Author: Gulf News Week
BBCThousands of life jackets, covered in plastic wrapping, were seized by the German authorities in the springGermany has carried out its first raids under a new law to crack down on smugglers using the country as a staging post for small boat crossings on the English Channel, the BBC has learned.More than 9,000 life jackets, dozens of dinghies and engines and 360 pumps were seized by police this spring during a joint operation involving the UK, France and Germany in the North Rhine-Westphalia region.The dinghies and equipment are now being stored at a secret location that the BBC was given…
NEW YORK (news agencies) — U.S. kindergarten vaccination rates inched down again last year and the share of children with exemptions rose to an all-time high, according to federal data posted Monday.The fraction of kids exempted from vaccine requirements rose to 4.2%, up from 3.6% the year before. That’s an estimated 155,000 children nationally during the 2025-2026 school year. It’s the fourth consecutive year that the national average exemption rate has reached a record, and the vast majority are parents withholding shots for nonmedical reasons. Exemptions increased in 41 states and the District of Columbia. Experts point to turmoil caused…
BBCTo enjoy a night out with friends, Matt once had to drink until he felt sick.If he didn’t, the 22-year-old from the north of England would spend the night silent, terrified of saying the wrong thing. The warehouse worker says it felt like there was “just no way into” the conversations everyone else seemed to be enjoying.Then, two years ago, he swapped pints for prescription drugs he discovered through social media.As he gets ready to go out on a Friday, Matt, whose name has been changed, now takes a medicine he purchases illegally online that usually treats epilepsy and nerve…
ReutersIt is the second school shooting in the Philippines in as many monthsA student at a Catholic junior high school in the southern Philippines was shot dead by a fellow student, who later took his own life, a local official said on Tuesday.The alleged shooter managed to sneak in a .45-calibre pistol into a classroom at the school in Zamboanga City, Mayor Khymer Adan Olaso told local radio.The suspect fired at the teacher who was seated at the table, but missed. Afterwards, the suspect moved to another classroom and shot a student who later died, Olaso said.Alleged livestream footage of…
EPASmoke rises above a Wildberries facility following a reported Ukrainian drone strike at the Koledino Industrial Park near Podolsk in Russia on SundayRussia has accused the UK of “deliberately opting for an escalation of the Ukraine crisis” following confirmation that British-made drones had been used in strikes on targets in Russia. “In doing so, the United Kingdom is acting as an accomplice and co-perpetrator of the bloody crimes and terrorist attacks,” the Russian Embassy to the UK wrote in a statement. “London’s actions will inevitably carry consequences for which it will have to answer,” it said, adding that the deeper…
Watch: What we learned from opening statements in Tupac Shakur’s murder trialIn the opening day of Tupac Shakur’s murder trial, prosecutors painted former gang leader Duane “Keffe D” Davis as someone seeking revenge before masterminding the drive-by shooting that killed the iconic rapper.Witnesses took a Las Vegas jury back in time three decades ago to the night Shakur was shot, when gangs had a hold over ’90s hip-hop and distrust in police led to a lack of cooperation – and one of the most famous cold cases of the last century.Davis, 63, is charged with Shakur’s murder.Prosecutors allege that although…
Getty ImagesYou’re finally about to head off on a well-earned break, but there’s one more task to tick off your to-do list: composing an out-of-office reply. Many will be all too familiar with debating how much information to include and how available you will be – and whether to inject some personality into your message, or even risk cracking a joke. Experts say there are clear dos and don’ts when it comes to writing an out-of-office message (OOO) – and getting it wrong can have more serious consequences than you might think. Here are their rules to penning the perfect…
BBC breaks down Trump’s latest shift on North and South KoreaTrump said the US will “substantially reduce” joint military exercises with South Korea, citing his “very good relationship” with Kim Jong Un.11 mins agoWorld
ReutersKing Harald V ascended Norway’s throne in January 1991Norway’s King Harald V has been admitted to hospital and is on sick leave for two weeks, the country’s royal household announced on Monday.The 89-year-old, who is one of Europe’s longest-serving monarchs, has been treated in recent weeks with cortisone for rare blood condition haemolytic anaemia. It causes the number of red blood cells in the body to be reduced and leads to fatigue and shortness of breath.The palace said the monarch was admitted due to “fluid retention in the body that requires treatment in hospital”.It added that Crown Prince Haakon, aged…
Fifa executive leaves job three weeks after criticising Infantino planChief operating officer Kevin Lamour is sacked three weeks after criticising Fifa president Gianni Infantino, BBC Sport is told.1 hr agoFootball