Author: News Desk

Brussels: Brussels is preparing to launch a fresh antitrust investigation into Meta Platforms over how it introduced artificial intelligence features into WhatsApp. The move marks the latest action by European regulators against the Big Tech as it tries to encourage technological growth while preventing dominant firms from overreaching. According to the source, the European Commission could open the inquiry as early as December 4, focusing specifically on Meta’s integration of its Meta AI assistant into WhatsApp earlier this year. A WhatsApp spokesperson dismissed the allegations, calling them ‘baseless,’ and argued that the appearance of AI chatbots on its platform adds…

Bengaluru, India: IndiGo’s flight disruption has stretched into a third consecutive day, leaving thousands of passengers stranded nationwide as the airline struggles to adapt to new government regulations and mounting operational challenges. By December 4, 175 flights had been cancelled, following 150 cancellations on December 3, triggering widespread frustration at major airports including Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune, and Bengaluru. The crisis also rattled the stock market, with IndiGo’s shares falling 3.4 percent on December 4 and 6 percent for the week, threatening the reputation of a carrier known for punctuality. https://twitter.com/PTI_News/status/1996480077639581964 The Federation of Indian Pilots said that IndiGo failed…

New York: Netflix’s proposed acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery’s studios and streaming unit, including HBO Max, is expected to reduce streaming costs for consumers by offering a bundled service, according to sources familiar with the confidential discussions. Netflix has told Warner Bros Discovery that combining its streaming service with HBO Max would allow consumers to pay less for a bundled offering, the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The approach also seeks to address potential regulatory concerns that merging two major streaming platforms could limit consumer choice or drive up prices, as neither service currently offers a bundle. Warner…

Washington DC: Cirrus clouds, the highest clouds in Earth’s atmosphere, appear as delicate, wispy streaks that resemble an artist’s brushstrokes across the sky. During the day, they shine bright white, while at dawn and dusk, they can take on the rich hues of sunrise and sunset. Beyond their beauty, cirrus clouds play an important role in Earth’s climate system, allowing sunlight to pass through while trapping heat, producing a net warming effect. Types of Cirrus New research reveals that some cirrus clouds are seeded by storms thousands of miles away, a discovery that could have significant implications for global warming…

New York: Fast-fashion giants Shein and Temu are under growing scrutiny in the United States after senior Republican politicians called for investigations into the companies’ business practices, including allegations of forced labour, intellectual property theft, and the sale of unsafe products. In Texas, Attorney General Ken Paxton launched a probe into Shein, reflecting similar inquiries targeting the company in several European nations. At the national level, Senator Tom Cotton urged a federal investigation into both Shein and Temu, labeling them ‘Communist Chinese’ platforms and accusing them of intellectual property theft that has ‘devastated’ US firms. Cotton highlighted that millions of…

New Delhi: India has directed smartphone manufacturers to pre-install a permanent, non-removable government cybersecurity app ‘Sanchar Saathi’ on all new devices, a move that has triggered significant privacy concerns among experts and rights groups. The order, issued last week and made public, gives companies 90 days to ensure that all newly manufactured or imported smartphones come with the state-run app already embedded. Authorities argue that the requirement is essential for helping users verify device authenticity, report misuse of telecom resources, and curb the resale of stolen or blacklisted phones in a country with over 1.2 billion mobile users and a…

Seoul: Coupang, South Korea’s largest e-commerce platform, has publicly apologised after the personal information of 33.7 million customers was compromised following unauthorized access to its systems. Park Dae-jun, the CEO of Coupang, often compared to Amazon.com for its dominant role in South Korea’s retail market, posted the apology on Coupang’s official website, saying that, “We sincerely apologise once again for causing our customers inconvenience.” This latest breach comes on the heels of several high-profile data leaks at major South Korean corporations, including telecom giant SK Telecom. Government officials held an emergency meeting to determine whether Coupang failed to meet mandatory…

Washington DC: The White House has introduced a new section on its official website that publicly calls out and catalogs news organizations and journalists it accuses of distorting their coverage. At the top of the page, the message reads: “Misleading. Biased. Exposed.” The first batch of ‘media offenders of the week’ includes the Boston Globe, CBS News, and the Independent. The administration claims these outlets inaccurately portrayed Donald Trump’s comments about six Democratic lawmakers who released a video urging military personnel not to follow unlawful orders. This controversy stems from Trump’s recent online posts, where he accused the lawmakers of…

Washington DC: US online sales during Thanksgiving are projected to climb 6 percent year-on-year to $8.6 billion, according to Salesforce data, as shoppers take advantage of deep discounts despite economic uncertainty driven by tariffs. By 2 pm ET (1900 GMT), Thanksgiving spending had already reached $2.6 billion, up 5.8 percent from the same point last year. Thanksgiving and Black Friday mark the start of the critical holiday shopping season, which typically accounts for roughly a third of US retailers’ annual sales and profits. This year’s season is unfolding amid volatility linked to President Donald Trump’s tariffs on imports, which have…

London: Provisional data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that net migration to the UK dropped by two-thirds in the year ending June 2025, compared with the previous 12-month period. Net migration, defined as the difference between those entering and leaving the country, fell to 204,000, down from 649,000. The decline was largely driven by fewer people arriving for work and study. At the same time, Home Office figures reveal that the number of people claiming asylum in the UK in the year to September 2025 climbed to a record 110,051 applications. The number of asylum seekers accommodated…