Lung cancer has long been associated with smoking, but recent trends in the United States show a disturbing rise in lung cancer diagnoses among young and middle-aged women, many of whom have never smoked. This shift has drawn attention to a growing health crisis that medical experts are still trying to fully understand. Susan Wojcicki, the former CEO of YouTube, was among those who experienced this firsthand. Diagnosed with lung cancer in 2022, Wojcicki, who had never smoked and was an active runner, shared her journey publicly in a blog post just weeks before her death in August 2024. In…
Author: Raja Zahid Khanzada
Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, is intervening in the bankruptcy proceedings surrounding Alex Jones’ Infowars, marking an unprecedented move in the realm of social media law. This is believed to be the first time a social media company has directly entered a legal dispute concerning account ownership. Jones’ parent company, Free Speech Systems, which owns Infowars, recently faced an auction to help cover part of the nearly $1.5 billion he owes to the families of Sandy Hook shooting victims, after being found guilty of defamation. The satirical news site The Onion won the auction, supported by some of the…
Holiday shoppers got an early start on their Black Friday shopping this year, with online spending hitting a record-breaking $6.1 billion on Thanksgiving Day, according to Adobe Analytics. This marks an 8.8% increase from 2023, when Thanksgiving sales grew by 5.5%, as consumers sought ways to stretch their dollars further. Toys saw a surge in demand, with discounts reaching up to 27.2%, while electronics accounted for more than 26.5% of the total sales. Many consumers took advantage of early promotions to upgrade their TVs and computers. Mobile shopping reached new heights this year, with smartphones driving nearly 60% of all…
Beer and liquor might be considered recession-proof, but they are certainly not immune to the impact of tariffs. If President-elect Donald Trump proceeds with his plan to impose a 25% tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico, American consumers may face higher prices for some of their favorite beverages, including the nation’s top beer brand, Modelo. In preparation for potential price hikes, some businesses have already begun stockpiling popular products, particularly tequila, which can only be produced in Mexico. Despite these precautions, industry experts warn that consumers will ultimately bear the brunt of the increased costs. “Many companies, particularly smaller…
The Container Store, a well-known retail chain specializing in storage and organizational products, is at risk of bankruptcy as it grapples with a combination of weak market conditions and intense competition. The store, which first gained attention in 2019 following the success of Netflix’s Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, saw a significant surge in sales as consumers flocked to buy organization products. Kondo’s influence led to a partnership in 2021, allowing the brand to design exclusive products with the famous decluttering expert. However, the impact of the Kondo effect has faded, and the company’s future now hangs in the balance. A combination…
Suriname, a small South American nation, is set to distribute the wealth generated from its newly discovered oil and gas reserves among its population of over 600,000 citizens. This initiative follows a series of oil discoveries from an offshore drilling project called Block 58 between 2019 and 2023. In an effort to ensure that the benefits of these resources are felt by all Surinamese, President Chan Santokhi has launched a groundbreaking program named Royalties for Everyone (RVI). This plan aims to share the financial benefits derived from the country’s oil and gas fields, which experts estimate could bring in around $10 billion…
In a significant turn of events, Syria’s military has announced a temporary withdrawal of troops from Aleppo following a surprise attack by rebel groups, marking the first major assault on government-held positions in the city in years. The offensive, led by the Hay’et Tahrir al-Shams (HTS) group, has resulted in fierce clashes, with dozens of soldiers killed or injured in the past few days. On Saturday, the Syrian military released a statement confirming the withdrawal, stating that the decision was made after heavy fighting with armed opposition groups in the Aleppo and Idlib regions. The statement also mentioned that the…
As Black Friday arrived, shoppers were eager to snag holiday deals, with many already feeling the strain of rising prices and uncertain economic conditions. Inflation-weary consumers flocked to stores, hoping to find discounts before potential price hikes in the coming year, fueled by the anticipated tariffs under President-elect Donald Trump’s administration. Teagan Hickson, a mother of two, walked into a Walmart Supercenter in Fort Wayne, Indiana, with hopes of finding holiday bargains. The first deal she spotted: a Gourmia digital air fryer oven for $50, a perfect gift for her sister Jordan. But Hickson had concerns beyond the price tags.…
The United Nations has raised alarming concerns about the underreporting of sexual violence against men in Russian detention centers. The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) has warned that many cases of sexual violence involving Ukrainian men are not being reported due to the stigma and perceived emasculation associated with such crimes. According to the official statistics from Ukraine’s Prosecutor General’s Office, 114 men have been recorded as victims of sexual violence since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. However, the UNFPA believes this number is likely an understatement, as for every reported case, there may be 10 to…
Tensions are rising in Namibia after the controversial extension of the presidential and parliamentary elections into the weekend, caused by significant “irregularities” that hindered the voting process. The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) announced on Friday that polling stations, originally scheduled to close two days earlier, would remain open until Saturday night. This extension was necessitated by “logistical failures,” which included a shortage of ballot papers and overheating electronic tablets used to register voters. These issues led to long delays, with many citizens forced to stand in long queues for hours. The delay has sparked frustration among the electorate, particularly…
