Author: admin@primenews

Iran has freed two female journalists jailed for more than a year for covering the death of Mahsa Amini, which triggered nationwide protests. Niloufar Hamedi, 31, and Elaheh Mohammadi, 36, were released on bail, Iranian media reported. The reporters are appealing against jail sentences and will remain out of prison until a court makes a decision, reports said. Ms Amini died in custody after being detained by Iran’s morality police. She had been held for allegedly violating strict rules requiring women to cover their hair with a hijab, or headscarf. Iran’s state coroner attributed her death to pre-existing medical conditions,…

A principal who risked his life to save his pupils in a recent Iowa school shooting has died. Dan Marburger “acted selflessly and placed himself in harm’s way” as a 17-year-old opened fire at a school near Des Moines, officials said. He tried to distract the gunman before being shot, giving students a chance to flee, according to his daughter. Six others at Perry High School suffered injuries and 11-year-old Ahmir Joliff was killed in the shooting. The sixth-grader was shot three times, authorities said. Mr Marburger, who had been head of the school since 1995, died at 08:00 local time…

TV stars are gearing up for the Emmy Awards, which are happening four months late because of the Hollywood strikes. Nominations were announced in July and the ceremony was originally scheduled for September, but the writers’ and actors’ strikes meant very few nominees would have been able to attend. The event will finally go ahead on Monday, with Succession, The Last of Us and The White Lotus among the nominees. The ceremony will be hosted by actor and comedian Anthony Anderson. And industry rumours suggest this year’s Emmys could feature a tribute to Matthew Perry from his five Friends co-stars,…

Artificial intelligence is set to affect nearly 40% of all jobs, according to a new analysis by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). IMF’s managing director Kristalina Georgieva says “in most scenarios, AI will likely worsen overall inequality”. Ms Georgieva adds that policymakers should address the “troubling trend” to “prevent the technology from further stoking social tensions”. The proliferation of AI has put its benefits and risks under the spotlight. The IMF said AI will likely affect a greater proportion of jobs – put at around 60% – in advanced economies. In half of these instances, workers can expect to benefit from the…

Far right groups have discussed toppling the German government as they seek to harness the anger of ongoing farmer protests over subsidy cuts. A protest is due in Berlin, with warnings the agricultural movement is being infiltrated by extremists. Our team in Germany has been working with BBC Verify to build up a picture both online and on the ground. While the far right is piggybacking off the row, a “Germany first” narrative appears to be gaining wider traction. As farmers blockade roads over planned subsidy cuts, there have been numerous reports of neo-Nazi or monarchist groups turning up at…

Houses have been set on fire in the Icelandic town of Grindavík after two volcanic fissures opened nearby. A volcano on the Reykjanes peninsula erupted in the early hours of Sunday, spilling lava into the fishing town. The eruption is proving to be “the worst case scenario” according to one expert, with the entire population of the town being evacuated. Defences built after an eruption in December have partially contained the lava, but some have been breached. The main road into the town has been cut off by the flow of lava. Addressing the nation in a live broadcast on…

Donald Trump and his Republican rivals are making last-ditch pitches to win support in Iowa, hours before voters in the state will kick-off the 2024 race for the White House. Candidates are holding final events, but frigid conditions have complicated the last days of campaigning. A resounding victory in Iowa would cement Mr Trump’s frontrunner status. His rivals, meanwhile, are seeking to establish themselves as the main alternative to the former president. Republican voters will meet at one of more than 1,500 caucus locations around the Midwestern state on Monday night to state their preferred presidential candidate. All of the…

China has accused the US of sending “a gravely wrong signal” to those pushing for Taiwan’s independence after Saturday’s election result. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken sent Taiwanese president-elect William Lai a message of congratulations following the result. Beijing called the message a violation of Washington’s commitment to maintain only unofficial ties with Taiwan. Mr Lai has vowed to protect Taiwan from an increasingly aggressive China. But Beijing sees Taiwan as its territory and fiercely challenges any government that says otherwise. Messages of congratulations for Taiwan’s new leader poured in from all over the world after the election, including…

Not too long ago, on the 25th and 26th floors of the One State Street tower in lower Manhattan, a vibrant newsroom existed. Each morning, hundreds of employees strolled into the offices of Cheddar News, breathing life into the prime real estate that housed studios and the infrastructure for a broadcast news network with big ambitions. As one former employee told me, the space was once “packed” and buzzing with activity as teams of staffers produced an entire lineup of programming. The scene at One State Street looks much different today, with the offices void of people and the bustling…

Israel has said South Africa has distorted the truth in its case to the International Court of Justice, where it is accusing Israel of genocide. South Africa had presented “a sweeping counter-factual description” of the Israel-Palestinian conflict, Israeli lawyer Tal Becker told the ICJ. South Africa says Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinians in its war in Gaza. It is also asking the court to order Israel to halt its military activity. The ICJ is the United Nations’ highest court. Its rulings are theoretically legally binding on parties to the ICJ – which include Israel and South Africa -…