Author: News Desk

Barcelona: Isak Andic, the billionaire founder of the global fashion brand Mango, tragically died in a caving accident on Saturday. The 71-year-old businessman fell down a ravine while exploring caves in the Montserrat mountain range near Barcelona. Reports indicate that Andic was hiking with his son and other family members at the time of the accident. The accident took place around 13:00 local time in an area known for its deep caves, including the Salnitre de Collbató caves. A large emergency response, including a helicopter and specialised mountain rescue unit, was mobilised, but Andic’s fall from a 150-meter ravine proved…

New York: ABC News has agreed to pay $15 million to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump to settle a defamation lawsuit stemming from false claims made by anchor George Stephanopoulos during a broadcast on 10 March 2024. Stephanopoulos repeatedly stated that Trump had been found “liable for rape,” a claim that was incorrect. The remarks occurred during an interview with Congresswoman Nancy Mace, in which Stephanopoulos challenged her endorsement of Trump by falsely asserting that “judges and two separate juries” had found him liable for rape. The claims were repeated 10 times during the broadcast. In reality, a New York civil…

Devon & Cornwall: Motorists driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs could soon be caught by an innovative AI camera, currently being tested in Devon and Cornwall. The cutting-edge Heads-Up system, developed by Acusensus, is designed to detect signs of impaired driving, including erratic road behaviour linked to alcohol or drug use. The camera, which can be quickly relocated to any road within the counties, captures data in real-time and alerts police further down the road, who can then stop the vehicle and perform roadside tests for alcohol or drugs. This unannounced technology catches drivers off-guard, making it more…

Seoul, South Korea: South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has been impeached by the National Assembly following his controversial attempt to impose martial law, a move that has plunged the country into political turmoil. The assembly voted 204 to 85 in favor of impeachment, with three members abstaining and eight votes declared invalid. This marks the second impeachment vote in just eight days. Outside the assembly, thousands of protesters erupted in applause, while the mood inside was somber. With the impeachment, Yoon has been suspended from office, and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo is temporarily assuming the presidency. The Constitutional Court now…

Washington DC: Donald Trump has announced plans to end Daylight Saving Time (DST) in the US, claiming it would save the country money. On his social media platform, Truth Social, he expressed his intention to work with the Republican Party to eliminate the practice of changing clocks twice a year. Trump said that, “The Republican Party will use its best efforts to eliminate Daylight Saving Time (DST), which has a small but strong constituency, but shouldn’t!” Trump criticized DST as “inconvenient” and “costly,” stating that it had a strong but unnecessary following. Many U.S. states advance their clocks in March…

United Kingdom: The UK economy contracted for the second consecutive month in October, marking the first back-to-back decline in gross domestic product (GDP) since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported a 0.1 percent month-on-month shrinkage in GDP, mirroring September’s decline. This consecutive contraction underscores ongoing economic challenges, reminiscent of the downturn experienced during the first coronavirus lockdown in March and April 2020. In October, the services sector stagnated, while manufacturing and construction output experienced declines. Additionally, separate trade data revealed a drop in imports and exports of goods. GDP fell 0.1% in October…

London: Misokinesia, a condition marked by an overwhelming aversion to small, repetitive movements, is gaining attention in the world of mental health, though it remains poorly understood.  “If I see someone tapping their fingers on a desk, my immediate thought is to chop their fingers off with a knife,” an anonymous patient confides. Another shares: “When I see my husband bending his toes, I feel physically ill. I want to vomit.” These intense reactions may sound extreme, but for those suffering from misokinesia, they are everyday struggles. While scientists continue to investigate this phenomenon, it’s clear that for many, the…

New Delhi:  The Supreme Court of India has begun hearing petitions challenging the constitutionality of the Place of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, a law that prohibits altering the character of religious places as they stood on 15th August 1947, the day India gained independence. Enacted during heightened tensions over the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, the law aimed to preserve the status quo of religious sites and prevent communal discord. The mosque was later demolished in 1992 by a Hindu mob, sparking nationwide riots. The Act excludes the Babri Masjid case, which was already under legal review. The law was…

Washington: In US, people spend more years living with diseases than individuals in most other countries, according to a new study by the American Medical Association. The findings reveal that Americans experience an average of 12.4 years burdened by illness, driven primarily by mental health disorders, substance-use issues, and musculoskeletal conditions. The study highlights a pronounced disparity between genders, with women in the United States enduring a 2.6-year longer healthspan-lifespan gap- representing years spent in poor health when compared to men. Women’s gap increased to 13.7 years, 32 percent higher than the global average for females. Overall, the healthspan-lifespan gap in…

Sydney: The Australian government introduced a “news bargaining incentive,” requiring digital platforms to either pay a charge or negotiate directly with publishers for news. The charge is designed to encourage platforms to pay publishers directly rather than the government, with the offsetting mechanism encouraging fair compensation. The measure responds to the announcement made in March by Meta, Facebook and Instagram’s parent company, that it would stop funding Australian news through deals with publishers. The new model mandates digital platforms with over $250m in Australian revenue, such as Meta, ByteDance (TikTok), and Google, to either pay a fixed charge or establish direct…