Author: admin@primenews

In a momentous decision that could chip away at Google’s firm control of its Android app store, a federal jury said Monday evening that Google’s app marketplace is an illegal monopoly. The verdict in a years-long battle between Epic Games — maker of the hit video game “Fortnite” — and the technology giant marks a significant victory for critics of Google’s app store terms and practices. The jury found Google’s app store practices violate US antitrust law and the search giant has illegally operated a monopoly in the manner in which it distributes Android apps and charges for them. Epic and Google…

New satellite images show the extent of the damage caused by deadly flash floods that hit a village in India’s north-eastern state of Sikkim in October. The photos show how the Teesta river broke its banks and submerged a huge portion of a nearby village. The devastating floods killed more than 30 people and destroyed the livelihoods of thousands. Dozens of people are still missing after being swept away. The flash flood was triggered by a cloudburst, which caused the South Lhonak glacial lake to burst its banks. The excess water flowed into the Teesta river downstream, causing its water level to…

US toy giant Hasbro says it is cutting more jobs as it struggles with weaker sales in the build-up to Christmas. The maker of Transformers action figures and Monopoly will lay off about 1,100 workers globally – close to 20% of its staff. The job cuts come as the toy industry generally is facing a slowdown in demand for its products. “Market headwinds… have proven to be stronger and more persistent than planned,” Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks said. In an email sent to employees on Monday, he said: “I know this news is especially difficult during the holiday season.” He…

Myanmar is now the world’s largest producer of opium, overtaking Afghanistan, a UN report says. It estimates that this year Myanmar will have increased production by 36% to 1,080 tonnes of opium – the key ingredient for the hard drug heroin. The main factors are domestic instability and a 95% drop in poppy cultivation in Afghanistan after a drug ban by the ruling Taliban last year. Afghanistan is estimated to have produced 330 tonnes of opium this year. The report by the United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC) says Myanmar’s economy has been badly affected by conflict and instability since…

Danielle Waldman danced the last dance of her young life some time before dawn on 7 October. Soon afterwards she and her friends had to run for their lives, but they never made it home. There is a record of her final moments – a brief video, recorded on a phone. It gives only a hint of the horrors to come. The 24-year-old sits in the back seat of a car with two friends – strands of her long curly hair escaping from her grey hoodie. All three are casually dressed. There are fleeting smiles and overlapping voices, and a…

A Japanese court has found three ex-soldiers guilty of sexually assaulting a female colleague. The landmark verdict comes after Rina Gonoi, 24, caused a public outcry and drew international attention when she put her story on YouTube in 2022. Fukushim a prosecutors then brought charges against the three men in March, reversing their earlier decision.Japan is a deeply conservative society where speaking out against sexual violence remains a taboo. Shutaro Shibuya, Akito Sekine and Yusuke Kimezawa received a suspended sentence of two years at a Fukushima court on Tuesday. This is the first major verdict on sexual assault in Japan…

Barbie and Oppenheimer lead the nominations at the Golden Globe Awards, with nine and eight nominations respectively. Killers of the Flower Moon and Poor Things are also among the contenders, with seven nominations each. Emma Stone, Leonardo DiCaprio, Cillian Murphy and Da’Vine Joy Randolph are among the acting nominees. The ceremony will take place in Los Angeles on 7 January. The main nominees: Succession leads the TV nominations with nine in total, including best TV drama series. Only Murders in the Building, The Diplomat, The Morning Show and The Crown are among other TV shows to be recognised. South Korean…

Shares of US department store Macy’s have surged on hopes of a $5.8bn (£4.6bn) buyout deal. An investor group has offered to pay $21 for each share of the retailer that they do not already own, according to US media, which cited unnamed sources. Macy’s, founded 165 years ago, is famous for hosting the New York City Thanksgiving Day parade. The company, parent of Bloomingdale’s and makeup firm Bluemercury, operates more than 720 stores in the US. The offer values the firm’s shares about 20% more than the $17.39 they were worth on Friday, before reports of the proposal emerged…

Zara is facing a backlash about an advertising campaign which some people claim resembles images from the Israel-Gaza war. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said it had received 50 complaints about the social media campaign called “The Jacket”. One image shows the model holding a mannequin wrapped in what appears to be white plastic. Zara declined to comment. In a series of images, the model is pictured against a background of cracked stones, damaged statues and broken plasterboard. Some on social media have suggested they are similar to images emerging from Gaza following Israeli bombing in retaliation for the 7…

The UN climate talks in Dubai could be in jeopardy after some nations reacted furiously to a draft deal on fossil fuels they call “weak”. The draft removed language included in a previous text suggesting that fossil fuels could be “phased out”. All 198 countries at the summit must agree or there is no deal. Humans burning fossil fuels is driving global warming, risking millions of lives, but governments have never agreed how or when to stop using them. A representative for the European Union called the draft “unacceptable” and said the bloc could walk away. “We can’t accept the…