Hundreds of journalists across the world demand freedom for Julian AssangeBy: Web Desk on December 11, 2019Hundreds of journalists from across the world have signed an open letter demanding WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is released from jail, where he is being held for “revealing war crimes.” Mr Assange continues to be detained in Britain’s maximum-security Belmarsh Prison, despite his 50-week sentence for “skipping bail” ending in September. It was extended with the […]
International Human Rights Day 2019By: Noor ul Ain Ali on December 10, 2019We have seen our share of cruelty and hate. We can do better. That’s why the world is observing Universal Human Rights Month during December. This month is a reminder that the United Nations General Assembly codified the basic human rights of every person. It’s also a time to reflect on the way we treat […]
India gang-rape shootings revives extrajudicial killing fearsBy: Agencies on December 9, 2019The shooting of four gang-rape and murder suspects by Indian police has highlighted the scourge of extrajudicial killings in a nation grappling with high levels of sexual crimes and a notoriously slow judicial process. Authorities claimed the four men were killed in a “shootout” during a re-enactment of the attack, carried out just under two […]
Chilean anti-rape anthem becomes international feminist phenomenonBy: Agencies on December 9, 2019A Chilean protest song about rape culture and victim shaming has become a viral anthem for feminists around the world. Un Violador en Tu Camino – A Rapist in Your Path – was first performed in late November as Chile’s nationwide uprising against social inequality pushed into its second month. Videos of the song – […]
Dragon capsule docks at space station with 2600 KG cargoBy: Web Desk on December 9, 2019The Dragon capsule successfully docked at the International Space Station earlier on December 8. The Dragon capsule was loaded with 2600 kgs of cargo, when it was captured b the space station’s robotic arm. The international space station’s commander, Italy’s Luca Parmitano, operated the massive robotic arm to bring the Dragon on board, three days after its […]
Virtual boyfriends a match for China’s single womenBy: Agencies on December 7, 2019Chinese teen Robin spends hours online chatting to her man, who always has a sympathetic ear for her problems — as long as she’s willing to pay him. The 19-year-old pre-medical student has spent more than 1,000 yuan ($150) speaking to “virtual boyfriends”. These aren’t seedy sex-chat lines but men who charge for friendly and […]
‘Parasite singles’: why young Japanese aren’t getting marriedBy: Agencies on December 7, 2019A sharply dressed crowd of Japanese singletons shuffle awkwardly around conference-room tables, exchanging small-talk and CVs in an attempt to find a marriage partner — all of them accompanied by their parents. One 38-year-old woman, who declined to give her name, said she “didn’t have the courage” to find a spouse and move away from […]
Hidden giant planet discovered orbiting tiny white dwarf starBy: Agencies on December 7, 2019Evidence of a giant planet orbiting a dead white dwarf star has been found for the first time. Astronomers say the evidence for the distant planet comes in the form of a disc of gas created from its evaporating atmosphere. The Neptune-like planet is thought to be more than four times the size of the […]
Emotion-sensing robot launches to assist space station astronautsBy: Reuters on December 6, 2019WASHINGTON: An intelligent robot equipped with emotion-sensing voice detectors was headed to the International Space Station after launching from Florida on Thursday, becoming the latest artificial intelligence-powered astronaut workmate in orbit. The Crew Interactive Mobile Companion 2, or CIMON 2, is a spherical droid with microphones, cameras and a slew of software to enable emotion recognition. […]
Indian police shoot dead suspects in rape-murderBy: AFP on December 6, 2019NEW DELHI: Indian police on Friday shot dead four detained gang-rape and murder suspects as they were re-enacting their alleged crime, prompting outrage but also wild celebrations. The men, who had been in custody for a week, were shot early Friday morning as they tried to escape during the re-enactment in the southern city of […]