US preparing false flag chemical attacks in Ukraine, claims Moscow

New Delhi: The chief of Russia’s Nuclear Biological and Chemical Defense troops Igor Kirillov has said that the US is preparing to stage false flag chemical attacks in Ukraine to pin the blame on Moscow for the use of banned toxic agents.

“The Americans believe that the international community wouldn’t be able to organise an effective investigation of such provocations due to the fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces, which would allow Washington to escape responsibility,” Russia Today quoted Kirillov as saying at a briefing on Tuesday.

Kirillov said that Russia’s Defense Ministry has information that a train with a cargo of chemical substances in one of its coaches had apparently arrived in the Ukrainian-controlled city of Kramatorsk in Donbass on 10 February.

He alleged that the 16 metal boxes with special markings that suggest they contained BZ (3-Quinuclidinyl benzilate) incapacitating agent as well as CS (chlorobenzylidenemalononitrile) and CR (dibenzoxazepine) harassing ‘riot-control’ agents, were accompanied by the “citizens of foreign nations”.

The chemicals, according to Kirillov, were unloaded at a local metallurgical plant under the supervision of Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) and put on US-supplied armored vehicles that later moved out towards a contact as part of a convoy.

The commander stated that Russia also proved that eleven cars carrying specifically marked shrapnel ammo were unloaded in Kramatorsk on February 19. He stated that the US had already updated the shells of this sort to enable them to deliver obnoxious chemical agents.

NATO plans large delivery to Ukraine

Kirillov also alleged that NATO has also planned a large delivery of means of chemical protection to Ukraine, including hundreds of antidotes for various toxic substances.

“The facts of simultaneous delivery of toxic chemicals and means of protection against them indicate an attempt to carry out large-scale provocations using the BZ military-grade psychoactive chemical agent during the conflict,” Russia Today quoted Kirillov as saying.

Despite announcing the depletion of all of its stocks of BZ back in 1990, the US has preserved samples of the toxic agent, which causes acute psychosis, disorientation, hallucinations and memory impairment. Washington maintains the capability to produce the substance in significant quantities, the commander claimed.

If a provocation using chemical weapons is carried out in Donbass, “the true culprits will be identified and held accountable,” Kirillov warned.

Detecting toxic agents

Kirillov told the briefing on Tuesday that Russian forces in the region have all the equipment necessary to quickly detect the use of poisonous chemicals and to contain such occurrences, adding that they can identify not only the substance being deployed but also the nation where it was made.

The Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) of 1997, to which the US, Ukraine, and Russia are all signatories, forbids the use of chemical weapons in combat. Despite being permitted in law enforcement, the document forbids even the use of tear gas or riot control agents by their armed forces.

With inputs from agencies

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Covid-19 'most likely' leaked from Chinese government controlled lab in Wuhan, says FBI director

Washington: Covid-19 pandemic “most likely” originated from a Chinese government controlled lab in Wuhan, said FBI Director Christopher Wray.

The FBI chief’s statement comes within days after a classified intelligence report provided to the White House and the key members of Congress by the US Energy Department said the Covid-19 virus leaked out of a laboratory in China.

However, the White House has downplayed and refused to acknowledge this information, claiming that there is still no government consensus on the origins of the outbreak.

‘Covid origin likely a potential lab incident in Wuhan’

In an interview to Fox News, Wray said: “The FBI has for quite some time now assessed that the origins of the pandemic are most likely a potential lab incident in Wuhan.”

“Here you are talking about a potential leak from a Chinese government-controlled lab. I will just make the observation that the Chinese government, it seems to me, has been doing its best to try to thwart and obfuscate the work here, the work that we’re doing, the work that our US government and close foreign partners are doing. And that’s unfortunate for everybody,” the FBI director added.

Also Read: US agency believes COVID-19 likely emerged from lab leak in China, say reports

Chinese government trying to block investigation

Wary further claimed that the Chinese government has been trying to block investigative work into the origins of Covid-19.

He informed that FBI has specialists who focus on “the dangers of biological threats, which include things like novel viruses like COVID, and the concerns that they [are] in the wrong hands [of] some bad guys, a hostile nation state, a terrorist, a criminal.”

The recent observation by Department of Energy was included in an updated to a 2021 document made by US Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines’ office.

As per the 2021 intelligence report, Covid-19 circulated in Wuhan no later than November 2019.

Meanwhile, the National Intelligence Council and four other agencies of the US government have said there is “low confidence” that Covid originated as a result of natural transmission from an infected animal.

Also Read: No government consensus on COVID lab leak theory, says White House

The origin of Covid-19 has been a political and scientific debate with scientists and politicians worldwide contenting that the coronavirus infected people from bats, or have been leaked from a lab.

China has, however, placed limits on investigations by the World Health Organization (WHO). Beijing has been opposing the virus lab leak theory and has suggested that it emerged out the country.

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Here we go again: Artist brings GTA San Andreas’ iconic characters to life using AI

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration if we say that Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is one of the most popular video games, one that has been thoroughly enjoyed by hardcore gamers as well as pop-culture aficionados alike.

There is a reason why, despite the soaring popularity of GTA: V and the fact that it has much better graphics and gameplay, people keep going back to take up the role of Carl ‘CJ’ Johnson. The characters of GTA San Andreas had a fan following of their own.

Also read: A new lease of life: Swedish ML engineer develops AI tool to colourise black-and-white photos automatically

One such fan, a Redditor who goes by the name AaronGNP used an AI generator to bring the iconic GTA San Andreas character to life, in some pretty realistic-looking images. Even though the images have been generated using AI, they are some of the finest, and most realistic-looking digital portraits we have seen – they almost look like promotional photographs taken for some GTA San Andreas movie, that, unfortunately, will never see the light of day.

In a post on the r/StableDiffusion subreddit, AaronGNP, the artist behind these images says there were recreated using ControlNet, Img2Img, and RealisticVision AI.

Also read: Back To The Future: Turkey photographer uses AI to resurrect celebrities who died young

Here’s what some of the most popular characters from GTA San Andreas would have looked like in real life.

Carl “CJ” Johnson
Now, this is as realistic a portrait that we will ever get of the most iconic character from the GTA franchise. Oh, the hours that we have spent trying to get CJ do all sorts of things in the game.

Carl “CJ” Johnson. Image Credit: Rockstar Games | Reddit u/AaronGNP

Big Smoke
Another iconic character, and possibly a fan favourite, Big Smoke, despite the backstabbing he indulges in the game, looks just as affable in his “real-life” portrait, as he does in the game.

Big Smoke. Image Credit: Rockstar Games | Reddit u/AaronGNP

Frank Tenpenny
For some reason, the AI model significantly aged up Frank Tenpenny, the epitome of corruption in the game. Still, the portrait of the policeman looks just as nasty and menacing as he turned out in the game.

Frank Tenpenny. Image Credit: Rockstar Games | Reddit u/AaronGNP

Sean “Sweet” Johnson
Sweet, unlike Tenpenny, has been de-aged heavily in the game. Also, he looks tough, much thinner, but all in all a lot mellower compared to his buffed-up counterpart in the game.

Sean “Sweet” Johnson. Image Credit: Rockstar Games | Reddit u/AaronGNP

Cesar Vialpando
Cesar in the video game and Cesar in the AI-generated images have an uncanny resemblance, especially with how the tattoos have been placed.

Cesar Vialpando. Image Credit: Rockstar Games | Reddit u/AaronGNP

Catalina
We have to be honest, the video-game version of Catalina looks nothing like the AI-generated Catalina. For some reason, the AI model has made Catalina a lot younger than what she looks in the game.

Catalina. Image Credit: Rockstar Games | Reddit u/AaronGNP

The Truth
The Truth looks just as hazed and crazy in the AI-generated images, as he does in the game. The only difference is that in the AI-generated images, he has a much better-looking and stylised moustache.

The Truth. Image Credit: Rockstar Games | Reddit u/AaronGNP

Mike Toreno
Agent Mike Toreno looked sharp, but vicious in the game. However, the AI-generated version looks much more subdued, almost friendly.

Mike Toreno. Image Credit: Rockstar Games | Reddit u/AaronGNP

Wu Zi Mu
Wu Zi Mu, or Woozie, for a change looks exactly the same in the AI-generated images, as he did in the video games.

Wu Zi Mu. Image Credit: Rockstar Games | Reddit u/AaronGNP

Ryder
Finally, we have Ryder, another instance where the AI-generated version looks exactly the same as the video game version, if not better. One thing to note here, is that the text, in most of these images has been changed. Perhaps this is to avoid any copyright infringement.

Ryder. Image Credit: Rockstar Games | Reddit u/AaronGNP

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The Moon 'ghosting' the Earth: Is the moon really creeping away from the Earth at an alarming rate?

We often fail to realise just how important the moon is for the Earth. Yes, we may shower it with platitudes after platitudes, one epithet after the other in poetry. However, we often forget, just how vital it has been to sustain life on planet Earth. 

One key reason why the moon is so crucial to life on Earth is how it helps keep the Earth stay true to its axis, and also in its position in the solar system, relative to the Sun. 

The Moon is getting away from the Earth, you might call me a luna-tic, but scientists have discovered that it’s slowly drifting away from us at a rate of 3.8cm a year.

Click the link to find out what this means for the future! https://t.co/UQPzpVnoUv pic.twitter.com/4nTWNGoQlZ

— Suzie Sante (@SanteSuzie) February 26, 2023

Now though, a new study has revealed that the Moon is gradually moving away from the earth, at an accelerated rate. The moon, is quite literally, ghosting the Earth

Faster than the universe expanding
People who have even a rudimentary understanding of space and astronomy will know that the universe is expanding at a rapid rate, and so is our solar system. In such a scenario it is natural that over time, distances between two bodies in a solar system might change and most likely grow over time.

Also read: Moon and beyond: The major space explorations to look out for in 2023

However, due to a phenomenon known as the Milankovitch cycle, the moon seems to be moving away from the Earth at a faster pace. 

What are Milankovitch cycles?
To put it in a very rudimentary and simplistic manner, Milankovitch cycles simply refer to the minute differences in the axis and orbital shapes of the Earth as it goes across the Sun, which effects on how much sunlight reaches the planet.

Milankovitch cycles explain the long-term impacts of variations in the Earth’s movements on its climate. Milutin Milankovi, a Serbian geophysicist and astrophysicist, was the inspiration for the word. He hypothesised in the 1920s that variations in eccentricity, axial tilt, and precession combined to produce cyclical variations in the intra-annual and latitudinal distributions of solar radiation at the Earth’s surface, and that this orbital forces, along with that of the moon, strongly influenced the Earth’s climatic patterns.

Also read: Humans will be living & working on the Moon by the end of this decade thanks to Artemis 1, says NASA

Milankovitch cycles are the accumulated effects of the Earth’s movement changes on its climate over thousands of years.

The duration and pace of these cycles determine how far the Moon is from Earth. Scientists estimate that the moon was 60,000 km closer to Earth roughly about 2.46 billion years ago.

Major implications on the Earth
Well, to begin with, days will become considerably longer on the Earth. This is one of the major and most noticeable effects of the Moon moving away from the Earth. 

Secondly, with a significant change in Moon’s gravitational pull on the earth, life on Earth as we know it may cease to exist and redevelop in a completely different way.

Also, while modern-day climate change is a man-made phenomenon, because of Milankovitch cycles, the effects of climate change, mainly global warming, are now more pronounced than ever before. 

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On this day: Significant events that occurred on 1 March in the past

Various important events took place today 1 March. While US President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps on this day in 1961, pop singer Justin Bieber was born on 1 March 1994. March First Movement was launched by protesters in Seoul on this day in 1919. The construction of Hoover Dam was completed on this day in 1936. On 1 March 1922, Israeli statesman and soldier Yitzhak Rabin was born. US Supreme Court made it unconstitutional to execute convicts under 18 years of age on 1 March 2005. The infant son of US aviator Charles A. Lindbergh was abducted from his home on this very day in 1932.

So, let’s have a look at the various important incidents that happened today in detail:

1961 – US President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps

US President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps on 1 March 1961 via his Peace Corps Act. The Peace Corps aims to help people of interested countries and areas to meet their requirements for trained workers.

1994 – Pop singer Justin Bieber was born

On this day in 1994, Canadian singer Justin Bieber was born in Stratford, Ontario. Beiber is famous for his appealing pop songs and fresh-faced good looks. The star became popular after his first hit song “One Time” released in 2009.

1919 – March First Movement was launched by protesters in Seoul

Protesters in Seoul, South Korea launched the March First Movement on 1 March 1919. The movement was a series of demonstrations for Korean national independence from Japan and soon spread throughout the nation. The March First Movement is also referred to as Samil Independence Movement.

1936 – The construction of Hoover Dam was completed

The Hoover Dam on the Colorado River at the Arizona–Nevada border was completed after 5 years of construction. In the US, it is the highest concrete arch dam, stands at a height of 726.4 feet, and has a length of 1,244 feet.

1922 – Israeli statesman and soldier Yitzhak Rabin Yitzhak Rabin was born

On this day in 1922, Israeli statesman and soldier Yitzhak Rabin was born. He engaged in peace negotiations with the Palestinians as the Prime Minister of Israel. For this, he won a share of the 1994 Nobel Prize for Peace.

2005 – US Supreme Court made it unconstitutional to execute convicts under 18 years of age

On 1 March 2005, the US Supreme Court ordered that it was unconstitutional to execute convicts who were under the age of 18 years during the time of their crimes.

1932 – American aviator Charles A. Lindbergh’s infant son had been abducted from his home

The infant son of Charles A. Lindbergh, an American aviator, was abducted from his home on 1 March 1932. Later, Bruno Hauptmann was convicted of the kidnapping and murder of the baby.

1954 – Academy Award-winning filmmaker Ron Howard was born

American filmmaker Ron Howard was born on this day in 1954, who had first gotten famous as a child actor. He later turned into an Academy Award-winning director. Howard first made an appearance on the screen at the age of 18 months in Frontier Woman (1955).

2014 – French film director Alain Resnais passed away at the age of 91 years

French film director Alain Resnais died on this day in 2014 at the age of 91 years. In the late 1950s, Resnais was the leader of the New Wave of unorthodox influential movie directors in France. Some of his major works are Hiroshima mon amour (Hiroshima, My Love) in 1959 and L’Année dernière à Marienbad (Last Year at Marienbad) in 1961.

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Japan names Dentsu, five other ad firms in 2020 Olympics bid-rigging complaint

Tokyo: In relation to the alleged bid-rigging of contracts for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Japan’s competition regulator has filed criminal complaints against advertising behemoth Dentsu and five other companies.

Additionally, the regulator lodged charges against seven unidentified people.

The declaration comes after months of inquiries into alleged corruption in the organisation and funding of Olympic and Paralympic activities.

Dentsu is Japan’s largest advertising agency and is headquartered in Tokyo.

The complaints have been filed against Hakuhodo DY Holdings, Tokyo Agency, Fuji Creative Corporation, Cerespo, and Same Two advertising firms, the Japan Fair Trade Commission (FTC) announced on Tuesday.

Goh Okumura, an FTC investigator, said, “We determined that this is a malicious and serious case that will have a broad effect on people’s lives.

The companies are yet to give any statement in the matter.

The Japanese industry, foreign, and education ministries have already barred Dentsu, Cerespo, and Fuji Creative from submitting bids for nine months.

Haruyuki Takahashi, a former executive at Dentsu and part of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics organising committee, was detained last year on suspicion of accepting bribes from Olympic sponsors.

Takahashi was charged with receiving $380,000 (£315,600) in payments from Aoki Holdings, a well-known business suit retailer and designated Tokyo 2020 partner. The claims have been refuted by Mr. Takahashi.

Aoki Holdings’ former chairman and two other executives were reportedly detained in association with the case, according to officials.

In 2013, Tokyo won the right to host the Olympics over Madrid and Istanbul.

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Viral: Pakistani bride being weighed in gold at her lavish Dubai wedding; check reactions

In India and also in many other countries, buying gold continues to remain an integral part of weddings as people of all age groups from both the groom’s and bride’s side wear attractive gold jewellery and also gift a lot to the couple. The bride, being the main star of the event, wears beautiful gold jewellery. There are some places where people follow an age-old tradition of weighing the bride in gold, however, faced flak over objectifying women. With that said, a similar instance was witnessed at a lavish wedding in Dubai where a Pakistani businessman weighed his daughter with gold equivalent to her body weight.

Yes, you’ve heard it right. The bride was made to sit on one side of a weighing scale while the other end had large gold bricks to equalise her weight. Reports suggested that it was a part of the bride’s dowry that the man intended to pay to her in-laws. A video of the entire episode is going viral on social media, drawing multiple reactions from people. While many criticised the unnecessary use of money made to match up with societal expectations, some also slammed the businessman for showing off in such a manner at a time when Pakistan is battling with an economical crisis.

A section of people also spoke in support of such a creative theme adopted by the organisers.

Actually, it was revealed that the gold bricks were all fake and were just used as per the wedding theme which was based on a concept from the Bollywood film Jodha Akbar.

Check the video:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Dulha.net (@dulhadotnet)

A user while commenting on the video wrote, “Gold worth more than Pakistan,” while another user wrote, “These were coloured stone bricks…The wedding theme has been copied from a Bollywood film.”

Another user commented, “but the gold was not real. Jodha Akbar acting in a wedding.”

“Pakistan is bleeding people r hungry and look at the splurge,” a user wrote. The video has been creating waves both in Dubai and Pakistan, grabbing a lot of views on the internet.

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Afghanistan: Top Islamic State leaders killed in Kabul, says Taliban

Kabul: A couple of top commanders of the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist group in Afghanistan have been reportedly killed by the Afghan Taliban.

This was announced by the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, which claimed that its forces killed two top Islamic State (ISIS) commanders during a raid in Kabul a few days ago.

One of the slain ISIS commanders have been identified as Qari Fateh, who was the intelligence chief of the Islamist group.

According to Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, Qari Fateh was also a former minister of war of the Islamic State-Khorasan Province (ISKP) terrorist outfit.

The Afghan Taliban has claimed that Qari Fateh was the principle tactician for the ISKP and accused him of planning several attacks, including on the diplomatic missions of Russia, Pakistan and China in Kabul.

In his statement, Mujahid also confirmed that the Afghan Taliban has killed Ejaz Ahmad Ahangar, the self-styled first Emir of Islamic State Hind Province (ISHP) and a senior leader of the ISKP in southern Afghanistan. Two of his affiliates were also killed in the fighting.

Also known by his alias Abu Usman Al-Kashmiri, Ahangar was designated as a terrorist by the Indian government last month.

Ahangar, who was born in Srinagar, was allegedly involved in terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir for over two decades.

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UK and EU strike a new post-Brexit deal: What are the Northern Ireland protocol and the Windsor Framework?

Britain’s prime minister Rishi Sunak must be a happy man. On Monday, three years after Brexit — when Britain left the European Union (EU) — the prime minister has taken a significant step towards that goal. Britain and the EU reached an agreement intended to resolve one of the thorniest legacies of Britain’s withdrawal from the bloc: the trade status of Northern Ireland.

Announcing the news, Sunak said, “The United Kingdom and the European Union may have had our differences in the past, but we are allies, trading partners and friends. This is the beginning of a new chapter in our relationship.”

Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, present at the time of what is now being called the “new Windsor framework”, praised the deal as “a practical solution for people and for all communities in Northern Ireland. “This new framework will allow us to begin a new chapter,” she told reporters at the news conference.

But what exactly is the Northern Ireland protocol? Why is it so controversial? What is the new deal all about and how does it impact trade between the two blocs?

Ireland, Northern Ireland, Britain & the EU

To understand what the Northern Ireland protocol is and why Britain and EU have been debating over it, first we need to understand the history.

Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom, but it shares an open land border with Ireland, a member of the EU — the bloc that the United Kingdom has left. When both were part of the EU, they shared the same rules and trade was relatively easy. However, when the United Kingdom walked out of the EU the need for checks was necessitated as the EU and UK have different product standards on certain goods — such as milk and eggs — which arrive from non-EU countries.

A road sign at a roundabout on the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland with directions to Belfast and Dublin is seen in Carrickcarnan, Ireland. Reuters

However, the land border is a sensitive issue because of Northern Ireland’s troubled history with Ireland. There were apprehensions that introducing cameras or border posts as part of the checks on goods would lead to instability.

And hence, the Northern Ireland protocol was born, which decided the checks would be conducted between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.

The Northern Ireland Protocol

Taking into account the apprehensions, former Britain prime minister consented to the Northern Ireland Protocol with the EU and it came into force on 1 January 2021.

Under the Northern Ireland Protocol, the process of inspecting goods at the Irish border was replaced by conducting inspections and document checks between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, which occur at ports in Northern Ireland. Additionally, Northern Ireland is required to continue adhering to EU product standards.

However, this deal wasn’t acceptable to many and created a lot of friction. Businesses complained the checks led to extra costs and delays. This has resulted in delays and sometimes sparse supermarket shelves as some suppliers decided to stop selling to Northern Ireland due to the new cost and difficulty.

A sign from Unionists Against Northern Ireland Protocol hangs from a lamp post close to Larne Port, Northern Ireland. AP

For some, the protocol was also a way for the EU to retain power over a part of the United Kingdom and to many of Northern Ireland’s pro-British unionists, it felt as if their identity was under threat.

The new Windsor Framework

After much discussion and debate, the EU and the UK finally agreed on the new Windsor Framework. This new post-Brexit trading deal has been designed to remove the need for checks on goods travelling between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.

The deal has now set the framework for movement of goods: there would be a green lane for goods that will remain in Northern Ireland. Products in this lane would no longer need checks and paperwork.

The constitution of the green lane, as per Sunak meant that “if food is available on supermarket shelves in Great Britain, it will be available in Northern Ireland.”

For goods that need to be sent to the EU, a red lane has been constituted. Products in the red lane would still be subjected to checks.

Moreover, as the BBC reported ban on certain products, such as chilled sausages, entering Northern Ireland from Great Britain, would be removed.

The Windsor Framework also has stated that Northern Ireland would no longer have to follow certain EU rules, including VAT payment and alcohol duties.

Besides this, the Windsor Framework introduces a “Stormont Brake” — a mechanism through which the Northern Ireland Assembly can object to new EU rules. What this means is that the Assembly has the power to reject new EU laws for goods that may be introduced if they believe it would have a significant and lasting effect on the people and businesses of Northern Ireland.

While it can’t be used for “trivial reasons”, once passed the rule would not be implemented.

Timing matters

Rishi Sunak said that the new agreement would make a difference “almost immediately”, but beyond that we do not know the exact timeframe of the changes or whether we will see some form of transition to the new arrangements.

Response to the Windsor Framework

The largest unionist party in Northern Ireland, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), said it would now assess whether the new arrangements meet its seven tests. The leader of the DUP Jeffrey Donaldson, according to a Reuters report, said that in broad terms it was clear that significant progress had been secured across a number of areas on the trade rules for Northern Ireland but that key issues of concern remain.

Anonymous sources strike again. We’ll take our time to consider the detail and measure a deal against our seven tests. PS – A busy day and no dinner planned either – story entirely fictional. Let’s stick to the facts @irish_news pic.twitter.com/vwSgyVBYGp

— Jeffrey Donaldson MP (@J_Donaldson_MP) February 27, 2023

Meanwhile, vice president of the Sinn Fein party, Michelle O’Neill, described the deal as a “breakthrough”. “We are at a critical turning point. The economic possibilities this opens up must now be seized. The onus is on the DUP to end its boycott and now join the rest of us to make politics work,” she was quoted as saying to Euro News.

The deal also seemingly won the approval of Joe Biden, who called the agreement an “essential step to ensuring that the hard-earned peace and progress of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement is preserved and strengthened”.

With inputs from agencies

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TikTok Ban: Canada latest country to ban TikTok from govt managed devices, joins US and EU

Canada is banning the Chinese social media app TikTok from all government-issued devices as of early Tuesday, according to a story in the National Post on Monday, which cites an official correspondence to an internal agency.

According to the report, the decision was made to guarantee the security of government information after an internal study revealed that TikTok’s data-gathering techniques may leave users susceptible to cyber assaults.

Also read: Canada starts investigating TikTok over data collection from young users

Following an evaluation by Canada’s chief information officer, the app was found to “present an intolerable degree of danger to privacy and security,” said to a government spokeswoman.

The action, which comes just days after the European Commission implemented a similar ban, highlights the increasing global backlash against TikTok due to concerns about its ties to the Chinese government and control over user data.

Growing security concerns
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated that there was enough to worry about the app’s security to warrant the adjustment.

“This may be the first and only move we need to take,” he said at a news conference near Toronto on Monday.

TikTok has been chastised for its use of confidential data and links to the Chinese government. ByteDance Ltd, a Chinese company with close connections to the CCP and the Chinese Government, owns the short-form video-sharing app.

In a statement, Mona Fortier, the head of Canada’s Treasury Board, said the government “is dedicated to keeping government material safe”.

The programme will be removed from government-issued phones and other devices this week, and future downloads will be stopped.

“On a mobile device, TikTok’s data gathering techniques provide significant access to the phone’s contents,” Ms Fortier explained. “While the dangers of using this programme are obvious, we have no proof that government information has been breached at this time.”

Banned across the board
TikTok was banned for US federal workers late last year, and the White House granted government organisations 30 days to remove the app from their systems on Monday.

A number of American colleges have prohibited the use of the programme on their networks. India and several other Asian nations have imposed broader public restrictions.

Also read: US universities continue to ban TikTok from campus networks and devices, University of Wisconsin latest

The firm maintains that Chinese government officials do not have access to user data and that a Chinese version of the app exists in addition to the one used elsewhere. However, the firm acknowledged last year that some employees in China have access to European users’ data.

The ban for European Commission workers is scheduled to take effect on March 15.

Also read: EU tightens the screw on TikTok, European commission bans staff from using TikTok on work devices

Canadian privacy authorities are also looking into TikTok’s user data issues, specifically whether the business gets “valid and relevant” permission from users when gathering personal information.

TikTok responds to Canada’s Ban
In a statement, a company representative said the prohibition on government-issued devices occurred “without mentioning any particular security worries about TikTok or approaching us to address any worry prior to making this decision”.

“We are always ready to meet with government officials to talk how we safeguard Canadians’ privacy and security, but singling out TikTok in this manner does nothing to accomplish that common objective,” the statement read. “All it does is prevent officials from communicating with the people on a forum that millions of Canadians enjoy,” the statement read

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28 February: Historical events that took place on this date

Today is 28 February and it’s time we take a stroll into our history to know about what happened on this date in the past. When talking about history, it comes with a slew of events, with most of them holding a significant place in creating and developing the world that we live in today. Some of these happenings include wars, human evolution, development in various fields including science and technology, creation of nations, and most importantly the births and deaths of notable personalities. Knowing about all of these will help people gain a deep insight into their origins and further pass on the information to future generations.

28 February: Historical events

1922 – Egypt was declared an independent country

It was 28 February 1922 when the United Kingdom declared independence for Egypt by recognising the country as an independent sovereign state. While keeping four ‘reserved’ states including Sudan as exceptions, Britain also did take the views of the opposition leaders in the negotiations. Following this, a new government was formed after the elections and Zaghlul became the Prime Minister of Egypt.

1942 – Battle of Java

After defeating the Allies and averting them from intercepting their invasion fleet in the Battle of the Java Sea, the Japanese troops on 28 February 1942 landed on four different places on Java island to further expand their beachhead. It was until 1945 that the troops occupied the island.

Olof Palme was assassinated

Former Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme was assassinated on the unfortunate date of 28 February 1986 in Stockholm. It was when he came on the street after watching a movie with his family that an unidentified attacker fired at him. Following his death, a series of speculation and theories were made regarding the possible reasons to kill him and doubts also prevailed over the years to identify his killer.

Persian Gulf War ended 

After months of relentless attacks and violence, it was on 28 February when then US President George HW Bush announced a cease-fire, leading to Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein accepting the agreement and bringing an end to the Persian Gulf War. The Iraqi troops after facing defeat retreated from Kuwait on the same date.

2013 – Benedict XVI resigned 

Shocking the world with his decision, Benedict XVI became the first pope in 600 years to resign from office on 28 February 2013. When Pope Francis was elected right after that, questions continued to hover about the possible reasons behind the decision. An official statement by the office cited his waning physical and mental health.

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K-Pop star J-Hope of the BTS starts process to enlist in Army

A second member of Korea’s BTS – the first K-pop band nominated for a Grammy – has begun the enlistment process for mandatory military service, a management official confirmed on Monday, two months after the group’s oldest member began his service.

BTS members said last year they would join the military starting with Jin, who turned 30 and enlisted in December after postponing his service as long as permitted.

An official at the band’s management, BigHit Music, said on Sunday that a second member, the 29-year-old j-hope, whose real name is Jung Ho-seok, applied to end postponement of his own enlistment.

“We would like to inform our fans that j-hope has initiated the military enlistment process,” the statement said. “We ask you for your continued love and support for j-hope until he completes his military service and safely returns.”

All able-bodied South Korean men ages 18-28 must serve in the military for about two years.

A 2019 legislative revision allowed globally acknowledged K-pop stars to delay signing until they are 30. Some lawmakers have pushed to sharply reduce their service along the lines of what is required of Olympic and Asian Game medallists and some classical musicians, but their efforts made little progress.

South Korea’s defence minister has said BTS members could perform overseas while serving. Many artists have been designated as such “entertainment soldiers”.

In a separate statement on Monday, BigHit said j-hope would release a solo single titled “on the street” on Friday, which he wrote as a “gift” for fans to share his feelings toward them.

The seven-member group has pursued solo projects since announcing a break from group musical activities in June.

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China negotiating Russia-Ukraine peace deal ‘not rational’, will only benefit Moscow, says Biden

New Delhi: US President Joe Biden has said that a Chinese-brokered peace plan between Russia and Ukraine is “not rational”, noting that the proposed plan would only benefit Russia.

In an interview to ABC News, which was released on Friday, when he was asked what he thought of Chinese peace proposal that Russian President Vladimir Putin applauded last week, he said,”I think you answered the question, Putin’s applauding it, so how could it be any good? I’m not being facetious. I’m being deadly earnest.”

“I’ve seen nothing in the plan that would indicate that there is something that would be beneficial to anyone other than Russia if the Chinese plan were followed,” he added.

“It’s the idea that China is going to be negotiating the outcome of a war that’s a totally unjust war for Ukraine is just not rational,” he said.

China’s 12-point plan

China called for a cease-fire in the Ukraine-Russia war on Thursday and outlined a 12-point plan to negotiate peace. The plan includes ending hostilities, resuming peace talks and addressing the humanitarian crisis the war created.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signaled some openness to China’s proposal, saying that China discussing Ukraine “was not bad” at a press conference on Friday.

However, he also said that he disagrees with some of the plan’s proposals, but wants to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Earlier this month, Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that China is “seriously contemplating” providing “lethal support” to Russia in its conflict with Ukraine. The Pentagon warned China would face “consequences” if it does provide weapons to Moscow.

Last week, on the first anniversary of the Russian invasion, Biden paid a surprise visit to Ukraine. After that, he spoke in Poland, assuring the Ukrainian people that the United States and other Western friends would stand by them until the end of war.

With inputs from agencies

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US man arrested for throwing water on brother's head over a piece of pie

New Delhi: In a bizarre incident, a 64-year-old man in Florida, US, has been arrested for allegedly dumping two glasses of water on his brother during an argument over pie, Local 12 reported.

The man, identified as David Sherman Powelson was arrested on Wednesday and charged with one count of first-degree felony aggravated battery on a person 65 years of age or older, court records reviewed by Law & Crime show.

A felony is a serious crime in the United States, and aggravated battery, which is normally a second-degree felony under Florida state law, is reclassified as a second-degree offence if the victim is over the age of 65, with a three-year minimum jail sentence.

An argument ensued between Powelson and his elder brother after he ate a piece of pie that his elder brother had been saving for later. Powelson said the pie was left in the refrigerator for days and ate it, which started the argument.

“Powelson was near the kitchen and decided to fill up a large glass full of water and dump it on the victim’s head to ‘cool him down’. Powelson proceeded to fill up another glass and dumped it on the victim in the living room,” police said.

Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call about a “physical domestic dispute” around 8:30 pm [local time]. The victim became upset and an argument ensued,” the probable cause affidavit stated.

“While sitting in the chair, David Powelson emptied two large glasses of water on the victim. The victim feared Powelson’s aggressive behaviour would lead to him being physically harmed and or killed,” police said.

Powelson’s brother didn’t suffer any injuries during the course of the altercation because “only water was thrown on the victim,” authorities said.

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Twitter in freefall: After firing 50 top executives on the weekend, Musk sacks 200 more workers

Over the weekend, Elon Musk fired 50 top-level executives from Twitter, including some of Elon Musk’s most loyal employees, people who have often defended some of Twitter’s most recent, questionable decisions. Now, we are learning that Musk has terminated 200 more employees or roughly 10 per cent of Twitter’s workforce, bringing the total number of terminated employees over the weekend to 250.

Among those that were laid off over the weekend, was long-term Musk loyalist Esther Crawford, who was also the Chief Executive of Twitter Payments. The reason, reports claim, why Crawford was terminated, is because of the lacklustre response to Twitter Blue.

Sleeping in the office not hardcore enough. pic.twitter.com/l1d4dT1PUZ

— bö (@ThBenkoe) February 26, 2023

Twitter Blue’s failure
Leaked documents from early February show, that barely 3,00,000 users have opted to subscribe for Twitter Blue. Apparently, Elon Musk has been hedging his bets on the subscription model and was hoping that more and more people would take the service up given the features that the subscription package offers.

However, despite repeated attempts to get people to sign on to Twitter Blue, and pulling off some seriously questionable moves, like limiting SMS-based 2FA to Twitter Blue, not even 1 per cent of Twitter’s userbase has opted for the service.

Twitter’s latest round of layoffs
According to a report by the New York Times, the layoffs on Saturday night which affected over 200 employees saw several product managers, data scientists, and programmers being terminated. Most of the workers who were terminated recently, worked on machine learning and site reliability, which helps keep Twitter’s different features online.

The newest layoffs follow a major layoff in early November when Musk struck off about 3,700 workers as part of a cost-cutting move.

The latest round of layoffs are also because of plunging revenues, something that Musk had predicted earlier in the year.

The curious case of Esther Crawford
The termination of Esther Crawford has been particularly surprising for most people who are aware of the situation. Crawford was one of the most vocal supporters of Musk taking over Twitter, and musk’s Twitter 2.0 vision. Crawford also made headlines back in November, when images of her sleeping on the floor at Twitter’s offices during a massive and prolonged crunch session.

Crawford was Chief Executive of Twitter Payments and was also heading the company’s new Twitter Blue product. The confirmation about her departure comes from Platformer’s Zoe Schiffer and The Verge’s Alex Heath. The reports also suggest that Twitter has laid off the entire Twitter Blue product team during the weekend.

As Chief Executive of Twitter Payments, Crawford was responsible for pushing Twitter Payments in as many easy as possible that would make the programme, the platform’s number one revenue source. However, if sources are to be believed, Crawford wasn’t able to meet Musk’s unreasonably high expectations.

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US papers drop comic strip 'Dilbert' after creator Scott Adams's racist remarks

The creator of the Dilbert comic strip faced a backlash of cancellations Saturday while defending remarks describing people who are Black as members of “a hate group” from which white people should “get away.”

Various media publishers across the US denounced the comments by Dilbert creator Scott Adams as racist, hateful and discriminatory while saying they would no longer provide a platform for his work.

Andrews McMeel Syndication, which distributes Dilbert, did not immediately respond Saturday to requests for comment. But Adams defended himself on social media against those whom he said: “hate me and are cancelling me.”

Dilbert is a long-running comic that pokes fun at office-place culture.

The backlash began following an episode this past week of the YouTube show, “Real Coffee with Scott Adams.” Among other topics, Adams referenced a Rasmussen Reports survey that had asked whether people agreed with the statement “It’s OK to be white.”

Most agreed, but Adams noted that 26 per cent of Black respondents disagreed and others weren’t sure.

The Anti-Defamation League says the phrase was popularized in 2017 as a trolling campaign by members of the discussion forum 4chan but then began being used by some white supremacists.

Adams, who is white, repeatedly referred to people who are Black as members of a “hate group” or a “racist hate group” and said he would no longer “help Black Americans.”

“Based on the current way things are going, the best advice I would give to white people is to get the hell away from Black people,” Adams said on his Wednesday show.

In another episode of his online show Saturday, Adams said he had been making a point that “everyone should be treated as an individual” without discrimination.

“But you should also avoid any group that doesn’t respect you, even if there are people within the group who are fine,” Adams said.

The Los Angeles Times cited Adams’ “racist comments” while announcing Saturday that Dilbert will be discontinued Monday in most editions and that its final run in the Sunday comics — which are printed in advance — will be on 12 March.

The San Antonio Express-News, which is part of Hearst Newspapers, said Saturday that it will drop the Dilbert comic strip, effective Monday, “because of hateful and discriminatory public comments by its creator.”

The USA TODAY Network, which operates hundreds of papers across the United States, said Friday it “will no longer publish the Dilbert comic due to recent discriminatory comments by its creator.”

The Plain Dealer in Cleveland and other publications that are part of Advance Local media also announced that they are dropping Dilbert.

“This is a decision based on the principles of this news organization and the community we serve,” wrote Chris Quinn, editor of The Plain Dealer. “We are not a home for those who espouse racism. We certainly do not want to provide them with financial support.”

Quinn also added that it “was not a difficult decision” for his paper to drop the comic strip.

Christopher Kelly, vice president of content for NJ Advance Media, wrote that the news organization believes in “the free and fair exchange of ideas.”

“But when those ideas cross into hate speech, a line must be drawn,” Kelly wrote.

MLive Media Group — which runs eight Michigan-based publications — said it had “zero tolerance for racism,” and would drop Adams’s strip because of his “unapologetically racist rant.”

The Washington Post said Saturday it would drop the cartoon from its pages “in light of Scott Adams’s recent statements,” though it was too late to stop the strip from being published in the weekend’s print editions.

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On this day: Important events that happened on 27 February in the past

Various significant events took place today, 27 February. US President George H.W. Bush declared victory in the Persian Gulf War on this day in 1991. The Reichstag (parliament) building in Berlin had caught fire on 27 February, 1933. American journalist Walter Cronkite predicted the Vietnam War to end in a protracted stalemate on this day in 1968. American editor and author William F. Buckley, Jr. died at the age of 82 years on 27 February in 2008. American actor Leonard Nimoy passed away at the age of 83 on this day in 2015. Members of the American Indian Movement took the reservation hamlet of Wounded Knee on this day in 1973. American actress Elizabeth Taylor was born on 27 February in 1932.

Let’s have a look at the various significant incidents that happened today in detail:

1902 – John Steinbeck, American novelist, was born

American novelist John Steinbeck was born in 27 February 1902. He was best known for his novel “Grapes of Wrath”, which came out in 1939. The book talked about the bitterness of the Great Depression decade and encouraged widespread sympathy for the unfortunate situation of migratory farmworkers.

1932 – American actress Elizabeth Taylor was born

American actress Elizabeth Taylor was born in London on this day in 1932. She had given many award-winning performances of emotionally volatile characters. A smooth transition was made by Taylor from juvenile to adult roles in the movies Life with Father (1947), Father of the Bride (1950), as well as An American Tragedy (1951).

1933 – Reichstag (parliament) building caught fire in Berlin

The Reichstag (parliament) building in Berlin had caught fire on this day in 1933. This was a key incident in the establishment of Nazi dictatorship. This act is widely thought to have been contrived by the Nazi government for turning the opinion of public against its opponents and for assuming emergency powers.

1951 – Twenty-second Amendment of US Constitution was ratified

On 27 February 1902, the Twenty-second Amendment in the US Constitution was ratified. The amendment limited the number of terms a US president may serve to two. It was among the 273 recommendations to the US Congress by the Hoover Commission.

1967 – Saint Kitts and Nevis became an independent state

Both colonies of the United Kingdom, Saint Kitts and Nevis along with Anguilla, turned into an associated state with full internal autonomy on this day in 1967. The island of Angullians was allowed to separate from the others after they rebelled in 1971. Saint Kitts and Nevis got their independence in 1983. American journalist Walter Cronkite predicted the Vietnam War to end in a protracted stalemate on 27 February in 1968.

1968 – American journalist Walter Cronkite predicted the Vietnam War to end in a protracted stalemate

American journalist Walter Cronkite broke from his usual objectivity in a news broadcast, and predicted that the Vietnam War could only end in a protracted stalemate on 27 February 1968. He was believed to be the most trusted person in US. His had been credited with changing the opinion of public in the United States regarding the conflict.

1973 – Members of the American Indian Movement took the reservation hamlet of Wounded Knee

A total of 200 members of the American Indian Movement forcefully took the reservation hamlet of Wounded Knee, South Dakota on this day in 1973.

1991 – US President George HW Bush declared victory in the Persian Gulf War

US President George Herbert Walker Bush had ordered a cease-fire at midnight and announced victory in the Persian Gulf War. Persian Gulf War was a conflict initiated by the invasion of Iraq and the occupation of Kuwait in August 1990.

2008 – American editor and author William F. Buckley, Jr. died at age 82

William F. Buckley, Jr., American editor and author, died at the age of 82 years on 27 February 2008. Buckley was an important intellectual influence in politics as the founder and editor-in-chief of the journal “National Review” in 1955. He utilised National Review as a forum for conservative views and ideas.

2015 – American actor Leonard Nimoy passed away at the age of 83

American actor Leonard Nimoy passed away at the age of 83 years on this day in 2015. He was best known for his performance of the stoic, cerebral Mr Spock in Star Trek, a sci-fi TV and film franchise.

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Ukraine military denies Wagner's claim of capturing village near Bakhmut

New Delhi: Ukraine’s military on Sunday denied Russian mercenary Wagner group’s claim of capturing Yahidne village near Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine.

The General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces said in a morning update that Russia keeps concentrating its offensive efforts along the entire Bakhmut front line.

The months-long struggle for Bakhmut, a key east-Ukrainian city, has seen some of the bloodiest attritional fightings in the now-year-old war.

Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin said on Saturday his forces had captured Yahidne. On Friday, he had claimed control of Berkhivka, an adjacent village on the outskirts of Bakhmut.

Ukrainian bulletin, however, said attacks were continuing, citing “unsuccessful offensives” near six settlements, including Yahidne and Berkhivka, in the Donetsk region, which Moscow claims to have annexed.

The battlefield reports of either side could not be verified, according to a Reuters report.

Ukraine’s Sunday bulletin said Russian forces had shelled the areas of 22 settlements along that part of the front line in Donetsk over the past day, while Ukraine had repelled 71 in Donetsk and elsewhere along the frontline.

The fierce battles along the front lines in Ukraine’s south and east, especially near Bakhmut, now consist of crawling attempts by each side to move the line, sometimes just a few metres at a time.

Russia has made progress towards encircling Bakhmut but failed to capture it in time to deliver a victory for President Vladimir Putin to announce on Friday’s anniversary of his invasion.

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Pakistan sees highest weekly inflation of over 40 per cent for first time in five months

Islamabad: The weekly inflation in cash-strapped Pakistan rose to over 40 per cent for the first time in over five months with the consumer prices of onions, chicken, eggs, rice, cigarettes and fuel rising significantly.

According to a report in the Dawn, despite the week-on-week inflation easing slightly, it still remained high as bananas, chicken, sugar, cooking oil, gas and cigarettes became costlier.

Though week-on-week inflation eased slightly, it still remained high as bananas, chicken, sugar, cooking oil, gas and cigarettes became costlier, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported.

The report said that as a result, short-term inflation jumped to 41.54 percent on a year-on-year basis for the week ended on Feb 23, rising from 38.42 per cent in the previous week.

The prices of onions, chicken, eggs, cigarettes, and fuel also saw record rise. The hike in the prices was the highest annual rise since the week ending September 8 last year.
Out of 51 items studied, the prices of 33 items increased while the price of six items decreased. Prices of 12 items remained stable.

The biggest change was registered in the price of the gas (108 percent), cigarettes (76.4 percent), bananas (6.6 percent), chicken (5.2 percent), sugar (3.37 percent), cooking oil (0.7 percent) and other items.

Pakistan’s finances have been wrecked by years of financial mismanagement and political instability — a situation exacerbated by a global energy crisis and devastating floods that left a third of the country under water last year.

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US: 29-year old woman’s limbs amputated after septic shock following childbirth

New Delhi: A woman in United States lost both her hands and feet after going into septic shock days after having her second child via a C-section (cesarean-section).

The 29-year old woman, Krystina Pacheco became quadruple amputee(lost both her hands and feet) due to an infection from the C-section in October last year.

‘I welcomed my child in an ‘uneventful C-section delivery’, Pacheo told ABC news in an interview.

After returning home from the hospital, Pacheo started feeling a little feverish and experienced shortness of breath and vomiting. When she continued to feel unwell at home, she visited a doctor, who then sent her to a local emergency room.

From the emergency room, she was airlifted to a San Antonio hospital, which diagnosed her with septic shock.

“I just remember I couldn’t breathe anymore and I couldn’t see anymore and I just started slowly fading out. I could just hear my husband saying, ‘Please come back to us, please, your babies need you. I need you. I need you to be here and help me with our babies,’ and that’s the last thing I remember,” Pacheco was quoted as saying by ABC News.

The 29-year-old had spent two weeks in intensive care, breathing through a tube. But, the poor blood flow to her hands and feet had caused so much damage that all needed to be amputated.

“My hands and feet were black. They looked like a person who got frostbite,” Pacheco said.

Pacheco revealed that she underwent nearly a dozen skin grafts over several weeks in addition to the initial surgery to amputate her limbs because the skin around her limbs was damaged. She remained in the hospital for the next two months before being finally given the all-clear to enter a rehabilitation center.

Nearly four months after giving birth, Pacheco finally returned to her home this month. She will soon begin outpatient rehabilitation and is currently working out at home to regain her strength.

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Russia's neighbour and ally Belarus says it has 1.5 million potential soldiers outside armed forces

New Delhi: Russia’s ally and neighbour Belarus, which allowed Moscow to use its territory to invade Ukraine, has around 1.5 million potential soldiers outside its forces, Reuters quoted a senior official as saying on Saturday.

Belarus’s President Alexander Lukashenko has supported his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in his year-long war with Ukraine by allowing Russia to train newly mobilised troops in Belarus.

Lukashenko this month ordered the formation of a new volunteer territorial defence force of up to 150,000 people. He has said his army would fight only if Belarus was attacked.

“The structures of the organisations, not the Armed Forces, will amount to somewhere up to 1.5 million people in the event of a declaration of martial law and the switch of the economy to a war mode,” said State Secretary of the Security Council Alexander Volfovich, according to the state BelTA news agency.

Belarus has a population of around 9.3 million. The country’s professional army has about 48,000 troops and some 12,000 state border troops, according to the 2022 International Institute for Strategic Studies’ Military Balance.

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Top German CEOs meet PM Modi, trade ideas on new opportunities in business and education

New Delhi: Lauding India’s efforts to decarbonize supply chains and produce green hydrogen with the use of technology, a group of Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of major German companies on Saturday said that they would be more than happy to partner with India in achieving sustainability goals.

“India has high aspirations for sustainability and wants to use technology to decarbonize supply chains to move to the circular economy, to produce green hydrogen. And that goes hand in hand with technology. And India has a very strong agenda for both topics,” Software major Systems, Applications & Products (SAP) CEO Christian Klein said after completing a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“And look, without technology, we won’t reach our sustainability goals. So it has to come together. And that’s why I like the digital agenda of India so much,” he added.

A group of CEOs of major German firms had a meeting with PM Modi on Saturday and discussed new opportunities for German corporates to expand their footprint in the country while tapping educational and business opportunities in India.

PM Modi and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who is on an official two-day visit to the country interacted with top executives from Indian and German companies to discuss ways to deepen economic ties between the two nations. The meeting also touched upon methods to boost bilateral ties in the areas of clean energy, trade and new technologies.

The focus areas for mutual cooperation included digital transformation, financial technology, IT and telecom.

“Chancellor @OlafScholz and I met top CEOs to discuss ways to strengthen economic relations between our nations. Sectors like digital transformation, FinTech, IT and Telecom featured prominently in the meeting,” PM Modi tweeted earlier in the day.

Dr Tobias Meyer, CEO of Deutsche Post DHL Group said his firm had been working in India for more than 45 years and the country had proved to be a good market for German firms in the past. “We see real potential in India, DHL has been working in India for more than 45 years. India is a good market for us and we see the momentum here,” he emphasised.

‘We see real potential in India, DHL has been working in India for more than 45 years. India is a good market for us & we see the momentum here’, says Dr Tobias Meyer, CEO of Deutsche Post DHL Group@PMOIndia @MEAIndia pic.twitter.com/0PD4baAXrD

— DD News (@DDNewslive) February 25, 2023

Renk CEO, Susanne Weigand, was also part of the group which met the Prime Minister. Renk is a company that is involved in the defence industry.

“We are very honoured to be here and to be able to attend a meeting with honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi. These meetings are very much appreciated. We are proud to be here, a trusted partner of the Indian government. We are supplying the Indian Army and Navy with drive solutions. We are also supplying high-speed gears to the Indian energy market,” Weigand said.

Expressing full faith in the Indian Prime Minister’s leadership, CEO of SFC Energy, Dr. Peter Podesser said, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, India is building a technology base for solar energy and green hydrogen. India can turn itself into a good hub for manufacturing, R&D and engineering services.

The PM’s meeting with the CEOs of leading German manufacturing firms of various fields was in sync with the Centre’s ‘Make in India’ initiative.

“We know that India is going to grow in the next few years and it's the right time to invest here. The world needs a program like ‘#MakeinIndia’, said Rolf Habben Jansen, the CEO of Hapag-Lloyd.

'We know that India is going to grow in the next few years and it's the right time to invest here. The world needs a program like #MakeinIndia' says Rolf Habben Jansen, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd@PMOIndia @narendramodi@makeinindia @MEAIndia pic.twitter.com/7CDq6EvHLE

— DD News (@DDNewslive) February 25, 2023

Quite a few of the top German executives had a word of praise for the ‘Make in India’ initiative. Roland Busch, President & CEO, Siemens AG said, “India has huge potential in Green Energy, Infrastructures & Healthcare with investments under #MakeinIndia initiatives. India has a huge population of young people, digital affinity as well as a lot of pace making it a suitable destination for further investment in future.”

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz arrived in New Delhi on Saturday on a two-day visit to India, his first to the country after he became the Chancellor in December 2021, following Angela Merkel’s historic 16-year tenure.

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