Missing Australian hiker Jordan Yap last seen on remote trail found dead in Peru

Missing Australian hiker Jordan Yap last seen on remote trail found dead in Peru

The Guardian •

Family and friends say Melbourne man should be remembered for ‘immense joy he brought to so many people’s lives’Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAn Australian trekker who was last seen on a remote South American hiking trail has been found dead, his family have said.Jordan Yap, 30, last made contact with friends and family on 14 September ahead of a planned 10-day solo tr...

In 1967, an Australian man built a house from discarded glass bottles; today, it is a mining museum

In 1967, an Australian man built a house from discarded glass bottles; today, it is a mining museum

Times of India •

Built in 1967 by Tex Moeckel, the Bottle House in Lightning Ridge is constructed from discarded glass bottles. The structure has become a tourist attraction and a museum showcasing local opal-mining history and vintage bottles. Initially serving as part of a miner's camp, it reflects the area's long mining heritage. Visitors can explore various artefacts linked to opal mining and local history wit...

Nasa-backed spacecraft to inspect dead space objects, test future repair and debris removal tech

Nasa-backed spacecraft to inspect dead space objects, test future repair and debris removal tech

Times of India •

NASA has launched a washing-machine-sized spacecraft to inspect up to four inactive satellites and rocket bodies in low Earth orbit. The SSPICY mission, launched on October 1, will begin inspections in early 2027. Using autonomous navigation, sensors and electric propulsion, the spacecraft will test technologies that could eventually help repair satellites or remove orbital debris.

‘Halloweenmas’: how the spooky one-nighter turned into a month-long spectacular

‘Halloweenmas’: how the spooky one-nighter turned into a month-long spectacular

The Guardian •

Welcome to Halloweenmas, weeks of themed fun and gifts – from costume parties to decorating trees – without the stress, rules or cost of ChristmasThe tree is up, the wreath is hanging on the front door and you’ve just opened your advent calendar. All told, it’s beginning to feel a lot like … Halloween.If it sounds like the stuff of nightmares then that’s the point: Britons are increasingly decorat...

‘It was a terrible thing’: Panama declares state of emergency as quake aftershocks rattle communities

‘It was a terrible thing’: Panama declares state of emergency as quake aftershocks rattle communities

The Guardian •

More than 100 aftershocks as high as magnitude-5.8 recorded after two quakes toppled buildings and prompted evacuationsPanama’s government has declared a state of emergency on Saturday as the aftershocks of two powerful earthquakes that roiled the country shook communities for hours.Officials did not attribute any deaths to Friday’s 7.7- and 6.6-magnitude earthquakes, but reported damages in all 1...

A Trump impersonator and opera singers: CPAC was a spectacle, but the right still can’t agree how to take down Labor

A Trump impersonator and opera singers: CPAC was a spectacle, but the right still can’t agree how to take down Labor

The Guardian •

Preferences proved the sticking point at the conference as conservatives face the prospect of a third successive election defeatGet our new political email, free app or daily news podcastMany mainstream Australians would feel as if they’d been dropped in a foreign country at the Conservative Political Action Conference, lost amid oblique references to transgender swimmers, blue hair, women’s bathr...

Escalating fighting in Yemen worsens food security crisis

Escalating fighting in Yemen worsens food security crisis

France 24 •

Aid agencies in Yemen highlighted the growing hunger emergency sparked by renewed fighting between Houthi opposition forces and Government troops, after mobile health clinics reported that hundreds of children displaced by the violence are suffering from the most deadly form of malnutrition.

Wild horses and donkeys dig desert wells in Arizona, supplying water to 57 vertebrate species

Wild horses and donkeys dig desert wells in Arizona, supplying water to 57 vertebrate species

Times of India •

Researchers studied wild horses and donkeys in the Sonoran Desert, which dig wells that attract diverse wildlife. The wells serve as critical water sources for various vertebrate species during dry periods. Observations indicated that these wells significantly increase water accessibility and create favorable conditions for cottonwood seedlings. The study highlights the animals' role as ecosystem ...

Washington Supreme Court irrigation case: Farmer contests $618,000 irrigation penalties

Washington Supreme Court irrigation case: Farmer contests $618,000 irrigation penalties

Times of India •

Ron Fodé, a dedicated farmer from Washington State, is fighting against hefty penalties threatening his agricultural livelihood due to irrigation practices. The conflict arose in 2017 over water rights for his crops, leading to the Department of Ecology rejecting his irrigation assistance applications. This has resulted in penalties totaling $618,000.

Spirit of Hong Kong Awards: Gaza nurse’s obstacle-laden road to becoming a professor

Spirit of Hong Kong Awards: Gaza nurse’s obstacle-laden road to becoming a professor

SCMP •

On six occasions, Hammoda Abu-Odah, a Gaza nurse-turned Hong Kong scholar was offered an opportunity to study overseas. But each time, border closures and travel restrictions prevented him from taking them up. Abu-Odah had obtained a nursing degree in his native Gaza but set his sights on an academic career abroad. He kept working, teaching and conducting research, despite the many challenges that...

Urn with Anita Mui’s ashes missing from Lantau monastery as family appeals for help

Urn with Anita Mui’s ashes missing from Lantau monastery as family appeals for help

SCMP •

The urn containing the ashes of late Hong Kong Cantopop star Anita Mui Yim-fong went missing from a monastery three months ago, the singer’s family has revealed, saying police had made “no progress” in their investigation, causing them distress. A police spokesman said on Sunday that the force received a report on July 18 that an item stored in a Lantau monastery was suspected to have gone missing...

Tariffs, millions in extra costs, Iran war: Trump’s policies hammer US firms

Tariffs, millions in extra costs, Iran war: Trump’s policies hammer US firms

SCMP •

For Doug Rende, who runs an aluminium product manufacturer in the US state of Ohio, President Donald Trump’s tariffs have meant millions of dollars more in annual costs – and recently, the Iran war has made shipments even more expensive. Rende is CEO at Shapes Unlimited, one of many American producers smarting from Trump’s economic policies as the midterm election approaches. “Frustrating would be...

Manchester-based composer creates requiem to honour enslaved Africans

Manchester-based composer creates requiem to honour enslaved Africans

The Guardian •

David Önaç uses insurance documents for work funded by Lloyd’s of London after research uncovered its slavery links A centuries-old insurance document detailing the trafficking of enslaved Africans began with the words: “In the name of God, Amen.”For Dr Errol Francis, the artistic director and chief executive of the arts and heritage charity Culture&, the contradiction was striking: an invocat...

‘We need less point scoring’: What party conference season taught us about UK climate action

‘We need less point scoring’: What party conference season taught us about UK climate action

The Guardian •

Tories plan to scrap low-carbon housebuilding, Greens back new nuclear reactors, and Labour put oil-drilling decisions on holdNew homes could be built without solar panels, heat pumps and high-grade insulation, leading to higher household bills if the Conservative party wins the next general election.Kemi Badenoch made scrapping the future homes standard (FHS) one of the central planks of her bid ...