Author: admin@primenews

The families of victims in two Boeing 737 Max plane crashes have asked for prosecutions and a fine of $24.8bn for “the deadliest corporate crime in US history”. The families’ lawyer Paul Cassell said the amount was “justified and clearly appropriate” given “enormous human costs of Boeing’s crimes”. In a 32-page letter seen by the BBC, Mr Cassell said that the US government should prosecute those leading the company when 346 people were killed in two crashes in 2018 and 2019. The letter cited the apology by Boeing’s chief executive Dave Calhoun on Tuesday while he gave evidence to Congress. “I apologise for the…

Our mobile phones are getting a whole lot smarter, but what about the telecoms networks they run on? Last week, Apple became the latest mobile phone firm to announce that it will be adding artificial intelligence (AI) to its handsets’ operating system. Called Apple Intelligence, and also due to be incorporated into the phones’ Siri chatbot, it aims to make them easier and quicker to use. And turn Siri into even more of a personal assistant. It follows after Samsung’s Galaxy AI, and Google’s Gemini AI for its own Pixel handsets. This increased of use AI means phones will be doing a…

Chinese car companies have called on Beijing to hit European Union rivals with import taxes of up to 25% if the trading bloc imposes tariffs on vehicles from China, the country’s state media has reported. The demand was reportedly made at a closed-door meeting organised by China’s Ministry of Commerce, which was also attended by representatives of European car firms. The measures would target cars from the EU with large petrol-driven engines. Last week, the EU threatened Chinese electric vehicle (EV) makers with tariffs of up to 38% from 4 July. The meeting in Beijing was attended by four Chinese and six…

A second Conservative candidate is being looked into by the Gambling Commission over a bet relating to the timing of the general election, the BBC can reveal. Laura Saunders is the party’s candidate in Bristol North West and has worked for the party since 2015. It is understood she worked most recently in the party’s International Division – a department of Conservative Campaign Headquarters which liaises with other centre-right parties around the world. It is not known when the bet was placed or for how much money. A Conservative Party spokesman told the BBC: “We have been contacted by the…

Canada has listed Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation, after years of pressure from opposition legislators and some members of the Iranian diaspora. Announcing the decision on Wednesday, Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc called it a “significant tool in fighting global terrorism”. The move will mean that thousands of senior Iranian government officials, including top IRGC officials, will be barred from entering Canada. The IRGC is a major military, political and economic force in Iran, with close ties to the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. It is estimated to have more than 190,000 active personnel with…

In one of the largest hospitals in India’s capital, Delhi, a physician says he has never seen anything like this before. “This is an unprecedented heatwave. In my 13 years of working here, I don’t remember signing a death certificate for heat stroke. This year, I’ve signed several,” says Ajay Chauhan of the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital (RMLH). Delhi has been reeling under a prolonged heatwave, with daily temperatures crossing 40C (104F) since May, peaking at nearly 50C. Humidity and hot winds exacerbate the heat, compounded by water shortages and power outages due to soaring demand. And people are dying…

Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi on the second stop of an East Asian tour. The trip, which comes on the heels of his lavish visit to North Korea, is being interpreted as a demonstration of the diplomatic support Russia still enjoys in this region. The United States has criticised the visit for giving a platform for President Putin to promote his war of aggression in Ukraine. Vietnam still values the historic ties it has with Russia even as it works to improve its relationship with Europe and the US. Looming over a small park in…

Netflix is opening massive entertainment venues in two cities that it says will allow fans to immerse themselves in the worlds of their favorite shows. The “experiential” complexes, called Netflix Houses, will include elaborate events, themed gift shops and restaurants. In a repurposing of empty retail space, the houses will occupy former department store locations at Dallas Galleria and King of Prussia mall (near Philadelphia). Both will span more than 100,000 square feet and are set to open in 2025, according to the streaming giant. It’s Netflix’s TV tweak on a theme park. For fans of its “Squid Game” dark drama…

Jeff Bezos, the billionaire owner of The Washington Post, broke his silence Tuesday on the mounting turmoil within his newspaper, expressing support for maintaining high standards at the storied publication as questions swirl over the ethical integrity of its new publisher, Will Lewis. “I know you’ve already heard this from Will, but I wanted to also weigh in directly: the journalistic standards and ethics at The Post will not change,” Bezos said in an email to top newsroom leaders, signaling support for Lewis, though not explicitly. Bezos added in the memo, which was obtained by CNN, that “it can’t be…

A citizens group has decided how the fortune of an Austro-German heiress will be given away. Earlier this year, Marlene Engelhorn set up a group of 50 people to work out how to distribute the millions she inherited from her grandmother. The money will go to 77 organisations, including social and climate groups, as well as prominent left-wing ones. Ms Engelhorn, who is 32, made headlines in January, when she announced she would be giving away €25 million (£21 million) – the bulk of her inheritance. A descendant of Friedrich Engelhorn, the founder of the major German chemical and pharmaceutical company BASF,…