World

Spain's Agriculture Ministry ordered on Thursday to immediately lock down all poultry due to the risk of bird flu, it said in a statement. The decision expands on measures announced last week, when Spain ordered poultry in designated high-risk areas to be kept indoors to curb the spread of bird flu.

It follows a rise in bird flu outbreaks across Europe, with 139 cases reported since July, and 14 in Spain, half of them in the Castille and Leon region.

"The measure has been taken following an increased risk of the disease entering Spain in the last week," the ministry said in a statement. The new order extends to all farms, including organic and small-scale producers, to prevent contact with migratory birds that could spread the virus. It also bans keeping ducks and geese with other poultry, using untreated surface water, and holding bird fairs or exhibitions.

(Source - reuters)

A Chinese gym has recently launched a controversial weight-loss challenge, offering a luxury car as a reward to anyone who successfully loses 50kg in three months.

While the promotion has garnered significant online interest, it has also raised serious concerns among health experts regarding the dangers of extreme weight loss in a short time frame.

On October 23, a fitness training centre in Binzhou, Shandong province, northern China, announced the bold weight-loss challenge online, which quickly attracted major attention.

According to the promotional poster, the gym promised a luxury Porsche Panamera as a prize to anyone who can lose 50kg within three months. The latest Porsche model from this product line has an official starting price of around 1.1 million yuan (US$155,000) in mainland China.

A fitness coach, surnamed Wang, confirmed to Xiang Yang Video that the campaign is legitimate, stating: “The challenge is real and already underway, and registration will close once we reach 30 participants. So far, around seven or eight people have signed up.”

Wang noted that the registration fee is 10,000 yuan (US$1,400), which covers meals and accommodation in a fully enclosed training environment with shared rooms. However, the specific details of the training regimen, dietary plans and criteria for achieving the weight loss target remain undisclosed. Wang also mentioned that the Porsche being offered belongs to the gym owner and is a used 2020 model that he has driven for several years, not a new car.

The extreme weight-loss campaign has sparked medical concerns. A medical influencer known as “Dr Zeng, who performed the hernia surgery,” with nearly 3.5 million followers on Weibo, warned about the dangers of such rapid weight loss and emphasised the potential health risks associated with losing weight at that speed.

“Losing 0.5kg per day is far too fast,” he cautioned. “Unless someone is severely overweight, this pace leads to muscle loss rather than fat reduction, which can cause hormonal imbalances, hair loss, and even amenorrhoea in women. A safer target is losing around 0.5kg per week.”

Another expert, Pu Yansong, a gastrointestinal surgeon at Shaanxi Provincial People’s Hospital, also cautioned: “Losing weight at such a rapid pace can strain our organs and may even be life-threatening. Scientific weight loss should be gradual, allowing the brain, body fat, muscles, and organs to adapt to the new energy balance.”

The challenge has ignited a storm of online debate among Chinese netizens.

One person commented: “If I lose 50kg, I’ll only have 5kg left. Will I still be alive?”

Another wrote: “The point is, no one can actually achieve this. Losing 50kg in 3 months? You’ll lose the person, not just the weight. But with a 10,000-yuan registration fee, the organiser could buy a new car while still saving the used one. In the end, he makes a fortune. Such a smart marketing plan.”

(Source - scmp)

The shutdown, which started on 1 October, has disrupted the lives of millions of Americans as all non-essential parts of government have been frozen.

It came after Democrats and Republicans refused to budge in their stand-off over healthcare spending, causing the first shutdown in almost seven years as the parties failed to agree on a government funding bill.

But on Wednesday night in Washington DC, the House of Representatives voted through a deal to reopen the government after the Senate - the upper chamber of Congress - reached a deal on Monday.

It will now go to the desk of President Donald Trump, who the White House has said will sign it tonight.

What’s a federal government shutdown?

A shutdown of the federal government means that all non-essential functions of government are frozen, affecting everything from social security to air travel to national park access.

Federal agencies are dependent on funding being approved by Congress to allow the president to sign budget legislation for the fiscal year ahead.

If they cannot approve funding (because of political differences - and America is bitterly divided) then those agencies are forced to shut down.

This means that workers cannot do their jobs and are not paid.

(Source: adaderana.lk)

The Maldives has introduced a historic generational tobacco ban, making it illegal for anyone born after January 1, 2007, to smoke, buy, or sell tobacco. The measure, effective from Saturday, aims to protect public health and create a tobacco-free generation, according to the Ministry of Health.

Globally, smoking causes over seven million deaths annually, and a 2021 survey showed more than a quarter of Maldivian adults and nearly double that of teens aged 13–15 used tobacco.

The Maldives is the first nation to implement such a nationwide ban, though similar proposals have been debated in countries like New Zealand and the UK, with mixed results.

This move follows the Maldives’ ongoing anti-tobacco efforts, including a 2024 ban on electronic cigarettes. Authorities also plan to expand anti-smoking clinics and have proposed incentives, such as cash rewards, to eliminate smoking across islands.

Pokemon lovers, here’s some good news. The first-ever permanent outdoor Pokemon theme park, PokePark Kanto, will officially open its doors on Feb 5, 2026.

The park will be located within Yomiuriland amusement park in Tokyo, Japan, and spans a sprawling 2.6 hectares.

The park is divided into two themed zones: Sedge Town and the Pokemon Forest.

In the forest, visitors can watch Pokemon “in the wild” as they wander along a 500-metre nature trail, while Sedge Town offers the chance to experience an immersive town in the Pokemon universe. Fans can expect to encounter more than 600 Pokemon throughout the park.

Two ticket types will be offered at launch: The Ace Trainer’s Pass and the Trainer’s Pass.

The Ace Trainer’s Pass gives access to both Sedge Town and Pokemon Forest at any time of day, along with extra perks like meet-and-greets, priority attraction lanes, a reserved seat at the Sedge Gym Show, and exclusive merchandise.

The Trainer’s Pass allows unlimited entry to Sedge Town plus a single, timed entry to Pokemon Forest with no re-entry.

A third pass, the Town Pass, which will grant entry to Sedge Town only, is set to launch in summer 2026.

All tickets include admission to Yomiuriland.

For residents in Japan, tickets will be sold via a lottery system, with registration opening on the official PokePark Kanto website at 6pm (Japan time) on Nov 21, 2025 and ending on Dec 8. Results will be announced in late December.

Details for international ticket sales have not been released. Look out for updates on the park’s official ticket information page.

(Source - CNA)

A 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck near the northern Afghan city of Mazar-e Sharif early on Monday, killing at least 20 people, injuring hundreds and damaging the city's historic Blue Mosque, authorities said, with the death toll likely to rise.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake hit at a depth of 28 km (17.4 miles) near Mazar-e Sharif, which has a population of about 523,000.

At least 20 people were killed and around 320 were injured, Health Ministry spokesperson Sharfat Zaman said, but officials warned the toll could rise as rescue teams reached remote villages in the worst-hit provinces of Balkh and Samangan.

https://www.theguardian.com/

Videos shared on social media platform X showed emergency responders searching the rubble for survivors. One video showed rescuers pulling what appeared to be dead bodies from collapsed buildings. Reuters could not immediately verify the footage of rescue efforts.

"Our rescue and health teams have arrived in the area, and all nearby hospitals have been put on standby by the leadership to treat the injured," Zaman said.

BLUE MOSQUE

The earthquake damaged part of the Blue Mosque, the holiest shrine in Mazar-e Sharif, Balkh province spokesperson Haji Zaid said.

The mosque is considered one of the holiest sites in Afghanistan and is believed to be the burial site of the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Mohammad. The current structure was built in the 15th century.

Footage shared on social media and verified by Reuters showed broken masonry and tiles lying in the courtyard of the mosque, though the main structure remained standing.

The disaster is the latest challenge for war-torn Afghanistan's Taliban administration, already grappling with crises including an August quake that killed thousands, a sharp drop in foreign aid and mass deportations of Afghan refugees by neighbouring countries.

The quake disrupted power across the country including to the capital Kabul, national power supplier Da Afghanistan Breshna Company said in a statement.

The USGS said "significant casualties are likely and the disaster is potentially widespread".

https://www.reuters.com/

ACTIVE FAULTS

Afghanistan is particularly vulnerable to quakes as it lies on two active faults that have the potential to rupture and cause extensive damage.

More than 2,200 people were killed and thousands more injured after a quake and strong aftershocks in the southeast of the war-shattered Islamic country at the end of August.

Past events with this alert level have required a regional or national level response, the system's alert added.

(Source - reuters)

Nine people are dead and 20 injured after a blast in a car near Red Fort on Monday evening, officials said.

The blast took place in a Hyundai i20 car at 6.52 pm near the Red Fort Metro Station, leaving mangled bodies and damaged cars scattered in the busy area. A high alert has been sounded in Delhi. The Delhi Police have invoked UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act) sections after forensic evidence and intelligence inputs pointed to possible terror links.

The blast came hours after Jammu and Kashmir Police recovered nearly 3,000 kg of explosives from two residential buildings in Faridabad in Haryana. Sources said that Dr Umar Mohammad, who owned the car, reportedly panicked and triggered the blast near the Red Fort after investigators arrested two key members of the module - Dr Mujammil Shakeel and Dr Adil Rather - and seized the explosives. Ammonium nitrate, which was found in Faridabad, was used in the blast, sources added.

The Many Victims Of Delhi Blast

https://www.ndtv.com/india

The deadly blast near Delhi's iconic Red Fort, which shattered the national capital's peace and set off alarm bells in India's security establishment, turned the world upside down for nine families who lost their own and must now pick up the pieces.

Pankaj Saini, originally from Bihar, was a cab driver who had just dropped off a passenger at Chandni Chowk. Noman from Uttar Pradesh's Shamli was in the area to pick up supplies for his cosmetic shop. And Ashok Kumar, who worked as a conductor with the Delhi Transport Corporation, was in the crowded area to meet another victim. It was just another day for them, till it wasn't. A white i20 car, probably driven by a suicide bomber, exploded, and death ripped through several other vehicles.

Pankaj Saini, 22, was his family's sole earner. "What do I say? Pankaj had just dropped off a passenger at Chandni Chowk when this happened. We demand justice from the government, we hope justice will be served," his father told the media at Delhi's Lok Nayak Hospital, where he came to collect his young son's body.

Ashok, too, was the only earning member of a family of eight. Originally from Amroha, he lived in Delhi's Jagatpur with his wife and four children. A Delhi Transport Corporation employee, he was in the area to meet Lokesh Kumar Gupta, also from Amroha, when tragedy struck.

Hours after the blast, Ashok's cousin saw his name on the list of the victims. "I read his name in the list and said, 'He is my cousin.' I called around to confirm. He also had a bike, which is missing."

"His mother, Somwati, lives in the village with her elder son, Subhash. Ashok single-handedly shouldered family responsibilities because Subhash is often unwell," Pappu said. Ashok also worked as a security guard at night for some extra income, he said.

A relative of Lokesh Gupta said he was supposed to meet Ashok at Chandni Chowk. "Lokesh Kumar Gupta is my relative. We left Sir Ganga Ram Hospital together. Lokesh boarded the metro to Chandni Chowk, where Ashok was to meet him," the elderly man said.

Also among the victims is Noman from Shamli, who went to the wholesale market in Chandni Chowk to buy cosmetics for his shop. The 22-year-old died on the spot, and his cousin Aman was injured.

Noman's uncle, Furqan, said his death has devastated the family. "The ones who died were hardworking people. We lost our son. The government should give such a response that they don't dare to do something like this," he said.

Outside the Lok Nayak hospital, an elderly man was seen howling. He is the father of Amar Kataria, a 34-year-old who owned a medicine shop and was returning home when the blast struck. Kataria's shop is at Bhagirath Palace, about 6 km from the Red Fort, and he lived in Sriniwaspuri.

Such was the intensity of the blast that many of the bodies have not been identified yet. Outside the Lok Nayak Hospital, there is an eerie silence punctuated by family members' wails as they try to make sense, in vain, of how their world was shattered.

(Source - NDTV)

Over 700 people have reportedly been killed in Tanzania during three days of election-related protests, according to the country’s main opposition party.

Foreign media reports stated that internet access in Tanzania has been restricted.

As a result, the death toll is expected to rise further, the reports added.

The protests erupted following allegations of irregularities in the presidential election held on October 29.

Protesters claim that the ruling government is suppressing democracy by persecuting opposition leaders.

A state of emergency has been imposed in Tanzania in an effort to control the unrest.

Meanwhile, the foreign ministers of the United Kingdom, Canada, and Norway have issued a joint statement urging the authorities to exercise maximum restraint and respect freedom of expression.

Social media was flooded with false reports of veteran actor Dharmendra’s death on Tuesday morning, sparking confusion and concern among fans. The 88-year-old star is currently admitted to Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai, but family members have confirmed that he is alive, stable, and recovering.

The rumours began after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and writer Javed Akhtar mistakenly posted condolence messages on X (formerly Twitter), leading many to believe that the legendary actor had passed away. Both posts have since been widely shared and criticised for adding to the misinformation.

Setting the record straight, Esha Deol and Hema Malini issued statements dismissing the false claims.

“The media seems to be in overdrive and spreading false news. My father is stable and recovering. We request everyone to give our family privacy. Thank you for your prayers for Papa’s speedy recovery,” Esha Deol wrote.

Hema Malini also reassured fans in a post on Monday evening, saying,

“I thank everyone for their concern about Dharam ji who is in hospital for observation. He is being continuously monitored and we are all with him.  I request you all to pray for his welfare and speedy recovery.”

Dharmendra’s son Sunny Deol’s team released an official statement as well, urging the public not to believe or circulate unverified information.

“Mr. Dharmendra is stable and under observation. Kindly don’t indulge in spreading false rumours regarding his health. Request everyone to pray for his speedy recovery and respect the family’s right to privacy.”

The veteran actor, best known for his iconic roles in Sholay, Chupke Chupke, and Phool Aur Patthar, was last seen in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani and Teri Baaton Mein Ulja Jiya. He will next appear in Sriram Raghavan’s upcoming film ‘Ikkis’, alongside Agastya Nanda and Jaideep Ahlawat.

Fans across India continue to send prayers and well wishes for the much-loved actor’s speedy recovery.

The British government is calling on travelers to Japan to watch out for bears. This comes amid an increase in bear attacks across the country.

Information gathered by NHK shows that by noon on Thursday at least 86 people in Japan had been attacked by bears during the month of October.

By Thursday, the British government had updated its foreign travel advisory for people traveling to Japan for sightseeing, business and other purposes.

The advisory says that bear sightings and attacks have increased in parts of Japan, especially in mountainous and forested areas. It notes that there have been sightings near populated zones as well.

It urges travelers to research places in advance to learn about the local wildlife and avoid walking alone in areas where bears have been sighted. The advisory also calls on people to take food waste and other rubbish with them. Such garbage could attract bears.

Japan has become a popular destination country for British people, due in part to the weak yen. The Japan National Tourism Organization says more than 400,000 people from Britain visited Japan last year.

(Source - NHK World)

Denmark’s government on Friday announced an agreement to ban access to social media for anyone under 15, ratcheting up pressure on Big Tech platforms as concerns grow that kids are getting too swept up in a digitized world of harmful content and commercial interests.

The move would give some parents — after a specific assessment — the right to let their children access social media from age 13. It wasn’t immediately clear how such a ban would be enforced: Many tech platforms already restrict pre-teens from signing up. Officials and experts say such restrictions don’t always work.

Such a measure would be among the most sweeping steps yet by a European Union government to limit use of social media among teens and younger children, which has drawn concerns in many parts of an increasingly online world.

Speaking to The Associated Press, Caroline Stage, Denmark’s minister for digital affairs, said 94% of Danish children under age 13 have profiles on at least one social media platform, and more than half of those under 10 do.

“The amount of time they spend online — the amount of violence, self-harm that they are exposed to online — is simply too great a risk for our children,” she said, while praising tech giants as “the greatest companies that we have. They have an absurd amount of money available, but they’re simply not willing to invest in the safety of our children, invest in the safety of all of us.”

No rush to legislation, no loopholes for tech giants

Stage said a ban won’t take effect immediately. Allied lawmakers on the issue from across the political spectrum who make up a majority in parliament will likely take months to pass relevant legislation.

“I can assure you that Denmark will hurry, but we won’t do it too quickly because we need to make sure that the regulation is right and that there is no loopholes for the tech giants to go through,” Stage said. Her ministry said pressure from tech giants’ business models was “too massive.”

It follows a move in December in Australia, where parliament enacted the world’s first ban on social media for children — setting the minimum age at 16.

That made platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram subject to fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million) for systemic failures to prevent children younger than 16 from holding accounts.

Officials in Denmark didn’t say how such a ban would be enforced in a world where millions of children have easy access to screens. But Stage noted that Denmark has a national electronic ID system — nearly all Danish citizens over age 13 have such an ID — and plans to set up an age-verification app. Several other EU countries are testing such apps.

“We cannot force the tech giants to use our app, but what we can do is force the tech giants to make proper age verification, and if they don’t, we will be able to enforce through the EU commission and make sure that they will be fined up to 6% of their global income.”

Aiming to shield kids from harmful content online

Many governments have been grappling with ways of limiting harmful fallout from online technologies, without overly squelching their promise. Stage said Denmark’s legislative push was “not about excluding children from everything digital” — but keeping them away from harmful content.

China — which manufacturers many of the world’s digital devices — has set limits on online game time and smart-phone time for kids.

Prosecutors in Paris this week announced an investigation into allegations that TikTok allows content promoting suicide and that its algorithms may encourage vulnerable young people to take their own lives.

“Children and young people have their sleep disrupted, lose their peace and concentration, and experience increasing pressure from digital relationships where adults are not always present,” the Danish ministry said. “This is a development that no parent, teacher or educator can stop alone.”

The EU’s Digital Services Act, which took effect two years ago, forbids children younger than 13 to hold accounts on social media like TikTok and Instagram, video sharing platforms like YouTube and Twitch, and sites like Reddit and Discord, as well as AI companions.

Many social media platforms have for years banned anyone 13 or under from signing up for their services. TikTok users can verify their ages by submitting a selfie that will be analyzed to estimate their age. Meta Platforms, parent of Instagram and Facebook, says it uses a similar system for video selfies and AI to help figure out a user’s age.

TikTok said in an email that it recognizes the importance of Denmark’s initiative.

“At TikTok, we have steadfastly created a robust trust and safety track record, with more than 50 preset safety features for teen accounts, as well as age appropriate experiences and tools for guardians such as Family Pairing,” a tool allowing parents, guardians, and teens to customize safety settings.

We look forward to working constructively on solutions that apply consistently across the industry,” it added.

Meta didn’t respond immediately to requests for comment from the AP.

“We’ve given the tech giants so many chances to stand up and to do something about what is happening on their platforms. They haven’t done it,” said Stage, the Danish minister. “So now we will take over the steering wheel and make sure that our children’s futures are safe.”

(Source - AP)

Former US First Lady Michelle Obama offered a glimpse into her marriage of over three decades as she revealed that her idea of a perfect date night with Barack Obama is one spent quietly at home with good food, candles, and conversation.

In an exclusive interview with People Magazine, Michelle said, “We’ve been married 32, 33 years...I always forget. Sorry, honey.”

She explained that after years of working and living together, their most meaningful moments are simple and intimate.

“When we’re both happy about date night, we’re at home. We just have a nice dinner, candles lit, music, we talk. We don’t talk for the whole day because we’re in the house together all day, right? We work from home,” she added.

Michelle said that to keep things special, she and Barack deliberately save their conversations for dinner. “When we are going to have a really special night, it’s like, ‘Don’t talk to me. Save it for dinner.’ He’ll be like, ‘Did you talk to the girls?’ and I’ll say, ‘I did, but we’re not going to talk about it until date night.’”

Occasionally, the couple steps out for dinners in Washington, DC, but Michelle added: “I am too old; I can’t do dinner and a movie. I will fall asleep in the movie. So it’s like, ‘Let’s pick one’.”

The interview comes months after Michelle, in April, addressed speculation about her marriage to the former US president. In April, she publicly pushed back against rumours of a split, calling out how people assume relationship troubles when women choose independence or time apart.

Rumours of a rift began earlier this year when Barack Obama attended former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral without Michelle, followed by her decision not to attend Donald Trump’s second presidential inauguration. But the former First Lady made it clear that was just her setting personal boundaries.

(Source - India Today)