Author: Fathima T K

New Delhi: India food warning labels have come under renewed scrutiny after the country’s food safety regulator dropped plans for prominent color-coded alerts on packaged products following years of industry resistance. The debate centres on how much nutritional information consumers should see before buying food and drinks. A can of Fanta sold in London contains 63 calories. The same brand sold in India contains about 3 times as much sugar and includes an artificial dye that requires a prominent health warning in Europe. In India, the colorant is listed in small print on the back of the can. The Food…

Sydney: Australia has introduced stricter chart rules that limit eligibility for songs created largely or completely using artificial intelligence, reshaping requirements for official music chart entry. The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) introduced the updated code to protect the human nature of artistry as musicians compete for attention in an increasingly crowded market. The move follows controversy involving Australian DJ Josh Fawaz and a cover of Madonna’s ‘Like A Prayer’. The track topped the ARIA dance singles chart and reached No. 2 on Australia’s overall chart. It also became a regular feature on commercial radio playlists and recorded more than…

Wellington: New Zealand plans to introduce a bill banning children under 16 from using social media and imposing major fines on non-compliant platforms. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon stated that the proposed legislation aims to address concerns about the impact of social media on young people. The bill would require platforms to take reasonable steps to verify the ages of users. The proposed age-verification measures could include existing account information, facial technology and digital identity documents. Platforms would face financial penalties if the required steps were not taken to prevent children under 16 from accessing social media services. The proposal follows…

Taipei: Torrential rain has forced schools and offices to close across southern Taiwan as a persistent low-pressure system brought flooding and disrupted transport services. The system has remained over southern parts of the island for several days. Heavy rain has affected communities across the region and authorities are also preparing for a typhoon expected to approach northern Taiwan later in the week. Local governments in Kaohsiung and Tainan ordered schools and offices to close. The 2 cities are home to more than 4 million people. Closures also extended to Pingtung and Chiayi counties as well as the mountainous eastern counties…

New Delhi: The search-and-rescue operations continued for 22 missing crew members after a Panama-flagged bulk carrier sank off India’s eastern coast. The Ocean Winner was carrying 24 crew members when the vessel went down. Two Chinese nationals were rescued, while the remaining crew members were still missing as the Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy continued the operation. According to the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), the missing crew include 18 Chinese nationals, 3 Myanmar nationals and 1 Bangladeshi national. Rescue teams have expanded efforts across the area in an attempt to locate survivors from the sunken vessel. The Indian Navy…

Sydney: Australia has confirmed its first H5N1 bird flu case in a local mammal after the deadly virus was detected in a long-nosed fur seal in South Australia. The seal was found dead near the coastal town of Beachport, about 310 km from Adelaide. South Australian authorities confirmed the country’s first mammalian detection as Australia continues to deal with a growing outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza. The long-nosed fur seal showed no signs of injury. The species has an estimated population of about 100,000 in South Australian waters. View this post on Instagram A post shared by…

Thusis: A major fire has destroyed a building containing a restaurant and apartments in the Swiss Alpine town of Thusis, leaving 5 people missing and 8 others injured. The Graubünden Cantonal Police stated that building was completely destroyed by the blaze. Initial investigations indicate that the fire began on the second floor, while the exact cause remains under investigation. Emergency services received the alert shortly after midnight local time. Nearly 100 firefighters were deployed to tackle the blaze and carry out rescue work at the heavily damaged property. The operation became more difficult after the building’s stairwell collapsed. Firefighters used…

London: Low-cost wellness habits are gaining attention as people look for practical ways to support physical and mental well-being without expensive memberships or luxury retreats. Wellness is often associated with high-priced spa visits, retreats and specialised experiences. However, health experts and well-being advocates have highlighted a range of affordable activities that can support a healthy body, mind and lifestyle. One option is joining wellness-focused meet-ups. Studio memberships can be costly, leading more people to organise free or affordable gatherings based around activities that support well-being. Local groups can often be found through community networks, social platforms and services such as…

Sydney: Australia has passed a new law that will impose a levy on major technology platforms that fail to reach commercial agreements with local media outlets for news content. The News Bargaining Incentive will charge eligible companies 2.5 percent of their advertising revenue unless agreements are reached with Australian news publishers. The measure applies to platforms with significant social media or search services in Australia and local advertising revenue exceeding A$250 million ($178 million). The law covers Meta, Google, TikTok and LinkedIn. Eligible platforms can avoid the levy by reaching agreements with at least 8 different publishers before the end…

Bangui: A goldmine collapse has killed more than 100 people in western Central African Republic after a deadly landslide buried an artisanal mining site, prompting a major recovery operation. The disaster struck on August 18 afternoon in the village of Zamboye. The village is about 50km from the town of Baboua and lies close to the border with Cameroon. Local officials and aid workers confirmed that the mine caved in following the landslide. Rescuers are working to recover the bodies of victims and search for possible survivors trapped at the site. The exact number of people inside the mine when…