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I expected artificial intelligence to be faster in performing calculations or data analysis than humans. But emotional support is one of the last things I could imagine it being better at. New research led by the University of Manchester, alongside Durham University, found that leading AI chatbots could match or sometimes outperform humans when responding to everyday emotional problems. The researchers conducted five studies involving 1,233 participants and tested responses from ChatGPT-4o, Claude 3.5 Sonnet, and Gemini 1.5 Pro. The researchers conducted five studies involving 1,233 participants and tested responses from ChatGPT-4o, Claude 3.5 Sonnet,…

Prime Minister Han Seong-sook speaks during a meeting on official development assistance, Thursday. Yonhap The government finalized a budget proposal for official development assistance (ODA) for 2027 at 6.3 trillion won ($4.6 billion) on Thursday, marking an increase of 871.2 billion won from this year. The budget proposal was part of the comprehensive ODA plan for 2027 approved during a meeting presided over by Prime Minister Han Seong-sook. The budget will be finalized after a review by the ministry of planning and budget and then approval from the National Assembly. Next year's plan, drawn up based on a mid-term ODA strategy that the government…

Yoga and pilates have become very popular in Spain. If you have a dream of setting up your own studio, here's everything you need to know, from the legal requirements to what else you need to consider. Many foreigners move to Spain hoping to set up their own business as a way to earn a living without competing against locals for jobs, particularly with such high unemployment rates. One type of business venture that is popular and is a dream for many people is to set up a yoga or pilates studio, but how easy or difficult is it to actually set one up here? Yoga and pilates are already popular pastimes in Spain and there are many studios, especially in…

Denis Machuel runs the world’s largest staffing company, which makes his read on the labour market worth pausing over. This week the Adecco Group chief executive offered it plainly: artificial intelligence is remaking work, but it is not about to empty the offices. “AI is bringing a massive evolution in the world of work, but a job apocalypse is not on the horizon,” Machuel told Reuters. The reassurance lands in a year that has felt anything but calm, with tech layoffs mounting and a lengthening list of employers naming AI as the culprit. His case rests less on optimism than on a shortage of evidence that anything catastrophic is happening. Nearly…

Alibaba Group Holding’s mapping unit has unveiled an upgrade to what it calls the world’s first technology framework that unites a robot’s “feet, hands, brains, central nerves and motor nerves” into a single system. Amap’s ABot system marks the latest move in Chinese tech players’ race to harness artificial intelligence models to make robots more capable. Referred to as embodied intelligence, the effort aims to equip machines with the “brains” and other elements required to navigate and complete tasks in complex physical spaces. With five new specialised foundation AI models working together, ABot aimed to address a systemic problem in the industry,…

Sundar Pichai spent Alphabet’s Wednesday earnings call doing something he is not used to doing: arguing that Google is not, in fact, falling behind in artificial intelligence. Analysts wanted to know why the next Gemini model had slipped, and whether the company had quietly ceded the frontier to OpenAI and Anthropic. “We’ve had clearly frontier models,” Pichai said on the call. “There are many attributes on which we are still at the frontier; there are areas where we’ve acknowledged we need to improve and coding and agentic coding is an example of that.” For a company that likes to remind everyone it invented the transformer, the admission was…

(ATTN: UPDATES with Han's remarks in last 2 paras; CHANGES photo) SEOUL, July 23 (Yonhap) -- The government finalized a budget proposal for official development assistance (ODA) for 2027 at 6.3 trillion won (US$4.6 billion) on Thursday, marking an increase of 871.2 billion won from this year. The budget proposal was part of the comprehensive ODA plan for 2027 approved during a meeting presided over by Prime Minister Han Seong-sook. The budget will be finalized after a review by the ministry of planning and budget and then approval from the National Assembly. Next year's plan, drawn up based on a mid-term ODA strategy that the government announced in…

As the global aviation industry continues to evolve, the demand for highly skilled aviation professionals is greater than ever. Staying relevant in this highly specialized and rapidly evolving field requires more than academic excellence—it calls for opportunities to learn beyond the classroom, engage with industry leaders, and experience how the world’s leading aviation systems operate. Guided by this belief, Indiana Aerospace University (IAU) continues to create international learning opportunities that prepare students for the evolving demands of the aviation industry. From May 18 to 23, 2026, IAU brought a delegation of students to Singapore for…

Prime Minister Han Seong-sook persides over a meeting at Government Complex Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap The government finalized a budget proposal for official development assistance (ODA) for 2027 at 6.3 trillion won ($4.6 billion) on Thursday, marking an increase of 871.2 billion won from this year. The budget proposal was part of the comprehensive ODA plan for 2027 approved during a meeting presided over by Prime Minister Han Seong-sook. The budget will be finalized after a review by the ministry of planning and budget and then approval from the National Assembly. Next year's plan, drawn up based on a mid-term ODA strategy that the government announced…

In 1914, Sigmund Freud borrowed a figure from Ovid and handed psychology one of its most durable terms. In his essay On Narcissism, the myth of Narcissus, the youth who fell in love with his own reflection and wasted away in front of it, became a way of describing a self that turns its love inward. The word outlived the theory that carried it. It hardened into diagnosis, entering the psychiatric manuals as narcissistic personality disorder by 1980, and then loosened again into everyday speech, where it now stands in for anyone we find insufferably self-regarding. Modern personality psychology treats narcissism more coolly, as one dimension along which…

Is your bus really late, or does it just feel like it? Inside Singapore’s bus network We collected data on waiting times for millions of bus rides using the LTA’s bus arrival data. Here’s what we learnt about waiting for the bus.

For the most dramatic change in a benchmark index in financial markets in recent years, look no further than the stock markets of developing economies. Just over a year ago, mainland China and India had a combined weight of 50 per cent in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. Fast forward to today, and it is South Korea and Taiwan that account for over half of the gauge. At the end of last month, the weight of South Korea in the index stood at nearly 24 per cent, four percentage points more than that of China, whose economy is almost 10 times the size of South Korea’s. The weight of Taiwan’s economy alone stood at 27 per cent. That’s double the weight of…

ON-PREM Britain isn't considering datacenters' thirst for water in its 'AI superpower' ambitions Grand compute push could end up as dry as England's reservoirs unless ministers act fast The UK government's blueprint for turning Britain into an AI superpower largely ignore the water datacenters need, prompting warnings that these facilities could end up competing with homes and businesses for supply. The warning comes as parts of southern, central, and eastern England move closer to drought, putting the pressure on water availability firmly on the agenda. MPs were told earlier this year that official forecasts of England's future water needs excluded…

Another key strand of Burnham's campaigning strategy has been connecting with and organising grassroots social media activists. Among the politicians and staffers invited to stand outside Number 10 to watch Burnham become prime minister on Monday were teenage TikTokers whose video edits have brought him to a new social media audience. Between them, Will, Lottie, Megan, Ellen and Poppy, all aged between 17 and 19 have racked up millions of likes on TikTok, and across platforms share memes, trends and nostalgic edits of New Labour footage, including of Burnham's time in office. The Labour activists were invited to canvass with him and make edits of his…

Nokia reported comparable operating profit of €434mn for the second quarter of 2026, up 18% on the same period last year and comfortably ahead of the €382mn that analysts polled by LSEG had forecast. Net sales rose 8% to €4.82bn, or 9% at constant currency, lifted by the companies racing to build AI data centres. The beat extended a run that began earlier in the year, when comparable operating profit jumped 54% in the first quarter. For the first half, net sales reached €9.25bn, up 6% as reported and 7% at constant currency, while the group operating margin widened to 9.0% in the second quarter, an improvement of 70 basis points. The Finnish…

Server processors were meant to be the boring corner of the AI boom. The exotic money went to graphics accelerators, while the central processing units sitting beside them were treated as a solved problem, cheap, plentiful, and interchangeable. That assumption is coming apart in China. Intel and AMD have signed longer-term supply commitments with Chinese server customers as data centre CPU prices climb, according to Reuters, which cited two people familiar with the talks. The contracts lock in purchase volumes rather than fixed prices, a structure that leaves buyers exposed if the shortage drags on. China is a particularly tight corner of that market,…

Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority TL;DR Robinhood now includes a yearly WHOOP Peak membership as a credit card perk. WHOOP users will be eligible for a $239 credit for an annual membership, hardware included. The offer is only valid if you make the purchase through your Robinhood Platinum Visa card. Despite newer alternatives, such as the Fitbit Air, cropping up recently, WHOOP’s screenless bands still take the top spot for people who care about fitness metrics more than anything. The companion app, however, is somewhat of a sticking point, not because of what it offers, but the subscription wall WHOOP puts up to let you access your health data.…

Daily Mail journalists select and curate the products that feature on our site. If you make a purchase via links on this page we will earn commission - learn more I had carefully curated a Pinterest board called ‘new home’ over the duration of a year. It consisted of dark wood furniture, stylish sofas by iconic designers of the 80s and luxury furnishings, like sheer floor-to-ceiling draped curtains and grand marble top dining tables. I've been determined to recreate my dream interior design. The only problem is my budget, which is as little as possible. Writing for esteemed homes \& interiors magazines such as Homes \& Gardens, Ideal Home and Living…

Mexico · Companies Key Facts —Net income. MXN 2,353 million (about US$127 million), up 11.6% year-on-year. —Loan portfolio. MXN 94,682 million (about US$5.12 billion), up 13.1% year-on-year. —Return on equity. 25.0%, at the top of the group’s 24%-25% target. —Net interest margin. 29.8%, in the elevated band typical for microfinance. —Clients. About 6.8 million, with new borrowers added across Mexico, Peru and Guatemala. Gentera second quarter net income reached MXN 2,353 million (about US$127 million), an 11.6% increase from a year earlier, the Mexican microfinance group reported in late July. The result was underpinned by a 13.1% expansion of its…

Zac Kew-Denniss / Android Authority TL;DR Samsung will seemingly provide the Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 with five major OS upgrades and five years of security patches. The watches launch with One UI 9n Watch based on Wear OS 7, and you can expect software support until 2031. This marks the best software update commitment in the smartwatch industry, beating the likes of Pixel Watch and Apple Watch. According to a report from SamMobile, the new Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 will receive five major OS upgrades and five years of security patches. The new watches launch with One UI 9 Watch based on Wear OS 7, and you can expect…

July 23 (Reuters) - Shipowners have temporarily suspended vessel arrivals at Ukraine's Black Sea ports for agricultural exports after a recent surge in Russian attacks on ports and merchant shipping, the country's agriculture minister said. Ukraine has lost about a third of its capacity to export grain via the Black Sea ports due to Russian missile and drone attacks, traders and analysts have said. "As of today, the entry of ships has been suspended. This is a decision taken by the shipowners. Ukraine, as a state, has not imposed any restrictions," Interfax-Ukraine cited Taras Vysotskyi as saying on Wednesday. Vysotskyi added that alternative routes…

By Haseeb Alwazir and Nidal al-Mughrabi GAZA/CAIRO, July 23 (Reuters) - In the sprawling tent camps of southern Gaza, a disposable cigarette lighter has become an unlikely luxury item, as essential to daily survival as food, water and fuel. For displaced mother-of-four Nisreen Abu Saada, lighting a cooking fire can be a daily struggle in a territory where gas remains scarce and families rely on burning cardboard, plastic and scraps of wood to prepare meals. "The tent is useless without a lighter," she said. "There's no gas, and we're lighting fires 24 hours a day, which means a lighter is very essential in a tent," she told Reuters. Before the war,…

A plenary session of the 48th UNESCO World Heritage Committee is under way at BEXCO in Busan, Wednesday. Yonhap The UNESCO World Heritage Committee on Thursday adopted a resolution calling on Japan to reflect the "whole history" across all periods of mining exploitation in on-site interpretation and displays at the Sado mines. The adoption supports the Korean government's demand that Japan mention the mine's history of using wartime forced laborers from the Korean Peninsula and other Asian countries on signposts located in the heritage site. During the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee held at BEXCO in Busan, member states adopted the…

A young Korean-Vietnamese dual national completes his mandatory military health screening at the Daejeon-South Chungcheong Regional Military Manpower Administration, Thursday. Courtesy of Military Manpower Administration Growing up in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City with one Korean parent, military service in a distant homeland often feels like a foreign obligation. Korea’s Military Manpower Administration set out to change that Thursday, opening its doors to a group of multicultural Korean-Vietnamese youth for an immersive trial of the nation's draft system. South Korea enforces a mandatory military service system requiring all able-bodied adult men to…

A 19-year-old protester injured during the Cockroach Janta Party’s July 20 march to Parliament may lose vision in his right eye, according to his family. Sahil Lochab underwent surgery at AIIMS after being hit by metal pellets during the police action. The injury has intensified questions over the alleged use of pellet guns and the handling of the protest crackdown.

KHARTOUM – In Sudan’s capital, young militiamen, some no older than 15, ride around in pickup trucks mounted with missiles: a familiar sight to civilians who remember how the current war began. Three years ago, a powerful militia that had come under the auspices of the state — the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) — turned against the army, sparking a conflict that has killed more than 200,000 people by some estimates. Now, with Sudan’s army relying on a new coalition of militias to fight its battles, many fear it is repeating the same cycle.

WASHINGTON, July 23. /TASS/. The US air campaign against Iran is running out of momentum, and the conflict is unlikely to shift decisively without a major escalation, including the deployment of ground forces, Politico reported, citing experts and sources. The news outlet noted that the United States has been conducting airstrikes against Iran for nearly two weeks after the latest ceasefire collapsed over alleged Iranian attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the United States would destroy one bridge or one power plant in Iran in response to every attack on a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz.…

Students march over U.S. and Israeli flags during a rally supporting the Houthi-imposed naval embargo against Saudi Arabia in Sana'a, Yemen, July 22. EPA-Yonhap CAIRO — The Iranian-aligned Houthis said on Thursday they struck two Saudi oil tankers as part of a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, threatening to create a second chokepoint on global oil supplies alongside Iran's near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile the U.S. military completed a new round of strikes on Iran at President Donald Trump's direction, marking a 12th successive night of American attacks and prompting further Iranian retaliation. Iran said it attacked U.S. missile systems,…

​In protest against the gaur attack, local residents stage a road blockade on the Marayur-Udumalpet highway on Thursday, demanding action to mitigate the rising number of wild animal attacks \| Photo Credit: special arrangement A Class 8 student was seriously injured after being attacked by a wild gaur while waiting for transport to school at Marayur in Idukki, Keraal, on Thursday morning. ​According to local residents, the incident occurred around 8:30 a.m. at Pallanad on the Munnar-Udumalpet highway near Marayur. The victim has been identified as Karthik Pandi, a student at a nearby school. ​The boy was waiting for an autorickshaw to take him to…

On 24 June 2026, a deadly twin earthquake spread havoc across Venezuela, destroying 80 percent of buildings in the coastal state of La Guaira alone. Multiple reports put the death toll above 5,000 amid widespread devastation across the nation. The international response was prompt, with aid packages, engineers and rescue workers arriving from many countries. Despite the absence of diplomatic relations since 2009, the State of Israel also sent a delegation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Israeli military's Home Front Command to provide “aid and disaster response.” Led by Yoed Magen, Israel’s ambassador-designate to Mexico, pro-Israel…

Just under 12,000 people, most of them tourists, were evacuated on Thursday in southwest France as a wildfire ravaged a forest in Le Porge. The fire started midday on Wednesday, and hundreds of firefighters have been deployed to the region. France has experienced three heatwaves since May, fuelling wildfires.

If you're lucky enough to have a shared pool in your building or residential complex in Spain, you may be wondering if you're allowed to invite guests to use it and how many you're allowed to bring. Here's what you need to know. Summer is full swing here in Spain and we all know that one of the best things to cool down is to go for a swim. One of your visions of living in Spain was most likely hanging out at the pool with your friends on a hot day. For those of you who made that a reality and own or rent somewhere with a communal pool, you’re probably wondering whether you can actually invite people round to use the shared facilities and how many…

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Selected residents across the country may receive ₱2,000 in government assistance under the expanded Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (Uplift) Program. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), one of the agencies implementing the Uplift program, said the assistance is intended for around 7.5 million households affected […]...Keep on reading: Who qualifies for the ₱2,000 Uplift assistance?

Bear stranded on top of power pole in viral video has ‘died after electrocution’ A bear that became stranded at the top of a 35ft (10m) telephone pole has died, according to a New York Post report citing comments from the New Mexico Department of Fish and Wildlife. On Monday (20 July), a woman noticed the animal as she was driving along a New Mexico highway. She called 911 to report the bear lying precariously atop the pylon near Gladstone, but an operator told her there was “nothing they could do”. The dispatcher explained that tranquillizing the animal while it remained atop the pole could have led to it falling. The bear was electrocuted and died…

INQUIRER FILES KORONADAL CITY — The local government of Glan, Sarangani ordered Thursday the forced evacuation of residents living along Riverside, Barangay Poblacion, as the river continued to swell, raising fears of flooding and riverbank erosion.Glan Vice Mayor James Yap Jr., who personally inspected the area, led the evacuation after authorities found that the situation had become too dangerous.Yap said water levels could continue to rise, putting more houses in danger, as rains poured in various parts of the Soccsksargen region. READ: Sarangani resumes regular gov’t work, classes after major quake During the inspection, he saw several coconut…

SAVINGS EXTEND TO COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS The same approach is also being applied to commercial developments. One example is the redeveloped Shaw Tower at Beach Road, where features to make the building easier to maintain were incorporated into the design. An integrated track allows a single crane to clean or replace external glass panels, while permanent access systems such as cat ladders allow cooling towers to be serviced without erecting temporary scaffolding. Mr Darren Burrows, senior associate director for building services at engineering consultancy Beca – which worked on the project's building services and sustainability design – said such…

Sea World pilot ‘likely mildly impaired’ by cocaine Rex Martinich July 23, 2026 — 6:19pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. AAA A helicopter pilot in a fatal midair collision during a theme park scenic flight was likely impaired by cocaine, alcohol and little sleep in the days prior, a coroner has heard. Sea World Helicopters pilot Ashley Jenkinson, 40, and three tourists were killed when his aircraft struck another chopper near the Gold Coast theme park on January 2, 2023. Sea World Helicopters pilot Ashley Jenkinson died in the 2023 crash along with three passengers.AAP, Nine…

NANAO, ISHIKAWA PREF. – A ceremony was held in Nanao in Ishikawa Prefecture on Thursday to mark the completion of public housing built for people hit hard by the powerful Noto Peninsula earthquake in January 2024. This is the first time that construction of public housing units for victims of the earthquake has been completed in the prefecture. A total of 14 public housing units were built in a complex, with residents set to begin moving in next month. The complex consists of two- and three-story buildings and offers three types of layout, including one wheelchair-accessible unit. A community space has also been provided in the three-story building.…

Teenage girl and woman in her 40s die after several people get into difficulty off Essex beach By ELEANOR MANN and ED HOLT Published: 04:12 EDT, 23 July 2026 \| Updated: 04:13 EDT, 23 July 2026 A teenage girl and a woman in her 40s have died after several people got into difficulty at an Essex beach. It is believed they might have found themselves cut off from the beach after walking out to a sandbank. West Mersea Coastguard Rescue Team said in a post on Facebook: 'We have responded to a tragic incident on West Mersea beach. Our thoughts are with the family involved.' This morning, the beach has reopened to the public. Yesterday at least six…

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…

Brazilian butt lifts, Hollywood stars and even a former US president all feature in the history of a 75-acre private island that has been listed for sale. Pitanguy Island was once owned by world-renowned plastic surgeon Dr Ivo Pitanguy, the pioneer behind the iconic BBL. He died in 2016 aged 93 and left behind his exclusive abode which his family have been reportedly taking care of since. Located off the coast of Rio de Janeiro, Pitanguy Island is now up for grabs and has a hefty price tag of $100 million (£75 million) – among the world's most expensive private islands. The cosmetic surgeon, beauty and skincare specialist used the retreat as a private…

Science word of the day: Abiotic Pronunciation: Ay-bye-AH'-tik What it means: Abiotic means "without living organisms." Scientists typically use the term when referring to nonliving aspects of an ecosystem that affect organisms' growth or reproduction. Some abiotic factors might be light, water, fertilizer, nutrients or chemical elements, such as oxygen or sulfur. Others include the tides or rain. Sometimes, "abiotic" is used to describe the origin of a particular chemical. Abiotic methane, for example, comes from chemical reactions between rocks and water in Earth's crust, unlike biotic methane, which comes from decaying organic matter as well as…

A Japanese study has found that the locked zone in the Nankai Trough is not permanent but changes over time, further complicating the task of predicting megaquakes along the fault line. A locked zone is where tectonic plates merge, allowing stress to build up until it is released in an earthquake. In the case of the 900km (560-mile) long Nankai Trough off Japan’s Pacific coast, it is where the Philippine plate meets the Eurasian plate. The Philippine plate is slipping under the Eurasian plate at a rate of 4-6cm (1.6-2.4 inches) a year, according to a report of the study by The Mainichi newspaper. Earthquakes happen when the plates lock, causing…

A black-throated parrotbill, an inhabitant of the eastern Himalayas \| Photo Credit: Dibyendu Ash As spring approaches in the hyper-biodiverse Himalayas, birds that are accustomed to cooler climes migrate to the north. This is driven not just by temperature or precipitation alone, but also the availability of prey: arthropods (insects and spiders). But climate change is altering the rhythm of this dynamic. Scientists at the Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, set out to study the phenomenon in Arunachal Pradesh’s Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary and understand the changing patterns in insect availability and…

Figures from the HSE show 7,500 children are waiting for first contact with a Child Disability Network Team (CDNT) at the end of April. This is a drop from the 8,200 children who were waiting for first contact at the end of March. Of the 7,500 children waiting for first contact at the end of April, 4,776 are waiting for over a year. The Regional Healthcare Area (RHA) with the highest number of children waiting for first contact is HSE Dublin South East, with 1,946 children on waiting lists. Of those children, 1,381 are waiting over a year for first contact. This RHA covers Carlow, Kilkenny, South Tipperary, Waterford, Wexford, and most of Wicklow. HSE…

Woongjin Foundation Chairman Shin Hyon-ung, front row sixth from left, Woongjin Group Chairman Yoon Seok-keum, front row center, and former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, front row fifth from left, pose with students during a mentoring event of Woongjin Foundation's summer scholarship program at the Korea Press Center in Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of Woongjin Foundation The Woongjin Foundation held its annual summer mentoring session for math scholars at the Korea Press Center in Seoul on Thursday, marking the foundation's 18th anniversary. Established in 2008 by the Woongjin Group, the organization provides academic support to high…

There are a lot of people who think they know what science is, what science tells us, and how to evaluate claims based on their scientific merits. But are their assessments accurate? How do you, yourself, conceive of science? Do you do what most people do, and default to what you learned about science across a variety of classes in school, with a layer of cynicism and skepticism layered atop it? That’s understandable, as many of us remember being taught “facts” in our science classes that later were shown to be — if not completely incorrect — at least “not as they seemed” at the time. It’s as though, somewhere along the lines, many of us were taught…

SYDNEY — A group of killer whales have been documented blowing a sunfish to bits in an unusual underwater escapade offering never-before-seen insights into orca behavior, according to research released Thursday. Video released by the US-based NGO Beneath The Waves shows one orca holding the tail of a sunfish, with its fellow whale then charging with full force into the rotund mola, which explodes into pieces. The sunfish is already dead — this isn’t an elaborate murder ritual. READ: Killer whales spotted grooming each other with seaweed Instead, it might be an attempt to turn the fish into smaller bite-sized […]...Keep on reading: Killer whales: orcas…

SEOUL, July 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's science minister expressed willingness to promote investments in local companies from U.S. big tech firms, ahead of his planned trip to Silicon Valley later Thursday. The key point of the visit will be to "strengthen cooperation so that big tech companies can invest in South Korea," Minister Bae Kyung-hoon told reporters after a meeting with chief executive officers (CEOs) of local telecom operators held in central Seoul. Discussions will center on artificial intelligence (AI) cooperation and market expansion, AI data centers and semiconductors, he added. Bae also said he plans to use the trip to promote South…

Central University of Karnataka Vice-Chancellor Prof. Battu Sathyanarayana addressing newly-admitted research scholars at a seminar on Research and Publication Ethics, in the university on July 22, 2026. \| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT Honesty, integrity, originality and ethical conduct are the cornerstones of quality research and the foundation of a successful academic career, Vice-Chancellor of Central University of Karnataka (CUK) Professor Battu Sathyanarayana said on July 22. He inaugurated a workshop on Research and Publication Ethics (RPE) organised by the Central Library for newly admitted research scholars at the university’s Central…

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is expected to crash into the moon this August Astronomers will be able to observe it from our planet. SpaceX On August 5 at around 2:35 AM ET, the upper stage of a Falcon 9 rocket is expected to crash into the moon near the Einstein Crater. As Gizmodo reports, it will likely be observable from certain locations on our planet using ground-based telescopes. It was Bill Gray, the creator of Project Pluto desktop planetarium program, who first determined that the rocket will hit the moon next month after feeding data into his program to predict the rocket's orbit and future path The upper stage that will be crashing into the…

The University of Hong Kong will roll out a screening programme at pharmacies across the city early next year to identify people at high risk of osteoporosis and prevent bone fractures. The institution’s Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine on Thursday launched the city’s first community pharmacist-led osteoporosis screening programme. The scheme will use a screening algorithm that allows pharmacists to identify high-risk patients during routine visits and refer them to family doctors for bone density scans and diagnosis. Osteoporosis affects about 30 per cent of women and 8 per cent of men aged 50 and older in Hong Kong. But up to 80 per cent of cases go…

NASA's most famous astronauts secretly claimed that they encountered an alien presence on the moon and were told to keep it quiet for decades. Physicist Maaneli Derakhshani told the American Alchemy podcast that multiple Apollo missions allegedly captured photos of UFOs around the moon during the 1960s and 1970s, only to have those images altered before the public saw them. Derakhshani, who researches lunar and Martian surface anomalies, detailed instances where famous NASA photos taken by astronauts on the surface of the moon had been clearly altered when compared to public copies of the same images. The scientist said: 'One scan from the Lunar and…

MOSCOW, July 23. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reaffirmed Moscow’s commitment to the agreements reached with Washington at last year's bilateral summit in Alaska during a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Manila on Thursday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "Lavrov reiterated Russia’s readiness to resolve the [Ukraine] conflict through political and diplomatic means and reaffirmed Moscow’s commitment to the proposals put forward by the United States at a meeting between President Vladimir Putin of Russia and President Donald Trump in Anchorage, Alaska, which were accepted by the Russian leader," the…

Pakistan on Thursday rejected India’s attempt to “distort facts” about the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) at a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) open debate, saying that New Delhi’s actions in the aftermath of the attack in occupied Kashmir’s Pulwama were “simply illegal”. At a UNSC debate on natural resource governance, Pakistan’s Permanent Representation to the UN Asim Iftikhar Ahmad had highlighted India’s unilateral decision to hold the treaty in abeyance, saying that “no state should be permitted to abuse shared water resources as an instrument of coercion or political pressure, much less when it breaches solemn treaty obligations”. Subsequently,…

A holiday has been declared on July 23 for anganwadis, primary and high schools in Dandeli and Joida taluks of Uttara Kannada district in Karnataka because of heavy rainfall. The respective tahsildars issued the order as a precautionary measure. Deficit monsoon in Karnataka Overall, Karnataka seems to have received less rain than normal. The cumulative storage in the four reservoirs in Karnataka’s Cauvery basin – Harangi, Hemavati, KRS and Kabini – accounts for just 52% of their full storage capacity as of now. Of this, the storage at KRS is particularly poor as it accounts for a mere 35% of its full capacity. The inflows too are poor as KRS reported…

Yeouido Hangang Park Swimming Pool / Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government As summer temperatures peak across the Korean peninsula, the municipal government is taking a bold gamble on the economic potential of the midnight hour. On Thursday, city officials unveiled a major initiative to transform the banks of the Han River into a bustling, 24-hour cultural ecosystem, anchoring the capital’s broader bid to build a thriving nighttime economy. At the center of the initiative is "Han River Bamping"—a portmanteau of the Korean word for "night" and the English word "camping"—a monthlong pilot program launching in August that will place up to 200…

Over the next several hundred million years, Earth could face numerous unexpected consequences, all due to the distance slowly yet steadily developing between the planet and its only moon. In what is coming to be defined as one of the most precisely known physical quantities in all of contemporary planetary science, the Moon is moving away from Earth at the speed of 3.83 centimetres annually, with a formal uncertainty of approximately 0.09 millimetres. The number is based on the current best interpretation of five decades of lunar laser ranging data. It has been directly measured, thousands of times over, from multiple observatories on three…

Sarah Duell, head of sustainability at the Land Registry, said the staff "really love it". Initially, there were concerns that the land might "look a bit of a mess". "But we got together and talked about the fact that it's going to be pieces of the grass rather than the whole grass," she said. "Once it got going, we had a little look around and started to see some of the insects and some of the butterflies coming to the areas that we have left to go wild. "It was really, really exciting for us and for the office in general." Listen to highlights from Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North.

Hotels are booking out two years in advance in the New Zealand city of Dunedin as it prepares for the region’s first total solar eclipse in more than 850 years. At 4.17pm on 22 July 2028, the moon will pass in front of the sun, casting a roughly 100km-wide shadowy band across parts of southern New Zealand. Everywhere within that band – from tourist hotspot Queenstown in the west to Dunedin city in the east – will be plunged into daytime darkness for 2 minutes and 51 seconds. Despite there being two years still to go, hotels are already fielding booking inquiries, including the Dunedin Leisure Lodge, which by Thursday was fully booked for its “solar…

Heidi Klum turned up the heat while posing topless on the beach on Wednesday. The supermodel, 53, has collaborated with Funny-Frisch snack company for a range of crisps boasting her image on the pack. The limited edition Chipsfrisch Roast Chicken Style by Heidi Klum is scheduled for release in German stores from August – making Heidi's cheeky campaign trail clear. She showed off her incredible figure in a slew of racy snaps, posing both forward and backwards to show off her perky assets. After years of plugging lingerie and high fashion, her move to snack promotion came to the delight of fans of the hilarious star. Heidi Klum turned up the heart while…

Highly contagious impetigo infection on the rise among children July 23, 2026 Photo: Depositphotos.com See more DutchNews articles in your Google search results See more DutchNews articles in your Google search results Add as a favourite source on Google Add DutchNews as a favourite source on Google The highly contagious skin infection impetigo is on the rise on among Dutch children, with 2026 seeing more cases than in previous years. For every 100,000 children, there have been a reported 350 to 400 children with the infection in the past three weeks compared to below 300 cases in previous years, according to research institute Nivel and based on data…

STAT is co-publishing this article by The War Horse, an award-winning nonprofit news organization educating the public on military service and veterans. When the Covid-19 vaccine was released in 2020, Daniel Pendergast was intrigued. “I honestly thought it sounded kind of ingenious at first,” he said. STAT+ Exclusive Story Already have an account? Log in This article is exclusive to STAT+ subscribers Unlock this article — plus daily intelligence on Capitol Hill and the life sciences industry — by subscribing to STAT+. Already have an account? Log in Individual plansGroup plans View All Plans To read the rest of this story subscribe to STAT+. Subscribe

The approach to paying obstetricians and midwives is changing. These changes will likely raise the cost of childbirth, with no guarantee of better maternity outcomes. The American Medical Association (AMA), at the recommendation of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, will eliminate the global payment codes for deliveries used by obstetricians and midwives at the end of this year. The AMA will replace these global fees, where health plans paid for professional services based on a single bill after delivery, with fee-for-service, or pay-as-you-go, codes for prenatal and postpartum visits, fetal monitoring, and various procedures.…

A change is coming to the codes OB-GYNs use to bill for maternity care services: Starting Jan. 1, 2027, we will shift from a bundled “global obstetric payment” to a fee-for-service model. This change impacts almost every U.S. family with a pregnancy. Under the current system, families receive a bill that does not distinguish the actual prenatal and postpartum costs from labor and delivery, which makes things incredibly confusing for patients. In fact, the bundled payment’s impacts have been widespread: It has complicated billing for patients and clinicians, limited access to care, cut back the ability to provide patients with more personalized care,…

Lizzy leads STAT’s coverage of the FDA. Her stories explore the relationship between politics and science at the FDA, industry influence, and the agency’s ability to protect and promote public health. Confidential tips can be sent on Signal at lizzylaw.53. As more Americans experiment with synthetic peptides despite warnings about their unproven benefits and potential risks, an advisory panel to the Food and Drug Administration will meet on Thursday and Friday to discuss changes that could make peptides more accessible. At issue is whether to allow compounding pharmacies to manufacture seven peptides that are currently designated as unsafe for them to…

Tracy Hutchinson was 14 when her big sister Rebecca became sick. Until then, life in New Zealand, where the family had moved from Hounslow in west London, had been idyllic. There were barbecues, bare feet and all the ease and freedom life in the sunshine had promised. ‘Rebecca was 21 and she started to get very tired and bruise really easily and she’d feel cold even in hot weather,’ recalls Tracy. Doctors initially thought it was glandular fever, but the symptoms persisted and eventually the girls’ mum, Jan, insisted on taking Rebecca back to the GP. She was sent straight to hospital where blood tests confirmed the worst. Rebecca had acute…

An easy way to make even the simplest dishes taste delicious, butter can be enjoyed slathered on bread like its own topping, melted over a jacket potato, or used for a delicious homemade baked treat. As versatile as it is tasty, the best slabs of butter belong everywhere from lunchbox sandwiches to the more sophisticated butter boards. Like other food items, the cost of butter has risen around 19 per cent in the past year alone, so it's worth knowing which brands are worth their salt. These days, it’s rare to find a block of butter (not counting the spreadable tub varieties) for under £2, with most hovering just a few pence shy of £3. Butter is no…

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…

Africa risks losing ground against disease officials at an African Union health summit warned on Wednesday. Cuts in international aid and limited domestic investment are threatening decades of progress against HIV, malaria and tuberculosis, the head of the World Health Organization told the Extraordinary Summit in Accra on Wednesday. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged governments to take greater responsibility for funding their own health systems: “Strengthening health systems must be at the center of everything you decide in Accra. WHO stands with you as a partner, providing technical guidance and support. But only Africa's leaders can deliver the…

Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) says Hong Kong customs has stepped up scrutiny of “almost every book shipment” from the island, while a logistics company has separately told bookstores to ensure their orders would not breach the city’s national security laws. Independent bookstores and logistics companies also confirmed on Wednesday that customs had stepped up checks on book shipments from Taiwan in recent months. The South China Morning Post has sought comment from customs. A department spokesman previously said it was fully committed to safeguarding national security and would seize any seditious items discovered and refer cases to the…

The Nigeria Customs Service has debunked a social media recruitment advert and warned criminals to desist from scamming individuals through dubious means. It also advised members of the public to disregard the fake recruitment advert on social media platforms in the name of the Nigeria Customs Service. In a statement issued on Thursday, the Service urged members of the public to rely only on information released through its official communication channels for authentic updates on its activities, including recruitment. “Recruitment scams have become a recurring challenge in Nigeria, with fraudsters often exploiting public interest in government jobs by…

SINGAPORE: A man agreed to set up a company in his name in exchange for money, but the company's bank account was used to receive S$6 million (US$4.7 million) from a Japanese firm that had been duped in an email impersonation scam. The bank account was seized by the police, but only S$3.4 million was recovered and returned to the victim company. Rian Rahim, a 26-year-old Singaporean, was sentenced on Thursday (Jul 23) to two years and five months' jail, with one stroke of the cane. He was also disqualified from being a director of any company for five years. Rian pleaded guilty to three charges: having his company possess criminal proceeds owing to…

Israeli cybersecurity firm Check Point Software has addressed an actively exploited zero-day flaw in the company's SmartConsole graphical user interface (GUI) admin panel. Tracked as CVE-2026-16232, this authentication bypass vulnerability allows unauthenticated attackers to obtain an application login token that can be used to authenticate with administrator privileges. After gaining access to a vulnerable Security Management Server or Multi-Domain Security Management Server (MDS), attackers can change the security configuration and security policy. Check Point added that successful exploitation requires no restrictions on Trusted Clients (GUI…

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…

Courts ordered to scrutinise unregulated rehabs after Herald reporting Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. AAA Judges will be warned to investigate rehabilitation centres before they allow accused criminals to be released there on bail, after the Herald revealed criminal activity, poor supervision and inadequate health services at one controversial centre run by a pastor. But the government has ruled out regulating the sector, even after the founder of Connect Global, pastor Ross Pene, admitted to providing glowing court references for clients – including television star Andrew…

Origin Energy customers’ addresses, phone numbers and partial bank account data have been accessed in a hack, the company has confirmed. The company has 4.8m customer accounts in Australia, providing electricity, natural gas, LPG, and internet services to homes and businesses. Origin has yet to confirm which and how many customers had been affected. In a statement to the ASX on Thursday, it said it would tell customers once it confirmed they had been impacted. Origin said impacted data may include customers’ names, addresses, dates of birth, contact phone numbers and Origin account information, as well as the last four digits of a credit card, or the…

ExpressVPN has launched passkey sign-in for passwordless logins Passkeys are more resistant to phishing, but passwords remain a backup The feature arrives as part of a redesigned ExpressVPN+ dashboard One of the best VPN providers is retiring the password, at least as a requirement. ExpressVPN has added passkey sign-in, giving users a way to get into their account without typing anything at all. Instead of a password, you sign in using the screen lock already on your device, such as a fingerprint or face scan. That means nothing extra to remember and nothing to key in each time. The change was announced on Tuesday (July 21) and is part of a wider…

Four disgraced Hong Kong police officers have lost their appeal against convictions and jail terms for framing a homeless man for drug possession and destroying evidence of the cover-up six years ago. In a written judgment on Thursday, the Court of Appeal said the officers must have intended to pervert the course of justice when they tried to obstruct surveillance cameras while colleagues fabricated evidence against a street sleeper during an anti-drug operation on February 4, 2020. The three presiding judges rejected the officers’ claims that they did not intend to prejudice subsequent legal proceedings and that tampering with surveillance footage…

On a sultry Saturday evening in May, I took the elevator to the 18th floor of The Ritz-Carlton, Pune, home to Agave Lounge, touted as India’s first bar dedicated entirely to agave spirits. Opened in January 2025, the plush, mood-lit space overlooks the city’s skyline and neighbouring golf course. Most guests had gravitated to the hotel’s rooftop bar, Aasmana, leaving Agave Lounge surprisingly quiet. It only reinforced the question I had come to answer: Is India ready for a bar built around a single spirit? The Agave Lounge at The Ritz-Carlton, Pune \| Photo Credit: Special arrangement According to the International Wine and Spirits Record (IWSR),…

Elite players and amateurs alike are gathering for Germany's Chess Summit in Dresden from July 16-26, 2026 (file photo) [FILE: August 2023]Image: Meurer/Beautiful Sports/IMAGO Chess players from around Germany gathered in Dresden this week for the annual Chess Summit, as the sport is enjoying unprecedented popularity in Germany. "Our membership numbers are growing at an excellent rate. We are on the verge of surpassing the 100,000 mark," Paul Meyer-Dunker, President of Germany's National Chess Association, told the dpa news agency in Dresden. Many of the 2300 clubs across Germany are feeling the surge. According to Meyer-Dunker, some clubs in cities…

MANILA, Philippines — Alas Pilipinas women’s team has been drawn in Pool B with defending champion China in the Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 volleyball tournament. During Thursday’s draw, the Philippines landed in a group with China, which is eyeing a third straight Asian Games title, and Kazakhstan. China has won nine Asian Games women’s volleyball gold medals and has reached the final in every edition since 1978. Alas is currently training under Japanese coach Taka Minowa, assisted by his wife and former Philippine national team star Jaja Santiago, who was among the country’s top players the last time the Philippines […]...Keep on reading: Alas…

Earlier this week, GSC Game World studio founder Sergiy Grygorovych made a bombshell revelation about the development of Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl. Grygorovych said in an interview with YouTuber OLDboi that Microsoft paid a significant sum to keep the then-upcoming open-world shooter a timed Xbox exclusive. According to Grygorovych, Microsoft paid the Ukrainian studio more than it cost to develop the game in order to release it on Xbox, and not PlayStation. "It paid for itself before the first day," Grygorovych said, via machine translation. Watch on YouTube GSC has now itself responded to those claims, saying they don't paint an accurate picture.…

Convenience store operator Seven-Eleven Japan has warned franchise owners across Japan after some popular animation and game character products were found to have been resold without authorization at some outlets, sources said Thursday. There were reportedly cases where owners and employees bought up or set aside such products before putting them on store shelves and reselling them, people familiar with the matter said. The warning sent to franchise stores on July 13 said that at some outlets, sales of such products before the dates and times announced in advance through promotional materials and other means, as well as stockpiling and reselling by…

TL;DR GameCube launch window title Pikmin has been 100% decompiled, opening the door to unofficial ports of the game. Pikmin joins recently decompiled games like Twilight Princess, Mario Party 4, and Animal Crossing. Decompiling a game is typically a prerequisite for it to be (unofficially) ported to modern platforms, allowing people to play it without using an emulator. The decompilation process takes plenty of time and effort, but we’ve already seen a few GameCube titles reaching this milestone. Now, we can add another prominent title to this list. The GC/Wii Decompilation Discord group has announced that popular first-party GameCube game Pikmin has…

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…

NEW DELHI: India has secured its first medal at the Commonwealth Games 2026 even before the opening ceremony, with Olympic medallist Lovlina Borgohain guaranteed at least a bronze in the women's boxing competition. The Assam boxer received a direct entry into the semifinals after being handed a bye in her weight category. As all losing semifinalists receive bronze medals in Commonwealth Games boxing, Lovlina is now assured of a place on the podium before stepping into the ring. She will begin her campaign on July 31, when she takes on T.K.B.P. Taafaki for a place in the gold medal bout. Lovlina's assured medal gives India an early boost ahead of the…

Lenovo has revealed more details about an upcoming Legion gaming handheld that could be among the thinnest and lightest devices in its category. The Legion C700 will measure just 14.99mm at its thinnest point and weigh approximately 556 grams, or around 1.25 pounds. By comparison, Lenovo’s Legion Go S is 22.6mm thick and weighs about 730 grams, while the ASUS ROG Ally X measures 24.7mm and weighs 678 grams. Trimming these figures down should make the C700 much easier to hold for long periods and carry in a bag. But all of this portability comes at a cost–and that’s cloud gaming. Plenty of controls in a surprisingly thin body Lenovo The Legion C700 has…

‘Makes me sick to my stomach’: Students speak out about strapping scandal Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. AAA Boarders at a prestigious regional school at the centre of a “strapping” scandal were pressured to keep quiet about the claims, an independent investigation has found. Ballarat Grammar last year expelled two senior boarders over allegations that junior students – some as young as year 7 – were assaulted as part of a hazing culture going back decades that included beatings with straps. Ballarat Grammar School.Joe Armao On Thursday, the school released a report by workplace…

Ahead of the August 15 governorship election in Osun State, media executives and other stakeholders have been urged to create platforms that amplify the voices of Persons with Disabilities, PWDs, on political participation and increase media content focusing on their rights and electoral privileges. The appeal was made during a reflection meeting on media inclusivity in Osun State, organised by the Centre for Media and Society, CEMESO, the International Press Centre, IPC, TAF Africa and the Nigerian Women Trust Fund, NWTF, in Osogbo on Wednesday. The gathering brought together media executives, regulators and leaders of PWDs to discuss inclusive…

In recent days, numerous protesters declared online that they were leaving their family WhatsApp groups, which had become dens of bigotry and thought control \| Photo Credit: Shashi Shekhar Kashyap The WhatsApp generation were Hindutva natives while the Instagram generation is insurrectionary. The BJP has had the toolkit to tame the WhatsApp universe and make it dance to its tune; in the Instagram universe, the BJP is like a deer in the headlights, left with nothing other than brute force in response. Parents who have sent a message to their kids on WhatsApp and noted that they don’t even see it will recognise a disconnect. Then they discover that…

Cebuana Lhuillier reinforced its leadership in content marketing excellence by earning five awards at the Content Marketing Awards Asia-Pacific 2026, hosted by MARKETECH APAC, making it the most awarded Philippine company at this year’s competition. The recognition underscores the company’s success in delivering impactful campaigns that strengthen brand engagement, advance financial inclusion, and drive measurable business results. “At Cebuana Lhuillier, every campaign begins with a clear purpose—to create meaningful value for the Filipinos we serve,” said Jean Henri Lhuillier, President and CEO of Cebuana Lhuillier. “Whether we are advancing…

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…

SECURITY Talking smack about a doctor got him access to private medical files Who needs a working security badge when you know how to talk your way into the records room? PWNED Welcome back to PWNED, the weekly column where we focus on security own-goals so you can avoid them. This week’s topic involves serious problems in the healthcare sector, specifically the very human problem of compromised gatekeepers. Have a story about someone leaving a gaping hole in their network? Share it with us at pwned@sitpub.com. Anonymity is available upon request. Our legend of lameness comes courtesy of red teamer Dahvid Schloss, who shared so many great stories with…

Amanda Yeo is an Assistant Editor at Mashable, covering entertainment, culture, tech, science, and social good. Based in Australia, she writes about everything from video games and K-pop to movies and gadgets.

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…

Scroll through Instagram Reels or Reddit for five minutes and you're bound to spot it: a video of a packed metro car, a facial-recognition camera on a street corner, an AI chatbot writing someone's breakup text, or a child staring blankly at a screen, all captioned with some version of "we are officially living in a dystopian nightmare ." The phrase has become one of the internet's favourite punchlines, hashtags, and think-piece openers. But behind the meme-speak lies something more interesting: a genuine psychological pattern in how humans process rapid, unsettling change. First, What Does "Dystopian" Actually Mean? A dystopia is the opposite of a…

React, Meta's open-source library for building user interfaces, has merged a Rust port of the React Compiler into its main repository, a move aimed at faster builds and tighter integration with the wider Rust-based JavaScript toolchain. The React Compiler, formerly known as React Forget, automatically memoizes components and hooks so developers no longer need to reach for useMemo and useCallback by hand. The pull request rewrites that compiler from TypeScript to Rust, and the team describes it in the PR itself as "an experimental, work-in-progress port." The headline figures relate to performance. As a drop-in Babel plugin the Rust version runs around…

Vijayapura MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal felicitated journalists on Media Day celebrations in Vijayapura on July 19, 2026. \| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT The Karnataka Union of Working Journalists’ district unit celebrated Media Day in Vijayapura on July 19. Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, MLA, inaugurated the event. He spoke against the menace of fake news. “The trend of some journalists spreading fake news on social media platforms is increasing. They are a danger to society and need to be regulated. I have written a letter to the Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting urging action against journalists who are spreading fake news on online…

This has been one of my biggest annoyances working with Python and pip when dealing with projects where that are not meant to be installed as a package, how do you handle dependencies? Think projects like application backends, python scripts, REST APIs etc If you’ve ever struggled with this, you’re going to love this: a PR by Sebastian Höffner opened #13895 will add a new global flag to pip such that you can directly install any dependencies in your pyproject.toml without installing the package itself. pip install --only-deps . This is going, for me at least, be a huge boost in the way that I manage and distribute my projects on servers. Vastly…

Pubs, clubs and live music venues in England will be given a 20% cut to business rates from April, which the government estimates will save firms around £1,100 next year. In his third policy announcement since becoming prime minister, Andy Burnham said: "For too long, governments have stood by while cherished venues have disappeared from our local high streets." The cut will cost £100m and will be funded by a review of tax relief on firms such as vape shops which "do not make a positive contribution to local communities", the government said. Hospitality bosses welcomed the support, but some pub owners said the package would not go far enough to…

Brazil · Business Key Facts —Asking price. Approximately US$3 billion, though market estimates place fair value closer to US$2 billion. —Advisor. Morgan Stanley is running the preliminary sale process for Prudential. —Brazil operation. Prudential do Brasil Seguros de Vida S.A. focuses on individual and group life insurance. —2025 results. The unit posted R$7.5 billion (US$1.49 billion) in premiums and R$1.2 billion (US$238 million) in net profit. —Potential suitors. Names cited include Generali, Zurich, Chubb, AXA, and Tokio Marine, among others. Prudential, the American insurance giant, is quietly exploring a sale of its Brazilian life insurance…

Alphabet Reports Blowout Earnings Barron'sGoogle Q2 earnings top expectations, cloud revenue grows 82% Yahoo FinanceUS Stock Futures Slip on Alphabet, Oil Advances: Markets Wrap Bloomberg.comAnthropic and SpaceX just handed Google the biggest profit quarter in company history—on paper FortuneQ2 2026 earnings call: Remarks from our CEO blog.google

Latin America · Business Key Facts —Meliá’s Cuba footprint. The group managed 34 hotels with 14,053 rooms across the island. —Exit date. All management services end on 24 July 2026. —Reason given. US sanctions made minimal operational stability impossible. —Trigger event. President Trump’s Executive Order 14404 designated military conglomerate GAESA on 1 May 2026. —Tourism collapse. Cuba’s hotel occupancy fell to 18.9 percent, with Meliá’s own properties at 34.1 percent in early 2026. Meliá Hotels International, the Spanish hospitality group that has operated on the island for more than three decades, will complete a full exit from Cuba on 24 July…

Brazil · Business Key Facts —Regulator Brazil’s Comissão de Valores Mobiliários (CVM), equivalent to the U.S. SEC —Parties XP Investimentos and founder Guilherme Benchimol —Total Payment R$ 2.685 million (\~US$ 526,470) to the CVM and an investor —Case Origin Irregularities reported by XP itself involving an autonomous agents’ office —Legal Effect Closes the 2017 case without a merits conviction or admission of guilt Brazil’s Comissão de Valores Mobiliários (CVM), the country’s securities regulator, accepted a CVM settlement with brokerage XP Investimentos and its founder Guilherme Benchimol on July 22, 2026. The agreement closes an administrative…

Mexico · Companies Key Facts —Net Written Premiums MXN 17,070 million (\~US$922.7 million), down 1.9% year-on-year —Net Income MXN 1,378 million (\~US$74.5 million) for the quarter —Combined Ratio 95.7%, up 2.9 percentage points from the prior year —Return on Equity (ROE) 21.4% for the period —Investment Income MXN 1,200 million (\~US$64.9 million), generating a 7.4% ROI Qualitas second quarter net income reached MXN 1,378 million (\~US$74.5 million), the Mexican auto insurance giant reported on July 21, 2026. The result was underpinned by a strong investment performance and a combined ratio that remained within the company’s full-year target range,…

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…

NEW DELHI: A Delhi consumer commission, on July 6, ordered a developer to refund Rs 19.73 lakh to an Indian Air Force officer after finding that the company never signed a formal agreement with him despite collecting the money over several years. The commission held that as there was no signed agreement, there was nothing binding the buyer to the developer's terms on possession dates or payment interest, and he could not be made to wait indefinitely for a home. Why did the IAF officer approach the consumer commission? As per the order, Air Commodore Pradip Kumar Routa and his wife, Anupurna Routa, booked two plots in a housing project advertised by…

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…

Listen to this article Estimated 3 minutes The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results. U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest tariff gambit is the most sweeping trade threat Canada has faced to date. With an unprecedented 50 per cent duty set to hit a wide swath of Canadian-made goods on Aug. 19, the clock is ticking for businesses across the country. These three charts break down which sectors are in the crosshairs, which provinces will be the hardest hit and how the tariffs will be felt on both sides of the border.…

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon returns to his seat after presenting a bouquet during a performance at the Garden of Gratitude in Gwanghwamun Square, central Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap Just weeks after winning an unprecedented fifth term as Seoul mayor, Oh Se-hoon now finds himself fighting for his political survival after a Seoul court fined him 10 million won ($6,820) Wednesday for violating the Political Funds Act, a sentence that would cost him his mayoralty if upheld. Under the special counsel law's "6-3-3 rule," the case must clear the appeals court within three months and the Supreme Court within another three. With the first ruling handed down Wednesday,…

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…

SEOUL, July 23 (Yonhap) -- Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said Thursday the government has shifted away from a policy focused on the denuclearization of North Korea, instead pointing to peace as a precondition to resuming stalled talks with Pyongyang. Chung's remarks come as Pyongyang has been doubling down on its nuclear and missile programs, while seeking to have its status as a nuclear state recognized by other world powers, notably China and Russia. "For the past year, the Lee Jae Myung government has practically abolished the previous government's stance centered on achieving denuclearization first, or its complete, verifiable and…

Further strikes on the cards as teachers insist fight isn’t centred on their pay packets Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. AAA Victoria’s powerful education union has kept alive the prospect of further strike action as its leadership pushes its message that the battle with the government is not just about pay but improved funding for state school students. Thursday’s industrial action, the second walkout this year, saw about 20,000 teachers, principals and education support staff clog Melbourne’s CBD in a river of red that flowed to Parliament House. Thousands of Victorian teachers…

Safeguarding minister quits due to 'overwhelmingly triggering' workload that reignited her grooming trauma By MARTIN BECKFORD, POLICY EDITOR and PATRICK HARRINGTON, UK NEWS REPORTER Published: 18:34 EDT, 22 July 2026 \| Updated: 04:38 EDT, 23 July 2026 The minister responsible for tackling violence against women and girls has resigned, saying the role reawakened memories of her traumatic past. Natalie Fleet has previously spoken about becoming pregnant at 15 after being groomed and raped by an older man. The MP was appointed safeguarding minister in May after Jess Phillips quit in protest at Sir Keir Starmer's inaction on keeping children safe online.…

Campaigners in a Romanian city have vowed to go ahead with plans for a Pride march after local authorities denied them permission for the fourth consecutive year. Since 2023, campaigners in the western city of Oradea – population 180,000 – have sought authorisation for Pride events. Each year, however, they have come up against opposition, turning Oradea into the only major city in the EU where local authorities have repeatedly blocked Pride plans. “Every year the local authorities have managed to find legal or technical excuses to ban Oradea Pride events,” said Iulian Ditiu, the co-founder and president of ARK Oradea, the local organisers of Pride.…

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. File \| Photo Credit: The Hindu Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday (July 23, 2026), rejected Union Minister J.P. Nadda's claim linking his government to the Services Selection Board (SSB) paper leak in Jammu and Kashmir, saying the incident occurred under the Lieutenant Governor’s (L-G) administration in 2022, long before his government took office in 2024. Mr. Abdullah was responding to remarks made by Mr. Nadda during a press conference on Wednesday (July 22, 2026), where the Union Health Minister accused the National Conference and the Congress of remaining silent on paper leak scandals. "You…

Monique Barbut, who said she intended to quit the government on Tuesday, July 21, after an agricultural law she contested was adopted, ended up staying on in her role on Wednesday. The twist added a colorful note to the political crisis.

Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. AAA For Pauline Hanson to describe domestic violence as “a two-way street” is an appalling, populist attempt to diminish the seriousness of a crime that is predominantly against women and children (“Swift backlash after Hanson says domestic violence a ‘two-way street’”, July 23). Whether the violence is perpetrated by a man or a woman, it is one person hurting or killing another and cannot be depicted as being shared or “two-way” in any sense. Hopefully, every woman understands the extreme misogyny in Hanson’s view and in her bald attempt to win…

Minister refuses to rule out 'wealth tax' at Budget - as Gary Lineker leads 'virtue-signalling' millionaires demanding raid on assets despite warnings from economists By JAMES TAPSFIELD, UK POLITICAL EDITOR Published: 04:24 EDT, 23 July 2026 \| Updated: 04:29 EDT, 23 July 2026 A Treasury minister today refused to rule out a 'wealth tax' after calls from millionaires including Gary Lineker. Chief Secretary Emma Reynolds merely said announcements would be made at the Autumn Budget as she was pressed on Left-wing demands for a raid on assets. However, she also pointed out that the former footballer and other rich people could simply donate money to…

(ATTN: CHANGES headline, lead; ADDS women's draws, coaches' comments) By Yoo Jee-ho SEOUL, July 23 (Yonhap) -- The three-time defending champions South Korea will face Saudi Arabia and Qatar in the Asian Games men's football tournament this fall, while the women's team will face North Korea in the group stage. The draw for the football competition at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games took place in Nagoya, Japan, on Thursday. With 15 teams drawn into three groups of four and one group of three in the men's event, South Korea ended up in Group D with only two other opponents. Members of the South Korean men's under-23 national football team warm up before a…

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…

Good evening and welcome back to ABC Sport's live blog coverage of the 2026 AFL season. Tonight we head to Adelaide as the Crows play host to the Magpies. These are two teams who each have put themselves among "dark horse" conversations, though their ladder positions suggest different realities. The Crows are only 0.6% out of the top four currently, and could go level on points with second-place with a win tonight. Meanwhile the Magpies are a game and a half out of the top six, but there is great optimism of a run from a wildcard spot. We're into the business end of the home and away season now, and these sorts of games can become defining. Should be…

Derby dislike: Why Harley Reid will be centre stage Justin Chadwick July 23, 2026 — 6:34pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. AAA West Coast firebrand Harley Reid is being backed to dish out as good as he gets when he lines up for what’s expected to be a fiery western derby against Fremantle on Friday night. Harley Reid looms as the key to West Coast’s victory hopes.Getty Images The 16th-placed Eagles (4-14) have lost nine of the past 10 derbies - including four in a row - and coach Andrew McQualter has already publicly stated his team are keen to take Fremantle’s scalp. The Dockers…

AFL great Tony Modra says he’ll never be able to adequately thank people for their support in the aftermath of his near-fatal accident. The former Adelaide and Fremantle forward suffered facial injuries on June 18 and was initially in a critical condition in hospital. Modra was hurt when a fallen tree branch crashed through the windshield of a truck he was driving near his cattle property south of Adelaide. The 57-year-old posted a heartfelt message on Instagram on Tuesday, accompanied by a photo of him with his wife and two children.

PV Sindhu 's impressive run came to an end at the China Open after the Indian badminton star suffered a hard-fought second-round defeat to home favourite and world No. 4 Chen Yufei on Thursday. Sindhu lost 21-16, 20-22, 18-21 in a gripping contest that lasted nearly 90 minutes. The defeat came just days after she ended a long title drought by winning the Japan Open, arriving in China with renewed confidence. The opening game was closely contested, with Sindhu fighting back from 7-13 to level the score at 16-16 before winning five straight points to take the game 21-16. Chen responded in dramatic fashion in the second game. Sindhu looked set to wrap up…

WAG Ellie Watkins stuns in plunging pink halter neck top as she enjoys family holiday with her husband Ollie and children By KIRSTEN MURRAY, SENIOR SHOWBUSINESS REPORTER Published: 04:01 EDT, 23 July 2026 \| Updated: 04:17 EDT, 23 July 2026 Ellie Watkins looked sensational as she shared snaps from her family holiday with her footballer husband Ollie Watkins on Wednesday. After a hectic month over in the US for the World Cup, the couple and their children headed on a luxury holiday to make the most of their time together. And Ellie wowed in a plunging pink halter neck crop top and matching skirt as she shared her evening look with fans. She posed with…

North couldn’t help but bid a slam after South opened the bidding. South had a dead minimum, however, and slam was a tricky proposition. The first sight of dummy told South that he only had nine top tricks and he needed three more. The club suit had a reasonable chance for development, needing a 3-3 split or for East to hold the queen. That would only give him two extra tricks, however, and he needed three, so he decided to play on hearts first. He won the opening spade lead in hand with the king and led a low heart toward the dummy. West had to play low or South would have four heart tricks, and dummy’s queen won the trick. Had East held the king,…

ANTIPOLO—Converge coach Delta Pineda believes his team’s defense still leaves plenty to be desired after being handed its first loss in the 2026 PBA Governors’ Cup by San Miguel Beer on Wednesday. The FiberXers fell 128-122 to the Beermen at Ynares Center here on Wednesday that put a halt to their unbeaten run in the group phase after going 3-0. While Converge got good offensive numbers, with PBA Press Corps Player of the Week Justin Arana leading six players in double figures with 29, Pineda is hoping that can be as good down on the other end. “We’re still lacking, […]...Keep on reading: PBA: Coach admits Converge defense effort still 'lacking'

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…

PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 8: The Intercontinental Champion, Penta enters the ring during Monday Night RAW at The Accor Arena on June 8, 2026 in Paris, France. (Photo by Craig Ambrosio/WWE via Getty Images) WWE via Getty Images Do streamers have too much access? Well, WWE Superstar Penta and many wrestling purists probably think so after what just happened at Fanatics Fest ahead of Saturday Night's Main Event. Popular streamer N3ON's camera person caught the WWE Intercontinental champion without his mask while the streamer was allowed backstage. Let's talk wrestling. Key facts at a glance N3ON, real name Mikyle Rafiq, was livestreaming backstage on day one…

In a statement issued to US publications including Variety, Anderson said: "Looking back at the comedy sketch in which Ms Stodden and I participated in 2012, I completely agree that it was inappropriate and I truly regret it. "But more importantly, I am deeply sorry for any harm or distress it has caused Ms Stodden. I offer her my sincerest apologies." Stodden, 31, is currently campaigning for California to pass a bill that would ban child marriage by making the legal minimum age 18 years old. Stodden married 51-year-old actor Doug Hutchison in 2011, when she was 16 years old. The marriage was legal because her parents gave permission. Stodden and…

SEOUL, July 23 (Yonhap) -- Chinese actress Tang Wei has given birth to her second son, her agency said Thursday, a day after the star announced the news herself on social media. A representative for the 47-year-old actress told Yonhap News Agency that Tang Wei had recently delivered a son, but did not disclose further details, including the exact timing of the birth. Tang, who is married to South Korean film director Kim Tae-yong, shared the news on her social media account on Wednesday, posting a photo of the family's hands clasped together. "Summer said, 'A family of four's journey begins with foal,'" Tang wrote, referring to her first daughter and…

Actor Yoo Ah-in arrives at the Seoul Central District Court in Seoul's Seocho District, Sept. 3, 2024, to attend his first-instance sentencing hearing on charges of habitual drug use. Korea Times photo by Hong In-ki Actor Yoo Ah-in has fueled fresh speculation about a possible return to acting after making a rare public appearance alongside director Jang Jae-hyun at the VIP premiere of the movie "Hope." Following his career-halting drug scandal, the actor had largely stayed out of the public eye until he appeared before audience members and industry peers with Jang, prompting speculation over whether he is preparing to resume his professional career.…

A scene from "A Shop for Killers" Season 2 / Courtesy of Walt Disney Company Korea For Lee Dong-wook, returning to Disney+’s “A Shop for Killers” meant more than reviving a once-presumed-dead uncle who runs a clandestine weapons mall for assassins — it meant quietly adding 8 kilograms, guzzling water to “not look older” and rethinking what it means to be a guardian. Lee plays Jeong Jin-man in the Disney+ action thriller, a former team leader for the mercenary company Babylon, now the operator of a clandestine shopping mall, fighting to protect his niece Ji-an and push back against Babylon’s network. The first season drew strong international acclaim,…

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…

Woodz / Captured from his Instagram Woodz, widely recognized for his hit song “Drowning,” is set to join the cast of a historical action film scheduled to begin shooting in the second half of the year. The singer’s participation was announced Thursday by Hive Media Corp., the production company behind the tentatively titled film “Nambeol,” or “The Southern Campaign” in English. Set in Korea during the 1392-1910 Joseon Dynasty era, the film is billed as a hard-boiled, wuxia-style action feature. Its story follows nine warriors of disparate social backgrounds and talents who embark on a campaign to Japan’s Tsushima Island to rescue Korean captives held…

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…

Wasia Project, the alt-pop musical duo formed by siblings Will Gao and Olivia Hardy, have released new single “Whale Call”, a soaring, deeply intimate ballad that meditates on lost love, memory, and the self left behind. The track marks the latest preview of the duo’s highly anticipated debut album, ‘Nocturne’, set for release on September 18th via AWAL Recordings. Fans can listen to the single HERE and pre-save the album HERE. One of the album’s most emotionally arresting moments, “Whale Call” was formed from fragments of a voice memo Olivia recorded when she was just fifteen, particularly the line, “I’ve spent a while / Looking up at the moon“.…

Akshay Gangwar / Android Authority TL;DR Spotify has launched a new “Music Video Charts Global” playlist. The new playlist will contain the top 50 most-streamed music videos. The playlist will be refreshed every day at 6:00 PM ET. Spotify started showing music videos to its premium subscribers back in 2024 and brought the feature to the US towards the tail end of 2025. Now, the company is taking things one step further in its effort to get more loyal YouTube fans to switch to the music streaming service as their go-to music video streaming solution. Spotify today announced that it is bringing music video charts to its users with the launch of its…

Ali B cancels talk amid fears of media spectacle July 23, 2026 Photo: Ramon van Flymen/ANP See more DutchNews articles in your Google search results See more DutchNews articles in your Google search results Add as a favourite source on Google Add DutchNews as a favourite source on Google Rapper and convicted rapist Ali B has pulled out of a business event where he was supposed to be speaking on Thursday in Vinkeveen. The Missing Pieces entrepreneurial event has also been postponed until a later date. “Due to the exceptionally large number of media applications for the Missing Pieces event, the evening is in danger of becoming a media spectacle. That…

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Spoilers for Ransom Canyon season 2 ahead. I shouldn't love Ransom Canyon as much as I do, but theVirgin Rivermeets Yellowstone Western drama always has a way of hooking me back in. In season 2, we've explored a lot of overarching storylines that were first established back in season 1. The land feud between the Double K and Fuller ranches has become more ferocious, local bar owner Quinn (Minka Kelly) has left for New York despite her on-off relationship with rancher Staten (Josh Duhamel), and mysterious newcomer Yancy (Jack Schumacher) has revealed to new love interest Ellie (Marianly Tejada) that he has a secret wife. Latest Videos From But by the…

Visitors explore behind-the-scenes areas of the Incheon Culture and Arts Center during a backstage tour. Courtesy of Incheon Culture and Arts Center For most theatergoers, the magic of the performing arts exists entirely on stage, where a curated world of soft spotlighting, flawless acoustics and synchronized cues are enjoyed by the audience at a distance. To close that gap, the Incheon Culture and Arts Center will invite the public to enter the complex, high-stakes engine room behind the spectacle on Aug. 19. The center said Thursday that it will host its 2026 Backstage Tour, offering ordinary citizens unprecedented access to the hidden architecture…

The xx, Khruangbin and Massive Attack are set to headline Fuji Rock Festival this weekend. But don’t be surprised if Kaze Fujii steals the spotlight. Held annually at Naeba Ski Resort in Niigata Prefecture, Japan’s premier summer music festival has increasingly embraced homegrown stars alongside its international lineup. Last year, city pop legend Tatsuro Yamashita transformed the main Green Stage into the weekend’s hottest destination ahead of U.S. headliner Vulfpeck. Fujii looks poised for a similarly defining moment this Saturday. Shortly after this year’s lineup was announced in February, Fuji Rock’s website briefly crashed due to a surge of…

From Roysten Abel’s A Hundred Charmers \| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement Bejewelled howdahs on stately elephants, ornately patterned flying carpets and the simple snake charmer with his commonplace basket housing terrifying cargo. India of yore had a romance that has since faded into fables, but one can catch an echo of that past with Roysten Abel’s A Hundred Charmers, which will be staged in Bengaluru onJuly 26. The musical which debuted in 2014, features 100 snake charmers performing classic and contemporary tunes on the been, the traditional wind instrument of their profession crafted out of a hollowed-out gourd and bamboo reeds. According to…

K-pop boy group Cortis / Courtesy of BigHit Music The latest album from K-pop boy group Cortis has sold more than 3 million copies, its agency said Thursday, making it the second triple million-seller among albums released so far this year. BigHit Music said Cortis' second EP, "GreenGreen," recorded cumulative sales of 3,099,000 copies, citing data released by Circle Chart for the week of July 12-18. It took 11 weeks for the group to hit the milestone since the album was released May 4. "GreenGreen" became the second album released in Korea this year to become a triple million-seller, following BTS' fifth studio album, "Arirang." The album's lead…

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…

Key events Iain Hoskins, owner of Ma Pub Group in Liverpool, said that an extra 20% relief on business rates would go some way to “chipping away” at the rising cost but cast doubt on how many venues would be covered by the change. He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: double quotation markThe worry has been, obviously, in recent years, I mean, when our venues from last year to this current year got revalued, we saw increases of between 100% and 150% on the rates that we pay. So that just goes to show how much they went up by. And while 20% – particularly if that 20% is on top of the 15% and other help that’s there – that can be very meaningful for…

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…

France recorded 5,764 more deaths than usual during the heatwave in June, AFP quoted the country’s health authorities as saying on Wednesday. The authorities described the excess mortality among persons aged 15 years and above as “unprecedented”. The data pertains to the time period between June 17 and July 2, and accounts for deaths due to “all causes”, AFP quoted the country’s national public health agency as saying. No deaths have been clearly linked to the heat as of now, and final figures will be released in the autumn, the agency said. People aged 75 years and above accounted for around two-thirds of the excess deaths, while less than a fifth…

An Italian firefighter died on Wednesday while battling flames in southern Sicily, where dozens of forest and bush fires are raging, authorities said. Around 100 residents, as well as 22 patients from a clinic in the inland town of Santo Stefano Quisquina – where temperatures have exceeded 40°C in recent days – were evacuated on Wednesday, according to the fire service. The blaze, which has been raging for several days, has temporarily cut off the drinking water supply to around 20 municipalities, according to the local water supplier. “6,000 personnel have been deployed and 20 aircraft are in operation,” said the region’s president Renato Schifani on…

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…

Save our town: Lancelin residents take coastal erosion fight to city centre Updated July 23, 2026 — 5:23pm,first published July 23, 2026 — 5:00am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. AAA Dozens of Lancelin residents poured into Forrest Place on Thursday morning, armed with signs and banners with one message: “save our town”. Almost 100 residents aged seven to 80 chanted “no surrender, no retreat” as they peacefully protested in Perth city to try and raise awareness of their coastal erosion fight. Lancelin locals jumped on a bus on Thursday morning to take part in the Lancelin Rescue…

With a dune as its last defence, a WA town buses into the city to demand action Updated July 23, 2026 — 5:23pm,first published July 23, 2026 — 5:00am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. AAA Dozens of Lancelin residents poured into Forrest Place on Thursday morning, armed with signs and banners with one message: “save our town”. Almost 100 residents aged seven to 80 chanted “no surrender, no retreat” as they peacefully protested in Perth city to try and raise awareness of their coastal erosion fight. Lancelin locals jumped on a bus on Thursday morning to take part in the Lancelin…

The Tamil Nadu government has appointed senior Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer A. Udhayan as the new Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Head of Forest Force), the highest post in the State Forest Department. Mr. Udhayan, a 1991-batch IFS officer of the Tamil Nadu cadre, is currently the Director of the Advanced Institute for Wildlife Conservation (AIWC), Vandalur, a position he has held since June 14, 2022. Before taking charge at the institute, he served as Chairman of the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) from October 2021 to June 2022. According to a government order issued by the Environment, Climate Change and Forests Department…

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…

The word “whore” is probably the most common insult hurled at women, and has been so for centuries, argues Dominique Lagorgette, a French professor of linguistics at the Université Savoie Mont Blanc in Burgundy. For more than two decades, the 58-year-old philologist has researched the evolution of the French language from the Middle Ages to the present, with a particular interest in verbal violence. In Pute: Histoire d’un mot et d’un stigmate (or Whore: History of a word and a stigma) originally published in France two years ago and now translated into Spanish, Lagorgette reconstructs 11 centuries of history of one of the words most often used to…

According to the complaint, the accused allegedly shared an Instagram post containing abusive words directed at the Prime Minister over the protests by students in New Delhi demanding resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for the NEET paper leak. \| Photo Credit: Dado Ruvic Banaswadi police in Bengaluru have registered an FIR against an Instagram user, identified as Hudson, for allegedly posting abusive remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media. The FIR was registered on July 22 based on a complaint by Abhilash Reddy M (38), president of the BJP unit in Sarvagnanagar constituency. According to the complaint, Hudson,…

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…

A young monk decided, “To keep peace, I’ll agree with everyone.” First, a villager said, “Tea is better than meditation.” The monk nodded, “Yes, absolutely.” Another said, “Meditation is better than tea.” The monk nodded again, “Yes, absolutely.” Soon, two villagers argued: “Life is suffering!” “No, life is joy!” Both turned to the monk. He smiled, “Yes, absolutely.” Finally, the Zen master asked, “Is agreeing with everyone the path to peace?” The monk grinned, “Yes, absolutely.” The master laughed, “Then you’ve agreed to nonsense. Peace is not in saying yes – it lies in knowing when to say no without anger.” Blind agreement does not create peace – it…

Comfortably settled north of Toronto in a five-bedroom, six-bathroom family home on a sprawling estate with a movie theatre and space for nine cars in the garage, Carlo Bruzzese doesn't appear at first like a man on the run. A married father of four, public records show he lives at the same address as his mother and owns a business in the construction industry. But in his native Italy, prosecutors consider Bruzzese a high-ranking criminal operative — a fugitive wanted for 16 years — in the Calabrian 'ndrangheta, a powerful syndicate known for drug trafficking, bid-rigging and extortion. The son and son-in-law of purported mob bosses both expelled from…

Mexican authorities are probing an alleged condo fraud scheme in the tourist hot spot state of Quintana Roo that wiped out a Canadian couple’s retirement savings. The couple, Cindy Thompson and Glenn Brown of Curve Lake, Ont., sent $280,000 Cdn to a company co-owned by a British and Mexican national who promised big returns on a condo-flip play in Playa del Carmen that never materialized. Thompson and Brown’s money vanished, along with their retirement plans. "I’m just overwhelmed by it all," said Thompson, 62. "We’ll have to work until we die," said Brown, 63. While the couple hired a local lawyer who filed a criminal complaint, the case seemed to…

MUMBAI: Mumbai Police on Thursday ordered an inquiry into a viral video purportedly showing a police driver threatening student protesters with fabricated criminal cases if they returned to agitate. The widely shared video allegedly shows the driver warning students that drugs would be planted on them and that they would be booked under narcotics laws, forcing them to spend the rest of their lives in jail if they took part in further protests. A police official said an inquiry had been ordered into the incident. “After verifying the facts, the driver concerned has been removed from his present posting till the completion of the inquiry,” the…

Man charged after Malvern East rampage, chainsaw siege Eleanor Campbell July 23, 2026 — 5:53pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. AAA A Malvern East man was arrested following a three-hour siege after he allegedly smashed several cars, assaulted a driver and threatened police with a chainsaw before barricading himself inside his house. Christopher Egan-Lee, 43, was charged with several offences including unlawful assault and criminal damage after he allegedly went on a violent rampage around the suburb on Saturday night. Footage seen by this masthead shows Egan-Lee repeatedly…

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…

Family members of Raja Raghuvanshi, who was allegedly murdered during his honeymoon in Meghalaya, cut out the picture of his wife Sonam Raghuvanshi from a poster of their marriage after she was accused of plotting his murder, in Indore. \| Photo Credit: PTI The Meghalaya police have filed a 790-page charge sheet against five persons in the case related to the murder of Indore businessman Raja Raghuvanshi at Sohra on May 23. Vivek Syiem, the Superintendent of Police of the East Khasi Hills district, said the charge sheet filed in the Sohra Subdivision Court is against Sonam Raghuvanshi, the wife of the deceased, her alleged lover Raj Kushwaha and three…

Brazil · Business Key Facts —Private valuation. Revolut shares priced at US$2,017 each in a secondary sale for employees and existing shareholders, implying a roughly US$115 billion valuation. —Nubank comparison. Brazil’s Nubank, Latin America’s largest fintech, trades publicly with a market capitalization around US$70 billion, well below Revolut’s new private estimate. —Funding structure. The transaction was a secondary offering only. Revolut itself did not raise new primary capital in the deal. —Global reach. Revolut reported 75 million customers worldwide in July 2026, underscoring its rapid international expansion beyond Europe. —IPO ambitions.…

In brief Crypto derivatives exchange BitMEX said Thursday it will shut down on September 23, 2026, and has already stopped new account registrations. The company cited a strategic review of the business and the wider crypto industry as being behind the decision. BitMEX urged users to close positions and withdraw funds before the deadline. BitMEX, one of crypto's oldest derivatives venues, is shutting down. The platform will cease operations on September 23 at 04:00 UTC, its operator, HDR Global Trading, said Thursday, pinning the decision on a “strategic review of the business and the broader industry.” New account sign-ups have already been halted.…

SINGAPORE – A woman who left a bag containing $32,000 worth of valuables on a bus earlier in July was able to get it back on the same day, thanks to the help of SBS Transit staff. In a Facebook post on July 22, the bus operator said the commuter, identified only as K, had alighted from service 853 at a bus stop in Ang Mo Kio before realising that she had left her bag on the bus. It contained her passport, $2,000 in cash and $30,000 worth of gold jewellery meant for her daughter’s wedding, SBS Transit said. K then approached the SBS Transit team at the Ang Mo Kio interchange for help. As service 853 is not operated by SBS Transit, senior assistant…

Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president P.S. Prasanth on Saturday (October 4, 2025) appeared to suggest that the board authorities might have erred in 2019 by entrusting the Sabarimala temple panels for repair to Unnikrishnan Potty, a former temple helper currently at the centre of the controversy concerning the alleged “misappropriation” of valuable religious artefacts from the Ayyappa temple. Mr. Prasanth told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram that the Chennai-based firm, which the TDB had contracted for restoring the gold-plated copper overlays covering the ancient stone carvings and sculptures at the temple in 2019, had issued a 40-year warranty…

Home invasions became the most common form of crypto wrench attacks during the first half of 2026, rising to 20 publicly reported incidents from just one a year earlier, according to blockchain security firm CertiK. On Thursday, CertiK said it verified 52 wrench attacks worldwide in the first half of 2026, up 33.3% from 39 incidents during the same period in 2025. Kidnappings rose to 16 from 12, while robberies declined from five incidents to one. CertiK said the recorded financial exposure linked to the attacks reached about $124.1 million, up from $10.5 million a year earlier. The figure is not limited to confirmed thefts and may include ransom…

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Mexico · Companies Key Facts —Net sales. MXN 12,933 million (about US$699 million), up 5.7%; same-store sales up 2.9%. —Net income. MXN 671 million (about US$36 million), down 16.4% from MXN 803 million a year earlier. —EBITDA. MXN 1,331 million (about US$72 million); margin fell to 10.3% from 11.7%. —Operating profit. MXN 932 million (about US$50 million), down 9.2%; margin 7.2%. —Store network. 94 units: 39 La Comer, 23 Fresko, 17 City Market, 14 Sumesa and one City Market Cafe. La Comer second quarter profit fell 16.4% from a year earlier, as the upscale Mexican supermarket operator spent heavily on new stores, wages and advertising. Net sales…

Donald Trump earned about $1.4 billion from cryptocurrency ventures in 2025, according to the annual financial disclosure his administration filed with the US Office of Government Ethics on June 30, making digital assets the single largest source of income during his first full year back in the White House. The 927-page filing, released to the public on July 2 after a 30-day extension, put the president’s total income for the year at roughly $2.2 billion, according to the International Business Times. Crypto alone accounted for more than his real estate and branding earnings combined, an inversion of the ledger that had defined Trump’s finances for…

Tokenization is the one part of the language modeling stack that almost nobody profiles. Gigatoken, released by Marcel Rød (a PhD student from Stanford) under an MIT license, argues that this was a mistake. The library encodes text at gigabytes per second on a single machine, against baselines that are already multithreaded Rust. The GPT-2 tokenizer benchmarking yields remarkable results: evaluated on the 11.9 GB owt_train.txt corpus using a 144-core AMD EPYC 9565 dual-socket setup, Gigatoken processes data at a staggering 24.53 GB/s. In comparison, OpenAI’s tiktoken achieves 36.0 MB/s, while HuggingFace tokenizers registers at 24.8 MB/s on the…

Glowing skin, deeper sleep, stronger muscles, an alert mind? Such are the enticing promises of peptides, an increasingly buzzy class of substances touted by influencers and celebrities as the key to an optimized life. Starting Thursday, a US review panel convened by the Food and Drug Administration is to consider whether seven of these peptides should be recommended for compounding -- when pharmacists or outsourcing facilities create custom drugs -- as interest in them surges. Many medical experts have warned against that recommendation, citing a lack of evidence. "There's just not enough clinical data to say whether these peptides are safe and…

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…

VIDEO Four days from application to license In many countries, obtaining a driver's license means waiting weeks between separate appointments. Korea consolidates the process into a single facility. Applicants complete a pretest traffic safety education, a written exam, a practical test and an on-road test — a sequence that can be finished in as little as four days for a Type 2 automatic license. Korea has signed mutual recognition agreements with more than 140 countries and territories, allowing holders to exchange their license for a local one without retesting. Standardized procedures, automated scoring Examiner assignments are drawn at random each…

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine vehicle sales extended their slump in June, falling 8 percent year-on-year to 37,231 units, even as stabilizing fuel prices and improving supply helped the market rebound from the previous month. This brought the total automotive sales to 204,557 units as of the first half, down by 11.4 percent from 230,912 in the same period last year, based on data released on Thursday by the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (Campi) and Truck Manufacturers Association Inc. READ: Auto sales picked up in May on steadier fuel prices In June alone, sales rose 11 percent […]...Keep on reading: Philippine auto…

NEW DELHI/BEIJING – Indian makers of solar panels are being forced to shut factories as they face waits stretching up to eight months for domestic components to replace Chinese imports as the government pushes to beef up domestic manufacturing, industry sources say. The disruptions, triggered by rules that took effect on June 1, threaten thousands of jobs and investment of nearly $4 billion, manufacturers and analysts said, while imperiling India’s 2030 target to boost solar energy capacity. “We have suffered a lot due to the domestic cell unavailability for the past three months,” said Shailendra Shukla, chairman of Icon ​Solar, a module maker, who…

For selling inbred rice seeds packed in sacks with the markings “DA (Department of Agriculture)” and “Not For Sale,” a commercial farm supplier that does business in Sanchez Mira town was directed to cease operations for three months. INQUIRER FILES TUGUEGARAO CITY- For selling inbred rice seeds packed in sacks with the markings “DA (Department of Agriculture)” and “Not For Sale,” a commercial farm supplier that does business in Sanchez Mira town was directed to cease operations for three months. Sanchez Mira agriculturist Ridel Cabulisan earlier received complaints from farmers that a commercial supplier was selling them government-distributed inbred…

CONSOLACION, Cebu – Another alleged case of reckless driving on a Cebu highway has been caught on camera. A concerned ka-Siloy shared with CDN Digital a video showing what appeared to be a public utility bus dangerously overtaking several vehicles along the roads in San Fernando town, southern Cebu, on Thursday morning, July 23. Based […]...Keep on reading: SILOY IS WATCHING: Reckless driving of public bus in south Cebu on video

Indian makers of solar panels are being forced to shut factories as they face waits stretching ​up to eight months for domestic components to replace Chinese imports as the government pushes to beef up domestic manufacturing, industry sources say. The disruptions, triggered by rules that took effect on June 1, threaten thousands of jobs and investment ⁠of nearly $4 billion, manufacturers and analysts said, while imperiling India's 2030 target to ⁠boost solar energy capacity. "We have suffered a lot due to the domestic cell unavailability for the past three months," said Shailendra Shukla, chairman of Icon Solar, a module maker, who expects production…

Tesla said Wednesday that its profits fell last quarter as the car company run by Elon Musk shoveled more money into research and development, cutting into profits from a sharp increase in vehicle sales. The Austin, Texas, company reported second-quarter net income of $1.11 billion, or 32 cents per share. Excluding certain items, earnings were 33 cents per share, well short of the 53 cents per share forecast by Wall Street analysts, according to FactSet. Revenue rose 26% to $28.24 billion, beating analysts’ forecast of $26.42 billion. While the core car business had a solid quarter, Tesla is now focused on building out the infrastructure and AI…

(ATTN: RECASTS throughout; ADDS photo) SEOUL, July 23 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's leading automaker, said Thursday its second-quarter net profit fell 11.2 percent from a year earlier due to higher costs and production losses. Net profit for the three months ended in June declined to 2.88 trillion won (US$2 billion) from 3.25 trillion won a year earlier, the company said in a press release. "Higher raw material costs and production losses caused by a fire at a major parts supplier weighed on quarterly earnings," the company said. Operating profit fell 20.8 percent to 2.85 trillion won from 3.6 trillion won a year earlier, while sales…

Hong Kong has approved its first trial scheme for fully driverless autonomous vehicles, with the technology to be tested on Airport Island without a person at the wheel as a backup for the first time. The Transport Department announced on Thursday that it had expanded the scope of a pilot licence for autonomous vehicle trial schemes in North Lantau, after concluding that earlier remote-operation tests had met safety requirements. “We are pleased to confirm that the autonomous vehicle tests have been ideal, safe and operating smoothly,” Commissioner for Transport Winnie Tse Wing-yee said. Since February, autonomous vehicle trials on Airport Island were…

Summery weather until Sunday, up to 29° in the southeast July 23, 2026 Photo: Depositphotos.com See more DutchNews articles in your Google search results See more DutchNews articles in your Google search results Add as a favourite source on Google Add DutchNews as a favourite source on Google The Netherlands is in for a run of summery weather, with temperatures climbing towards the weekend before showers arrive on Sunday, weather service Weeronline said. Thursday will bring clouds with the odd light shower, though most places will stay dry, and the clouds should break up in the afternoon to give some sunshine. Maximum temperatures will be between 18°…

The low-cost airline easyJet has revealed a 70% slide in profits because of soaring fuel costs and later bookings as a result of the conflict in Iran, only weeks after it agreed to a £5.7bn takeover. The carrier reported a pre-tax profit of £85m between April and June compared with £286m during the same period a year earlier, as its fuel costs increased by £105m after the outbreak of hostilities in the Middle East in late February sent energy prices rocketing. It came as two US investment firms vie to buy easyJet. The airline’s board originally accepted the fifth bid from Castlelake, worth £5.5bn, but then recommended a higher bid from Apollo Global…

SINGAPORE: Grab, Gojek, ComfortDelGro's CDG Zig and Tada will extend their temporary fuel surcharge until Sep 30, amid elevated fuel prices. In a Facebook post on Wednesday (Jul 22), the National Private Hire Vehicles Association said that the four ride-hailing platforms would maintain their driver fee and fuel support measures following the association's continued engagement with the operators. Fuel prices in Singapore have remained elevated since the war on Iran started in late February. According to online car marketplace Motorist Singapore, pump prices for 95-octane petrol in Singapore on Thursday ranged from S$3.36 (US$2.60) to S$3.37 per litre.…

Nigeria has emerged as sub-Saharan Africa’s fastest-growing market for small-scale solar systems, but weak investment in utility-scale renewable energy projects is preventing the country from translating the boom into large-scale improvements in electricity supply. These are the central findings of a new report published by BloombergNEF (BNEF) on Wednesday. The report, titled “Sub-Saharan Africa Renewable Energy Market Outlook”, projects that Nigeria will dominate the region’s small-scale solar additions through 2035, while South Africa will remain the continent’s leader in utility-scale renewable energy deployment. The findings underscore the…

Outspoken Labor MP Ed Husic claims the party has become “allergic” to dissent and dispute, warning the unity on show at its tightly controlled national conference could backfire. The former industry minister broke ranks with the government on the first day of Labor’s 50th party conference to support a gas export tax, endorse Indigenous truth-telling and press for more criticism of Israel’s conduct in Gaza. As factional powerbrokers negotiated behind-the-scenes to avert contested debates on the conference floor, Husic hit out at the party’s culture under Anthony Albanese. “This whole thing of being allergic to dissent [and] dispute, I don’t think that…

Argentina · Business Key Facts —First-half surplus. Argentina’s trade surplus reached US$13.923 billion in January–June 2026, according to the national statistics agency INDEC. —Energy engine. Fuel and energy exports from the Vaca Muerta shale formation generated a surplus of almost US$6 billion, the highest this century. —Export jump. Total exports rose 24.4% year on year to US$49.454 billion, while imports fell 3.9% to US$35.531 billion. —Monthly peak. May 2026 delivered a record monthly surplus of US$3.5 billion, before easing to US$2.194 billion in June. —Reserve gap. Despite the trade windfall, the central bank’s net foreign-exchange reserves…

The world is entering a period of rapid geopolitical realignment. The conflicts unfolding in the Middle East and along Russia’s borders with the West are not merely regional disputes; they are symptomatic of a deeper contest between two poles of global power — China and the United States — over the shape of the emerging world order. In this environment, smaller and middle powers risk being viewed simply as territory to be absorbed into one bloc or another. Russia and Iran are two states that deserve closer attention in this context. It would be a mistake to assume that their geopolitical weight can simply be written out of a new order defined by…

European Union countries on Thursday agreed a new watered-down round of sanctions on Russia over the Ukraine war after weeks of haggling, freezing the level of an oil price cap. The package - the 21st by the EU since Moscow's 2022 invasion - was held up by a raft of objections by member states to various proposed elements. "Our 21st sanctions package targets the sectors with the highest impact: energy, financial services, crypto, and trade," European Council head Antonio Costa posted online. Diplomats said the final hurdle was overcome after Greece was granted an exemption allowing one of its shipping firms to carry on transporting Russian liquefied…

MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. inaugurated the Ibato-Iraan Small Reservoir Irrigation Project (SRIP) in Aborlan, Palawan, on Thursday, July 20, 2026. The Ibato-Iraan SRIP is Palawan’s largest irrigation facility and the island-province’s first reservoir-type irrigation project, which Marcos described it as a major investment in food security that will provide farmers with a stable […]...Keep on reading: PBBM leads inauguration of Palawan's largest irrigation dam

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…