British poet Benjamin Zephaniah, who famously rejected an honour from Queen Elizabeth II over Britain’s empire and links to slavery, died on Thursday at the age of 65, his family said. The Rastafarian poet and writer, whose work was greatly influenced by the music and poetry of Jamaica, also turned his hand to acting when…
A Saudi air force jet crashed on Thursday during a training exercise in the east of the country, killing its two crew members, the defence ministry said in a statement. The aircraft, part of the kingdom’s fleet of F-15SAs, crashed “while it was carrying out a routine training mission at King Abdulaziz Air Base in…
The UK government on Thursday accused Russian security services of engaging in a sustained cyber-espionage campaign against top politicians, journalists and NGOs. Russia has been suspected of meddling in UK politics before, including the divisive 2016 Brexit referendum, but the Conservative government has been criticised for failing to investigate. In the latest claims, the foreign…
Four members of a family, all residents of Andhra Pradesh, died by suicide in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi on Thursday, police said. The incident took place on the third floor of a guest house in Devnathpura, they added. Financial problem is believed to be the reason behind the extreme step. An initial investigation revealed the four…
Recently, a Japanese eatery made headlines after it was revealed that customers willingly get slapped on their faces before having their meals served. At Shachihoko-ya, located in Nagoya, kimono-dressed waitresses slap a willing customer in the face with their palms, over and over again for 300 Japanese Yen (Rs 170). There’s also a 500 yen…
A viral video has surfaced showing layers of oil floating on floodwater in the Ennore area of Chennai. The area is home to several oil refineries, and the police are currently tracing the origin of the oil discharge. Chennai is currently grappling with the devastating aftermath of Cyclone Michaung. Torrential rains have left the city…
The actions or inactions of a chief secretary must not put the elected government at a “standstill”, the Supreme Court has said while holding that the Centre’s decision to extend the services of the top-most bureaucrat in the Delhi government for six months cannot be construed as violative of law. “The chief secretary performs functions…
A 7.1 magnitude quake struck south of Vanuatu on Thursday, the United States Geological Survey said, triggering a tsunami warning. USGS initially reported a magnitude of 7.3 and a depth of 35 kilometres, but soon revised its report. The offshore quake hit at 1256 GMT at a depth of 48 kilometres (30 miles), about 123…
Denmark’s parliament passed a bill on Thursday that makes it illegal to burn copies of the Quran in public places, after protests in Muslim nations over the desecration of Islam’s holy book raised Danish security concerns. Denmark and Sweden experienced a series of public protests this year where anti-Islam activists burned or otherwise damaged copies…
When Thai farm labourer Anucha Angkaew scrambled out of the bunker where he had been sheltering from rockets on Israel’s border with the Gaza Strip around 7.30 am on Oct. 7, he expected to see Israeli soldiers. Instead, Anucha and his five Thai colleagues were accosted by 10 armed militants, whom he identified as Hamas…