Author: admin

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — A New Zealand flag printed with the words “please walk on me” and laid on the floor of an art gallery has once again been packed away following public outcry, 30 years after protests forced the removal of the same artwork.The Suter Art Gallery in the city of Nelson said Thursday it had taken down the work by Māori artist Diane Prince due to escalating tensions and safety fears. The episode mirrored an Auckland gallery’s removal of the work amid public backlash and complaints to law enforcement in 1995.This time, the flag was meant to…

Scientists say 4 billion people, about half the world’s population, experienced at least one extra month of extreme heat because of human-caused climate change from May 2024 to May 2025.The extreme heat caused illness, death, crop losses, and strained energy and health care systems, according to the analysis from World Weather Attribution, Climate Central and the Red Cross. “Although floods and cyclones often dominate headlines, heat is arguably the deadliest extreme event,” the report said. Many heat-related deaths are unreported or are mislabeled by other conditions like heart disease or kidney failure. The scientists used peer-reviewed methods to study how…

HONG KONG (AP) — Dozens of countries joined China on Friday in establishing an international mediation-based dispute resolution group.Representatives of more than 30 other countries, from Pakistan and Indonesia to Belarus and Cuba, signed the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organization for Mediation in Hong Kong to become founding members of the global organization, following Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The support of developing countries signaled Beijing’s rising influence in the global south amid heightened geopolitical tensions, partly exacerbated by U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade tariffs.At a ceremony, Wang said China has long advocated for handling differences with…

Hong Kong/New York CNN  —  Kiwi Zhang, a computer science student from China, was full of hope for his academic future in the United States – until his visa was revoked at the US border last week. The first-year PhD student at a university in central US had just presented his research at a conference in Asia. He was returning to the US after a brief visit home when his American dream was abruptly cut short. According to Zhang, he was detained at the border for 48 hours by US officials, who confiscated his phone and laptop, and searched his…

CNN  —  A burgeoning new sporting trend inspired by the biggest and hardest full contact hits in American football and rugby has proved deadly, and there’s now calls for it to be banned. Branded by an organized league as “the world’s fiercest, new collision sport,” Run It Straight games see two people sprint directly towards each other for a high-impact collision, with no protective gear. Whoever dominates wins. Tens of thousands of dollars are offered up as prize money in organized events in New Zealand and Australia and the game has become a social media craze with teenagers trying it…

Facebook Tweet Email Link Oxon Hill, Maryland (AP) – Faizan Zaki nearly threw away his opportunity to go from runner-up to champion at the Scripps National Spelling Bee with a shocking moment of overconfidence. Given a second chance, he seized the title of best speller in the English language. The 13-year-old from Allen, Texas, who lost in a lightning-round tiebreaker last year, outlasted eight other accomplished spellers to win the title on Thursday night, including two that he let back into the competition after his own careless flub. Told to take a deep breath before his final word, “eclaircissement,” he…

Google will return to federal court Friday to fend off the U.S. Justice Department’s attempt to topple its internet empire at the same time it’s navigating a pivotal shift to artificial intelligence that could undercut its power.The legal and technological threats facing Google are among the key issues that will be dissected during the closing arguments of a legal proceeding that will determine the changes imposed upon the company in the wake of its dominant search engine being declared as an illegal monopoly by U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta last year.Brandishing evidence presented during a recent three-week stretch of hearings,…

TOKYO (AP) — European shares rose while Asian benchmarks finished mostly lower Friday as uncertainty grew about what will happen next after a U.S. court blocked many of President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs. France’s CAC 40 rose 0.2% in early trading to 7,796.14, while Germany’s DAX jumped 0.6% to 24,122.42. Britain’s FTSE 100 added 0.6% to 8,771.71. U.S. shares were set to drift lower with Dow futures down 0.1% at 42,217.00. S&P 500 futures declined 0.1% to 5,914.75.Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 lost 1.2% to finish at 37,965.10. Government data showed Tokyo core inflation, excluding fresh food, rising to a higher-than-expected…

Singapore CNN  —  China will not send its defense minister to this year’s Shangri-La Dialogue, shunning a chance for a high-level meeting with US and Asian counterparts as tensions simmer with Washington. China announced Thursday it will instead be represented by a delegation from the People’s Liberation Army National Defense University, marking the first time in five years a high-level delegation from Beijing will miss Asia’s largest defense and security summit. The United States will be represented by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at the event, which often provides opportunities on the sidelines for rare face-to-face meetings between top generals and…

Liverpool duo Luis Díaz and Darwin Núñez are wanted by clubs in Saudi Arabia, as is Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes. Join us for the latest transfer news, rumors, and gossip from around the globe.Transfers homepage | Done deals | Men’s January grades | Women’s January gradesTOP STORIES- Sources: Zubimendi set for medical before Arsenal transfer- Sources: Inter Miami eye move for América’s Rodríguez- Sources: Spirit coach Giraldez close to Lyonnes jobLiverpool duo Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz are wanted by Saudi Pro League clubs. Peter Byrne – PA Images/Getty ImagesTRENDING RUMORS- Liverpool winger Luis Díaz continues to attract interest from…