Author: Abhirami Priya

Sydney: Meta has removed more than 750,000 Facebook and Instagram accounts it suspected were being operated by Australians under the age of 16 since the country introduced its world-first social media age restriction, the company said. Meta remarked that it had deactivated around 462,000 Instagram accounts and 294,000 Facebook accounts between the implementation of the ban in December and June. The figures represent a significant increase from January, when the company reported removing 331,000 Instagram accounts and 173,000 Facebook accounts. The social media giant said that it would continue strengthening enforcement as Australian authorities consider tougher regulatory action against platforms…

London: The UK and parts of Europe have witnessed one of the most dramatic solar eclipses in decades, with millions of people expected to have watched the rare astronomical event. Skywatchers across the UK experienced a partial solar eclipse that peaked shortly after 19:00 BST. In most parts of the country, more than 90 percent of the Sun was covered by the Moon, while coverage reached as high as 95 percent in Cornwall. Parts of Greenland, Iceland, and Spain experienced the full spectacle of a total solar eclipse, as the Moon completely blocked the Sun and temporarily plunged areas along…

England: Parts of the UK are bracing for the fifth heatwave of the summer, with temperatures expected to climb as high as 38C. The Met Office has issued an amber warning for extreme heat across large parts of England. The latest spell of hot weather comes as the country continues to face the effects of drought and increasingly severe wildfires. The Met Office has warned that the UK could be heading for its hottest summer on record, following an exceptionally warm June and July. The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) stated that firefighters have dealt with 966 wildfires across England…

England: Scientists in the UK are developing miniature human organs and tissues, known as organoids, from NHS patients’ cells in an effort to improve drug testing and reduce the use of animals in medical research. Organoids are tiny tissue structures that can replicate important features of full-sized human organs, including how diseases develop and how patients respond to different treatments. Researchers say they could help identify which medicines are most effective for specific patients and detect unsuccessful drugs earlier. The research will be based at a new Cambridge research hub backed by £20 million from the Medical Research Council. Scientists…

London: Millions across Europe are set to witness a rare celestial event on August 12, when a solar eclipse crosses parts of the continent. A narrow stretch of northern and central Spain, along with a small part of Portugal, Greenland and Iceland, will experience a total eclipse, while much of western Europe, including the UK, France, Belgium, Switzerland and northern Italy, will see a partial eclipse. What is a solar eclipse? A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves directly between the Earth and the Sun, casting its shadow over parts of the Earth. A total eclipse happens when the…

London: UK consumer confidence reached its strongest level in nearly two years in July, with research suggesting that the men’s football World Cup and a rise in domestic holidays helped drive summer spending. Improved sentiment was also supported by a ceasefire in the Middle East conflict in June and the arrival of a new prime minister at 10 Downing Street, easing some of the uncertainty that had weighed on consumers for an extended period. According to Barclays’ monthly consumer spending survey, 30 percent of respondents said that they were confident about the strength of the UK economy in July. This…

Dublin: The growing trend of treating the scalp like facial skin is driving a new wave of haircare products, with brands introducing scalp scrubs, acid-based exfoliants and deep-cleansing shampoos that promise to remove buildup, improve hair shine and even support hair growth. Desmond Tobin, Professor of Dermatological Science at University College Dublin, describes the trend as the ‘skinification’ of the scalp. Tobin noted that consumer interest in improving facial skin over the past several decades has increasingly shifted towards the scalp and hair. According to Tobin, the trend also represents a significant commercial opportunity for beauty companies, as ingredients and…

Beijing: Chinese authorities have evacuated more than one million people across eastern China, including Shanghai, after Typhoon Dolphin made landfall, bringing torrential rain and widespread disruption to transport services. The storm was downgraded to a tropical storm after reaching the mainland, but authorities continued to warn of intense rainfall, flooding and possible landslides through August 12, as the system moves north. Before making landfall, Chinese authorities had issued the country’s highest-level red alert for Dolphin, which was described as the strongest storm to hit China so far this year. https://twitter.com/ExplorePingyang/status/2086716686565323156 Dolphin recorded maximum sustained winds of around 150km/h (94mph) when…

British Columbia, Canada: A state of emergency has been declared as the fast-moving Bald Range wildfire forces more than 20,000 people to evacuate their homes, with the blaze more than doubling in size since it was first reported on August 7. The Bald Range wildfire has spread across more than 103 square kilometres (39 square miles) in the Summerland, Peachland and surrounding areas of British Columbia, according to the BC Wildfire Service. British Columbia Premier David Eby described the situation as extremely dangerous, saying a fire official had compared the intensity of the blaze to “a bomb going off.” Eby…

California: A potentially powerful El Niño developing this year could bring an unusually wet winter to parts of the western and south-eastern United States, while increasing the threat of coastal flooding, according to climate forecasts. El Niño occurs when shifts in Pacific Ocean wind patterns allow warmer-than-usual seawater to move towards the central and eastern equatorial Pacific. Climate scientists expect the phenomenon to strengthen through the autumn and winter and continue into early spring 2027. Forecasters are describing the expected event as a potentially “super” El Niño, a term used when Pacific sea surface temperatures rise at least 2°C above…