Shell Pledges Extra Buybacks, Hikes Dividend as Profit Drops
Shell Plc’s second-quarter profit fell from the highs seen last year but the company pledged extra share buybacks
2023-07-27 15:52
Pakistan's finance minister says China rolls over $2.4 billion loan for Islamabad for 2 years
Pakistan’s finance minister says Beijing has rolled over a $2.4 billion loan for his country for two years, a move aimed at helping Pakistan overcome a lingering economic crisis
2023-07-27 15:52
Tristan Tate backs Elon Musk amid online trolling with 'Oppenheimer' wordplay during $44B Twitter makeover, Internet dubs Twitter CEO 'Meta destroyer'
Tristan Tate said, 'Show me you lack knowledge of history without showing me you lack knowledge of history'
2023-07-27 15:51
Did Prince attack Sinead O'Connor? Late Irish singer alleged he got violent after 'Nothing Compares 2 U' became a hit
Sinead O'Connor achieved international stardom in 1990 with her rendition of 'Nothing Compares 2 U', a song originally written and composed by Prince
2023-07-27 15:50
Thai June factory output drops more than forecast as exports weak
By Orathai Sriring and Kitiphong Thaichareon BANGKOK Thailand's factory output shrank more than expected in June as sluggish
2023-07-27 15:30
Norwegian woman, Nepali guide set record for summit of 14 'super peaks'
A Norwegian woman and her Nepali guide set the record Thursday for the fastest summit of all 14 of the world's 8,000-metre (26,000-feet) mountains...
2023-07-27 15:29
In the Arctic, Russians keep the free press flame alive
Exiled to a place far above the Arctic Circle, a group of Russian journalists are working with Norwegians to break through the strict state controls that have...
2023-07-27 15:28
Malaysia Plans to Build Region’s Largest Solar Hybrid Plant
Malaysia plans to develop Southeast Asia’s largest solar hybrid facility while pursuing hydrogen plants to achieve its 70%
2023-07-27 15:27
Zara founder Ortega's real estate fortune hit $20 billion in 2022
MADRID The investment firm of Spanish billionaire Amancio Ortega, the founder of fashion giant Inditex, on Thursday reported
2023-07-27 15:26
Kuwait executes 5 prisoners, including a man convicted in 2015 Islamic State-claimed mosque bombing
Kuwait says it executed five prisoners including an inmate convicted over an Islamic State group-claimed mosque bombing in 2015 that killed 27 people
2023-07-27 15:22
Jordan Henderson bids farewell to Liverpool ahead of move to Al-Ettifaq
Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson has bid farewell to the club as he closes in on a move to Al-Ettifaq. The 33-year-old will bring to an end a 12-year spell at Anfield, in which he won every single major club honour, when his move to the Saudi Pro League club is confirmed. “It’s hard to put these last 12 years into words and it’s even harder to say goodbye. I will always be a Red. Until the day I die,” he posted on Instagram. “Thank you for everything. You’ll never walk alone.” He added in a video accompanying his post: “I’m in the (Liverpool) dressing room for the last time so, as you can imagine, it is very emotional. “I need to somehow explain what these last 12 years have meant for me and my family. “Being made the captain of Liverpool Football Club was one the greatest honours of my life. “From the day the armband was passed to me I did everything I could to behave like a Liverpool captain should. “Thank you for allowing me to be part of your club, thank you for your support in good time and bad.” Henderson’s move to the Middle East – where he will be reunited with former Liverpool team-mate Steven Gerrard as manager – has been in the pipeline for several weeks but on Wednesday a fan posted a video on social media of him training with his new club in Croatia. Despite the very public interest in the England international he flew out to Liverpool’s training camp in Germany 11 days ago, although he did not play in either of their friendlies out there after an offer of an initial £12million was accepted. In contrast, fellow midfielder Fabinho was left at home as a £40m bid from Al-Ittihad arrived hours before they were due to travel. The Brazil international is still awaiting the conclusion of the deal but that is expected to go through this week. Henderson’s decision to move to Saudi Arabia has come in for criticism after his staunch support for the LGBT+ community and Rainbow Laces Premier League initiative. Homosexuality is illegal and punishable by death in Saudi Arabia, while the state stands accused of a host of other abuses including placing harsh restrictions on women’s rights and the right to political protest. “Jordan Henderson is of course free to play for whoever he chooses, but we would urge him to examine Saudi Arabia’s human rights record and be prepared to speak out about human rights violations in the country,” Amnesty’s UK economic affairs director Peter Frankental told the PA news agency last week. Pride in Football, a network of LGBT+ fan groups, said in a statement: “When you see someone who has been an ally so publicly transfer to a club in a country where LGBT+ people are attacked and imprisoned, it is disappointing. “Good luck in Saudi Arabia Jordan, but you have lost the respect of so many people who valued you, and trusted you.” Liverpool’s own LGBT+ fans group Kop Outs were even more damning, saying: “Given choices he has recently made, Kop Outs doubt & question if Henderson was ever an actual ally.” While Al-Ettifaq wait to confirm Henderson’s arrival they have signed Scotland international Jack Hendry’s from from Club Brugges and former Celtic forward Moussa Dembele. Read More Jordan Henderson risks tarnishing Liverpool legacy after career built on triumph of character
2023-07-27 15:21
Florence Pugh's nude Oppenheimer scene censored in some countries with 'best ever CGI'
The release of Oppenheimer has got off to a box office success, but fans in some countries have been left feeling cheated after a nude scene with Florence Pugh was censored with CGI. On 21 July, the highly-anticipated Christopher Nolan film was released in movie theatres drawing millions of people around the world to cinemas. The film about the “father of the atomic bomb” stars Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr and Florence Pugh. Pugh, who played the character Jean Tatlock, was pictured after a sex scene sitting naked on a sofa having a conversation with Oppenheimer, played by Murphy. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter But for some cinemagoers in India, the full effect of the scene was diminished by the use of CGI to cover Pugh with a dress. To ensure the film would be classified in the U/A category, Universal Pictures made an edit to the Indian version of the film by placing a dress over Pugh to shield the nudity. One user joked: “The best ever CGI work in India award goes to the Indian censor board for Florence Pugh's black dress in Oppenheimer.” But, others pointed out that it wasn’t only India that screened the censored version of the film. According to other Twitter users, the same CGI-edited version was also played in cinemas in Indonesia, Pakistan and the Middle East. Another claimed: “In Malaysia, they deleted both 1st and second sex scenes because they didn't add anything to the plot (it was an R rated movie, I paid to see that). “But they couldn't delete this scene because it's important to the plot so they choose to cover her.” Someone else suggested that in Nepalese cinemas, the Pugh nude scene was simply cut altogether, without them realising the significance it had on the rest of the film. According to figures, Oppenheimer’s domestic opening weekend made a gross of $83m (£64.75m). Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-07-27 15:21
