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Regular Exercise Slows Parkinson's Progression in UAE
Exercise might be the secret weapon against Parkinson’s Disease progression. Dr. Emile Moukheiber from Johns Hopkins highlights that regular exercise is currently the most effective method to slow down this challenging disease, expected to affect 17 million by 2030. He recommends at least 30 minutes of vigorous activity four to five times a week for those recently diagnosed. The UAE's EmPark study shows Emiratis face higher early-onset rates and delay treatment longer than expats, emphasizing the importance of early detection and intervention.
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Tennis Pro Pauses Aussie Open to Help Collapsing Ball Girl: "Being a Good Human Comes First"
Turkish tennis player Zeynep Sonmez made headlines at the Australian Open not just for her on-court performance — but for a moment of compassion that briefly paused play. Sonmez, 23, was mid-match against Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova on Jan. 18 when a ball girl collapsed on the sidelines in Melbourne’s heat. Footage from the match shows the girl falling backward, briefly getting up, and then stumbling again. That’s when Sonmez stopped the game and rushed to help. “She was really struggling,” Sonmez later told the BBC. “She said she was fine, but it was really obvious she was not fine. So I went to grab her and said, ‘Sit down and drink something, you're not fine.’ As we were walking, she fainted, so luckily I grabbed her. She was really shaking.” In the video, Sonmez can be seen helping the girl stay upright, draping her arm over her shoulder and walking her toward medical staff. At one point, she caught the girl as she appeared to lose consciousness again. The match resumed after a six-minute delay. Temperatures during the day had soared — with forecasts predicting even higher heat in the coming days. “I always say it is more important to be a good human being than a good tennis player,” Sonmez said. “It was just my instinct to help her and I think everyone would do the same. I'm happy I got to help.” After the interruption, Sonmez went on to win the match, defeating world No. 11 Alexandrova. The victory made her the first Turkish woman in history to reach the second round of the Australian Open. Sonmez, currently ranked No. 112, has earned growing attention for her performance — but it’s her quick thinking and empathy during a tense moment that has won her admiration far beyond the tennis world.
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Burn Survivor Becomes Firefighter, Now Inspires Kids At Camp
Terry McCarty knows what it’s like to face fire—both literally and metaphorically. At just six years old, he suffered third-degree burns over 70 percent of his body in a catastrophic accident. The aftermath was brutal: a coma for two months, a year-long hospital stay, and 58 surgeries. As if that wasn’t enough, McCarty endured relentless bullying during his teenage years. "After the accident I lived in a constant state of fear and uncertainty," McCarty shared with the Daily Mail. Life as an adult wasn't much easier; employers often saw him as a liability. "I struggled to find work as an adult as people always told me I was a liability, and I had started to believe it." In what might seem an unexpected twist, McCarty decided to become a firefighter in Bellingham, Washington. It was an impulsive decision made in search of proving his capabilities to himself and others. He completed 12 weeks of tough training, which included facing fire again for the first time since his childhood trauma. "In the end, I started to realize the fire didn't control me," he said. "Why should I let fear take over my life?" His experience on the firefighting force lasted two years before he shifted focus toward helping other burn survivors. McCarty now works with the Burned Children Recovery Foundation at Camp Phoenix. This program offers young burn survivors not only counseling and peer support but also family support and financial assistance during their recovery period. "Fire robbed me of my childhood," McCarty explained. "I wanted to give these children a chance to experience being a kid." Although McCarty has left firefighting behind, he continues to engage with the community by organizing motivational speaking programs for firefighting groups and connecting firefighters with burn survivors like himself. He believes this external perspective can be useful for those who regularly encounter difficult situations. "As a firefighter, you see the worst of your community," McCarty told People Magazine. "That could really do a lot of damage to your emotional and mental health." By maintaining ties with the firefighting community while operating from outside its core structure, McCarty finds he can still participate meaningfully. His journey is both inspiring and practical; rather than letting early adversity define his entire life, Terry McCarty has turned personal tragedy into an avenue for supporting others facing similar challenges.
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Score (97)
This Hospital Launched a Simple Blood Test to Detect 70+ Types of Cancer Before Symptoms Start
A hospital in the United Arab Emirates is rolling out a new way to screen for cancer — and it’s as easy as a blood test. Burjeel Hospitals has introduced the Trucheck™ intelli test, a non-invasive blood test that can detect more than 70 types of cancer, even before symptoms appear. It’s being offered to citizens and residents with a focus on early detection, particularly for people over the age of 40. Unlike traditional screening methods like mammograms or colonoscopies, which only test for one type of cancer at a time, Trucheck can pick up signs of multiple cancers — including those that don’t currently have routine screening options, such as pancreatic, brain, and gastric cancers. “This method is very simple. It’s a simple blood test, where you can pick up a blood sample without fasting, without preparation. It can discover up to 70 different types of cancer,” said Prof. Humaid Al Shamsi, CEO of the Burjeel Cancer Institute and Adjunct Professor at Harvard Medical School, in an interview with Khaleej Times. The test is designed for asymptomatic individuals and aims to fill a major gap in early screening uptake. According to Prof. Al Shamsi, fear and discomfort have kept many from pursuing early cancer testing. “We conducted a study on more than 1,000 members of society a few years ago, and we found that almost 60 per cent were not very keen on early detection and screening. The reasons included the fear of the information — they do not want to know — and fear of the colonoscopy or mammogram processes.” He believes Trucheck could change that. Unlike blood cancers like leukemia or lymphoma, which the test does not detect, the Trucheck test works by identifying circulating tumor cells in the blood — a method that allows for early detection of many solid tumor cancers. Prof. Al Shamsi said the results are fast and highly accurate, with a reported accuracy rate of between 95 to 98 percent. However, like any screening tool, there’s a small risk of false positives — about 1 percent. “The only problem is that you can get a false positive, but this chance is only one per cent. Any test in the world has a chance of false positive. We have to counsel the patient about these risks and be mindful of patients before they undergo this test.” At a cost of between Dh7,000 and Dh8,000 per test, the screening isn’t cheap, but Prof. Al Shamsi said it could prove cost-effective when compared to the price of multiple individual tests. “This can be very cost effective in the long term, and you’ll be testing for more (types of cancer) at reduced costs.” He also noted that the UAE is one of the first countries in the world to adopt the test as a public health initiative, with the Department of Health in Abu Dhabi already rolling it out to Emirati citizens aged 40 and up. “This is considered to be the first country globally to adopt this very new technology for cancer screenings,” he said. The age threshold, he added, is based purely on cancer risk. “Above 40 is simply because a person’s chance of getting any cancer is higher post-40 — that’s the only reason — and it’s more cost effective. I think in the future this will change, actually. But as we get older, there’s a higher risk of having cancer.” Still, Prof. Al Shamsi emphasized that Trucheck is meant to complement, not replace, existing screening programmes. “My advice is to consider cancer screening above the age of 40. We still have ... all the other ways of testing — colonoscopy, fecal occult blood test, mammogram, cervical screening, and also PSA screening. These tests are very important. We should always continue to screen for cancer, because cancer is a silent killer.” He cited a recent case that underscores this urgency. “In fact, even this week, I had a patient in her mid-forties who said, ‘Doctor, how come I have stage four pancreatic cancer and I have no symptoms?’ The reality is, cancer is silent.” That silence, he said, is what makes early, wide-range screening so important. The hope is that with easier access and less fear, more people will be diagnosed earlier — when treatment has the best chance of success.
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From the Streets to the Therapy Chair: Army Veteran Turns His Life Around to Help Others Heal
Chris Sanders never expected to make it to 40. A former soldier from Rotherham, he hit rock bottom after leaving the British Army in 2004, battling PTSD, alcohol addiction, and periods of homelessness. But today, at 49, he’s not just surviving—he’s helping others do the same. “I had to sell my medals to put food on the table,” Sanders said. “But I look back on that time and say without it, I wouldn’t be the man I am today.” Sanders served in Bosnia, Northern Ireland, and Cyprus, sustaining injuries in each posting. He was shot in Bosnia in 1994, stabbed in Northern Ireland in 1996, and hurt during a riot a year later. Like many veterans of his era, he never spoke about the trauma, just carried on with the next assignment. “You never dealt with it,” he said. “But then when you leave the forces, you’re left to your own devices. I didn’t know what was going on.” What followed was years of instability. Two years after leaving the Army, he had what he describes as a “massive emotional and mental breakdown.” “I went on a rampage, broke everything in the house I could physically break,” he said. “It was an angry outburst that scared me so much—that was the point where I needed to know what’s going on.” He turned to Alcoholics Anonymous and met another veteran who was also struggling. That conversation made him realise he wasn’t just drinking—he was self-medicating. He was officially diagnosed with PTSD in 2006. He moved constantly. He lost jobs. Relationships broke down. At his lowest point, he was sleeping rough—in the woods, under bin shelters, even in an old leisure centre in Rotherham, where he huddled near warm air vents. For his son Brandon Jarvis, now 24 and serving in the Royal Navy himself, the impact of those years was deeply felt. “We didn’t know whether he wanted to see us really,” Jarvis said. “It just seemed like we weren’t chosen in a way.” He remembers the hurt of missed visits. “When you’re at school, getting excited to go on holiday and see your dad, and sometimes it just didn’t happen, so it was quite upsetting.” The breakthrough came during a counselling session. “It helped me understand the triggers that were setting me off drinking and the repeated patterns of behaviour over the years,” Sanders said. He started rebuilding—this time from the inside out. He enrolled at a community learning centre in Sheffield to study literacy and numeracy, then took a counselling course at Barnsley College. He now co-runs a counselling service with Rosanna Duggan, a fellow graduate. Their focus is on accessibility, offering therapy on a “pay as you feel” basis to reach those who might otherwise be overlooked. “There are people who’ve missed out,” Sanders said. “It’s not about fixing people, it’s about making people understand themselves more.” He and Duggan are trying to bridge the gap between overstretched NHS services and costly private therapy, experimenting with a hybrid model that doesn’t leave people waiting or priced out. The transformation hasn’t just been professional. Sanders is now in what he calls a “loving relationship” with his three children and three stepdaughters. And for Brandon, the change is striking. “It does make me very proud seeing him go to college and he’s just stayed committed and smashed through it,” he said. “It’s pretty remarkable, to be honest. I think as he’s grown, he’s also grown as a father.” Sanders agrees. “Twenty years ago, I wasn’t going any further than the street or to get beer and fags,” he said. “That’s all I had. Now I have a plan, and it’s genuinely exciting.”
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Divers Rescue Entangled Mobula Ray as Sharks Circle — Then It Came Back to Say ‘Thanks’
An underwater rescue mission off the coast of Baja California, Mexico, turned into an unforgettable moment when a mobula ray tangled in fishing rope returned to circle its rescuers — a gesture divers described as a possible “thank you.” The dramatic scene unfolded after a team of free divers and underwater photographers discovered the ray trapped more than 10 meters below the surface, completely ensnared in rope from a shark fisherman’s buoy. Mobula rays, sometimes called flying rays, devil rays, or eagle rays, are relatives of the giant manta ray, though typically smaller and more diverse, with around a dozen known species. Andre Smits, an underwater photographer from Eindhoven, Netherlands, was among the divers who spotted the struggling animal. “We went to one of the shark fishermen’s buoys because we didn’t find any wildlife to interact with that day,” Smits told England’s Southwest News Service. “Our guide jumped in to check the line, popped his head up right away, and said, ‘guys, I need your help. There’s something stuck in the line.’” What they found was a ray in distress, tangled in rope that had looped around nearly every part of its body. The team of seven divers had to work in shifts, cutting the thick line with knives while carefully holding the panicked animal. Three silky sharks, each about 2.5 meters long, circled nearby. Smits said the rescue was especially delicate due to the rope’s tension and the risk of the ray jerking free at the wrong moment. “The buoy line, being artificial material, could be like a knife in its own right if someone was holding too tightly,” he said. “The animal was in freak mode, starting to swim around to try to get free, but then it understood that it was stuck.” A free-diving trainer in the group dove below the ray to cut the rope from underneath, allowing the team to bring the ray closer to the surface. Working methodically, they eventually freed the animal, which had sustained injuries from the entanglement but was still strong enough to swim. “The beautiful thing was we cut her free, we released her, and she swam away about 30 meters,” Smits said. “And then it felt like she decided to come back.” To the team’s astonishment, the ray circled back toward them. “She really swam back to us and did a ‘thank you’ circle,” Smits recalled. “She came right between us to our faces, almost giving us a grateful hug.” Despite the danger posed by nearby sharks and the risk of blood in the water, the divers managed to complete the rescue without injury — to themselves or the ray. The group documented the entire encounter, highlighting not only the intelligence of these marine creatures but also the growing threats they face from human debris. Mobula rays, like their manta cousins, are known for their graceful movements and often curious nature — qualities that made this encounter all the more striking. Smits called the experience “one of the most beautiful moments” he’s witnessed in the ocean.
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Natalie Zolty Retains Title as UK's Top Female Scrabble Player After Triumph in Reading
A math lecturer has cemented her position as the UK’s highest-rated female Scrabble player after winning the top division at a national tournament. Natalie Zolty, who teaches at Solihull College & University Centre, clinched victory at the Final Fling event during the UK Open Scrabble competition held in Reading. Over the two-day tournament in early January, she won 12 out of her 15 games, finishing with a points difference of more than 1,000. Her standout play came in a winning match against grandmaster Gary Oliver, where she scored 108 points with the word Zendiks—a term meaning unbelievers or heretics. Zolty hopes her success might inspire more women to aim for the top in what has traditionally been a male-dominated competitive scene. “I normally say there’s no difference between men and women, we should be able to play, intellectually, the same,” she said. “But I will take it and say, yes, I am the top female Scrabble player. The fact is there aren’t many women at the top.” She attributes her strength in the game not to language, but to maths. “Most people would say Scrabble is a word game. I don’t agree. I think Scrabble is very much a maths game,” she said. “The top players don’t even necessarily have English as a first language. A lot of the words I don’t learn what they mean. We just learn them as patterns of letters to win the game.” Zolty first got into Scrabble through Facebook more than a decade ago, playing casually until her online matches led her to formal competitions. Since then, she’s been sharpening her skills with an hour a day spent solving anagrams. In 2024, she was awarded Expert status by the Association of British Scrabble Players. And now, she’s looking higher. James Burley, director of the UK Open tournament, said Zolty has the potential to go even further. “She’s very good,” he said. “And it’s the fact that she’s improved over time, sustained it over time. There is another title beyond Expert. It is not beyond the realms of possibility that Natalie is going to consider that at some point. She is capable of doing that with the continued study and effort that she puts in.” Burley added that her commitment has been key to her rise. “It is her dedication that has really shown and her determination to succeed as well.” Zolty, for her part, isn’t slowing down. “I have put a lot of time into practising and studying and not everyone is prepared to do that,” she said. “But I enjoy it.” The UK Open is set to return in 2027.
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Study Finds Real Health Benefits In Exercising 'Snacks' Throughout Your Day
Your fitness tracker might be barking at you for 10,000 steps or a 30-minute cardio session, but scientists are saying you can get real health benefits with far less time—sometimes just a few minutes a day. A growing body of research is showing that “exercise snacks”—short bursts of vigorous physical activity lasting under a minute—can improve fitness, heart health, and even blood sugar levels. And they don’t require gym memberships, gear, or even a change of clothes. “Exercise snacks” are a different beast than high-intensity interval training (Hiit). Instead of stringing together multiple intense bursts in one 20-minute session, these are sprinkled throughout the day. Think climbing stairs, doing a set of squats while the kettle boils, or busting out some jumping jacks before lunch. They’re spread out—often one to four hours apart—and designed to fit around your normal routine. A recent review published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that even in previously sedentary adults, these bite-sized workouts significantly improved cardiorespiratory fitness, which is closely linked to longevity and reduced risk of heart disease. Impressively, 83 percent of participants stuck with the routine for at least three months. Time and motivation are two of the most common barriers to exercise, and this model tackles both. In one 2019 study, a group of sedentary young adults were asked to do a three-flight stair climb, three times per day, with warmups of jumping jacks, squats, and lunges. After six weeks, their fitness measurably improved—unlike a control group that did nothing. But it’s not just about stairs. In a 2024 trial, researchers compared a stair-snack group to a group cycling 40 minutes three times a week. The stair climbers only did three 30-second sprints per session. Still, their fitness jumped 7 percent. The cyclists saw no significant change. And the benefits go beyond just cardiovascular fitness. In a massive study tracking more than 25,000 non-exercising adults, those who got just three to four minutes of vigorous movement per day—things like fast walking or climbing stairs—had a 40 percent lower risk of dying from any cause. Their risk of dying from cardiovascular disease dropped by nearly half. Blood sugar also gets a boost. Small studies have found that intense, short bursts of movement before meals can blunt the blood sugar spikes that follow, particularly in people with insulin resistance. Jack McNamara, a Senior Lecturer in Clinical Exercise Physiology at the University of East London, says the key is intensity and consistency. “You should feel your heart rate rise and be slightly out of breath,” he advises. Even a single 20-second burst, repeated regularly, can move the needle. Some of the best exercise snacks include: • Stair climbing: One of the most studied options. Aim for 20–60 seconds at a pace that leaves you winded. Earlier research found women who built up to five stair climbs a day improved their fitness by 17 percent in just eight weeks. • Brisk walking: Short, vigorous walks around the block, the office, or even your house count—so long as your pace makes talking tough. • Bodyweight moves: Squats, lunges, and wall push-ups work well. Try a set whenever you’re waiting for the microwave or finishing a Zoom call. The trick is to attach these snacks to things you already do: squats during TV ads, a brisk lap after lunch, stairs before your morning coffee. No, these snacks won’t give you everything a full training program might. But for people who aren’t doing much of anything, this is a scientifically backed, no-excuses way to get moving. As McNamara puts it, “The biggest gains in health happen when someone goes from doing nothing to doing something.”
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Anonymous Donor Wipes Out $15K School Lunch Debt for 450 Students
A school district in southern Kansas just had a big weight lifted off its shoulders—thanks to a generous act of kindness from someone who doesn’t even want the credit. Winfield Unified School District 465 confirmed that an anonymous donor gave $15,432 to cover all outstanding student lunch debt across the district. The surprise was announced by Superintendent Tricia Reiser during a Jan. 12 school board meeting. “This generous gift directly supports our families and ensures that students can focus on learning without the burden of meal debt,” Reiser said in a statement. “We are incredibly grateful.” According to the district, more than half of its students—1,136 in total—currently qualify for free or reduced-price meals based on family income. But for about 450 students, that help came too late to prevent debts from building up. In some cases, those meal charges had been accumulating before families became eligible for assistance. Elizabeth Smith, the district’s business manager and board treasurer, said the donation wipes out all negative balances, giving families a fresh start for the new semester. “It’s truly a blessing,” she said. “We are thankful to the person who chose to help our students and families in such a meaningful way.” Smith emphasized that every student in the district, regardless of their account status, is always offered a meal—though it might be an alternative option depending on grade level. “We want to ensure every student is fed,” she added. The district is still urging families who may qualify to apply for free or reduced meals going forward. But for now, they’re celebrating a moment of relief and gratitude. “USD 465 extends its heartfelt gratitude to the anonymous donor for their compassion and commitment to supporting students and families in the Winfield community,” the statement read. No name. No spotlight. Just a quiet act that made a real difference.
Score (98)
Heroic UPS Driver Rescues 101-Year-Old Woman From House Fire In California
A regular afternoon delivery turned into a dramatic rescue in Santa Ana, California, when a UPS driver and a group of neighbors saved a 101-year-old woman from a house fire. The fire broke out Thursday afternoon, drawing attention from nearby residents who saw smoke billowing from the woman’s home. Neighbors rushed over, knocked on her door, and tried to guide her to safety — but she struggled to move quickly enough to escape. That’s when a passing UPS driver became an unexpected hero. According to the Orange County Fire Authority, the driver jumped into action immediately, lifting the woman and carrying her out of the home as smoke thickened around them. While the rescue was underway, others sprang into action to fight the fire. Neighbors used fire extinguishers to knock down flames that had erupted in the kitchen. One local roofer grabbed a ladder, climbed onto the house, and sprayed water into a vent from the roof using a garden hose — a move that helped slow the spread of the fire until firefighters arrived. Emergency crews soon took over and were able to fully extinguish the blaze, which had reached the attic. The woman was taken to a nearby hospital as a precaution. Her condition has not yet been released. The fire department called the rescue “a remarkable outcome made possible by quick action, teamwork, and people looking out for one another in a moment of need.”
Score (98)
‘The Girls Are Going Analog’: Why More People Are Reaching for Pens, Postcards, and Typewriters in 2026
In a world dominated by screens and notifications, a growing number of people are rewinding time — one envelope at a time. Across the U.S., Canada, and beyond, there’s a noticeable shift among those looking to unplug: they’re turning to old-school communication methods like handwritten letters, typewriters, and wax seals. For many, these retro tools aren’t just a creative outlet, but an intentional escape from the pressure to always be available. “I feel as though my pen pals are my friends,” said Melissa Bobbitt, a 42-year-old in Claremont, California, who writes to about a dozen people. At one point, she had as many as 40. “Focusing on one person and really reading what they are saying, and sharing what’s on your heart is almost like a therapy session.” Bobbitt is part of a quiet resurgence of tactile, analog hobbies gaining traction in digital times. From calligraphy tutorials on TikTok to subscription-based letter art clubs, enthusiasts say the appeal goes far beyond nostalgia — it’s about slowing down, making space, and creating real connection. Putting Down the Phone That sentiment rings true for Stephania Kontopanos, a 21-year-old college student in Chicago. “There are times when I’m with my friends and at dinner, I’ll realize we are all on our phones,” she said. She now makes a point of sending postcards, scrapbooking, and junk journaling to stay grounded — hobbies that also help her connect with her mom during post office runs back home in Kansas. These moments of unplugging are becoming increasingly rare, especially for young adults whose lives revolve around social media, school, and screen time. But for those who try it, the payoff is tangible — quite literally. “When I sit down, I’m forced to reflect and choose my words carefully,” said KiKi Klassen, a 28-year-old artist in Ontario, Canada. “It also lends itself to vulnerability.” In 2024, Klassen launched the Lucky Duck Mail Club, a monthly letter subscription that includes her art and a thoughtful message. She now has over 1,000 members in up to 36 countries. The stories people send back often move her to tears. “Paper creates a safe space. You write it down, send it off, and don’t really think about it after.” The Excitement of a Full Mailbox For many, there’s still nothing quite like the feeling of opening a mailbox and finding a letter with your name on it. “There’s a grand excitement when you find something that’s not a bill or ad,” said Bobbitt. “If we all filled each other’s mailboxes with letters, we would all be kinder — and at the very least, we wouldn’t dread checking our mail.” Bobbitt first joined a pen pal club in elementary school and now exchanges letters through Postcrossing, a global project that pairs people to send and receive postcards. Some of those quick greetings have grown into full-blown friendships. Old Tools, New Communities Offline activities like letter writing, coloring, and listening to vinyl records are also at the heart of CAYA — a monthly gathering launched by Dallas DJ Robert Owoyele. The idea was simple: create a space for real, in-person connection in a world that often offers only the illusion of it. “These analog activities are a representation of that,” said Owoyele. “When we are able to touch or see something, we are more connected to it naturally.” While picking up a pen may sound easy, it doesn’t always come naturally. Carving out the time can be the hardest part. “The older I get, the more I realize how much time had been wasted on my phone,” said Kontopanos. Reordering her priorities helped her reconnect with hobbies she now sees as essential. For those looking to try it out, there are plenty of low-barrier ways to begin: join a pen pal site, visit a local printers’ fair, dust off an old typewriter, or follow communities like the Wax Seal Guild on Instagram or The Calligraphy Hub on Facebook. According to Klassen, the trend is only just beginning. “The girls are going analog in 2026,” she said.