“I saw it with my own eyes—they fired straight into the crowds, and people fell where they stood.” Omid, a protester in his early 40s whose name has been changed for safety, spoke to the BBC with a voice trembling from fear. He has been on the streets of a small southern Iranian city in recent days, protesting against the country’s deepening economic hardships. According to him, security forces opened fire on unarmed demonstrators using Kalashnikov-style rifles. “We are fighting a brutal regime with nothing but our hands,” he said. Similar accounts of lethal crackdowns have been reported across Iran…
Author: Mahmud Hasan
Demonstrations erupted for a second consecutive night in Minneapolis and spread to other cities across the United States following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good by a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent. Crowds gathered not only in Minneapolis but also in Houston, Cincinnati, Washington DC, Philadelphia and several other cities. Some protesters carried signs demanding the abolition of ICE, while others marched in solidarity with Good’s family. Near the site where Good was shot, people placed flowers and held vigils at the location where her car crashed following the shooting. The crash site is only a…
Scientists are turning to bowel cancer samples preserved for nearly a century in an effort to understand why more young people are being diagnosed with the disease. Although bowel cancer still affects mostly older adults, cases among younger people have been increasing worldwide. In the UK alone, diagnoses in people under 24 have risen by 75% since the early 1990s, yet the reasons behind this trend remain unclear. Deep beneath St Mark’s The National Bowel Hospital lies a vast archive containing tens of thousands of bowel cancer samples, some dating back 100 years. Preserved in wax, these samples are now…
As 2026 begins, researchers and health experts point to small, practical changes that can make a real difference to how people feel day to day. Backed by scientific studies, these habits focus on improving mental health, physical wellbeing and emotional balance without requiring drastic lifestyle overhauls. Regular movement remains one of the most reliable mood boosters. Research shows that even light exercise, such as walking, stretching or gentle cycling, can reduce stress and improve mental clarity. Consistency matters more than intensity, and activities that feel enjoyable are more likely to stick over time. Sleep quality is closely linked to emotional…
Huawei’s latest high-end smartphone uses a better chip made in China. This shows China is slowly making progress in advanced chips, even with U.S. limits. The Kirin 9030 chip, which powers Huawei’s Mate 80 phones, is made by SMIC, China’s main chip maker. TechInsights, a Canadian research firm, says it uses an improved version of their 7-nanometer tech. In a December 8 report, TechInsights said the Kirin 9030 uses SMIC’s N+3 process, a scaled extension of their older N+2 tech. This is a small step up from what SMIC could do before but still behind what big companies use. TechInsights…
The US just grabbed a huge oil tanker loaded with Venezuelan crude, and it’s a big deal for the country’s shadow fleet. This fleet, made up of over 30 sanctioned ships, is now facing a much riskier situation. For years, they’ve been operating under the radar, but now they’re in the spotlight. This is the first time since 2019 that the US has stopped a Venezuelan oil shipment, and it could mean a tougher approach to sanctions under Trump. This seizure, announced by Trump himself, has the shipping world buzzing. Ship owners and operators are rethinking whether it’s worth sailing…
Met Gala 2024: Zendaya, Tyla, and Sabrina Carpenter Wow in Head-Turning Outfits The Met Gala, often hailed as the pinnacle of fashion extravagance, took a whimsical turn this year with its theme, “The Garden of Time.” While Miranda Priestly from “The Devil Wears Prada” might not have been impressed, the green carpet witnessed an array of stars embracing garden-inspired ensembles with zest. A-listers were encouraged to explore the imaginative realm of the dress code, drawing inspiration from JG Ballard’s short story of the same name. The interpretations ranged from literal floral motifs to deeper explorations of time and history. Among…
Bird Flu Threatens Cow Cuddling: The Joyful Therapy Under Siege The trend of cow cuddling has become increasingly popular in the United States, with people paying to spend time snuggling with dairy or beef cattle on farms. This activity is seen as therapeutic and provides an adventurous experience for city dwellers seeking a taste of rural life. Farmers like Luz and Dan Klotz rely on these visits to help cover their farm expenses. However, the recent bird flu outbreak in dairy herds across nine states has raised concerns about the safety of such interactions. While the risk of human infection…
Weight Loss Medication Attracts 25,000 New Users Every Week in US Sign-ups for the weight loss drug Wegovy in the US surged five-fold in the first quarter of the year, hitting over 25,000 per week, according to Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer. The remarkable increase reflects the soaring demand for Wegovy and its sister diabetes drug Ozempic, which have been hailed as groundbreaking and have propelled Novo Nordisk into one of Europe’s most valuable companies. However, Novo Nordisk is now facing new challenges as the high prices of these medications come under scrutiny in the US, compounded by competition from Eli…
Ski Resorts Maintain Snow Cover During Summer The threat of global warming to ski holidays has prompted some resorts to adopt an ancient technique: saving snow over the summer. At places like the Ruka ski resort in Finland, where snow usually begins to melt in April, innovative methods are being used to preserve snow for the following ski season. These methods involve creating mounds of snow covered with insulating materials like white polystyrene blankets. The snow is stored throughout the summer and uncovered in the autumn, ready for the ski season. This practice, often referred to as “snow farming” or…
Marvel Star Jonathan Majors Escapes Jail Time, Receives Probation Jonathan Majors, the US actor known for his roles in Marvel films, has been sentenced to probation following his conviction for assaulting his ex-girlfriend, British choreographer Grace Jabbari. Majors, who was dropped by Marvel in light of his conviction, will undergo a 52-week domestic violence intervention program as part of his probationary terms. The actor, found guilty of third-degree assault and second-degree harassment, narrowly avoided jail time. Under the ruling of Justice Michael Gaffey of the state Supreme Court in Manhattan, Majors is required to continue mental health therapy and complete…
Aphantasia Experiences: The Difficulty of Imagining My Children The inability to visualize mental images, known as aphantasia, affects a small percentage of the population, estimated at around 1% for extreme cases and up to 6% for varying degrees of the condition. Aphantasia does not imply a lack of imagination but can manifest in difficulties recognizing faces, recalling sounds or tactile sensations, and visualizing memories or imaginary scenarios. Individuals with aphantasia, like Mary Wathen, experience the world without mental images, relying instead on verbal communication and emotional intuition. Mary, a lawyer, describes her inability to conjure mental images as “mind-blowing,” as…
Check out this wild situation in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen! On Saturday, there were missile attacks all over the place, making it look like the whole region was going to blow up. Gaza’s in the middle, too, with Israel, the U.S., Iran, and their buddies playing a risky game. So, Iran’s saying’ they lost five of their Revolutionary Guards in a missile hit in Damascus, blaming it on Israel. Lebanon’s got an Iranian-backed Hezbollah member gone after an Israeli strike. Then, Iraq gets hit, too, with Iran-backed militants firing rockets at the U.S. al-Asad air base. Some folks got…
The Atlas Air Boeing 747-8, a giant bird in the sky, decided to take an unexpected detour in Miami after its engine decided it needed a little break. The five-member crew had their superhero capes on and brought the plane back to safety without a single scratch. No injuries, folks! The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are now playing detective and investigating the incident. The FAA found a hole the size of a softball above the engine while NTSB collected information and did their Sherlock thing. Oh, did you catch the drama on X…
