Actor and comedian Jerry Seinfeld has received divisive responses after he said he does not care about Palestine when an activist ambushed him in public. In the video posted on social media, an influencer, known as Subway DJ, approached Mr Seinfeld outside the Radio City Music Hall where Saturday Night Live was hosting a 50th-anniversary celebration and asked for a photograph.

Mr Seinfeld readily agreed and even posed for the photograph before Subway DJ brought up the Gaza conflict. Instead of taking a photo, the influencer recorded a video and put up two fingers in a peace sign while saying: “Free Palestine.”

Mr Seinfeld appeared uncomfortable in the footage but remained quiet. However, when asked to repeat the phrase, he shook his head and said: “I don’t care about Palestine,” before walking away from the activist.

“That’s sad,” Subway DJ said, frowning.

Social media divided

As the video went viral, a section of social media users lambasted Mr Seinfeld for being insensitive while others called out the influencer.

“We don’t care about Seinfeld or anyone who supports genocide,” said one user, while another added: “The guy gives u a selfie and u pull some dumb move like that. Come on man.”

A third commented: “As someone who loved Seinfeld, this is super disappointing.”

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Jerry Seinfeld supports Israel

Mr Seinfeld is Jewish and has been a staunch ally of Israel in its war against Hamas. He even visited Israel in December 2023 and met with the families of the hostages.

“We believe in justice, freedom, and equality. We survive and flourish no matter what. I will always stand with Israel and the Jewish people,” he said at the time.

Last year in May, dozens of students walked out of Duke University’s commencement ceremony to protest against Mr Seinfeld who was invited as the guest speaker. The video showed students in robes and caps, some waving Palestinian flags, filing out as chants of ‘Free Palestine’ reverberated.

In a bizarre Valentine’s Day surprise, a police officer in Peru’s capital Lima, carried out a drug raid while wearing a capybara costume, as per a BBC report. Video footage going viral on social media shows the officer, dressed up as the giant rodent, zeroing in on the suspected drug trafficker. The officer can be seen barging into the house, tackling the accused man to the ground and putting him in handcuffs.

Police officials stated that more than 1,700 packages of cocaine and marijuana were found during the raid. Notably, Peru’s Escuadron Verde – a specialist anti-drugs unit carried out the operation using the rather unconventional method.

“On this occasion, Valentine’s Day, lover’s day, we sought to camouflage ourselves with the character of the capybara,” said unit leader Col Pedro Rojas.

Notably, the same unit has previously dressed their officers up as Marvel characters like Spiderman, Captain America, Thor and Black Widow whilst carrying out the drug raids. The agents wear the fancy dress during festivities such as Valentine’s Day, Halloween and Christmas.

Capybara undercover: Peruvian police strike again with new detention tactics

This time, an officer of the National Police of Peru disguised himself as a capybara to apprehend a drug trafficker.

(@geopolitics_live telegram) pic.twitter.com/oWchS0WCva

— Roberto Botella (@botella_roberto) February 15, 2025

Also Read | New Frog Species Named After Hollywood Actor Leonardo DiCaprio

Social media reacts

As the video garnered numbers on social media, users reacted in a humorous vein with many poking fun at the drug traffickers who got arrested by a giant rodent.

“Well, that’s one way to maintain your cover,” said one user, while another added: “The drug trafficker must have lost all respect in his community after being arrested by a CAPYBARA. Lol. You cannot write this”

A third commented: “Thank you capybara cop, whoever you are. And thank you for giving us a good laugh.”

On Halloween last year, the Peruvian police officers dressed up as Deadpool and Wolverine and conducted a similar drug raid. At the time, the superhero-dressed officers managed to seize 54 bags of cocaine, 850 packets of coca base paste, and over Rs 46,800 (2,000 Peruvian soles).

As per the United Nations, the South American country is one of the world’s largest producers of coca leaf and cocaine.

A new frog species, discovered in Ecuador, has been named after Academy Award-winning Hollywood Leonardo DiCaprio, owing to the Titanic star’s passionate work for the environment, according to a report in The Telegraph. The frog has been named Phyllonastes Dicaprioi and is one of the seven new species uncovered by researchers from Ecuador’s National Institute of Biodiversity, the Catholic University of Ecuador, and the San Francisco University of Quito (USFQ).

“This study highlights the importance of protecting the unique habitats where these species live,” USFQ said in a statement.

The frog species named after the actor can be found in the Western Mountain Forest in the province of El Oro, Ecuador. It is small and brown with darker spots on its body with scientists stating that it lives 1,330 and 1,705 metres above sea level.

Mr DiCaprio is one of the biggest A-list celebrities from Hollywood that is actively into environmental causes. He founded the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation in 1998 to raise awareness about environmental issues.

He also supported the closure of a controversial oil drilling project in Ecuador’s Yasuni National Park which prompted the scientists to honour the 50-year-old actor.

Also Read | Jack The Ripper’s Identity Revealed After 137 Years? Historian Makes Bold Claim

Previous instance

In October last year, a new snake species discovered in the Himalayas was also named after Mr DiCaprio. Named ‘Anguiculus dicaprioi’, the snake species can be found between central Nepal to Chamba district in Himachal Pradesh.

The snake was first discovered by Virender Bhardwaj in the backyard of his home in the western Himalayas during the COVID-19 lockdown. He posted its pictures on social media, leading to lot of buzz online which resulted in a three-year-long investigation to identify the snake which resembled ‘Liopeltis rappi’ — a species known to be distributed in the eastern Himalayas.

Prior to Mr DiCaprio, a new species of snake was named Tachymenoides harrisonfordi after Harrison Ford, the Indiana Jones actor. In 2017, a pistol shrimp was named Synalpheus pinkfloydi in honour of the rock band by zoologist and Pink Floyd fan Dr Sammy de Grave.

The 137-year-old mystery surrounding the identity of infamous serial killer, Jack the Ripper, responsible for the brutal rape and murders of at least five women, may have been solved at last. British historian and self-proclaimed ‘Ripperologist’, Russell Edwards has claimed to have made the breakthrough, based on evidence recovered from one of the victims, according to a report in news.com.au.

Mr Edwards purchased a shawl belonging to one of the victims, Catherine Eddowes, 46, in 2007 which contained blood and semen. Eddowes was an orphan with a daughter and two sons who was killed on the same night as the Ripper’s third victim.

Working as a prostitute, she was found brutally murdered at 1:45 am. Her throat was cut and she was disemboweled. Her face was also mutilated. As per reports, the shawl left at the crime scene belonged to the killer, not Eddowes.

Mr Edwards put the shawl through forensic testing where it was found to contain DNA from two separate people. He explained that the DNA work took over four years with issues such as contamination and “many other hurdles” slowing down the process.

“We tested the semen left on the shawl. When we matched that, I was dumbfounded that we actually had discovered who Jack the Ripper truly was.”

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One of the samples matched with a descendant of the female victim while the other matched the descendants of a Polish immigrant. Upon discovering this male’s name, Mr Edwards was able to unravel the mystery with the serial killer’s name being: Aaron Kosminski.

“When we matched the DNA from the blood on the shawl with a direct female descendant of the victim, it was the singular most amazing moment of my life at the time,” said Mr Edwards.

“Considering his DNA is on the shawl that was at the murder scene and he was named, I have never considered anyone else to be the Ripper,” Mr Edwards said.

Notably, Kosminski was born in Klodawa in central Poland in 1865. His family fled the imperial Russian anti-Jewish pogroms and emigrated to east London in the early 1880s. He lived close to the murder scenes.

While Mr Edwards stands firmly behind his claims, some scientists have disputed his testing process and the eventual outcome.

A castle straight out of a fairytale is up for sale for the first time in nearly 700 years in the UK. Ripley Castle, located near Harrogate, North Yorkshire, has been put up for sale with an asking price of a casual Rs 225 crore (£21 million), which could make it the most expensive property ever sold in the UK outside of London.

The property is spread across 445 acres of land and contains a lake, a pub, a helipad and a car park. The estate has been split into nine lots which could be bought individually or together, and also features a cricket pitch, hotel, tea room, gift shop and wedding venue, according to a BBC report. 

Sir Thomas, who has looked after the property for decades alongside his wife Lady Ingilby, is the proud owner of the property. The Ripley Castle came into family heirloom after Sir Thomas Ingilby, who lived between 1290 and 1352, married heiress Edeline Thwenge in 1308/9 and acquired the estate as dowry. His son Thomas saved King Edward III’s life when he was gored by a boar and was knighted.

Quizzed why he was selling the property, Sir Thomas said the couple wanted to retire and do other things after spending years maintaining the large property.

“There are days when we are very positive about it, there are other days when we are sad for what we will miss,” Sir Thomas told the publication.

“I’ve been looking after the place for over 50 years, so this has been my whole life. I don’t want to be carried out of here feet first, I’ve got things I want to do.”

“We’ve ticked every box on that list. We’ve left it in the best state possible and safeguarded the heritage for future generations.”

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The couple who has four grandchildren, is planning to do some travelling after the process of selling the estate is complete.

“Some of the events we’ve hosted here have been incredibly moving … There are evenings when we walk around the gardens by the lake, and deer come down to drink while the scent of the flowers surrounds us. It feels like something out of a fairy tale,” said Lady Ingilby.

Artificial intelligence (AI) could have predicted the powerful solar storm that impacted Earth in May last year, triggered by the highly active region AR13664 on the Sun, according to a new study. The team of researchers at the University of Genoa, led by Sabrina Guastavino, stated that by training AI on historical solar events, it could identify patterns that precede coronal mass ejections (CMEs).

This early warning system is crucial because traditional methods, which rely on human analysis of solar images and data, often provide less accurate and timely forecasts.

“Despite advances in observational capabilities and model development, so far there remains a substantial uncertainty in both flare forecasting and CME travel time predictions, with the latter averagely amounting to approximately 12 hours,” the study stated.

The AI model works by processing vast amounts of data from solar imagery and other space weather parameters. It looks for subtle cues in the solar atmosphere’s behaviour, such as changes in magnetic field strength, solar wind speed, and the appearance of solar flares.

“The May 2024 event also underscores the broader implications of AI-driven reverse engineering for space weather science,” the study highlighted.

“The ability to predict CME travel times with such precision suggests that AI can furthermore serve as a diagnostic tool for testing and refining existing models of CME propagation,” it added.

What is coronal mass ejection?

Solar storms or powerful CMEs are massive expulsions of plasma and magnetic fields from the Sun’s corona. The huge clouds of electrified gas travel at speeds of hundreds of miles per second and can affect power grids, communications, GPS navigation, air travel and satellites.

As per ISRO, last year’s geomagnetic storm was the most intense since 2003, causing disruptions to communication and GPS systems.

Also Read | Solar Storm That Recently Hit Earth Was Most Intense Since 2003: ISRO

Solar flares

Solar activity follows a pattern with peaks and lows occurring every 11 years. Scientists describe these cycles as solar maximum and solar minimum, which are driven by the Sun’s magnetic field.

Currently, Solar Cycle 25 is underway which is expected to reach a solar maximum around July 2025. This cycle has shown greater activity than anticipated by NASA and the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), with the official prediction of around 115 sunspots at the peak.

Despite having a greater amount of data at disposal, scientists are unsure why the Sun has been more active than expected. Further observation is necessary to improve future predictions and increase our understanding of the Sun’s internal processes.

A Texas business owner has become popular on social media after he refused to repair two World War II-era Hitler Youth knives, brought in by Nazi sympathisers. Johnathan Sibley, co-owner of the Blade Bar in Edom, took issue with not only the knives but also with the specific repair requests by the customers with the entire incident caught on camera.

As per the clip, the couple, who remain unidentified, entered the store at about 1 pm localtimee, carrying two sheathed knives. “What are we wanting to put in,” Mr Sibley could be heard asking the customers in the exchange caught on video.

“I need the emblem out of that,” the woman replied, pointing towards a Nazi symbol on the handle of the knife, adding that she wanted it placed on the second weapon.

“Nope, won’t do it,” Mr Sibley responded immediately.

“Nope, you’ve got Nazi bulls**t. If you wanted a modern German forestry seal of something in…I will de-Nazify s**t but I won’t re-Nazify s**t.”

As per the National Holocaust Centre and Museum, Hitler Youth was the youth body of the Nazi Party which sought to indoctrinate the children into the Nazi ideology. The group was declared illegal after the war.

Quizzed about the incident, Mr Sibley told CBS19: “I have spent more time on TikTok in the past three days than I have ever spent on TikTok cumulatively and it’s not even watching videos just trying to read and respond to comments,”

“Shame on the people who walked in there,” Rabbi Neal Katz of Congregation Beth El in Tyle thanked Mr Sibley for his effort. “We are literally having apparently parents or grandparents go in there and trying to get paraphernalia which is so offensive and disgusting to the world but they do it so brazenly and openly.”

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Internet reacts

As the video went viral, hundreds of social media users praised Mr Sibley for standing his ground against hate and ensuring that the Nazi sympathisers were called out for their beliefs.

“You are a man of honour making a positive impact,” said one user while another added: “Thank you for standing up to the hate by refusing these people’s disgusting beliefs!”

A third commented: “This is fantastic!!! Thank you for standing up and saying you won’t do it. “De-Nazify, not Re-Nazify.”

Hitler led Germany into World War II as leader of the Nazi party and ordered the Holocaust genocide, where six million Jews were murdered.

Social media users are speculating that Robert F Kennedy Jr allegedly placed a nicotine pouch in his mouth while fielding questions during his second Senate confirmation hearing on Thursday. Mr Kennedy, who has been nominated by President Donald Trump to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, was seen pulling something out of his inside jacket pocket and holding onto it as Washington Senator Maria Cantwell quizzed him.

The eagle-eyed social media users spotted that between his responses, Mr Kennedy seemingly removed something that was resting under his left lower lip and slipped another item into his mouth — using his tongue to position it in front of his gum.

Internet reacts

As per the users, Mr Kennedy was using Zyn, a brand of small, flavoured pouches that sit under the consumer’s gum and lip. It is marketed as a healthier alternative to cigarettes that helps users get rid of their smoking habit.

However, not many were impressed by Mr Kennedy’s use of the alleged nicotine product with many stating it was hypocrisy on the part of the soon-to-be health secretary.

“It’s his life, he can do whatever he wants. But it is quite rich that he consumes nicotine while advising Americans how to live healthily,” said one user, while another defended him saying: “Would you rather he went back to smoking and blowing the nicotine filled smoke out into the public? For some, it is extremely difficult to quit smoking.”

A third commented: “He needs to quit. He preaches a healthy lifestyle and doesn’t follow what he preaches. it’s not shaming him it’s asking him to follow what he preaches.”

RFK Jr poppin’ a Zyn like a boss during his Senate confirmation hearing. I can’t blame him, having to listen to Cherokee Liz shriek like a madwoman would make me crave nicotine too. pic.twitter.com/WrEAdOG3HL

— Jim Minardi (@theminardiparty) January 30, 2025

Also Read | Actor Idris Elba Suggests ‘Blunting’ Knives To Reduce Stabbings In UK. Social Media Reacts

RFK Jr’s health agenda

Mr Kennedy has managed to secure the top position in the Trump administration, based on his ‘Make America Healthy Again’ campaign — a play on Mr Trump’s “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) slogan. He dropped his independent presidential campaign in August last year and endorsed Mr Trump, expressing commitment to prioritise the fight against chronic diseases as well as the big pharma.

“Our big priority will be to clean up the public health agencies,” Mr Kennedy declared during the canvassing trail, naming the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, and more.

“Those agencies have become sock puppets for the industries that they’re supposed to regulate,” said the 70-year-old, echoing his criticism of the agencies.

Amid the uptick in knife crimes in the UK, actor Idris Elba has come up with a solution that has divided the public. The British actor said the government must consider “innovative” prevention methods, including blunting or banning knives. Mr Elba has spent the last year developing a documentary about solutions to knife crime during which he met families of the victims, police officers and the perpetrators.

“The truth is that kitchen knives are perhaps 25 per cent of the knives used in most of the terrible crimes. That’s one of the stats in the film. And those kitchen knives are usually a domestic situation. So kitchen knives…of course, it’s very difficult. They’re a domestic knife,” said Mr Elba.

“I do think there is areas of innovation that we can do with kitchen knives. I hate to say it. Not all kitchen knives need to have a point on them. That sounds like a crazy thing to say, but actually, it would reduce- you know, you can still cut your food without the point on your knife, which is an innovative way to sort of look at it,” he said. “In a country in crisis, I’m sorry, but yeah, let’s look at that.”

The Thor star also called out social media platforms and said they should take responsibility for their actions.

“When it comes to big tech, there needs to be accountability within their own policies, and their policies need to be educated and driven by what society deems is right or wrong,” he argued.

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Social media reacts

Social media users did not take kindly to Mr Elba’s suggestion with many pointing out that the weapon did not stop an accused from going on slicing sprees.

“Next time he does an action movie, I want him to use a Nerf gun instead of a realistic, looking one,” said one user, while another added: “Maybe all cutlery should be banned and everyone issued with their own spork?”

A third commented: “I don’t think that will solve the problem, sir.”

I don’t think that will solve the problem, sir.

— Dunkie (@DunkieX) January 31, 2025

Knife crime

The knife crime crisis in the UK came into the spotlight yet again after Axel Rudakubana, 18, was sentenced to 52 years in prison after he stabbed three young girls to death and attempted the murder of eight other children and two adults in July last year.

The Labour government, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer has called knife crime a “national crisis”. His administration has pledged to halve knife crime in the next decade. A ban on some knives and machetes came into force in September last year but the spate of stabbings has not stopped.

Coldplay has broken the record for the highest attendance in a single tour, surpassing Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. The British rock band has sold over 10.3 million tickets as part of its Music of the Spheres World Tour which commenced in March 2022 with a show in Costa Rica. With over eight months remaining on the tour, the band could further smash the records, the Guinness World Records said on Thursday (Jan 30).

Coldplay attendance numbers were massively inflated after the band performed in India earlier this month. The band kickstarted their India leg with three concerts at DY Patil Sports Stadium in Navi Mumbai on January 18,19 and 21. The second leg of the tour included two shows on January 25 and 26 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad with over 1,30,000 concertgoers attending the event on each night.

“Thank you Ahmedabad, thank you India. We’ll never forget these two weeks. Your love and kindness will stay with us forever,” said Coldplay after the culmination of the India tour.

Thank you Ahmedabad, thank you India. We’ll never forget these two weeks. Your love and kindness will stay with us forever pic.twitter.com/vB4BfsfFKY

— Coldplay (@coldplay) January 26, 2025

PM Modi mentions Coldplay

Such was the magnitude of Coldplay’s impact that even Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned the band in his speech while reflecting on the growing craze of live events in India.

“In the past decade, both the trend and demand for live events have grown. In the last few days, you must have seen the magnificent images from the Coldplay concerts held in Mumbai and Ahmedabad. It is a testimony of the scope of live concerts in India,” said PM Modi.

Watch: Coldplay Frontman Chris Martin Stops Ahmedabad Concert To Protect Fan

After the hugely successful shows in India, Coldplay’s next concert is scheduled to take place in April in Hong Kong, followed by Seoul before heading to the United States.

While Ms Swift may have fallen behind in the number of people attending her concert, Eras Tour remains the highest-grossing music tour at $2.07 billion. However, as per Guinness, there is a good possibility that Coldplay might overtake this record as well.