Author: News Desk

London: Sabastian Sawe produced a landmark performance at the London Marathon, becoming the first athlete to run a sub-two-hour marathon in a competitive race. The 31-year-old Kenyan finished in 1:59:30, breaking the previous record of 2:00:35 set by the late Kelvin Kiptum in 2023 by more than one minute. Although Eliud Kipchoge was the first person to complete a marathon under two hours in 2019, that run was not record-eligible as it took place under controlled conditions. View this post on Instagram A post shared by TCS London Marathon (@londonmarathon) Sawe was already on world-record pace at halfway,…

London: The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) estimates that AI datacentres could require up to 6GW of electricity by 2030. In contrast, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) projects demand at less than one-tenth of that figure. Tim Squirrell, head of strategy at the NGO Foxglove, criticised the lack of clarity, warning that the government’s understanding of datacentres’ environmental impact is deeply concerning. Cecilia Rikap, a researcher at University College London, suggested the discrepancy points either to incompetence or unrealistic assumptions about AI and big tech influence, raising questions about corporate sway over policymaking. DESNZ…

Washington: Agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and local police are searching a property in Torrance after gunshots were reported during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. The incident took place at approximately 20:35 ET (00:35 GMT, 01:35 BST). US President Donald Trump was immediately rushed to safety, while the United States Secret Service subdued the suspect. Trump stated that a Secret Service officer was shot at very close range during the incident, but survived as a result of wearing a bulletproof vest. https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/2048245137059270735 US media identified the suspect as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen from Torrance, California. Allen is expected…

Oslo: Norway has announced that it will present a bill to parliament by the end of 2026 to ban children under the age of 16 from using social media, placing the responsibility for enforcing age verification on technology companies. The move comes as several European countries consider tighter regulations on children’s social media use, following Australia’s world-first nationwide ban on under-16s accessing such platforms introduced in December last year. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre stated that the legislation is intended to protect childhood and ensure children are able to grow up without excessive digital influence. Støre stressed that “Play, friendships,…

San Francisco: Meta and Microsoft are reducing their workforce by thousands as both companies ramp up massive investments in artificial intelligence, with executives arguing that AI is increasingly meeting productivity demands. Meta informed employees that it will cut around 10 percent of its workforce, nearly 8,000 jobs, starting May 20, as part of a previously announced restructuring plan aimed at improving efficiency. The company is also eliminating approximately 6,000 open roles. On the same day, Microsoft announced plans to offer voluntary retirement packages to about 7 percent of its US workforce, totaling around 125,000 employees. In an internal memo, Meta’s…

London: More than 18,000 vehicles in the United Kingdom are currently being used without accurate ownership address records, alongside growing misuse of cloned and untraceable number plates, raising concerns over accountability and road safety. The issue highlights a growing trend of so-called ‘ghost owners,’ where drivers cannot be traced or held responsible for offences. Data obtained through a Freedom of Information request to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency revealed that 18,260 vehicles are registered to the agency’s own address, meaning the actual location of their owners is unknown. Labour MP Sarah Coombes has urged immediate action, warning that weak…

London: The number of cancer cases in the United Kingdom has reached an all-time high, with more than 403,000 people now diagnosed each year, according to a new report. This equates to roughly one diagnosis every 80 seconds. A report by Cancer Research UK attributes the rise largely to an ageing and expanding population. Since the early 1990s, cancer rates have increased by around 15 percent, with lifestyle factors such as obesity also contributing to the trend. Michelle Mitchell, Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK, said that while cancer survival rates have doubled since the 1970s, progress has slowed in…

Frankfurt: Lufthansa has announced it will cancel around 20,000 short-haul flights this summer, as it looks to reduce costs driven by sharply rising jet fuel prices. The airline stated that the move will mainly come from shutting down its loss-making CityLine operations and retiring 27 aircraft. The German carrier cited jet fuel costs that have more than doubled, alongside ongoing labour disputes, as key pressures affecting its operations. It also noted that global energy uncertainty, including disruptions to Middle Eastern oil supplies and concerns around the Strait of Hormuz, is adding further strain on the aviation sector. While some industry…

Menlo Park: Meta has introduced a new system to monitor how employees use their computers, including tracking keystrokes and mouse movements, as part of efforts to train its artificial intelligence (AI) models. The company, which owns Instagram and Facebook, informed staff that the tool will operate across company devices and internal applications, collecting activity data to improve AI capabilities. A company spokesperson explained that if Meta aims to build AI agents capable of assisting with everyday computer-based tasks, its systems must learn from real-world user behaviour. The spokesperson emphasised that the collected data will be used solely for AI training…

Tokyo: Japan has moved to relax long-standing restrictions on arms exports, allowing it to sell weapons to more than a dozen partner nations. The decision marks a significant shift in Tokyo’s defence approach, moving away from the strict pacifist stance that has defined its policies since the end of World War II, and comes amid rising regional tensions. Under the revised framework, previous limits that confined exports to non-lethal categories such as rescue, transport, surveillance, warning, and minesweeping equipment have been lifted. This change enables Japan to export lethal weapons to 17 countries with which it maintains defence agreements, including…