Author: Web Desk

Washington: The United States has carried out a series of military strikes on Iranian targets after an American Apache helicopter was brought down near the Strait of Hormuz, marking another escalation in the ongoing confrontation between Washington and Tehran. According to the US military’s Central Command, the strikes targeted Iranian air defence systems, radar installations and drone control facilities near the strategic Gulf waterway. American officials described the operation as a ‘proportional response’ to the helicopter incident, which occurred earlier this week. Both crew members aboard the aircraft survived and were rescued. US President Donald Trump said Iran was responsible…

Washington: NASA has officially announced the crew selected for its Artemis III mission, a key part of the agency’s long-term effort to return humans to the Moon and eventually establish a sustained lunar presence. The mission, once intended to deliver astronauts to the lunar surface for the first crewed Moon landing since 1972, has been redesigned as a major technology demonstration in Earth orbit. The four-member crew will be led by veteran NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik as mission commander. Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano of the Italian Space Agency will serve as pilot, while NASA astronauts Andre Douglas and Frank Rubio…

San Francisco: OpenAI has announced plans to pursue a future stock market listing in the United States, marking a major step in the company’s evolution as competition in the artificial intelligence sector accelerates. The company revealed that it has confidentially filed paperwork with the US Securities and Exchange Commission for a potential initial public offering (IPO). OpenAI said it has not yet decided when the listing will take place and indicated that it may remain a private company for some time while it continues to develop its business. The move comes just days after rival AI firm Anthropic also disclosed…

London: A new experimental drug could help people taking popular obesity medications avoid significant muscle loss while still achieving weight reduction, according to research published in the journal Nature Medicine. The drug, known as apitegromab, was tested alongside the weight-loss medication Mounjaro in a clinical trial involving 102 adults. Researchers found that participants who received the new treatment maintained significantly more muscle mass compared with those who received a placebo. Health experts have raised concerns that a substantial portion of weight lost through GLP-1 medications such as Wegovy, Ozempic and Mounjaro can come from muscle rather than fat. Rapid weight…

London: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to announce plans to restrict access to certain social media platforms for children under the age of 16 as part of a broader effort to strengthen online safety protections for young people. According to reports, the proposed measures would target platforms considered harmful to children while still allowing access to safer forms of social media. The move follows growing concerns about the impact of online content on children’s mental health, wellbeing and safety. The decision is said to have been influenced by discussions with bereaved families and international examples, including Australia, which…

Madrid: Spain is on course for another record-breaking year in tourism as international visitors increasingly choose the country over destinations affected by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Industry leaders believe Spain could soon welcome more than 100 million tourists annually, further strengthening its position as one of the world’s most popular travel destinations. The country welcomed approximately 97 million foreign visitors in 2025, setting a new national record. Tourism experts now expect even stronger growth in 2026 as holidaymakers seek alternatives to destinations facing uncertainty, including parts of the Middle East and eastern Mediterranean region. Industry representatives say conflicts…

Ottawa: Canada has temporarily banned cattle and other livestock from Texas after authorities confirmed new cases of the flesh-eating New World screwworm parasite in the US state. The move is aimed at preventing the spread of the dangerous pest into Canadian livestock populations. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency announced that cattle and horses that were present in Texas within 21 days before entering Canada will not be allowed across the border until further notice. Officials said the measure was introduced following the detection of screwworm infections in two calves in southern Texas. The outbreak has prompted growing concern among agricultural…

Washington: A worsening air leak aboard the International Space Station (ISS) prompted NASA to briefly place astronauts on evacuation standby before later lifting the alert after further assessments with Russian space officials. Five astronauts were instructed to enter a docked SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft as a precautionary measure after mission controllers detected an increase in air leakage from the station. The order remained in place for approximately two hours before NASA determined there was no immediate danger and allowed the crew to return to normal operations. The leak is believed to originate from the Russian-operated Zvezda service module, which has…

London: The world’s mangrove forests are showing signs of a remarkable recovery after decades of destruction, offering fresh hope for climate action and coastal protection. A new study has found that global mangrove coverage has been increasing since 2010, reversing a long-term trend of decline driven by human activity. Mangroves are among the planet’s most valuable ecosystems. Found along tropical and subtropical coastlines, these forests play a crucial role in protecting communities from storms, flooding and coastal erosion. Their dense root systems help absorb the force of waves, reducing the impact of storm surges and tsunamis on vulnerable coastal populations.…

Cambridge: Researchers at the University of Cambridge have developed what they describe as the world’s first vaccine whose key component was designed entirely using artificial intelligence and then tested in human volunteers. The experimental vaccine is designed to provide protection against a broad range of coronaviruses, including existing Covid-19 variants and related viruses that could potentially trigger future pandemics. Scientists say the technology represents a major shift in vaccine development by focusing on future threats rather than reacting to outbreaks after they emerge. Instead of designing a vaccine around a single virus strain, researchers used artificial intelligence to analyse genetic…