Author: aliakhan00901

Your support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The…

Online retailers Shein, Temu, AliExpress and Wish are being investigated in France in relation to the offence of enabling minors to access pornographic content on their platforms, the Paris prosecutor said on Tuesday.The country’s consumer watchdog had reported the four firms to the prosecution service on Sunday after raising concerns about the sale of childlike sex dolls on Shein’s platform over the weekend.The Paris prosecutor’s office told the BBC that the platforms are being investigated over violent, pornographic or “undignified messages” that can be accessed by minors.AliExpress told the BBC it takes the matter very seriously. Shein, Temu and Wish…

Hello, and welcome to TechScape. I’m your host, Blake Montgomery. If you like reading our newsletter, forward this email to five friends with a demand they sign up like it’s a chain letter warning of bad luck for five years. In this week’s news, AI companies hit mind-boggling financial milestones such as a $5tn valuation, a $100bn quarter, and a string of deals worth nearly $600bn.The AI boom’s incomprehensibly vast numbers make it hard to criticizeLast week, the chipmaker Nvidia hit a valuation of $5tn. Just three months prior, it became the world’s first $4tn company. Microsoft reached a $4tn…

Police were called to one of the Peak District’s most famous routes after a UK rapper blocked the road whilst filming a music video.Officers received reports of cars blocking off Winnats Pass, in Castleton, Derbyshire, just after 17:25 BST on 19 October.London-born rapper Tion Wayne was filmed in front of a black Rolls-Royce Cullinan in a music video for his new single “Streets a Lie”.Police said they attended and the road was cleared, with Wayne saying he “locked off Peak District till the Feds came” on his TikTok account.Known for UK rap and UK drill, Wayne gained wider recognition through…

They have been used in the search for the Salisbury novichok poisoners, finding murder suspects and even spotting sexual predators. Now, research has revealed fresh insights into why super-recognisers are so good at identifying faces.Previous research has suggested people with an extraordinary ability to recognise people look at more areas across a face than typical people.Now researchers have used a type of AI to reveal how this approach aids their prowess.“It’s not just about looking everywhere – it’s about looking smart,” said Dr James Dunn, first author of the study from UNSW Sydney.Writing in the journal Proceedings of the Royal…

The body of a hostage returned by Hamas via the Red Cross in Gaza has been identified as Israeli-American soldier Itay Chen, Israel has confirmed. The 19-year-old soldier’s remains were returned on Tuesday as part of a Gaza ceasefire deal brokered by US President Donald Trump last month.”Following the completion of the identification process… IDF representatives informed the family of the fallen hostage, Staff Sergeant Itay Chen, that their loved one has been returned to Israel and positively identified,” the Israeli prime minister’s office said.Earlier, Hamas’s military wing said it had recovered the body of an Israeli soldier in the…

Lily JamaliNorth America Technology Correspondent, San FranciscoGetty ImagesAhead of Tesla’s annual general meeting (AGM) on Thursday there’s been one key message the electric car-maker has been hammering home to shareholders: the boss is worth $1tn.It has taken out digital ads to make the case for Elon Musk’s proposed bumper pay package, while Votetesla.com features a video of board chair Robyn Denholm and director Kathleen Wilson-Thompson praising him, as triumphant music crescendos in the background.It’s not clear that everyone is singing from the same hymn sheet though, meaning the AGM in Austin, Texas is set to become a referendum on Musk…

It’s safe to say Cher doesn’t agree with the saying, “The older you get, the wiser you are.” During a recent interview with Gayle King for CBS Mornings, the 79-year-old legendary singer was asked about her thoughts on aging. “I keep waiting for this grown-up feeling to kick in. And I don’t have any hang-ups about aging. Do you?” King asked. “Yes. I hate it,” Cher bluntly replied before adding, “I’m 10 years older than you, babe,” as King is 70 years old. The CBS News anchor attempted to offer some benefits of getting older. “But I think we’re we’re…

Imagn Images No. 6 Duke begins its attempt to make a return trip to the Final Four with a marquee nonconference matchup against Texas on Tuesday at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. While most of the top players from the 2025 recruiting cycle made their respective debuts on Monday during opening night of the 2025-26 college basketball season, Duke forward Cameron Boozer — a projected top-three pick in the 2026 NBA Draft — will make his first appearance at the college level against the Longhorns on Tuesday.The Blue Devils reached the Final Four earlier this spring for the first…

The Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair is Europe’s largest airline in both passenger traffic and fleet size, and also one of Europe’s most consistently profitable.  The airline reported a pre-tax profit of €2.9 billion ($3.3 billion) in the first half of its fiscal year, a 40% increase over the same period last year. Ryanair attributed some of the increase in earnings to improved aircraft delivery schedules from Boeing, allowing it to carry more passengers. It flew 119 passengers for the period, a 3% year-over-year increase.  Ryanair flies only the Boeing 737 aircraft, which allows for simpler, lower-cost operations. Though impacted by…