Australia

New Zealand ditches smoking ban to fund tax cuts

29 Nov 2023 11:28 AM IST

New Zealand’s newly-elected government has reversed a ground-breaking smoking ban initially aimed at saving lives and preventing youth from taking up smoking, CNN reported. The move has sparked outrage among public health officials and anti-tobacco groups, who are dismayed by the decision to abandon the ban to finance tax cuts.

Oakland calls for ceasefire in Israel-Hamas war

29 Nov 2023 11:27 AM IST

Oakland considered a resolution to call for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas conflict on Monday, potentially joining nearly a dozen other US cities that have supported similar measures, from Michigan to Georgia. The resolution also advocates for the unrestricted entry of humanitarian assistance into Gaza, the restoration of basic services,

Google to delete ‘inactive’ accounts in Dec

29 Nov 2023 11:26 AM IST

Google’s updated inactive account policy, announced in May, could lead to the deletion of accounts that haven’t been used in at least two years, starting Friday. The move is attributed to security concerns, as long-unused accounts are more prone to compromise. To prevent deletion, users should sign in at least

South Korea postpones spy satellite liftoff after North’s satellite launch

29 Nov 2023 11:25 AM IST

South Korea has decided to delay the scheduled launch of its first military spy satellite, originally planned for this Thursday, following North Korea’s recent claim of placing its own spy satellite into orbit. South Korea, under a contract with SpaceX, aims to launch five spy satellites by 2025, with the

Indonesia opens campaign for February presidential election

29 Nov 2023 11:25 AM IST

Candidates officially launched their campaigns on Tuesday for Indonesia’s upcoming presidential election, setting the stage for a three-way competition. The contenders include a former special forces general who has faced defeat twice before and two former governors. Ganjar Pranowo, the presidential candidate from the ruling party and former governor of

Brazilian President Lula picks Justice Minister Dino for Supreme Court slot

29 Nov 2023 11:24 AM IST

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has announced that he has selected Justice Minister Flávio Dino to fill a vacant seat on the country’s top court. Despite the hopes of many allies for the appointment of another woman to replace Minister Rosa Maria Weber, who resigned in September upon reaching

US Secretary Blinken to return to Israel with hopes to extend Gaza CEASEFIRE

29 Nov 2023 11:23 AM IST

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to make his third trip to the Middle East this week, aiming to facilitate an extension of the cease-fire in Gaza and work towards the release of more hostages. Following his participation in Ukraine-focused meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday in Brussels and

‘SenseTime’ denies Grizzly claim, refutes inflated revenue, calls allegations baseless

29 Nov 2023 11:21 AM IST

SenseTime, a major Chinese artificial intelligence company, has rejected claims by a research company that it has falsely inflated its revenue. “(SenseTime) believes the report is without merit and contains unfounded allegations and misleading conclusions and interpretations,” the company said in a notice Tuesday to Hong Kong’s stock exchange, after

Pakistan: PTI conducts intra-party polls following EC directive

29 Nov 2023 11:20 AM IST

The core committee of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will be conducting intra-party elections within the time frame given by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Geo News reported citing The News reported on Tuesday. PTI’s approval comes days after the electoral body ruled that its intra-party polls were not “transparent”,

Israel issues new warnings on dangers of Internet gaming

29 Nov 2023 11:20 AM IST

The Privacy Protection Authority of Israel’s Justice Ministry published recommendations for the safe conduct of players in the virtual gaming community. This is for both gaming played through websites and home consoles. Some of the most popular brands were mentioned, such as Sony PlayStation, Microsoft Xbox and Nintendo Switch. There

Snowstorm batters Ukraine: Death toll at 10 & 2,500 rescued; widespread impact

29 Nov 2023 11:19 AM IST

At least 10 people were killed while 23 more including two children were left injured in Ukraine on Tuesday morning as the country was battered by severe storms, Kyiv Independent reported citing Ukraine Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko. Among the casualties, five deaths and 15 injuries were reported in Odesa Oblast,

Imran Khan’s cipher case trial continues in Adiala jail’s open court

29 Nov 2023 11:18 AM IST

A special court here on Tuesday decided to hold the trial of incarcerated Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan in jail in the cipher case after authorities did not present him for a hearing held at a normal court, citing security concerns. The 71-year-old Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party chief has