Author: News Desk

Ottawa: The Canadian government has banned the Belfast-based rap group Kneecap from entering the country, citing allegations that the band has ‘glorified terrorist organisations.’ The trio strongly rejected the accusations as ‘wholly untrue and deeply malicious’ and announced plans to launch legal action. Kneecap, comprising Naoise Ó Cairealláin, Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, and JJ Ó Dochartaigh, is known for its politically charged lyrics, provocative merchandise, and vocal support for the Palestinian cause. The group has been repeatedly embroiled in controversy this year. In April, video footage surfaced appearing to show a band member chanting “Up Hamas, up Hezbollah” at a…

Kamchatka, Russia: A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia’s Far East on September 19, identified by the US Geological Survey (USGS) as a powerful aftershock of July’s 8.8 earthquake, which was the strongest in the region in over a century. The quake was caused by shallow reverse faulting at a depth of 10 kilometers, according to USGS data, and was followed by several aftershocks, the strongest measuring 5.8. Russia’s Emergencies Ministry registered the event as a 7.2 magnitude quake. Authorities immediately issued tsunami warnings across Kamchatka and nearby areas. The Russian Tsunami Center confirmed that waves between…

Oslo, Norway: Earlier this month, aviation enthusiasts in Bergen, Norway’s second-largest city, witnessed a historic moment when Alia, an all-electric aircraft developed by US aerospace company Beta Technologies, touched down after a 100-mile (160km) journey completed in 55 minutes on battery power alone. The demonstration flight simulated a cargo route between Stavanger and Bergen, showcasing Alia’s ability to carry up to 560kg (half a tonne) of cargo. Pilot Jeremy Degagne, who led the test, highlighted its efficiency: “If you do the drive, it’s four and a half hours. And we did the flight in 52 minutes.” According to Karianne Helland…

London: Burberry’s turnaround strategy will be tested as the British fashion house presents its latest designs at London Fashion Week. The brand has turned to cultural icons such as Oscar-winning actress Olivia Colman and Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher to champion its British heritage and iconic trench coats. American CEO Joshua Schulman, who took charge in July 2023, has overhauled Burberry’s marketing to project a version of Britishness that resonates globally. Schulman has been critical of former leadership decisions, particularly product and pricing choices, arguing that some previous collections carried a ‘niche aesthetic’ that was not instantly recognizable as Burberry. Anna…

London: Scientists have developed a groundbreaking artificial intelligence model named Delphi-2M that can forecast people’s health problems more than a decade before they occur. The technology has been trained to analyse patterns in anonymous medical records and calculate the risk of developing over 1,231 diseases, functioning much like a weather forecast that gives probabilities rather than exact outcomes. Delphi-2M, which is based on the same generative AI principles as language models like ChatGPT, does not provide exact dates for events such as a heart attack, but instead estimates probabilities, for example, a 70 percent chance of developing a specific disease…

London: Microsoft has pledged $30bn (£22bn) to the UK’s artificial intelligence sector, marking its largest investment outside the US, under a new £31bn agreement dubbed the ‘Tech Prosperity Deal.’ The deal was signed between the UK government and US tech giants during Donald Trump’s second state visit to Britain, aiming to bolster cooperation in AI, quantum computing, and nuclear power. The package will fund AI infrastructure across the UK, with Microsoft joining a previously announced supercomputer project in Loughton, Essex. https://youtu.be/7LuhWC-AJiM The initiative also includes major investments from Google, Nvidia, Arm, OpenAI, and Nscale. Google committed £5bn toward AI research…

London:  Human-driven climate change was responsible for nearly two out of every three heat deaths in Europe during the summer of 2025, according to a new analysis by researchers at Imperial College London. The early study, which examined mortality data from 854 major cities across the continent, estimated that of the 24,400 heat deaths between June and August, approximately 16,500 fatalities were directly linked to the additional warming caused by greenhouse gas emissions. The research, based on established epidemiological methods but not yet peer-reviewed, found that climate breakdown made European cities an average of 2.2°C hotter than they would have…

Windsor, England: Windsor Castle is at the centre of the UK’s largest security operation since the King’s coronation, as preparations intensify for a joint royal and presidential occasion during US President Donald Trump’s state visit. The measures are vast and, at times, reminiscent of American-style security operations. Thames Valley Police are leading the operation, supported by officers from across the country, ensuring comprehensive coverage on land, water, and in the air. Windsor is alive with law enforcement presence, as officers in fluorescent yellow jackets and traditional black-and-white flat caps swarm the town. Over the next several days, drones will monitor…

Tokyo: Mondo Duplantis has delivered another historic performance at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, clearing 6.30m to set his 14th pole vault world record and secure his eighth consecutive global title. The Swedish star, now 25, brought out his distinctive ‘Claw’ shoes, special footwear with a spike protruding from the front, resembling a medieval tool. Once the bar was raised to six metres, a clear signal that he was targeting history. The competition, which had lasted two hours and 20 minutes by that stage, saw Duplantis clear 6m, 6.10m, and 6.15m with ease, clinching the world title and a…

Doha, Qatar: An emergency summit of Arab and Islamic states has taken place in Qatar following last week’s Israeli airstrike on Hamas leaders in Doha. A draft resolution condemns Israel for what it calls ‘hostile acts including genocide, ethnic cleansing, [and] starvation,’ warning that such actions threaten ‘prospects of peace and coexistence.’ Israel has strongly denied these allegations. Analysts note that practical outcomes remain uncertain, as any military response is considered out of the question. Earlier, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani urged the international community to stop applying ‘double standards’ and to hold Israel accountable. US…