In a new study, scientists have claimed that the Universe is only 27 billion years old and does not have any dark matter.&nbsp;

The study was conducted by Rajendra Gupta,&nbsp;professor of physics at the&nbsp;University of Ottawa. Gupta suggested that dark matter or dark energy might not be required to explain the workings of the universe.&nbsp;

The research of the professor is based on a model that combines two theories:&nbsp;“tired light” (TL) and covarying coupling constants (CCC).

The CCC theory challenges the idea that things like the&nbsp;speed of light&nbsp;or the charge of an electron are fundamental constants of nature that do not change.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/another-lo-in-space-a-cloud-of-gas-hints-at-first-exomoon-bursting-with-volcanoes-766857">Another lo in space? A cloud of gas hints at first exomoon bursting with volcanoes</a>

However, if the CCC theory is right, it changes the understanding of everything&nbsp;that is present in the universe.

According to the “Tired Light” idea, light loses energy across long distances, which causes redder wavelengths and does not require the universe to expand.

When these two models are placed together, they provide a new framework for understanding&nbsp;cosmic phenomena.

<h2>Here's what the scientist&nbsp;suggests&nbsp;about dark matter and universe&nbsp;</h2>

According to the findings of Gupta, the new model changed the facts about the universe.

“The study’s findings confirm our previous work, which suggested that the universe is 26.7 billion years old, negating the necessity for dark matter’s existence,” Gupta explained

“Contrary to standard cosmological theories where the accelerated expansion of the universe is attributed to dark energy, our findings indicate that this expansion is due to the weakening forces of nature, not&nbsp;dark energy,” he added.

A major part of the research carried out by Gupta focused on “redshifts" in which light stretches to the red end of the spectrum&nbsp;while travelling through space.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/there-is-a-steam-world-with-water-vapour-in-outer-space-is-it-habitable-766412">There is a 'steam world' with water vapour in outer space. Is it habitable?</a>

After analysing data on the distribution of galaxies at low redshifts and the patterns seen in the early universe at high redshifts, he claimed that dark matter did not exist.

“There are several papers that question the existence of dark matter, but mine is the first one, to my knowledge, that eliminates its cosmological existence while being consistent with key cosmological observations that we have had time to confirm,” Gupta explained.

(With inputs from agencies)

In a new study, scientists have claimed that the Universe is only 27 billion years old and does not have any dark matter. The study was conducted by Rajendra Gupta, professor of physics at the University of Ottawa.

In a new study, scientists have claimed that the Universe is only 27 billion years old and does not have any dark matter. The study was conducted by Rajendra Gupta, professor of physics at the University of Ottawa. Gupta suggested that dark matter or dark energy might not be required to explain the workings of the universe. The research of the professor is based on a model that combines two theories: “tired light” (TL) and covarying coupling constants (CCC). The CCC theory challenges the idea that things like the speed of light or the charge of an electron are fundamental constants of nature that do not change. Also Read: Another lo in space? A cloud of gas hints at first exomoon bursting with volcanoes However, if the CCC theory is right, it changes the understanding of everything that is present in the universe. According to the “Tired Light” idea, light loses energy across long distances, which causes redder wavelengths and does not require the universe to expand. When these two models are placed together, they provide a new framework for understanding cosmic phenomena. Here's what the scientist suggests about dark matter and universe According to the findings of Gupta, the new model changed the facts about the universe. “The study’s findings confirm our previous work, which suggested that the universe is 26.7 billion years old, negating the necessity for dark matter’s existence,” Gupta explained “Contrary to standard cosmological theories where the accelerated expansion of the universe is attributed to dark energy, our findings indicate that this expansion is due to the weakening forces of nature, not dark energy,” he added. A major part of the research carried out by Gupta focused on “redshifts" in which light stretches to the red end of the spectrum while travelling through space. Also Read: There is a 'steam world' with water vapour in outer space. Is it habitable? After analysing data on the distribution of galaxies at low redshifts and the patterns seen in the early universe at high redshifts, he claimed that dark matter did not exist. “There are several papers that question the existence of dark matter, but mine is the first one, to my knowledge, that eliminates its cosmological existence while being consistent with key cosmological observations that we have had time to confirm,” Gupta explained. (With inputs from agencies)

Universe is no older than 27 billion years and there is nothing like dark matter: Study

Summer Solstice 2024: The summer solstice will occur on June 20, 2024, at 8:50 pm UTC. The summer solstice is occurring so early after 228 years. The last time this happened was back in 1796.&nbsp;

Earth is tilted at an axis of 23.5 degrees, which contributes to the phenomenon of summer solstice. Usually, the summer solstice occurs on June 21 every year. It is a day when the Earth's north pole is closest to the sun. This results in longer days and shorter nights in the northern hemisphere.&nbsp;

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/white-house-slams-republicans-over-deceptive-cheapfake-videos-of-bidens-mental-decline-732657">&nbsp;White House slams Republicans over deceptive 'cheapfake' videos of Biden's alleged mental decline</a>

Meanwhile, the opposite phenomenon is observed in the southern hemisphere at this point, the winter solstice.&nbsp;

<h2>Why is the summer solstice happening early this year? (Summer Solstice 2024)&nbsp;</h2>

Earth's journey around the sun does not take 356 days precisely. It takes 365.242189 days to complete one revolution around the sun. Thus, according to the Gregorian calendar, a leap year occurs every four years with 366 days in total and an extra day added in February.&nbsp;

Hence, according to calculations every year the expected dates for solstice and equinox are 18 hours, 11 minutes, and 14.87 seconds earlier than the preceding year.&nbsp;

Another factor contributing to the summer solstice occurring early this year is how the Gregorian calendar accounts for leap years. Every year that is divisible by four is considered a leap year.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;Australia's Albanese in China, hold talks on trade, rights with Premier Li Qiang

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/australias-albanese-in-china-hold-talks-on-trade-rights-with-premier-li-qiang-732640/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

However, a special rule applies in cases of years that end with a "00". For example, 1800, 1900, and 2000 are considered leap years only when divisible by 400.&nbsp;

Every 400 years three leap years are dropped which helps correct the actual speed of the planet. This leads to us keeping time “too fast” by around 45 minutes.&nbsp;

Therefore, every four years that don't begin with a leap year, 365.25 days are counted and not 365.242189 days per year. As a result, the summer solstice will occur 45 minutes earlier than 2020 this year.&nbsp;

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/passenger-burned-crew-member-catapulted-into-roof-as-new-zealand-flight-face-extreme-turbulence-732585">&nbsp;Passenger burned, crew member catapulted into roof as New Zealand flight faces extreme turbulence</a>

It also indicates that this tendency will persist until 2096, and the solstice will happen on June 20 at 06:32 am that year. The cycle will then reset, with the solstice falling later in the year.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Summer Solstice 2024: The summer solstice will occur on June 20, 2024, at 8:50 pm UTC. The summer solstice is occurring so early after 228 years. The last time this happened was back in 1796.

Summer Solstice 2024: The summer solstice will occur on June 20, 2024, at 8:50 pm UTC. The summer solstice is occurring so early after 228 years. The last time this happened was back in 1796. Earth is tilted at an axis of 23.5 degrees, which contributes to the phenomenon of summer solstice. Usually, the summer solstice occurs on June 21 every year. It is a day when the Earth's north pole is closest to the sun. This results in longer days and shorter nights in the northern hemisphere. Also read | White House slams Republicans over deceptive 'cheapfake' videos of Biden's alleged mental decline Meanwhile, the opposite phenomenon is observed in the southern hemisphere at this point, the winter solstice. Why is the summer solstice happening early this year? (Summer Solstice 2024) Earth's journey around the sun does not take 356 days precisely. It takes 365.242189 days to complete one revolution around the sun. Thus, according to the Gregorian calendar, a leap year occurs every four years with 366 days in total and an extra day added in February. Hence, according to calculations every year the expected dates for solstice and equinox are 18 hours, 11 minutes, and 14.87 seconds earlier than the preceding year. Another factor contributing to the summer solstice occurring early this year is how the Gregorian calendar accounts for leap years. Every year that is divisible by four is considered a leap year. Watch | Australia's Albanese in China, hold talks on trade, rights with Premier Li Qiang However, a special rule applies in cases of years that end with a "00". For example, 1800, 1900, and 2000 are considered leap years only when divisible by 400. Every 400 years three leap years are dropped which helps correct the actual speed of the planet. This leads to us keeping time “too fast” by around 45 minutes. Therefore, every four years that don't begin with a leap year, 365.25 days are counted and not 365.242189 days per year. As a result, the summer solstice will occur 45 minutes earlier than 2020 this year. Also read | Passenger burned, crew member catapulted into roof as New Zealand flight faces extreme turbulence It also indicates that this tendency will persist until 2096, and the solstice will happen on June 20 at 06:32 am that year. The cycle will then reset, with the solstice falling later in the year. (With inputs from agencies)

Summer Solstice 2024: After 228 years, summer solstice is coming earlier than usual due to this simple reason

Astronomers have recorded a mysterious signal coming from far away in the distant universe that took eight billion years to reach us. According to a paper published in Science journal, the distinctive signal represents 'fast radio bursts' or FRBs, a cosmic phenomenon.

Astronomers have recorded a mysterious signal coming from far away in the distant universe that took eight billion years to reach us. According to a paper published in Science journal, the distinctive signal represents 'fast radio bursts' or FRBs, a cosmic phenomenon. FRBs are intense but brief pulses of radio waves. They are similar to the radiation emitted by our cell phones or microwaves. However, they originate from distant sources in the universe. FRBs are extremely rare. Despite having the world's most sensitive radio, telescope and computing systems, it's challenging for astronomers to detect FRBs. Ryan Shannon, an author of the latest study with Swinburne University of Technology, told Newsweek that FRBs "last only a small fraction of a second." "Most FRBs do not repeat, meaning if we want to understand what they are or where they come from, we need to be quick to respond and gather as much detail about them in the few thousandths of the second they pass by Earth," Shannon added. ALSO READ | Ancient whispers: Scientists unveil hidden sounds of Pando, the 'world's largest tree' In the latest study, the detected FRB, dubbed FRB 20220610A, is the most distinct and ancient recorded to date. The unusually high-energy FRB occurred around eight billion years ago. According to the authors, the latest discovery gives new data about the distant universe and questions the present models of FRB emission. Astronomers have only detected 50 FRBs to date. The low sample size makes it more challenging to study them. However, the source of FRBs remains a mystery. "While we still don't know what causes them, determining that will be a tall task. We are still able to use them as tools. FRBs have the signature of all of the gas they travel through. It makes them incredibly useful for probing the tenuous gas between galaxies," Shannon said. Some studies suggest that FRBs originate from magnetars, which are young, hyper-magnetized neutron stars. Neutron stars are dense stars that roughly have the same mass as the Earth's Sun. However, they are only the size of a small city with strong magnetic fields. The Australian SKA Pathfinder detected the most recent FRB on 10 June 2022. According to Shannon, FRB 20220610A emitted more energy in a few milliseconds than the sun does in 30 years. However, according to the latest findings, it broke the record for the most distant FRB by around 50 per cent, confirming that such phenomena occur in extremely distant galaxies. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

A radio signal took 8 billion years to reach Earth, but its source is a mystery

An Uyghur educator has been imprisoned for seven years in China's restive Xinjiang region for violating Chinese policy by instructing students in Uyghur, which happens to be their native language. Adil Tursun has been previously honoured by the government for his work.&nbsp;

He was arrested in 2016 and sentenced to seven-year imprisonment in 2018, reports Radio Free Asia.&nbsp;

Adil had earlier been recognised as one of the "nation's outstanding teachers" by the government. He was arrested by authorities for the "crime" of teaching students in the Uyghur language as they did not understand the instructions in Chinese.&nbsp;

RFA called Kona Sheher county police to find out about Adil's sentence. The police, however, declined to answer questions. They did not deny that the teacher had been jailed.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-oil-exports-unaffected-by-us-seizing-tankers-says-minister-461662">Also read |&nbsp;Iran oil exports unaffected by US seizing tankers, says minister</a>

"After his mistake was investigated, he was arrested. It was a previous mistake of his - to speak in Uyghur to his students while bilingual education was being implemented," the media outlet quoted a police officer in Kashgar prefecture.

"He was handed over to the national-security branch of the police department and was sentenced to prison two years after his arrest," he added.

China has been called on for such acts multiple times. Earlier in October, Forty-three countries called on China to "ensure full respect for the rule of law" for the Muslim Uyghurs.

The statement was made at the United Nations and sparked outrage from Beijing. The statement has been signed by the United States along with several European and Asian member states and other countries.

(With inputs from agencies)

An Uyghur educator has been imprisoned for seven years in China's restive Xinjiang region for violating Chinese policy by instructing students in Uyghur, which happens to be their native language.

An Uyghur educator has been imprisoned for seven years in China's restive Xinjiang region for violating Chinese policy by instructing students in Uyghur, which happens to be their native language. Adil Tursun has been previously honoured by the government for his work. He was arrested in 2016 and sentenced to seven-year imprisonment in 2018, reports Radio Free Asia. Adil had earlier been recognised as one of the "nation's outstanding teachers" by the government. He was arrested by authorities for the "crime" of teaching students in the Uyghur language as they did not understand the instructions in Chinese. RFA called Kona Sheher county police to find out about Adil's sentence. The police, however, declined to answer questions. They did not deny that the teacher had been jailed. Also read | Iran oil exports unaffected by US seizing tankers, says minister "After his mistake was investigated, he was arrested. It was a previous mistake of his - to speak in Uyghur to his students while bilingual education was being implemented," the media outlet quoted a police officer in Kashgar prefecture. "He was handed over to the national-security branch of the police department and was sentenced to prison two years after his arrest," he added. China has been called on for such acts multiple times. Earlier in October, Forty-three countries called on China to "ensure full respect for the rule of law" for the Muslim Uyghurs. The statement was made at the United Nations and sparked outrage from Beijing. The statement has been signed by the United States along with several European and Asian member states and other countries. (With inputs from agencies)

Uyghur man imprisoned for seven years for teaching his native language

In its highest daily figure since the Wuhan outbreak, China on Saturday 1,524 coronavirus cases. As cases surge, China will be introducing rapid antigen tests for the first time, states the Health Ministry. Several Chinese cities have been recording a surge in cases.

A lockdown has been imposed in the northeastern Chinese city of nine million people Changchun as Covid cases continue to surge.&nbsp;

As per the new rules, only one person will be allowed out every two days to buy "daily necessities."

The asymptomatic infections caused by the Omicron variant have driven Beijing's daily count to an all-time high since it contained the first national outbreak in early 2020.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-builds-new-bridge-to-hong-kong-amid-covid-surge-460602">Also read |&nbsp;China builds new bridge to Hong Kong amid Covid surge</a>

In Hong Kong, a temporary bridge has been built to help bring in material from the mainland for the Covid-19 makeshift hospital. Nearly 2,000 Chinese contractors from the China State Construction Engineering are in Hong Kong for this project.&nbsp;

To battle the surge in cases, doctors and nurses from the mainland have also been allowed to work in the city.

"Infections in vaccinated individuals are more likely to be asymptomatic than infections in unvaccinated individuals, and vaccine coverage is now very high in China," explains Ben Cowling, an epidemiology professor at the University of Hong Kong.

(With inputs from agencies)

In its highest daily figure since the Wuhan outbreak, China on Saturday 1,524 coronavirus cases. As cases surge, China will be introducing rapid antigen tests for the first time, states the Health Ministry.

In its highest daily figure since the Wuhan outbreak, China on Saturday 1,524 coronavirus cases. As cases surge, China will be introducing rapid antigen tests for the first time, states the Health Ministry. Several Chinese cities have been recording a surge in cases. A lockdown has been imposed in the northeastern Chinese city of nine million people Changchun as Covid cases continue to surge. As per the new rules, only one person will be allowed out every two days to buy "daily necessities." The asymptomatic infections caused by the Omicron variant have driven Beijing's daily count to an all-time high since it contained the first national outbreak in early 2020. Also read | China builds new bridge to Hong Kong amid Covid surge In Hong Kong, a temporary bridge has been built to help bring in material from the mainland for the Covid-19 makeshift hospital. Nearly 2,000 Chinese contractors from the China State Construction Engineering are in Hong Kong for this project. To battle the surge in cases, doctors and nurses from the mainland have also been allowed to work in the city. "Infections in vaccinated individuals are more likely to be asymptomatic than infections in unvaccinated individuals, and vaccine coverage is now very high in China," explains Ben Cowling, an epidemiology professor at the University of Hong Kong. (With inputs from agencies)

COVID-19: China records highest daily cases in two years

Pics: Even after two years, COVID-19 still torments the entire world

In an attempt to keep her son away from social media, a US-based mother promised that she will give him a good reward for his 18th birthday if he refrained from using social media.&nbsp;

In a challenge that began in 2016, Lorna Goldstrand Klefsaas from Minnesota offered her son Sivert Klefsaas $1,800. Keeping up to his promise, the son somehow managed to stay away from social media and was given $1,800 on his 18th birthday.&nbsp;

The mother shared a post documenting the entire challenge.&nbsp;

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“Six years ago I offered Sivert $1800 to stay off social media until he was 18. Even though $1800 is a lot more to a 12 year old than it is to an 18 year old, he has stuck to our deal. He turns 18 tomorrow. He will have $1800 in his pocket and new accounts on Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter! FYI—it’s some of the best money I have ever spent!!!” she wrote and shared an image of her son.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-a-first-former-south-african-president-nelson-mandelas-artwork-to-be-sold-as-nfts-soon-456754">Also read |&nbsp;In a first, former South African president Nelson Mandela’s artwork to be sold as NFTs soon</a>

Lorna while speaking to People said that she is proud of his son. "He was like 'I'm not breaking this.' I'm proud of him because there were a few times where it was harder," she said.&nbsp;

She decided about this challenge after hearing about it on the radio. Also, she had seen her daughter struggle during her teenage years. "She got so obsessed with keeping up her Snapchat streaks that really it was affecting her mood. It was affecting her friendships," the mother told.

(With inputs from agencies)

In an attempt to keep her son away from social media, a US-based mother promised that she will give him a good reward for his 18th birthday if he refrained from using social media.

In an attempt to keep her son away from social media, a US-based mother promised that she will give him a good reward for his 18th birthday if he refrained from using social media. In a challenge that began in 2016, Lorna Goldstrand Klefsaas from Minnesota offered her son Sivert Klefsaas $1,800. Keeping up to his promise, the son somehow managed to stay away from social media and was given $1,800 on his 18th birthday. The mother shared a post documenting the entire challenge. × “Six years ago I offered Sivert $1800 to stay off social media until he was 18. Even though $1800 is a lot more to a 12 year old than it is to an 18 year old, he has stuck to our deal. He turns 18 tomorrow. He will have $1800 in his pocket and new accounts on Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter! FYI—it’s some of the best money I have ever spent!!!” she wrote and shared an image of her son. Also read | In a first, former South African president Nelson Mandela’s artwork to be sold as NFTs soon Lorna while speaking to People said that she is proud of his son. "He was like 'I'm not breaking this.' I'm proud of him because there were a few times where it was harder," she said. She decided about this challenge after hearing about it on the radio. Also, she had seen her daughter struggle during her teenage years. "She got so obsessed with keeping up her Snapchat streaks that really it was affecting her mood. It was affecting her friendships," the mother told. (With inputs from agencies)

Teenage son gets $1,800 reward from mom for staying away from social media for 6 years

For the first time since 2014, Google Chrome is changing its logo. A designer for Google Chrome, Elvin Hu offered the first look for the logo's redesign on his Twitter handle.

"We’re refreshing Chrome’s brand icons for the first time in 8 years. The new icons will start to appear across your devices soon," Elvin wrote.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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We simplified the main brand icon by removing the shadows, refining the proportions and brightening the colors, to align with Google's more modern brand expression. <a href="https://t.co/Hyig51gqJq">pic.twitter.com/Hyig51gqJq</a>
— Elvin 🌈 (@elvin_not_11) <a href="https://twitter.com/elvin_not_11/status/1489647027789000714?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2022</a></blockquote>
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In the new logo, the three colours - red, yellow, and green are simply flat and do not have any shadow. Also, the blue circle in the middle seems to be bigger and brighter.&nbsp;

<img alt="Google chrome logos " data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="382e6016-1e87-4177-ad62-dbec6cc33807" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/FK4hLOMakAEcuyk.jpeg" />

Image Credits: Twitter

Taking to his Twitter, Elvin mentioned that placing certain shades of green and red next to each other created an unpleasant colour vibration. Therefore, the team introduced a very subtle gradient to the main icon.&nbsp;

The team has also created OS-specific customisations, meaning, it will look more colourful to complement the other system icons but on macOS, the logo will have a small shadow.&nbsp;

The Windows 10 and 11 version has a more dramatic gradient.&nbsp;

Explaining the reason behind the change, Elvin said, “You might ask, “why bother with sth. so subtle?” We tailor Chrome’s experience to each OS, with features like Native Window Occlusion on Windows, day-one M1 support on macOS, Widgets on iOS/Android, and Material You on Android. We want our brand to convey the same level of care.”

The change in logo sparked tons of reactions on social media as netizens believe that the difference between the old and new logo is not noticeable.&nbsp;

Here are a few tweets:

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After seeing the Google chrome logo change: <a href="https://t.co/or6xEP1fq3">pic.twitter.com/or6xEP1fq3</a>
— Falebi Jafda (@GoggleWalaMemer) <a href="https://twitter.com/GoggleWalaMemer/status/1490284759045459970?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoogleChrome?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoogleChrome</a> New logo. Spot the difference 😃 
 
2014 2022 <a href="https://t.co/lJXL7zqgjs">pic.twitter.com/lJXL7zqgjs</a>
— Sonu Prajapati (@TechMumbaikar) <a href="https://twitter.com/TechMumbaikar/status/1490304845169197057?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2022</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

For the first time since 2014, Google Chrome is changing its logo. A designer for Google Chrome, Elvin Hu offered the first look for the logo's redesign on his Twitter handle.

For the first time since 2014, Google Chrome is changing its logo. A designer for Google Chrome, Elvin Hu offered the first look for the logo's redesign on his Twitter handle. "We’re refreshing Chrome’s brand icons for the first time in 8 years. The new icons will start to appear across your devices soon," Elvin wrote. We simplified the main brand icon by removing the shadows, refining the proportions and brightening the colors, to align with Google's more modern brand expression. pic.twitter.com/Hyig51gqJq — Elvin 🌈 (@elvin_not_11) February 4, 2022 × In the new logo, the three colours - red, yellow, and green are simply flat and do not have any shadow. Also, the blue circle in the middle seems to be bigger and brighter. Image Credits: Twitter Taking to his Twitter, Elvin mentioned that placing certain shades of green and red next to each other created an unpleasant colour vibration. Therefore, the team introduced a very subtle gradient to the main icon. The team has also created OS-specific customisations, meaning, it will look more colourful to complement the other system icons but on macOS, the logo will have a small shadow. The Windows 10 and 11 version has a more dramatic gradient. Explaining the reason behind the change, Elvin said, “You might ask, “why bother with sth. so subtle?” We tailor Chrome’s experience to each OS, with features like Native Window Occlusion on Windows, day-one M1 support on macOS, Widgets on iOS/Android, and Material You on Android. We want our brand to convey the same level of care.” The change in logo sparked tons of reactions on social media as netizens believe that the difference between the old and new logo is not noticeable. Here are a few tweets: After seeing the Google chrome logo change: pic.twitter.com/or6xEP1fq3 — Falebi Jafda (@GoggleWalaMemer) February 6, 2022 × #GoogleChrome New logo. Spot the difference 😃 2014 2022 pic.twitter.com/lJXL7zqgjs — Sonu Prajapati (@TechMumbaikar) February 6, 2022 ×

Google Chrome changes logo for the first time in 8 years, netizens react

After Pyongyang sent a suspected intermediate-range ballistic missile into space on Sunday, the US issued a straightforward call to North Korea to join direct negotiations regarding its nuclear and missile programmes with no preconditions.&nbsp;

A senior Biden administration official told reporters, "We believe it is completely appropriate and completely correct to start having some serious discussions."

The US has frequently sought dialogue with North Korea under Joe Biden's leadership, but has been turned down.

Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader, met with Donald Trump three times, but none of the meetings resulted in Kim's desire for the sanctions to be lifted.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-koreas-kim-takes-toilet-with-him-even-abroad-and-anyone-using-it-will-be-killed-but-why-448133">Also read | North Korea's Kim takes toilet with him even abroad, and anyone using it will be killed. But why?</a>

According to a Biden official, the latest North Korean test is part of an "increasingly destabilising" pattern that is in violation of UN Security Council resolutions and thus international law.&nbsp; 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-7th-test-in-2022-north-korea-fires-longest-range-missile-since-2017-448864">Also read | In 7th test in 2022, North Korea fires longest-range missile since 2017</a>

A US official spoke out after North Korea's largest missile test since 2017.

The launch was viewed as a step forward in the process of resuming long-range testing.

"Of course, we're concerned," the US official said, that Pyongyang might do so and end a self-imposed moratorium on nuclear testing.&nbsp; 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-koreas-latest-missile-test-appears-to-be-its-boldest-in-years-449049">Also read | North Korea’s latest missile test appears to be its boldest in years</a>

"It requires a response," he said. "You will see us taking some steps that are designed to show our commitment to our allies … and at the same time we reiterate our call for diplomacy. We stand ready and we are very serious about trying to have discussions that address concerns on both sides."&nbsp;

Pyongyang's playbook of brinkmanship to gain concessions appears to have been revived with the missile fired on Sunday, which appeared to be the most powerful since Biden took office.

The missile was fired on a high trajectory, allegedly to avoid neighbouring countries' territorial territories, reaching a maximum altitude of 2,000 kilometres (1,242 miles) and travelling 800 kilometres (497 miles) before landing in the sea, according to the Japanese and South Korean forces.

The flight details point to North Korea's longest-range missile since 2017, when it sent two ballistic missiles over Japan and three more that had the ability to strike deep into the United States.

This month, North Korea has launched seven missiles.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

After Pyongyang sent a suspected intermediate-range ballistic missile into space on Sunday, the US issued a straightforward call to North Korea to join direct negotiations regarding its nuclear and missile programmes with no preconditions.

After Pyongyang sent a suspected intermediate-range ballistic missile into space on Sunday, the US issued a straightforward call to North Korea to join direct negotiations regarding its nuclear and missile programmes with no preconditions. A senior Biden administration official told reporters, "We believe it is completely appropriate and completely correct to start having some serious discussions." The US has frequently sought dialogue with North Korea under Joe Biden's leadership, but has been turned down. Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader, met with Donald Trump three times, but none of the meetings resulted in Kim's desire for the sanctions to be lifted. Also read | North Korea's Kim takes toilet with him even abroad, and anyone using it will be killed. But why? According to a Biden official, the latest North Korean test is part of an "increasingly destabilising" pattern that is in violation of UN Security Council resolutions and thus international law. Also read | In 7th test in 2022, North Korea fires longest-range missile since 2017 A US official spoke out after North Korea's largest missile test since 2017. The launch was viewed as a step forward in the process of resuming long-range testing. "Of course, we're concerned," the US official said, that Pyongyang might do so and end a self-imposed moratorium on nuclear testing. Also read | North Korea’s latest missile test appears to be its boldest in years "It requires a response," he said. "You will see us taking some steps that are designed to show our commitment to our allies … and at the same time we reiterate our call for diplomacy. We stand ready and we are very serious about trying to have discussions that address concerns on both sides." Pyongyang's playbook of brinkmanship to gain concessions appears to have been revived with the missile fired on Sunday, which appeared to be the most powerful since Biden took office. The missile was fired on a high trajectory, allegedly to avoid neighbouring countries' territorial territories, reaching a maximum altitude of 2,000 kilometres (1,242 miles) and travelling 800 kilometres (497 miles) before landing in the sea, according to the Japanese and South Korean forces. The flight details point to North Korea's longest-range missile since 2017, when it sent two ballistic missiles over Japan and three more that had the ability to strike deep into the United States. This month, North Korea has launched seven missiles. (With inputs from agencies)

After latest missile test by Pyongyang, US urges North Korea to join direct talks 

North Korea on Sunday carried out what appeared to be its boldest ballistic missile test in years, raising the stakes in a flurry of launches that analysts said were meant to put pressure on President Joe Biden.

The missile was launched at 7:52 a.m. from the North Korean province of Jagang, which borders China, and flew across the North before falling into the sea off the country’s east coast, the South Korean military said. It was the North’s seventh missile test this month.

The office of South Korea’s president, Moon Jae-in, called the projectile an intermediate-range ballistic missile and condemned the test as a violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions. Flight data suggested it was the North’s most powerful launch since November 2017, when it tested an intercontinental ballistic missile that flew much higher.

Moon warned that North Korea could soon end the self-imposed moratorium on long-range ballistic missile and nuclear tests that its leader, Kim Jong Un, announced in 2018. Last ​week, Kim ​suggested that his government might resume such tests.

“If it’s an intermediate-range ballistic missile that they launched, it means that North Korea has come close to abandoning its moratorium,” Moon said at a meeting of his National Security Council, which he convened in response to the Sunday launch, his office said.

“North Korea must stop raising tensions and pressure and accept offers from South Korea and the United States to restart dialogue,” he said.

The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command condemned the launch and urged the North “to refrain from further destabilizing acts,” though it said the test had posed no immediate threat to the United States or its allies. In Tokyo, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters that Japan “strongly” protested the test.

North Korea appears to have carried out more missile tests in January than in any month since Kim came to power a decade ago. The launch Sunday was its third in the last week.

Kim has vowed to focus on expanding the North’s nuclear and missile capabilities since 2019, when his direct diplomacy with then-President Donald Trump collapsed. He has rebuffed the Biden administration’s repeated offers to resume talks “without preconditions”; instead, he has ordered his government to prepare for “long-term confrontation” with the United States.

Moon and South Korean analysts said the recent tests reminded them of 2017. That year, the first of Trump’s presidency, the North steadily escalated its weapons tests, from short-range missile launches to intermediate-range ballistic missile tests. Eventually, it tested three ICBMs and what it said was a hydrogen bomb.

Trump responded by persuading the U.N. Security Council to impose more sanctions on the North and by famously threatening the country with “fire and fury.” He went on to meet directly with Kim three times, but their personal diplomacy ended with no agreement on rolling back North Korea’s nuclear program or lifting the sanctions.

“It has been the same cycle repeating itself: North Korean provocations, followed by a round of negotiations and their collapse and a pause in diplomacy,” said Cheon Seong-whun, a former head of the Korea Institute for National Unification, a government-funded research institute in Seoul. “North Korea is now starting the cycle all over again, raising tensions with missile provocations.

“Its goal is to make the United States and its allies accept its nuclear arsenal as a fait accompli,” he said.

The last time North Korea launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile was in September 2017, when it tested its Hwasong-12 missile.

The missile launched Sunday was fired at a steep angle, reaching an altitude of 1,242 miles while covering a distance of 497 miles, South Korean defense officials said. When North Korea tests intermediate- and long-range missiles, it usually launches them at a steep angle.

That ensures that they don’t fly over Japan, which would be considered extremely provocative by Tokyo, Washington and their allies. Such missiles could cover much more distance if they were launched at normal ballistic missile trajectories.

The flight data from Sunday’s launch was comparable to that of a Hwasong-12 intermediate-range ballistic missile that North Korea launched in May 2017. That missile reached an altitude of 1,310 miles, landing in the sea 480 miles from the launch site.

But later that year, North Korea carried out more provocative tests of the same type of missile, launching them on trajectories that sent them over Japan. In those two tests, the missiles flew up to 2,300 miles before landing in the Pacific. That range would enable them to reach U.S. bases on Guam.

When the North last tested an ICBM, in 2017, it reached an altitude of 2,796 miles and covered a distance of 596 miles. After that test, North Korea claimed that its ballistic missiles could target parts or all of the continental United States with nuclear warheads.

Cheon and other analysts said they did not expect the North to test another ICBM immediately. They said it was likelier to raise tensions gradually, with a series of increasingly provocative moves.

Still, Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, said it was only “a matter of time” before the North launched another ICBM. “North Korea thinks that Washington is ignoring it despite its recent tests of short-range missiles,” he said. “So it is upping its pressure on Washington, calculating the timing for an ICBM test based on how Washington will respond.”

The recent launches have surprised some analysts in the region, who had expected the North to refrain from such provocations before the Winter Olympics in Beijing, which start this week. China is the North’s only major ally.

The United States’ worsening relations with China and Russia may have given Kim an opening to test weapons with impunity. When Washington asked the UN&nbsp;Security Council to impose more sanctions on North Korea for the recent tests, both Beijing and Moscow vetoed the move.

The tests enable the North to upgrade its missile forces while putting more pressure on the Biden administration to come to the table with more favoruable terms, analysts said.

Analysts said Kim also hoped to boost morale at home as his government prepares for two major events — the 80th anniversary of the birth of his father, Kim Jong Il, in February, and the 110th anniversary of the birth of his grandfather, Kim Il Sung, in April. Both preceded him as North Korea’s leaders.

On Friday, North Korea’s state media said Kim Jong Un had visited “a munitions factory producing a major weapon system” to encourage his weapons developers.

Yang said the North was likely to keep testing missiles at least through May, when whoever wins South Korea’s presidential election in March will take office. “It will create an extreme situation before switching to a new phase of diplomacy with Washington and the new government in Seoul,” he said.

North Korea on Sunday carried out what appeared to be its boldest ballistic missile test in years, raising the stakes in a flurry of launches that analysts said were meant to put pressure on President Joe Biden.

North Korea on Sunday carried out what appeared to be its boldest ballistic missile test in years, raising the stakes in a flurry of launches that analysts said were meant to put pressure on President Joe Biden. The missile was launched at 7:52 a.m. from the North Korean province of Jagang, which borders China, and flew across the North before falling into the sea off the country’s east coast, the South Korean military said. It was the North’s seventh missile test this month. The office of South Korea’s president, Moon Jae-in, called the projectile an intermediate-range ballistic missile and condemned the test as a violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions. Flight data suggested it was the North’s most powerful launch since November 2017, when it tested an intercontinental ballistic missile that flew much higher. Moon warned that North Korea could soon end the self-imposed moratorium on long-range ballistic missile and nuclear tests that its leader, Kim Jong Un, announced in 2018. Last week, Kim suggested that his government might resume such tests. “If it’s an intermediate-range ballistic missile that they launched, it means that North Korea has come close to abandoning its moratorium,” Moon said at a meeting of his National Security Council, which he convened in response to the Sunday launch, his office said. “North Korea must stop raising tensions and pressure and accept offers from South Korea and the United States to restart dialogue,” he said. The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command condemned the launch and urged the North “to refrain from further destabilizing acts,” though it said the test had posed no immediate threat to the United States or its allies. In Tokyo, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters that Japan “strongly” protested the test. North Korea appears to have carried out more missile tests in January than in any month since Kim came to power a decade ago. The launch Sunday was its third in the last week. Kim has vowed to focus on expanding the North’s nuclear and missile capabilities since 2019, when his direct diplomacy with then-President Donald Trump collapsed. He has rebuffed the Biden administration’s repeated offers to resume talks “without preconditions”; instead, he has ordered his government to prepare for “long-term confrontation” with the United States. Moon and South Korean analysts said the recent tests reminded them of 2017. That year, the first of Trump’s presidency, the North steadily escalated its weapons tests, from short-range missile launches to intermediate-range ballistic missile tests. Eventually, it tested three ICBMs and what it said was a hydrogen bomb. Trump responded by persuading the U.N. Security Council to impose more sanctions on the North and by famously threatening the country with “fire and fury.” He went on to meet directly with Kim three times, but their personal diplomacy ended with no agreement on rolling back North Korea’s nuclear program or lifting the sanctions. “It has been the same cycle repeating itself: North Korean provocations, followed by a round of negotiations and their collapse and a pause in diplomacy,” said Cheon Seong-whun, a former head of the Korea Institute for National Unification, a government-funded research institute in Seoul. “North Korea is now starting the cycle all over again, raising tensions with missile provocations. “Its goal is to make the United States and its allies accept its nuclear arsenal as a fait accompli,” he said. The last time North Korea launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile was in September 2017, when it tested its Hwasong-12 missile. The missile launched Sunday was fired at a steep angle, reaching an altitude of 1,242 miles while covering a distance of 497 miles, South Korean defense officials said. When North Korea tests intermediate- and long-range missiles, it usually launches them at a steep angle. That ensures that they don’t fly over Japan, which would be considered extremely provocative by Tokyo, Washington and their allies. Such missiles could cover much more distance if they were launched at normal ballistic missile trajectories. The flight data from Sunday’s launch was comparable to that of a Hwasong-12 intermediate-range ballistic missile that North Korea launched in May 2017. That missile reached an altitude of 1,310 miles, landing in the sea 480 miles from the launch site. But later that year, North Korea carried out more provocative tests of the same type of missile, launching them on trajectories that sent them over Japan. In those two tests, the missiles flew up to 2,300 miles before landing in the Pacific. That range would enable them to reach U.S. bases on Guam. When the North last tested an ICBM, in 2017, it reached an altitude of 2,796 miles and covered a distance of 596 miles. After that test, North Korea claimed that its ballistic missiles could target parts or all of the continental United States with nuclear warheads. Cheon and other analysts said they did not expect the North to test another ICBM immediately. They said it was likelier to raise tensions gradually, with a series of increasingly provocative moves. Still, Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, said it was only “a matter of time” before the North launched another ICBM. “North Korea thinks that Washington is ignoring it despite its recent tests of short-range missiles,” he said. “So it is upping its pressure on Washington, calculating the timing for an ICBM test based on how Washington will respond.” The recent launches have surprised some analysts in the region, who had expected the North to refrain from such provocations before the Winter Olympics in Beijing, which start this week. China is the North’s only major ally. The United States’ worsening relations with China and Russia may have given Kim an opening to test weapons with impunity. When Washington asked the UN Security Council to impose more sanctions on North Korea for the recent tests, both Beijing and Moscow vetoed the move. The tests enable the North to upgrade its missile forces while putting more pressure on the Biden administration to come to the table with more favoruable terms, analysts said. Analysts said Kim also hoped to boost morale at home as his government prepares for two major events — the 80th anniversary of the birth of his father, Kim Jong Il, in February, and the 110th anniversary of the birth of his grandfather, Kim Il Sung, in April. Both preceded him as North Korea’s leaders. On Friday, North Korea’s state media said Kim Jong Un had visited “a munitions factory producing a major weapon system” to encourage his weapons developers. Yang said the North was likely to keep testing missiles at least through May, when whoever wins South Korea’s presidential election in March will take office. “It will create an extreme situation before switching to a new phase of diplomacy with Washington and the new government in Seoul,” he said.

North Korea’s latest missile test appears to be its boldest in years

Nearly 80 years after it crashed, a missing World War II plane has been identified in India’s remote Himalayas. The discovery was made after a very dangerous search operation.&nbsp;

The incident took place in the first week of 1945.&nbsp;

The discovery was made after the team stumbled upon the plane on a snow-clad mountain top last month.&nbsp;

According to reports by AFP, the C-46 transport aircraft was carrying 13 people from Kunming in southern China. It suddenly disappeared due to stormy weather at a mountainous stretch in Indian state Arunachal Pradesh.&nbsp;

Three guides, who were a part of the operation died because of hypothermia at a very initial stage of the project in the month of September.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/stunning-images-from-underwater-lion-dance-at-malaysian-aquarium-days-before-chinese-new-year-446478">Also read |&nbsp;Stunning images from underwater lion dance at Malaysian aquarium days before Chinese New Year</a>

Clayton Kuhles, a US adventurer led the mission after a request was made from Bill Scherer, whose officer father was one of those who were on board.&nbsp;

Speaking about the incident, Kuhles said, "This aircraft was never heard from again. It simply disappeared."

In an email, Scherer told the AFP news, "All I can say is that I am overjoyed, just knowing where he is. It is sad but joyous. I grew up without a father. All I can think of is my poor mother, getting a telegram and finding out her husband is missing and she is left with me, a 13-month-old baby boy.”

(With inputs from agencies)

Nearly 80 years after it crashed, a missing World War II plane has been identified in India’s remote Himalayas. The discovery was made after a very dangerous search operation.

Nearly 80 years after it crashed, a missing World War II plane has been identified in India’s remote Himalayas. The discovery was made after a very dangerous search operation. The incident took place in the first week of 1945. The discovery was made after the team stumbled upon the plane on a snow-clad mountain top last month. According to reports by AFP, the C-46 transport aircraft was carrying 13 people from Kunming in southern China. It suddenly disappeared due to stormy weather at a mountainous stretch in Indian state Arunachal Pradesh. Three guides, who were a part of the operation died because of hypothermia at a very initial stage of the project in the month of September. Also read | Stunning images from underwater lion dance at Malaysian aquarium days before Chinese New Year Clayton Kuhles, a US adventurer led the mission after a request was made from Bill Scherer, whose officer father was one of those who were on board. Speaking about the incident, Kuhles said, "This aircraft was never heard from again. It simply disappeared." In an email, Scherer told the AFP news, "All I can say is that I am overjoyed, just knowing where he is. It is sad but joyous. I grew up without a father. All I can think of is my poor mother, getting a telegram and finding out her husband is missing and she is left with me, a 13-month-old baby boy.” (With inputs from agencies)

World War II aircraft found in India after nearly 80 years

Recent research has revealed that over the past 150 years, hurricanes in the North Atlantic have drastically increased in frequency. Also, the amount of destruction caused by a hurricane has seen a surge. The research by MIT used climate modelling as a method to recollect the history of hurricanes all across the globe.&nbsp;

"In particular, major hurricanes, and hurricanes in general, are more frequent today than in the past. And those that make landfall appear to have grown more powerful, carrying more destructive potential," read the statement by MIT.&nbsp;

However, it has been observed that this trend is only seen in North Atlantic and not the remaining world.

Study author Kerry Emanuel said, "The evidence does point, as the original historical record did, to long-term increases in North Atlantic hurricane activity, but no significant changes in global hurricane activity."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/global-scale-deluge-report-reveals-us-is-the-worlds-biggest-plastic-polluter-433451">Also read |&nbsp;'Global scale deluge': Report reveals US is the world's biggest plastic polluter</a>

He further highlighted how this will change the interpretation of climate’s impacts on hurricanes. He attributed the rise of such activities in the North Atlantic to global warming as he said, "it’s really the regionality of the climate, and that something happened to the North Atlantic that’s different from the rest of the globe."

During the research, scientists used a statistical approach to identify storms that the historical record might have missed. This was done by consulting digitally reconstructed shipping routes in the Atlantic over the last 150 years. Then these routes were mapped over modern-day hurricane tracks.&nbsp;

After the analysis was complete, it was found out that a major number of storms were missed in the historical record. This is how it was concluded that the storm activity had not changed over the last 150 years.

“All we know is, if there had been a change (in storm activity), it would not have been detectable, using digitised ship records,” Emanuel says. This is how the author thought that the research could be done in a better manner "by not using historical data at all.”

(With inputs from agencies)

Recent research has revealed that over the past 150 years, hurricanes in the North Atlantic have drastically increased in frequency. Also, the amount of destruction caused by a hurricane has seen a surge.

Recent research has revealed that over the past 150 years, hurricanes in the North Atlantic have drastically increased in frequency. Also, the amount of destruction caused by a hurricane has seen a surge. The research by MIT used climate modelling as a method to recollect the history of hurricanes all across the globe. "In particular, major hurricanes, and hurricanes in general, are more frequent today than in the past. And those that make landfall appear to have grown more powerful, carrying more destructive potential," read the statement by MIT. However, it has been observed that this trend is only seen in North Atlantic and not the remaining world. Study author Kerry Emanuel said, "The evidence does point, as the original historical record did, to long-term increases in North Atlantic hurricane activity, but no significant changes in global hurricane activity." Also read | 'Global scale deluge': Report reveals US is the world's biggest plastic polluter He further highlighted how this will change the interpretation of climate’s impacts on hurricanes. He attributed the rise of such activities in the North Atlantic to global warming as he said, "it’s really the regionality of the climate, and that something happened to the North Atlantic that’s different from the rest of the globe." During the research, scientists used a statistical approach to identify storms that the historical record might have missed. This was done by consulting digitally reconstructed shipping routes in the Atlantic over the last 150 years. Then these routes were mapped over modern-day hurricane tracks. After the analysis was complete, it was found out that a major number of storms were missed in the historical record. This is how it was concluded that the storm activity had not changed over the last 150 years. “All we know is, if there had been a change (in storm activity), it would not have been detectable, using digitised ship records,” Emanuel says. This is how the author thought that the research could be done in a better manner "by not using historical data at all.” (With inputs from agencies)

More frequent and destructive: Historical records show a surge in hurricanes over the last 150 years

Gov. Roy Cooper of North Carolina on Friday granted a pardon to a man who spent more than 24 years in prison for murder before a judge vacated his conviction in 2019, finding that a key witness had “entirely made up” her testimony.

The pardon for the man, Montoyae Dontae Sharpe, clears the way for him to seek compensation from the state and comes after prominent pastors and others had demonstrated outside the governor’s mansion in support of Sharpe.

“It’s been a long time coming,” Sharpe, 46, of Charlotte, said in an interview Friday. “My name has been cleared, and me and my family can move on. And I can go on with the next stage of my life, which is to still help other guys behind me.”

In 1995, Sharpe was convicted and sentenced to life in prison for the murder of George Radcliffe, who was found fatally shot in his pickup truck in Greenville, North Carolina, on Feb. 11, 1994.

During the trial, Charlene Johnson, who was 15, testified that she saw Sharpe, who is Black, shoot Radcliffe, who was white, in a face-to-face altercation over a drug deal, according to one of Sharpe’s lawyers, Theresa A. Newman, who was a co-director of the Wrongful Convictions Clinic at Duke University School of Law.

Johnson testified that Sharpe and another man then put Radcliffe into the truck, crashed it into a vacant lot and threw away the key, Newman said.

Johnson recanted her testimony weeks later, and Sharpe’s efforts to overturn his conviction worked their way through the courts until 2019, when a Superior Court judge in Pitt County, North Carolina, held two evidentiary hearings that destroyed the case.

After the second hearing, on Aug. 22, 2019, the judge, G. Bryan Collins Jr., found that if the case were tried again, Johnson would testify that “she was not present at the time of the shooting and that her trial testimony was entirely made up based on what she saw on television and what investigators told her.”

Collins also found that the medical examiner who had testified at the trial, Dr. Mary Gilliland, learned of Johnson’s testimony only “well after the trial was over.” If Gilliland were called to testify at a retrial, the judge found, she would testify that Johnson’s initial description of the shooting was “medically and scientifically impossible.”

Radcliffe had been shot in the arm, and Johnson’s description of a face-to-face confrontation “didn’t line up with the trajectory of the bullet through the body,” Newman said.

Collins vacated Sharpe’s conviction, released him from prison and granted his motion for a new trial.

That same day, the Pitt County District Attorney’s Office dismissed the murder charge against Sharpe and refused to retry the case on the grounds that there was insufficient evidence to prove it beyond a reasonable doubt.

Sharpe then spent the next two years fighting for a pardon, Newman said, before Cooper granted it Friday.

“I have carefully reviewed Montoyae Dontae Sharpe’s case and am granting him a Pardon of Innocence,” Cooper, a Democrat, said in a statement. “Mr. Sharpe and others who have been wrongly convicted deserve to have that injustice fully and publicly acknowledged.”

Newman said the pardon would allow Sharpe to petition the state for compensation of $50,000 for each year of wrongful imprisonment up to $750,000 — the most Sharpe could receive for the 24 years he spent in prison.

Sharpe said he had been sustained throughout the decades by his faith in God, his lawyers, the pastors who supported him and his mother, who gave him the strength to resist pressure from prosecutors to accept plea deals that could have resulted in his release from prison.

“If it weren’t for them, it would have been bad,” Sharpe said. “I would have still been in there, most likely.”

At a rally outside the governor’s mansion on Friday, the Rev. William J. Barber II, a North Carolina pastor, celebrated the “tremendous, tremendous news” of Sharpe’s pardon and asked those in attendance to think of all those who fought for Sharpe throughout the years.

“This was a family victory,” Barber said, adding that Sharpe deserved special praise.

“He has more courage than any man that has ever sat in that governor’s office — or woman — and more courage than anybody that’s ever sat in the state Legislature,” Barber said.

Sharpe said he hoped to use his pardon to fight for others who have been wrongfully convicted and are seeking to clear their names.

“I know there are more cases out there like mine because the system isn’t perfect,” he said. “We can change the system and my case is just a steppingstone for me to step out and help change the system.”

Gov. Roy Cooper of North Carolina on Friday granted a pardon to a man who spent more than 24 years in prison for murder before a judge vacated his conviction in 2019, finding that a key witness had “entirely made up” her testimony.

Gov. Roy Cooper of North Carolina on Friday granted a pardon to a man who spent more than 24 years in prison for murder before a judge vacated his conviction in 2019, finding that a key witness had “entirely made up” her testimony. The pardon for the man, Montoyae Dontae Sharpe, clears the way for him to seek compensation from the state and comes after prominent pastors and others had demonstrated outside the governor’s mansion in support of Sharpe. “It’s been a long time coming,” Sharpe, 46, of Charlotte, said in an interview Friday. “My name has been cleared, and me and my family can move on. And I can go on with the next stage of my life, which is to still help other guys behind me.” In 1995, Sharpe was convicted and sentenced to life in prison for the murder of George Radcliffe, who was found fatally shot in his pickup truck in Greenville, North Carolina, on Feb. 11, 1994. During the trial, Charlene Johnson, who was 15, testified that she saw Sharpe, who is Black, shoot Radcliffe, who was white, in a face-to-face altercation over a drug deal, according to one of Sharpe’s lawyers, Theresa A. Newman, who was a co-director of the Wrongful Convictions Clinic at Duke University School of Law. Johnson testified that Sharpe and another man then put Radcliffe into the truck, crashed it into a vacant lot and threw away the key, Newman said. Johnson recanted her testimony weeks later, and Sharpe’s efforts to overturn his conviction worked their way through the courts until 2019, when a Superior Court judge in Pitt County, North Carolina, held two evidentiary hearings that destroyed the case. After the second hearing, on Aug. 22, 2019, the judge, G. Bryan Collins Jr., found that if the case were tried again, Johnson would testify that “she was not present at the time of the shooting and that her trial testimony was entirely made up based on what she saw on television and what investigators told her.” Collins also found that the medical examiner who had testified at the trial, Dr. Mary Gilliland, learned of Johnson’s testimony only “well after the trial was over.” If Gilliland were called to testify at a retrial, the judge found, she would testify that Johnson’s initial description of the shooting was “medically and scientifically impossible.” Radcliffe had been shot in the arm, and Johnson’s description of a face-to-face confrontation “didn’t line up with the trajectory of the bullet through the body,” Newman said. Collins vacated Sharpe’s conviction, released him from prison and granted his motion for a new trial. That same day, the Pitt County District Attorney’s Office dismissed the murder charge against Sharpe and refused to retry the case on the grounds that there was insufficient evidence to prove it beyond a reasonable doubt. Sharpe then spent the next two years fighting for a pardon, Newman said, before Cooper granted it Friday. “I have carefully reviewed Montoyae Dontae Sharpe’s case and am granting him a Pardon of Innocence,” Cooper, a Democrat, said in a statement. “Mr. Sharpe and others who have been wrongly convicted deserve to have that injustice fully and publicly acknowledged.” Newman said the pardon would allow Sharpe to petition the state for compensation of $50,000 for each year of wrongful imprisonment up to $750,000 — the most Sharpe could receive for the 24 years he spent in prison. Sharpe said he had been sustained throughout the decades by his faith in God, his lawyers, the pastors who supported him and his mother, who gave him the strength to resist pressure from prosecutors to accept plea deals that could have resulted in his release from prison. “If it weren’t for them, it would have been bad,” Sharpe said. “I would have still been in there, most likely.” At a rally outside the governor’s mansion on Friday, the Rev. William J. Barber II, a North Carolina pastor, celebrated the “tremendous, tremendous news” of Sharpe’s pardon and asked those in attendance to think of all those who fought for Sharpe throughout the years. “This was a family victory,” Barber said, adding that Sharpe deserved special praise. “He has more courage than any man that has ever sat in that governor’s office — or woman — and more courage than anybody that’s ever sat in the state Legislature,” Barber said. Sharpe said he hoped to use his pardon to fight for others who have been wrongfully convicted and are seeking to clear their names. “I know there are more cases out there like mine because the system isn’t perfect,” he said. “We can change the system and my case is just a steppingstone for me to step out and help change the system.”

Man pardoned after spending 24 years in prison for murder

Danny Fenster, an American journalist who was detained in Myanmar since May, has now been sentenced to 11 years in prison. His charges include unlawful association, incitement against the military and breaching visa rules.

Danny Fenster, an American journalist who was detained in Myanmar since May, has now been sentenced to 11 years in prison. His charges include unlawful association, incitement against the military and breaching visa rules. Recently, Fenster was hit with new criminal charges. The 37-year old journalist has been denied bail and held in a prison in Yangon. "Frontier Myanmar is deeply disappointed at the decision today to convict its Managing Editor, Danny Fenster, on three charges and impose prison sentences totalling 11 years," the outlet said in a statement. "Everyone at Frontier is disappointed and frustrated at this decision. We just want to see Danny released as soon as possible so he can go home to his family." Also read | US journalist held in Myanmar charged with terrorism, sedition Crisis Group Myanmar senior advisor Richard Horsey has described this as "outrageous." While speaking to AFP, he said, "It sends a message not only to international journalists... but also Myanmar journalists that reporting factually on the situation is liable to get them many many years in prison." Fenster was arrested at the airport when he was trying to leave the country to see his family, living in the US. The US had urged Myanmar to immediately free the journalist after he was hit with the charges. Fenster happens to be one of the 100 journalists who have been detained since the military seized power. (With inputs from agencies)

US journalist Danny Fenster, detained in Myanmar, now jailed for 11 years

The global death toll from the deadly coronavirus has now topped 5 million. It has been less than two years since the pandemic took over the entire world, devastating both rich and poor nations.&nbsp;

The United States, European Union, Britain and Brazil account for nearly half of all the reported deaths. The pandemic has taken most lives in the US as over 745,000 deaths have been recorded as of now.&nbsp;

Dr Albert Ko, an infectious disease specialist at the Yale School of Public Health, while speaking to The Associated Press said, "This is a defining moment in our lifetime."

“What do we have to do to protect ourselves so we don’t get to another 5 million?”

The death toll was equivalent to the populations of Los Angeles and San Francisco combined when tallied by Johns Hopkins University. COVID-19 has become the third leading cause of death globally. Heart diseases and strokes are the first two causes.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-will-reduce-emissions-by-50-52-below-2005-levels-by-2030-says-biden-at-cop26-425923">Also read |&nbsp;US will reduce emissions by 50-52% below 2005 levels by 2030, says Biden at COP26</a>

The deadly coronavirus emerged from a wet market in Wuhan, China. The country has put various cities under lockdown again as cases seem to spike.&nbsp;

Lanzhou in the northwest and the Mongolia border city of Ejin Banner have been put under lockdown. Heilongjiang province on Russia's border is also under lockdown.&nbsp;

Reports said residential colonies and villages have been closed in Heihe and gatherings have been banned amid large scale testing underway in the area. Vehicles have also not been allowed to leave the city and movement has been restricted. China is reportedly battling virus outbreaks in eleven provinces.&nbsp;

Cases in India surged in May due to the delta variant. Now, the situation has improved with a much lower reported daily death rate than wealthier Russia, the US or Britain.&nbsp;

The global death toll from the deadly coronavirus has now topped 5 million. It has been less than two years since the pandemic took over the entire world, devastating both rich and poor nations.

The global death toll from the deadly coronavirus has now topped 5 million. It has been less than two years since the pandemic took over the entire world, devastating both rich and poor nations. The United States, European Union, Britain and Brazil account for nearly half of all the reported deaths. The pandemic has taken most lives in the US as over 745,000 deaths have been recorded as of now. Dr Albert Ko, an infectious disease specialist at the Yale School of Public Health, while speaking to The Associated Press said, "This is a defining moment in our lifetime." “What do we have to do to protect ourselves so we don’t get to another 5 million?” The death toll was equivalent to the populations of Los Angeles and San Francisco combined when tallied by Johns Hopkins University. COVID-19 has become the third leading cause of death globally. Heart diseases and strokes are the first two causes. Also read | US will reduce emissions by 50-52% below 2005 levels by 2030, says Biden at COP26 The deadly coronavirus emerged from a wet market in Wuhan, China. The country has put various cities under lockdown again as cases seem to spike. Lanzhou in the northwest and the Mongolia border city of Ejin Banner have been put under lockdown. Heilongjiang province on Russia's border is also under lockdown. Reports said residential colonies and villages have been closed in Heihe and gatherings have been banned amid large scale testing underway in the area. Vehicles have also not been allowed to leave the city and movement has been restricted. China is reportedly battling virus outbreaks in eleven provinces. Cases in India surged in May due to the delta variant. Now, the situation has improved with a much lower reported daily death rate than wealthier Russia, the US or Britain.

COVID-19: Global death toll tops 5 million in less than two years

Shri Ramlila Committee, which organises one of the oldest Ramlila in Delhi at a ground near Ajmeri Gate, will not be staging Ramlila this year, saying that authorities granted permission for the event too late.

Though the Delhi Disaster Management Authority has permitted to organise Ramlila at the ground, Shiv Kumar Gupta, the Joint Secretary of the Shri Ramlila Committee said that a temporary COVID-19 care centre is functioning at the ground, due to which the DDMA had given permission to stage the event in a restricted space of 40 metres.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/dasara-festivities-begin-in-mysuru-amid-covid-19-restrictions-418869">Dasara festivities begin in Mysuru amid COVID-19 restrictions</a>

"The order has come just two days before the Ramlila celebration begins. We had not done the preparation and it was also not possible for us to demonstrate Ramlila in a 40-meter restricted area. Therefore, we decided that we will not stage Ramlila this year too," Gupta told ANI.

55-year-old Shiv Kumar Gupta said that he is associated with this Ramlila since the age of 13. He informed that the history of the Shri Ramlila Committee goes back to the times of Bahadur Shah Zafar who gave permission to stage Ramlila. "This committee has been there since the times of Bahadur Shah Zafar. He gave us permission to stage the Ramlila event.

A procession, known as the 'Ramlila Sawaari', used to be a big highlight of the committee. The procession used to start from Chandni Chowk in old Delhi passes through Chawri Bazar, Asaf Ali Road and used to end in Ajmeri gate.

"Politicians like Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi also used to attend the Ramlila," he said.

Arjun Kumar, the General Secretary of Ramlila Mahasangh also said that the Shri Ramlila Committee has a rich history since the times of Bahadur Shah Zafar.

"During times of Bahadur Shah Zafar, this Ramlila used to take place at the banks of River Yamuna and queens used to watch the event from windows of the Red Fort. People near the Red Fort and Chandni Chowk helped this Ramlila to get started. A lot of Prime Ministers have seen this Ramlila," he said.

Also Read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-logs-21257-new-covid-cases-271-deaths-419059">&nbsp;India logs 21,257 new Covid cases, 271 deaths</a>

Kumar claimed that Shri Ramlila Committee is the only Ramlila committee in Delhi that gets free water and electricity from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.

Earlier on September 30, the DDMA had permitted Ramlila celebration following certain COVID-19 conditions.

As per the DDMA order, permission will have to be taken from the District Magistrate of the area for any programme related to the festival. "In an event in a closed area, only 50 per cent of the people will be allowed, while in the open area this number cannot exceed 200," stated the DDMA.&nbsp;

Shri Ramlila Committee, which organises one of the oldest Ramlila in Delhi at a ground near Ajmeri Gate, will not be staging Ramlila this year, saying that authorities granted permission for the event too late.

Shri Ramlila Committee, which organises one of the oldest Ramlila in Delhi at a ground near Ajmeri Gate, will not be staging Ramlila this year, saying that authorities granted permission for the event too late. Though the Delhi Disaster Management Authority has permitted to organise Ramlila at the ground, Shiv Kumar Gupta, the Joint Secretary of the Shri Ramlila Committee said that a temporary COVID-19 care centre is functioning at the ground, due to which the DDMA had given permission to stage the event in a restricted space of 40 metres. Also Read | Dasara festivities begin in Mysuru amid COVID-19 restrictions "The order has come just two days before the Ramlila celebration begins. We had not done the preparation and it was also not possible for us to demonstrate Ramlila in a 40-meter restricted area. Therefore, we decided that we will not stage Ramlila this year too," Gupta told ANI. 55-year-old Shiv Kumar Gupta said that he is associated with this Ramlila since the age of 13. He informed that the history of the Shri Ramlila Committee goes back to the times of Bahadur Shah Zafar who gave permission to stage Ramlila. "This committee has been there since the times of Bahadur Shah Zafar. He gave us permission to stage the Ramlila event. A procession, known as the 'Ramlila Sawaari', used to be a big highlight of the committee. The procession used to start from Chandni Chowk in old Delhi passes through Chawri Bazar, Asaf Ali Road and used to end in Ajmeri gate. "Politicians like Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi also used to attend the Ramlila," he said. Arjun Kumar, the General Secretary of Ramlila Mahasangh also said that the Shri Ramlila Committee has a rich history since the times of Bahadur Shah Zafar. "During times of Bahadur Shah Zafar, this Ramlila used to take place at the banks of River Yamuna and queens used to watch the event from windows of the Red Fort. People near the Red Fort and Chandni Chowk helped this Ramlila to get started. A lot of Prime Ministers have seen this Ramlila," he said. Also Read | India logs 21,257 new Covid cases, 271 deaths Kumar claimed that Shri Ramlila Committee is the only Ramlila committee in Delhi that gets free water and electricity from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. Earlier on September 30, the DDMA had permitted Ramlila celebration following certain COVID-19 conditions. As per the DDMA order, permission will have to be taken from the District Magistrate of the area for any programme related to the festival. "In an event in a closed area, only 50 per cent of the people will be allowed, while in the open area this number cannot exceed 200," stated the DDMA.

Delhi: Over 150-year-old Ramlila will not take place this year

A new study has warned that China's population could halve within the next 45 years. The projection was based on the official birth rate of 1.3 children per woman last year.&nbsp;

Before this, a study had projected that China will experience a negative growth after 2025, which will result in a shortage of consumer demand, a well-known Chinese economist has cautioned.

Cai Fang, a member of the monetary policy committee of the People's Bank of China, the central bank said that China's population is set to peak in a time period of four years time and the milestone will be marked by a significant downturn in consumer demand

Mr Cai was quoted as saying by Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post as saying, "When the total population enters negative growth (after 2025), there will be a shortage of demand."&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinas-population-to-enter-negative-growth-after-2025-report-378507">Also read |&nbsp;China's population to enter negative growth after 2025: Report&nbsp;</a>

He further added, "We need to pay attention to the impact of demographics on future consumption."

A PBOC study released a few months ago says that China should immediately liberalise its birth policies or face a scenario in which it has a lower share of workers and a higher burden of elderly care than the United States by 2050.

"We should not hesitate and wait for the effects of existing birth policies," the researchers said in a working paper published early this week.

"The birth liberalisation should happen now when there are some residents who still want to have children but can't. It's useless to liberalise it when no one wants to have children," it said.

A new study has warned that China's population could halve within the next 45 years. The projection was based on the official birth rate of 1.3 children per woman last year.

A new study has warned that China's population could halve within the next 45 years. The projection was based on the official birth rate of 1.3 children per woman last year. Before this, a study had projected that China will experience a negative growth after 2025, which will result in a shortage of consumer demand, a well-known Chinese economist has cautioned. Cai Fang, a member of the monetary policy committee of the People's Bank of China, the central bank said that China's population is set to peak in a time period of four years time and the milestone will be marked by a significant downturn in consumer demand Mr Cai was quoted as saying by Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post as saying, "When the total population enters negative growth (after 2025), there will be a shortage of demand." Also read | China's population to enter negative growth after 2025: Report He further added, "We need to pay attention to the impact of demographics on future consumption." A PBOC study released a few months ago says that China should immediately liberalise its birth policies or face a scenario in which it has a lower share of workers and a higher burden of elderly care than the United States by 2050. "We should not hesitate and wait for the effects of existing birth policies," the researchers said in a working paper published early this week. "The birth liberalisation should happen now when there are some residents who still want to have children but can't. It's useless to liberalise it when no one wants to have children," it said.

China’s population could halve within the next 45 years: Study

Sweden's prime minister on Thursday called on&nbsp;Eritrea&nbsp;to free a Swedish-Eritrean&nbsp;journalist&nbsp;held&nbsp;without charge for two decades, as an NGO petitioned Swedish authorities to investigate human rights abuses in the case.

Dawit Isaak was among a group of around two dozen senior cabinet ministers, members of parliament and independent journalists who were seized in a draconian purge in the east African country in September, 2001.

"Today marks&nbsp;20&nbsp;years&nbsp;since Dawit Isaak was arrested in&nbsp;Eritrea. That is an incredibly long time," Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said in a post to social media.

"My government and multiple previous governments have worked intensely with Dawit's case. Our work has so far not had the result we wanted, but we will never give up," Lofven added.

Meanwhile, press rights group Reporters Without Borders (RSF) renewed a call to Swedish prosecutors to investigate crimes against humanity in the case.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/evergrande-chairman-reassures-investors-shares-surge-415070">Also read |&nbsp;Evergrande chairman reassures investors, shares surge</a>

A Swedish law adopted in 2014 enabled the prosecution for such crimes even if committed elsewhere in the world.

A similar petition was filed with Swedish authorities in October last year, but prosecutors declined to open a case, arguing there were practical obstacles to the investigation even if there was reason to believe crimes had been committed.

"RSF requests that the Prosecution Authority take their international responsibility and open a preliminary investigation for crimes against humanity in Dawit Isaak's case," the group said in a statement on Thursday.

Isaak was arrested on September 23, 2001, shortly after the Eritrean newspaper he founded, Setit, published articles demanding political reforms.

He had fled to&nbsp;Sweden&nbsp;in 1987 during&nbsp;Eritrea's struggle against Ethiopia which eventually led to independence in 1993. He returned in 2001 to help shape the media landscape.

RSF ranks&nbsp;Eritrea&nbsp;as the world's most repressive country when it comes to press freedom, ahead of North Korea and Turkmenistan.

Sweden's prime minister on Thursday called on Eritrea to free a Swedish-Eritrean journalist held without charge for two decades, as an NGO petitioned Swedish authorities to investigate human rights abuses in the case.

Sweden's prime minister on Thursday called on Eritrea to free a Swedish-Eritrean journalist held without charge for two decades, as an NGO petitioned Swedish authorities to investigate human rights abuses in the case. Dawit Isaak was among a group of around two dozen senior cabinet ministers, members of parliament and independent journalists who were seized in a draconian purge in the east African country in September, 2001. "Today marks 20 years since Dawit Isaak was arrested in Eritrea. That is an incredibly long time," Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said in a post to social media. "My government and multiple previous governments have worked intensely with Dawit's case. Our work has so far not had the result we wanted, but we will never give up," Lofven added. Meanwhile, press rights group Reporters Without Borders (RSF) renewed a call to Swedish prosecutors to investigate crimes against humanity in the case. Also read | Evergrande chairman reassures investors, shares surge A Swedish law adopted in 2014 enabled the prosecution for such crimes even if committed elsewhere in the world. A similar petition was filed with Swedish authorities in October last year, but prosecutors declined to open a case, arguing there were practical obstacles to the investigation even if there was reason to believe crimes had been committed. "RSF requests that the Prosecution Authority take their international responsibility and open a preliminary investigation for crimes against humanity in Dawit Isaak's case," the group said in a statement on Thursday. Isaak was arrested on September 23, 2001, shortly after the Eritrean newspaper he founded, Setit, published articles demanding political reforms. He had fled to Sweden in 1987 during Eritrea's struggle against Ethiopia which eventually led to independence in 1993. He returned in 2001 to help shape the media landscape. RSF ranks Eritrea as the world's most repressive country when it comes to press freedom, ahead of North Korea and Turkmenistan.

Sweden urges Eritrea to release journalist held for 20 years

Researchers from Duke University have warned that another pandemic similar to the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to strike within 60 years.&nbsp;

As per the team, the number of new diseases spreading to humans may rise by three times over the coming decades.

“The most important takeaway is that large pandemics like COVID-19 and the Spanish flu are relatively likely,” says study author Dr William Pan in a university release.&nbsp;

Pan further&nbsp;highlighted that understanding that pandemics are not so rare should become a priority for health officials in charge of controlling them in the future.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/afghan-baby-girl-born-aboard-us-military-plane-named-reach-after-aircrafts-code-name-408427">Also read |&nbsp;Afghan baby girl born aboard US military plane named 'Reach' after aircraft's code name</a>

The team used new statistical methods to measure the scale and frequency of outbreaks over the past four centuries.&nbsp;

This included a range of deadly pathogens including plague, smallpox, cholera, typhus, and novel influenza viruses.

Co-author Professor Gabriel Katul said that this is not to say it is a guarantee that the world will go virus-free for 59 years. As per the findings, such events are equally probable in any given year during the next few decades.

Prof. Katul said, "When a 100-year flood occurs today, one may erroneously presume that one can afford to wait another 100 years before experiencing another such event". He further added, "This impression is false. One can get another 100-year flood the next year.”

Researchers from Duke University have warned that another pandemic similar to the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to strike within 60 years. As per the team, the number of new diseases spreading to humans may rise by three times over the coming decades.

Researchers from Duke University have warned that another pandemic similar to the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to strike within 60 years. As per the team, the number of new diseases spreading to humans may rise by three times over the coming decades. “The most important takeaway is that large pandemics like COVID-19 and the Spanish flu are relatively likely,” says study author Dr William Pan in a university release. Pan further highlighted that understanding that pandemics are not so rare should become a priority for health officials in charge of controlling them in the future. Also read | Afghan baby girl born aboard US military plane named 'Reach' after aircraft's code name The team used new statistical methods to measure the scale and frequency of outbreaks over the past four centuries. This included a range of deadly pathogens including plague, smallpox, cholera, typhus, and novel influenza viruses. Co-author Professor Gabriel Katul said that this is not to say it is a guarantee that the world will go virus-free for 59 years. As per the findings, such events are equally probable in any given year during the next few decades. Prof. Katul said, "When a 100-year flood occurs today, one may erroneously presume that one can afford to wait another 100 years before experiencing another such event". He further added, "This impression is false. One can get another 100-year flood the next year.”

Another COVID-19 like pandemic likely to strike within 60 years, says study

As per a report released by an environmental think tank, Germany is forecast to record its biggest rise in greenhouse gas emissions since 1990 this year.

Berlin-based Agora Energiewende has said that the country’s emissions would probably rise by the equivalent of 47m tons of carbon dioxide.

This means that Germany’s emissions will be about 37 per cent lower than in 1990.&nbsp;

It had aimed to cut emissions by 40 per cent by 2020, and met the target last year but only due to the economic downturn.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nigeria-imposes-partial-curfew-after-deadly-attack-405704">Also read |&nbsp;Nigeria imposes partial curfew after deadly attack</a>

The report relies on data from the first half of 2021 to forecast total emissions equivalent to 760-812m tons of CO2 for the full year.

The report highlights a significant increase in consumption of fossil fuels across the building, industrial and transport sectors.&nbsp;

If this is confirmed, the German government will be required by law to introduce urgent measures to reduce those sectoral emissions.

As per a report released by an environmental think tank, Germany is forecast to record its biggest rise in greenhouse gas emissions since 1990 this year. Berlin-based Agora Energiewende has said that the country’s emissions would probably rise by the equivalent of 47m tons of carbon dioxide.

As per a report released by an environmental think tank, Germany is forecast to record its biggest rise in greenhouse gas emissions since 1990 this year. Berlin-based Agora Energiewende has said that the country’s emissions would probably rise by the equivalent of 47m tons of carbon dioxide. This means that Germany’s emissions will be about 37 per cent lower than in 1990. It had aimed to cut emissions by 40 per cent by 2020, and met the target last year but only due to the economic downturn. Also read | Nigeria imposes partial curfew after deadly attack The report relies on data from the first half of 2021 to forecast total emissions equivalent to 760-812m tons of CO2 for the full year. The report highlights a significant increase in consumption of fossil fuels across the building, industrial and transport sectors. If this is confirmed, the German government will be required by law to introduce urgent measures to reduce those sectoral emissions.

Germany ‘set for biggest rise in greenhouse gases' for 30 years

In a series of attacks near the Niger border, an armed group in northern Burkina Faso murdered 30 civilians, army personnel, and pro-government militias, according to the defence ministry.

Unidentified assailants assaulted villages near the town of Markoye about midday on Wednesday, according to the ministry, and then attacked security personnel responding to the attacks later that afternoon.&nbsp;

According to the statement, a unit of troops and civilian auxiliaries was dispatched, but 19 of them were later murdered.&nbsp;

Eleven civilians, fifteen military, and four members of a government-backed civilian militia were among the dead.

According to the statement, more than ten of the assailants were dead, and the military had restored control of the region.&nbsp;

There was no instant admission of guilt.

Militant attacks have increased in the Sahel area of West Africa, killing thousands and displacing millions in recent years throughout Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger.

Insurgents killed at least 132 people in Burkina Faso's deadliest single strike to date in May.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

In a series of attacks near the Niger border, an armed group in northern Burkina Faso murdered 30 civilians, army personnel, and pro-government militias, according to the defence ministry.

In a series of attacks near the Niger border, an armed group in northern Burkina Faso murdered 30 civilians, army personnel, and pro-government militias, according to the defence ministry. Unidentified assailants assaulted villages near the town of Markoye about midday on Wednesday, according to the ministry, and then attacked security personnel responding to the attacks later that afternoon. According to the statement, a unit of troops and civilian auxiliaries was dispatched, but 19 of them were later murdered. Eleven civilians, fifteen military, and four members of a government-backed civilian militia were among the dead. According to the statement, more than ten of the assailants were dead, and the military had restored control of the region. There was no instant admission of guilt. Militant attacks have increased in the Sahel area of West Africa, killing thousands and displacing millions in recent years throughout Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. Insurgents killed at least 132 people in Burkina Faso's deadliest single strike to date in May. (With inputs from agencies)

30 killed in attacks in north Burkina Faso

Norway on Thursday marks the 10th anniversary of the worst massacre in its modern history, as church bells toll for the 77 people murdered by neo-Nazi Anders Behring Breivik.

The Scandinavian nation had been mostly spared from extremist violence until July 22, 2011, when Breivik set off a bomb in Oslo that killed eight people before going on a shooting spree at a summer camp for left-wing youths on the island of Utoya. &nbsp;

"I was 16 years old and I couldn't decide which funerals to go to because there were so many," said Astrid Eide Hoem, a survivor who has since become head of the Labour Party's youth league (AUF), which organised the camp.

"I had never lost anyone close to me before, but also now, being in my mid-20s, I think about what would have become of them, the job they might have had, the children..."

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A morning memorial ceremony at the government headquarters, church masses and another ceremony on Utoya in the afternoon, will mark the anniversary. At noon (1000 GMT), church bells nationwide will ring.

Shortly after the attacks, the then-Labour Party prime minister and current NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg promised to respond with "more democracy" and "more humanity".

'Driving force'

But 10 years on, many of the survivors of Utoya feel that Norway still has not truly faced up to the ideology that drove Breivik.&nbsp;

"The far-right ideas that inspired the attack are still a driving force for right-wing extremists at home and abroad," the Norwegian intelligence service (PST) warned this week.

Breivik's actions had inspired several violent attacks over the past decade, the PST said, including those targeting mosques in New Zealand's&nbsp;Christchurch and Oslo.

On Tuesday, vandals scrawled "Breivik was right" on a memorial for Benjamin Hermansen, who was killed by neo-Nazis in 2001 in what was billed as Norway's "first racist crime".

Prime Minister Erna Solberg said she grew "sad and angry" when she heard of the vandalism.

In 2012, Breivik, then 42, was sentenced to 21 years in prison. His sentence can be extended indefinitely and the extremist will likely spend the rest of his life behind bars.&nbsp;

A year earlier, Breivik had disguised himself as a police officer and planted the car bomb that shattered the government headquarters in Oslo and killed eight people.

He then made his way to Utoya, where he hunted down his 69 other victims, most of them teenagers.

For many of the survivors, the psychological trauma remains an open wound.&nbsp;

A third were still suffering last year from major disorders, including post-traumatic stress, anxiety, depression and headaches, a recent paper by the Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies found.&nbsp;

"When you've been through something like this, you don't go back to being the person you were," Eide Hoem said.

"I have trouble sleeping, I'm afraid, and I think I'll have to live with this all my life," she added.&nbsp;

Elin L'Estrange, another survivor, told AFP: "If someone today tells me that they want me dead, I take it very seriously."&nbsp;

Norway on Thursday marks the 10th anniversary of the worst massacre in its modern history, as church bells toll for the 77 people murdered by neo-Nazi Anders Behring Breivik.

Norway on Thursday marks the 10th anniversary of the worst massacre in its modern history, as church bells toll for the 77 people murdered by neo-Nazi Anders Behring Breivik. The Scandinavian nation had been mostly spared from extremist violence until July 22, 2011, when Breivik set off a bomb in Oslo that killed eight people before going on a shooting spree at a summer camp for left-wing youths on the island of Utoya. "I was 16 years old and I couldn't decide which funerals to go to because there were so many," said Astrid Eide Hoem, a survivor who has since become head of the Labour Party's youth league (AUF), which organised the camp. "I had never lost anyone close to me before, but also now, being in my mid-20s, I think about what would have become of them, the job they might have had, the children..." Also read | Colombia is home to 20% of all butterfly species in the world, study finds A morning memorial ceremony at the government headquarters, church masses and another ceremony on Utoya in the afternoon, will mark the anniversary. At noon (1000 GMT), church bells nationwide will ring. Shortly after the attacks, the then-Labour Party prime minister and current NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg promised to respond with "more democracy" and "more humanity". 'Driving force' But 10 years on, many of the survivors of Utoya feel that Norway still has not truly faced up to the ideology that drove Breivik. "The far-right ideas that inspired the attack are still a driving force for right-wing extremists at home and abroad," the Norwegian intelligence service (PST) warned this week. Breivik's actions had inspired several violent attacks over the past decade, the PST said, including those targeting mosques in New Zealand's Christchurch and Oslo. On Tuesday, vandals scrawled "Breivik was right" on a memorial for Benjamin Hermansen, who was killed by neo-Nazis in 2001 in what was billed as Norway's "first racist crime". Prime Minister Erna Solberg said she grew "sad and angry" when she heard of the vandalism. In 2012, Breivik, then 42, was sentenced to 21 years in prison. His sentence can be extended indefinitely and the extremist will likely spend the rest of his life behind bars. A year earlier, Breivik had disguised himself as a police officer and planted the car bomb that shattered the government headquarters in Oslo and killed eight people. He then made his way to Utoya, where he hunted down his 69 other victims, most of them teenagers. For many of the survivors, the psychological trauma remains an open wound. A third were still suffering last year from major disorders, including post-traumatic stress, anxiety, depression and headaches, a recent paper by the Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies found. "When you've been through something like this, you don't go back to being the person you were," Eide Hoem said. "I have trouble sleeping, I'm afraid, and I think I'll have to live with this all my life," she added. Elin L'Estrange, another survivor, told AFP: "If someone today tells me that they want me dead, I take it very seriously."

Norway marks 10 years since massacre by neo-Nazi

The government of Burkina Faso and the United Nations said the attack, which killed more than 130 people earlier this month, was carried out primarily by minors aged 12 to 14.

On June 4, gunmen stormed the village of Solhan, shooting villagers and setting fire to their homes.

In Burkina Faso, jihadists have used child soldiers to carry out attacks.&nbsp; 
 
Watch | Burkina Faso Massacre: Biggest attack in country's history

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/burkina-faso-massacre-biggest-attack-in-countrys-history-389698/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The attackers had struck during the night, killing residents of the village of Solhan in Yagha province, bordering Niger. They also burned homes and the market, the government said in a statement.

Despite the presence of thousands of UN&nbsp;peacekeepers, attacks by jihadists linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State in West Africa's Sahel region have risen sharply since the start of the year, particularly in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, with civilians bearing the brunt.

The violence in Burkina Faso has displaced more than 1.14 million people in just over two years, while the poor, arid country is hosting some 20,000 refugees from neighbouring Mali.

The latest attack pushes the number killed by armed Islamists in the Sahel region to over 500 since January, according to Human Rights Watch's West Africa director, Corinne Dufka.

In March, attackers killed 137 people in coordinated raids on villages in southwestern Niger. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

The government of Burkina Faso and the United Nations said the attack, which killed more than 130 people earlier this month, was carried out primarily by minors aged 12 to 14.

The government of Burkina Faso and the United Nations said the attack, which killed more than 130 people earlier this month, was carried out primarily by minors aged 12 to 14. On June 4, gunmen stormed the village of Solhan, shooting villagers and setting fire to their homes. In Burkina Faso, jihadists have used child soldiers to carry out attacks. Watch | Burkina Faso Massacre: Biggest attack in country's history The attackers had struck during the night, killing residents of the village of Solhan in Yagha province, bordering Niger. They also burned homes and the market, the government said in a statement. Despite the presence of thousands of UN peacekeepers, attacks by jihadists linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State in West Africa's Sahel region have risen sharply since the start of the year, particularly in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, with civilians bearing the brunt. The violence in Burkina Faso has displaced more than 1.14 million people in just over two years, while the poor, arid country is hosting some 20,000 refugees from neighbouring Mali. The latest attack pushes the number killed by armed Islamists in the Sahel region to over 500 since January, according to Human Rights Watch's West Africa director, Corinne Dufka. In March, attackers killed 137 people in coordinated raids on villages in southwestern Niger. (With inputs from agencies)

Children aged 12 to 14 carried out the attack that killed over 130 in Burkina Faso

The death toll from the worst militant attack in Burkina Faso in recent years has risen to 132, the government said on Saturday, after armed assailants laid siege overnight to a village in the jihadist-plagued northeast. 
 
The attackers struck during the night on Friday, killing residents of the village of Solhan in Yagha province, bordering Niger. They also burned homes and the market, the government said in a statement. 
 
It declared a 72-hour period of national mourning, describing the attackers as terrorists, although no group has claimed responsibility. Another 40 residents were wounded, government spokesperson Ousseni Tamboura later told reporters. 
 
The United Nations said Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was outraged by the attack, whose victims included seven children. 
 
Despite the presence of thousands of UN&nbsp;peacekeepers, attacks by jihadists linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State in West Africa's Sahel region have risen sharply since the start of the year, particularly in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, with civilians bearing the brunt. 
 
The violence in Burkina Faso has displaced more than 1.14 million people in just over two years, while the poor, arid country is hosting some 20,000 refugees from neighbouring Mali. 
 
The latest attack pushes the number killed by armed Islamists in the Sahel region to over 500 since January, according to Human Rights Watch's West Africa director, Corinne Dufka. 
 
"The dynamic is the jihadists come in, they overpower the civil defence post and engage in collective punishment against the rest of the village - it's a pattern we've seen everywhere this year," Dufka said. 
 
In March, attackers killed 137 people in coordinated raids on villages in southwestern Niger. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

The death toll from the worst militant attack in Burkina Faso in recent years has risen to 132, the government said on Saturday, after armed assailants laid siege overnight to a village in the jihadist-plagued northeast.

The death toll from the worst militant attack in Burkina Faso in recent years has risen to 132, the government said on Saturday, after armed assailants laid siege overnight to a village in the jihadist-plagued northeast. The attackers struck during the night on Friday, killing residents of the village of Solhan in Yagha province, bordering Niger. They also burned homes and the market, the government said in a statement. It declared a 72-hour period of national mourning, describing the attackers as terrorists, although no group has claimed responsibility. Another 40 residents were wounded, government spokesperson Ousseni Tamboura later told reporters. The United Nations said Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was outraged by the attack, whose victims included seven children. Despite the presence of thousands of UN peacekeepers, attacks by jihadists linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State in West Africa's Sahel region have risen sharply since the start of the year, particularly in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, with civilians bearing the brunt. The violence in Burkina Faso has displaced more than 1.14 million people in just over two years, while the poor, arid country is hosting some 20,000 refugees from neighbouring Mali. The latest attack pushes the number killed by armed Islamists in the Sahel region to over 500 since January, according to Human Rights Watch's West Africa director, Corinne Dufka. "The dynamic is the jihadists come in, they overpower the civil defence post and engage in collective punishment against the rest of the village - it's a pattern we've seen everywhere this year," Dufka said. In March, attackers killed 137 people in coordinated raids on villages in southwestern Niger. (With inputs from agencies)

At least 132 civilians killed in Burkina Faso's worst attack in years

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