Author: admin@primenews

Online marketplace Etsy has come under fire from sellers for putting 75% of their takings on hold for 45 days. Hundreds of small business owners got an email from Etsy notifying them it was actioning its “reserve system”. Ceramics seller Rachel Collyer said Etsy was holding £899 of her money, which means she cannot afford to buy materials to keep producing. Etsy said payment reserves were used to “keep the marketplace safe” and cover any potential refunds. Ms Collyer has been selling ceramics on Etsy since 2021. She was given only a few hours’ notice before her money was put…

NatWest’s chair has said he will not quit after initially backing former boss Dame Alison Rose in the row over the closure of Nigel Farage’s account. Sir Howard Davies said on Friday he would continue at the bank to ensure “stability” after the resignations of Dame Alison and the boss of Coutts. NatWest is 39% owned by the taxpayer and Sir Howard said: “We do have the support of our main shareholder.” However, on Thursday, the prime minister refused to back Sir Howard. When asked if he would support the chair staying on until the middle of next year when…

Authorities in India say the federal police will investigate a case of sexual assault of women seen in a video which has sparked global outrage. Federal Home Minister Amit Shah said the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) would take over the case from police in violence-hit Manipur state. The video, filmed in Manipur, showed two women being paraded naked and groped and molested by a mob. The incident occurred in early May but only became public last week. Deadly violence has plunged Manipur, a scenic Indian state bordering Myanmar, into turmoil for almost three months. Clashes have erupted between members of…

A Hong Kong court has struck down the government’s request to ban from the internet the unofficial anthem of the island’s pro-democracy movement. Judge Anthony Chan ruled that granting the ban could have had “chilling effects” on freedom of speech. Authorities have been angered by hearing Glory to Hong Kong played instead of the Chinese national anthem during international sports events. They have taken a tougher stance towards protests in recent years. Hong Kong is part of China, but has had some autonomy since the end of British rule in 1997. Campaigners say that democratic freedoms have been gradually eroded…

The rate of Americans developing a rare meat allergy from tick bites is rising, researchers say, and may have already impacted as many as 450,000 people. New data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Thursday shows a steep increase in cases of alpha-gal syndrome. The allergy triggers a possibly life-threatening reaction to several types of meat or animal products. US scientists have traced alpha-gal to saliva from the lone star tick. The tick is identified by the white spot on its back and is mostly found in southern and eastern parts of the US. But…

India’s Supreme Court has granted bail to two prominent rights activists who have been in jail since August 2018. Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira were among several arrested for allegedly inciting caste violence, a charge they deny. The anti-terror law under which they were arrested makes it almost impossible to get bail. The two approached the top court after their bail pleas were denied by a high court. Mr Gonsalves and Mr Ferreira were among at least 14 others who were jailed in connection with violence that erupted in January 2018 in Bhima Koregaon village in Maharashtra state. They were also accused…

A total of 36 local officials in South Korea are under investigation for the tunnel flooding earlier this month that killed 14 people, authorities said. An inquiry launched two days after the tragedy found that officials had ignored multiple warnings of a flood ahead of the incident. Severe rains on the weekend of 15 July had caused widespread flooding and landslides in multiple places. At least 40 people died in the disaster across the country. The tunnel, located in city of Cheongju south of Seoul, was flooded with water from a nearby riverbank that had burst from the weekend of torrential rain.…

Including Blue Beetle, Bottoms and Red, White & Royal Blue – Nicholas Barber lists this month’s unmissable movies to watch. 1. Strays In Josh Greenbaum’s live-action / CGI comedy, Will Ferrell provides the voice of Reggie, a border terrier who gets lost in the city, and meets some other dogs, including a Boston terrier (Jamie Foxx), an Australian shepherd (Isla Fisher) and a great Dane (Randall Park), who help him find his way home to his master, Doug (Will Forte). Sounds sweet, doesn’t it? The twist is that Strays isn’t for children. Unlike the characters in most talking-animal films, these…

Singapore on Friday executed a woman for the first time in almost 20 years, officials confirmed. Singaporean national Saridewi Djamani, 45, was found guilty of trafficking 30g (1.06oz) of heroin in 2018. She is the second drug convict to be executed this week, after fellow Singaporean Mohd Aziz bin Hussain, and the 15th since March 2022. Singapore has some of the world’s toughest anti-drug laws, which it says are necessary to protect society. Singapore law specifies that the death penalty will be imposed on anyone caught trafficking more than 500g of cannabis or 15g of heroin. Singapore’s Central Narcotics Bureau…

Netflix has triggered an angry response from striking Hollywood actors and writers after posting a job advert for an artificial intelligence (AI) expert. The new position would join its Machine Learning Platform team, which drives the Netflix algorithm helping viewers pick new programmes to watch. It pays up to $900,000 (£700,000) per year, fuelling further outrage. Hollywood unions are striking over concerns about how AI affects the entertainment industry and pay. The job listing, which was first reported by The Intercept on Tuesday, is one of several listed on the Netflix job page that calls for applicants with experience in…