Srinagar, Aug 25: In 2025, amid rising global conflicts, a few countries continue to model peace and stability. According to the Global Peace Index, Iceland remains the world’s most peaceful country, followed by Ireland and New Zealand. These nations excel in safety, low militarisation, and strong community values. Locals describe a daily life marked by trust, low crime, and a sense of social cohesion.

According to reports, residents of the world’s most peaceful countries shared how this commitment shapes their daily lives, offering a unique sense of safety and calm.

Iceland, continuing its long-standing reputation for peace, remains the safest country in the world in 2025. It leads every major safety category—security, conflict absence, and low militarization—and even improved its score by 2% this year. Locals and visitors alike experience safety in everyday life: babies sleep unattended outside shops, police are unarmed, and a strong sense of community prevail.

Ranked number one since 2008, Iceland remains the world’s most peaceful nation, leading across all three domains: safety and security, ongoing conflict and militarisation. It even recorded a 2% improvement this year, widening the gap from the second-place country on the list.

Ireland, despite a turbulent history, now excels in peacefulness. Its low levels of militarization and minimal domestic or international conflict contribute to a secure and welcoming environment. Residents emphasize Ireland’s community spirit—strangers readily offer help, and a relaxed pace of life underscores its warmth and safety.

On the global stage, the country maintains a military neutrality (which prevents it from being an official member of Nato, one of only four European countries without membership), and a preference for using diplomacy to solve conflict. The country prioritises preservation of its landscapes and cultural sites, and ensures travellers always feel welcome.

New Zealand has climbed to third place this year, thanks to improvements in public safety and reduced threats from demonstrations or terrorism. The country’s isolated geography and strict gun laws reinforce its secure, trusting environment—kids walk to school freely, doors are often left unlocked, and nature-centric living adds to the peace.

As an island nation in the Pacific, New Zealand’s geography gives it natural protection from external conflict, but its internal policies also afford residents a sense of peace

Austria, now fourth, maintains high safety across all domains. With a constitutionally mandated neutrality, strong social infrastructure, and widespread public trust, Austrians enjoy a relaxed way of life. It’s not uncommon to see people strolling riversides at midnight, homes left unlocked, and a palpable sense of calm that melts away visitors’ stresses

Austria adopts a constitutionally mandated policy of neutrality, preventing it from joining military alliances like Nato. This enables the country to focus its attention and resources internally.

Singapore remains high on the global safety list, ranking sixth and standing out as the only Asian nation in the top five. Its low crime rate, efficient law enforcement, and lack of internal conflict contribute to an exceptional sense of security—even walking alone at night feels entirely safe.

The city-state of Singapore is the only Asian country in the top 10 (Japan and Malaysia come in at 12 and 13, respectively). It ranks especially high for safety and security, even while maintaining one of the world’s highest levels of military expenditure per capita, outpaced only by North Korea and Qatar.

Srinagar, Aug 25: A long-term study conducted by researchers at the University of Washington has revealed that crows possess impressive memory, particularly when it comes to recognizing people who pose a threat. The research found that these birds can remember human faces for years and may respond with hostility if they associate someone with danger or distress.

So don’t be surprised if it squeaks aggressively at you on every encounter, along with all its feathery pals, who now hate you equally, by the way.

The study, led by wildlife biologist Dr. John M. Marzluff, used masks to test crow memory. A specific “dangerous” mask was worn by researchers while they captured and released wild crows. Over time, the birds began to react aggressively whenever they saw that mask—even when worn by different people and even years after the initial incident.

Crows that had never seen the masked individual still responded with hostility—cawing, mobbing, and diving. This indicates that the birds had learned about the perceived threat from their peers. The ability to share social information about danger highlights their advanced cognitive and communication skills.

According to studies, if you upset one crow, you may find yourself on the wrong side of the entire neighborhood flock.

Scientists have found that crows have brain structures remarkably similar to the human amygdala—the region that processes emotions and fear. This could explain why emotionally charged memories, such as traumatic or threatening events, stick with them for years. Such neurological wiring gives them the capacity not only to remember but to respond emotionally to specific individuals.

The study sheds light on just how intelligent and socially aware crows are. They’re not just scavengers or background birds in urban life—they’re observant, emotionally complex, and capable of forming long-lasting social memories. Whether it’s sharing information about a dangerous person or remembering a specific act for over a decade, crows exhibit intelligence once thought to be unique to primates and humans.

Srinagar, Aug 25: Australia’s top-order trio delivered a dominant performance against a depleted South African bowling attack, each scoring blistering centuries to seal a historic win in the third and final ODI on Sunday. The 3rd ODI saw South Africa suffer their heaviest defeat in ODI history, a record dating back to their debut in 1991.

Travis Head (142), captain Mitchell Marsh (100), and Cameron Green (118), who notched his maiden ODI century*, powered Australia to a mammoth total of 431/2 — their second-highest score ever in ODI cricket.

All-rounder Cooper Connolly, playing his first game of the series, took 5-22 to rattle South Africa as the tourists fell to 155 all out in 24.5 overs.

None of the South African batters could score more than Dewald Brevis’ knock of 49 as Connolly ran through the lower order with his left-arm spin and helped lead Australia to its 276-run win.

Fast bowler Shaun Abbott (2-27) had picked up the wickets of Aiden Markram (2) and captain Temba Bavuma (19) inside the batting powerplay before Connolly closed out the game quickly.

South Africa’s bowlers endured a tough day in the field as Kwena Maphaka, in just his third ODI, was taken for 73 runs in six overs, while Wiaan Mulder returned with bruising figures of 0/93 from seven overs. Spinner Senuran Muthusamy didn’t fare much better, conceding 75 runs in nine overs and managing a solitary wicket.

Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh kept the scoreboard ticking aggressively. Head reached his half-century off just 32 balls as Australia raced to 86/0 in the first 10 overs, laying a perfect foundation for a massive total.

Marsh played the anchor role, bringing up a run-a-ball fifty, while Head continued reaching his century off 80 balls with a single off Muthusamy. His knock featured 17 boundaries and five sixes, and he powered Australia to a 200-run opening stand by the 28th over. Head smashed 19 runs in a single over from Aiden Markram, accelerating the momentum.

Maharaj eventually broke the stand when Head holed out to long-off, and Marsh followed shortly after, top-edging a slog sweep off Muthusamy to be caught by Ryan Rickelton, who ran in from behind the stumps to complete the catch at square leg.

Australia plundered 126 runs without loss in the last 60 balls, as Green brought up his half-century off 28 balls, including a pulled six off Maphaka. The young pacer also had a forgettable moment in the field, dropping Alex Carey when the batter was on 29.

Green’s finish included three consecutive sixes off Muthusamy, and he surged into the 90s with two more sixes off Mulder before calmly running two to bring up his maiden ODI hundred.

Tehran, Aug 25: Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said that the United States confronts Iran because it wants the country to be “obedient,” a demand he called “offensive” and vowed the nation would resist.

Speaking in Tehran, on Sunday, Khamenei rejected calls for direct negotiations with Washington and said US hostility has been consistent since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Xinhua news agency reported quoting the official news agency IRNA.

He referred to a June 13 attack on Iran, saying that US-linked groups met in a European capital the next day to discuss a “post-Islamic Republic” order, even proposing a monarch. Those efforts, he said, were thwarted by the resilience of the Iranian people and state institutions.

The rare Israeli and US attacks in June, which targeted key nuclear sites and prompted Iranian retaliation, were designed to destabilise the Islamic republic, Khamenei argued.

He said that a day after “Iran was attacked” by Israel at the start of the war, “American agents” met in Europe “to discuss what government should rule Iran after the Islamic republic”.

Khamenei urged domestic unity and support for President Masoud Pezeshkian, warning that Iran’s adversaries were now seeking to stir divisions at home.

He also condemned Israel’s campaign in Gaza, called on Western states to halt support for it, and praised actions by Yemen’s Houthi movement against Israel as justified.

Relations between Tehran and Washington were cut off after the 1979 Islamic Revolution and the resulting hostage crisis at the US embassy. Since then, Washington has imposed multiple waves of sanctions on Tehran, most recently due to its nuclear program.