WhatsApp down for users across the UK and world

 The messaging platform WhatsApp has gone down for users across the UK and around the world.

Users of the platform, owned by Meta, began reporting issues just before 08:00 BST on Tuesday.

More than 12,000 reports were posted within half an hour, according to the service status website Down Detector.

Many people have complained on social media that they cannot send or receive messages. WhatsApp has about two billion active users globally.

It is one of the most popular messaging platforms in the UK.

Many users who tried to use the app on Tuesday morning were faced with a "connecting" message.

A spokesperson for Meta said "We're aware that some people are currently having trouble sending messages and we're working to restore WhatsApp for everyone as quickly as possible."

The outage is likely to cause significant disruption. The app, which offers end-to-end encryption for messages, is a popular method of group communication for social, work and parenting activities.

It has even been used, controversially, by government ministers.

According to internet monitoring organisation NetBlocks the outage is affecting users both in the UK and around the world.

The outage appears to have global reach, with BBC journalists in Australia and Ukraine reporting problems

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.View original tweet on Twitter

Last year WhatsApp went down as part of of a six-hour outage which also hit Facebook, Oculus and Instagram.

Facebook later said the global problem was caused by a configuration change.

Philippines: Student ‘Anti-Cheating’ Exam Hats Go Viral

 Images of students wearing so-called “anti-cheating hats” during college exams have gone viral on social media in the Philippines, sparking amusement.

Students at one college in Legazpi City were asked to wear headgear that would prevent them from peeking at others’ papers. Many responded by creating homemade contraptions out of cardboard, egg boxes and other recycled materials.

Their tutor said, she had been looking for a “fun way” to ensure “integrity and honesty” in her classes. Mary Joy Mandane-Ortiz, a professor of mechanical engineering at Bicol University College of Engineering, said the idea had been “really effective”.

It was implemented for recent mid-term exams, which were sat by hundreds of students at the college in the third week of October.

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Rishi Sunak makes history as first non-white UK Prime Minister

 THIS JUST IN – The United Kingdom, long seen as symbolizing racism and colonialism, has waded into uncharted territory with the colonial power’s first ever non-white prime minister.

Member of Parliament for Richmond (York), Rishi Sunak with all his strong Indian features, has finally cracked the strongest glass ceiling to become prime minister of the United Kingdom.

King Charles III will have to make the official announcement, but Rishi Sunak has scaled all the marks required to become prime minister.

Many saw this day coming when Sunak waded through a crowded field to pull runner-up to Liz Truss in the fight to succeed Boris Johnson.

After Truss’ short-live tenure at 10 Downing Street, Johnson aborted his Caribbean vacation and rushed back to the UK in a comeback bid that was also short-lived although he momentarily occupied the lead position with the support of 58 MPs.

But with fellow Tory MPs threatening to quit if Johnson returned to 10 Downing Street, Sunak overtook Johnson in the MP count after declining an olive branch from Johnson to partner him. Boris Johnson has since quit the race.

Penny Mordaunt, leader of the House of Commons remained the next possible impediment to Sunak’s walk into the prime minister’s position. But she struggled to reach 38 MPs when Sunak had far traversed the minimum of 100 MPs required.

Mordaunt dropped out a few minutes before deadline of 2pm today without reaching 100. That made Sunak the leader of the majority Conservative Party, and by extension, the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Had Mordaunt reached 100 MPs, it would have kicked the process to the conservative voters who would have possibly voted for her over Sunak for what many believe would have been driven by racism.

Indeed, one caller to the popular British talk show Leading Britain’s Conversation (LBC) insisted that Sunak, who was born in the UK, is not “British, and could not be prime minister.”

His reason was that if a white guy was born in Uganda, it doesn’t make him “Ugandan enough” to be president of the east African country.

DNT News, with correspondent reports from Linda Wayoe, London

LINDA WAYOE – DNT

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Liz Truss congratulates new PM Rishi Sunak

 The immediate past prime minister of the United Kingdom, Liz Truss just tweeted a congratulatory message to new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

Sunak in just over an hour ago, was catapulted into the tory leadership and by default Prime Minister of the UK. after Penny Mordaunt dropped out of the race shortly before the 2pm deadline to obtain the support of 100 MPs.

Here are more congratulatory messages:

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