Author: News Desk

New York: A state of emergency has been declared in New York as wildfires sweep across Long Island and areas near Brooklyn. Firefighters are actively battling the flames with aerial support from National Guard helicopters, Governor Kathy Hochul confirmed. The fires, fueled by high winds, have sent thick smoke billowing into the sky, leading to evacuations in Westhampton, the closure of a military base, and the shutdown of a major highway. Emergency crews are responding to multiple fire outbreaks across the Pine Barrens, a densely wooded area home to several commuter towns east of New York City. Police have closed…

Texas: A SpaceX Starship rocket exploded shortly after launching from Texas on Thursday (6th of March), causing flight disruptions and prompting warnings about falling debris across the Caribbean. The uncrewed spacecraft, the largest ever built, lost control minutes into its ascent, with fiery fragments seen raining down over island nations. This marked the eighth test flight and the second consecutive failure of the 123m (403ft) rocket. The mission aimed to complete a one-hour flight before re-entering Earth’s orbit over the Indian Ocean. While its Super Heavy booster successfully returned to the launchpad, multiple engine failures led to the catastrophic explosion.…

Gold coast, Australia: As Cyclone Alfred approaches Australia’s Gold Coast, strong winds and rising swells have prompted authorities to urge residents to stay indoors. However, dedicated surfers have been taking advantage of the conditions, braving the powerful waves. Jeff Weatherall, a surfer at Kirra Beach, said that, “This is what we look forward to, as he prepared for another day in the water. For five days straight, all I’ve done is eat, sleep, and surf.” Kirra Beach, renowned for its surf breaks, has been a hub of activity as surfers anticipate the cyclone’s arrival. Expected to make landfall as a…

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…