Author: Trainee Reporter

London: The UK government has launched a $609.6 million (£450 million) plan to treat patients outside A&E in a bid to ease hospital overcrowding and improve emergency care. The initiative, led by Health Secretary Wes Streeting, is part of a broader effort to improve urgent and emergency care, especially ahead of another potentially difficult winter for the NHS. Streeting highlighted that around one in five people reaching at A&E do not have a physical health emergency, often turning to emergency departments because they cannot access timely GP appointments. He pointed out the financial inefficiency, noting that a GP appointment costs…

New Delhi: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced a 50 basis point cut in its benchmark repo rate, bringing it down to 5.5 percent, its lowest level in three years. The deeper-than-expected rate reduction marks the third consecutive cut this year, following similar decisions in April and February. The central bank also increased liquidity in the banking system to ensure easier access to credit across sectors. Explaining the rationale, RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra stated that India’s current pace of economic growth is lower than our aspirations, and stressed the need to stimulate domestic consumption and investment against the…

New Delhi: The Indian government has announced that the country’s long-overdue population census will finally be conducted in two phases, with the procedure set to conclude by March 2027, after a six-year delay. The first phase will involve housing data collection, while the second will enumerate the population. Originally scheduled for 2021, the decennial census considered one of the world’s largest administrative exercises was postponed multiple times. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government initially mentioned the Covid-19 pandemic as the main reason. However, critics and policy experts have since questioned the prolonged silence and lack of clear timelines. The Ministry of…

Brussels: Consumer watchdogs from 21 countries have filed a comprehensive complaint with the European Commission against Chinese fast fashion giant Shein, accusing the company of employing manipulative dark patterns to encourage excessive spending and contributing to environmental damage. The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) submitted a 29-page dossier detailing how Shein allegedly deploys deceptive design techniques to pressure customers into making sudden purchases. These include false countdown timers, misleading low-stock alerts, fear-of-missing-out (FOMO) tactics, and confirm shaming, a method that makes users feel guilty for opting out of purchases. BEUC stated that, “These practices are leading to severe detrimental consequences on…

Washington, D.C.: The US federal prosecutors have charged two Chinese nationals with smuggling a toxic crop fungus into the United States, raising fears of potential agroterrorism. The indictment, unsealed by the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, accuses researchers Jian Yunqing, 33, and Liu Zunyong, 34, of importing Fusarium graminearum, a pathogen capable of devastating cereal crops and posing serious risks to humans and livestock. In addition to smuggling, both defendants face charges of conspiracy, visa fraud, and making false statements to federal investigators. Authorities allege that Liu, who was deported to China in July 2024, attempted…

Seoul: South Korea’s newly elected president, Lee Jae-myung, has taken office in an unprecedented and urgent handover of power following the impeachment of his predecessor, Yoon Suk Yeol. The former opposition leader, who won nearly 50 percent of the public vote, has skipped the customary two-month transition period and stepped in immediately to lead a nation grappling with both internal political instability and growing external threats. <아직 늦지 않았습니다> 투표 종료 1시간 전. 지금 바로 투표장으로 가 주십시오. 대한민국의 미래가 여러분의 손에 달려있습니다. 대한국민의 위대한 선택을 믿습니다. 고맙습니다. 📌투표 안내 6월 3일(화) 오전 6시~저녁 8시 지정된 본인의 투표소에서 🗳내 투표소…

Ottawa: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced a sweeping new initiative to fast-track large-scale infrastructure plan aimed at strengthening Canada’s economy in response to fresh U.S. trade tariffs. Following what he described as a ‘very productive’ meeting with Canada’s provincial and territorial leaders, Carney said his government will begin drafting legislation to accelerate approvals for nation-building projects including pipelines, nuclear reactors, and trade corridors within a two-year window. Carney stated that, “This meeting demonstrated how we can give ourselves far more than any foreign government can take away,” in a clear reference to U.S. President Donald Trump’s escalating tariffs…

United States: The Walt Disney Company is set to lay off several hundred more employees worldwide, with workers in its film, television, and finance departments among those affected. A Disney spokesperson confirmed the latest round of job cuts, mentioning the need to streamline operations with rapid changes in the entertainment industry. Disney spokesperson remarked that, “As our industry transforms at a rapid pace, we continue to consider ways to efficiently manage our businesses while fuelling the state-of-the-art creativity and innovation that consumers value and expect from Disney.” This follows a major restructuring effort announced in 2023, during which approximately 7,000…

United States: Maja Stark has broken through on American soil, capturing her first professional victory in the United States with a composed performance at the US Women’s Open. The 25-year-old Swede shot an even-par 72 to seal a two-stroke win at Erin Hills, finishing the tournament at seven-under-par 281. Stark, who entered the final round with a one-shot lead, withstood pressure from World No 1 Nelly Korda, who closed in early but faltered down the stretch. Korda carded a 71 to tie for second alongside Japan’s Rio Takeda (72), both finishing at five under par. South Korea’s Choi Hye-jin made…

Beijing: Beijing has accused Washington of breaching a key trade agreement in Geneva, escalating tensions between the world’s two largest economies. China’s Ministry of Commerce said the United States has ‘severely violated’ the terms of the May trade truce and pledged to take ‘strong measures’ to safeguard its national interests. The ministry claimed that recent U.S. actions have seriously undermined commitments made during the Geneva talks, where both countries agreed to significantly lower tariffs. As part of that deal, the U.S. reduced tariffs on Chinese goods from 145 percent to 30 percent, while China cut its retaliatory tariffs on U.S.…