Meta bans Russian state media outlets for 'interference'

Meta late Monday said it is banning Russian state media outlets from its apps around the world due to "foreign interference activity." The ban comes after the United States accused RT and employees of the state-run agency of funneling $10 million through shell entities to covertly fund influence campaigns on social media channels including TikTok, Instagram, X, and YouTube, according to an unsealed indictment. "After careful consideration, we expanded our ongoing enforcement again

Sept. 17, 2024

Malaysia reports new mpox case of clade 2 variant

Malaysia's health ministry reported on Tuesday one new case of the mpox virus infection of the clade 2 variety, a less severe variant of the disease, and said the patient had been isolated and was in a stable condition. The case was detected on Monday in a man who began showing symptoms of fever, sore throat, and cough on Sept. 11, with a rash appearing the following day, the health ministry said in a statement. Malaysia has detected 10 cases of mpox since July last year, all of which are

Sept. 17, 2024

Indian police detain 100 Samsung workers, union leaders for protest march

Indian police have detained around 100 striking workers and union leaders protesting low wages at a Samsung Electronics plant in southern India, as they were planning a march on Monday without permission, police officials said. The detention marks an escalation of a strike by workers at a Samsung home appliance plant near Chennai city in the state of Tamil Nadu. Workers want higher wages and have boycotted work for seven days, disrupting production that contributes roughly a third of Samsung

Sept. 16, 2024

What we know about the reported suspect behind apparent Trump assassination attempt

A gunman attempted to assassinate Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on Sunday at Trump's golf course in Palm Beach, Florida, authorities said. CNN, Fox News and The New York Times identified the suspect as Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, of Hawaii, citing unidentified law enforcement officials. The FBI declined to comment and Reuters could not independently verify his identity. Here is what we know so far about the suspected gunman: The Secret Service said its agents were accompanying T

Sept. 16, 2024

Japan's elderly population hits record high

The number of people in Japan aged 65 or older hit a record high of 36.25 million this year, government data shows, as the country contends with one of the world's fastest-ageing societies. The elderly now account for 29.3 percent of Japan's total population, also a new high, according to data released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications on Sunday. The ministry said the proportion of elderly residents put Japan at the top of the list of 200 countries and regions with

Sept. 16, 2024

Trump safe after apparent assassination attempt

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump was safe after a shooting occurred near his golf course in Florida on Sunday, in what investigators see as an apparent assassination attempt against the former president. The shooting took place shortly before 2 p.m. near Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, where Trump was golfing. In a fundraising email, Trump said that he was "safe and well," according to CNN. His campaign and the US Secret Service also confirmed that he wa

Sept. 16, 2024

OpenAI's stunning $150 bln valuation hinges on upending corporate structure, sources say

OpenAI's new financing round is expected to come in the form of convertible notes, according to sources with direct knowledge of the matter, who said its $150 billion valuation will be contingent on whether the ChatGPT-maker can upend its corporate structure and remove a profit cap for investors. The details of the conditions of the $6.5 billion funding, which have not been previously reported, show how far OpenAI, the most valuable AI startup in the world, has come from a research-based no

Sept. 14, 2024

China retail sales, industrial production slow in August

BEIJING -- Chinese retail sales and industrial production growth slowed in August, official data showed Saturday, as leaders in Beijing seek paths to achieve growth targets despite consumers' reluctance to spend. More than a year and a half since abolishing strict Covid-19 measures that had dampened activity, the world's second-largest economy has yet to achieve a highly anticipated post-pandemic recovery. A prolonged debt crisis in China's vast property sector, continued deflatio

Sept. 14, 2024

China new home prices fall at fastest pace in over 9 years in August

BEIJING - China's new home prices fell at the fastest pace in more than nine years in August, official data showed on Saturday, as supportive measures failed to spur a meaningful recovery in the property sector. New home prices were down 5.3 percent from a year earlier, the fastest pace since May 2015, compared with a 4.9 percent slide in July, according to Reuters calculations based on National Bureau of Statistics data. In monthly terms, new home prices fell for the fourteenth straight mo

Sept. 14, 2024

Vietnam typhoon death toll rises to 233 as more bodies found in areas hit by landslides and floods

HANOI, Vietnam — The death toll in the aftermath of Typhoon Yagi in Vietnam climbed to 233 on Friday as rescue workers recovered more bodies from areas hit by landslides and flash floods, state media reported. Flood waters from the swollen Red River in the capital of Hanoi were beginning to recede, but many neighborhoods remained inundated and farther north, experts were predicting it could still be days before any relief is in sight. Typhoon Yagi made landfall Saturday, setting off heavy

Sept. 14, 2024

Key takeaways from a debate that featured tense clashes and closed with a Taylor Swift endorsement

Donald Trump and Kamala Harris faced each other on the debate stage for the first — and possibly the last — time. The Democratic vice president opened Tuesday night's faceoff with a power move, marching across the stage to Trump’s lectern to shake his hand. “Kamala Harris,” she said, introducing herself as the pair met for the first time ever. “Let’s have a good debate.” “Nice to see you. Have fun,” the former Republican president

Sept. 11, 2024

Blinken and Lammy arrive in Kyiv as Ukraine pushes for long-range strikes against Russia

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy arrived in Kyiv on a joint visit Wednesday, as Ukraine presses the West to allow it to use long-range missiles against Russia. The top diplomats reached the Ukrainian capital by train from Poland hours after the US presidential debate during which Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Trump sparred over the 2 1/2-year war in Ukraine. Blinken traveled from London, where he accused Iran of providing Russia w

Sept. 11, 2024

Harris rattles Trump in combative debate

PHILADELPHIA -- Democratic candidate Kamala Harris put her Republican rival Donald Trump on the defensive in a combative presidential debate on Tuesday with a stream of attacks on his fitness for office, his support of abortion restrictions and his myriad legal woes. A former prosecutor, Harris, 59, controlled the debate from the start, getting under her rival's skin repeatedly and prompting a visibly angry Trump, 78, to deliver a series of falsehood-filled retorts. At one point, she goaded

Sept. 11, 2024

[Graphic News] Singapore tops passport power rankings, Korea secures 3rd place

Singapore has once again claimed the title of the world's most powerful passport, according to the Henley Passport Index. Singaporean citizens can enjoy visa-free access to 195 countries, maintaining the city-state's top position from 2023. France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Spain share the second spot, offering visa-free access to 192 destinations out of 227. Meanwhile, an unprecedented seven-nation group holds the third position, with citizens from Austria, Finland, Ireland, Luxemb

Aug. 26, 2024

[Graphic News] Mpox cases rise as WHO declares global health emergency

Over 18,700 suspected or confirmed cases of mpox have been reported across Africa as of Saturday, according to the African Union’s health agency. The cases span three strains of the virus, including the new and deadlier Clade 1b, which led the World Health Organization to declare an international health emergency. So far, more than 3,100 confirmed cases have been reported from 12 African Union member states, resulting in 541 deaths - a fatality rate of about 2.9 percent, the Africa Cente

Aug. 20, 2024

The Democratic National Convention is here. Here's how to watch it

The Democratic National Convention kicks off Monday, with delegates and officials descending on Chicago after a wild few weeks that saw the party switch out its nominee, upending what had already been an unprecedented campaign year. With the departure of President Joe Biden from the campaign, and Vice President Kamala Harris' swift ascension to the top of the ticket, Democrats have essentially rejiggered the general election fight against Republican nominee and former President Donald Tru

Aug. 18, 2024

Ukraine says struck second key bridge in Russia's Kursk region

Ukraine said Sunday it had struck a second key bridge in the Kursk region, seeking to disrupt Moscow's supply routes as Kyiv's unprecedented incursion on Russian soil stretched through its second week. Russia meanwhile ramped up pressure in east Ukraine, claiming to capture another village just a few kilometers from the Ukrainian-held logistics hub of Pokrovsk. "Minus one more bridge," Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk said on Telegram, publishing an aerial video

Aug. 18, 2024

Visit by Vietnam's new leader to China reflects key relationship, even as it builds ties with US

Vietnam's new leader To Lam is making China the destination for his first overseas visit, signaling the continuing importance the Southeast Asian country places on its giant neighbor even as it strengthens ties with the United States and others. Lam stepped off a Vietnam Airlines plane on an overcast Sunday morning in Guangzhou, a major manufacturing and export hub near Hong Kong, China's state media reported. He will meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping on his three-day visit, which com

Aug. 18, 2024

[Graphic News] Jaipur’s Oberoi Rajvilas tops world’s best hotels; Lotte Signiel Seoul ranks 69th

The Oberoi Rajvilas in Jaipur, India, has been named the world’s best hotel in Travel + Leisure’s “World’s Best 100 Hotels” for 2024. Renowned for its luxurious accommodations, including private gardens and plunge pools, the hotel offers a serene environment where guests can enjoy morning yoga and a variety of spa services. Visitors have praised the property as a “truly magical place.” The rankings were based on a survey of 186,000 readers, who cast ov

Aug. 16, 2024

Ukraine claims more advances, prisoners taken as it presses an incursion into Russia

KYIV -- Ukrainian forces pushed on with their major cross-border incursion into Russia's Kursk region for a second week Wednesday, claiming to have taken more ground, captured more Russian prisoners and destroyed a jet bomber while launching what officials said was a massive attack on Russian military airfields. Since the start of the day, assault troops had advanced one to two kilometers in some parts of Kursk, the commander of the Ukrainian military, Oleksandr Syrskyi, said in a video pos

Aug. 14, 2024