Maldives sinks two retired aircraft to create an unusual underwater reef; coral restoration begins in 2026

Times of India - Oct 22, 2026

Two decommissioned Dornier 228 aircraft are submerged near Kudagiri Island to create a diving attraction. Conservation teams are working to establish an artificial reef by attaching coral fragments to underwater frames. The project aims to combine marine tourism with aviation history while promoting coral growth. Various organizations are collaborating to monitor the ecological impact of this initiative.

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Makeover of street where Modi lives in Delhi threatens historic mosque, temple and British-era racecourse
Oct 24, 2026
Makeover of street where Modi lives in Delhi threatens historic mosque, temple and British-era racecourse

As bulldozers reduce the homes of the prime minister’s poorest neighbours to rubble and police prevent Muslims from worshipping at a mosque that’s older than the Indian republic, Shweta Sharma finds a landscape of desolation and fear in the heart of the capital city

Tumaini Trial Launch: WHO begins Ebola vaccine study in DRC; aims to protect against Bundibugyo strain
Oct 24, 2026
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In a historic move, the World Health Organization has launched its inaugural clinical trial for an Ebola vaccine in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This trial aims to assess the efficacy of the Ervebo vaccine against the Bundibugyo virus amid a severe outbreak that has resulted in over 9,700 cases and 4,600 fatalities since May.

US could strike Iran this weekend, envoy says
Oct 24, 2026
US could strike Iran this weekend, envoy says

JERUSALEM — The United States could strike Iran as soon as this weekend, a US envoy said Friday, after mounting threats by both Washington and Israel. “Could there be a strike this weekend? Absolutely,” Tom Barrack, the US ambassador to Turkey and point man on Syria who does not have a direct role on Iran,

France protests latest: 70,000 police deployed as Macron holds last-ditch talks to halt potential riots
Oct 24, 2026
France protests latest: 70,000 police deployed as Macron holds last-ditch talks to halt potential riots

Louvre and Musée d'Orsay to shut as Paris braces for violent protests

Selena Gomez’s charity benefit raises $2.7 M for mental health
Oct 24, 2026
Selena Gomez’s charity benefit raises $2.7 M for mental health

Selena Gomez proudly hosted the fourth annual Rare Impact Fund Benefit in Los Angeles, successfully raising significant funds for mental health initiatives. The evening took an exciting turn when her husband, Benny Blanco, bid an impressive $25,000 for a special modeling experience with Gomez’s glam team. During the event, she reaffirmed her dedication to youth mental health and introduced the Katherine Short Legacy Award, with a remarkable total of $2.

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A Tsunami alert has been issued off the coast of Italy after a series of tremors were detected.

Trump's diesel price relief efforts grow costlier as election nears
Oct 24, 2026
Trump's diesel price relief efforts grow costlier as election nears

With the November midterm elections fast approaching, President Donald Trump is throwing an array of costly and politically fraught solutions at one stubborn problem: the price of diesel. His administration has offered billions of dollars to farmers, relaxed rules for truckers, eased sanctions on Russian fuel and pressured European allies to release emergency stocks. Yet diesel prices rose again last week, leaving Trump spending political and financial capital without delivering the relief his party wants as voters go to the polls. Republicans are defending narrow majorities in Congress, and high costs are a major concern for voters. Nearly 80% of Americans blame Trump for higher costs, according to an October Reuters/Ipsos poll. US diesel prices rose nearly 10 cents a gallon in the latest week to an average of $6.28, reversing two weeks of declines and remaining near record highs, according to the Energy Information Administration. Diesel in the last two months has become a central issue not only in the midterms but as a catalyst driving up already-elevated US inflation. The fuel is cri

US Justice Dept sues to block possible Alaska election of Democrat to Senate
Oct 24, 2026
US Justice Dept sues to block possible Alaska election of Democrat to Senate

The US Justice Department on Thursday sued to preemptively block Alaska from certifying the results of its US Senate race if the Republican incumbent candidate loses by a narrow margin, saying voters could be confused because two Republicans on the ballot have almost identical names. The lawsuit signals the willingness of President Donald Trump's administration to contest the results of the November 3 midterm elections that will decide control of the US Congress. Trump's administration has taken an increasingly aggressive approach to election oversight, pressing states for voter-registration data and arguing that stricter measures are needed to ensure public confidence in the vote. Critics, including both Democratic and some Republican election officials, view the moves as federal overreach. Control of the US Senate could come down to Alaska, where incumbent Republican Senator Dan S. Sullivan is running a closely contested race against Democrat Mary Peltola. The Justice Department's lawsuit, filed in federal court in Anchorage, takes issue with the presence of a third contender in the ra

Trump at South Florida rally revives the idea of military intervention in Cuba after Iran
Oct 24, 2026
Trump at South Florida rally revives the idea of military intervention in Cuba after Iran

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump on Friday told a rally for candidates in South Florida that U.S. warships returning from the Middle East could stop over in Cuba on their way back from the Iran war, his latest suggestion of taking an interventionist approach to the nearby country. Trump first floated this idea earlier this year, but has not mentioned it in recent months. But he revived it in response to a shouted question from the crowd about the island nation. He was campaigning just days ahead of midterm elections in which voters have expressed concern about the impact the U.S. war on Iran has had on prices of goods from gas to groceries. “We’ll do a little stopover,” Trump said. “Actually, what we’re going to do with Cuba is, we’re going to come back from Iran. Those beautiful ships will pass Cuba. We’ll have one of them stop about 50 yards off the coast. They’ll raise up their hands. And then we’re going to send (Secretary of State) Marco Rubio in to finish up the deal.” Both Rubio and Trump have been bullish on action in Cuba, with Trump previous

US could strike Iran this weekend, envoy says
Oct 24, 2026
US could strike Iran this weekend, envoy says

JERUSALEM — The United States could strike Iran as soon as this weekend, a U.S. envoy said Friday, after mounting threats by both Washington and Israel. "Could there be a strike this weekend? Absolutely," Tom Barrack, the U.S. ambassador to Turkey and point man on Syria who does not have a direct role on Iran, told podcast host Mario Nawfal. President Donald Trump "is very clear. He's open and available and accessible to a deal and we've been at the table for months and months and months," Barrack said in an interview as he visited the Gulf. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces elections Tuesday, has in recent days repeatedly vowed to topple the clerical state in Iran, following two major bombing campaigns against it since last year. Trump has also signalled an openness to resuming strikes after a long deadlock in diplomacy, although he earlier said it would not happen before U.S. congressional elections on November 3. Barrack, in remarks that contradict Netanyahu, said the U.S. was not looking to topple the Islamic republic, a sworn enemy of the United States and Israel

Lee showed how he uses AI. Trump isn't telling
Oct 24, 2026
Lee showed how he uses AI. Trump isn't telling

SEATTLE — President Lee Jae Myung has come under fire for publicly sharing how he used Google's Gemini to support his position in a political dispute. Across the Pacific, U.S. President Donald Trump has taken a different approach: He acknowledges using artificial intelligence (AI) but won't say exactly how. Trump is hardly shy about AI-generated content. His social media accounts have featured a string of fabricated images and videos, including portrayals of himself as a pope and a king, as well as AI-generated content mocking political opponents. But when reporters asked Trump about his personal use of AI aboard Air Force One last month, he offered little insight. "I use AI. Yes, I do," Trump said. Pressed on how he uses the technology, Trump replied, "Well, I don't want to tell you that." The exchange illustrates a contrast with Lee, who publicly shared a Gemini-generated response to support his position on whether the heads of investigative agencies should attend Cabinet meetings. Lee's disclosure sparked criticism from opposition politicians, who questioned his reliance on a chatbot

UN official thanks S. Korea for helicopter donation to Kenya for peacekeeping operations
Oct 24, 2026
UN official thanks S. Korea for helicopter donation to Kenya for peacekeeping operations

WASHINGTON — A senior United Nations official expressed gratitude to South Korea on Friday for donating eight military helicopters to Kenya to support U.N. peacekeeping operations. Jean-Pierre Lacroix, U.N. under-secretary-general for peace operations, made the remarks in a post on X following a ceremony marking the handover of eight refurbished MD 500 Defender helicopters to Kenya. "Grateful to the Republic of Korea for donating eight helicopters to enhance U.N. Peacekeeping's air mobility," Lacroix wrote. "Refurbished with U.S. support, they were handed over to Kenya," he added, describing the donation as a "concrete example" of how U.N. member states invest in peace. South Korea pledged to provide choppers to U.N. peacekeeping operations across Africa during the U.N. peacekeeping ministerial meeting held in Seoul in 2021. The United States vowed to conduct maintenance work on the helicopters and help transport them to the East African country. The decommissioned helicopters underwent repairs and refurbishment in the U.S. for approximately two years before arriving in Kenya last mont

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