FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED THIS WEEK

1 HEARING LOSS AND DEMENTIA

Hearing loss between ages 45 and 65 is associated with a doubling of cognitive decline and dementia in the next 12 years, suggests a study in Taiwan. Researchers tracked more than 16,000 men and women. Hearing protection, screening and hearing aids may cut cognitive risk.

2

LAS VEGAS NORTH

Toronto mayor John Tory has ordered the fun-police to stand down on a probe of seniors’ euchre games in Toronto. Tory says city staff who were investigating a $1.25 buy-in for the games at a community centre should back off and let senior citizens play in peace.

3 TWO TV STARS TOGETHER

U.S. President Donald Trump said Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, would be invited to the White House. Trump said he thought Zelenskiy was “a very reasonable guy” and was likely to make a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Zelenskiy, a TV sitcom star, won hugely in the May election.

4

UNLUCKY IN LOVE

Adults who were premature or low birthweight infants were 57 per cent less likely to have sexual intercourse, 28 per cent less likely to have romantic relationships and 23 per cent less likely to become parents than those who were full-term infants, data on more than four million people has found.

5 STARE DOWN THAT SEAGULL

Many holidays and summer weekend al fresco lunches have been rudely interrupted by seagulls swooping in for a bite. Now, research from the University of Exeter has suggested an easy way for holidaymakers to deter the gulls — just stare at them. Who wants to go first?