Friday, December 26

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What does the truce between Israel and Hezbollah involve and what happens if it’s broken? | World News
Business

What does the truce between Israel and Hezbollah involve and what happens if it’s broken? | World News

Israel and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah have agreed a ceasefire deal that will end more than a year of fighting.The deal was announced by US President Joe Biden, who said it is "designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities". Sky News takes a look at what the US-proposed deal involves, what happens if it's broken and what will come next.Middle East latest: Biden insists ceasefire deal will be 'permanent'When will the fighting stop? Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah will end at 4am local time (2am GMT) on Wednesday, Mr Biden said.It will bring an end to nearly 14 months of fighting which has seen more than 3,500 Lebanese killed and more than 15,000 injured.Israeli strikes into Lebanon have forced 1.2 million people to leave their homes, while Hezbollah attacks have driven som...
Kiwi killed in South Africa robbery remembered as ‘one-of-a-kind person’
World News

Kiwi killed in South Africa robbery remembered as ‘one-of-a-kind person’

Eugene Robbemond. Photo: Facebook The Whanganui motor sport community is paying tribute to Eugene Robbemond who, according to media reports, has been killed during a robbery in South Africa. Local media outlet The Daily Voice reported a man was trying to stop a robbery in Monte Vista and shot dead. Police spokesman Malcolm Pojie confirmed to The Daily Voice the man was 49-years-old and died around 1.30pm on Friday on Mostert Street in Monte Vista. "We have reason to believe that it was a bank-following-robbery as the motive, even though the suspects fled the scene without any loot," the outlet reported Pojie as saying. "The vehicles of the suspects were traced and recovered in a parking lot in Parow." The Daily Voice reported the dead man's parents were the intended victims of the robbe...
Dark clouds hang over Middle East despite optimism surrounding Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire | World News
Business

Dark clouds hang over Middle East despite optimism surrounding Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire | World News

A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah has been agreed, to celebrations in Lebanon but scepticism in Israel.Lebanese people are finally looking forward to some calm after months of heavy bombardment in the capital Beirut and across the country. An estimated 1.2 million people have been displaced and many towns and villages heavily damaged.Middle East latest: Israel and Lebanon agree ceasefireBut a snap poll for one Israeli news channel found only 37% of Israelis in favour of the deal. Not everyone in the Israeli cabinet was supportive of the deal, either.Itamar Ben-Gvir describes it as "a historic mistake" but didn't threaten to withdraw his party from government. He was the one person who voted against the truce. So what have those critics extracted from Prime Minister Benjamin Neta...
What’s going on with all the celebrity lookalike contests?
World News

What’s going on with all the celebrity lookalike contests?

Timothee Chalamet, Paul Mescal, Dev Patel and Jason Momoa - do you look like someone famous? Photo: Liam Swiggs In late October, amidst the tensions of a looming election, the world witnessed the birth of a new kind of democratic event - the celebrity lookalike contest. It all began with the Timothee Chalamet event in New York, when a bunch of mop-haired, square-jawed lookalikes descended upon Washington Square Park, all for a small trophy, a $50 cash prize, and the knowledge they (vaguely) resemble a Hollywood star. The contest was a raging success; hundreds of onlookers stopped by, there were four arrests, and Chalamet himself even turned up to meet his doppelgangers. And since then, dozens of copycat lookalike contests have popped up around the world. In Dublin, mulleted men in short...
Railways CPR video: Cardiologist shares dos and don’ts of life-saving procedure
Health

Railways CPR video: Cardiologist shares dos and don’ts of life-saving procedure

A video shared by Ministry of Railways, showcasing a Travelling Ticket Examiner (TTE) performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on a 70-year-old conscious passenger who had suffered a heart attack has attracted criticism on social media, with medical experts pointing out that performing this procedure on a conscious person can be dangerous. CPR is a life-saving emergency procedure and given its critical nature, it becomes essential to administer it accurately at the correct time. In a conversation with mid-day.com, Dr Pradeep Kumar D, Senior Consultant – Cardiology, Manipal Hospital, Yeshwanthpur, discusses the essentials of performing CPR. When should CPR be given? When should it be stopped? Dr Pradeep: CPR should be administered to a patient who is unresponsive, not breathing spo...
Bluster or really America First? Either way, Donald Trump’s tariff plan creates unease for more than one country | US News
Business

Bluster or really America First? Either way, Donald Trump’s tariff plan creates unease for more than one country | US News

The notion that Donald Trump would hike tariffs is hardly a surprise - it was a plan front and centre of his economic pitch during the election campaign.If that softened the landing, it still hit hard in the three countries in the frame. Mexico warned it would cause inflation and job losses in both their countries and Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke of a relationship that needs a "certain amount of working on".It's the weary assessment of a man who's seen this movie before.On the face of it, it's symptomatic of a muscular economic stance that fits entirely with Donald Trump's "America First" strategy. It would have a significant impact, far beyond the countries that Trump has placed in the frame, raising the spectre of trade war and, accordingly, grinding the gears of internat...
India officials probe Google Maps after three deaths
World News

India officials probe Google Maps after three deaths

The driver followed Google Maps into taking the route, according to the Hindustan Times. Photo: Nikolas Kokovlis / NurPhoto via AFP Google said on Tuesday it was assisting Indian authorities probing the deaths of three men who reportedly drove off an incomplete bridge while following a route on Google Maps. The group was on their way to a wedding in northern India's Uttar Pradesh state when their car plunged into the Ramganga river from the unfinished bridge early on Sunday. The driver followed Google Maps into taking the route, the Hindustan Times newspaper said on Tuesday, quoting police officials. Police questioned an unnamed official from the navigation app, as well as others from the government public works department, the Press Trust of India news agency also reported. "Our deepes...
Rakon in the red amid global slowdown in rollout of 5G
World News

Rakon in the red amid global slowdown in rollout of 5G

Rakon's revenue has been hit hard, offsetting gains made in the aerospace and defence markets. Photo: 123RF Semiconductor chipmaker Rakon has plunged into the red amid a global slowdown in the rollout of 5G networks. Key numbers for the six months ended September compared with a year ago: Net loss $10.4m vs $0.5m profit Revenue $41.7m vs $61.3m Underlying loss $7.3m vs $5.3m profit No dividend Chief executive Sinan Altug said the half-year period was "exceptionally tough", particularly in the telecommunications and positioning markets. "These markets continued to be affected by macroeconomic conditions that slowed investments in 5G mobile networks globally, and extended timeframes for customer inventory normalisation across both markets," he said. The company's revenue was also hit sh...
Donald Trump vows massive tariff rises on goods from Mexico, Canada and China
World News

Donald Trump vows massive tariff rises on goods from Mexico, Canada and China

By David Goldman, CNN File photo. Donald Trump promised massive hikes in tariffs on goods from Mexico, Canada and China starting on the first day of his administration. Photo: CHIP SOMODEVILLA / Getty Images via AFP Incoming US president Donald Trump promised massive hikes in tariffs on goods coming from Mexico, Canada and China starting on the first day of his administration, a policy that could sharply increase costs for American businesses and consumers. The move, Trump said, will be in retaliation for illegal immigration and "crime and drugs" coming across the border. "On January 20th, as one of my many first Executive Orders, I will sign all necessary documents to charge Mexico and Canada a 25 percent Tariff on ALL products coming into the United States, and its ridiculous Open...
What happened last time Trump imposed tariffs and how do they work? – National
Politics

What happened last time Trump imposed tariffs and how do they work? – National

U.S. president-elect Donald Trump on Monday proposed tariffs on all products coming into the United States from Canada and Mexico once he takes office. It’s not the first time Canadians have had to deal with exports heading south of the border being taxed.During his first term, Trump imposed a 20-per cent tariff on softwood lumber — part of the ongoing decades-old row over the product — followed a year later by a 25-per cent tariff on steel and 10-per cent tax on aluminum products.Prior to taking office in 2016, Trump had blasted the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and negotiations began in August 2017 when he was in the White House to carve out a new deal with Canada and Mexico, which remained underway by spring 2018 when Trump announced the tariffs on May 31, 2018. St...