Russian athletes are set to compete under their own flag at the Paralympic Games for the first time since 2014, according to the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), while on Valentine's Day, Italy's "Lovers' Arch" collapsed into the sea. Meanwhile, Iran temporarily closed the Strait of Hormuz for live-fire drills amid escalating tensions with the US, and AI digital twins are being used to help people manage diabetes and obesity. Additionally, a small English town is embroiled in the global AI arms race over a proposed data center.
The IPC announced that Russia's National Paralympic Committee had been awarded six slots in the upcoming Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games, marking a significant shift after Russia was twice banned from the games. The bans occurred first in 2016 due to a state-sponsored doping scheme, and then in 2022 following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, according to Sky News. Russian athletes last competed under their own flag at the 2014 Sochi games.
In Italy, the "Lovers' Arch," a famous rock structure on the coast of Puglia, collapsed after days of severe weather. The arch, a popular spot for tourists and marriage proposals, succumbed to heavy rain, strong winds, and rough seas, according to Sky News. Maurizio Cisternino, the mayor of the nearby town of Melendugno, described the collapse as "an unwanted Valentine's Day gift."
Tensions between Iran and the US continue to rise as Iran temporarily closed the Strait of Hormuz for live-fire drills. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) initiated the drills in the Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf, and the Gulf of Oman, all crucial international shipping routes, according to Euronews. The closure and drills come as new nuclear talks in Geneva seek to avert open conflict.
In the realm of health, AI digital twins are emerging as a tool to manage diabetes and obesity. Rodney Buckley, a retired firefighter, lost 100 pounds in less than a year with the help of a digital twin program, as reported by Wired. This non-medication alternative is gaining traction as employers seek to address the high costs of GLP-1 drugs.
The small English town of Potters Bar is facing a battle over a proposed industrial-scale data center. A property developer applied for permission to build one of the largest data centers in Europe on farmland near the town, sparking local protests, according to Wired. More than 1,000 people have signed up to a Facebook group opposing the project, but the local government has so far dismissed their complaints.
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