Author: admin@primenews

Iraq has hanged three people convicted of involvement in a vehicle bombing in Baghdad that killed more than 300 people and injured hundreds in 2016. The bomb exploded as people were enjoying a night out during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. It was the deadliest single bombing in Iraq since the US-led invasion in 2003. The Islamic State group (IS) has admitted carrying out the attack. IS has been defeated and lost control of territory, but still remains active. The executions were carried out on Sunday or Monday, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani’s office said. It did not name…

Lawyers for Eminem have sent a letter to aspiring Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy asking that he stop rapping to his songs. The letter comes more than a week after the biotech entrepreneur delivered an impromptu performance of “Lose Yourself” at the Iowa State Fair. The letter, dated 23 August, was sent by Eminem’s record company, BMI. Mr Ramaswamy is vying to unseat Donald Trump as the presumed 2024 Republican nominee. A spokeswoman for Mr Ramaswamy said he will comply with the request by Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Mathers III. The letter says the company “received a communication…

Three US marines who were killed in a fiery helicopter crash during a military drill in Australia have been identified. The MV-22B Osprey came down on a remote island north of Darwin on Sunday. Captain Eleanor LeBeau, 29, Corporal Spencer Collart, 21, and Major Tobin Lewis, 37, were killed and the 20 other people on board – all US marines – were injured. The cause of the crash remains under investigation. In a statement on Tuesday, the commanding officer of the Marine Rotational Force Darwin said the force was “deeply saddened” by the loss of such “respected and beloved” marines.…

A prominent Pakistani human rights lawyer who criticised the powerful military has been re-arrested hours after a court granted her bail. Imaan Mazari-Hazir was due for release on Monday night until she was detained on a second terrorism charge. She was placed in custody a week ago, prompting widespread criticism. Analysts say a crackdown has increased after military installations were attacked in May by crowds protesting at the arrest of former PM Imran Khan. “There has been a gross over-reaction to the events of 9 May. But the establishment doesn’t want to be seen as only focused against Mr Khan’s…

A US judge plans to free Google from having to defend against a class action by 21 million consumers who claimed it violated federal antitrust law by overcharging them in its Google Play app store. Monday’s decision by US District Judge James Donato in San Francisco could significantly reduce damages that Google, a unit of Alphabet, might owe over the distribution of Android mobile applications. Consumers claimed they would have paid less for apps and enjoyed expanded choice but for Google’s alleged monopoly. Google has denied wrongdoing. Donato said his Nov. 2022 class certification order should be thrown out because…

The Pumpkin Spice Latte is coming back, again. Starbucks said Wednesday that the signature drink would return to the fall menu on Thursday, marking its 20th anniversary. The perennial Starbucks favorite has become a reliable hit, making it an autumn(ish) mainstay that has given the coffee chain a seasonal sales boost during this time of year, over the past two decades. In 2020, Starbucks said the pumpkin drinks were the “catalyst” for a record-breaking quarterly performance in the three months ending September 27, 2020. In fall 2022, it reported that the platform had grown 17% year-over-year. In addition to the latte, known…

Thousands of air passengers have been suffering long delays and cancellations after a “technical issue” hit UK air traffic control systems. People are stuck in the UK and abroad, after National Air Traffic Services limited the number of planes landing. Airlines and airports warned there were still “significant delays” despite the issue being fixed within hours. One passenger told BBC News her afternoon flight was not expected to leave until after midnight. There have been warnings that some knock-on disruption could last for days. Heathrow said late on Monday evening that schedules remained significantly disrupted, adding that people travelling on…

Terry Gou, a 72-year-old billionaire and founder of iPhone maker Foxconn, has become the latest to join the race for Taiwan’s presidency. Mr Gou is a charismatic businessman with a great rags-to-riches story, pots of cash, and serious name recognition. Observers in Taipei say if he was the only candidate standing against the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Mr Gou would have a good shot. But he isn’t. Instead, his candidacy will split the opposition vote three ways in the January 2024 presidential election. In a winner-takes-all presidential system, when there are already two opposition candidates vying to unseat the…

Thailand’s best-known human rights campaigner has been found not guilty of criminal defamation, closing a legal saga which has lasted for seven years. Angkhana Neelapaijit is among 22 people who were sued by a poultry businessman over comments about the alleged abuse of migrant workers at his factories. He has lost all but one of the 37 suits he has filed, a record for Thailand. Thailand’s punitive defamation laws have long been criticised for stifling free speech. It has been described by some as a legal blood-sport, used by politicians and businesspeople, in particular against journalists and activists who publish…

The place is nondescript; if you don’t look for it, you may not find it. And yet, for over 70 years, many Indians in London have sought it out, looking for familiar flavours and faces – a taste of home abroad. The India Club – an iconic lounge-cum-restaurant and bar – that sits inside the Hotel Strand Continental on a busy stretch of road in central London, has been a historically and culturally significant space for the South Asian community in the city for decades. It was set up in the 1950s as a place for early Indian immigrants to…