Author: News Desk

Chicago: Regularly engaging in intellectually stimulating activities such as reading, writing and learning foreign languages could lower the risk of dementia by nearly 40 percent, according to new research that suggests millions of cases may be preventable or delayed. Dementia is considered one of the most serious global health threats. The number of people living with the condition is expected to triple to more than 150 million worldwide by 2050. Experts warn that this rapid rise presents a significant and growing challenge to health and social care systems across communities, countries and continents. Researchers in the United States found that…

Toamasina: Madagascar is grappling with hurricane-force winds and heavy rains as Cyclone Gezani sweeps across the island, leaving widespread destruction in its wake. Residents report extensive damage to homes and infrastructure, while authorities warn of severe flooding and landslides. At 1am local time on February 11 (22:00 GMT), Meteo Madagascar issued an update stating that “widespread flooding, flash floods, and landslides are highly likely” as the cyclone moves from the eastern coast toward the country’s central highlands overnight and throughout Wednesday. Red alerts for imminent danger have been issued for the northeast regions of Analanjirofo, Atsinanana, Alaotra Mangoro, Analamanga, and…

Glasgow: A ‘menacing’ Disney advertisement featuring what appeared to be a severed body has been banned by the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), which ruled that it was likely to frighten and cause distress to children. The regulator concluded that Disney had breached advertising rules with its digital poster promoting the sci-fi film Predator: Badlands, ahead of its release in November. The advert was displayed on a roadside digital screen in Giffnock, Glasgow. The large-format poster featured an alien-like character, humanoid in shape but with a distorted head and a muzzled mouth. In one scene, the alien was shown holding…

Cape Canaveral, Florida: Space enthusiasts are in for a rare celestial spectacle towards the end of the month, as a planetary parade brings six planets into close alignment in the night sky. According to NASA, a planetary parade, also known as a planetary alignment, occurs when at least four or five planets are visible together from Earth. On February 28, stargazers will have the opportunity to witness Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune appearing closely aligned across the sky, making it an uncommon and visually striking astronomical event. Planetary parades occur because the planets orbit the Sun along a…

Havana: Several Canadian airlines suspended flights to Cuba after the Caribbean nation warned that it was running dangerously low on jet fuel, a situation exacerbated by tighter US restrictions on oil shipments from Venezuela. Air Canada, the country’s largest airline, said that the aviation fuel is expected to be commercially unavailable at Cuban airports from February 10, citing official notices that warned fuel supplies would be unreliable. As a result, the carrier halted flights and announced contingency measures to manage stranded passengers. Smaller airlines WestJet and Air Transat also cancelled services to Cuba due to the anticipated fuel shortages. According…

Shanghai: Humanoid robots are emerging as a new form of Lunar New Year entertainment in China, as manufacturers showcase their song-and-dance abilities to captivate the public while also appealing to potential customers, investors, and government officials. Shanghai-based robotics start-up Agibot live-streamed an almost hour-long variety show featuring its humanoid robots dancing, performing acrobatics and magic tricks, lip-syncing ballads, and acting in comedy sketches. Additional Agibot robots appeared seated in an audience section, waving during the show. The company billed the event as ‘the world’s first robot-powered gala.’ The live stream attracted an estimated 1.4 million viewers on the Chinese short-video…

Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy: Lindsey Vonn is recovering from surgery to repair a leg fracture after a frightening crash in the women’s downhill skiing final at the Winter Olympics. The 41-year-old American skier had previously ruptured her ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) in a World Cup race in Switzerland on 30 January but was determined to compete at the Winter Olympics on February 8 despite the injury. Just 13 seconds into her final run in Cortina, northern Italy, Vonn clipped a slalom gate mid-air and crashed on the piste. Vonn was heard screaming as medical personnel attended to her for several minutes.…

London: US-style fried chicken has emerged as one of the most influential food trends reshaping Britain’s high streets, driven largely by younger consumers and amplified by social media. What began as a visually striking TikTok phenomenon, popularised through neon-lit American eateries and glossy food videos, has now translated into a rapid expansion of chicken-focused takeaways across the UK. Data from industry analysts shows chicken shops are opening at a faster pace than any other fast-food outlet, recording year-on-year growth of more than 7 percent, compared with modest growth among other takeaway categories. This surge is being fuelled primarily by Gen…

Lahore: After nearly 20 years, the vibrant kite-flying festival of Basant has quietly but unmistakably returned to Lahore, filling the skies above the historic city with colour, movement, and renewed excitement. In the narrow lanes of the Walled City, flashes of neon kites appear between rooftops, accompanied by distant drumbeats and the hum of celebration rising above the streets. As evening falls, rooftops across Lahore transform into gathering spaces where families and friends come together to watch kites’ zigzag and soar against the fading light. For many residents, this marks the first time they have experienced Basant, a centuries-old celebration…

Berlin: Germany’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU), led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz, is weighing plans to restrict access to social media platforms for children under the age of 16, senior party figures have said, as momentum builds globally for tighter regulation of young people’s online activity. The debate follows Australia’s move last year to become the first country to ban children from using social media platforms. Since then, several European countries have begun considering or introducing similar measures, citing concerns over the harmful impact of social media on young users. Dennis Radtke, head of the CDU’s influential labour wing, said rapid…