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Former President Donald Trump has criticized Turkey's actions in Syria, describing them as an "unfriendly takeover" amid ongoing tensions in the region. His remarks add to the complexity of US-Turkey relations.

USA: Trump Calls Rebellion In Syria 'Unfriendly Takeover' By Turkiye

Former President Donald Trump has criticized Turkey's actions in Syria, describing them as an "unfriendly takeover" amid ongoing tensions in the region. His remarks add to the complexity of US-Turkey relations.



Tottenham's Rodrigo Bentancur has lost his appeal against a ban, which means he will miss several matches. The midfielder's suspension has sparked debate among fans and pundits alike.

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Tottenham's Rodrigo Bentancur has lost his appeal against a ban, which means he will miss several matches. The midfielder's suspension has sparked debate among fans and pundits alike.



Ghana's Supreme Court on Wednesday paved the way for a contested bill severely curtailing LGBTQ rights to become law after rejecting two bids to overturn it. Lawmakers approved the Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill in February, drawing international condemnation despite gaining wide public support in the conservative West African country.

Ghana's Supreme Court on Wednesday paved the way for a contested bill severely curtailing LGBTQ rights to become law after rejecting two bids to overturn it. Lawmakers approved the Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill in February, drawing international condemnation despite gaining wide public support in the conservative West African country. The proposed anti-LGBTQ legislation is considered among the most stringent in Africa, stipulating jail terms of up to three years for engaging in same-sex relations and up to five years for promoting or sponsoring LGBTQ activities. The bill will only become law after being ratified by the outgoing president Nana Akufo-Addo or his successor, John Mahama. Akufo-Addo, who officially stepped down on January 7 after two terms in office, has not yet announced his decision. Watch | Oman Stops New Import Permits For Indian Chicken Eggs He had said he would first await the Supreme Court's ruling on the bill's constitutionality. Opposition leader Mahama, who won the December 7 elections, voiced support for the anti-LGBTQ bill during the electoral campaign. Gay sex is already illegal in the religious, mostly Christian nation, but while discrimination against LGBTQ people is common, no one has ever been prosecuted under the colonial-era law. Fears for finances "It will be premature for this court to exercise its interpretive and enforcement jurisdiction to intervene. Consequently, the action fails," Judge Avril Lovelace-Johnson, head of the court's seven-member panel said, reading its judgement. "Until there is presidential assent to the bill, there is no act of which the Supreme Court will use its supervisory jurisdiction to overturn," she added. The court's ruling followed cases filed by Ghanaian broadcaster Richard Dela-Sky, who challenged the constitutionality of the bill, and university researcher Amanda Odoi. Odoi had sought to block the sending of the bill to the president for ratification. The bill was initially introduced into parliament in 2021, but the vote faced delays. Also read | Trump says US subsidies to Canada make no sense, suggests Canada become 51st US state It sparked criticism from the United Nations and several countries, including the United States, as well as concern from Ghana's finance ministry, which warned of a risk of losing billions of dollars in World Bank funding. Ghana fears it could face the same fate as Uganda, which last year passed one of the harshest anti-gay laws in the world. The World Bank froze lending to Uganda in the wake of the law, which imposes penalties of up to life in prison for consensual same-sex relations and contains provisions that make "aggravated homosexuality" an offence punishable by death. Ghana is emerging from its worst economic crisis in decades and is also under a $3 billion loan programme from the International Monetary Fund. United Nations rights chief Volker Turk condemned the passing of the bill in February, saying that consensual same-sex conduct should never be criminalised. Also read | Virginia man dies after bear in tree shot by his partner falls on him Around 60 countries in the world ban same-sex relations, about half of them are in Africa, according to the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Intersex Association (ILGA). Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Ghana's Supreme Court paves way for anti-LGBTQ law

Vanya Maisuenpon, a five-year-old swimming sensation from Thailand, has taken the swimming world by storm with her incredible skills, making waves in international competitions at such a young age.

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Indian Space agency ISRO has commenced assembly of the Human-rated Launch Vehicle Mark 3 (HLVM3) rocket that will eventually carry Indian astronauts to space as part of the country's Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme.&nbsp;

Presently, the rocket is being assembled at the Indian Spaceport in Sriharikota, in preparation for a maiden mission where the rocket will be carrying a humanoid robot 'Vyommitra' to space, instead of astronauts.&nbsp;

Vyommitra will fly on three test missions to space, and once all these missions are successfully accomplished, ISRO will carry out the astronaut mission.&nbsp;

The data gained through the uncrewed flights will be instrumental for the success of the crewed missions.

HLVM3 is a three-stage rocket with a payload capacity of about 10 tonnes to Low Earth Orbit. The vehicle is 53 metres tall and weighs 640 tonnes.&nbsp;

"At 8:45 Hrs on 18th December, 2024 at SDSC, the stacking of the nozzle end segment with full flex seal nozzle of the S200 motor took place, thus commencing the official launch campaign of the HLVM3-G1 / OM-1 mission," ISRO said.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/explained-european-space-agency-to-help-india-see-and-speak-to-gaganyaan-782093">Also read:&nbsp;Explained: European Space Agency to help India 'see and speak' to Gaganyaan</a>

Twin S200 motors powered by solid fuel comprise the first stage of the rocket. L110 (liquid stage) and C32 (cryogenic) stages for the HLVM3, which serve as the second and final stage of the rocket, are also ready at the spaceport, ISRO added. HLVM3 is a modified version of India's heaviest rocket, the&nbsp;LVM3. Simply put, ISRO has enhanced the satellite-carrying LVM3 rocket to carry astronauts to space.&nbsp;

Further, the crew escape systems elements are also at the spaceport. The Crew Escape System is what ejects the astronaut-carrying capsule to safety when there is an anomaly detected in the rocket mid-flight.

The integration of Crew Module (the capsule that will house astronauts) is happening at ISRO's Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) in Thiruvananthapuram, and the integration of Service Module (which contains critical systems that support the mission) is taking place at UR Satellite Centre (URSC), Bengaluru.&nbsp;

Subsequently, the Crew Module and the Service Module will be integrated and tested at URSC, Bengaluru.

<h2>Significance of Dec 18 and ISRO's LVM3-X/CARE mission</h2>

It was on December 18th, 2014, that ISRO carried out the maiden flight of the LVM3 rocket. In a mission dubbed 'LVM3-X/CARE', the LVM3-X rocket had lifted a 3775 kg Crew Module to an altitude of 126 km above the earth.&nbsp;

From that sub-orbital altitude, it was controlled using thrusters to orient it for a favourable re-entry. The Crew Module descended using parachutes to have a smooth splashdown at the designated location off India's East Coast.&nbsp;

The Indian Coast Guard recovered the Crew Module from the turbulent seas of the Bay of Bengal, approximately 1600 km from the Indian spaceport.

Conducted exactly a decade ago, that mission was developed as part of pre-project activities of the Human Spaceflight Project, well before the official Gaganyaan project was approved in 2019.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;Gaganyaan: ISRO names 4 astronauts who will be part of India’s first manned space mission

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It is a fitting coincidence that ten years later, on the same day, ISRO is gearing up for the first uncrewed mission of Gaganyaan by commencing the stacking of human-rated LVM3, christened HLVM3, at the spaceport.

The primary objective of the LVM3-X/CARE mission was to validate the then new rocket's flight through the atmospheric regime and demonstrate the re-entry of a full-scale Crew Module into Earth's atmosphere.&nbsp;

The mission achieved several critical technical milestones, including the flight validation of the LVM3 rocket, synchronized performance of the paired S200 solid rocket boosters, twin-engine operation of the Vikas engines in L110 stage, algorithms across the rocket's first two stages, and complex stage separation mechanisms.

That success also validated the entire integration, assembly, testing, and launch servicing processes, as well as the mission design and simulation cycles, ensuring readiness for future missions.&nbsp;

The CARE experiment itself served as a platform to evaluate the aerothermal performance of the Crew Module and validate critical re-entry technologies.&nbsp;

It successfully demonstrated blunt-body re-entry aerodynamics, thermal protection systems, parachute-based deceleration mechanisms, and recovery logistics, providing invaluable insights for further developments, ISRO said.

ISRO has come a long way from the experimental mission of LVM3-X/CARE mission. The human-rated launch vehicle, HLVM3, is derived from LVM3 and designed with enhanced reliability to meet human safety considerations.

Additionally, a Crew Escape System (CES) is implemented to ensure crew safety by safe ejection of Crew Module (CM) in a potentially adverse situation. The CES is operational from the launch pad till its separation after the atmospheric flight regime.&nbsp;

The success of the LVM3-X/CARE mission was instrumental in ISRO's journey toward self-reliance in launching heavier satellites. LVM3 has since completed seven successive successful launches.&nbsp;

The insights gained from the CARE mission have also been pivotal in shaping ISRO's human spaceflight program. Iterations in the Crew Module design, along with subsequent pad abort tests, air-drop tests, and test vehicle flights, are built on the foundational data provided by CARE.

Dr. S Somanath, Mission Director of the LVM3-X/CARE mission, now serves as the Secretary of the Department of Space and Chairman of ISRO, while Dr. S Unnikrishnan Nair, the Payload Director of the LVM3-X/ CARE mission, became the founding Director of the Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC), Bengaluru, and now leads the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram.

Indian Space agency ISRO has commenced assembly of the Human-rated Launch Vehicle Mark 3 (HLVM3) rocket that will eventually carry Indian astronauts to space as part of the country's Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme.

Indian Space agency ISRO has commenced assembly of the Human-rated Launch Vehicle Mark 3 (HLVM3) rocket that will eventually carry Indian astronauts to space as part of the country's Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme. Presently, the rocket is being assembled at the Indian Spaceport in Sriharikota, in preparation for a maiden mission where the rocket will be carrying a humanoid robot 'Vyommitra' to space, instead of astronauts. Vyommitra will fly on three test missions to space, and once all these missions are successfully accomplished, ISRO will carry out the astronaut mission. The data gained through the uncrewed flights will be instrumental for the success of the crewed missions. HLVM3 is a three-stage rocket with a payload capacity of about 10 tonnes to Low Earth Orbit. The vehicle is 53 metres tall and weighs 640 tonnes. "At 8:45 Hrs on 18th December, 2024 at SDSC, the stacking of the nozzle end segment with full flex seal nozzle of the S200 motor took place, thus commencing the official launch campaign of the HLVM3-G1 / OM-1 mission," ISRO said. Also read: Explained: European Space Agency to help India 'see and speak' to Gaganyaan Twin S200 motors powered by solid fuel comprise the first stage of the rocket. L110 (liquid stage) and C32 (cryogenic) stages for the HLVM3, which serve as the second and final stage of the rocket, are also ready at the spaceport, ISRO added. HLVM3 is a modified version of India's heaviest rocket, the LVM3. Simply put, ISRO has enhanced the satellite-carrying LVM3 rocket to carry astronauts to space. Further, the crew escape systems elements are also at the spaceport. The Crew Escape System is what ejects the astronaut-carrying capsule to safety when there is an anomaly detected in the rocket mid-flight. The integration of Crew Module (the capsule that will house astronauts) is happening at ISRO's Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) in Thiruvananthapuram, and the integration of Service Module (which contains critical systems that support the mission) is taking place at UR Satellite Centre (URSC), Bengaluru. Subsequently, the Crew Module and the Service Module will be integrated and tested at URSC, Bengaluru. Significance of Dec 18 and ISRO's LVM3-X/CARE mission It was on December 18th, 2014, that ISRO carried out the maiden flight of the LVM3 rocket. In a mission dubbed 'LVM3-X/CARE', the LVM3-X rocket had lifted a 3775 kg Crew Module to an altitude of 126 km above the earth. From that sub-orbital altitude, it was controlled using thrusters to orient it for a favourable re-entry. The Crew Module descended using parachutes to have a smooth splashdown at the designated location off India's East Coast. The Indian Coast Guard recovered the Crew Module from the turbulent seas of the Bay of Bengal, approximately 1600 km from the Indian spaceport. Conducted exactly a decade ago, that mission was developed as part of pre-project activities of the Human Spaceflight Project, well before the official Gaganyaan project was approved in 2019. Watch | Gaganyaan: ISRO names 4 astronauts who will be part of India’s first manned space mission × It is a fitting coincidence that ten years later, on the same day, ISRO is gearing up for the first uncrewed mission of Gaganyaan by commencing the stacking of human-rated LVM3, christened HLVM3, at the spaceport. The primary objective of the LVM3-X/CARE mission was to validate the then new rocket's flight through the atmospheric regime and demonstrate the re-entry of a full-scale Crew Module into Earth's atmosphere. The mission achieved several critical technical milestones, including the flight validation of the LVM3 rocket, synchronized performance of the paired S200 solid rocket boosters, twin-engine operation of the Vikas engines in L110 stage, algorithms across the rocket's first two stages, and complex stage separation mechanisms. That success also validated the entire integration, assembly, testing, and launch servicing processes, as well as the mission design and simulation cycles, ensuring readiness for future missions. The CARE experiment itself served as a platform to evaluate the aerothermal performance of the Crew Module and validate critical re-entry technologies. It successfully demonstrated blunt-body re-entry aerodynamics, thermal protection systems, parachute-based deceleration mechanisms, and recovery logistics, providing invaluable insights for further developments, ISRO said. ISRO has come a long way from the experimental mission of LVM3-X/CARE mission. The human-rated launch vehicle, HLVM3, is derived from LVM3 and designed with enhanced reliability to meet human safety considerations. Additionally, a Crew Escape System (CES) is implemented to ensure crew safety by safe ejection of Crew Module (CM) in a potentially adverse situation. The CES is operational from the launch pad till its separation after the atmospheric flight regime. The success of the LVM3-X/CARE mission was instrumental in ISRO's journey toward self-reliance in launching heavier satellites. LVM3 has since completed seven successive successful launches. The insights gained from the CARE mission have also been pivotal in shaping ISRO's human spaceflight program. Iterations in the Crew Module design, along with subsequent pad abort tests, air-drop tests, and test vehicle flights, are built on the foundational data provided by CARE. Dr. S Somanath, Mission Director of the LVM3-X/CARE mission, now serves as the Secretary of the Department of Space and Chairman of ISRO, while Dr. S Unnikrishnan Nair, the Payload Director of the LVM3-X/ CARE mission, became the founding Director of the Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC), Bengaluru, and now leads the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram.

ISRO starts assembling astronaut-carrying rocket 'HLVM3'

President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration on January 20th approaches, his influence continues to grow. The US president-elect is fully embracing the power that comes with the upcoming rule, relishing the peak perks. He has sparked renewed tensions with Canada, mocking its prime minister and leadership in a social media post. This as Justin Trudeau himself is trying to keep his political boat afloat as crisis deepens within his own cabinet. Watch in for more details!

Will Trudeau Survive The Mounting Pressure?

In the United States, notably on the East Coast, a series of reported drone sightings has sparked widespread concerns and speculations. The situation is still ongoing, but the Pentagon has reassured the public that there is no safety risk or national security threat. The sightings, which began in mid-November over New Jersey, have since been reported in New York, Connecticut, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and even Maryland, sparking fears of a potential national security threat. Watch in for more details!

USA News: Mystery Drones Not Connected To Any Known Threats, Says Pentagon

Sara Sharif's father and stepmother are sentenced to life in prison for the 10-year-old's murder. Her father must spend a minimum of 40 years in jail and her stepmother must serve 33 years. Watch for more detail!

Sara Sharif Murder: Father And Stepmother Of 10-Year-Old Girl Jailed For Life

United States (US) President-elect Donald Trump continued trolling Canada as on Wednesday (Dec 18), he shared a post on Truth Social and slammed US subsidies to Canada. He even claimed that many in Canada want it&nbsp;to become the 51st state of US.

In the post, the Republican wrote, "No one can answer why we subsidise Canada to the tune of over $100,000,000 a year?"&nbsp;

"Makes no sense! Many Canadians want Canada to become the 51st State. They would save massively on Taxes and military protection," he added.&nbsp;

Trump's comment came amid the tensions between the two nations after his announcement to impose 25 per cent tariffs on Canada for failing to address trade and immigration issues.&nbsp;

<h2>'She will not be missed'</h2>

Watch |&nbsp;Kenya Turns to IVF Technology To Save White Rhinos From Extinction

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On Tuesday (Dec 17), French Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland resigned due to a disagreement with Trudeau on handling US tariffs in the upcoming Trump administration.&nbsp;

Trump took a dig at it as he posted on Truth Social saying, "The Great State of Canada is stunned as the Finance Minister resigns, or was fired, from her position by Governor Justin Trudeau."&nbsp;

"Her behaviour was toxic, and not at all conducive to making deals which are good for the very unhappy citizens of Canada. She will not be missed!!!" the Republican further added.&nbsp;

There are further reports that Trump has suggested that if tariffs on Canada would kill its economy, then Canada should become the 51st state of the US.&nbsp;

<h2>'Governor of the Great State'</h2>

Earlier on Tuesday (Dec 10), Trump mocked Justin Trudeau, dubbing him the "Governor of the Great State of Canada."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/virginia-man-dies-after-bear-shot-by-his-partner-falls-from-tree-on-him-785032">Virginia man dies after bear in tree shot by his partner falls on him</a>

Sharing a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump said, "It was a pleasure to have dinner the other night with Governor Justin Trudeau of the Great State of Canada."

"I look forward to seeing the Governor again soon so that we may continue our in-depth talks on Tariffs and Trade, the results of which will be truly spectacular for all!," he added.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

&nbsp;

United States (US) President-elect Donald Trump continued trolling Canada as on Wednesday (Dec 18), he shared a post on Truth Social and slammed US subsidies to Canada.

United States (US) President-elect Donald Trump continued trolling Canada as on Wednesday (Dec 18), he shared a post on Truth Social and slammed US subsidies to Canada. He even claimed that many in Canada want it to become the 51st state of US. In the post, the Republican wrote, "No one can answer why we subsidise Canada to the tune of over $100,000,000 a year?" "Makes no sense! Many Canadians want Canada to become the 51st State. They would save massively on Taxes and military protection," he added. Trump's comment came amid the tensions between the two nations after his announcement to impose 25 per cent tariffs on Canada for failing to address trade and immigration issues. 'She will not be missed' Watch | Kenya Turns to IVF Technology To Save White Rhinos From Extinction On Tuesday (Dec 17), French Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland resigned due to a disagreement with Trudeau on handling US tariffs in the upcoming Trump administration. Trump took a dig at it as he posted on Truth Social saying, "The Great State of Canada is stunned as the Finance Minister resigns, or was fired, from her position by Governor Justin Trudeau." "Her behaviour was toxic, and not at all conducive to making deals which are good for the very unhappy citizens of Canada. She will not be missed!!!" the Republican further added. There are further reports that Trump has suggested that if tariffs on Canada would kill its economy, then Canada should become the 51st state of the US. 'Governor of the Great State' Earlier on Tuesday (Dec 10), Trump mocked Justin Trudeau, dubbing him the "Governor of the Great State of Canada." Also read | Virginia man dies after bear in tree shot by his partner falls on him Sharing a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump said, "It was a pleasure to have dinner the other night with Governor Justin Trudeau of the Great State of Canada." "I look forward to seeing the Governor again soon so that we may continue our in-depth talks on Tariffs and Trade, the results of which will be truly spectacular for all!," he added. (With inputs from agencies)

Trump says US subsidies to Canada make no sense, suggests it become 51st US state

A high-ranking Russian general has been killed in a bombing in Moscow, with Ukraine claiming responsibility. This marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between the two nations.

Russia-Ukraine War: Top Russian General Killed In Moscow Bombing Claimed By Ukraine

A high-ranking Russian general has been killed in a bombing in Moscow, with Ukraine claiming responsibility. This marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between the two nations.



Japan's second and third largest automakers are in talks to deepen their partnership, which could include a full merger. The discussion is aimed at creating a formidable domestic rival to Toyota, the world's largest automaker. Watch in for more details!

Japanese Automakers Honda & Nissan Explore Alliance

After a gap of five years, India and China are set to resume their Special Representative dialogue on border issues. NSA Ajit Doval will lead the Indian delegation for talks scheduled to be held in Beijing on December 18.

India-China to Hold Special Representatives Dialogue

"Syria's conflict has not ended" even after the departure of former president Bashar al-Assad, the UN's envoy to the country has warned, highlighting clashes between Turkish-backed and Kurdish groups in the north. Watch this report for more details!

UNSC Calls For 'Syrian-Led Political Process

As tensions remain high in the Israel-Hamas conflict, both sides report being closer than ever to a potential agreement. However, challenges still stand in the way of a final resolution.

Israel-Hamas War: They 'Have Not Been This Close To An Agreement'

As tensions remain high in the Israel-Hamas conflict, both sides report being closer than ever to a potential agreement. However, challenges still stand in the way of a final resolution.



China's space program achieved a milestone as two astronauts aboard the Tiangong space station set a new world record for the longest spacewalk. The 9-hour extra-vehicular activity by Shenzhou 19 crew members surpassed the 20-year-old record held by the United States. Watch in for more details!

Shenzhou 19 Crew Completes 9-Hour Spacewalk

A television journalist in the US state of Arizona broke down while announcing the death of her 28-year-old colleague, according to media reports early Wednesday (Dec 18).

A television journalist in the US state of Arizona broke down while announcing the death of her 28-year-old colleague, according to media reports early Wednesday (Dec 18). The deceased journalist was identified as Ana Orsini. News anchors Carsyn Currier and Tyler Butler, who work for CBS affiliate KOLD News13, announced the death of Orsini. While sharing the tragic news, Currier was in tears as Butler comforted her by holding her hand. 'Devastated by this loss' "Ana had been here at 13 News since June of 2023. We are devastated by this loss," Currier said as she held back tears. "We had the opportunity to work with her every day, and we do want you to know that what you saw with her on-air, the funny, crazy person she was—she was just like that off camera and more so," Butler said as he remembered the 28-year-old. The video of the tragic announcement has been doing the rounds of social media. Here's a look at the video (Source: X-@cory_kowitz): Last week, we lost a beloved member of our KOLD news team. Ana Orsini was our anchor, a leader of the morning team, and most importantly a great friend to so many at the station. I had the pleasure of working with her during the morning, even though it was for too short of a… pic.twitter.com/oau04UsS9h — Cory Kowitz (@cory_kowitz) December 16, 2024 × Orsini died from a brain aneurysm A report by the DailyMail early Wednesday said that Orsini died last week from a brain aneurysm. She began her career in journalism in 2018 and joined KOLD News13 in June last year. She graduated from the Texas A&M University. (With inputs from agencies)

TV journalist in Arizona breaks down while announcing death of 28-year-old colleague. Watch

Imagine a time when you are in a fair, standing in front of a claw machine, your hands on the handle, you are just about to get the picked item into the chute and suddenly, the prize drops into the pile. Frustrating right? But if you live in Hong Kong, you might get rid of this very soon. &nbsp;

On Wednesday (Dec 18), Hong Kong's consumer watchdog announced that it is thinking about putting regulations on claw machines after receiving multiple complaints. The consumer council said a man spent around $64 within 45 minutes to win a waffle maker but got "nothing more than a few trinkets". The council further added that these machines "capitalise on consumers' enthusiasm for testing their luck". It also urged people to "spend rationally and be mindful of addiction".&nbsp;

<h2>42 complaints in 11 months</h2>

The council revealed at least 42 complaints were filed in the first 11 months of this year.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;Adele In Trouble? | 'Million Years Ago' Faces Plagiarism Claims

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In a statement, the council said, "The industry often modifies claw settings or introduces obstacles inside claw machines to make winning more challenging... Excessive difficulty or unfair settings could aggravate consumers."&nbsp;The council's chief said it's about time to review whether they should regulate the claw machine business or not.&nbsp;

But Jayden Chen, the founder of a claw machine rental company in Singapore, talked to BBC and said the programmed machines are "actually part of the fun". He clarified that a player feels excited while using the claw machine and gets motivated to try again if not win the first time. He said there wouldn't be any fun if he or she won on the first try.&nbsp;

"Regulations will kill off the fun element," Chen said.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/siberian-tiger-crosses-200km-stretch-of-russian-forest-to-meet-former-mate-785006">Siberian tiger crosses 200km stretch of Russian forest to meet former mate</a>

In another case filed, a woman said every time she was about to move her desired toy to the chute, the machine loosened its grip. The machine had a "guaranteed grab" mechanism for people who had spent at least $12 without winning. That means on their next try, the claw would maintain its grip until the toy is taken out. The woman said the mechanism was a "dishonest trade practice".

The council has advised people to record a video of their gameplay so they have evidence at the time of complaining.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Imagine a time when you are in a fair, standing in front of a claw machine, your hands on the handle, you are just about to get the picked item into the chute and suddenly, the prize drops into the pile.

Imagine a time when you are in a fair, standing in front of a claw machine, your hands on the handle, you are just about to get the picked item into the chute and suddenly, the prize drops into the pile. Frustrating right? But if you live in Hong Kong, you might get rid of this very soon. On Wednesday (Dec 18), Hong Kong's consumer watchdog announced that it is thinking about putting regulations on claw machines after receiving multiple complaints. The consumer council said a man spent around $64 within 45 minutes to win a waffle maker but got "nothing more than a few trinkets". The council further added that these machines "capitalise on consumers' enthusiasm for testing their luck". It also urged people to "spend rationally and be mindful of addiction". 42 complaints in 11 months The council revealed at least 42 complaints were filed in the first 11 months of this year. Watch | Adele In Trouble? | 'Million Years Ago' Faces Plagiarism Claims In a statement, the council said, "The industry often modifies claw settings or introduces obstacles inside claw machines to make winning more challenging... Excessive difficulty or unfair settings could aggravate consumers." The council's chief said it's about time to review whether they should regulate the claw machine business or not. But Jayden Chen, the founder of a claw machine rental company in Singapore, talked to BBC and said the programmed machines are "actually part of the fun". He clarified that a player feels excited while using the claw machine and gets motivated to try again if not win the first time. He said there wouldn't be any fun if he or she won on the first try. "Regulations will kill off the fun element," Chen said. Also read | Siberian tiger crosses 200km stretch of Russian forest to meet former mate In another case filed, a woman said every time she was about to move her desired toy to the chute, the machine loosened its grip. The machine had a "guaranteed grab" mechanism for people who had spent at least $12 without winning. That means on their next try, the claw would maintain its grip until the toy is taken out. The woman said the mechanism was a "dishonest trade practice". The council has advised people to record a video of their gameplay so they have evidence at the time of complaining. (With inputs from agencies)

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