Town Hall News

BEIRUT (Reuters) – Lebanon on Friday approved the “Barbie” film to be screened in cinemas following an initial attempt to ban it by its culture minister over claims it contradicts conservative values. Lebanon’s General Security agency, which is responsible for reviewing any films, plays or books to be released in Lebanon, issued a decision on Friday allowing the film’s screening, according to a copy of the decision seen by Reuters. […]

By Josh Smith and Soo-hyang Choi SEOUL (Reuters) -North Korea has launched its first operational “tactical nuclear attack submarine” and assigned it to the fleet that patrols the waters between the Korean peninsula and Japan, state media said on Friday. Submarine No. 841 – named Hero Kim Kun Ok after a North Korean historical figure – will be one of the main “underwater offensive means of the naval force” of […]

(Reuters) – Anglo American Plc’s De Beers is confident ongoing talks with South Africa’s National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) will avert a wage strike at Venetia, the country’s largest diamond mine, the company said on Friday. On Tuesday, NUM, South Africa’s biggest mineworkers’ union, said it was planning a strike at Venetia, as De Beers could only offer a 6% pay increase against demands for a 9% hike. The strike […]

LONDON (Reuters) – Prince Harry paid tribute on Thursday to the late Queen Elizabeth as he returned to Britain to attend an awards ceremony a day before the first anniversary of his grandmother’s death. Harry only occasionally comes back to Britain since his move to California with his wife Meghan after the couple stepped down from their official royal roles in 2020, and then fell out with the other Windsors, […]

KYIV (Reuters) – Ukraine’s air force shot down 16 out of 20 Iranian-made “Shahed” drones launched by Russia overnight in the fifth attack this week on the southern Odesa region, regional and military officials said on Friday. Russia has intensified air attacks on Ukrainian grain export infrastructure on the Danube River and in the port of Odesa since mid-July, when Moscow quit the U.N.-brokered deal that allowed safe Ukrainian grain […]

By Josh Smith SEOUL (Reuters) – Over the past year North Korea has moved to boost its navy with new nuclear weapons, including an underwater drone, warships, and its first operational missile submarine, unveiled on Friday. North Korea’s navy has historically been dwarfed by the country’s land forces, and overshadowed by its rapidly advancing ballistic missile program. Now, leader Kim Jong Un has said the navy will play a key […]

(Reuters) – Alchemy Copyrights has agreed to buy music copyright-focussed investment firm Round Hill Music Royalty Fund for about $468.8 million, the companies said on Friday, giving it access to songs including Backstreet Boys’ “I Want It That Way”. Shareholders in Round Hill Music will get $1.15 in cash per scheme share, representing a premium of about 67% to the stock’s closing price on Thursday. Alchemy Copyrights, trading as Concord, […]

By Ben Blanchard and David Shepardson TAIPEI (Reuters) -China’s widening curbs on iPhone use by government staff intensified a sell-off of tech stocks on Friday, fanning fears that Apple and its suppliers could take a hit from rising Sino-U.S. tensions and growing competition from Huawei. Apple shares tumbled 6.4% over the last two days, wiping $190 billion off its market capitalisation, dented by news that Beijing has told employees at […]

By Michael Holden LONDON (Reuters) – King Charles on Friday thanked the public for their “love and support” on the first anniversary of the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth and his accession to the throne, echoing her words as he vowed to be of service to all. Elizabeth, Britain’s longest-reigning sovereign, died aged 96 on Sept. 8 at Balmoral Castle, her beloved Scottish summer retreat, leading to 10 days […]