Author: News Desk

London: Television sets have overtaken laptops, tablets, and smartphones as the most common device for watching YouTube at home in the UK, cementing the platform’s status as a staple of the living room. According to data from a Barb Audiences review, more than half of all YouTube viewing via a domestic Wi-Fi connection now takes place on traditional TV sets, making television the top-ranking device for YouTube consumption across all age groups. Although YouTube viewing remains particularly strong among children, where it has long been popular and has raised concerns about its dominance in children’s television and the type of…

Toronto: Canada has introduced new immigration priority categories designed to attract skilled professionals in sectors ranging from research and health care to aviation, while also opening pathways for select foreign military recruits. The changes were announced as part of a broader recalibration of Canada’s immigration system. The updated immigration categories align with Prime Minister Mark Carney’s goal of reducing the overall number of new permanent residents while ensuring that Canada continues to recruit highly skilled workers, researchers, and defence personnel. The strategy also supports efforts to strengthen domestic capabilities and reduce dependence on the United States. According to the government,…

London: More than 200 people have been arrested in the past four weeks as part of a major crackdown on mobile phone theft across London, with officers using drones and live facial recognition technology to catch offenders. The Metropolitan Police said 248 arrests were made specifically for mobile phone theft, while approximately 770 stolen devices were recovered during the operation. A further 122 individuals were arrested for other offences as part of the wider enforcement effort. Commander Andrew Featherstone revealed that ‘cutting-edge’ tactics, including drones, e-bikes, and live facial recognition, were deployed to quickly identify and detain suspects. He said…

Wellington: Heavy rain and strong winds caused widespread disruption across New Zealand’s North Island, halting flights, trains, and ferries, forcing road closures, and leaving tens of thousands without electricity. Domestic media reported that some flights resumed at Wellington Airport later in the afternoon, though cancellations remained extensive after authorities said most morning services had been disrupted. Air New Zealand said that it had paused operations at Wellington, Napier, and Palmerston North airports and hoped to resume services once weather conditions improved. https://twitter.com/MetService/status/2023233870842515770 Online images from New Zealand showed flooded semi-rural communities, inundated homes, fallen trees crushing vehicles, and collapsed sections…

London: Developers of artificial intelligence chatbots that put children at risk could face massive fines or even be blocked from operating in Britain under legislative changes to be unveiled by Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The move follows public outrage last month after Elon Musk’s X platform was forced to halt its Grok AI tool from generating sexualised images of real people in the UK. Ministers say they are preparing a ‘crackdown on vile illegal content created by AI,’ using the controversy to justify urgent reforms. With growing numbers of children turning to AI chatbots for homework support and even mental…

Tokyo: The designer who helped turn Hello Kitty into a global icon is stepping down after 46 years in the role. Yuko Yamaguchi, who took over creative leadership in 1980, five years after the character first launched, will pass responsibilities to a new generation of designers. Although widely perceived as a cat, Hello Kitty is officially described as a little girl from London. The character first appeared in 1975 on a small coin purse and quickly became popular in Japan before expanding internationally. During Yamaguchi’s four-decade tenure, the brand grew into one of the most lucrative franchises in the world.…

Cape Canaveral, Florida: A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket roared into orbit from Florida, carrying two US astronauts, a French astronaut and a Russian cosmonaut on an eight-month science mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The two-stage Falcon 9, topped with the autonomous Crew Dragon capsule named ‘Freedom,’ lifted off at approximately 5:15 a.m. EST (1015 GMT) from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Florida’s Atlantic coast. A live joint webcast by NASA and SpaceX showed the 25-storey rocket ascending from the launch pad as its nine Merlin engines ignited, consuming roughly 700,000 gallons of fuel per second and producing…

Sydney: Northern Beaches Council has banned passengers wearing swimwear, including bikinis and going shirtless, from riding its free community bus service after receiving complaints from travellers. The Hop, Skip and Jump, a daily 30-seat shuttle servicing Manly, Fairlight and Balgowlah, is popular with beachgoers, many of whom board in swimwear straight from the beach. Seven’s Sunrise aired footage of a sign at a Manly stop stating: “Please dress appropriately. Clothing must be worn over swimwear. In a statement, the council cited legislation allowing drivers to refuse entry to passengers whose clothing is likely to dirty or damage the vehicle, or…

New York: Pop superstar Taylor Swift has formally asked the United States Patent and Trademark Office to deny a federal trademark application filed by a bedding company for the phrase ‘Swift Home,’ arguing the branding could confuse consumers. In a filing submitted, Swift’s company, TAS Rights Management LLC, stated that the cursive ‘Swift’ featured in the logo of Cathay Home Inc closely resembles the singer’s own trademarked signature. The filing contends that the similarity is likely to mislead shoppers into believing that Swift has endorsed, approved, or is affiliated with Cathay’s bedding products. Cathay Home’s website indicates that its products…

Moscow: WhatsApp has said that Russia has ‘attempted to fully block’ the messaging platform in the country, as the Kremlin continues to tighten restrictions on digital communication services. The Meta-owned company stated that the move appears aimed at pushing its more than 100 million users in Russia towards a ‘state-owned surveillance app.’ Russia’s state-backed messaging platform, Max, is reportedly modelled on China’s ‘super app’ WeChat and has approximately 55 million users across the country. In August last year, Russian authorities ordered that Max be pre-installed on all new smartphones sold domestically. Critics have argued that the platform could be used…