Author: News Desk

Washington DC: The White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) has canceled its headline comedy performance for this year’s annual dinner following tensions with the Trump administration. Comedian Amber Ruffin was originally scheduled to perform at the event next month, but the WHCA announced on Saturday that her appearance had been scrapped. In a memo to members, the association stated that the dinner’s focus is on honoring the work of White House journalists rather than engaging in divisive politics. The decision follows criticism from the White House, which opposed Ruffin’s selection due to her outspoken views on President Donald Trump. Taylor Budowich,…

Boston: Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson made history by winning Great Britain’s first figure skating World Championship medal in over 40 years, securing bronze in the ice dance event in Boston. Their podium finish marks the first time British skaters have medaled at the World Championships since Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean claimed their fourth and final global title in 1984. Fear, 25, and Gibson, 30, ended that long wait with a total score of 207.11 points, after finishing fourth in the last two World Championships. American favorites Madison Chock and Evan Bates successfully defended their title, while Canada’s Piper…

Yangon, Myanmar: A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar on Friday, March 28th, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), sending tremors as far as Bangkok, Thailand, and China’s Yunnan province. Startled residents evacuated swaying high-rise buildings in panic. The quake, recorded at a shallow depth of 10km (six miles), had its epicenter 16km (10 miles) northwest of Sagaing, near Mandalay—an area about 100km north of the capital, Naypyidaw. People in Naypyidaw reported that roads were buckled due to the tremors, and chunks of ceilings had fallen from buildings. Cracks were also seen on roads in the capital as authorities…

London: Fashion retailer H&M is adopting artificial intelligence (AI) to create digital “twins” of 30 models. The models will utilize their AI-generated counterparts in select social media posts and marketing campaigns—provided they give their consent. Chief Creative Officer Jörgen Andersson stated that the company aims to explore new creative ways to present fashion while embracing the advantages of emerging technology without compromising its “human-centric approach.” However, critics argue that the initiative could negatively impact jobs within the fashion industry, including photographers, stylists, makeup artists, and lighting professionals. American influencer Morgan Riddle condemned the move as “shameful,” warning that it could…

Sydney, Australia: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced that he will call the national election “imminently” as the May 17 deadline for electing a new parliament approaches. Albanese is set to visit Governor-General Sam Mostyn in Canberra on Friday, the 28th of March, to formally call the election. The governor-general, who represents King Charles as Australia’s head of state, must authorize the dissolution of parliament before a general election can be declared. The vote is expected to take place on May 3, though Albanese’s office has not confirmed this date. Ahead of the election, Albanese’s Labor Party has introduced…

London: Ever been so overwhelmed by cuteness that you had the urge to clench your fists or pinch something? There’s now a word for that: gigil. Recently added to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), gigil (pronounced ghee-gill) is a Tagalog word describing an intense feeling that compels someone to squeeze or pinch something irresistibly adorable. It is one of many “untranslatable” words—those lacking direct English equivalents—now officially recognized in the dictionary. Another addition is alamak, a common exclamation in Singapore and Malaysia used to express shock or dismay. The latest OED update highlights how speakers of English alongside other languages…

Istanbul: Thousands of demonstrators have taken to the streets of Turkey for a seventh consecutive night, protesting the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on corruption charges. More than 1,400 people, including students, journalists, and lawyers, have been detained since the protests began last Wednesday. The arrest of Imamoglu, a key political rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has drawn international criticism, with rights groups and the UN condemning both the detentions and the police response. Imamoglu has dismissed the charges as politically motivated, a claim denied by the Turkish government. Speaking at a Ramadan fast-breaking event in Ankara, President…

Port Moresby, PNG: Papua New Guinea has imposed a sudden ban on Facebook, citing a “test” aimed at reducing hate speech, misinformation, and explicit content. The move, which took effect earlier this week, has sparked backlash from opposition leaders and media advocates, who see it as a threat to free speech. Police Minister Peter Tsiamalili Jr defended the decision, stating that the government has a duty to protect citizens from harmful online content rather than restrict free expression. With approximately 1.3 million users, Facebook remains the most widely used social media platform in the country, serving as a crucial tool…

Wellington, New Zealand: Authorities have urged people in coastal areas of New Zealand’s South Island to stay out of the water and move away from beaches following a powerful 6.7 magnitude earthquake that struck on Tuesday, 25th of March. The National Emergency Management Agency advised residents in the Southland and Fiordland regions to avoid marine areas due to the risk of strong and unusual currents. Officials also warned those on boats, live-aboards, and marinas to evacuate their vessels and remain onshore until further notice. More than 4,700 people reported feeling the tremor, according to government seismic monitor Geonet. New Zealand…

London: A mysterious glowing spiral appeared in the night sky over the UK and Ireland on Monday, 24th of March evening, leaving many stargazers intrigued. The phenomenon was visible for several minutes before gradually fading, with observers as far north as Denmark and as far south as Milan in Italy reporting similar sightings. The Met Office addressed the spectacle in a post on X, explaining that the spiral was likely caused by frozen exhaust smoke from Elon Musk’s SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The agency stated that the rocket’s frozen exhaust plume appeared to spin in the atmosphere while reflecting sunlight,…