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PARIS — A neutrino with 30 times more energy than any previously seen on Earth was detected by an unfinished observatory at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea after travelling from beyond this galaxy, scientists said on Wednesday.

Neutrinos are the second most abundant particle in the universe. Known as ghost particles, they have no electric charge, almost no mass and effortlessly pass through most matter -- such as our world or bodies -- without anyone noticing.

The most violently explosive events in the universe -- such as a star going supernova, two neutron stars smashing into each other or the almighty suck of supermassive black holes -- create what is called ultra-high-energy neutrinos.

Because these particles interact so little with matter, they glide easily away from the violence that created them, travelling in a straight line across the universe.

When they finally arrive at Earth, neutrinos serve as "special cosmic messengers" offering a glimpse into the far reaches of the cosmos that is otherwise hidden from our view, Italian researcher Rosa Coniglione said in a statement.

However, these ghost particles are extremely difficult to detect. One way is by using water.

When light passes through water, it slows down. This sometimes allows quick-moving particles to overtake light -- while still not going faster than the speed of light.

When this happens, it creates a bluish glow called "Cherenkov light" that can be detected by extraordinarily sensitive sensors.

But to observe this light requires a huge amount of water -- at least one cubic kilometre, the equivalent of 400,000 Olympic swimming pools.

That is why the Cubic Kilometre Neutrino Telescope, or KM3NeT, lies at the bottom of the Mediterranean.

Think of a ping pong ball

The European-led facility is still under construction, and spread over two sites. Its ARCA detector, which is interested in astronomy, is nearly 3,500 metres underwater off the coast of Sicily.

The neutrino-hunting ORCA detector is in the depths near the French city of Toulon.

Cables hundreds of metres long equipped with photomultipliers -- which amplify miniscule amounts of light -- have been anchored to the seabed nearby. Eventually 200,000 photomultipliers will be arrayed in the abyss.

But the ARCA detector was operating at just a tenth of what will be its eventual power when it spotted something strange on February 13, 2023, according to new research published in the journal Nature.

A muon, which is a heavy electron produced by a neutrino, "crossed the entire detector, inducing signals in more than one-third of the active sensors," according to a statement from KM3NeT, which brings together 350 scientists from institutions in 21 countries.

The neutrino had an estimated energy of 220 petaelectronvolts -- or 220 million billion electron volts.

A neutrino with such a massive amount of energy had never before been observed on Earth.

"It is roughly the energy of a ping pong ball falling from one metre height," Dutch physicist and KM3NeT researcher Aart Heijboer told a press conference.

"But the amazing thing is that all this energy is contained in one single elementary" particle, he added.

For humans to create such a particle would require building the equivalent of a Large Hadron Collider "all around the Earth at the distance of the geostationary satellites", said French physicist Paschal Coyle.

Blazars as source?

With this kind of energy, the event that created this neutrino must have been beyond Milky Way.

The exact distance remains unknown, "but what we are quite sure is that it's not coming from our galaxy", said French physicist Damien Dornic.

The astrophysicists have some theories about what could have caused such a neutrino. Among the suspects are 12 blazars -- the incredibly bright cores of galaxies with supermassive black holes.

But more research is needed.

"At the time this event happened, our neutrino alert system was still in development," Heijboer emphasised.

If another neutrino is detected near the end of this year, an alert will be sent in seconds to "all the telescopes around the world so that they can point in that direction" to try to spot the source, he said. 

NEW YORK — A rare Stradivarius violin, made over 300 years ago by Antonio Stradivari during his so-called golden period, fetched $11.3 million at auction in New York on Friday, Sotheby's said.

"This extraordinary violin represents the pinnacle of craftsmanship and classical music history, its unparalleled sound and storied provenance captivating collectors and musicians alike," Sotheby's chair Mari-Claudia Jimenez said in a statement.

It said the buyer chose to remain anonymous.

Known for its extraordinary sound, the "Joachim-Ma Stradivarius", named after its distinguished former owners, became the third most-expensive musical instrument ever sold at auction.

The most-expensive record belongs to another Stradivarius, the "Lady Blunt", which sold was sold in 2011 for $15.9 million.

"What sets the Joachim-Ma Stradivarius apart is its exceptional sound -- rich, complex, and full of depth," the auction house said.

The instrument belonged to the celebrated Chinese violinist and pedagogue Si-Hon Ma, who before his death in 2009 donated the violin to his alma mater, the New England Conservatory in Boston, on condition that some day it sell the violin to fund scholarships.

Before that, the violin belonged to the 19th century Hungarian virtuoso Joseph Joachim, who was famous for his collaborations with composers such as Johannes Brahms.

PARIS — Artificial intelligence (AI) presents vast opportunities if correctly chanelled but is already sharpening gender pay disparities, global leaders told a Paris summit aimed at finding common ground on the technology on Monday.

Co-hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Paris summit aims to lay the groundwork for governing the nascent sector, as global powers race to play leading roles in the fast-developing technology.

Technology's shift to AI was set to be "the biggest of our lifetimes", Google chief Sundar Pichai was due to say according to the text of his speech seen by AFP.

"We have the chance to democratise access [to a new technology] from the start," Pichai will add.

World Trade Organisation chief Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said her staff had calculated that "near universal adoption of AI... could increase trade by up to 14 percentage points" from its current trend.

But global "fragmentation" of regulations on the technology and data flows could see both trade and output contract, she added.

In the workplace, AI is mostly replacing humans in clerical jobs disproportionately held by women, International Labour Organisation (ILO) head Gilbert Houngbo told an audience in the French capital's opulent Grand Palais.

That risks widening the gender pay gap even though more jobs are being created than destroyed by AI on current evidence, he added.

What's more, "there is a risk of those new jobs being paid less and sometimes with much less protection" for employees, Houngbo said.

Political leaders, including US Vice President JD Vance and Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing, are set to rub shoulders in Paris with the likes of Pichai and OpenAI boss Sam Altman.

A largely suit-wearing crowd of men and women speaking languages from all over the world flocked under the glass-and-steel dome of the great hall, built for the 1900 Universal Exhibition and now decked out with screens and geodesic domes.

French 'Stargate'

Macron on Sunday had trumpeted the economic benefits of artificial intelligence, saying 109 billion euros ($113 billion) would be invested in French AI in the coming years.

That was "the equivalent for France of what the US has announced with 'Stargate'," he added.

That $500-billion US programme led by ChatGPT maker OpenAI and the emergence of high-performing, low-cost Chinese startup DeepSeek have made clearer the technical challenges and price of entry for nations hoping to keep abreast.

For the EU, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen is expected to announce while attending the summit that around 10 public supercomputers designed for use by researchers and startups will be built.

Also on Monday, a group of more than 60 European companies such as Airbus, Volkswagen and Mistral AI launched an "EU AI Champions Initiative".

They said that they were aiming to increase use of AI by industrial firms and stimulate the emergence of new companies.

Global governance puzzle

Away from the investment grandstanding, a group of countries, companies and philanthropic organisations on Sunday said that they would pump $400 million into a partnership called "Current AI" that would foster "public interest" approaches to the technology, including offering open-source tools.

And a group of major tech players OpenAI, former Google boss Eric Schmidt and vast gaming platform Roblox said they were launching a suite of open-source safety tools for battling harms including child sexual abuse imagery (CBAM).

Open source development refers to software makers sharing freely the inner workings of their systems so others can build on and adapt them.

While few AI makers fully respect the philosophy, "things that are even a little bit open... are starting to make it possible for the global AI community to collaborate on making AI better and more accessible," Mark Surman, president of open-source software maker Mozilla told AFP.

On Tuesday, political leaders from around 100 countries will hold a plenary session, with notable attendees including Modi, Vance, Zhang and Von der Leyen.

France hopes that governments will agree on voluntary commitments to make AI sustainable and environmentally friendly.

But any agreement may prove elusive between blocs as diverse as the European Union, United States, China and India, each with different priorities in tech development and regulation.

DUBAI – Dubai is the ultimate destination for women planning a getaway with friends. Indulge in dining experiences like royal afternoon teas and glamourous dinners with live shows, explorethrilling activities, or even unwind for a cozy outdoor cinema night. Whether seeking an adventurous or relaxing holiday, the city offers countless experiences for a memorable girl’s trip.

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For more inspiration on Dubai’s wide range of activities, attractions and offers to enjoy during your holiday in Dubai, Make sure to check out Visit Dubai website (www.visitdubai.com)

By Helen Batmany,
Masters in Human Nutrition

Root vegetables have long been known for their rich flavours and powerful health benefits. Among these underground root vegetables are galangal, horseradish, kudzu, ginger and turmeric.

Used in ancient healing remedies for their vibrant colours and aromatic qualities, these superfoods are also prized for their impressive medicinal properties.

Discovering the healing benefits

These age-old roots offer a treasure of vitamins, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that can transform your diet and enhance overall wellbeing.

Galangal

Galangal, often referred to as Thai ginger, is a close relative of both ginger and turmeric. Native to Southeast Asia, it is commonly found in countries such as Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia.

Rich in antioxidants, galangal is traditionally used to ease arthritis pain, relieve coughs and colds, support digestion and reduce bloating.

It can be consumed fresh or dried. Thin slices of galangal are frequently used in soups or broths adding a sharp flavour.

When in powder form, it can be used in baked casseroles, curries and even enjoyed as a tea.

Horseradish

Horseradish is a spicy root vegetable belonging to the mustard family. Native to southeastern Europe, it contains an essential oil similar to mustard, giving it a sharp, bitter flavour comparable to wasabi; Wasabi is a spicy, green condiment commonly used in Japanese cuisine.

Similarly, horseradish is used as a condiment alongside meats, potatoes and beets. It is rich in phytochemicals like sinigrin, known for its anti-inflammatory properties.

Additionally, horseradish is rich in Vitamin C, which led sailors in the past to use it to prevent scurvy caused by Vitamin C deficiency. It is also recognised for its ability to stimulate digestion and support the respiratory system, especially in treating coughs and bronchitis.

Kudzu

Kudzu root, also known as Japanese arrowroot, is native to China, Japan and Korea.

Kudzu root is packed with antioxidants, which help protect cells from oxidative stress, a condition that can contribute to various diseases. Kudzu root has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to help lower blood pressure.

Kudzu root is also known for its ability to stop diarrhea and curb alcohol cravings, making it useful in treating alcoholics.

Additionally, it is rich in phytoestrogens — plant compounds similar to estrogen in the human body — which can help alleviate hot flashes.

The roots of the kudzu plant can be dried and ground

 into a powder, which some people use as a coating for fried foods, or as a thickening agent for soups and sauces. Additionally, kudzu root is consumed as a herbal supplement or as a tea.

Ginger

Ginger is native to tropical Asia, however now it is widely cultivated in many parts of the world.

It contains a high concentration of antioxidant compounds, with gingerol being one of the key components. Many studies highlight its anticancer properties.

Known for its long-standing use in traditional medicine, ginger is commonly used to relieve motion sickness, morning sickness and nausea. Ginger also aids in digestion reducing bloating and intestinal gas.

Ginger root can be consumed fresh, dried, as a tea, or even pickled.

Turmeric

Turmeric, often referred to as Indian saffron, is native to the tropical regions of South and Southeast Asia. It is a key ingredient in Indian curry and can be used either fresh or dried.

Known for its rich antioxidant properties, turmeric contains curcumin, a compound known for its potent antioxidant and potential anti-cancer benefits.

However, curcumin’s bioavailability — the extent to which it can be absorbed and utilised by the body — is relatively low.

Turmeric is widely recognised for its anti-cancer properties and has been used in traditional remedies for various purposes, including wound healing, alleviating intestinal gas and relieving menstrual cramps.

Finally, you shouldn’t worry about the calories of these root vegetables if taken naturally; the amount consumed will not exceed a few grams.

However, if you are using supplements derived from these products, be sure to inform your doctor to give you the correct dosage and to avoid any potential interactions with other medications.

Reprinted with permission from Family Flavours magazine

SEOUL — Recovering South Korean shopaholic-turned-climate activist Lee So-yeon used to buy new clothes almost daily — until a $1.50 winter coat triggered an awakening that stopped her shopping entirely.

While looking at the ultra-cheap padded jacket at an H&M shop in the United States, where she was working at the time, Lee asked herself how any item of clothing could be sold so cheaply.

The 30-year-old embarked on a deep dive into fast fashion production methods and was horrified at the human, social and environmental toll hyperconsumerism is having on the planet -- and on the mental health of women who make and buy cheap clothes.

"I used to buy one new outfit each [working] day of the week," Lee told AFP, adding that each item from major high street retailers would typically cost less than a dollar.

But the reason the clothes are so cheap, Lee learned, is because the women who sew for companies are paid little, while the business model itself is causing significant environmental harm.

Lee stopped buying any new clothes -- and has not purchased a single fast fashion garment since her epiphany around six years ago.

Her much more compact wardrobe consists of used items that she received from friends and family, including a vintage leather jacket that once belonged to her mother.

Unlike fast fashion items, which are often designed to be thrown away after just a few wears, each piece is irreplaceable because it carries a unique story and history, she said.

"Ultimately, the most eco-friendly clothes are the ones already in your wardrobe," said Lee.

Break the cycle 

Lee now organises clothing swaps with her friends and family, and has written a book to promote the idea of valuing garments for "the story behind it", rather than chasing ephemeral trends

She is part of a small but growing global movement seeking to promote second-hand clothing and help people -- especially women -- opt out of the cycle of over-consumption.

The app Lucky Sweater provides a platform for users to trade items from their closets with each other, focussing on sustainable brands, founder Tanya Dastyar told AFP.

"We're programmed to believe the only way to express my fashion or show that I'm beautiful or trendy... is new outfits," Dastyar said.

"But you can still be fashionable and feel good and look great and not have to do that," she said, adding that although trading clothes did not have the same quick dopamine hit as making a fast-fashion purchase, it was far more rewarding over time.

The app's growing uptake indicates that people are hungry to shift their relationship with clothing and consumerism, she said.

People realise: "I don't have to follow trends and I can just dress in a way that feels comfortable to me," she said. "Is that like a mass market thing? No. But do I feel like it can be a movement? Yes."

For Lee, breaking the cycle of cheap clothing consumption helped her improve her mental health.

As a teenager, she would worry about what to wear on school trips -- when uniforms were not required -- at least a month in advance and would go shopping to ease her fears.

"I felt a lot of pressure about how others would see me," she told AFP.

But learning about Bangladesh's 2013 Rana Plaza tragedy -- one of the world's worst industrial disasters that killed more than 1,130 garment factory workers, most of them young women -- was a turning point.

The factory workers died making clothes for "women like me", Lee said.

No second-hand? 

The global fashion industry is one of the most polluting, accounting for up to 10 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions, according to World Bank estimates.

Most modern clothes are made of synthetic materials like nylon and polyester, which are essentially plastic and do not biodegrade in landfills, industry data shows.

Keeping clothes out of landfills can help, but in South Korea, many still avoid used garments, said Kim Dong-hyun, who runs a used clothing export factory.

"People often don't look favourably on someone wearing used clothes because they are seen as unwanted items," Kim told AFP, noting he has found dirty diapers and food waste in the collection bins.

South Korea is the fifth largest exporter of used clothing in the world -- and activists say many garments are essentially dumped in developing countries, which lack the capacity to process them.

At Kim's second-hand clothing factory in Paju, outside Seoul, a mechanical claw categorised piles of used clothes to be exported overseas.

"Many people treat the clothing collection bin as just a trash can," Kim said.

PARIS — The world's biggest iceberg, more than twice the size of London, could drift towards a remote island where a scientist warns it risks disrupting feeding for baby penguins and seals.

The gigantic wall of ice is moving slowly from Antarctica on a potential collision course with South Georgia, a crucial wildlife breeding ground in the South Atlantic.

Satellite imagery suggested that unlike previous "megabergs" this rogue was not crumbling into smaller chunks as it plodded through the Southern Ocean, Andrew Meijers, a physical oceanographer at the British Antarctic Survey, told AFP on Friday.

He said predicting its exact course was difficult but prevailing currents suggested the colossus would reach the shallow continental shelf around South Georgia in two to four weeks.

But what might happen next is anyone's guess, he said.

It could avoid the shelf and get carried into open water beyond South Georgia, a British overseas territory some 1,400 kilometres east of the Falkland Islands.

Or it could strike the sloping bottom and get stuck for months or break up into pieces.

Meijers said this scenario could seriously impede seals and penguins trying to feed and raise their young on the island.

"Icebergs have grounded there in the past and that has caused significant mortality to penguin chicks and seal pups," he said.

'White wall'

Roughly 3,500 square kilometres across, the world's biggest and oldest iceberg, known as A23a, calved from the Antarctic shelf in 1986.

It remained stuck for over 30 years before finally breaking free in 2020, its lumbering journey north sometimes delayed by ocean forces that kept it spinning in place.

Meijers, who encountered the iceberg face to face while leading a scientific mission in late 2023, described "a huge white cliff, 40 or 50 metres high, that stretches from horizon to horizon".

"It's just like this white wall. It's very sort of Game of Thrones-esque, actually," he said, referring to the dark fantasy series.

A23a has followed roughly the same path as previous massive icebergs, passing the east side of the Antarctica Peninsula through the Weddell Sea along a route called "iceberg alley".

Weighing a little under a trillion tonnes, this monster block of freshwater was being whisked along by the world's most powerful ocean "jet stream," the Antarctic Circumpolar Current.

Raul Cordero from Chile's University of Santiago, who is also part of the National Antarctic Research Committee, said he was confident the iceberg would sidestep South Georgia.

"The island acts as an obstacle for ocean currents and therefore usually diverts the water long before it reaches the island," he said.

"The iceberg is moved by that water flow, so the chances of it hitting are not that high," though chunks could, he said.

Another scientist, glaciologist Soledad Tiranti currently on an Argentinian exploration voyage in the Antarctic, said that icebergs such as A23a "are so deep that before reaching an island or mainland they generally get stuck" on the seabed.

Icy obstacle

It is summer in South Georgia and resident penguins and seals along its southern coastline are foraging in the frosty waters to bring back food to fatten their young.

"If the iceberg parks there, it'll either block physically where they feed from, or they'll have to go around it," said Meijers.

"That burns a huge amount of extra energy for them, so that's less energy for the pups and chicks, which causes increased mortality."

The seal and penguin populations on South Georgia have already been having a "bad season" with an outbreak of bird flu "and that (iceberg) would make it significantly worse," he said.

As A23a ultimately melted it could seed the water with nutrients that encourage phytoplankton growth, feeding whales and other species, and allowing scientists to study how such blooms absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

While icebergs are natural phenomena, Meijers said the rate at which they were being lost from Antarctica was increasing, likely due to human induced climate change.

PARIS — Luxury giant Gucci announced on Thursday it was parting ways with Italian designer Sabato De Sarno, who had been its creative director for two years.

De Sarno was appointed to the job in January 2023, succeeding Alessandro Michele, who had been Gucci's creative director for seven years.

"Gucci today announces the end of its collaboration with creative director Sabato De Sarno," the fashion brand owned by French luxury group Kering said.

"The Fall-Winter '25 fashion show in Milan on February 25 will be presented by the Gucci design office. The new artistic direction will be announced in due time," Gucci said.

De Sarno began his career at Prada in 2005, then moved to Dolce & Gabbana.

The designer from Naples joined Valentino in 2009, where he rose through the ranks to become fashion director.

"I would like to express my deep gratitude to Sabato for his passion and dedication to Gucci," Gucci chief executive Stefano Cantino said.

"I sincerely appreciate how he honoured Gucci's craftsmanship and heritage with such commitment."

Gucci accounts for nearly half of Kering's total sales.

Kering said in October that its 2024 operating profit could come in at half of its 2023 level after Gucci sales slumped, particularly in Asia.

The group will publish its annual results on Tuesday.

PARIS — Fans have waited more than eight years for the new instalment in heavyweight strategy game Civilisation, with the release of the seventh instalment on February 11 promising to get budding philosopher-kings thinking more about the consequences of their actions.

At first glance, little has changed since the very first title released in 1991: Players are presented with a top-down view of the game world in which they build up their society turn by turn from the Neolithic period to the modern era.

Virtual rulers can exert their will over opponents either by diplomacy or war -- a formula that brought sales over the whole series to 73 million by summer 2024, according to Take Two, parent company of publisher 2K Games.

"Civilization" spawned a whole genre known to gamers as 4X, for its core gameplay activities: Explore, Expand, Exploit and Exterminate.

Comparable titles include Paradox Interactive's starfaring "Stellaris" (2016) or French developer Amplitude's "Humankind" (2021).

That range of alternatives is one reason why fans "don't just want the same game with a new coat of paint, with fancier graphics", Ed Beach, creative director for the Civilisation franchise, told AFP in August at Germany's Gamescom trade fair.

"We need to do something new each time... something that is going to really improve the game."

Civilisation is still developed by US studio Firaxis, which has run the franchise since its third instalment.

Its seventh edition, available on PC and console, allows players to set any historically-inspired ruler at the head of any empire -- allowing Charlemagne to govern Egypt, for example.

A match is now divided into three acts, each wrapped up with a major crisis such as the collapse of an empire or a foreign invasion.

The way players cope with the challenge defines how their civilisation will adapt as they enter the next age.

'The human journey'

That is one way the developers wanted to confront player-governors with the consequences of their actions.

"We're not trying to say you have to play a certain way," Beach said. "There are times I play as a very bad guy, and that's an interesting way for me to look at the world and look at history as well."

Nevertheless, topics tackled in Civilisation -- such as climate change or the battle of democracy versus autocracy -- are hot issues out in the everyday world.

"It's not getting political, it's just we're always thoughtful about what the human journey has been," Beach said.

"The more our game can mirror that in interesting ways and let people adjust it and play with it and experiment with it, we think that it's doing what it should do."

Civilisation's image as a "serious" game is a legacy of its origins on desktop computers, "at a time when the PC was a tool for work", said Sebastien Genvo, a researcher specialising in video games at the University of Lorraine in eastern France.

Firaxis itself brought in historians to advise on keeping gameplay plausible and modelling civilisations in the new structure -- all while allowing the player as much freedom as possible.

Return of Sid Meier 

"Civilisation doesn't aim to teach you history," Genvo said, even if the close attention to certain historical details may "awaken an interest" among players.

Hundreds of people have contributed to the development of "Civilisation VII", going back to before the Covid-19 pandemic.

Among them has been Sid Meier, 70, the original creator of the series, whose name still features proudly in the game's full title.

Meier had been "off doing other projects" during the development of the previous instalment "Civilisation VI", Beach said.

"He likes to experiment... he offered to prototype some of the early ideas for Civ VII," he added.

These included how units are moved around the map or the different military, scientific and cultural objectives players must achieve in each age.

WASHINGTON — Scientists have cast doubt on the reliability of America's most celebrated rodent forecaster -- whose apparent knack of predicting how long winter will last forms a hallowed tradition in the United States.

Punxsutawney Phil, made famous by the 1993 film "Groundhog Day", attracts thousands of onlookers every February 2 to the Pennsylvania town that he takes his name from.

The US state's tradition of using a large rodent to predict the seasons dates back to the Pennsylvania Dutch belief that if a groundhog left its burrow and saw its shadow, it would scurry back inside and winter would go on for six more weeks.

But professional forecasters have warned ahead of Phil's appearance this Sunday that his prediction is likely to be way off the mark.

The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has concluded that only 35 percent of Phil's forecasts have proved to be accurate -- placing him at a lowly 17th compared to other rodent forecasters.

Staten Island Chuck, a New York-based groundhog, tops the rankings with an impressive 85 percent accuracy rate on his forecasts.

Phil and his predecessors, also called Phil, have been forecasting since 1887.