World News

One Battle After Another, Sinners and Hamnet lead Bafta nominations

One Battle After Another, Sinners and Hamnet lead Bafta nominations

Steven McIntoshEntertainment reporterGetty ImagesChase Infiniti, Leonardo DiCaprio and Teyana Taylor are all nominated for One Battle After AnotherLeonardo DiCaprio's politically charged thriller One Battle After Another leads the field at this year's Bafta Film Awards, with 14 nominations. It is closely followed by vampire-horror Sinners, which has 13, Shakespeare drama Hamnet and table-tennis biopic Marty Supreme, which have 11 each.Timothée Chalamet and Jessie Buckley, considered the Oscar frontrunners in the lead acting categories, repeat their nominations at the…

Continue ReadingOne Battle After Another, Sinners and Hamnet lead Bafta nominations

Some Asia airports screen passengers after outbreak in India

Some Asia airports screen passengers after outbreak in India

EPAThe Nipah virus can spread from animals to humans.An outbreak of the deadly Nipah virus in India's West Bengal state has sparked concern in parts of Asia, with some tightening screening measures at airports.Thailand has started screening passengers at three airports that receive flights from West Bengal. Nepal has also begun screening arrivals at Kathmandu airport and other land border points with India.Five healthcare workers in West Bengal were infected by the virus early this month, one of…

Continue ReadingSome Asia airports screen passengers after outbreak in India

Australia firefighters battle ’emergency level’ blazes

Firefighters in the Australian state of Victoria are battling at least six major fires as a record-breaking heatwave hits the country's south-east. Two fires are currently burning at "emergency level" according to local broadcaster ABC News. Several communities have been issued emergency warnings to either evacuate, watch and wait, or shelter in place. Fire officials warn that the situation is changing rapidly and have asked locals to stay up to date with the latest warnings.The Bureau of Meteorology…

Continue ReadingAustralia firefighters battle ’emergency level’ blazes

Philippines former president fit for trial, ICC says

Judges at the International Criminal Court have ruled that former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte is fit to stand trial for alleged crimes against humanity.The ICC also set a "confirmation of charges" hearing on 23 February, where judges will decide whether the prosecution's case against Duterte is strong enough to proceed to a trial.Duterte's lawyers earlier argued that the 80-year-old is unfit to participate in the ICC proceedings. He has been detained at the Hague since March last year.He…

Continue ReadingPhilippines former president fit for trial, ICC says

India and EU to announce FTA amid Trump tariff tensions

The European Union and India are set to announce a landmark trade deal after nearly two decades of on-off talks, as both sides aim to deepen ties amid tensions with the US.India's Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal said on Monday that negotiations had been wrapped up and the deal finalised.European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Luís Santos da Costa are in Delhi, where the announcement is expected.Both India and the EU are seeking…

Continue ReadingIndia and EU to announce FTA amid Trump tariff tensions

Meta to trial premium subscriptions for Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp

Technology giant Meta is to trial premium subscriptions for Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp users in the coming months.The new offerings would give access to features including expanded artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities.Under the plan, access to the platforms' core services would remain free to use.The firm also plans to test subscriptions for features, such as its Vibes video generation app, which the firm says "can bring your ideas to life with new AI visual creation tools".Meta announced Vibes in…

Continue ReadingMeta to trial premium subscriptions for Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp

Immigration chief departing Minneapolis as Trump sends border tsar Tom Homan to scene

A top US immigration official is expected to leave the US city of Minneapolis in what may mark a shift in the White House's tone after the fatal shooting of a second US citizen by federal officers over the weekend. As Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino and some immigration agents depart, "border tsar" Tom Homan will begin leading on-the-ground efforts in the Minnesota city after the shooting of Alex Pretti on Saturday escalated tensions. The decision by President…

Continue ReadingImmigration chief departing Minneapolis as Trump sends border tsar Tom Homan to scene

Japan court orders compensation for migrants lured to North Korea

A Tokyo court has asked Pyongyang to pay 88 million Japanese yen ($570,000; £416,000) to four people who were lured to North Korea decades ago by a propaganda scheme.The plaintiffs said the North was marketed to them as "paradise on Earth", but they instead found themselves subject to harsh conditions, including forced labour. They later escaped. Monday's ruling is largely symbolic with no real way to enforce it: North Korea has for years ignored the lawsuit, and its…

Continue ReadingJapan court orders compensation for migrants lured to North Korea

Trump raises US tariffs on South Korea imports to 25%

US President Donald Trump has announced he is raising tariffs on South Korean imports to 25% after accusing Seoul of "not living up" to a trade deal reached last year.In a post on social media, Trump said he would increase levies on South Korea from 15% across a range of products including automobiles, lumber, pharmaceuticals and "all other Reciprocal TARIFFS".The two countries reached a deal last October, which included a pledge from South Korea to invest $350bn (£256bn)…

Continue ReadingTrump raises US tariffs on South Korea imports to 25%

Can India be a player in the computer chip industry?

Can India be a player in the computer chip industry?

Priti GuptaTechnology ReporterTejas NetworksTejas Networks supplies equipment for mobile phone networks and broadband connectionsA reliable supply of computer chips is essential for Arnob Roy, the co-founder of Tejas Networks.His company, based in Bangalore, India, supplies the equipment behind mobile phone networks and broadband connections."Essentially, we provide the electronics that carry traffic across telecom networks," he says.That requires special chips designed for telecoms tasks."Telecom chips are fundamentally different from consumer or smartphone chips. They handle massive volumes of data…

Continue ReadingCan India be a player in the computer chip industry?

Landmark social media trial to begin over addiction claims

Landmark social media trial to begin over addiction claims

Lily JamaliNorth America Technology correspondent, San FranciscoBRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/Getty ImagesMeta boss Mark Zuckerberg is one of the big tech executives who will give evidence during the trialA landmark social media addiction trial in which top tech executives are expected to testify begins on Tuesday in California.The plaintiff, a 19-year-old woman identified by the initials KGM, alleges the design of the platforms' algorithms left her addicted to social media and negatively affected her mental health.The defendants include Meta - which…

Continue ReadingLandmark social media trial to begin over addiction claims

Purge of China’s top general leaves military in crisis

The senior ranks of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) are in tatters.The weekend purging of China's top general, Zhang Youxia, and another senior military officer, Gen Liu Zhenli, has left serious questions about what triggered the elite power struggles unfolding in the country - and what this means for China's warfighting capacity, whether it be any ambition to take Taiwan by force or engage in another major regional conflict.Zhang, 75, was vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC)…

Continue ReadingPurge of China’s top general leaves military in crisis