UKRAINE TARGETED TROOPS AFTER MOBILE PHONE USE: RUSSIA

Unauthorised use of mobile phones by Russian soldiers led to a deadly Ukrainian rocket attack on the facility where they were stationed, according to the Russian military, as it raised the death toll from the weekend attack to 89.

Gen. Lt. Sergei Sevryukov said in a statement late on Tuesday that phone signals allowed Kyiv’s forces to “determine the coordinates of the location of military personnel” and launch a strike.

The Russian military is taking unspecified measures to “prevent similar tragic incidents in the future,” Mr. Sevryukov said, and promised to punish officials responsible for the blunder.

The attack, one of the deadliest on the Kremlin’s forces since the start of the war over 10 months ago, occurred one minute into the new year, according to Mr. Sevryukov.

It was the latest blow to the Kremlin’s military prestige as it struggles to progress with its invasion of its neighbour.

Ukrainian forces fired six rockets from a U.S.-provided HIMARS multiple launch system at a building where the soldiers were stationed. Two rockets were downed but four hit the building and detonated, prompting the collapse of the structure. Details of the strike have trickled out in recent days.

CHINA COVID: WHO WARNS ABOUT UNDER-REPRESENTING COVID DEATHS

The World Health Organization has warned that China is under-representing the true impact of Covid in the country - in particular deaths.

The removal of most restrictions last month has led to a surge in cases.

But China has stopped publishing daily cases data, and has announced only 22 Covid deaths since December, using its own strict criteria.

"We believe that definition [of a Covid death] is too narrow," WHO emergencies director Dr Michael Ryan said.

Dr Ryan said China's figures "under-represent the true impact of the disease in terms of hospital admissions, in terms of ICU admissions, and particularly in terms of deaths".

China last month changed its criteria for what constitutes a Covid death, meaning only those who die of respiratory illnesses are counted.

This goes against WHO guidance, which encourages countries to count the number of excess deaths - how many more people die than would normally be expected based on death figures before the pandemic hit.

Dr Ryan added that China had increased its engagement with the WHO in recent weeks, and said he looked forward to receiving "more comprehensive data."

But he also suggested individual health workers could report their own data and experiences.

The UK science data company Airfinity estimates more than two million Covid cases a day in China, and 14,700 deaths.

US RAISES CONCERN AFTER ENVOY HECKLED IN DHAKA

The US has called on the Sheikh Hasina government to respect and protect the fundamental freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly for the people of Bangladesh after a spat involving the US ambassador to Dhaka, who had visited the home of an opposition activist reportedly missing.

The controversy broke out on December 14 when US Ambassador Peter Haas had to cut short a visit to the house of a missing leader, Sajedul Islam Sumon, belonging to the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, after activists of the ruling Awami League heckled him. There were allegations that the personal staff of a minister orchestrated the demonstration against Haas.

Following a sharp statement from the US Embassy in Dhaka, Russia also weighed in by pointing out that Moscow never interferes in the domestic affairs of other countries. “States like Bangladesh, which shape their foreign and internal policy to serve their own national interests instead of following the lead of external powers, take the similar approach,” the Russian Embassy said.

US State Department spokesman Ned Price said, “We often don’t weigh in on propaganda. We routinely meet with a variety of stakeholders across the political spectrum in every country in which the US has a diplomatic presence.”

TTP THREATENS TO TARGET TOP LEADERS OF PML-N AND PPP

Islamabad : The banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on Wednesday threatened to target the top leaders of the two major political parties in the ruling coalition if they continued to support tough measures against the militant group.

The TTP has explicitly warned PM Shehbaz Sharif’s PML-N and foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari led PPP —the two major parties of the ruling coalition. “If these two parties remain firm on their position and continue to be slaves of the army, then action will be taken against their leading people,” a statement issued by the militant group said. The group explicitly warned Bilawal, whose mother, former PM Benazir Bhutto, was killed allegedly by the TTP militants in a terrorist attack in 2007.

“Although Bilawal is still young, this poor man has not yet witnessed the state of war,” the statement said, adding that the PPP leader had declared an open war on TTP.

META’S AD PRACTICES RULED ILLEGAL UNDER EU LAW, FINED €390M

London : Metasuffered a major defeat Wednesday that could severely undercut its Facebook and Instagram advertising business after EU regulators found it had illegally forced users to effectively accept personalised ads. The decision, including a fine of 390 million euros ($414 million), has the potential to require Meta to make costly changes to its advertising-based business in the EU. The ruling is one of the most consequential judgments since the 27-nation blocenacted a landmark dataprivacy law aimed at restricting the ability of Facebook and other companies from collecting information about users without their prior consent. The law took effect in2018.

The case hinges on how Meta receives legal permission from users to collect their data for personalised advertising. The company includes language in its terms of service agreement, the very lengthy statement that users must accept before accessing services like Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, that effectively means users must allow their data to be used for personalized ads or stop using Meta’s social media services altogether. Ireland’s data privacy board, which serves as Meta’s main regulator in the EU, saidEU authorities determined that placing the legal consent within the terms of service essentially forced users to accept personalised ads, violating the European law known as the General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR.

Meta has three months to outline how it will comply with the ruling.

MCCARTHY FAILS TO WIN US HOUSE SPEAKER BID AGAIN

Washington : Republican leader Kevin McCarthy failed anew to win the House speakership on Wednesday in dramatic fourth round voting as the chamber plunged into Day Two of the new Congress with no end in sight for the political chaos that GOP conservatives have created. McCarthy fared no better than he did on opening day ballots as 20 conservative holdouts rejected him with their votes. No minds appeared to have changed, and he fell far short of the 218 votes typically needed towin the gavel. The California Republican vowed to keep fighting despite losing in multiple rounds of voting that threw the new majority into tumult a day earlier. The House gaveled in at noon, and a McCarthy ally quickly re-nominated him for the job with a rousing speech designed to peel off detractors. McCarthy himself entered the chamber saying, “We’ll have another vote. ”

It was the first time in 100 years that a nominee for House speaker could not take the gavel on the first vote.

SUNAK VOWS TO HALVE INFLATION, BOOST GROWTH AND STOP ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

Facing a country beset with problems that range from a cost of living crisis to deteriorating public services, U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak promised to halve inflation, grow the economy and reduce wait times for medical treatments in a speech that set out his policies for the year. Mr. Sunak, who has been in office for just over 10 weeks, also promised to reduce public debt, and crack down on illegal migration across the English Channel in a speech to an audience in London on Wednesday afternoon.

“So, five promises — we will: Halve inflation, grow the economy, reduce debt, cut waiting lists, and stop the boats,” Mr. Sunak said, adding, “And we will have either achieved them or not.”

The Prime Minister also used his speech to indicate general policy directions for the country, including a new education policy that would make some form of mathematics compulsory up to the age of 18. He spoke about the value of family as being central to the policy direction of the current government.

Hours before Mr. Sunak’s speech, the British Retail Consortium announced that food inflation in December had hit a record high of 13.3%. While overall inflation has shown signs of declining, the cost of living crisis has already impacted Britons significantly, including workers in the public sector.

IRAN RELEASES ‘THE SALESMAN’ ACTOR WHO BACKED PROTESTERS

Dubai : Iran’s semi-official ISNA news agency said Taraneh Alidoosti, the 38-year-old star of Asghar Farhadi’s Oscarwinning “The Salesman,” was released on bail nearly three weeks after she was jailed for criticising a crackdown on anti-government protests. Her mother, Nadere Hakimelahi, had earlier said she would be released in a post on Instagram. Alidoosti had posted at least three messages in support of the protests on Instagram before her account was disabled. One message had expressed solidarity with the first man to be executed on charges linked to the protests, which were triggered by the death of a woman in police custody.

POPE BENEDICT XVI: AROUND 200,000 ATTEND LYING IN STATE

Almost 200,000 people paid homage to former Pope Benedict XVI during his lying in state over the last three days, the Vatican says.

His body has been sealed in a coffin ahead of his funeral on Thursday.

Pope Francis will preside over the funeral - the first time a sitting Pope has led his predecessor's funeral in over 220 years, the Vatican says.

The former Pope died on New Year's Eve at the age of 95, almost a decade after standing down because of ill-health.

Tens of thousands of people are expected to attend the funeral in St Peter's Square, in front of St Peter's Basilica, at 9:30 local time (8:30 GMT).

The event will be marked by simplicity, in line with what Benedict had asked for, the Vatican says.

Because Benedict was no longer a head of state when he died, only official delegations from Italy and Benedict's native Germany will attend.

Other leaders will be there in unofficial capacities - including King Philippe of Belgium and Queen Letizia of Spain, as well as the leaders of Poland and Hungary, the Catholic news agency reports.

The Pope Emeritus will be laid to rest in the tombs beneath the Basilica after his funeral, according to his final wishes.

MYANMAR ARMY LEADER HINTS AT ELECTIONS ON INDEPENDENCE DAY

Myanmar’s ruling military leader Gen. Min Aung Hlaing pardoned over 7,000 prisoners, including some political detainees, and detailed plans for an election later this year during a ceremony on Wednesday marking the 75th anniversary of independence from Britain.