Author: News Desk

London: A compelling true story of a British couple who survived 118 days adrift in the Pacific Ocean after their boat was struck by a whale has won the £30,000 Gold Prize at the Nero Book Awards 2024. Maurice and Maralyn: An Extraordinary True Story of Shipwreck, Survival and Love, written by journalist Sophie Elmhirst, was announced as the overall winner. The book chronicles the harrowing journey of Maurice and Maralyn Bailey, who sold their home in Derbyshire to build a boat and sail to New Zealand in 1972. However, disaster struck in 1973 when a whale collided with their…

Rehovot, Israel: Scientists have discovered a previously unknown immune defence mechanism, revealing a potential goldmine for new antibiotics. Researchers from Israel’s Weizmann Institute of Science found that the proteasome—a tiny structure present in every cell—has a hidden ability to produce bacteria-killing molecules, transforming our understanding of infection defence. The proteasome is primarily known for breaking down old proteins for recycling. However, findings published in Nature show that when a cell detects a bacterial infection, the proteasome changes structure and function, converting old proteins into antimicrobial agents that rip open bacterial membranes to kill them. The research team, led by Prof.…

London: The world’s largest iceberg, A23a, appears to have run aground approximately 70km (43 miles) from South Georgia Island, potentially sparing the vital wildlife habitat from disruption, according to the British Antarctic Survey (BAS). The iceberg, which measures roughly 3,300 sq km and weighs nearly 1tn tonnes, has been drifting north from Antarctica since 2020. Scientists had feared the colossal iceberg could collide with the island or run aground in shallower waters nearby, making it harder for penguins and seals to feed their young. However, since March 1, A23a has remained stationary 73km from South Georgia, reducing the immediate threat…

International Space Station: NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who have been at the International Space Station (ISS) since June 2024, are set to return to Earth later this month after an unexpected nine-month stay. Their mission, originally planned for just a few weeks, was extended due to issues with Boeing’s Starliner capsule, which encountered multiple problems during its journey to the ISS. NASA deemed the spacecraft too unsafe for their return, forcing it to fly back to Earth without a crew. The astronauts will remain at the ISS until their replacements arrive next week. They will return on…

Washington DC: US President Donald Trump has paused military assistance to Ukraine following a heated confrontation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, a White House official confirmed. The move deepens the rift between Washington and Kyiv, marking a major shift in US policy toward Ukraine and Russia. Since taking office, Trump has adopted a more conciliatory stance toward Moscow, diverging from previous US policy. His frustration with Zelensky escalated after the Ukrainian leader stated that an end to the war was “very, very far away.” In response, Trump condemned the remarks, warning that the US would not tolerate such statements for…

London: A groundbreaking swab test could spare hundreds of thousands of UK women from undergoing invasive procedures to detect womb cancer. Each year, approximately 800,000 women visit their GP due to abnormal uterine bleeding, often leading to stressful and painful diagnostic tests. Currently, most postmenopausal women with significant bleeding undergo a transvaginal ultrasound, which measures the womb lining thickness. Many then require a hysteroscopy and biopsy to confirm or rule out cancer. However, the newly developed WID-easy test, created by Professor Martin Widschwendter from University College London’s EGA Institute for Women’s Health and the University of Innsbruck, offers a non-invasive…

Hong Kong: Mixue Ice Cream and Tea, a Chinese bubble tea giant with more outlets than McDonald’s and Starbucks, saw its shares jump nearly 30% as trading commenced on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The company raised $444 million (£352 million) in Hong Kong’s largest initial public offering (IPO) of the year. Mixue’s success comes as China faces economic challenges, including a property crisis and weak consumer and business confidence. Its affordable pricing—averaging six Chinese yuan ($0.82; £0.65) per item—has contributed to its widespread popularity. Founded in 1997 by Zhang Hongchao, then a student at Henan University of Finance and…

Geneva: On March 3, 2025, the world will unite to observe World Hearing Day, with the theme: “Changing mindsets: Empower yourself to make ear and hearing care a reality for all.” Led by the World Health Organization (WHO), the campaign urges individuals to take proactive steps to protect their ear and hearing health, adopt safer listening habits, and improve access to hearing care. The 2025 initiative aims to inspire people to safeguard their ears from loud sounds, undergo regular hearing check-ups, use hearing devices when needed, and support those experiencing hearing loss. By taking these steps, individuals contribute to a…

New York: Researchers have created a device called “e-Taste” that digitally recreates and transmits food and drink flavours, allowing them to be shared remotely. The technology, published in Science Advances, could revolutionize virtual and augmented reality, immersive gaming, online shopping, remote education, weight management, and sensory testing. It may also be useful in biomedical research and virtual food experiences. How it works The e-Taste system consists of two main components; An “electronic tongue” (sensing platform) – This captures the concentration of five key taste chemicals in a liquidized food or drink sample and transmits the data wirelessly. A flavor delivery…

London: UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at Downing Street, reaffirming the UK’s full backing for Ukraine amid its ongoing war with Russia. Their meeting followed Zelensky’s tense encounter with former US President Donald Trump, which ended in a heated exchange. During the London visit, Starmer and Zelensky signed a £2.26bn loan agreement to fund Ukrainian military supplies, with repayment sourced from profits of frozen Russian assets. The Ukrainian leader praised the UK’s “tremendous” support, calling the financial arrangement “true justice,” as Russia is made to bear the cost of its own aggression. The…