Author: admin@primenews

It was a long year for Silicon Valley, but it may have felt even longer to outsiders, who watched the tech world essentially implode and regroup over the course of 2023 in ways both typical (layoffs, restructurings) and deeply unhinged (everything below). From the failure of its biggest bank to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’s bizarre Vogue spread, regular people this year seemed to get a glimpse into the tech elite that was weirder and more personal than ever. One note: There’s no Elon Musk on our list, as the tech billionaire’s 2023 antics went far beyond weird and into areas including antisemitism, giving a platform…

A court in Qatar has commuted the death sentences of eight former Indian naval officers, India’s foreign ministry has said. A ministry statement said the “sentences have been reduced” but did not specify what new penalty they would face. Neither Qatar nor India have revealed the specific charges against the men. FT and Reuters have reported, citing unnamed sources, that the men were charged with spying for Israel. A spokesperson for Israel’s embassy in India refused to comment, saying it was “not an Israeli matter”. “Due to the confidential and sensitive nature of proceedings of this case, it would not be appropriate to…

A teenage boy has been killed in a shark attack at a popular holiday and surfing spot in South Australia, police have said. The body was recovered from the water after the attack, near Ethel Beach in the Innes National Park on the Yorke Peninsula, officers said. A local resident told ABC News Thursday’s attack was the first fatal one at the resort that he was aware of. The attack is the latest of several in South Australian waters recently. In a statement, South Australia Police said its officers were first alerted about the attack on Thursday at 13:30 local time (02:30…

Cher has reportedly filed for a conservatorship of her son Elijah Blue Allman due to his alleged substance abuse and mental health issues. Court documents seen by US media, such as People and TMZ, reportedly claim Allman, 47, is “substantially unable to manage his financial resources”. US outlets report that the documents say a conservator is “urgently needed” to protect Allman’s property. Cher’s publicist has been approached for comment. The BBC has not yet been able to find a contact for Allman. A conservatorship is granted by a court for individuals who are unable to make their own decisions, like those with dementia…

A 23-year-old fan who collapsed at a Taylor Swift concert in Rio de Janeiro in November died of heat exhaustion, post-mortem examinations cited in Brazilian media suggest. Ana Clara Benevides Machado attended the first of Swift’s Eras Tour show in the Brazilian city on 17 November. A heat wave drove temperatures to 39C (102F), with the “felt” temperature reaching 59.3C, city authorities said. Taylor Swift said at the time that she was “devastated” by the fan’s death. Video footage appeared to show the singer herself struggling with the high temperatures. The artist cancelled the show scheduled for the next day…

More than 40 people have died after a fuel tanker crashed and exploded in central Liberia, the country’s chief medical officer Francis Kateh has said. The tanker overturned along a road in Totota town, about 130km (80 miles) from the capital, Monrovia. It burst into flames soon after people rushed to the site to scoop fuel from the tanker, eyewitnesses said. A pregnant woman was among the dead, and some of the bodies were burnt to ashes, Dr Kateh said. He told local broadcaster Super Bongese TV that more than 83 people had been admitted to hospital for their injuries following…

Three Hong Kong activists have been jailed for up to six years for their involvement in a foiled plot to bomb public buildings. The trio were initially all charged with “conspiracy to commit terrorism” under the national security law. They were part of “Returning Valiant”, a pro-independence group which hatched the plan in 2021 following pro-democracy protests. They were arrested in July 2021, before they could execute their plans. The court heard that Ho Yu-wang, Kwok Man-hei, and Cheung Ho-yeung had planned to make bombs using the explosive TATP and place them in various public buildings, including government offices, police…

A passenger plane with 34 people on board has landed on a frozen river in Russia’s Far East, apparently because of a mistake by the pilot. No-one was hurt when the Polar Airlines Soviet-era Antonov An-24 plane came to a halt on Thursday morning not far from land, on the frozen River Kolyma. The plane landed off the runway of Zyryanka airport. Initial inquiries said pilot error was to blame, prosecutors said. Thirty passengers and four crew were on board. Flight PI217 left Yakutsk, the capital of the Sakha republic in Russia’s Far East, early on Thursday. It was bound…

Kerbside collections for small electrical goods such as toasters and hairdryers could be rolled out across the UK from 2026 under government proposals to boost recycling. Ministers are also considering drop-off points in retailers where households can recycle unwanted items for free. And shops and online sellers would be made to pick up unwanted or broken larger electrical items such as fridges when delivering replacements. A 10-week consultation is taking place. Home collections would not require any extra bins, the government said, adding the cost of the pick-ups would be financed by the producers of electrical items and not fall…

What is made from the same wood as a Christmas tree, held together by glue and manufactured in a Swedish factory for assembly later? If that calls to mind flat-pack furniture and meatballs, you’re wrong. If you answered “a wooden wind turbine”, you could be a visionary. According to Modvion, the Swedish start-up that has just built the world’s tallest wooden turbine tower, using wood for wind power is the future. “It’s got great potential,” Otto Lundman, the company’s chief executive, says as we gaze upwards at the firm’s brand new turbine, a short drive outside Gothenburg. It’s 150m (492ft)…