Author: admin@primenews

Use of the medicine semaglutide for weight loss or type 2 diabetes wasn’t associated with a higher risk of suicidal ideation than other medicines for those conditions in a large new review of US health records that was backed by the National Institutes of Health. The researchers used a database that includes more than 100 million patient records to assess the risks of suicidal ideation among people using the drug, sold as Ozempic for type 2 diabetes and Wegovy for weight loss. The results were published Friday in the journal Nature Medicine. Dr. Rong Xu, an author of the study and professor of biomedical…

More than 10 children on average have lost one or both of their legs every day in Gaza since October 7, with many amputations performed without anesthesia, a charity said Sunday, underscoring the dire humanitarian situation in the Palestinian enclave following more than three months of Israeli bombardment. In a statement citing United Nations statistics, Save the Children’s director for the occupied Palestinian territory, Jason Lee, said the “suffering of children in this conflict is unimaginable and even more so because it is unnecessary and completely avoidable.” “The killing and maiming of children is condemned as a grave violation against children, and…

Audacy, the struggling multi-platform audio content company, has begun prepackaged Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings in US Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas, the company announced Sunday. The internet radio conglomerate — among the biggest radio companies in the country — was saddled with substantial debt and faced slowed-down advertising revenue. Audacy said it is entering into a restructuring agreement to reduce its debt from about $1.9 billion to $350 million. “While our transformation has enhanced our competitive position, the perfect storm of sustained macroeconomic challenges over the past four years facing the traditional advertising market has led to a…

Japanese animation legend Hayao Miyazaki has won his first Golden Globe Award at the age of 82 for The Boy and the Heron. This marks the first Golden Globe win for a non-English animated feature. Billed as Mr Miyazaki’s final feature, it was up against Disney productions such as Wish and Elemental in the animated feature category. The film centres on a young boy who meets a mysterious speaking heron after losing his mother during World War Two. It echoes parts of Mr Miyazaki’s life story. Like the boy, his own family was evacuated to the countryside during the war. Mr…

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says Palestinians must not be pressured into leave Gaza, and must be allowed to return to their homes once conditions allow. Mr Blinken condemned statements by some Israeli ministers, who called for the resettlement of Palestinians elsewhere. The US official was in Qatar on his latest Middle East tour. His comments come following reports that dozens of people were killed at a refugee camp in northern Gaza. Footage from Jabalia shows bodies lying in the rubble of a destroyed building – many of them women and children. The Israeli military has not yet responded…

A criminal syndicate that planned to illegally export hundreds of native lizards from Australia to Hong Kong has been “dismantled”, authorities say. The reptiles had an estimated market value of A$1.2m (£633,000; $805,000), according to New South Wales Police. Three men and a woman have been arrested in Sydney. Some 257 lizards and three snakes were seized by police after allegedly being kept in poor conditions. They have been treated and returned to the wild. Police set up a taskforce to investigate the alleged smugglers in September after 59 live lizards were intercepted in nine small containers on their way…

China has announced sanctions on five Western defence firms over the latest round of US arms sales to Taiwan. The announcement comes as Taiwan prepares to hold presidential and parliamentary elections on 13 January. US weapons sales to Taiwan are a frequent source of tension between Beijing and Washington. China views democratically governed Taiwan as its territory, a claim Taiwan’s government rejects. Last month, the US State Department approved a $300m (£236m) sale of equipment to help maintain Taiwan’s tactical information systems. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Sunday that the sanctions were “In response to these gravely…

Oppenheimer was the big winner at the Golden Globe Awards, taking home five awards including the top prize. Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr were both recognised for their acting performances, while Christopher Nolan won best director. Succession scored the most wins in the TV categories following its acclaimed fourth and final season. Meanwhile, Barbie won the first box office achievement award, after grossing $1.4bn (£1.13m) worldwide. There were two wins each for Anatomy of a Fall, The Holdovers and Poor Things, and one for Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon. The film’s star Lily Gladstone was named best…

The Maldives has suspended three deputy ministers who made derogatory comments about India and its PM Narendra Modi. The officials had responded to a social media post from Mr Modi, calling him a “clown”, “terrorist” and a “puppet of Israel”. A foreign ministry spokesperson said the comments were personal and did not represent the views of the government. Male’s response came after the remarks set off an uproar on Indian social media. “All government officials responsible for the comments have been suspended from their posts effective immediately”, a spokesperson for President Mohamed Muizzu’s office told the BBC. There is already…

Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has secured her fourth straight term in a controversial election. Ms Hasina will serve another five years in office after her party the Awami League and its allies won 223 of 300 parliamentary seats contested. With the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party boycotting the poll, Ms Hasina’s party and allies are expected to win the remaining seats as well. The BNP alleged the poll was a sham. Sunday’s result comes after mass arrests of BNP leaders and supporters. Official figures suggested a low voter turnout of about 40%, though critics say even those numbers may…