Author: News Desk

London: Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, has confirmed it will introduce an ad-free subscription option for UK users, costing up to £3.99 per month. The new service comes as a response to regulatory concerns about the company’s use of personal data for targeted advertising. Under the plan, web users will be charged £2.99 a month, while mobile users will pay £3.99. Users with linked Facebook and Instagram accounts will only need to pay one subscription fee. Meta said that the rollout will begin in the coming weeks, giving people the choice to continue accessing the platforms for free…

Manila: The Philippines is reeling once again from destructive weather as Severe Tropical Storm Bualoi swept across the central islands, killing at least four people, displacing hundreds of thousands, and triggering floods and mudslides, just days after Super Typhoon Ragasa left devastation in the region. The Philippine weather bureau, Pagasa, reported that Bualoi, the country’s 15th tropical cyclone this year, was lashing the central islands as of 05:30 GMT September 26. The storm carried maximum sustained winds with gusts of up to 135 kilometres per hour (84 miles per hour) while moving northwest. Authorities warned of dangerous heavy rainfall in…

Beijing: The Government of China has intensified efforts to curb online expressions of despondency, a sentiment that has grown increasingly visible on social media. This week, the Cyberspace Administration of China launched a two-month campaign targeting posts that ‘excessively exaggerate negative and pessimistic sentiments.’ Authorities say the initiative aims to ‘rectify negative emotions’ and ‘create a more civilised and rational online environment.’ The campaign specifically targets narratives such as ‘studying is useless,’ ‘hard work is useless,’ and content that promotes ‘world-weariness.’ These measures come amid an economic slowdown, a property crisis, high youth unemployment, and intense competition for college admissions…

Chile: Astronomers have reported that some supermassive black holes may not be as enormous as previously assumed. Following a breakthrough study of a distant quasar, an intensely bright, active core of a galaxy, researchers discovered that the black hole at its centre has a mass of roughly one billion times that of the Sun, which is only about one-tenth of prior estimates. A team from the University of Southampton, collaborating with European colleagues, observed the galaxy located more than 12 billion light-years away using advanced instruments at the European Southern Observatory (ESO) in Chile. “Despite the quasar’s extreme luminosity, the…

Brussels: Apple has urged the European Commission to repeal or significantly amend a range of technology legislation, warning that failure to do so could force the company to stop shipping certain products and services to the 27-country bloc. In the latest clash with Brussels, Apple criticised the Digital Markets Act (DMA), claiming it worsens the user experience, exposes users to security risks, and disrupts the seamless integration between Apple devices. The submission was made as part of the European Commission’s review of the three-year-old anti-monopoly law, which regulates the so-called gatekeeper power of major digital companies, including search engines, messaging…

London: The UK government is consulting on proposals to make water-saving features mandatory in new homes across England, including aerated taps and showerheads, dual-flush toilets, and other water-efficient devices. The move comes as five areas in England continue to face drought this autumn, following a record-breaking hot summer. Officials say the measures would have minimal impact on residents’ daily routines while cutting water usage by about 20 litres per person per day and saving households around £100 annually. England is expected to face water shortages of up to five billion litres per day by 2050, driven by a growing population…

Hong Kong: Hong Kong has announced the closure of schools, some businesses, and major flight cancellations as Super Typhoon Ragasa, the year’s most powerful storm, approaches the city on the evening of September 23. Authorities and residents are bracing for a severe impact, with supermarkets stripped of essentials like bread and fresh produce, while shop owners fortified their premises with sandbags. The storm, which has already battered the Philippines, where it is called Super Typhoon Nando, killed at least one person in a landslide on northern Luzon Island and displaced hundreds of families. More than 10,000 people were evacuated before…

London: Some of Europe’s largest airports faced ongoing disruptions over the weekend after a cyberattack targeted automatic check-in systems, causing delays, long queues, and flight cancellations. Brussels Airport asked airlines to cancel half of the September 22nd scheduled departures as technical issues persisted. The attack on September 19 affected Collins Aerospace, a provider of check-in and boarding systems owned by RTX, and disrupted operations at London’s Heathrow, Europe’s busiest airport, Berlin Brandenburg Airport, and Brussels Airport. Passengers experienced significant inconveniences, particularly on September 20. By the 21st, officials reported that disruptions had eased considerably at Berlin and Heathrow, although some…

New Delhi: From September 22, Monday, millions of Indians will see a reduction in the cost of living as the government implements sweeping changes to the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime. The overhaul, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this month, is designed to simplify India’s complex tax structure, stimulate consumer spending, and support economic growth. Under the revised slabs, everyday essentials including milk, bread, life-saving drugs, and both life and medical insurance will become tax-free. Consumption tax on small cars, television sets, and air conditioners will drop from 28 percent to 18 percent, while household staples such…

Dallas: Air travel across North Texas faced major disruption as more than 1,800 flights were delayed and hundreds were canceled at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and Dallas Love Field. The chaos was triggered by a telecommunications outage that prompted the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to impose ground stops at both airports. The FAA said that the problem originated from local telephone company equipment, stressing that it did not involve FAA systems. “The FAA is working with the telephone company to determine the cause,” the agency confirmed in a statement. Departures to DFW were halted until 11 pm ET, while…