Author: News Desk

Rome: Amazon has decided not to proceed with its plans to deliver goods by drone in Italy, the company said, citing broader business and regulatory challenges despite progress with aviation authorities. Amazon said that following a strategic review, it had chosen to halt its commercial drone delivery programme in the country. The company explained that although it had achieved positive engagement and made good progress with Italian aerospace regulators, the wider business regulatory framework in Italy does not currently support its long-term objectives for the initiative. Italy’s civil aviation authority, ENAC, described the decision as unexpected. In a statement issued,…

London: Spending more time indoors during Christmas and New Year can reduce exposure to outdoor air pollution, but experts warn it may also increase pollution levels inside homes as everyday activities trap harmful particles indoors. The dangers of secondhand tobacco smoke are well established, with clear evidence showing improvements in public health following indoor smoking bans. One study examining 47 indoor smoking bans in public places found hospital admissions for heart attacks fell by an average of 12 percent. However, awareness of other indoor air pollutants and how to reduce them remains relatively low. Dr. James Heydon and a research…

London: Asian women in England are almost twice as likely to experience the most severe birth injuries during labour, with many healthcare professionals unaware of this increased risk, an analysis has found. The most serious vaginal tears, known as third- and fourth-degree tears or obstetric anal sphincter injuries (OASI), extend into the muscles and lining controlling the anus. While up to 90 percent of women experience some tearing during childbirth, most injuries heal quickly and have a minor impact. However, third-degree tears extend into the anal muscles, and fourth-degree tears go further into the lining of the anus, potentially causing…

California: A powerful atmospheric river storm has swept across California, forcing hundreds of residents to evacuate as torrential rain triggered widespread flash flooding on Christmas Eve, particularly in the southern parts of the state. In one mountain resort area, video footage showed mud and debris surging down roads, while fast-moving floodwaters rushed through the porches of several homes. The US National Weather Service warned that ‘life-threatening atmospheric river conditions’ are expected to persist through Christmas Day, with a rare ‘high risk of excessive rainfall’ alert remaining in place. California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in six counties,…

Vatican: Pope Leo has told Christians that the story of Christmas should remind them of their responsibility to help the poor, migrants, and strangers, stressing that refusing assistance to those in need is equivalent to rejecting God. In his Christmas Eve sermon, the Pope remarked that the account of Jesus being born in a stable because there was no room at an inn carries a clear lesson for believers. The Pontiff explained that denying help or hospitality to people in need mirrors the refusal faced by the Holy Family and represents a rejection of God’s presence in human life. As…

London: Best known for viral dance trends and reviving forgotten songs, TikTok is now gaining serious ground as an online retail platform through TikTok Shop, which is rapidly becoming a major force in UK e-commerce. Major retailers, including Marks & Spencer, Samsung, QVC, Clarks, and Sainsbury’s, are selling products via TikTok Shop, alongside more than 200,000 UK small and medium-sized businesses that are using the platform to reach new customers and drive sales. Since the launch of TikTok Shop in the UK in 2021, the service has grown quickly. It recorded its biggest-ever UK sales day on Black Friday, with…

London: Many people across the UK are set to wake up to a cold and frosty start on Christmas Day, although hopes of snowfall are low, according to the Met Office. Forecasters say both December 24 and 25 are expected to be dry and bright for most parts of the country. However, a brisk easterly wind developing from Christmas Eve will make temperatures feel colder than average for the time of year. The Met Office says conditions across much of the UK will feel close to freezing, with daytime temperatures peaking at around 4–5°C throughout the festive period. In Scotland,…

London: Since the standalone offence of strangulation and suffocation was introduced in June 2022 under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, there has been a ‘soaring rise’ in charges, according to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). Prosecutors reported 1,483 charges for the offence between July 2022 and March 2023. That number increased dramatically to 8,545 for the 12 months from April 2024 to March 2025. Between April and June 2025 alone, 2,656 charges were recorded. Kate Brown, Chief Crown Prosecutor and domestic abuse lead at the CPS, described strangulation as “a terrifying form of abuse and control that often signals escalating…

Washington DC: US President Donald Trump has announced plans for the US Navy to build two new ‘Trump Class’ battleships, outlining an ambitious proposal aimed at strengthening American naval dominance. The President stated that the new vessels will be “the fastest, the biggest, and 100 times more powerful than any battleship ever built.” Constructed in the United States and made of steel, the ships will be equipped with missiles, guns, lasers, and hypersonic weapons. Trump noted that they will form the centerpiece of the Navy’s ‘Golden Fleet’ initiative. The programme will initially include two battleships, with plans to eventually expand…

Taipei: Taiwan’s HTC is betting that an open platform strategy will help it gain market share in the fast-growing global smart glasses industry, as it launches new AI-powered eyewear that allows users to choose which artificial intelligence model they want to use. Charles Huang, Senior Vice President of global sales and marketing at HTC, said that the rapid pace of AI development has created an intense ‘arms race’ among large language model developers, one that demands enormous resources. Rather than building a closed ecosystem, HTC aims to leverage the strengths of multiple AI platforms. HTC’s newly launched VIVE Eagle smart…