World News

Indian authorities have fined Google 13bn rupees ($161m; £144m) for using its Android platform to dominate the market. The country's competition regulator has accused the tech giant of entering into one-sided agreements with smartphone makers to ensure the dominance of its apps.

It has ordered Google to cease and desist from such practices. Google has not responded to the fine or the accusations yet.

Many successful women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) open doors for others entering those fields.

The U.S. Department of State’s TechWomen program boosts this kind of networking for women in Africa, Central and South Asia, and the Middle East. It gives them access to their own U.S. mentors who help them gain resources and knowledge to succeed.

For Teresa Ferreiro, re-entering the workforce after surviving cancer felt overwhelming. So Ferreiro, of A Coruña, Spain, founded the online platform Soul Reconnect to help other breast cancer patients and survivors navigate the frightening, often isolating, journey.

“If you don’t know how to go back to work, talk to others, or face your fears, then things can get very difficult,” said Ferreiro, who was diagnosed with breast cancer 12 years ago.

With the countdown to hosting the world’s largest football event advancing, Qatar Airways Group and Qatar Tourism unveil major events to provide football fans with world-class entertainment including Qatar Live – which hosts more than 60 international artists throughout the World Cup.

Dancers, singers and performing artists from around the world are in the United States to share their talents through two U.S. Department of State programs. Each year, the department coordinates with the New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA) and New York City’s Found Sound Nation to bring international artists to the United States through Center Stage and OneBeat.

Indonesia has announced plans to demolish the stadium where at least 131 football fans recently died and hundreds were injured in a stampede. President Joko Widodo said the Kanjuruhan stadium in Malang would be rebuilt according to safety standards set by the sport's governing body FIFA.

Jamaica's broadcasting authority has banned content that glorifies illegal activity - such as drug and gun use. The new rules cover TV and radio - including music - and list specific topics that are off-limits.

Scamming, drug abuse and the illegal use of firearms cannot be promoted - and swearing or "near-sounding" replacements are also banned. But the strict nature of the ban has been criticised by some artists who argue music is a reflection of life.

A Staffordshire GP has helped to raise more than 530,000 for victims of flooding in Pakistan.

Dr Adeel Riaz set up the charity Aghosh UK, along with a couple of friends, focused on alleviating poverty in the country.

A museum in London says it has agreed to return to Nigeria artefacts looted in the 19th Century from the Kingdom of Benin.

The Horniman Museum said ownership of 72 objects would be transferred to the Nigerian government. Items include 12 brass plaques, known as Benin Bronzes, a brass cockerel and a key to the king's palace.

“STEM brings out a lot of career choices for women,” says Indonesian high school student Karin Agnesia Ignotius, a participant in Women in Science Camp (WiSci), a recent State Department program.

“The normalization of women working and participating in the STEM field will help society to understand that women can do things as good as men.”

Throughout the state's response to Hurricane Ian, VISIT FLORIDA has worked closely with authorities and travel brands, such as Expedia, AirBnb and hoteliers throughout the state, to connect displaced Floridians with resources for finding suitable short- and long-term accommodations. 

The United States and Norway are leading the way on collaborative efforts to stop activities that pose a direct threat to people and nature.

On September 21 on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, Norwegian Minister of Climate and Environment Espen Barth Eide and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs Monica Medina co-hosted the Nature Crime Roundtable with leaders from 11 countries.

President Biden announced $810 million in funding for Pacific island nations, part of an increasing U.S. commitment to long-standing partners. “Security in the Pacific and for the Pacific Islanders remains as critical as ever to us,” he said at the first U.S.–Pacific Island Country Summit in Washington, which drew 15 countries.

Over the last decade, the United States has directly provided more than $1.5 billion to the Pacific islands, the White House said in a fact sheet.

Marking a new beginning through the arrival of a new moon, it’s time for people to gather with their families, and decorate their house to celebrate the victory of good over evil. Also known as the festival of lights, Diwali is one of the major festivals celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and some Buddhists throughout the world.

This cool pavement installation in Phoenix was part of a 2021 pilot program. (Courtesy of City of Phoenix Street Transportation Department)

Asphalt, concrete and lack of tree coverage raise city temperatures. Roadways, roofs and other surfaces trap the sun’s UV rays and give off heat throughout the day and even into the night.

Three State Department employees helped to give more than 72,000 Afghans a chance to build new lives in the United States as part of the largest U.S. resettlement effort in decades. Hilary Ingraham, Holly Herrera and Kiera Berdinner helped connect Afghan families with safe housing, food, clothing and medical care in cities across America following the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan in 2021.