Author: News Desk

New Delhi: Earlier this year, a viral video sparked debate over the limited travel freedom of Indian passport holders, drawing attention to how difficult it remains for Indians to secure visas for most Western and European destinations. The clip compared India’s restricted access with the more open travel policies of neighboring countries such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka, reigniting discussions about the country’s global mobility challenges. This frustration mirrors findings from the 2025 Henley Passport Index, which ranks global passports based on visa-free access. India’s passport slipped five places from last year to 85th out of 199 countries, even as…

Washington: Nearly half of the 30 busiest airports in the United States are facing significant air traffic controller shortages, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed, as the US shutdown stretched into its 31st day, triggering widespread flight delays and cancellations nationwide. According to the FAA, this marks the most extensive controller absence since the shutdown began on October 1. The New York region has been particularly hard hit, with 80 percent of air traffic controllers unavailable, the agency said. At least 35 FAA facilities, including several at the nation’s largest airports, have reported staffing problems. Affected airports include those in…

Washington DC: US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., serving under President Donald Trump, stated that while there is no conclusive evidence proving that Kenvue’s Tylenol (acetaminophen) causes autism, research findings are ‘very suggestive’ and warrant cautious use, particularly during pregnancy. His remarks come about a month after President Trump announced that US health officials would recommend limiting Tylenol use, despite lacking scientific evidence to support such claims. Kennedy elaborated that studies conducted on animals, blood samples, and human observations indicate a potential link between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism, though the data remains insufficient to establish a definitive…

London: Websites for Heathrow Airport, NatWest Bank, and Minecraft were restored late on October 29, after a major global Microsoft outage disrupted access to numerous websites across several countries. According to outage tracker Downdetector, thousands of users reported problems accessing multiple websites for several hours. The disruptions were linked to Microsoft’s systems, particularly its Microsoft 365 and Azure cloud computing platform, which underpins vast portions of the internet’s infrastructure. Microsoft acknowledged that some users of Microsoft 365 experienced delays with Outlook and other services. By 21:00 GMT, however, many of the affected websites were once again accessible after the company…

Kathmandu, Nepal: Both the Nepali and Chinese sides of the Everest region were closed to tourism after unseasonally heavy snowfall blanketed the Himalayas, while a helicopter attempting to rescue stranded trekkers crashed in deep snowdrifts near the Everest Base Camp. The Everest region, a major destination for thousands of climbers and trekkers each year, has been covered by heavy snow. The severe weather was caused by a cyclone originating in the Bay of Bengal that swept across India, marking the second major bout of snowfall in the Himalayas this month. In Nepal, authorities suspended trekking activities on numerous routes due…

New York: Apple Inc. briefly reached a market valuation of $4 trillion for the first time on Tuesday, becoming the third Big Tech company to hit the milestone, following Microsoft and Nvidia. The surge was fueled by strong global demand for its latest iPhone 17 lineup, which helped ease investor concerns about the company’s slower pace in the artificial intelligence (AI) race. Apple’s stock momentarily climbed to $269.89, pushing its valuation to $4.005 trillion, before closing slightly lower at $3.992 trillion, up 0.1 percent for the day. The milestone marks a remarkable turnaround, with the company’s shares gaining about 13…

Sydney: Major social media platforms, including Meta, ByteDance, and Snap, have confirmed that they will comply with Australia’s new law banning users under the age of 16. The law, which takes effect on December 10, will require companies to take ‘reasonable steps’ to block underage users or risk fines of up to A$49.5 million ($32.5 million). The announcement marks a significant shift in the industry’s response to the legislation, which is being closely watched by governments worldwide amid rising concerns about youth mental health. Previously, these companies argued that such a ban would push minors toward unsafe online spaces and…

London: A groundbreaking study led by King’s College London has scientifically confirmed that viewing original artworks in a gallery can relieve stress, reduce the risk of heart disease, and boost immune function, offering tangible evidence of art’s power to enhance both mental and physical well-being. The research, described as the first study of its kind, measured the physiological effects of viewing original masterpieces by celebrated artists, including Manet, Van Gogh, and Gauguin. Participants experienced art in two distinct environments: some viewed the authentic works at the Courtauld Gallery in London, while others viewed high-quality reproductions in a non-gallery setting. The…

London: Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), often dismissed as mere ‘winter blues’ or ‘depression-lite,’ is one of the most misunderstood mood disorders, experts have warned. Despite its deceptively simple name, SAD is classified as a major depressive disorder that occurs cyclically, typically during winter months, and subsides during other seasons. Dr. Laurence Wainwright, a psychiatry academic at Oxford University, explained that SAD is a ‘recurrent depressive phase’ linked to seasonal changes. Dr. Wainwright noted that while the condition’s acronym makes it easy to overlook, it can be ‘harrowing’ for those affected. Between 0.5 percent and 2.4 percent of the UK population,…

Melbourne, Australia: About 26,000 households in south-east Queensland were without power on October 27 after a severe thunderstorm passed over the state, producing wind gusts of up to 109 km/h. Residents also reported giant hailstones, with sizes reaching up to 7 cm in some areas. More than 1,300 energy customers in Victoria experienced outages following Melbourne’s wettest day in a year and a half, though most of these were resolved soon. Energex, which supplies power to 1.5 million homes and businesses in south-east Queensland, said that the thunderstorm caused ‘significant damage,’ including downed wires across the greater Brisbane region. On…