Author: Trainee Reporter

Tehran: Iran may withdraw from the 2026 FIFA World Cup as tensions escalate in the Middle East, with the country’s Minister of Sports and Youth, Ahmad Donyamali, saying Iran is currently not in a position to participate in the tournament. The competition, scheduled to begin on June 11 and hosted jointly by the United States, Canada and Mexico, includes three group-stage matches for Iran. The team is due to face New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles on June 15 and June 21, respectively, followed by a match against Egypt in Seattle on June 26. However, Iran’s participation has come…

United States: Meta has acquired Moltbook, a unique social media platform designed for artificial intelligence bots to communicate with each other, in a move aimed at strengthening its growing AI ecosystem. Meta confirmed that Moltbook’s team will join the company’s Meta Superintelligence Labs, helping develop new ways for AI agents to assist people and businesses. Launched in January as an experimental platform, Moltbook functions similarly to Reddit but is built specifically for AI-powered programmes. The platform allows bots to hold conversations with each other on forums, sometimes even discussing or gossiping about their human users. The unusual concept quickly captured…

Beijing: Passenger train services between China and North Korea will resume on March 12, restoring a key cross-border transport link that had been suspended for six years due to the pandemic. According to China Railway, trains between Beijing and Pyongyang will run four times a week. Meanwhile, a daily service will operate between the Chinese border city of Dandong and the North Korean capital. The rail operator described the service as a moving link that strengthens the friendship between China and North Korea, highlighting its importance for cross-border exchanges. Although China fully reopened after the pandemic, North Korea has been…

Beijing: China’s exports have recorded a sharp rise in the first two months of the year, highlighting the resilience of the country’s trade sector even as tensions with the United States continue to weigh on global commerce. Official data released by Chinese authorities showed exports jumped by more than 20 percent in January and February combined, nearly three times higher than economists had predicted. The strong start places China on track to potentially surpass the record-breaking annual trade surplus it achieved in 2025. The announcement comes ahead of an expected diplomatic meeting in early April between US President Donald Trump…

United States: A new study suggests that taking a daily multivitamin for two years may slightly slow certain markers of biological ageing, though researchers stress the effect is small and its real health benefits remain uncertain. Unlike chronological age, which measures how long a person has lived, biological age reflects the condition of the body’s cells and tissues. Scientists often estimate biological ageing through changes in DNA methylation, chemical modifications to DNA that influence how genes function and tend to accumulate as people grow older. Researchers in the United States analysed data from 958 healthy participants with an average age…

Canberra: The Australian government has introduced strict new regulations requiring users to prove they are over 18 before accessing adult content online, including pornography, R-rated video games and sexually explicit AI chatbots. The measures aim to better protect children from harmful digital material. Under the new rules, platforms must introduce stronger age-verification systems such as facial recognition technology, digital IDs or credit card checks. Companies operating search engines, app stores, social media, gaming platforms, porn websites and AI systems will be required to take meaningful steps to ensure minors cannot access adult content. Australia’s eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said…

Glasgow: A massive fire tore through a historic building near Glasgow Central Station, leading to a partial collapse and forcing the suspension of train services at Scotland’s busiest railway station. The blaze reportedly began in a vape shop on Union Street before rapidly spreading through the B-listed Victorian structure known as Union Corner. The building, which dates back to 1851, partially collapsed several hours after the fire broke out as flames intensified. Emergency services rushed to the scene shortly after 15:45 local time, with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service deploying more than 60 firefighters and 15 fire engines to…

Washington: Tensions between the United States and the United Kingdom have escalated after Donald Trump said Washington does not need British aircraft carriers in the Middle East during the ongoing war with Iran. The US president dismissed reports that the UK might deploy naval assets to the region. His remarks came after the British Ministry of Defence placed the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales on high readiness. Growing divide between allies Trump’s comments highlight a growing divide between Washington and London since he returned to the White House last year. The rift has intensified during the war launched by…

Qatar: Global oil prices have surged to their highest level in more than two years after Qatar’s energy minister warned that oil and gas exporters in the Gulf could halt production within days due to escalating conflict in the Middle East. Brent crude jumped more than 9 percent, rising above $93 per barrel, its highest level since autumn 2023. The surge followed comments by Qatar’s Energy Minister Saad al-Kaabi, who warned that the ongoing regional conflict could disrupt energy exports and trigger serious consequences for the global economy. Conflict threatens global energy supply Kaabi warned that if the war in…

Queensland: Hundreds of residents in Australia’s Northern Territory are being evacuated as severe flooding triggered by tropical lows brings heavy rain across the Top End and parts of northern Queensland. Authorities said around 600 people from remote communities are being airlifted to Darwin as rivers swell and floodwaters cut off roads and access routes. Police incident control commander Shaun Gill said several communities were facing a major flood-level event, prompting urgent evacuations. Major flooding along Daly and Katherine rivers Flood warnings remain in place for the Daly and Katherine rivers, with heavy rainfall causing water levels to rise rapidly. According…