In 1867, Canterbury released 40 house sparrows to eat crop pests; within 15 years New Zealand was poisoning the birds and paying bounties after they began stripping grain crops

In 1867, Canterbury released 40 house sparrows to eat crop pests; within 15 years New Zealand was poisoning the birds and paying bounties after they began stripping grain crops

The Canterbury Acclimatisation Society liberated 40 sparrows in 1867. (Picture: Birds of the world) The house sparrow was brought to New Zealand in 1867 to help farmers deal with crop-eating insects, but the small bird soon became a problem of its own. Within a few years, while it grew in numbers, it also began damaging…

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James Dacombe: The Gen Z founder who left school at 17 and built a .3 billion AI chip company, becoming Europe’s youngest self-made billionaire at 25 | World News

James Dacombe: The Gen Z founder who left school at 17 and built a $3.3 billion AI chip company, becoming Europe’s youngest self-made billionaire at 25 | World News

At 25, British entrepreneur James Dacombe has joined a rare group of young founders whose fortunes have crossed the billion-dollar mark before most people have settled into a career. The North Yorkshire-born programmer left school at 17 to focus on CoMind, the brain-technology company he had started as a teenager, choosing a path far removed…

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Florida: Florida man convicted of murdering estranged wife and wounding her mother set to be state’s 13th execution of 2026

Florida: Florida man convicted of murdering estranged wife and wounding her mother set to be state’s 13th execution of 2026

Flordia executed two prisoners on the same day in July, while two more executions are scheduled for September (AP) Florida is set to execute on Tuesday (local time) a man convicted of murdering his estranged wife and wounding her mother, marking the state’s 13th execution of the year, with two more scheduled for September.Florida, a…

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In 2013, Indian-origin teenager Trisha Prabhu developed a platform that detected offensive messages before posting; in 2026, she runs a non-profit that prevents cyberbullying and received a grant from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s foundation

A teenager typed an insult on their phone and prepared to publish it. Before hitting send, the screen would ask if they were sure they wanted to say that to the other person. Trisha Mahajan was just 13 years old when she developed a mobile keyword that identified offensive messages before posting. Today, she has…

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‘No intention to attack North Korea’: South Korea President Lee after Donald Trump reduces US drills

‘No intention to attack North Korea’: South Korea President Lee after Donald Trump reduces US drills

File photo: South Korean President Lee Jae Myung South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday called for stronger independent defence capabilities while defending annual civil-defence exercises held alongside joint US-South Korea military drills, saying they are defensive and not intended to threaten North Korea.Lee’s remarks came a day after US President Donald Trump instructed…

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‘No intention to attack North Korea’: South Korea President Lee after Donald Trump reduces US drills

‘No intention to attack North Korea’: South Korea President Lee after Donald Trump reduces US drills

File photo: South Korean President Lee Jae Myung South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday called for stronger independent defence capabilities while defending annual civil-defence exercises held alongside joint US-South Korea military drills, saying they are defensive and not intended to threaten North Korea.Lee’s remarks came a day after US President Donald Trump instructed…

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Women were excluded from Liechtenstein’s throne for more than 400 years; a new royal rule now gives the firstborn child, regardless of gender, the right to inherit, and know who’ll now own the throne

Women were excluded from Liechtenstein’s throne for more than 400 years; a new royal rule now gives the firstborn child, regardless of gender, the right to inherit, and know who’ll now own the throne

Several European nations have female leaders next in line for the throne, but one of them has recently initiated the norm. Liechtenstein has become the latest country to amend its royal rules and allow women to take the throne. During its national day celebrations on Saturday, August 15, the country announced the change.“The order of…

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In 1935, black drongos were introduced on Rota to control crop pests; decades later the aggressive birds spread to Guam and became a threat to native birds

In 1935, black drongos were introduced on Rota to control crop pests; decades later the aggressive birds spread to Guam and became a threat to native birds

A juvenile and an adult Black Drongo perch on a tree branch (ANI Photo) In 1935, the Japanese South Seas Development Company made a decision that would have repercussions for Mariana Islands’ ecosystems for nearly 100 years. In search of a natural method for controlling agricultural pests, they imported black drongos (Dicrurus macrocercus) from Taiwan…

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Florida man arrested after throwing dog poop at neighbour over uncleared mess and threatening him with a child’s scooter | World News

Florida man arrested after throwing dog poop at neighbour over uncleared mess and threatening him with a child’s scooter | World News

A Florida neighbourhood dispute over dog poop allegedly spiralled into a bizarre confrontation involving thrown feces, a physical fight and a child’s metal scooter. Trey Decloedt, 35, was arrested by Lake County Sheriff’s deputies on August 8 after an altercation with his neighbour in Leesburg, Florida, according to reports citing the arrest affidavit. The dispute…

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A rare orca known as “La Abuela” was found with wounds consistent with shotgun pellets; the suspected attack could threaten an entire Iberian population of fewer than 40 whales

A rare orca known as “La Abuela” was found with wounds consistent with shotgun pellets; the suspected attack could threaten an entire Iberian population of fewer than 40 whales

Spain’s Environment Ministry has ordered an investigation into the likely shooting of a rare Iberian orca that was filmed swimming with wounds to its dorsal fin, Deputy Prime Minister ‌Sara Aagesen said on Friday. “The oldest orca in the Strait of Gibraltar has appeared with marks compatible with pellets” fired from a shotgun this week,…

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