Sunday, 18 January 2026

Author: AFP

‘Sesame Street’ puppeteer dies

WASHINGTON: Puppeteer Caroll Spinney, who brought Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch to life on the iconic children’s television show “Sesame Street” for half a century, died on Sunday at the age of 85. Spinney died at home in Connecticut after living for some time with the movement disorder dystonia,

Miss South Africa is 2019 Miss Universe

ATLANTA: Miss South Africa was crowned Miss Universe on Sunday in Atlanta after a lavish ceremony filled with glitter and heartfelt speeches about female empowerment. Zozibini Tunzi, 26, finished first ahead of the Puerto Rican and Mexican finalists in a flashy televised event, hosted by American comic turned TV personality

Trump aims at toilets’ problem

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump told a White House gathering Friday that he’s taking aim at the problem of US toilets that require flushing “10 times, 15 times”. Speaking in a voice and with a level of detail that suggested the importance he was giving the issue, Trump told the high-level

World Bank urged to stop lending to China

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has lashed out at the World Bank, blaming the international financial institution for lending money to China. “Why is the World Bank loaning money to China? Can this be possible? China has plenty of money, and if they don’t, they create it. Stop! ” Trump

eSports debut in SEA Games

MANILA: eSports edged further into the mainstream sports world with this week’s debut at the Southeast Asian Games, but the Holy Grail — Olympic recognition — remains stubbornly out of reach. A much-hyped launch in Manila, starring rows of gamers in matching tracksuits and headphones, marked the first time competitive

TikTok drops cyberbullying policy

TIKTOK has dropped a ‘blunt’ cyberbullying policy, the Chinese-owned video sharing app said after a report it hid posts by disabled, gay and overweight people. People deemed “susceptible to harassment or cyberbullying based on their physical or mental condition” had the reach of their posts restricted, German site NetzPolitik.org reported,

56 polar bears descend on village

MOSCOW: More than 50 polar bears have gathered on the edge of a village in Russia’s far north, environmentalists and residents said, as weak Arctic ice leaves them unable to roam. The Russian branch of the World Wildlife Fund said climate change was to blame, as unusually warm temperatures prevented

HK protesters vow weekend rally

HONG KONG: Hong Kong prodemocracy activists yesterday vowed to hold another massive rally over the weekend and warned the city’s pro-Beijing leader not to think a recent lull in violence means public anger is weakening. The semi-autonomous financial hub has been battered by six months of increasingly violent protests pushing

Mega fire forms north of Sydney

SYDNEY: Several Australian bush fires have combined to form a “mega fire” that is burning out of control across a swathe of land north of Sydney, authorities said yesterday, warning they cannot contain the blaze. New South Wales Rural Fire Service deputy commissioner, Rob Rogers said “there are probably more

Jar Jar Binks actor to host ‘Star Wars’ TV game show

STAR Wars fans will get a chance to enter the Jedi ranks in a new Disney+ TV game show — if they can stomach the return of the muchmaligned Jar Jar Binks. ‘Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge’ will be hosted by Ahmed Best, who played the bumbling, comedic alien sidekick