UK and Ireland announce joint bid to host EURO 2028

Twitter confirms fee for blue-tick verification after Musk takeover

Nov 6: In an update for Apple devices, the company said the feature would be open to users in certain countries who sign up to its Twitter Blue service for $7.99 (£7) per month. The policy change is controversial, amid concerns that the platform could be swamped with fake accounts. It follows Twitter's takeover by Elon Musk, who on Friday laid off around half of the company's workforce. The sought-after blue tick was previously only available to high-profile or influential individuals and organisations - who were asked to prove their identity. It has been used as a sign that a profile is authentic, and is a key tool to help users identify reliable information on the platform. The policy change may fuel worries that government figures, celebrities, journalists and brands could be impersonated by any user willing to pay a monthly fee. Mr Musk, the world's richest person, appears to be looking to diversify Twitter's income, following his acquisition of the firm late last month in a $44bn (£39bn) deal. On Friday, the billionaire said Twitter was losing more than $4m (£3.5m) per day, insisting that this gave him "no choice" over culling around half the company's 7,500-strong workforce. The cuts - as well as Mr Musk's fierce advocacy of free speech - have caused speculation that Twitter could water down its efforts on content moderation. However, Mr Musk has insisted that the firm's stance towards harmful material remains "absolutely unchanged". On Saturday a top United Nations official, Human Rights Commissioner Volker Türk, urged Mr Musk to "ensure that human rights are central to the management of Twitter". The unusual UN intervention pointed to the sacking of Twitter's whole human rights team, saying this was "not an encouraging start" under Mr Musk's ownership. There was no immediate response from Twitter. Few details were publicised relating to the change in verification policy, and a Twitter Blue subscription reportedly remained at its old price of £4.99 in the UK following Saturday's announcement. Twitter's update said the changes would apply only in the UK, US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand at first. A flurry of tweets from Mr Musk himself suggested the changes would be rolled out worldwide after they were observed in the initial handful of countries. It was not clear what would happen to those profiles which already had a blue tick - or if Twitter still planned to "verify" a user other than by charging them a subscription. Responding to one user who asked what would happen to existing verified profiles, Mr Musk said the timeline for changes to be implemented was a "couple [of] months". Answering another question about the risk of users pretending to be notable figures, he said Twitter would "suspend the account attempting impersonation and keep the money". Previewing other upcoming changes, Mr Musk said Twitter would soon allow users to attach long-form text to tweets, "ending [the] absurdity of notepad screenshots". Earlier on Saturday, Twitter co-founder and ex-CEO Jack Dorsey addressed the mass sackings, saying sorry to employees for what had unfolded at his former firm. Mr Dorsey - who quit as CEO in November and left the board of directors in May - said he was aware Twitter staff were "angry with me". His statement continued: "I own the responsibility for why everyone is in this situation: I grew the company size too quickly. I apologise for that." Mr Dorsey appeared to endorse the need for dismissals. Earlier this year, he expressed support for Mr Musk's takeover. A host of major brands have halted advertising spending with Twitter in recent days amid the company's upheaval. Mr Musk has been looking to decrease the platform's reliance on adverts - and Saturday's update also promised "half the ads". (With inputs from BBC)

Ratopati English आश्विन २०७९

Trevor Noah defends his comments regarding backlash on Rishi Sunak as UK PM

South African comedian and TV host Trevor Noah has defended his comments that "some people"

Nepalnews आश्विन २०७९

Trevor Noah defends his comments regarding backlash on Rishi Sunak as UK PM

South African comedian and TV host Trevor Noah has defended his comments that "some people"

Nepalnews आश्विन २०७९

BA.5 Omicron variant of COVID-19 confirmed in Nepal

Ratopati English जेष्ठ २०७९

BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron: How worried should we be?

JUNE 19: BA.4 and BA.5 were first identified in South Africa and may soon become the dominant strains in Europe and the US, health experts say. What exactly are BA.4 and BA.5? Ever since it first emerged, Covid has been mutating or shape-shifting. The new genetic versions that keep appearing are called variants. There have been a few major variants already, such as alpha and delta, that have caused massive waves of infection. The latest ones experts are concerned about - BA.4 and BA.5 - are very closely related to the Omicron variant behind last winter's wave. They were added to the World Health Organization's monitoring list in March and have also been designated as variants of concern in Europe. Where are they spreading? They were spotted circulating in South Africa at the beginning of the year and now appear to be spreading much more quickly than other variants. Most European countries now have them and they look set to overtake other types of Covid soon. That's already happened in Portugal - BA.5 is now dominant there. In the US, officials say they are seeing rising numbers of infections caused by the two new subvariants. Covid infections in the UK are also showing early signs of a possible rise, driven by BA.4 and BA.5. Australia has reported cases too. Will they be harmful? Experts are unsure how hard countries will be hit. BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron are not thought to be any more lethal than other types of Covid. Lots of people have built up some immunity from past infections and vaccination, which is helping to make the disease less risky overall. But the new subvariants do appear to be spreading more easily. This is partly because immunity may be waning, but also because of the mutations the virus has undergone. Many countries have also lifted their Covid restrictions, meaning people are mixing more, which gives the virus more chances to spread. BA.4 and BA.5 appear to be able to infect people even if they've recently had other types of Omicron. A wave of new infections could lead to more hospitalisations and some more deaths. How can we protect against them? As with other Covid variants, the risk or serious illness remains highest for people who are elderly, or who have significant underlying health conditions. Although current vaccines are not a perfect fit, they are still the best line of defence. They have cut the risk of severe illness against the other major Covid variants, including Delta, Alpha, Beta and Gamma. Doctors say it is vital people get the recommended number of doses to gain maximum protection against existing and emerging variants. How quickly could we get new vaccines against variants? Updated versions of vaccines against Covid variants are already being designed and tested. Manufacturers could scale up production quickly too, and regulators have already discussed how to fast-track the approval process. Why do variants occur? Viruses make carbon copies of themselves to reproduce, but they aren't perfect at it. Errors creep in that change the genetic blueprint, resulting in a new version of the virus. If this gives the virus a survival advantage, the new version will thrive. The more chances coronavirus has to make copies of itself in us - the host - the more opportunities there are for mutations to occur. With inputs from BBC

Ratopati English जेष्ठ २०७९

Turkey threatens to block Finland and Sweden Nato bids

MAY 17: Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the two Scandinavian nations need not send delegations to convince Turkey, a key Nato member, of their bids. He is angered by what he sees as their willingness to host Kurdish militants. Earlier, Sweden said Europe was living in a dangerous new reality, referring to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin said the move by Finland and Sweden to join the 30-member military alliance did not threaten Moscow directly - but stressed that any expansion of military infrastructure would trigger a response from the Kremlin. At a news conference on Monday, Mr Erdogan said Turkey opposed the Finnish and the Swedish bids to join Nato, describing Sweden as a "hatchery" for terrorist organisations. "Neither of these countries have a clear, open attitude towards terrorist organisation. How can we trust them?" the Turkish president said. Turkey accuses the two Nordic nations of harbouring members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a group it views as a terrorist organisation, and followers of Fethullah Gulen, who Ankara accuses of orchestrating a 2016 coup attempt. Mr Erdogan's government has also pledged to block applications from countries that have imposed sanctions on it. In 2019, both Nordic nations slapped an arms embargo on Ankara after its incursion into Syria. Sweden has formally announced its decision to join Nato, a move that will end the Scandinavian country's centuries-long military non-alignment. "Nato will strengthen Sweden, Sweden will strengthen Nato," Ms Andersson said at a briefing in Stockholm on Monday. She said Europe was now living in a dangerous new reality, referring to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Last week, Sweden's neighbour Finland said it would seek Nato membership. Russia criticised both announcements. "We are leaving one era behind us and entering a new one," Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson told lawmakers in Stockholm on Monday. She said a formal application could be handed within several days and would be synchronised with Finland. Nato has signalled its willingness to admit the two new members. However, Ms Andersson stressed that Sweden did not want permanent Nato bases or nuclear weapons on its territory. Norway, Denmark and Iceland - all Nato members - immediately said they were ready to support Sweden and Finland by all means necessary if they came under attack. The UK, also a Nato member, has already given security guarantees to Sweden and Finland to cover the transition period. Monday's announcement by Sweden came as Nato began one of its biggest exercises in the Baltic region, involving some 15,000 troops. Named "Hedgehog", the drills in Estonia involve 10 countries, including Finland and Sweden. For Finland and Sweden to join Nato, all 30 existing members must say yes. But for now, one is saying no. President Erdogan says he won't agree to admit countries which apply sanctions on Turkey. Sweden suspended arms sales to Turkey three years ago, following Ankara's military intervention in Syria. And according to the official Turkish news agency, both Finland and Sweden have rejected dozens of requests to extradite Kurdish militants who Turkey describes as terrorists. Both countries are sending delegations to Ankara to try and solve the problem, but President Erdogan says they shouldn't bother. He seems determined to extract a price for his precious vote. On Sunday, the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, said he was confident that Finland and Sweden would both join, despite Turkish objections. The issue is likely to dominate discussions between Mr Blinken and his Turkish opposite number in Washington on Wednesday. Having encouraged the two Nordic countries to apply, Washington won't want to let them down at the 11th hour.

Ratopati English बैशाख २०७९

Countries tell their citizens to leave Ukraine

FEB 13: The US, UK and Germany are among those who told their nationals to leave. Moscow has amassed an estimated 100,000 troops along Ukraine's border but denies any intent to invade. In a phone call, US President Joe Biden again warned Russian leader Vladimir Putin of the costs of any invasion. For his part, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said invasion warnings could stoke panic, which he called "the best friend of our enemies". The White House has warned that an invasion could happen at any time, and could begin with bombing from the air. Russia characterised such allegations as "provocative speculation". Non-essential staff have been ordered to leave the US Embassy in Ukraine's capital Kyiv, and consular services will be suspended from Sunday, although "a small consular presence" will remain in the western city of Lviv "to handle emergencies". Canada is also moving its embassy staff to Lviv, near the border with Poland, Canadian media reported. UK ambassador to Ukraine Melinda Simmons tweeted that she and a "core team" are staying in Kyiv. Russia itself is also making changes, saying it will "optimise the staffing" of its diplomats in Ukraine, citing "possible acts of provocation by the Kyiv regime or third countries". The US has also pulled some 150 troops who were training Ukrainian soldiers out of the country, citing an abundance of caution. And Dutch airline KLM announced it would stop flying to Ukraine, effective immediately, Dutch media said. Mr Zelensky said that if Western powers had any firm evidence of an impending invasion, he had yet to see it. "I think there is too much information in the media about a deep, full-scale war," he said. "We understand all the risks, we understand that they exist. If you or someone else has additional 100% reliable information about the Russian Federation's invasion of Ukraine... please share it with us." Many countries, including Australia, Italy, Israel, the Netherlands and Japan have told their citizens to leave Ukraine. Some have also evacuated diplomatic staff and their families. Mr Biden told Mr Putin that any invasion would result in "swift and severe costs on Russia", White House notes about the call said. "While the United States remains prepared to engage in diplomacy... we are equally prepared for other scenarios," it said. The Kremlin described the call as taking place amid "peak hysteria" from the US and its allies, and said Mr Putin had again told his counterpart that they had not addressed Russia's security concerns. But both leaders would continue to talk, it said. French President Emmanuel Macron also spoke to Mr Putin by phone on Saturday, telling him that "a sincere dialogue was not compatible with escalation", according to notes released by the French embassy. With foreign embassies withdrawing staff and a host of countries now telling their citizens to leave Ukraine, Kyiv still doesn't feel like a city in crisis. The government here is telling people to stay calm and united and, in the words of a statement this morning, refrain from actions that undermine stability and sow panic. President Zelensky said the country had to be ready for any eventuality. Across Ukraine, foreign citizens are now making hurried plans. Stuart McKenzie, who's lived in Kyiv for 28 years and runs a successful business, hopes to get his wife and two sons out on a flight. But he is ready, if necessary, to pack the family into the car and drive 300 miles to Poland. He loves Ukraine and can't quite believe it's come to this. At the British Embassy, we found tight-lipped staff loading bags into a car and driving off. No-one seemed keen to talk. Not far to the north, across the border in Belarus, Russia's war games are now well under way. Russian defence ministry pictures, released this morning, showed multiple rocket launchers being fired. Moscow still says it has no plans to invade. But there's a lot the Russians can do without ever setting foot inside Ukraine. In Kyiv, several thousand people marched through the city on Saturday, chanting slogans pledging loyalty to Ukraine and resistance to any Russian invasion. The march was organised by a right-wing nationalist group called Gonor and anti-Zelensky far-right activist Sergiy Sternenko, but it attracted other people too. BBC reporter Eleanor Montague says the demonstration was not huge, but was the first significant manifestation of public feeling since tensions escalated, finishing at the Maidan, the city's most famous square. Sasha Nizelska, who works as a nanny in Kyiv, told the BBC that she would resist a Russian attack with all means in her power. The sentiment was repeated by people of all age groups attending the demonstration. Tensions have steadily increased as Russia has continued to deploy troops along Ukraine's eastern border. Russian troops are also staging military exercises in Belarus to the north, while naval exercises in the Sea of Azov in the south-east have led to accusations that Russia is blocking Ukraine's access to the sea. Meanwhile, some 7,500km (4,660 miles) away on Russia's eastern side, the Russian defence ministry says it spotted a US Navy submarine inside its territorial waters. Officials say the US submarine was near the Kuril Islands and failed to surface when instructed. The Marshal Shaposhnikov destroyer took unspecified "appropriate" actions and the US submarine left the area, the ministry said. A US defence official has been summoned by Moscow over the incident. However, US officials later contradicted their Russian counterparts' version of events. "There is no truth to the Russian claims of our operations in their territorial waters," US military spokesman Captain Kyle Raines said in a statement carried by Reuters. "I will not comment on the precise location of our submarines but we do fly, sail, and operate safely in international waters."

Ratopati English पौष २०७८

Know Omicron variant: Is Omicron more harmful than other Covid variants?

Nepal detected two new cases of Omicron variant of COVID-19 on Monday. Omicron variant of the virus, first detected in South Africa, is currently spreading rapidly across the globe Here are some of questions on these, and other related matters: Is there any evidence that Omicron is any more harmful than any other variant? Scientists who’ve analysed the variant say they are worried by what they see in the lab. Omicron has more mutations than any other variants and they’re different too. This could mean it’s more infectious, causes more serious illness and is better at evading vaccines than previous variants. But none of this is certain. It will take time for the true threat from Omicron to be assessed as cases are detected and monitored across the world. How do I know if I have the new variant? Suspected Omicron cases can be detected by PCR tests, which are analysed in a lab. If your Covid symptoms are suspected to be Omicron, you will be contacted by your local contact tracing system. To confirm whether a suspected swab is Omicron, it needs to be sent to a specialist lab for genomic sequencing. But by that time, if you’re positive you will be self-isolating. Also, under new guidance, if you have suspected or confirmed Omicron your household and close contacts will have to self-isolate, even if they are fully vaccinated. Why are we not vaccinating children above the age of five? I keep hearing of young children who have caught the virus. Young children can be infected with the virus, but they are very unlikely to become seriously ill. Most cases are mild and children recover quickly, particularly young children. The UK has now advised that children aged over 12 should be offered two doses – but the UK regulator has yet to license any Covid vaccine for younger children. Even if that happens, as it has in the US, Canada and a number of other countries, the jury is out on whether it’s worthwhile. Vaccine advisers would have to be convinced that the benefits of vaccinating young children would outweigh any risks (however small) from the vaccines. But that calculation could all change with fears around Omicron - time will tell. Is there positive evidence that wearing ordinary masks, not N95 ones, actually makes a useful difference? Evidence suggests Covid transmission mainly happens indoors where people are close together. Covering the nose and mouth reduces the spread of coronavirus droplets from coughs, sneezes and while speaking. Routinely wearing one can help reduce virus spread from contagious people who have no symptoms. The main purpose is to protect others, although there is some evidence they also offer protection to wearers. To be effective, masks should have a nose wire, contain at least two or three layers of material and fit snugly over the mouth, nose and chin. Standard surgical masks also work well. It is possible to buy FFP2 and FFP3/N95 masks used by healthcare workers which can offer higher protection. However, these must be fitted correctly to work. What is this new variant? Omicron was first identified in South Africa, but cases have been now been found in many other countries, including the UK. A variant is a slightly altered - or mutated - version of a virus. There are thousands of Covid variants around the world which is to be expected because viruses mutate all the time. Omicron is strikingly different from many other types of Covid currently in circulation due to the long list of genetic mutations it has undergone. In particular, there are dozens of changes to the part of the virus targeted by the vaccine - the spike protein. Will vaccines still work against this variant? Early signs are that current vaccines might not work quite as well against Omicron. Scientists in South Africa have detected a surge in the number of people catching Covid multiple times. This suggests the variant might be better at sidestepping some of the protection offered by vaccines or past infection. However, this is still not definitive proof, and even if Omicron is more infectious, there is no evidence as yet that it causes more serious illness. As with other Covid variants, the risk remains highest for people who are elderly or have significant underlying health conditions. But even so, if a variant is more infectious it will lead to more deaths in an unvaccinated population. Why do variants occur? Viruses make carbon copies of themselves to reproduce but they aren't perfect at it. Errors can creep in that change the genetic blueprint, resulting in a new version of the virus - in other words, a variant. If this gives the virus a survival advantage, the new version will thrive. The more chances coronavirus has to make copies of itself in us - the host - the more opportunities there are for mutations to occur. That's why keeping infections down is important. Vaccines help by cutting transmission as well as protecting against serious Covid illness. Experts say it is possible that the new highly altered variant B.1.1.529 may have originated in a patient whose immune system was unable to get rid of a Covid infection quickly, giving the virus more time to morph.

Ratopati English कार्तिक २०७८

UK and Ireland announce joint bid to host EURO 2028

सम्बन्धित सामग्री

South African comedian and TV host Trevor Noah has defended his comments that "some people"

South African comedian and TV host Trevor Noah has defended his comments that "some people"