Top 10 world news: Russia denies role in Nord Stream leak, Hurricane Ian, and more

Following reports of gas leak in Nord Stream 1 and 2, the major pipelines that transport natural gas from western Siberia in Russia to Europe, Ukraine had alleged that the malfunction was deliberate and actually"terrorist attack" by Moscow.Now Russia, has denied the allegation, branding them "absurd and stupid".

Meanwhile, four areas of Ukraine have apparently voted overwhelmingly in favour of joining Russia. West however says that these referendums werecoercive exercises designed to give Moscow a pretext to annex about 15 per centof Ukrainian land.

In other news, scientists are touting Venus as the next big destination forspace exploration. All this and more in tonight's newsletter.

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The European Union has claimed that gas leaks on the Nord Stream pipes to Europe were a "deliberate act," while the Kremlin called this claim "stupid and absurd."

Following hurriedly organised referendums that Ukraine and the West blasted as fraudulent, the Russian-installed administrators of Ukraine's Luhansk and Kherson regions have formally petitioned President Vladimir Putin to merge them into Russia.

As per Reuters, Afghanistan rulers the Taliban have signed a provisional deal for gas and wheat with Russia. Reportedly Moscow had offered Afghanistan a discount on the average global commodity prices.

Hurricane Ian, which gained the extremely dangerous Category 4 status, is nearinglandfall along southwest Florida, with the top winds attaining the speed of 155 mph, just shy of the 'most dangerous' Category 5 status.

The next Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) will be Lt. Gen. Anil Chauhan (Retired) PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, SM, VSM, who will also serve as Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Military Affairs, starting on the day he assumes responsibility and continuing until further orders.

A couple of weeks after Taiwanese major Foxconn announced it will be building a semiconductor plant in India, the European Union (EU) has swung into action to persuade other Taiwanese companies to do the same in the continent.

Elon Musk is battling for his free speech. Reportedly, the Tesla founder through his attorneys on Tuesday filed a brief to end a consent decree with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) which requireshim to seek the approval of a Tesla lawyer before tweeting posts that might contain material information about the company.

Tech giant Oracle has been fined $23 million by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for breaking the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). The punishment was issued for funnelling money to corrupt officials in Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and India.

While Mars is the intended target for humanity's first crewed mission to another planet, a group of experts is now advocating for Earth's sister planet Venus to get that accolade.However, the planet ishot enough to melt lead, is home to clouds of sulphuric acid a chemical capable of causing severe skin burns, and has a crushing atmospheric pressure.Why then, do these experts want to forego Mars and visit Venus? Read to find out.

Swiss glaciers have lost more than six per cent of their total volume this year, recording its worst melting rate since record keeping began over a century ago, the Swiss Academy of Sciences said in their report.