Author: News Desk

London: Skywatchers are in for a rare celestial event this week as seven planets—Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Venus, Neptune, Mercury, and Saturn—will briefly appear together in the evening sky. This phenomenon, known as a “planetary parade,” offers a unique visual spectacle and will be the last opportunity to see all seven planets align so clearly until 2040. The best chance to catch this alignment will be just after sunset on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday (Feb 25th till 28th). Four planets—Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, and Mars—will be visible to the naked eye, with Venus and Jupiter standing out due to their brightness,…

London: Pop star Charli XCX has been named Songwriter of the Year by the Brit Awards, signaling her potential to dominate this year’s ceremony, which will take place on Saturday, March 1, at London’s O2 Arena. The English singer leads all nominees with five nods, reflecting the global success of her acclaimed album Brat. This recognition marks her first-ever Brit Award, despite being in the industry for 12 years and previously receiving nominations for Best Female and Best Pop Act. In 2023, Charli criticized the Brit Awards for failing to nominate any female artists for Artist of the Year, stating,…

Istanbul: Galatasaray has announced plans to take legal action against Fenerbahce manager José Mourinho, accusing him of making racist remarks following the Istanbul derby. The club also intends to submit official complaints to UEFA and FIFA regarding his statements. Speaking at a post-match press conference, Mourinho criticized Turkish referees and claimed that the Galatasaray bench was “jumping like monkeys” when protesting a decision involving 19-year-old Fenerbahce defender Yusuf Akcicek. Mourinho stated that with a Turkish referee, Akcicek would have received an early yellow card, forcing an early substitution. Monday’s derby was officiated by Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic after both clubs…

Singapore: Singapore’s largest bank, DBS, has announced plans to reduce 4,000 roles over the next three years as artificial intelligence (AI) takes on tasks currently performed by humans. A DBS spokesperson told that the reduction will occur through natural attrition as temporary and contract roles phase out, ensuring that permanent staff remain unaffected. Meanwhile, the bank plans to create around 1,000 new AI-related positions. DBS is among the first major banks to disclose AI’s impact on its workforce. However, it did not specify which roles would be affected or how many job cuts would take place in Singapore. The bank…

Wellington:  New Zealand’s Commerce Minister, Andrew Bayly, has resigned from his ministerial positions after admitting to “overbearing” behavior towards a staff member. The incident, which took place on February 18, involved Bayly placing a hand on the staff member’s upper arm during what he described as an “animated discussion.” In a statement announcing his resignation, Bayly expressed deep regret, acknowledging that while the discussion was not an argument, he had taken it too far. He confirmed that a complaint had been filed but did not elaborate further. Despite stepping down from his ministerial roles, he will continue serving as a…

New Delhi, India: India and the United Kingdom are set to restart free trade negotiations, nearly a year after discussions were paused due to general elections in both nations. UK Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds is in Delhi to meet his Indian counterpart, Piyush Goyal, for two days of talks aimed at reviving discussions that began in 2022 but have yet to result in an agreement. Reynolds described the trade deal as a “no-brainer”, emphasizing that India is projected to become the world’s third-largest economy and securing a deal is a top priority for the UK’s new Labour government.…

Washington DC: President Donald Trump has dismissed General CQ Brown, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as part of a sweeping military leadership shake-up. Gen Brown, the second Black officer in US history to hold the position, was removed along with five other top-ranking officials. In a social media post, Trump thanked Gen Brown for his over 40 years of service and confirmed further removals, including Chief of Naval Operations Adm Lisa Franchetti—the first woman to lead the Navy—and Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen Jim Slife. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, who had previously criticized…

London: Apple has taken the unprecedented step of removing its Advanced Data Protection (ADP) feature from UK customers following government demands for access to encrypted user data. ADP offers end-to-end encryption for iCloud storage, ensuring that only account holders can access their files, including photos and documents. The move follows a request from the UK Home Office under the Investigatory Powers Act, which compels companies to provide law enforcement with access to encrypted user data. Apple, warned that removing ADP would increase the risk of data breaches and privacy threats. It also noted that, without ADP, user data stored in…

London: Spanish photographer Alvaro Herrero has been named Underwater Photographer of the Year 2025 for his stunning image of a humpback whale and her newborn calf in French Polynesia. His photograph was chosen from over 6,750 entries for its emotional depth and striking composition. The competition’s organizers praised Herrero’s image for capturing ‘Radiant Bond’ while showcasing the beauty and fragility of marine life. Judge Peter Rowlands described the winning shot as a “delicate yet powerful study of a mother and calf’s bond,” emphasizing the progress in whale conservation, with humpback populations increasing worldwide. The annual Underwater Photographer of the Year…

Sydney: Australian soap Neighbours has been cancelled once again, two years after being revived by Amazon MGM Studios. Without citing a specific reason, Amazon confirmed that the long-running series will end at the close of 2025, marking 40 years and more than 9,000 episodes since its debut. Amazon spokesperson said that, “Forty years is an incredible milestone and we are proud that Amazon MGM Studios was able to have a small part of bringing further episodes to Freevee and Prime Video customers over the last two years, spanning over 400 episodes.” Originally axed by Channel 5 in 2022, the show…