Archaeology

30,000 ancient treasures saved from ISIS in daring archaeological rescue

A new study details how Syrian archaeologists rescued about 30,000 priceless artifacts from the Deir ez-Zor Museum as ISIS advanced on the city in 2014.  The collection included ancient statues, jewelry and cuneiform tablets, including artifacts from the important Mesopotamian city of Mari.  The operation was part of a much larger effort that relocated roughly 300,000 museum objects from locations across Syria threatened by war … Continue reading 30,000 ancient treasures saved from ISIS in daring archaeological rescue

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Space

‘Completely unexpected’ Phoenix planet was born from the ashes of a dying star

Astronomers have found evidence of a rare “second-generation” planet that appears to have formed from material expelled by a dying star, rather than from the star’s original planetary disk.  The planet appears to orbit the white dwarf HS 0209+0832, about 790 light-years away, and scientists detected unusually high levels of heavy elements including niobium in the star’s atmosphere.  Observations from NASA’s TESS suggest the object … Continue reading ‘Completely unexpected’ Phoenix planet was born from the ashes of a dying star

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Technology

Human vs humanoid robot cage fight goes viral

Frankie LaPenna, a content creator, stepped into a San Francisco cage to fight three humanoid robots in an event billed as the first human-versus-humanoid robot cage fight.  The robots included modified EngineAI T800s standing about six feet tall, with footage showing one knocking LaPenna across the cage with a powerful strike.  Despite the robots’ futuristic appearance, they were controlled in real time by human pilots … Continue reading Human vs humanoid robot cage fight goes viral

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Technology

Ukraine’s surprise robot offensive exposes a vulnerability in Putin’s war machine

A surprise Ukrainian counteroffensive in the eastern Donbas, known as “Operation Vivaldi,” appears to have reversed more than a year of Russian territorial gains around Lyman.  Ukrainian forces reportedly used large drones and remotely controlled ground robots behind Russian lines, helping them attack troops while reducing risks to Ukrainian soldiers.  The operation has also allowed Ukraine to gain greater control of the air around Lyman … Continue reading Ukraine’s surprise robot offensive exposes a vulnerability in Putin’s war machine

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Technology

Accept ‘bad things’ in return for benefits of AI, says Sam Altman

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said society should accept some negative consequences from artificial intelligence, including hacks and scams, because of the broader benefits the technology can provide.  Altman defended keeping AI widely accessible and said OpenAI has a fundamentally different approach from Anthropic, which has called for stronger safety measures and a slower pace of development.  His comments came shortly after OpenAI safety leader David … Continue reading Accept ‘bad things’ in return for benefits of AI, says Sam Altman

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Business

Euro hits 17-month low as French debt fears mount and Spain heads for snap election

The euro fell to a 17-month low against the U.S. dollar as investors grew increasingly worried about France’s high debt and political uncertainty.  French 10-year bond yields approached 5%, while the gap between French and German borrowing costs widened sharply, raising concerns about a possible return of eurozone debt-crisis dynamics.  Spain added to the uncertainty after Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called a snap general election … Continue reading Euro hits 17-month low as French debt fears mount and Spain heads for snap election

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Business

Saudi Aramco chief says replenishing global oil stockpiles could take two years

Saudi Aramco CEO Amin Nasser warned that global oil inventories could take up to two years to rebuild as the U.S.-Iran war continues to disrupt energy supplies.  The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a major route for roughly 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies, has sharply reduced shipments and increased pressure on markets.  Nasser said crude and refined-fuel supplies remain especially … Continue reading Saudi Aramco chief says replenishing global oil stockpiles could take two years

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Business

GM says hybrid vehicles are coming

General Motors plans to add hybrid vehicles to its U.S. lineup as demand for hybrids grows while sales of fully electric vehicles weaken.  GM propulsion executive Mike Anderson said hybrids are “part of the plan,” but the company has not announced when the new models will arrive.  GM has largely avoided hybrids while investing heavily in electric vehicles, and currently sells only one hybrid model, … Continue reading GM says hybrid vehicles are coming

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Politics

Trump defiant about midterm chances as he rallies for Republicans in Ohio

President Donald Trump rallied for Republican candidates in Ohio, expressing confidence that his party could outperform expectations in the November 3 midterm elections. Trump predicted a “big surprise” and urged Republicans to turn out to vote, saying the party would win despite polls showing Democrats gaining ground. He campaigned for Republican Senate candidate Jon Husted and gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy in closely watched Ohio races. … Continue reading Trump defiant about midterm chances as he rallies for Republicans in Ohio

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Politics

Dennis Hastert, longtime Republican House speaker who went to prison, dies at age 84

Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert, the longest-serving Republican speaker in U.S. history, has died at age 84 from natural causes while under hospice care. Hastert represented Illinois in Congress from 1987 to 2007 and served as House speaker from 1999 to 2007, helping advance much of President George W. Bush’s legislative agenda.  His political career was later overshadowed by revelations that he had sexually abused … Continue reading Dennis Hastert, longtime Republican House speaker who went to prison, dies at age 84

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Politics

UK Green Party declares Zionism is racism, angering Israel

Britain’s Green Party has voted to formally define Zionism as a form of racism, adopting the policy by 1,022 votes to 813 at its annual conference. The motion describes Zionism as an “ethnonationalist political project” and calls for a single democratic state across historic Palestine, while also urging an end to UK arms sales to Israel.  The decision has drawn strong criticism from British Jewish … Continue reading UK Green Party declares Zionism is racism, angering Israel

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Politics

Spain’s Pedro Sanchez announces snap election amid housing crisis

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has called a snap general election for November 29 after his minority government suffered a major defeat over emergency housing measures.  The rejected measures were intended to address Spain’s housing crisis, including protections against evictions and regulations for rental properties. The parliamentary defeat followed large protests over rising rents and housing costs, including demonstrations after an 87-year-old woman was evicted … Continue reading Spain’s Pedro Sanchez announces snap election amid housing crisis

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Politics

Merz pledges military and financial aid on visit to Ukraine

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz visited Kyiv despite a Russian warning for foreign nationals to leave the Ukrainian capital, saying Germany would not be intimidated. Merz met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and honored fallen soldiers as Russian attacks and air raid sirens continued across the city. During the visit, Russian drones struck a bridge over the Dnipro River and damaged other infrastructure in Kyiv. Merz … Continue reading Merz pledges military and financial aid on visit to Ukraine

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U.S. News

Mass shooting at Georgia block party leaves 2 dead, 35 injured

A mass shooting at a homecoming block party in Vienna, Georgia, left two people dead and 35 others injured early Sunday morning. More than 1,000 people were gathered when at least 50 shots were fired at two locations, sending crowds fleeing and causing some injuries from vehicles. The victims ranged in age from 14 to 51, with injuries ranging from stable to critical. The two … Continue reading Mass shooting at Georgia block party leaves 2 dead, 35 injured

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U.S. News

FBI arrests alleged Chinese agent at LAX after she allegedly surveilled son of Taiwanese president

The FBI arrested a California real estate agent at Los Angeles International Airport on suspicion of acting as an unregistered Chinese government agent and surveilling the son of Taiwan’s president. Wanying “Heather” Zhang, 34, was arrested while preparing to board a flight to Shanghai after investigators alleged she had photographed the family’s Seattle-area home, vehicles and license plates. According to the federal complaint, Zhang and … Continue reading FBI arrests alleged Chinese agent at LAX after she allegedly surveilled son of Taiwanese president

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U.S. News

Court throws out killer’s sentence after judge said he ‘loved’ AI video of slain man

An Arizona appeals court has overturned a 10-year manslaughter sentence after an AI-generated video portrayed the deceased victim speaking to the judge during sentencing. The video, created by the victim’s family, used his likeness and voice to deliver a message of forgiveness to the man convicted of killing him in a 2021 road-rage shooting. The appeals court ruled that the video was unreliable because it … Continue reading Court throws out killer’s sentence after judge said he ‘loved’ AI video of slain man

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U.S. News

2 killed, including 10th grader, after Florida school bus overturns in crash

A school bus crash in Winter Haven, Florida, killed two people Monday morning, including a 10th-grade student at Winter Haven High School. The bus was carrying 39 people when a car crossed the center line and struck it, causing the bus to lose a tire and collide head-on with a Jeep. The person in the Jeep also died, while several others were injured and at … Continue reading 2 killed, including 10th grader, after Florida school bus overturns in crash

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U.S. News

Christa Pike’s attorneys renew push for commuted sentence after botched execution

Christa Pike’s attorneys are urging Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee to commute her death sentence to life in prison after she survived a botched lethal injection last week. Pike remains critically ill in a hospital on a ventilator, and her lawyers say it is unclear whether she will regain consciousness as doctors work to remove the lethal drug from her system.  The execution involved two doses … Continue reading Christa Pike’s attorneys renew push for commuted sentence after botched execution

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World News

Turkish grain ship sinks in Black Sea after deadly drone attack

A Turkish-owned cargo ship carrying grain caught fire and sank in the Black Sea after reportedly being struck by a drone off Romania, killing two crew members and injuring 11 others.  The vessel, the Royad Mammadov, was reportedly travelling from Ukraine’s Izmail port toward Italy when the incident occurred in Romania’s exclusive economic zone. Romanian authorities have not confirmed who was responsible for the attack or … Continue reading Turkish grain ship sinks in Black Sea after deadly drone attack

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World News

More than 400 schools in France to be closed on Monday as more protests planned

More than 400 schools across France will be fully or partly closed on Monday because of ongoing student protests and security concerns. The demonstrations, which began in September over education funding and poor school conditions, have involved thousands of teenagers and led to clashes with police and more than 5,000 arrests. Education Minister Édouard Geffray said 24 schools had been damaged and 78 education workers … Continue reading More than 400 schools in France to be closed on Monday as more protests planned

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World News

UK insists RAF Fairford is safe after US withdraws its bombers from base

Downing Street says RAF Fairford remains secure after the US Air Force abruptly withdrew 12 B-1 bombers from the Gloucestershire base amid concerns over a possible Iran-backed threat. US officials reportedly received new intelligence about a potential plot against the base, prompting the bombers to return to the US with additional refuelling support. The UK government has not confirmed any additional threat to local residents, … Continue reading UK insists RAF Fairford is safe after US withdraws its bombers from base

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World News

Yemeni government forces say they have ‘secured’ Bab al-Mandab Strait

Yemeni pro-government forces backed by Saudi Arabia say they have secured the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait and launched a major offensive against the Iran-backed Houthi movement. Government forces reportedly captured an airport near the Red Sea town of Dhubab and cut a key road to Mokha, although the Houthis deny making significant advances. The offensive has also opened fronts near Sanaa and elsewhere as government … Continue reading Yemeni government forces say they have ‘secured’ Bab al-Mandab Strait

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World News

US closely monitoring case of lab worker who ‘possibly’ died of plague in Siberia

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US is closely monitoring the death of a Russian laboratory worker following a reported accident at a plague research institute in Siberia. The 28-year-old worker, Darya Shipilova, became ill at work and died two days later, while reports of a possible laboratory infection remain unconfirmed by Russian authorities. Several hospitals and the research institute have been placed … Continue reading US closely monitoring case of lab worker who ‘possibly’ died of plague in Siberia

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Space

Falcon Heavy flies its first mission for U.S. spy satellite agency

SpaceX launched its Falcon Heavy rocket on a classified mission for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), marking the first time the U.S. spy satellite agency has used the powerful rocket. The NROL-97 mission launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida late October 1 and carried a classified payload whose exact purpose and destination remain undisclosed.  The Falcon Heavy uses three Falcon 9-derived boosters and has now completed its 14th … Continue reading Falcon Heavy flies its first mission for U.S. spy satellite agency

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Space

Dragon Docks Bringing SpaceX Crew-13 to Station

SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft carrying four Crew-13 astronauts successfully docked with the International Space Station on October 1. NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney, Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk, and Russian cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov reached the station about 7 hours and 55 minutes after launch, setting a record for the fastest U.S. spacecraft launch-to-docking time at the ISS.  The crew opened the Dragon’s hatch at 9:19 p.m. … Continue reading Dragon Docks Bringing SpaceX Crew-13 to Station

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