Cryptocurrencies and personal AI: Tech to watch out for in 2025
Will 2025 be a hinge year for cryptocurrency and will personalised AI appear on your phone?
UK retailers may have to cut thousands of jobs after bleak Christmas
British Retail Consortium figures show sales growth close to flatlining, as card spending fails to rise
Britain’s largest retailers are warning they could be forced to cut thousands of jobs this year as the industry braces for higher taxes and employment costs after a bleak Christmas shopping season.
In the latest sign of tough trading conditions on the high street, figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) show sales growth over the “golden quarter” between October and December came close to flatlining.
Continue reading...Labour to make taking intimate images without consent a criminal offence
Ministers say predators could face two years in jail, and plan to include creating sexually explicit deepfakes in bill
Predators who take intimate images of unwitting victims or install cameras to do so could face up to two years’ in jail under plans drawn up by Labour.
Ministers have also confirmed that they plan to create a new offence for those who create sexually explicit deepfake images.
Taking or recording an intimate photograph or film without consent.
Taking or recording an intimate photograph or film without consent and with intent to cause alarm, distress, or humiliation.
Taking or recording an intimate photograph or film without consent or reasonable belief in it, and for the purpose of the sexual gratification of oneself or another.
Continue reading...McDonald’s rolls back DEI programs, ending push for greater diversity
Fast-food company decides to scale back plans after 2023 US supreme court ruling and conservative backlash to DEI
Four years after launching a push for more diversity in its ranks, McDonald’s is ending some of its diversity practices, citing a US supreme court decision that outlawed affirmative action in college admissions.
McDonald’s is the latest big company to shift its tactics in the wake of the 2023 ruling and a conservative backlash against diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Walmart, John Deere, Harley-Davidson and others rolled back their DEI initiatives last year.
Continue reading...Danish king changes coat of arms amid row with Trump over Greenland – The Guardian
- Danish king changes coat of arms amid row with Trump over Greenland The Guardian
- Danish king changes royal coat of arms in apparent rebuke of Trump over Greenland row The Independent
- Opinion | King Opposes Shrinking His Kingdom The Wall Street Journal
- King of Denmark unveils new coat of arms in apparent Trump rebuke MSN
- 22-Year-Old Tourist Gored to Death by Elephant at Sanctuary The Daily Beast
Venezuela’s Dissidents Plot Comeback After Months in Hiding, Exile or Jail – The Wall Street Journal
- Venezuela’s Dissidents Plot Comeback After Months in Hiding, Exile or Jail The Wall Street Journal
- What to know about Venezuela’s upcoming presidential inauguration The Associated Press
- Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro looks set to take the throne The Economist
- Maduro’s illegitimate third term in Venezuela Financial Times
- What to know about Venezuela's upcoming presidential inauguration Euronews
Canada’s Justin Trudeau cites ‘internal battles’ as he ends nine-year run
In power since 2015, Trudeau said he would resign after a new leader of his Liberal Party is chosen.
US transfers 11 Yemeni prisoners from Guantánamo to Oman
Major resettlement reduces population in US detention facility in south-eastern Cuba to just 15 people
The United States has sent 11 Yemeni detainees at the Guantánamo Bay detention center to Oman, the Pentagon said on Monday, in a major resettlement that nearly halves the detention facility’s remaining number of prisoners.
The released men include Tawfiq al-Bihani, who had been cleared for transfer since 2010; Khalid Qassim, a long-term hunger striker who has spoken about spending most of his adult life in Guantánamo; and Hassan bin Attash, who was captured in a security raid in Pakistan in 2002.
Reuters contributed reporting
Continue reading...‘We don’t want no Zionists here’: Anti-Israel activists protest against NYC hospital – The Times of Israel
- ‘We don’t want no Zionists here’: Anti-Israel activists protest against NYC hospital The Times of Israel
- Palestinian doctor in regular contact with CNN now detained by Israeli military CNN
- Updates: Indonesian Hospital out of service amid Israeli attacks on Gaza Al Jazeera English
- ‘We don’t want no Zionists here’: Anti-Israel activists protest against New York City hospital The Times of Israel
- ‘Hospitals have become battlegrounds’: Gaza’s health system on brink of collapse UN News
UK leader hits back at Elon Musk’s ‘lies’ over handling of child sex abuse scandal – CNN
- UK leader hits back at Elon Musk’s ‘lies’ over handling of child sex abuse scandal CNN
- Elon Musk and His Megaphone, X, Rattle British Politics The New York Times
- Musk asks his followers if the US ‘should liberate the people of Britain from their tyrannical government’ The Hill
- Pakistani Grooming Gangs: How Elon Musk put Keir Starmer on the backfoot The Times of India
- Starmer hits back at critics of his record on grooming gangs amid Musk row The Independent
Erdoğan says Turkey ready to intervene if Syria splits – POLITICO Europe
- Erdoğan says Turkey ready to intervene if Syria splits POLITICO Europe
- Turkiye says Kurdish-led armed groups in Syria will be ‘eliminated’ Al Jazeera English
- Turkey says eradication of Kurdish YPG militia in Syria 'imminent' Reuters
- Turkey's Erdogan says end is near for Kurdish militants in Syria The Jerusalem Post
- Erdogan expects support from Syria in Turkey’s battle with PKK Kathimerini English Edition
Ex-New York Mayor and Trump ally Rudy Giuliani found in contempt of court
Giuliani has been under pressure to turn over assets to pay $148m to Georgia election workers he allegedly defamed.
Minneapolis agrees to court-supervised police reform after George Floyd’s killing
Consent decree had been under negotiation since justice department issued a critique of authorities in June 2023
The Minneapolis city council on Monday approved an agreement with the federal government in response to the murder of George Floyd that would require reforms within the city’s police department under longterm court supervision.
The agreement was not immediately released publicly, but it was expected to incorporate and build on changes the police department has already made to its policies on the use of force and training of officers following Floyd’s death in 2020.
Continue reading...32 dolphins have died since an oil spill near southern Russia, experts say – NPR
- 32 dolphins have died since an oil spill near southern Russia, experts say NPR
- Dozens of dolphins and other marine mammals found dead after massive oil tanker spill in Russia CBS News
- ‘An ecological disaster’: Russia deals with aftermath of massive fuel oil spill Euronews
- Russia clears beaches after Black Sea oil spill, declares emergency in Crimea Reuters
- Officials Declare Emergency As Oil Spill Reaches Crimea OilPrice.com
Trudeau’s nine years as Canada’s prime minister… in 85 seconds
The second-youngest PM stepped down amid growing pressure from within his party and beyond.
Judge denies Trump bid to delay sentencing in hush money case
The incoming president's lawyers vowed to challenge the decision to proceed with sentencing this week.
Trump loses bid to delay sentencing in hush-money case
President-elect to be sentenced on Friday over conviction stemming from money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels
Donald Trump on Monday lost a bid to put off his sentencing on Friday for his criminal conviction stemming from hush money paid to a porn star.
Citing both presidential immunity and the demands of Trump’s impending January 20 inauguration as the 47th US president, his lawyers on Monday morning said judge Juan Merchan’s intention not to penalize Trump was “of no moment”.
Continue reading...US reports first death linked to bird flu in Louisiana
The late patient had been hospitalised in December with severe respiratory symptoms after contact with infected birds.
European leaders to Elon: Back off – Axios
- European leaders to Elon: Back off Axios
- Norway PM worried by Musk involvement in politics outside US Reuters
- Musk and Putin’s dual interference in Europe EL PAÍS USA
- Macron, UK's Starmer, other European leaders swipe at Elon Musk NBC News
- EU to Watch How X Treats Musk Event With German Far-Right Leader Weidel Bloomberg
Officials Declare Emergency As Oil Spill Reaches Crimea – OilPrice.com
- Officials Declare Emergency As Oil Spill Reaches Crimea OilPrice.com
- Dozens of dolphins and other marine mammals found dead after massive oil tanker spill in Russia CBS News
- 32 dolphins have died since an oil spill near southern Russia, experts say NPR
- Oil From Damaged Russian Tankers Reaches Sevastopol in Annexed Crimea The Moscow Times
- Russia declares emergency in Crimea after Black Sea oil spill Yahoo! Voices