Author: News Desk

Amsterdam: Fatbikes, the wide-tyred electric bicycles, zoom through Amsterdam’s Vondelpark during busy lunchtimes, but a surge in accidents, especially involving children, has led to plans to ban them in parts of the Netherlands. The proposed restrictions have sparked debate among riders. Henk Hendrik Wolthers, 69, speaking while riding his electric Mate fatbike, described the plan as ‘nonsense.’ Wolthers remarked that he has driven cars, ridden motorbikes and mopeds, and now uses a fatbike because it is the fastest way to get around the city, adding that people should be free to use it. However, an increasing number of road safety…

Taipei, Taiwan: American rock climber Alex Honnold has completed a daring free solo climb of Taipei 101 on January 25, scaling the 508-metre (1,667ft) skyscraper without ropes or protective equipment. A large crowd gathered below erupted in cheers as Honnold began his ascent earlier in the day, pulling himself up the tower using horizontal metal beams and architectural features with his bare hands. Wearing a red short-sleeve shirt that stood out against the building’s exterior, Alex Honnold paused mid-climb at one point to turn and face the onlookers, drawing loud applause from the crowd. https://youtu.be/kp9xlpgiIVo The climb was broadcast live…

London: The UK government has announced plans to establish a new National Police Service, described as a ‘British FBI,’ as part of a major effort to modernise policing and strengthen the country’s ability to combat terrorism, fraud, organised crime, and other complex criminal activities. The proposed force will consolidate the functions of the National Crime Agency, which currently investigates serious organised crimes such as drug trafficking and human smuggling, with other nationwide responsibilities, including counter-terrorism operations and national road policing. This restructuring is intended to create a single, more powerful national body capable of addressing crimes that extend beyond local…

San Francisco: AI race competition is no longer defined only by massive investments from American technology firms, as Chinese artificial intelligence models have increasingly shaped how major global companies build their products. Platforms such as Pinterest have adopted Chinese models to refine recommendation engines, improve accuracy, and reduce operational costs, demonstrating how open-source tools from China are becoming central to commercial AI strategies. The adoption of models such as DeepSeek R-1 has marked a turning point in the AI race. These models have been released as open-source technology, allowing companies to freely download, modify, and integrate them into existing systems.…

New York: A dangerous and far-reaching winter storm is bearing down on large parts of the United States, with at least 16 states and Washington DC declaring emergencies as authorities warn of potentially life-threatening conditions. The massive system is expected to bring snow, sleet, freezing rain, and unusually cold temperatures to the south, Midwest, and east coast over the weekend. The winter storm began taking shape across the Rocky Mountains and Great Plains and is forecast to surge through the southern and midwestern regions, intensify along the East Coast on January 24, and reach as far north as Maine by…

London, UK: A growing number of children are starting reception without essential school readiness skills, according to a new survey, raising serious concerns among educators about early childhood development. An annual survey conducted by early years charity Kindred Squared, involving 1,000 primary school staff, found that nearly 37 percent of children are beginning reception without adequate school readiness, up from 33 percent in 2024. The findings highlight increasing challenges in basic life skills that are critical for school readiness, such as toileting, independent eating, and handling books. Excess screen exposure The survey revealed that 26 percent of children were not…

New York: Taylor Swift has become the youngest female artist to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, marking another major milestone in the career of the 36-year-old global pop superstar. The honour follows a series of landmark achievements over the past few years, including the release of her latest album, The Life of a Showgirl, which broke her own sales records when it was released in October. Taylor Swift is among nine songwriters named in the Songwriters Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026. The list also includes Canadian-American singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette and Walter Afanasieff, the acclaimed songwriter and…

London: A landmark UK study has paved the way for routine screening of children for type 1 diabetes (T1D), with experts saying it could prevent young patients from ‘crash landing’ into a sudden and potentially life-threatening diagnosis. Following the findings, NHS pre-diabetes clinics for children are set to be introduced after researchers confirmed that simple finger-prick blood tests can detect type 1 diabetes before symptoms appear. The approach would allow doctors to identify the condition at its earliest stage, well before children become seriously unwell. The study found that children can be diagnosed in the very early stages of type…

London: Attempts to cheat on driving tests in Britain increased by 47 percent in a single year, according to an investigation, raising fresh concerns about road safety. Figures released by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) show that 2,844 cases of cheating were recorded in the year to the end of September 2025, up from 1,940 cases in the previous 12 months and 1,274 cases in 2018/19. The DVSA recorded a wide range of cheating methods, including the use of wireless earphones connected via Bluetooth to concealed mobile phones, as well as the hiring of impersonators to sit theory…

Sydney: Dozens of beaches along Australia’s east coast, including in Sydney, were closed after four shark attacks in two days, as heavy rainfall left coastal waters murky and more attractive to sharks. Beaches around Port Macquarie, approximately 400 kilometres (250 miles) north of Sydney, were shut after a man was bitten while surfing earlier in the day. Health authorities said the man remains in the hospital in stable condition. The closures prompted strong warnings from surf safety officials. Steven Pearce, Chief Executive of Surf Life Saving New South Wales (NSW), urged people to avoid swimming in the ocean and instead…