Author: damazah@gmail.com

Long-term exposure to road traffic noise is associated with a higher risk of Parkinson’s disease, the biggest study of its kind has found.Parkinson’s disease is a progressive disorder in which parts of the brain become damaged over time, affecting movement and balance.Existing research has found potential biological pathways that link noise exposure to Parkinson’s disease, largely due to stress responses and disrupted sleep. The researchers modelled noise exposure at the most and least exposed exterior of the residence of each participant and calculated the difference in noise levels.The magnitude of the effect was modest but consistent; at the most exposed…

Jurgen Klopp is widely expected to formally take over as the new head coach of the German men’s national football team, with the German Football Association (DFB) calling a press conference for Friday. Klopp, famed for his success during stints as coach at Borussia Dortmund and especially Liverpool, has been in talks with the DFB about trying to lead Germany — long a football powerhouse — back to prominence. On Thursday, the DFB invited the media to a press conference on Friday morning at 11am (0900GMT) at its Frankfurt headquarters, without specifying the topic. That is because the DFB’s governing…

Bleecker Street’s Crosswalk and Universal Pictures Content Group to release film that will be accompanied by new Mary McCartney-directed short Finding Faith George Michael: The Faith Tour, the unreleased concert film capturing the singer’s 1988 concerts in Paris on his first solo tour, has found distributors ahead of its theatrical release later this year. Bleecker Street’s Crosswalk will release the film in North America — including a run of early access IMAX screenings — with Universal Pictures Content Group handling worldwide distribution. The film, directed by longtime Michael collaborators Andy Morahan and David Austin, features unseen footage from Michael’s two…

As a very prescriptive tea drinker – piping hot “Stephen Fry” everyday Twinings, thank you, brewed strong with a dash of milk and no sugar under any circumstances – iced tea has always been lost on me. But there’s nothing like an unprecedented heatwave to encourage this sleepless mother to review her position on something as vital as tea.The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more.Many of us associate iced tea with the American south, but legend has it that it was actually an English tea merchant who popularised…

Indian authorities release the two men after years in prison although both remain under tight court-imposed restrictions.By Al Jazeera Staff, AFP and APPublished On 23 Jul 202623 Jul 2026Indian authorities have released prominent Kashmiri human rights activist Khurram Parvez and journalist Irfan Mehraj on bail after years in prison on “terrorism” financing charges although both remain under tight court-imposed restrictions.The two men walked free from a New Delhi jail late on Wednesday, their relatives said, as India’s National Investigation Agency seeks to overturn their bail – the latest chapter in what rights groups call New Delhi’s sweeping crackdown on activists,…

The US Department of Justice is attempting to prosecute an Atlanta resident in connection with the movement against the police training center known as Cop City because he had GrapheneOS on his phone, an open-source operating system that enables users to enter a passcode and wipe a phone clean.The case, which had its first hearing on Monday, centers on a little-known US federal statute that makes it a crime to destroy property in an effort to prevent it from being seized.Experts said it may be the first time the law has been aimed at the operating system, which works on…

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – AUGUST 02: Owner Steve Cohen of the New York Mets talks with members of the media prior to a game between the New York Mets and Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on August 02, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)Getty ImagesFor much of the 2026 season, the New York Mets have found themselves at the center of trade speculation, front-office scrutiny and one of the most disappointing stretches in franchise history. With one of baseball’s highest payrolls failing to produce consistent results, frustration has followed the club into the second half.That…

A young American man arrives in a dilapidated British seaside town to take on the renovations of an equally run-down hotel, inherited from a mysteriously absent father he never knew. His power tools talk to him in a Scottish accent, the local people speak in baffling slang, and occasionally people burst into song. Oh, and there are ghosts.There Are No Ghosts at the Grand is a novel mix of genres – no bad thing in these times of sequels and remakes – but, according to the creative director of independent developers Friday Sundae, Anil Glendinning, it grew organically from a…

The fine is part of a major crackdown on Big Tech by Brussels which says it is seeking to ensure fair competition in the digital realm.By Al Jazeera Staff, AFP and APPublished On 23 Jul 202623 Jul 2026The European Union has fined Google 890 million euros ($1bn), saying the technology giant broke digital antitrust rules by steering users of Google Play and its search engine towards its own services and apps at the expense of rivals.Thursday’s penalty is the latest in Brussels’ crackdown on Big Tech, which has seen the bloc lead the world in reining in the largest firms…

Former Coronation Street actor Qasim Akhtar is to receive “substantial” damages from the Sun’s publisher, to settle a High Court libel claim.Akhtar who played Zeedan Nazir in the ITV soap from 2014 to 2018 and then 2021 to 2023, sued News Group Newspapers (NGN) earlier this year.A story in the Sun had falsely alleged Akhtar had “backed” and “teamed up with” Islamic cleric Uthman ibn Farooq, was associated with extremism, radicalisation and violence, and had “moved to Pakistan” and “trained with guns”.The newspaper previously apologised “unreservedly” to the actor for the “serious harm and distress caused to him by the…