Sarah Ferguson to return to UK after relocating amid Epstein revelations

Sarah Ferguson to return to UK after relocating amid Epstein revelations

The Guardian

Former Duchess of York moved to Swiss chalet during fallout over her friendship with convicted child sex offenderSarah Ferguson is set to return to the UK after relocating to a Swiss chalet amid the fallout over her and ex-husband Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s friendship with convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to reports.The scandal over the pair’s relationship with Epstein saw...

Rescue operations ongoing as death toll continues to rise

Rescue operations ongoing as death toll continues to rise

France 24

Most arrive with nothing except the clothes they are wearing. As rescue efforts in communities buried by catastrophic flash floods along the border between Nepal and China entered their fourth day Saturday, authorities continued finding survivors and transporting them to safety. At relief centers, as some arrive, families wait anxiously for news of their loved ones as the death toll and the number...

Niger's junta says 'regaining control' after clashes in capital

Niger's junta says 'regaining control' after clashes in capital

France 24

Niger's ​defense ​ministry said the armed forces were ​progressively ‌retaking ⁠control ‌of sites targeted in ⁠an overnight attack on ​the ‌capital Niamey, according to a ‌statement read ​on state television, which resumed broadcasting ​on ​Saturday after ​temporarily going ​offline.

Japan probes 39kg of bread dumped in national park

Japan probes 39kg of bread dumped in national park

SCMP

A total of 39kg (85 lbs) of bread was recently dumped along a roadside in a national park in western Japan, prompting police to investigate who discarded it and why. The loaves were left near crash barriers in Daisen-Oki National Park in Tottori Prefecture between August 14 and 20. The incident has prompted the spread of fake images and videos attempting to link the dumping to a sharp increase in ...

Hurricane Katrina forced New Orleans’ Charity Hospital to close in 2005; now it is being transformed into a $500 million medical research hub

Hurricane Katrina forced New Orleans’ Charity Hospital to close in 2005; now it is being transformed into a $500 million medical research hub

Times of India

The historic Charity Hospital in New Orleans is set to undergo a remarkable transformation into a cutting-edge medical research facility. Spearheaded by Tulane University, this ambitious $500 million project aims to establish a vibrant biomedical innovation hub, with construction kicking off this fall and projected completion by 2029. This redevelopment not only honors the landmark's legacy but al...

Virginia farmer helps create 2,500-acre wildlife corridor through conservation

Virginia farmer helps create 2,500-acre wildlife corridor through conservation

Times of India

Two innovative farmers in Virginia are taking strides to connect wildlife habitats on their private lands. Their commitment to blending agriculture with biodiversity creates crucial corridors for wildlife, allowing seamless movement between expansive protected areas. Backed by various scientific and conservation programs, their initiative protects about 2,500 acres of important terrain, fostering ...

Scientists probe if herpes virus is killing sardines off South Africa

Scientists probe if herpes virus is killing sardines off South Africa

SCMP

Scientists in South Africa are investigating why masses of sardines have washed up dead or dying along parts of the country’s west and south coast – and if a herpes virus detected in the fish is responsible. The mass mortality of sardines this month has so far stumped the country’s Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, though scientists have come to at least one conclusion: it is ...

Russian strike on warehouse near Kyiv kills at least 37

Russian strike on warehouse near Kyiv kills at least 37

The Guardian

Attack on business apparently storing ‘explosive objects’ sparks huge fire, damaging residential buildingsAt least 37 people have been killed after a Russian drone struck a warehouse near Kyiv’s western suburbs which appears to have been storing “explosive objects”.The attack damaged at least 50 residential buildings, including a care home for elderly and disabled people, and sparked a huge fire a...

324-million-year-old insect still had swimming paddles

324-million-year-old insect still had swimming paddles

Times of India

A remarkable fossil unearthed in Texas sheds light on the evolutionary journey of insects transitioning from aquatic to terrestrial life. This ancient species featured paddle-like limbs designed for swimming and additional legs on its abdomen, indicating a semi-aquatic lifestyle in shallow coastal regions. This find is crucial in understanding the slow, gradual adaptations insects underwent over m...

US officials urge swimmers to be cautious amid surge in drowning deaths

US officials urge swimmers to be cautious amid surge in drowning deaths

The Guardian

Recent deadly water-related incidents amid heatwave leads National Park Service to issue water-safety remindersAs a heatwave continues to bake the western and central US, officials are urging swimmers to be cautious when seeking respite from the summer heat, especially amid a score of recent deadly water-related incidents.Each year, from April to September, drowning deaths rise nationwide, accordi...

Laurie Anderson’s next manuscript to be locked away for 88 years in Future Library

Laurie Anderson’s next manuscript to be locked away for 88 years in Future Library

The Guardian

Grammy award-winning American artist selected as 13th person to submit written work to Oslo-based projectThe next manuscript by the American artist Laurie Anderson will remain unseen for 88 years, as she becomes the 13th figure to contribute to the Future Library project.Anderson joins Margaret Atwood, Han Kang, Ocean Vuong and other prominent authors who have written secret manuscripts, which hav...

What Japan’s coming fighter jet deployment to India means for China

What Japan’s coming fighter jet deployment to India means for China

SCMP

Japan plans to deploy fighter jets in India for the first time next month, a decision experts say reflects Tokyo’s desire to strengthen security cooperation with “like-minded” countries in the Indo-Pacific region as it ramps up defence spending in response to China’s growing military power. According to a Japan Air Self-Defence Force announcement on Tuesday, Tokyo will conduct a joint training exe...

Hong Kong’s Diocesan Boys’ School to become first to offer 3 university pathways

Hong Kong’s Diocesan Boys’ School to become first to offer 3 university pathways

SCMP

Hong Kong’s elite Diocesan Boys’ School (DBS) is set to offer the International Advanced Level curriculum from 2027, becoming the city’s first school to offer three university pathways if it secures the Education Bureau’s approval. Headmaster Ronnie Cheng Kay-yen made the announcement on Saturday at a Primary One admission talk on campus, after the school obtained approval from Cambridge Internati...

Soldiers’ mutiny rocks Niger capital, but junta says back in control

Soldiers’ mutiny rocks Niger capital, but junta says back in control

SCMP

Mutinying soldiers led armed clashes in Niger’s capital on Saturday, alarming residents, but the ruling junta said it had largely wrested back control after hours of heavy exchanges around some of its most sensitive sites. While the fighting had subsided later on Saturday, the rebel troops were said by a regional security source and an African diplomatic source to be holed up in an airbase near th...

Clashes in Niger after troops try to storm presidential palace

Clashes in Niger after troops try to storm presidential palace

SCMP

Clashes erupted in Niger’s capital on Saturday between the presidential guard and elements of the armed forces, after a night of heavy gunfire in parts of the city. Niger has been ruled for three years by a military junta that has struggled to contain jihadist violence, which has blighted the west African country for around a decade. “There was an attempt by insurgents from the Nigerien armed forc...