging greater commitment to the ceasefire terms. Also read: Nagorno-Karabakh truce frays; Russia appeals for peace A Reuters cameraman witnessed shelling in the town of Martuni in Nagorno-Karabakh, a mountain enclave which is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan but governed and populated by ethnic Armenians. A Reuters television crew in Terter in Azerbaijan also said the city centre was being shelled earlier on Tuesday. Azerbaijan accused Armenian forces of "grossly violating the humanitarian truce", which was agreed on Saturday to allow the sides to swap prisoners and bodies of those killed.. Defence ministry spokesman Vagif Dargiahly said Armenia was shelling the Azeri territories of Goranboy and Aghdam, as well as Terter. Azeri forces were not violating the truce, he added. Armenian defence ministry spokeswoman Shushan Stepanyan denied the accusation. She said Azeri forces had resumed military operations after an overnight lull, "supported by active artillery fire in the southern, northern, northeastern and eastern directions". The fighting which erupted on Sept. 27, is the worst since a 1991-94 war over Nagorno-Karabakh that killed about 30,000. It is being closely watched abroad, not only due to its proximity to Azeri energy pipelines to Europe but also because of fears that Russia and Turkey could be drawn in. Russia has a defence pact with Armenia and Turkey is allied with Azerbaijan. "CATASTROPHIC CONSEQUENCES" The Minsk Group called on the Armenian and Azeri leaders to immediately implement the ceasefire to prevent "catastrophic consequences for the region". The 11-member group includes both Russia and Turkey, but the latter is not involved in the Nagorno-Karabakh talks. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu suggested holding talks that would include Turkey. Ceasefire demands were "reasonable", according to Cavusoglu, but he said the international community should ask Armenia to withdraw from Azeri territory. "Sadly no such call is being made," he told reporters. Also read: Extremely concerned over civilian casualties in Nagorno-Karabakh: EU Influential Turkish politician Devlet Bahceli, whose party supports President Erdogan's AKP in parliament, took a more belligerent note, telling Azerbaijan to secure Nagorno-Karabakh by "hitting Armenia over the head over and over again". While Turkey denies military involvement in Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenian President Armen Sarkissian told Germany's Bild newspaper Ankara's behaviour was worrying. "I worry because, firstly, there is a third party involved. If it were only about Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan, I would be much more hopeful that the conflict can be contained," he said. DEAD AND WOUNDED The death toll has risen further, meanwhile. Nagorno-Karabakh officials said 542 servicemen had been killed so far, up 17 from Monday. Azerbaijan has reported 42 Azeri civilian deaths and 206 wounded since Sept. 27. It has not disclosed military casualties. Martin Schuepp, Eurasia regional director for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), said his organisation was in "continuous discussions" to facilitate the handover of detainees or bodies of those killed. But the security situation meant "it has not been possible for us to access all locations that might have been affected," Schuepp said. The conflict is also worsening the spread of COVID-19, World Health Organisation spokesman Tarik Jasarevic told a United Nations briefing in Geneva. In Pics: Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict: The human cost of war in pictures Armenia's new cases had doubled over the past 14 days as of Monday, while new infections were up approximately 80% over the past week in Azerbaijan, Jasarevic said. He warned of "direct disruption to health care and a further burden on health systems that are already stretched during the COVID pandemic." With tens of thousands of people potentially needing help in coming months, the ICRC is appealing for another 9.2 million Swiss francs ($10.10 million) to fund its humanitarian efforts in the region, Schuepp said.

Humanitarian crisis feared as Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire buckles

Bar and restaurant workers have dumped piles of leftover ice outside the Scottish Parliament in protest at being forced to close by COVID-19 restrictions.

Bar workers dump piles of ice in Glasgow in Scotland

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