The Age

Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali, the wife of former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, has died at the age of 100. The South China Morning Post reported the death as a developing story. Siti Hasmah was a prominent figure in Malaysia in her own right, long seen at Mahathir's side during his decades dominating Malaysian politics. Tributes and condolences are flowing from Malaysians and regional figures.

A new update on next-generation Covid vaccines highlights that the first combined flu and Covid vaccine has been approved for people aged 50 and over, with a large effectiveness trial beginning in Denmark and Spain. The update also covers phase 2 results for a so-called variant-proof vaccine that aims to protect against multiple Covid strains. Health watchers are sharing the news as vaccination strategy shifts toward combination shots ahead of the respiratory illness season.

Scientists report that as the Pacific Ocean warms, its water 'ages' are behaving counterintuitively: younger water is getting older while older water is getting younger. The finding points to shifting circulation and mixing patterns in the world's largest ocean, with implications for how heat and carbon are stored and moved. Researchers say the trend adds to concerns about how warming is altering ocean systems.

American Cardinal Robert McElroy is examining how the Catholic Church should operate in the digital era, according to Vatican News. The piece explores how the Church can engage with technology, online communities and digital communication while carrying out its mission. The topic touches ongoing Vatican debates about evangelisation and how the institution should adapt to a world increasingly shaped by digital media.

A Dutch survey reports that 8 in 10 people aged 16 to 34 believe their smartphone use harms their everyday life. The finding has drawn attention because it comes from the age group most associated with constant phone use, suggesting growing unease among young people about their own screen habits rather than criticism from older generations.

The Federal Aviation Administration has asked Congress for $30 billion to complete the modernization of the US air traffic control system. The request covers replacing aging radar, communications and technology infrastructure with newer systems. The funding appeal comes amid ongoing scrutiny of US aviation infrastructure, and lawmakers will now weigh the multibillion-dollar request as part of federal budget deliberations.

Paulo César Marques, father of Brazilian actor Bruno Gagliasso, has died at the age of 79, according to CNN Brasil. The news is drawing attention and condolences from fans and figures in Brazilian entertainment, as Gagliasso is a well-known TV actor and the loss of a close family member naturally generates widespread public sympathy and media coverage.

Stephen Wolfram has published a new essay examining what artificial intelligence means for pure mathematics research. He explores how AI tools could change the way mathematicians generate conjectures, prove theorems, and organize mathematical knowledge, and whether automated systems might eventually take over parts of the discipline. The essay is drawing attention among technologists and mathematicians debating how quickly AI will reshape fundamental research.

Google's Pixel 8, first launched in 2023, is being reassessed as a budget option heading into 2026. With newer Pixel models now on the market, buyers are weighing whether its aging hardware, camera and software support still justify the price, or whether newer alternatives make more sense.

Japan's Immigration Services Agency reports that the number of foreign workers in the country under the Specified Skilled Worker visa has reached a record high of 444,256. The program, created in 2019 to address severe labor shortages in sectors like caregiving, construction and agriculture, continues to expand as Japan's population ages and shrinks.

Dennis Haskins, the actor best known for playing principal Richard Belding on the hit sitcom Saved by the Bell, has died at the age of 75. News of his death is prompting an outpouring of tributes from fans who grew up watching him on the show, with many recalling his cheerfully exasperated principal as a defining figure of late-1980s and 1990s television.

Billy Parker, a country music radio legend, has died at the age of 88. Tributes are pouring in from fans of country broadcasting remembering his long career on the air. The news is being shared widely across social media as listeners recall his influence on country music radio.

The European Commission has put forward a plan encouraging member states to offer citizens regular cardiovascular screenings starting at age 35, in response to heart disease remaining a leading cause of death in Europe. The proposal, discussed on French radio RMC's health programme, has sparked debate in France about prevention policies, access to free consultations, and how such exams would be organised in practice.

New research reported by Nature suggests transplanted hearts reverse their biological age after surgery, adjusting to the recipient's body rather than retaining the donor's. The finding indicates organ ageing is driven more by the host's internal environment than by the organ's own history. Scientists say it could reshape how donor organs are matched and how ageing of tissues is understood.

Florida is set to execute Curtis Beasley, 77, by lethal injection on Tuesday evening for a 1995 murder. The case is drawing attention because it would be the state's 16th execution this year, underscoring Florida's unusually high pace of executions. Commenters are sharing the news widely, with reaction focused on the inmate's age and the growing number of death sentences carried out in the state.

UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy is facing attention after the government confirmed that new social media age restrictions will take effect from March 2027, using an age-adaptive model rather than blanket bans. Critics have raised concerns about privacy and the use of biometric or age-verification technology, while supporters argue the rules will better protect children online.

Charles Trueheart, the American journalist and former diplomat known for writing about the diplomatic 'betrayal' surrounding the US experience in Vietnam, has died at the age of 75. The New York Times reported his death. Trueheart served in diplomatic roles and wrote extensively about American foreign policy, with his work on Vietnam drawing attention to contested chapters of US diplomacy in Southeast Asia.

A church building on Long Island is being sold for $11.8 million, with proceeds connected to the merger of two nearby congregations. The sale, reported by Episcopal News Service, marks the end of the property's use as an active church and reflects ongoing consolidation among congregations facing declining membership and rising costs of maintaining aging buildings.

An engineer who spent sixteen years at Collabora has announced he is leaving to start his own business focused on software engineering in the age of AI. He is also stepping down as maintainer of WirePlumber, the PipeWire session manager, with Julian Bouzas, who has worked alongside him since 2019, taking over the project.

Renewable energy analysts are examining why older wind and solar installations could become more valuable as they age. Early wind and solar projects built decades ago are approaching end of design life, raising questions about repowering, grid interconnection rights, and land already permitted for clean energy. Some argue these existing sites may hold strategic value as demand for renewable capacity and grid access grows.

The Brooklyn Rail has published a feature titled 'SSRIs to Sugar Synths: Hyperpop in the Internet Age', examining the hyperpop genre and its relationship to internet culture. The piece appears to explore how the genre's bubbly, maximalist sound connects with themes of medication, mental health, and online identity among its young fanbase and artists.

Four teenagers, three of them juveniles, are facing multiple attempted murder charges in Hamblen County, Tennessee, according to local reporting. The charges follow an incident whose details have not been fully released, and authorities have not publicly identified the suspects because of their ages. The case has drawn attention for the young ages of those involved and the severity of the accusations.

A Wall Street Journal opinion piece argues that political polling needs rethinking as artificial intelligence changes how campaigns gauge public opinion. With traditional polls facing declining response rates and accuracy questions, the article examines how AI tools could supplement or replace conventional polling methods ahead of upcoming elections.

A new report from Universe Today suggests that older alien planets may never have progressed beyond simple microbial life, remaining stuck in what researchers call a 'slime age'. The idea is that on worlds with long-lived, stable conditions, life may have arisen early but never evolved into complex organisms, leaving planets covered in microbes and slime for billions of years. The claim has drawn attention as a sobering counterpoint to hopes of finding advanced civilizations among older exoplanets.

The Leibniz Apotheke in Berlin's Charlottenburg district has COVID-19 vaccination appointments available for people aged 18 and over, with a booking calendar published online. The notice, shared on a German-language social platform by a Green party member, encourages anyone in Berlin seeking a COVID shot to book a slot at the pharmacy.