Do you like taking a nap every day? While it can help combat fatigue, and enhance mood, a new study has flagged the adverse impact, it may have on your mental health. This study published in the journal of Gerontology was conducted by researchers from The John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. They used the 10-year data of nearly 1,000 Americans aged 65 and above who did not have dementia at the outset.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/people-who-nap-frequently-have-48-higher-risk-of-developing-dementia-study-1792518608021/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/people-who-nap-frequently-have-48-higher-risk-of-developing-dementia-study-1792518608021/embed</a>&nbsp;According to their findings, people who napped frequently that is almost every day had a 48% higher risk of developing dementia as compared to those who rarely or never napped. On the other hand, unintentional sleeping which implies falling asleep without meaning to was associated with a 39% higher risk of dementia. Crucially, the researchers believe that there is a two-way relationship between napping and dementia risk.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/gravitas/no-kings-movement-poses-fresh-challenge-for-trump-support-for-israel-plummets-in-us-1792430665852">'No Kings' movement poses fresh challenge for Trump, support for Israel plummets in US | Gravitas</a>&nbsp;Let's break this down further for you. While napping is a risk factor for dementia, the study claims that degenerating brain regions that regulate wakefulness may lead to more napping. According to the researchers, monitoring napping could help identify older adults who have a higher risk of developing dementia in the future.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/gravitas/putin-pounds-key-kyiv-highway-with-deadly-drone-attack-zelensky-slams-us-for-delaying-patriot-missiles-gravitas-1792521251858">Putin pounds key Kyiv highway with deadly drone attack, Zelensky slams US for delaying Patriot missiles | Gravitas</a>&nbsp;At the same time, the study emphasises that these findings are only observational. More research is required to determine, whether changing sleeping habits could result in a positive impact on a person's health. It is worth noting that dementia is currently the seventh leading cause of death worldwide with 10 million new cases added every year.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/gravitas/netanyahu-fears-losing-u-s-support-unveils-national-security-doctrine-ahead-of-polls-gravitas-1792433537466">Netanyahu fears losing US support, unveils national security doctrine ahead of polls | Gravitas</a>

According to their findings, people who napped frequently that is almost every day had a 48% higher risk of developing dementia as compared to those who rarely or never napped

Do you like taking a nap every day? While it can help combat fatigue, and enhance mood, a new study has flagged the adverse impact, it may have on your mental health. This study published in the journal of Gerontology was conducted by researchers from The John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. They used the 10-year data of nearly 1,000 Americans aged 65 and above who did not have dementia at the outset. https://www.wionews.com/videos/people-who-nap-frequently-have-48-higher-risk-of-developing-dementia-study-1792518608021/embed According to their findings, people who napped frequently that is almost every day had a 48% higher risk of developing dementia as compared to those who rarely or never napped. On the other hand, unintentional sleeping which implies falling asleep without meaning to was associated with a 39% higher risk of dementia. Crucially, the researchers believe that there is a two-way relationship between napping and dementia risk. Also Read: 'No Kings' movement poses fresh challenge for Trump, support for Israel plummets in US | Gravitas Let's break this down further for you. While napping is a risk factor for dementia, the study claims that degenerating brain regions that regulate wakefulness may lead to more napping. According to the researchers, monitoring napping could help identify older adults who have a higher risk of developing dementia in the future. Also Read: Putin pounds key Kyiv highway with deadly drone attack, Zelensky slams US for delaying Patriot missiles | Gravitas At the same time, the study emphasises that these findings are only observational. More research is required to determine, whether changing sleeping habits could result in a positive impact on a person's health. It is worth noting that dementia is currently the seventh leading cause of death worldwide with 10 million new cases added every year. Also Read: Netanyahu fears losing US support, unveils national security doctrine ahead of polls | Gravitas

According to their findings, people who napped frequently that is almost every day had a 48% higher risk of developing dementia as compared to those who rarely or never napped

Gravitas | People who nap frequently have 48% higher risk of developing dementia: Study

Social media influencer and model Shraddha Dubey, the prime accused in the murder of Shiva Sharma, has been arrested in Nagpur along with her sister Rashmi Dubey and their driver, Tanveer Ali alias Danish, by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) and Lucknow Police, officials said on Tuesday. Nagpur Crime Branch senior official Deepak Agrawal confirmed Dubey’s arrest.&nbsp;&nbsp;Dubey, 31, had been on the run since October 9, when Sharma, 28, a businessman, died after falling from the balcony of an apartment in Lucknow’s Hazratganj area. His death was initially treated as an accidental fall, but it became a suspected murder case after his family alleged that he had been assaulted and tortured before being thrown off the building.&nbsp;Cops recovered sex toys and sexual enhancement drugs from the flat and found cigarette burns on the body of restaurant-owner Sharma, further raising suspicions of foul play.Dubey, a fashion model and Sharma’s alleged live-in partner, was booked in the case along with her sister Rashmi Dubey, their driver and two other people.&nbsp;<h2>Cops tracked Shraddha’s movements across UP and Nepal</h2>&nbsp;Police sources said earlier on Tuesday that Dubey’s last known location had been traced to Agra, prompting teams to search the city. Investigators also scanned CCTV footage from toll plazas along the Lucknow-Agra route to establish her movements.Police sources said Dubey had returned to Lucknow on Saturday night, when her location was traced in the city, but she left after giving a statement to a news agency on Sunday morning.Earlier a Mahindra Scorpio-N registered in Dubey’s name was found abandoned in Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich district, around a kilometre from the Nepal border. CCTV footage subsequently purportedly showed Dubey and her sister Rashmi in Nepal. Investigators traced them to Dang district but lost track of them afterwards.&nbsp;<h2>Sharma’s family alleged murder, assault and blackmail</h2>&nbsp;Sharma’s family alleged that he had been assaulted and tortured before falling from the building. His family has accused Dubey of murder, assault and blackmail.&nbsp;During the investigation, police reportedly recovered sex toys and sexual enhancement drugs from the apartment and found lipstick marks on Sharma’s body.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Dubey claimed Sharma died by suicide</h2>&nbsp;While on the run, Dubey posted videos circulated on social media and denied involvement in Sharma’s death. She claimed that he died by suicide because of financial distress, alleging that he owed between Rs 15 lakh and Rs 20 lakh and had spoken about ending his life if he could not repay the money.Dubey claimed that Sharma went into a bathroom at her residence on October 9 and shut the door. She said she asked her sister to check on him, but Sharma jumped from the balcony before the door could be opened.She denied that Sharma was assaulted or tortured and claimed that CCTV footage would establish what happened. She also said that she had handed over his phone to police, arguing that his communications with lenders could help establish the circumstances leading to his death.Sharma’s mother, Ranjana Sharma, said her son called her shortly before the incident and told her he would return in five minutes after Dubey called him outside. She alleged that he had been subjected to physical and mental torture and said she had handed over evidence to investigators.&nbsp;The accused are being brought to Lucknow on transit remand and would be produced in court, said police.

Shiva Sharma’s family alleged that he had been assaulted and tortured before falling from the building. His family accused Shraddha Dubey of murder, assault and blackmail. Dubey claimed that Sharma died by suicide due to financial distress and had spoken about ending his life.

Social media influencer and model Shraddha Dubey, the prime accused in the murder of Shiva Sharma, has been arrested in Nagpur along with her sister Rashmi Dubey and their driver, Tanveer Ali alias Danish, by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) and Lucknow Police, officials said on Tuesday. Nagpur Crime Branch senior official Deepak Agrawal confirmed Dubey’s arrest. Dubey, 31, had been on the run since October 9, when Sharma, 28, a businessman, died after falling from the balcony of an apartment in Lucknow’s Hazratganj area. His death was initially treated as an accidental fall, but it became a suspected murder case after his family alleged that he had been assaulted and tortured before being thrown off the building. Cops recovered sex toys and sexual enhancement drugs from the flat and found cigarette burns on the body of restaurant-owner Sharma, further raising suspicions of foul play. Dubey, a fashion model and Sharma’s alleged live-in partner, was booked in the case along with her sister Rashmi Dubey, their driver and two other people. Cops tracked Shraddha’s movements across UP and Nepal Police sources said earlier on Tuesday that Dubey’s last known location had been traced to Agra, prompting teams to search the city. Investigators also scanned CCTV footage from toll plazas along the Lucknow-Agra route to establish her movements. Police sources said Dubey had returned to Lucknow on Saturday night, when her location was traced in the city, but she left after giving a statement to a news agency on Sunday morning. Earlier a Mahindra Scorpio-N registered in Dubey’s name was found abandoned in Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich district, around a kilometre from the Nepal border. CCTV footage subsequently purportedly showed Dubey and her sister Rashmi in Nepal. Investigators traced them to Dang district but lost track of them afterwards. Sharma’s family alleged murder, assault and blackmail Sharma’s family alleged that he had been assaulted and tortured before falling from the building. His family has accused Dubey of murder, assault and blackmail. During the investigation, police reportedly recovered sex toys and sexual enhancement drugs from the apartment and found lipstick marks on Sharma’s body. Dubey claimed Sharma died by suicide While on the run, Dubey posted videos circulated on social media and denied involvement in Sharma’s death. She claimed that he died by suicide because of financial distress, alleging that he owed between Rs 15 lakh and Rs 20 lakh and had spoken about ending his life if he could not repay the money. Dubey claimed that Sharma went into a bathroom at her residence on October 9 and shut the door. She said she asked her sister to check on him, but Sharma jumped from the balcony before the door could be opened. She denied that Sharma was assaulted or tortured and claimed that CCTV footage would establish what happened. She also said that she had handed over his phone to police, arguing that his communications with lenders could help establish the circumstances leading to his death. Sharma’s mother, Ranjana Sharma, said her son called her shortly before the incident and told her he would return in five minutes after Dubey called him outside. She alleged that he had been subjected to physical and mental torture and said she had handed over evidence to investigators. The accused are being brought to Lucknow on transit remand and would be produced in court, said police.

Shiva Sharma’s family alleged that he had been assaulted and tortured before falling from the building. His family accused Shraddha Dubey of murder, assault and blackmail. Dubey claimed that Sharma died by suicide due to financial distress and had spoken about ending his life.

Model Shraddha Dubey, accused in Shiva Sharma murder case, arrested from Nagpur

A mysterious object crashed in a field in Minnesota last week, prompting immediate action. The Stevens County Sheriff’s Office received a call about a foreign object on October 14 in the afternoon about foreign debris in a cornfield in Scott Township. They found a large piece of metal measuring 11 feet in diameter, with scorch marks on its underside. It was first seen by farmers working in the fields who then alerted the Minnesota Duty Officer.&nbsp;The sheriff's office is working with state and federal officials to determine the identity of the object and who it belongs to. Stevens County Sheriff Jason Dingman said the investigation is ongoing. There is still no word on what this object is, although some officials suspect it is likely a piece of space debris. However, investigators have not yet confirmed this.&nbsp;"We're not getting fed much information either, and what info we do get is pretty cryptic. So I think somebody way up the food chain above my head knows what this thing is, but they are not even telling us," Dingman said. It has been moved to a safe location.&nbsp;According to officials who spoke to KARE 11, the serial numbers on the object will reveal the origin of the mysterious object. But for now, the identity of this metallic dome-like object remains a mystery.<h2>Junk in orbit&nbsp;</h2>Space debris is a common problem in orbit, and some of them eventually fall down on Earth. Most of them undergo controlled entry, where engineers ensure the crashdown happens safely. However, most of them burn up in the atmosphere upon entry.&nbsp;&nbsp;According to NASA, objects with higher melting points, including titanium and stainless steel, can survive longer and even fall back to the ground. Some fragments placed inside a larger structure could also survive the pressure of reentry. While the outer layer burns and falls apart, the inner object survives.&nbsp;

Farmers discovered a strange object in a crop field in Minnesota and alerted authorities. It was carefully retrieved and taken to a safe location. The metallic object is suspected of being space debris, although there is no confirmation yet.  

A mysterious object crashed in a field in Minnesota last week, prompting immediate action. The Stevens County Sheriff’s Office received a call about a foreign object on October 14 in the afternoon about foreign debris in a cornfield in Scott Township. They found a large piece of metal measuring 11 feet in diameter, with scorch marks on its underside. It was first seen by farmers working in the fields who then alerted the Minnesota Duty Officer. The sheriff's office is working with state and federal officials to determine the identity of the object and who it belongs to. Stevens County Sheriff Jason Dingman said the investigation is ongoing. There is still no word on what this object is, although some officials suspect it is likely a piece of space debris. However, investigators have not yet confirmed this. "We're not getting fed much information either, and what info we do get is pretty cryptic. So I think somebody way up the food chain above my head knows what this thing is, but they are not even telling us," Dingman said. It has been moved to a safe location. According to officials who spoke to KARE 11, the serial numbers on the object will reveal the origin of the mysterious object. But for now, the identity of this metallic dome-like object remains a mystery. Junk in orbit Space debris is a common problem in orbit, and some of them eventually fall down on Earth. Most of them undergo controlled entry, where engineers ensure the crashdown happens safely. However, most of them burn up in the atmosphere upon entry. According to NASA, objects with higher melting points, including titanium and stainless steel, can survive longer and even fall back to the ground. Some fragments placed inside a larger structure could also survive the pressure of reentry. While the outer layer burns and falls apart, the inner object survives.

Farmers discovered a strange object in a crop field in Minnesota and alerted authorities. It was carefully retrieved and taken to a safe location. The metallic object is suspected of being space debris, although there is no confirmation yet. &nbsp;

'They are not even telling us' - Mysterious metallic object discovered in Minnesota field

A real-life love triangle unfolded in a village in Uttar Pradesh, where a man gave away his wife to her lover, ending his 17-year marriage. The case happened in Sitapur, where the woman expressed her desire to be with a man she met on Facebook. The husband agreed and personally sent her off after the two of them exchanged garlands.&nbsp;Vipin Bhargava lives in Mishrikh and got married on March 12, 2009. The couple has two children, aged 16 and 14. Vipin said his wife left home around 22 days ago. He went to the police station and filed a missing-person report. The woman returned home and told her husband that she wanted to live with Rahul, a man she met on social media and who lived in Ambedkar Nagar.&nbsp;Vipin agreed to let her go and be with Rahul. The couple went through the necessary legal work at the tehsil complex. They then exchanged garlands, and Vipin sent them to Delhi, personally seeing them off. Vipin said that he no longer had any ties with his former wife and wished them well.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">#UttarPradesh #Sitapur: End of 17-year marriage, husband bids farewell to wife with her lover! 
In Mishrikh, wife returned after 22 days and expressed desire to live with her lover. 
According to husband Vipin Bhardwaj, the couple got married on March 12, 2009. 
The wife became friends with Rahul, a resident of Ambedkar Nagar, through Facebook. 
After paperwork at the tehsil, the husband bid farewell to his wife for #Delhi.&mdash; Siraj Noorani (@sirajnoorani) <a href="https://x.com/sirajnoorani/status/2112305632443510852?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
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<h2>Cases where men married their wives to their lovers</h2>The bizarre case is not the first of its kind. In March 2025, a man named Babloo from Sant Kabir Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, got his wife, Radhika, married to her lover, Vikas, after learning that they had been involved for a long time. He did the legal work done in court and performed a temple wedding for Radhika and Vikas. However, a few days later, Vikas's mother sent her back to her first husband because she felt sorry for Babloo, who was left to raise their kids alone.&nbsp;&nbsp;Several other cases where men agreed to let go of their wives have come to light from other places in the state in past years.

A man married off his wife to her lover after discovering that she wanted to be with the other man. The woman had left home for 22 days and said she wanted to be with Rahul. The couple share two kids, but the man sent her away with her lover. 

A real-life love triangle unfolded in a village in Uttar Pradesh, where a man gave away his wife to her lover, ending his 17-year marriage. The case happened in Sitapur, where the woman expressed her desire to be with a man she met on Facebook. The husband agreed and personally sent her off after the two of them exchanged garlands. Vipin Bhargava lives in Mishrikh and got married on March 12, 2009. The couple has two children, aged 16 and 14. Vipin said his wife left home around 22 days ago. He went to the police station and filed a missing-person report. The woman returned home and told her husband that she wanted to live with Rahul, a man she met on social media and who lived in Ambedkar Nagar. Vipin agreed to let her go and be with Rahul. The couple went through the necessary legal work at the tehsil complex. They then exchanged garlands, and Vipin sent them to Delhi, personally seeing them off. Vipin said that he no longer had any ties with his former wife and wished them well.

A man married off his wife to her lover after discovering that she wanted to be with the other man. The woman had left home for 22 days and said she wanted to be with Rahul. The couple share two kids, but the man sent her away with her lover.&nbsp;

Man marries off wife of 17 years to her lover in Uttar Pradesh

An alleged ‘cash-for-influence’ scandal is unfolding in the US. It centres around Ric Grenell, a top adviser to President Donald Trump and his special envoy for missions, including in Venezuela. According to Axios, a White House inquiry ordered by Trump is examining an alleged multimillion-dollar donation to the Kennedy Center that never arrived. Grenell also headed the Kennedy Center at one point. The allegations are coming from a Turkish businessman Turhan Mildon, who is now married to another Trump aide, Alina Habba.<h2>The text message that started it all</h2>The claims revolve around a May 3, 2025, text message reviewed by Axios, which Grenell had allegedly sent to Mildon. It reads: "Once the money comes to the company here, I will arrange the donation to Kennedy Centre [sic], and you'll be joining the VIP events and get close with the administration, even with POTUS [President of the United States]."The message also reportedly says Mildon should be the "'American face' down in V", meaning Venezuela.At the time of this message, Grenell was handling Trump's diplomatic engagement with Nicolás Maduro's government in Venezuela. Grenell was also at the helm of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts from February 2025 to March 2026, first as its interim executive director and later as its president. Mildon, the Turkish billionaire, had business interests in Venezuela, including a contract to run state-owned cement plants.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-backlash-trump-says-he-will-pay-for-patriotic-ads-with-maga-inc-funds-not-taxpayer-money-1791274128464">After backlash, Trump says he will pay for patriotic ads with MAGA, Inc. funds, not taxpayer money</a><h2>The alleged money trail</h2>Mildon alleges that Grenell directed him to wire $17.6 million in May 2025 to Texas Armament &amp; Technology (TXAT), a Houston-based defence company, and the amount was to be split between a deal involving the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and a Kennedy Center donation of nearly $6 million.Habba, the businessman's wife since September this year, told Trump the money came from Mildon's own account, while a White House official said it actually came from the DRC's Ministry of Finance in Kinshasa, which is making the scandal all the more curious.<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/report-trump-questions-jd-vance-s-ability-to-lead-maga-after-him-1780304435684/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/report-trump-questions-jd-vance-s-ability-to-lead-maga-after-him-1780304435684/embed</a><h2>The Kennedy Center never received the donation</h2>The main allegation is that the money never reached Kennedy Center, with its records showing only an outstanding $270,000 pledge from Mildon, which he has since paid. Staff found no record of a larger contribution, Axios reported.Habba is a former Trump attorney who had also served as acting US attorney for New Jersey. She is a current Trump adviser. Earlier this month, Habba reportedly told Trump at the Oval Office that "Ric stole the money!"&nbsp;Trump then directed White House Counsel Will Scharf to investigate the matter. That's when Mildon's attorneys gave the counsel's office the alleged text, a related email, and a record of the wire transfer.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-midterm-2026-what-do-opinion-polls-and-prediction-markets-say-less-than-two-weeks-before-voting-1792438764752">US Midterm 2026: What do opinion polls and prediction markets say less than two weeks before voting</a><h2>Grenell strongly denies the claims</h2>Grenell has called the allegations "absurd" and "lies". He denies sending the text, soliciting money under false pretences, or receiving any payment from Mildon. The British spelling "Centre" shows he did not write the message, according to a source close to Grenell, cited in the Axios report.&nbsp;The text's authenticity has not been publicly established, and the White House is examining the documents.&nbsp;<h2>A murky scandal amid a MAGA feud</h2>While no wrongdoing has been found as of now, the scandal raises key questions, ahead of the US Midterms. What was the purpose of the transaction? Where did the funds come from, and where did the money go? Are Mildon's businesses in Congo or Venezuela linked to Grenell?This is also an instance of the bitter feud between Grenell and Habba, whose ties to Trump go back to his first administration. One insider called it a "MAGA blood feud", the report said.The allegations also raise questions about political fundraising, pay-for-play access to Trump and officials, as well as conflicts of interest.

A probe is underway into claims that Donald Trump's aide Ric Grenell offered Turkish businessman Turhan Mildon access to the US President in return for a donation. Mildon, who is also the husband of another Trump aide Alina Habba, allegedly wired $17.6 million. Where has the money gone?

An alleged ‘cash-for-influence’ scandal is unfolding in the US. It centres around Ric Grenell, a top adviser to President Donald Trump and his special envoy for missions, including in Venezuela. According to Axios, a White House inquiry ordered by Trump is examining an alleged multimillion-dollar donation to the Kennedy Center that never arrived. Grenell also headed the Kennedy Center at one point. The allegations are coming from a Turkish businessman Turhan Mildon, who is now married to another Trump aide, Alina Habba. The text message that started it all The claims revolve around a May 3, 2025, text message reviewed by Axios, which Grenell had allegedly sent to Mildon. It reads: "Once the money comes to the company here, I will arrange the donation to Kennedy Centre [sic], and you'll be joining the VIP events and get close with the administration, even with POTUS [President of the United States]." The message also reportedly says Mildon should be the "'American face' down in V", meaning Venezuela. At the time of this message, Grenell was handling Trump's diplomatic engagement with Nicolás Maduro's government in Venezuela. Grenell was also at the helm of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts from February 2025 to March 2026, first as its interim executive director and later as its president. Mildon, the Turkish billionaire, had business interests in Venezuela, including a contract to run state-owned cement plants. Also read: After backlash, Trump says he will pay for patriotic ads with MAGA, Inc. funds, not taxpayer money The alleged money trail Mildon alleges that Grenell directed him to wire $17.6 million in May 2025 to Texas Armament & Technology (TXAT), a Houston-based defence company, and the amount was to be split between a deal involving the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and a Kennedy Center donation of nearly $6 million. Habba, the businessman's wife since September this year, told Trump the money came from Mildon's own account, while a White House official said it actually came from the DRC's Ministry of Finance in Kinshasa, which is making the scandal all the more curious. https://www.wionews.com/videos/report-trump-questions-jd-vance-s-ability-to-lead-maga-after-him-1780304435684/embed The Kennedy Center never received the donation The main allegation is that the money never reached Kennedy Center, with its records showing only an outstanding $270,000 pledge from Mildon, which he has since paid. Staff found no record of a larger contribution, Axios reported. Habba is a former Trump attorney who had also served as acting US attorney for New Jersey. She is a current Trump adviser. Earlier this month, Habba reportedly told Trump at the Oval Office that "Ric stole the money!" Trump then directed White House Counsel Will Scharf to investigate the matter. That's when Mildon's attorneys gave the counsel's office the alleged text, a related email, and a record of the wire transfer. Also read: US Midterm 2026: What do opinion polls and prediction markets say less than two weeks before voting Grenell strongly denies the claims Grenell has called the allegations "absurd" and "lies". He denies sending the text, soliciting money under false pretences, or receiving any payment from Mildon. The British spelling "Centre" shows he did not write the message, according to a source close to Grenell, cited in the Axios report. The text's authenticity has not been publicly established, and the White House is examining the documents. A murky scandal amid a MAGA feud While no wrongdoing has been found as of now, the scandal raises key questions, ahead of the US Midterms. What was the purpose of the transaction? Where did the funds come from, and where did the money go? Are Mildon's businesses in Congo or Venezuela linked to Grenell? This is also an instance of the bitter feud between Grenell and Habba, whose ties to Trump go back to his first administration. One insider called it a "MAGA blood feud", the report said. The allegations also raise questions about political fundraising, pay-for-play access to Trump and officials, as well as conflicts of interest.

A probe is underway into claims that Donald Trump's aide Ric Grenell offered Turkish businessman Turhan Mildon access to the US President in return for a donation. Mildon, who is also the husband of another Trump aide Alina Habba, allegedly wired $17.6 million. Where has the money gone?

"Ric stole the money!": A 'cash-for-access to Trump' scandal links Venezuela, Turkey, Congo and Kennedy Center

As protests rage in Paris, there are some people who could not be more nonchalant despite being in the midst of the storm. Photos and videos show two women strolling through a burning street with their suitcases, a woman jogging on the road, and one couple calmly enjoying their drink and smoke even as fires rage outside.&nbsp;The latest clip shared by CBS News shows a French couple sitting inside a Paris cafe with drinks on the table and cigarettes in their hands. Outside the eatery are fires from the riots. But they coolly continue to enjoy their wine. The footage was taken at a bistro near the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, according to the outlet.&nbsp;Earlier, ABC News shared a clip from the weekend, showing a woman jogging through smoky streets and chaos. People were shocked to see the woman casually go about her run even as police stood guard and bicycles burned behind her.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/reject-third-world-us-homeland-security-uses-france-riots-to-push-anti-immigration-message-vance-appeals-to-stop-this-madness-1792464700152">White House uses France riots to push anti-immigration message; Vance appeals to ‘stop this madness’</a>&nbsp;Another viral clip claims to show two female tourists with pink and blue suitcases wading through fire and crows, and apparently trying to find their hotel on Maps on their phones, while still trying to enjoy their vacation.&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Slightly obsessed with these two tourists, with their massive suitcases, just non chalantly google mapping their way to their airbnb in the middle of the protests in Paris. They booked their trip, and damnit they are having their trip. https://t.co/Pi2gO9e781&mdash; Abhinav Prakash (@imabhi0012) <a href="https://x.com/imabhi0012/status/2112418534814876003?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 20, 2026</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Crazy video of a French couple enjoying drinks and cigarettes at an outdoor café near the Arc de Triomphe in Paris as rioters and looters fight riot police and set fires just 50 meters behind the couple https://t.co/DsihcyzMcf&mdash; Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) <a href="https://x.com/visegrad24/status/2112180193431367818?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">VIOLENCE HAS BECOME THE NEW NORMAL IN FRANCE

Nothing stops this girl from her run.

She jogs steadily through Paris streets. Burning scooters. Thick black smoke. Crowds all around.

Cost-of-living and education protests erupted into full riots on October 17.

Widespread looting. Property destroyed. Over 2,000 arrested nationwide. Officers injured.

She keeps going.

The chaos does not.&mdash; Subodh Kumar (@kumarsubodh_) <a href="https://x.com/kumarsubodh_/status/2112019032333578681?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
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<h2>&nbsp;</h2><h2>Protests and curfew in Paris</h2>&nbsp;Meanwhile, protests continue in Paris as the police imposed curfews in two areas of Paris: Place de la République, where riots took place on Saturday, and Les Halles, where stores were looted. The police said that gatherings and demonstrations are banned under the order and no one is allowed to enter or remain in the two designated areas. Marseille also earlier announced that it had banned all gatherings and demonstrations on Monday.&nbsp;https://www.wionews.com/videos/france-erupts-town-hall-burns-rioters-close-in-on-macron-s-power-centre-1792428645419/embed&nbsp;An emergency cabinet meeting was held on Monday after which Sébastien Lecornu, the French prime minister, said he was "fully resolved to restore public order". He said "local and partial" curfews are possible, adding there was "no question" of imposing a full curfew on entire cities.<h2>Why are there protests in France?</h2> The French are demonstrating against rising living costs and declining public services. The country is currently witnessing its worst violence in decades. Hundreds of thousands took to the streets for peaceful protests; a few turned violent and targeted public buildings, looted luxury boutiques and supermarkets and attacked police vehicles and officers.

Paris protests: Streets were set on fire, mobs looted stores, and violence took hold during the France protests. However, some people could not be bothered with everything that was happening around them, as they went about their day normally. 

As protests rage in Paris, there are some people who could not be more nonchalant despite being in the midst of the storm. Photos and videos show two women strolling through a burning street with their suitcases, a woman jogging on the road, and one couple calmly enjoying their drink and smoke even as fires rage outside. The latest clip shared by CBS News shows a French couple sitting inside a Paris cafe with drinks on the table and cigarettes in their hands. Outside the eatery are fires from the riots. But they coolly continue to enjoy their wine. The footage was taken at a bistro near the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, according to the outlet. Earlier, ABC News shared a clip from the weekend, showing a woman jogging through smoky streets and chaos. People were shocked to see the woman casually go about her run even as police stood guard and bicycles burned behind her. Also Read: White House uses France riots to push anti-immigration message; Vance appeals to ‘stop this madness’ Another viral clip claims to show two female tourists with pink and blue suitcases wading through fire and crows, and apparently trying to find their hotel on Maps on their phones, while still trying to enjoy their vacation.

Paris protests: Streets were set on fire, mobs looted stores, and violence took hold during the France protests. However, some people could not be bothered with everything that was happening around them, as they went about their day normally.&nbsp;

Wine, smoke, and a jog: Paris protests could not ruin these people's day

US President Donald Trump on Monday called for New Mexico to change its name to ‘New America’, marking his latest effort to rename geographical locations in line with his political messaging. “New Mexico should immediately change its name to New America. We are not Mexico, we are the United States of America!” Trump wrote on Truth Social shortly before leaving the White House for a midterm election rally in Kansas.&nbsp;The proposal comes as Republicans face concerns about retaining their congressional majorities in November. New Mexico, a Democratic-leaning state, voted against Trump by six percentage points in the 2024 presidential election.Polling has hinted that some voters believe the president is not paying sufficient attention to the country's most pressing issues. Trump argued, without presenting supporting evidence, that changing the state's name would increase property values and incomes. He also repeated his unsubstantiated allegations about election irregularities. “Maybe even the Crooked Elections, that New Mexico is known for, would become honest again!” he added.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/close-up-your-borders-trump-blames-immigration-for-france-unrest-urges-macron-to-tighten-border-policies-1792443945584">'Close up your borders': Trump blames immigration for France unrest, urges Macron to tighten border policies</a>

<h2>Trump renews efforts to rename New Mexico</h2>Monday's statement was not the first time Trump has proposed changing New Mexico's name. In September, he shared an image on social media showing the word ‘Mexico’ crossed out on a map of the state, with ‘America’ written beneath it. The White House's official account on X subsequently reposted the image. In August, Trump signed an executive order seeking to rename Lake Ontario as ‘Lake America’ amid an ongoing trade dispute with Canada. The previous year, he took similar action to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the ‘Gulf of America’. The president has also repeatedly suggested renaming the Strait of Hormuz as the ‘Trump Strait’.<h2>Can Trump legally rename New Mexico?</h2>Although the federal government has authority over the official names of many geographical features through the Geographic Names Information System, the president cannot unilaterally change the legal name of a US state. Renaming a state would require action through the relevant state-level legal and political processes rather than a presidential order alone. New Mexico's name also has a long history predating the establishment of the United States. According to a fact sheet on state-name origins from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the name dates back to the 16th century.

Donald Trump calls for New Mexico to be renamed New America, raising legal questions and renewing debate over his controversial geographical renaming proposals

US President Donald Trump on Monday called for New Mexico to change its name to ‘New America’, marking his latest effort to rename geographical locations in line with his political messaging. “New Mexico should immediately change its name to New America. We are not Mexico, we are the United States of America!” Trump wrote on Truth Social shortly before leaving the White House for a midterm election rally in Kansas. The proposal comes as Republicans face concerns about retaining their congressional majorities in November. New Mexico, a Democratic-leaning state, voted against Trump by six percentage points in the 2024 presidential election. Polling has hinted that some voters believe the president is not paying sufficient attention to the country's most pressing issues. Trump argued, without presenting supporting evidence, that changing the state's name would increase property values and incomes. He also repeated his unsubstantiated allegations about election irregularities. “Maybe even the Crooked Elections, that New Mexico is known for, would become honest again!” he added. Also Read: 'Close up your borders': Trump blames immigration for France unrest, urges Macron to tighten border policies

Donald Trump urges New Mexico to change its name to New America, reviving his push to rename US landmarks amid political and election tensions

Trump calls on New Mexico to become 'New America', claims 'home values and incomes would rise'

A video showing a woman jogging past a burning barricade amid protests and unrest in Paris has gone viral on social media, triggering a heated debate over her apparent indifference to the chaos around her. The video shows the woman continuing her morning run despite smoke, flames and disruption on the streets. While some social media users have mocked her seemingly unbothered attitude, others have defended her decision to maintain her daily routine amid the tense situation.&nbsp;The video surfaced amid claims of demonstrations over the rising cost of living, including increasing expenses for fuel, food and other essential goods. Images of burning barricades, disrupted roads and damaged shops have further highlighted the unrest surrounding the protests. In the viral clip, the woman can be seen jogging past a barricade engulfed in flames, moving through thick black smoke as though the surrounding disturbances have not interrupted her workout. Sharing the footage on X, one user highlighted the striking contrast between a city experiencing unrest and an individual seemingly determined to finish her daily exercise. The user accused the woman of displaying ‘main character syndrome’, suggesting that she appeared more focused on achieving her daily step target than paying attention to the unfolding protests.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/one-dead-after-shooting-at-mosque-in-columbus-ohio-here-s-what-we-know-so-far-1792440252421">One dead after shooting near mosque in Columbus, Ohio. Here's what we know so far</a><h2>Watch the viral video here</h2>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The most dystopian fitness video on the internet just dropped. 🚨💀

Paris is literally burning, protesters are shutting down the streets, and this woman is casually jogging past a burning barricade like it’s a treadmill session. She is literally running through thick black smoke because hitting her daily step count is a higher priority than whatever revolution is happening around her.

Pure, unfiltered main character syndrome. The absolute disrespect to the entire riot.&mdash; Atulya (@DesiMemesTweets) <a href="https://x.com/DesiMemesTweets/status/2111692873016258605?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2026</a></blockquote>
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<h2>‘She’s free to go for a jog’: Internet divided over woman’s decision</h2>The video has drawn sharply divided reactions online, with users debating whether the woman's actions reflected indifference to the unrest or simply an attempt to continue with her everyday life. Some viewers questioned the decision to jog through an area where burning barricades and thick smoke could pose safety risks. Others argued that a short video offered little insight into the woman's circumstances, intentions or state of mind.&nbsp;One user suggested that the woman might simply have been exercising to manage stress or maintain a familiar routine, pointing out that outsiders could not know what she was thinking. Another social media user praised her for concentrating on herself rather than attempting to change the behaviour of others. A third user defended the jogger, arguing that she should not be expected to participate in the unrest or allow the actions of rioters to dictate her daily activities. According to this view, continuing with her routine could be one way of coping with an unpredictable and stressful situation.

A woman jogging past a burning barricade amid reported Paris unrest has gone viral, sparking debate over her actions and reactions on social media

A video showing a woman jogging past a burning barricade amid protests and unrest in Paris has gone viral on social media, triggering a heated debate over her apparent indifference to the chaos around her. The video shows the woman continuing her morning run despite smoke, flames and disruption on the streets. While some social media users have mocked her seemingly unbothered attitude, others have defended her decision to maintain her daily routine amid the tense situation. The video surfaced amid claims of demonstrations over the rising cost of living, including increasing expenses for fuel, food and other essential goods. Images of burning barricades, disrupted roads and damaged shops have further highlighted the unrest surrounding the protests. In the viral clip, the woman can be seen jogging past a barricade engulfed in flames, moving through thick black smoke as though the surrounding disturbances have not interrupted her workout. Sharing the footage on X, one user highlighted the striking contrast between a city experiencing unrest and an individual seemingly determined to finish her daily exercise. The user accused the woman of displaying ‘main character syndrome’, suggesting that she appeared more focused on achieving her daily step target than paying attention to the unfolding protests. Also Read: One dead after shooting near mosque in Columbus, Ohio. Here's what we know so far Watch the viral video here

A viral video of a woman jogging past a burning barricade amid Paris unrest has divided social media, sparking debate over her actions

WATCH | Viral video shows woman jogging past burning barricade amid Paris unrest, sparks online debate

Elon Musk has made a promise to the children of the United States. The SpaceX founder and CEO announced in an X post on Monday that he will give one share of his space company to each child in the country. "Next year, I will give one of my SpaceX (SPCX) shares to every kid in America. This will be the first of many," he said. Notably, the company's stock rose 1 per cent in premarket trading on Monday. It is currently trading at around $149.&nbsp;He did not specify an age range or which children will be eligible. How it will work and other details are also yet to be revealed. &nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Next year, I will give one of my SpaceX shares to every kid in America.

This will be the first of many.&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/2112089556615123114?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Musk's announcement came just hours after Anthropic said it would set aside 5 per cent of its shares for donations that benefit the "public good".&nbsp;<h2>How much would that money be?</h2>&nbsp;According to estimates from the US Census Bureau, there are about 72 million children under the age of 18 in the US. SpaceX stock was trading at $146 per share on Friday, which brings the value of the donation to about US$10.5 billion. There are about 18.5 million of them between the stages of newborn and 4 years old.&nbsp;Musk's plan poses several practical questions. He did not specify how eligible children would receive the shares. It is possible that parents or guardians would manage them. It is also unclear whether there would be restrictions on selling or transferring the stock.<h2>Can minors hold stocks in the US?</h2> Yes, minors are free to hold shares in the United States. However, since they are not eligible to sign contracts, they cannot directly open an independent standard brokerage account or trade on their own. Kids do so through specialised accounts set up and managed by an adult or through specific teen accounts.<h2>Trump Accounts</h2> Children in the US already have a financial stake in the market. Earlier this month, children under 18 were automatically enrolled in Trump Accounts as part of an initiative by the Treasury Department. As part of the federal savings and investment program, children born between 2025 and the end of 2028 qualify for a one-time $1,000 government contribution. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has announced plans to give one share to each of the children in the United States. He wrote about it on X on Monday morning, without giving details about how he would go about it and the age limit.

Elon Musk has made a promise to the children of the United States. The SpaceX founder and CEO announced in an X post on Monday that he will give one share of his space company to each child in the country. "Next year, I will give one of my SpaceX (SPCX) shares to every kid in America. This will be the first of many," he said. Notably, the company's stock rose 1 per cent in premarket trading on Monday. It is currently trading at around $149. He did not specify an age range or which children will be eligible. How it will work and other details are also yet to be revealed.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has announced plans to give one share to each of the children in the United States. He wrote about it on X on Monday morning, without giving details about how he would go about it, and the age limit.

Elon Musk will give away one SpaceX share to each American child. That comes to $10.5bn

Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel apprehended a passenger at Delhi's Jama Masjid Metro station on Monday after he allegedly tried to flee when a suspicious object appeared on the baggage screening system.&nbsp;In a post on X, the CISF said, “Alert CISF personnel at Jama Masjid Metro Station of DMRC sprang into action when a passenger attempted to flee after a suspicious, dense object appeared on the XBIS screen during baggage screening.”

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Scanner flags suspicious object at Delhi's Jama Masjid Metro station; fleeing passenger caught with unidentified substance hidden in undergarment https://t.co/aQdH294srS&mdash; WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://x.com/WIONews/status/2112158387513553106?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
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“Demonstrating quick reflexes and effective coordination, CISF personnel immediately pursued and apprehended the fleeing passenger near the exit gate,” it added.&nbsp;A further examination of the passenger's belongings revealed an unidentified semi-solid substance concealed in a stitched portion of his undergarment.&nbsp;“The passenger, who claimed to be an NRI residing in Kuala Lumpur, along with his belongings, was handed over to the police for further investigation,” the CISF said.<h3>Video shows passenger trying to flee</h3>A video released by the CISF shows the passenger talking on his phone before attempting to flee towards the exit using an escalator. A security personnel member is seen taking the stairs, reaching the upper level ahead of the passenger and apprehending him.&nbsp;The police are investigating the matter to determine the nature of the substance and the circumstances surrounding the incident.

CISF personnel apprehended a passenger at Delhi's Jama Masjid Metro station after he allegedly tried to flee during baggage screening, with an unidentified semi-solid substance later found concealed in his undergarment.

Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel apprehended a passenger at Delhi's Jama Masjid Metro station on Monday after he allegedly tried to flee when a suspicious object appeared on the baggage screening system. In a post on X, the CISF said, “Alert CISF personnel at Jama Masjid Metro Station of DMRC sprang into action when a passenger attempted to flee after a suspicious, dense object appeared on the XBIS screen during baggage screening.”

CISF personnel apprehended a passenger at Delhi's Jama Masjid Metro station after he allegedly tried to flee during baggage screening, with an unidentified semi-solid substance later found concealed in his undergarment.

Watch: Passenger tries to flee Delhi's Jama Masjid Metro station, CISF catches him

An expert has warned that a war in space could break out by 2031, and if that happens, the world will be pushed back into the 19th century. Dr Julia Balm, co-director of the Freeman Air and Space Institute at King’s College London, has set alarm bells ringing by claiming that satellites and other orbital infrastructure could be at major risk as countries develop sophisticated technology.&nbsp;"If we’re looking at the number of satellites proliferating in orbit and the capabilities that are growing in both scale, but also in their technical capacity […], we are looking at conflict emerging not only in the domain, but in the next five years," Balm said.&nbsp;Balm said that dis­rupting satel­lites and crippling "not only our mil­it­ary oper­a­tions but also crit­ical national infra­struc­ture" can emerge as a major attractor to adversaries, leading space to become "an attract­ive means of coer­cion." She added, “It’s a ques­tion really about resi­li­ence at an oper­a­tional level, about organ­ising ourselves in space as a war-fight­ing domain.”<h2>Russia, China, US could already be caught in a space tussle</h2>If a nuclear weapon explodes in space, the radiation will permanently damage satellites and leave the orbit unusable. The UK For­eign Policy Research Insti­tute has warned that Rus­sia could be con­sid­er­ing a "mass kill" of satel­lites in orbit. Some experts think the country has already sent a nuke in space on the Cos­mos space­craft in 2025, as it released "Object F".&nbsp;&nbsp;Its Luch/Olymp intel­li­gence satel­lites have been found stalking European space­craft. In 2022, Rus­sia launched the satel­lite Cos­mos 2553, which US intel­li­gence agen­cies believe was carrying nuclear device components.&nbsp;China has a space plane named Shenlong, which reportedly released a mystery object in orbit earlier this year. "At 02:30 UTC on 22 June 2026, LeoLabs detected an unknown object in the vicinity of the Chinese Shenlong reusable space plane," LeoLabs, a private space surveillance firm, posted to X. Last month, the US Space Force announced it had deployed a weapon in space for the first time.&nbsp;Brit­ish-based Astro­scale said last week that it was now involved in clas­si­fied mil­it­ary pro­grammes and is working on technology to mon­itor or deter threat­en­ing enemy space­craft. Balm warned at the meeting that allied nations were being "tar­geted" in space by adversar­ies "on a daily basis".<h2>What would happen if a war breaks out in space?</h2>&nbsp;The world today relies on satellites for GPS and communications, with pretty much everything from weather to financial sectors dependent on them. If a space war were to break out, the destruction of satellites would have a severe impact on almost everything. There would be total loss of internet, global telecommunications, and television broadcasts. Air traffic control, maritime shipping guidance, and GPS/GNSS systems would be impacted. Digital banking, stock exchanges, and automated trade will fail, triggering widespread financial collapses.&nbsp;This would effectively force the world to return to primitive methods of communication, financial dealings, weather predictions and other things. &nbsp;

A war in space looks imminent by 2031, according to an expert from King’s College London. She warned it was important for allied nations to take steps to protect themselves from a catastrophe in space. If satellites fall, the world will fall back by hundreds of years. 

An expert has warned that a war in space could break out by 2031, and if that happens, the world will be pushed back into the 19th century. Dr Julia Balm, co-director of the Freeman Air and Space Institute at King’s College London, has set alarm bells ringing by claiming that satellites and other orbital infrastructure could be at major risk as countries develop sophisticated technology. "If we’re looking at the number of satellites proliferating in orbit and the capabilities that are growing in both scale, but also in their technical capacity […], we are looking at conflict emerging not only in the domain, but in the next five years," Balm said. Balm said that disrupting satellites and crippling "not only our military operations but also critical national infrastructure" can emerge as a major attractor to adversaries, leading space to become "an attractive means of coercion." She added, “It’s a question really about resilience at an operational level, about organising ourselves in space as a war-fighting domain.” Russia, China, US could already be caught in a space tussle If a nuclear weapon explodes in space, the radiation will permanently damage satellites and leave the orbit unusable. The UK Foreign Policy Research Institute has warned that Russia could be considering a "mass kill" of satellites in orbit. Some experts think the country has already sent a nuke in space on the Cosmos spacecraft in 2025, as it released "Object F". Its Luch/Olymp intelligence satellites have been found stalking European spacecraft. In 2022, Russia launched the satellite Cosmos 2553, which US intelligence agencies believe was carrying nuclear device components. China has a space plane named Shenlong, which reportedly released a mystery object in orbit earlier this year. "At 02:30 UTC on 22 June 2026, LeoLabs detected an unknown object in the vicinity of the Chinese Shenlong reusable space plane," LeoLabs, a private space surveillance firm, posted to X. Last month, the US Space Force announced it had deployed a weapon in space for the first time. British-based Astroscale said last week that it was now involved in classified military programmes and is working on technology to monitor or deter threatening enemy spacecraft. Balm warned at the meeting that allied nations were being "targeted" in space by adversaries "on a daily basis". What would happen if a war breaks out in space? The world today relies on satellites for GPS and communications, with pretty much everything from weather to financial sectors dependent on them. If a space war were to break out, the destruction of satellites would have a severe impact on almost everything. There would be total loss of internet, global telecommunications, and television broadcasts. Air traffic control, maritime shipping guidance, and GPS/GNSS systems would be impacted. Digital banking, stock exchanges, and automated trade will fail, triggering widespread financial collapses. This would effectively force the world to return to primitive methods of communication, financial dealings, weather predictions and other things.

A war in space looks imminent by 2031, according to an expert from King’s College London. She warned it was important for allied nations to take steps to protect themselves from a catastrophe in space. If satellites fall, the world will fall back by hundreds of years.&nbsp;

World at risk of returning to 19th century as nations weaponise space

A volcano erupted on the seafloor near southern Japan thousands of years ago, triggering powerful earthquakes and huge tsunamis. A new study has revealed what happened to the people living in regions closest to the place of impact and whether those in far-off locations escaped unscathed by it.&nbsp;The Kikai-Akahoya eruption was one of the largest of the last 11,700 years. Several meters of ash covered the land, but no one knows exactly what happened after this. Jomon hunter-gatherers lived in this place. Did they all die? For the past several decades, scientists have believed that the powerful explosion killed everyone near the site. Few others claimed that it was not total annihilation.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/double-trouble-brews-under-mouth-of-hell-volcano-as-magma-chambers-start-filling-up-1791445078441">Double trouble brews under Mouth of Hell volcano as magma chambers start filling up</a><h2>Place where life was wiped out</h2>According to an international study led by Lund University, none of the scenarios is true. The team used statistical models to track population changes across Japan. They noted that in Southern Kyushu, the Jomon population was already shrinking before the disaster. The eruption led to an imminent collapse that was already in the works.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/volcano-that-erupted-with-strength-of-a-million-atomic-bombs-discovered-in-england-1788166176484">Volcano that erupted with strength of a million atomic bombs discovered in England</a><h2>Coastal population expanded</h2>Northern Kyushu presented a picture of resilience. Here, the population kept growing through the eruption and for years after it. The area also took a beating from the eruption, yet it witnessed a spurt. Scientists say this is likely because people from inner regions fled towards the northern coasts. The marine ecosystem bounced back faster, where people built new ways of life.<h2>Far-off regions were affected the most</h2>However, the most distant parts of Japan witnessed the population stalling and ultimately shrinking later. This could have been because of the climate change from the ash and smoke, which likely affected people's health. Wild boar and deer populations also shrank as chewing on abrasive, ash-covered ground caused loss of teeth. They ultimately died from not being able to eat. This led to loss of food for the Jomons who depended on the animals to ease their hunger.<h2>Human resilience can help them survive any situation</h2>Lead author Enrico Crema of Cambridge University says the volcanic disaster caused major loss of life. &nbsp;However, the findings show that humans are capable of adapting and thriving even through the worst phases, as survivors migrated and formed new social ties. They found new ways of living even as the landscape altered. The study shows that while some regions collapsed and others grew, there were places far from the disaster that also took an unexpected beating.

Nearly 7,300 years ago, the world's most powerful volcanic eruption happened under the sea in Japan. Scientists assumed it led to an apocalypse. Now, a study has revealed that humans adapted to the changed world and managed to survive and thrive.

A volcano erupted on the seafloor near southern Japan thousands of years ago, triggering powerful earthquakes and huge tsunamis. A new study has revealed what happened to the people living in regions closest to the place of impact and whether those in far-off locations escaped unscathed by it. The Kikai-Akahoya eruption was one of the largest of the last 11,700 years. Several meters of ash covered the land, but no one knows exactly what happened after this. Jomon hunter-gatherers lived in this place. Did they all die? For the past several decades, scientists have believed that the powerful explosion killed everyone near the site. Few others claimed that it was not total annihilation. Also Read: Double trouble brews under Mouth of Hell volcano as magma chambers start filling up Place where life was wiped out According to an international study led by Lund University, none of the scenarios is true. The team used statistical models to track population changes across Japan. They noted that in Southern Kyushu, the Jomon population was already shrinking before the disaster. The eruption led to an imminent collapse that was already in the works. Also Read: Volcano that erupted with strength of a million atomic bombs discovered in England Coastal population expanded Northern Kyushu presented a picture of resilience. Here, the population kept growing through the eruption and for years after it. The area also took a beating from the eruption, yet it witnessed a spurt. Scientists say this is likely because people from inner regions fled towards the northern coasts. The marine ecosystem bounced back faster, where people built new ways of life. Far-off regions were affected the most However, the most distant parts of Japan witnessed the population stalling and ultimately shrinking later. This could have been because of the climate change from the ash and smoke, which likely affected people's health. Wild boar and deer populations also shrank as chewing on abrasive, ash-covered ground caused loss of teeth. They ultimately died from not being able to eat. This led to loss of food for the Jomons who depended on the animals to ease their hunger. Human resilience can help them survive any situation Lead author Enrico Crema of Cambridge University says the volcanic disaster caused major loss of life. However, the findings show that humans are capable of adapting and thriving even through the worst phases, as survivors migrated and formed new social ties. They found new ways of living even as the landscape altered. The study shows that while some regions collapsed and others grew, there were places far from the disaster that also took an unexpected beating.

Nearly 7,300 years ago, the world's most powerful volcanic eruption happened under the sea in Japan. Scientists assumed it led to an apocalypse. Now, a study has revealed that humans adapted to the changed world and managed to survive and thrive.

Ancient Japanese populations survived a mega volcanic eruption in the ocean 7,300 years ago

The owner of a New York brewery says something is targeting his kitchen, and it is likely not human. They have motion camera footage showing a strange white figure, claiming they can "definitely see two eyes." The apparent haunting is being reported from the 160-year-old Newburgh Brewing Company.&nbsp;Owner Paul Halayko is finding it hard to explain everything that is happening at the brewery and is on camera, providing proof that something is definitely off. He told News 12 Hudson Valley that "It", referring to the poltergeist or a ghost, has been "focusing on our kitchen."&nbsp;Describing what he saw in the security camera video, Halayko said, “It’s kind of like a grimaced mouth — very creepy with the teeth, definitely see two eyes.”<h2>Flickering lights and vanishing objects</h2>Two other videos captured 47 minutes apart show flashes of light inside the restaurant at night, when there is clearly no one present. More footage also shows objects either moved from their original location or completely vanishing from sight. However, none of the videos actually shows them in the act of being moved.&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">BREWERY GHOSTS? Something strange is brewing at Newburgh Brewing Company—and it’s not on tap! The owner is showing me creepy footage he can’t explain: a face-like shape and kitchen items that appear to change places when no one is there. An exclusive look tonight on @News12HV. 👻 https://t.co/SMyJbh4cQW&mdash; Blaise Gomez (@BlaiseGomez12) <a href="https://x.com/BlaiseGomez12/status/2111123562333425761?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Knives, pots, a garbage pail, and a tray are present in certain shots, and then are seen at a completely different place in other stills. Some of them are entirely gone from view. Halayko shows one screenshot with two knives in the rack, and then they are gone in the next photo. Besides this, a brewery worker also claims to have seen a man in overalls several times in the downstairs production area.<h2>No documented tragedy at the site</h2>Paranormal experts and historians often trace the history of a place that is possibly haunted to tell of some kind of tragedy that happened at the site to cause such incidents. Halayko also contacted a historian to see whether something similar had happened in the past. She found no records of any tragedy at the site. However, she warned that it is possible an industrial accident took place but wasn't documented.&nbsp;Halayko said the footage is from February 2024, but he has only now shared it. He is open to all kinds of explanations, including paranormal activity, saying, "I’d be crazy to say it’s not possible."

The owner of a brewery in New York is befuddled by the happenings in his kitchen. He cannot explain why things are moving from their place at night, and a strange apparition with “two eyes” that he claims are clearly visible.

The owner of a New York brewery says something is targeting his kitchen, and it is likely not human. They have motion camera footage showing a strange white figure, claiming they can "definitely see two eyes." The apparent haunting is being reported from the 160-year-old Newburgh Brewing Company. Owner Paul Halayko is finding it hard to explain everything that is happening at the brewery and is on camera, providing proof that something is definitely off. He told News 12 Hudson Valley that "It", referring to the poltergeist or a ghost, has been "focusing on our kitchen." Describing what he saw in the security camera video, Halayko said, “It’s kind of like a grimaced mouth — very creepy with the teeth, definitely see two eyes.” Flickering lights and vanishing objects Two other videos captured 47 minutes apart show flashes of light inside the restaurant at night, when there is clearly no one present. More footage also shows objects either moved from their original location or completely vanishing from sight. However, none of the videos actually shows them in the act of being moved.

The owner of a brewery in New York is befuddled by the happenings in his kitchen. He cannot explain why things are moving from their place at night, and a strange apparition with “two eyes” that he claims are clearly visible.

Haunting of a New York brewery: Apparition caught on camera at 160-year-old establishment

A Catholic priest in Ecuador died after a large crucifix hanging behind him fell on him as he was delivering a sermon. The incident was captured on camera as the Mass was livestreamed. The sermon the priest was delivering was on the fleeting nature of life. The priest has been identified as Father Patricio Alfredo Sanchez Molinari, who served as parish priest at the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Guayaquil, the Archdiocese of Guayaquil announced. The circumstances that caused the heavy crucifix to detach from the wall remain unclear. Church officials have not publicly provided an explanation for the incident.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/17-centuries-ago-a-saint-was-beheaded-his-dried-blood-miraculously-changed-form-at-an-italian-ritual-1766046906143">17 centuries ago, a saint was beheaded. His dried blood 'miraculously' changed form at an Italian ritual</a>&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://akm-img-a-in.tosshub.com/indiatoday/styles/medium_crop_simple/public/2026-10/priest_0.png?VersionId=pDDHjPkDHGpN_vzZTczTWBiNtKwrvLKZ" alt="Ecuador priest dies after crucifix falls on him during livestreamed Mass"></figure> The livestream was later taken down. However, by then the video was shared several times on social media. The video showed the crucifix suddenly falling forward onto the priest as he stood behind the altar, facing the congregation, unaware of what was happening behind him. Molinari did not get back up after the crucifix struck him. Parishioners could be heard screaming and crying as several rushed to help him and call an ambulance. First responders arrived at the scene, but the priest was declared dead the same day, according to officials.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The last sermon of Father Patricio Sánchez came to light, delivered just minutes before he died by a wooden statue of Christ in Guayaquil. His sermon was about living your best life with family and friends as everyone will pass away one day. His last words were &quot;Lord Hear Our Prayer&quot;. -- Amen https://t.co/pcEsGix9RD&mdash; Churchkey ✟ (@churchkey) <a href="https://x.com/churchkey/status/2111980094147191189?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/he-served-satan-now-he-serves-god-vatican-makes-former-satanic-priest-a-saint-the-wild-story-of-bartolo-longo-1761889493997">He served Satan — now he serves God: Vatican makes former Satanic priest a Saint</a>&nbsp;According to reports, the priest spoke about the words of Jesus and urged members of the congregation not to waste their lives scrolling on their phones, but instead devote time to God and their loved ones. “One day, all of us here will also die, and sometimes the time we’ve spent on things doesn’t have as much meaning as the time we spend with God,” he told the congregation.&nbsp;The Archdiocese of Guayaquil confirmed Molinari's death in a statement, expressing grief over the loss of the priest. "We inform you that our brother Fr. Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari, CSSR. who served as a parish priest from the church Perpetuo Socorro, vicarage center, he has gone to the Father's House to enjoy of His presence and his glory. The Archdiocese of Guayaquil unites in prayer for the eternal rest of his soul and expresses his solidarity, affection and affection to the redemptorist family, to their relatives and friends. Rest in peace."&nbsp;

A Catholic priest in Ecuador died after a large crucifix fell on his head during a livestreamed Mass in Guayaquil. Father Patricio Alfredo Sanchez Molinari had spoken about death and the fleeting nature of life moments before the accident. The cause of the crucifix falling remains unclear.

A Catholic priest in Ecuador died after a large crucifix hanging behind him fell on him as he was delivering a sermon. The incident was captured on camera as the Mass was livestreamed. The sermon the priest was delivering was on the fleeting nature of life. The priest has been identified as Father Patricio Alfredo Sanchez Molinari, who served as parish priest at the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Guayaquil, the Archdiocese of Guayaquil announced. The circumstances that caused the heavy crucifix to detach from the wall remain unclear. Church officials have not publicly provided an explanation for the incident. Also Read: 17 centuries ago, a saint was beheaded. His dried blood 'miraculously' changed form at an Italian ritual The livestream was later taken down. However, by then the video was shared several times on social media. The video showed the crucifix suddenly falling forward onto the priest as he stood behind the altar, facing the congregation, unaware of what was happening behind him. Molinari did not get back up after the crucifix struck him. Parishioners could be heard screaming and crying as several rushed to help him and call an ambulance. First responders arrived at the scene, but the priest was declared dead the same day, according to officials.

A Catholic priest in Ecuador died after a large crucifix fell on his head during a livestreamed Mass in Guayaquil. Father Patricio Alfredo Sanchez Molinari had spoken about death and the fleeting nature of life moments before the accident. The cause of the crucifix falling remains unclear.

Priest dies after crucifix falls on his head during livestreamed Mass in Ecuador | VIDEO

Artemis II astronauts made history earlier this year after becoming the first four humans to travel to the farthest point in space. While the feat is unparalleled, there was one point in the journey when the crew feared it could get lost in space. Commander Reid Wiseman recently shared that this moment came when they flew over the dark side of the moon.&nbsp;Speaking at the Starmus Festival in Tenerife on Saturday, Wiseman shared that after they reached the dark side of the moon, they watched the odometer reading, which was supposed to reach only a particular figure as given by NASA. That showed how far they were in space from Earth. However, even after this reading, the number of nautical miles on the odometer kept going higher. This left them worried that they might get lost in space.<h2>Artemis II - Distance from Earth to Moon</h2>The Artemis II crew travelled 219,669 nautical miles, or 406771.352 kilometres, from Earth. However, Wiseman said, "Mission control in Houston had told us our maximum distance", which was 219,667 nautical miles. "I was watching this number, and I saw it hit 219,667, and I thought, 'Great, this is the farthest we will be from Earth, and the next number I will see will be 219,666, we'll be going home'. But about three minutes later, I saw 219,668. It went up," he told the crowd.&nbsp;Wiseman shared that then it went up to 219,669, and "that was the moment that I felt real fear because I thought we had just gone too far." He felt, "We're never going to come home, and so I was very scared." The crew waited three whole minutes before the number started dropping, a sign that they were on their way back home.<h2>Artemis II astronauts were “at peace” with the risk of the mission</h2>However, the mission specialist Jeremy Hansen admitted that they all were aware of the risk that came with the trip to the moon. He said that two days before the launch, they talked about what they would do if something went terribly wrong. "Like, if Reid's number had just kept growing and we knew we weren't coming home, but we were going to be alive for a while, how do you sit comfortably, not knowing what the future is going to be?" he said.&nbsp;He said they were "at peace" with this possibility, "not because we're brave; it's not bravado; it's because we had an acceptance of whatever came; we would do the best, or our time would end." &nbsp;

Artemis II astronauts were left scared for their lives at one point in the trip to the Moon. Reid Wiseman shared the moment they thought they could get lost forever in space, which happened when they reached the dark side of the Moon.

Artemis II astronauts made history earlier this year after becoming the first four humans to travel to the farthest point in space. While the feat is unparalleled, there was one point in the journey when the crew feared it could get lost in space. Commander Reid Wiseman recently shared that this moment came when they flew over the dark side of the moon. Speaking at the Starmus Festival in Tenerife on Saturday, Wiseman shared that after they reached the dark side of the moon, they watched the odometer reading, which was supposed to reach only a particular figure as given by NASA. That showed how far they were in space from Earth. However, even after this reading, the number of nautical miles on the odometer kept going higher. This left them worried that they might get lost in space. Artemis II - Distance from Earth to Moon The Artemis II crew travelled 219,669 nautical miles, or 406771.352 kilometres, from Earth. However, Wiseman said, "Mission control in Houston had told us our maximum distance", which was 219,667 nautical miles. "I was watching this number, and I saw it hit 219,667, and I thought, 'Great, this is the farthest we will be from Earth, and the next number I will see will be 219,666, we'll be going home'. But about three minutes later, I saw 219,668. It went up," he told the crowd. Wiseman shared that then it went up to 219,669, and "that was the moment that I felt real fear because I thought we had just gone too far." He felt, "We're never going to come home, and so I was very scared." The crew waited three whole minutes before the number started dropping, a sign that they were on their way back home. Artemis II astronauts were “at peace” with the risk of the mission However, the mission specialist Jeremy Hansen admitted that they all were aware of the risk that came with the trip to the moon. He said that two days before the launch, they talked about what they would do if something went terribly wrong. "Like, if Reid's number had just kept growing and we knew we weren't coming home, but we were going to be alive for a while, how do you sit comfortably, not knowing what the future is going to be?" he said. He said they were "at peace" with this possibility, "not because we're brave; it's not bravado; it's because we had an acceptance of whatever came; we would do the best, or our time would end."

Artemis II astronauts were left scared for their lives at one point in the trip to the Moon. Reid Wiseman shared the moment they thought they could get lost forever in space, which happened when they reached the dark side of the Moon.

219,666...219,669 - When Artemis II astronauts feared getting LOST IN SPACE

A strong beam of light cutting the sky in half baffled Londoners over the weekend. It peered through the sky to an extreme height and appeared to be something straight out of science fiction, similar to an alien invasion movie. What people were seeing was one of the most powerful lasers on Earth and visible for kilometres.&nbsp;One Londoner explained that the light was emitting from the Danish Church in Regent’s Park. "This is apparently an art installation laser shining tonight in north London, &amp; not The War of the Worlds," the person explained on X.&nbsp;So even though the light was not linked to any mystifying source, there was still something extremely fascinating about it. The artist behind the installation said that it was a modified military-grade laser system which emitted a high-intensity beam of light. During the tests, it was even "detected from the International Space Station", stationed 402 kilometres above Earth. The laser display appeared after sunset on Friday 16 and Saturday 17 October.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">#BREAKING 🚨

Blue Laser spotted above the skies of London 

Is it aliens? 

Is it art?

It's $CUBE x Chris Levine x @Peyoteone

https://t.co/psGnOi9xNT https://t.co/tAdnTtESBx&mdash; Cubes AI (@Cubes_Os) <a href="https://x.com/Cubes_Os/status/2111903733902934168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2026</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Strange blue light (lazer?) in the sky tonight over London. As if we are living in a bubble and someone opened it up a crack and we are peering into another universe #London https://t.co/Ef0YjbBUrM&mdash; lucy francis (@lucyfrancis_tri) <a href="https://x.com/lucyfrancis_tri/status/2111527915842052108?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 17, 2026</a></blockquote>
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<h2>Light installation by famous artist known for his work with light beams</h2>The light which can be seen from space was the work of a British artist, Chris Levine, who has previously talked about his desire to use the laser beam to "make light, not war". He is known for his pioneering work with light and lasers, and works primarily at the intersection of light, optics, geometry, and sacred space.&nbsp;One of his most famous works is the Lightness of Being, a holographic portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. The other one is Equanimity, also a meditative, laser-scanned portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. He also has light sculptures and physical installations to his credit, like Light is LOVE, Geometry of Truth, etc.

A beam of blue light shot through somewhere in London and into the vastness of the night sky. It was so strong that it was even detectable from space. However, there is nothing mysterious about it, as the light was the work of a famous artist.

A strong beam of light cutting the sky in half baffled Londoners over the weekend. It peered through the sky to an extreme height and appeared to be something straight out of science fiction, similar to an alien invasion movie. What people were seeing was one of the most powerful lasers on Earth and visible for kilometres. One Londoner explained that the light was emitting from the Danish Church in Regent’s Park. "This is apparently an art installation laser shining tonight in north London, & not The War of the Worlds," the person explained on X. So even though the light was not linked to any mystifying source, there was still something extremely fascinating about it. The artist behind the installation said that it was a modified military-grade laser system which emitted a high-intensity beam of light. During the tests, it was even "detected from the International Space Station", stationed 402 kilometres above Earth. The laser display appeared after sunset on Friday 16 and Saturday 17 October.

A beam of blue light shot through somewhere in London and into the vastness of the night sky. It was so strong that it was even detectable from space. However, there is nothing mysterious about it, as the light was the work of a famous artist.

Blue beam of light detectable from space slices through London sky, as people ask what is it

Elon Musk lit up the technology and automobile worlds this past week with a demo of a Tesla Roadster performing aerial maneuvers, including a flip, before landing on its wheels. The vehicle used cold-gas thrusters, which is compressed air released through multiple nozzles, along with a suction system that also allowed upside-down driving. Now, Alef Aeronautics has welcomed Tesla to the flying car race. The company’s CEO posted on X that Alef had been “alone” in the race for 11 years since its founding. See the video of the Alef model below. The two companies' models are not the same, though both can leave the ground. They represent different approaches to aerial mobility. Alef, founded in 2015, is developing a dual-purpose vehicle designed for road travel and sustained flight, while Tesla’s Roadster thruster system is intended to deliver short bursts of thrust for performance and stunts. Here is a detailed comparison:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Welcome @Tesla and @elonmusk to the flying car race! We've been here for ELEVEN YEARS! https://t.co/PBJTzK4NOS&mdash; Alef (@AlefAeronautics) <a href="https://x.com/AlefAeronautics/status/2111146288633073732?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2026</a></blockquote>
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<h2>Alef Model A: A car designed to fly</h2>Alef Aeronautics’ Model A is designed for both road driving and vertical take-off and landing (VTOL). Its distributed electric propulsion system uses multiple integrated rotors to generate lift and is designed to transition into forward flight by rotating its body, allowing sustained travel through the air rather than merely jumping off the ground.The company targets an airborne range of approximately 110 miles and a road range of around 200–220 miles. Its road performance is more modest than that of a conventional sports car, as it is intended to operate as a low-speed vehicle.Alef has demonstrated flying prototypes and received an experimental Special Airworthiness Certificate from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in 2023. The company has begun hand-building early units for limited, controlled testing, with a target price of around $300,000.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/turns-out-the-future-does-have-flying-cars-musk-s-tesla-unveils-flying-sports-car-with-spacex-technology-all-you-need-to-know-watch-video-1792118970531">'Turns out the future does have flying cars': Musk's Tesla unveils 'flying' sports car with SpaceX technology | Watch</a><h2>Tesla Roadster: A sports car with thrusters</h2>Tesla’s next-generation Roadster is basically a high-performance electric sports car. Certain versions feature cold-gas thrusters that enable short-duration aerial maneuvers, including brief lift-offs and flips, as shown in the recent demo.The system uses compressed air stored in high-pressure tanks and released through multiple nozzles to generate brief thrust. This is fundamentally different from sustained, controlled flight. Production is targeted for 2028, and details on pricing and availability have not been fully released.<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/tesla-s-new-roadster-features-rocket-thrusters-1792122613887/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/tesla-s-new-roadster-features-rocket-thrusters-1792122613887/embed</a><h2>What separates the two?</h2>The central difference is the purpose of flight. Alef is attempting a vehicle that can actually drive on roads as well as function as a small aircraft, with vertical take-off and sustained airborne travel as core features. Tesla’s thrusters, by contrast, enhance a sports car with brief bursts of thrust rather than turning it into a conventional flying vehicle.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/inside-tesla-s-roadster-10-features-of-elon-musk-s-flying-car-that-push-the-limits-of-electric-vehicles-in-pics-1792121766476">Inside Tesla's Roadster: 10 features of Elon Musk's 'flying car' that push the limits of electric vehicles | In Pics</a><h2>Challenges remain in flying car reality</h2>A practical, widely available flying-car market is still years away. Both models face challenges involving safety, regulation, practicality, and public acceptance.&nbsp;Alef’s approach is closer to the traditional dual-mode flying-car concept, while Tesla’s is an experimental extension of supercar performance.

Tesla’s flying Roadster uses thrusters for brief aerial stunts, while Alef’s Model A targets road driving and sustained flight. Let us compare their technology

Elon Musk lit up the technology and automobile worlds this past week with a demo of a Tesla Roadster performing aerial maneuvers, including a flip, before landing on its wheels. The vehicle used cold-gas thrusters, which is compressed air released through multiple nozzles, along with a suction system that also allowed upside-down driving. Now, Alef Aeronautics has welcomed Tesla to the flying car race. The company’s CEO posted on X that Alef had been “alone” in the race for 11 years since its founding. See the video of the Alef model below. The two companies' models are not the same, though both can leave the ground. They represent different approaches to aerial mobility. Alef, founded in 2015, is developing a dual-purpose vehicle designed for road travel and sustained flight, while Tesla’s Roadster thruster system is intended to deliver short bursts of thrust for performance and stunts. Here is a detailed comparison:

Tesla’s flying Roadster uses thrusters for brief aerial stunts, while Alef’s Model A targets road driving and sustained flight. Let us compare their technology

Flying car race: Alef Aeronautics welcomes Tesla Roadster '11 years' later, but are the two models the same?

Tourist attractions in many countries include horror-themed experiences and immersive adventures. But Spain stands out in this regard, with a report in The Times describing the European nation as ‘the world’s escape-room capital’. Many of these attractions feature elaborate sets, live actors and experiences that blur the line between gaming and theatre. Ahead of Halloween, here is a look:<h2>Insomnia Hotel, a great example of Spain's ‘horror tourism’</h2>The creepy Insomnia Hotel in Catalonia features coffins, sinister dolls and dismembered limbs, with visitors invited to solve unique puzzles. The hotel located outside Berga in the foothills of the Catalan Pyrenees, draws international visitors seeking an unconventional overnight stay. The Kruggers’ Secret is a horror-themed experience at the hotel in which guests tackle puzzles before enjoying dinner and spending the night in one of its six rooms. At nearly €195 a night, the hotel attracts visitors from the US, Canada and Australia, according to The Times.Before being transformed into a horror attraction, the building was part of the Rasos de Peguera ski resort, which closed in 2004 amid a lack of snow.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/best-family-friendly-halloween-movies-hocus-pocus-to-ghostbusters-1761823711836">Best family-friendly Halloween movies - Hocus Pocus to Ghostbusters</a><h2>Spain wins escape-room awards</h2>Did you know that escape-room attractions have their own international rankings? Spain dominated the 2025 Top Escape Rooms Project Enthusiasts’ Choice Awards (TERPECA), with five entries among the global top 10.The country’s Magic Universe in Madrid ranked second in the world, while The Kruggers’ Secret at Insomnia Hotel ranked fourth.A Legendary Adventure in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Londium near Barcelona and The Tavern in Terrassa also featured among the top 10.<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/costumes-pumpkins-and-treats-halloween-is-in-the-air-1791608706610/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/costumes-pumpkins-and-treats-halloween-is-in-the-air-1791608706610/embed</a><h2>Spain has nearly 4,000 escape rooms</h2>The distinction is no accident. Spain has nearly 4,000 escape rooms, compared with around 2,000 in Britain, according to The Times.The country’s escape-room industry has increasingly focused on immersive environments, large-scale sets and interactions with actors.These attractions involve much more than solving riddles in a locked room. Visitors often navigate elaborate fictional worlds designed to evoke blockbuster films.Consultant Katie Falcon-Uff told The Times that relatively affordable commercial property in Spain allows operators to build larger experiences, often occupying nearly 100 square metres.<h2>From full-sized trains to boats: As creepy as it gets</h2>Spanish escape-room experiences range from full-sized replicas of trains and castles to environments that use scents and other sensory effects to create convincing atmospheres.Actors also play an important role in making each session feel like a live performance rather than a conventional puzzle game.According to Falcon-Uff, a successful escape room needs three key elements: a convincing physical environment, a well-paced storyline and original puzzles that challenge players without making the experience excessively difficult.Visitors want to step inside a story, inhabit another world and experience an adventure that continues long after the puzzles are solved.

Spain has emerged as the world’s escape-room capital, with nearly 4,000 attractions. These include Insomnia Hotel’s horror-themed overnight adventure to cinematic sets, immersive games, drawing international visitors.

Tourist attractions in many countries include horror-themed experiences and immersive adventures. But Spain stands out in this regard, with a report in The Times describing the European nation as ‘the world’s escape-room capital’. Many of these attractions feature elaborate sets, live actors and experiences that blur the line between gaming and theatre. Ahead of Halloween, here is a look: Insomnia Hotel, a great example of Spain's ‘horror tourism’ The creepy Insomnia Hotel in Catalonia features coffins, sinister dolls and dismembered limbs, with visitors invited to solve unique puzzles. The hotel located outside Berga in the foothills of the Catalan Pyrenees, draws international visitors seeking an unconventional overnight stay. The Kruggers’ Secret is a horror-themed experience at the hotel in which guests tackle puzzles before enjoying dinner and spending the night in one of its six rooms. At nearly €195 a night, the hotel attracts visitors from the US, Canada and Australia, according to The Times. Before being transformed into a horror attraction, the building was part of the Rasos de Peguera ski resort, which closed in 2004 amid a lack of snow. Also read: Best family-friendly Halloween movies - Hocus Pocus to Ghostbusters Spain wins escape-room awards Did you know that escape-room attractions have their own international rankings? Spain dominated the 2025 Top Escape Rooms Project Enthusiasts’ Choice Awards (TERPECA), with five entries among the global top 10. The country’s Magic Universe in Madrid ranked second in the world, while The Kruggers’ Secret at Insomnia Hotel ranked fourth. A Legendary Adventure in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Londium near Barcelona and The Tavern in Terrassa also featured among the top 10. https://www.wionews.com/videos/costumes-pumpkins-and-treats-halloween-is-in-the-air-1791608706610/embed Spain has nearly 4,000 escape rooms The distinction is no accident. Spain has nearly 4,000 escape rooms, compared with around 2,000 in Britain, according to The Times. The country’s escape-room industry has increasingly focused on immersive environments, large-scale sets and interactions with actors. These attractions involve much more than solving riddles in a locked room. Visitors often navigate elaborate fictional worlds designed to evoke blockbuster films. Consultant Katie Falcon-Uff told The Times that relatively affordable commercial property in Spain allows operators to build larger experiences, often occupying nearly 100 square metres. From full-sized trains to boats: As creepy as it gets Spanish escape-room experiences range from full-sized replicas of trains and castles to environments that use scents and other sensory effects to create convincing atmospheres. Actors also play an important role in making each session feel like a live performance rather than a conventional puzzle game. According to Falcon-Uff, a successful escape room needs three key elements: a convincing physical environment, a well-paced storyline and original puzzles that challenge players without making the experience excessively difficult. Visitors want to step inside a story, inhabit another world and experience an adventure that continues long after the puzzles are solved.

Spain has emerged as the world’s escape-room capital, with nearly 4,000 attractions. These include Insomnia Hotel’s horror-themed overnight adventure to cinematic sets, immersive games, drawing international visitors.

Scream out loud: How Spain became the world’s escape-room capital with horror hotels and immersive puzzles

Toyota's 'wheel-less' four-legged ‘walk me’ chair won the 2026 Red Dot concept 'Luminary' award, the highest honour at the Red Dot Award. Misako Kawata designed the chair under team lead Takashi Nishimura, which steps up stairs, shuffles sideways in tight spaces, and lifts the seat to eye level with standing pedestrians. It is useful for people with limited mobility to get up stairs and over curbs. The 'wheel-less' made its debut last year at the Japan Mobility show as a concept where price and release date were not announced. The unveiled concept, named “Walk Me,” replaces traditional wheels with four robotic legs, designed to eliminate the psychological and physical barriers that stairs pose for wheelchair users. The design brief notes that wheels force riders to plan entire days around avoiding steps, whereas the quadrupedal system can climb stairs, navigate tight spaces, and move seamlessly between indoor floors, outdoor paths, and public transit. Beyond mobility, the legs allow the chair to crouch for easy boarding and rise to eye level with standing pedestrians, addressing a longstanding social challenge faced by wheelchair users who must constantly look upward during conversations.&nbsp;Also read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/let-s-go-to-france-no-riots-no-revolutions-trump-mocks-france-protests-vance-blames-it-on-immigration-1792306803313"> 'Let’s go to France, no riots, no revolutions': Trump mocks France protests, Vance blames it on immigration</a><h3>Prototype developed in 10 months</h3>The chair’s design draws on omotenashi, the Japanese spirit of hospitality, giving it a posture resembling a welcoming bow. A 3D-knitted fabric covers its mechanical joints, lending it a warm, furniture-like appearance, with a grey hip housing, seat shell, and chartreuse ribbed legs. Toyota traces this textile approach back to its origins as a loom manufacturer under founder Sakichi Toyoda. Beneath the fabric lies a topologically optimised internal frame that balances strength and weight. Remarkably, Toyota developed the prototype in just 10 months, leveraging AI-driven gait control and low-waste metal additive manufacturing. The company describes Walk Me as its “North Star” for human-centred technology aimed at delivering dignity and independence. The concept recently won top honours among this year’s Red Dot: Best of the Best award winners, a recognition for innovative vision rather than market readiness. It joins other legged-mobility concepts like Hyundai’s Elevate and Kawasaki’s CORLEO, though Walk Me focuses specifically on everyday accessibility challenges like home staircases. No price, release date, or production timeline has been announced.

The design brief notes that wheels force riders to plan entire days around avoiding steps, whereas the quadrupedal system can climb stairs, navigate tight spaces, and move seamlessly between indoor floors, outdoor paths, and public transit.

Toyota's 'wheel-less' four-legged ‘walk me’ chair won the 2026 Red Dot concept 'Luminary' award, the highest honour at the Red Dot Award. Misako Kawata designed the chair under team lead Takashi Nishimura, which steps up stairs, shuffles sideways in tight spaces, and lifts the seat to eye level with standing pedestrians. It is useful for people with limited mobility to get up stairs and over curbs. The 'wheel-less' made its debut last year at the Japan Mobility show as a concept where price and release date were not announced. The unveiled concept, named “Walk Me,” replaces traditional wheels with four robotic legs, designed to eliminate the psychological and physical barriers that stairs pose for wheelchair users. The design brief notes that wheels force riders to plan entire days around avoiding steps, whereas the quadrupedal system can climb stairs, navigate tight spaces, and move seamlessly between indoor floors, outdoor paths, and public transit. Beyond mobility, the legs allow the chair to crouch for easy boarding and rise to eye level with standing pedestrians, addressing a longstanding social challenge faced by wheelchair users who must constantly look upward during conversations. Also read: 'Let’s go to France, no riots, no revolutions': Trump mocks France protests, Vance blames it on immigration Prototype developed in 10 months The chair’s design draws on omotenashi, the Japanese spirit of hospitality, giving it a posture resembling a welcoming bow. A 3D-knitted fabric covers its mechanical joints, lending it a warm, furniture-like appearance, with a grey hip housing, seat shell, and chartreuse ribbed legs. Toyota traces this textile approach back to its origins as a loom manufacturer under founder Sakichi Toyoda. Beneath the fabric lies a topologically optimised internal frame that balances strength and weight. Remarkably, Toyota developed the prototype in just 10 months, leveraging AI-driven gait control and low-waste metal additive manufacturing. The company describes Walk Me as its “North Star” for human-centred technology aimed at delivering dignity and independence. The concept recently won top honours among this year’s Red Dot: Best of the Best award winners, a recognition for innovative vision rather than market readiness. It joins other legged-mobility concepts like Hyundai’s Elevate and Kawasaki’s CORLEO, though Walk Me focuses specifically on everyday accessibility challenges like home staircases. No price, release date, or production timeline has been announced.

The design brief notes that wheels force riders to plan entire days around avoiding steps, whereas the quadrupedal system can climb stairs, navigate tight spaces, and move seamlessly between indoor floors, outdoor paths, and public transit.

Toyota’s ‘Walk Me’ chair ditches wheels, wins top Red Dot 'Luminary' award for 2026

Iranian fishermen heading out to catch fish found themselves retrieving a very different kind of haul when boxes of iPhones, luxury perfumes and other merchandise appeared floating in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz. Videos circulating online showed goods drifting near a shipwreck, drawing fishermen towards the area in their boats. Some collected items from the water, turning an otherwise routine fishing trip into an unusual discovery. Behind the striking visuals, however, lies a maritime incident whose cause remains uncertain.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">iPhones and other goods float on the sea surface after a container ship sank in the Strait of Hormuz due to hitting a naval mine. https://t.co/L0FYq55h0r&mdash; Middle East Observer (@ME_Observer_) <a href="https://x.com/ME_Observer_/status/2110476968571388238?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 14, 2026</a></blockquote>
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<h2>Cargo ship GFS Pride sinks after fire</h2>The Singapore-based cargo vessel GFS Pride caught fire and sank on October 14 after reportedly being struck by an unidentified object, according to reports. All 21 crew members abandoned the ship safely.The incident scattered part of the vessel’s cargo across the water, with some merchandise sinking and other items remaining afloat. The goods subsequently recovered by fishermen included electronic devices, perfumes and boxes of commercial products.The circumstances of the sinking have yet to be conclusively established, leaving questions about what struck the vessel and what caused the fire.Iranian military authorities reportedly attributed the incident to a mine that the ship struck while travelling near a military zone. Other possibilities, including a missile or drone attack, have also been raised. However, it remains unclear what struck the vessel.<h2>Why the Strait of Hormuz matters</h2>The Strait of Hormuz is a crucial maritime corridor connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman. Commercial vessels carrying energy supplies and other goods pass through the narrow waterway, making disruptions potentially costly for shipping operators and businesses.The shipwreck also poses risks beyond the loss of cargo. Fishermen approaching floating merchandise could face danger from unstable wreckage, hazardous debris or other unidentified threats in the water.While videos of the recovered goods have attracted widespread online attention, the sinking of the GFS Pride underscores the uncertainty facing vessels operating in these strategically important waters. Until the cause is established, questions over the incident and its implications for maritime safety remain unanswered.&nbsp;

Iranian fishermen found iPhones and luxury perfumes floating in the Strait of Hormuz after a cargo ship sank, with videos of the unusual discovery going viral as questions over the incident remain unanswered.

Iranian fishermen heading out to catch fish found themselves retrieving a very different kind of haul when boxes of iPhones, luxury perfumes and other merchandise appeared floating in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz. Videos circulating online showed goods drifting near a shipwreck, drawing fishermen towards the area in their boats. Some collected items from the water, turning an otherwise routine fishing trip into an unusual discovery. Behind the striking visuals, however, lies a maritime incident whose cause remains uncertain.

Iranian fishermen found iPhones and luxury perfumes floating in the Strait of Hormuz after a cargo ship sank, with videos of the unusual discovery going viral as questions over the incident remain unanswered.

WATCH | iPhones, luxury perfumes floating in Hormuz? Iranian fishermen make bizarre discovery

A question about Donald Trump’s political troubles in the US drew an unexpected reaction from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, whose knowing smirk at a press conference in Brussels sent the audience into laughter. The brief exchange has drawn attention amid an escalating public rift between the two leaders.A Sky News journalist asked whether Zelensky was becoming a scapegoat for Trump’s problems, pointing to the US president’s low popularity, rising diesel prices and the war with Iran. After a lengthy pause, Zelensky smiled at the audience and said: “This is my answer.” His unexpected response drew laughter from the audience.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">😄🇺🇦🇺🇸 Zelensky responded to Trump's accusations with a smile https://t.co/Sovse7rZIG&mdash; MAKS 26 🇺🇦👀 (@Maks_NAFO_FELLA) <a href="https://x.com/Maks_NAFO_FELLA/status/2111067385767821487?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2026</a></blockquote>
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<h2>Zelensky-Trump rift grows wider</h2>This comes as tensions between Kyiv and Washington continue to rise following a US-Russia diesel agreement. Zelensky has criticised the easing of restrictions on Russian diesel exports, arguing that it could benefit Moscow without securing concessions.On Saturday (Oct 17), Zelensky said that he believes that the US will lift more sanctions on Russia. He added that Trump’s actions only “reward” Putin. The Ukrainian leader also accused Russia of trying to cause a “blackout” in Ukraine ahead of winter after Moscow carried out a “massive” attack on Kyiv’s power grid on Friday. He also called on allies to “pressure” Moscow to stop this.The Ukrainian president earlier declared that Kyiv will no longer abide by US President Donald Trump’s energy ceasefire that demanded a halt to attacks on energy infrastructure. On October 11, Trump announced the energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, saying it was “effective immediately”. While Zelensky denied knowledge of any such agreement, he initially said that he would abide by it if Moscow did the same. However, Ukraine accused Russia of striking at least six of its energy infrastructure just hours after the announcement.Trump had repeatedly warned Kyiv against targeting Russia’s oil refineries, saying that it has led to a rise in fuel prices in the US ahead of the upcoming November 3 midterm elections. Meanwhile, reports suggested that US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner had also raised the possibility of limiting intelligence-sharing with Ukraine if the refinery attacks continued. A US official denied that a threat had been made.Later in an interview with Newsmax, Trump claimed that the Ukrainian president “doesn’t want to settle” the ongoing war with Russia, adding that while both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelensky would like to see the war end, “but I think I find Zelensky to be more difficult to deal with than Putin.”<h2>Starlink restrictions raise security concerns</h2>Zelensky has also raised concerns about restrictions affecting Starlink and the military-grade Starshield satellite network, which Ukraine uses for battlefield communications and drone operations.“This was a very unpleasant and dangerous surprise,” he said, adding that service had not fully returned to its previous level.Despite the worsening relations, Zelensky said Ukrainian and US officials remained in contact and could arrange further talks.At the EU summit, he also sought an additional 70 billion euros in European funding next year, warning that Ukraine needed sustained financial and military support to continue defending itself against Russia.&nbsp;

Ukrainian President Zelensky smirked when asked if he was becoming a scapegoat for Trump’s political troubles, drawing laughter in Brussels as tensions between Kyiv and Washington deepen.

A question about Donald Trump’s political troubles in the US drew an unexpected reaction from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, whose knowing smirk at a press conference in Brussels sent the audience into laughter. The brief exchange has drawn attention amid an escalating public rift between the two leaders. A Sky News journalist asked whether Zelensky was becoming a scapegoat for Trump’s problems, pointing to the US president’s low popularity, rising diesel prices and the war with Iran. After a lengthy pause, Zelensky smiled at the audience and said: “This is my answer.” His unexpected response drew laughter from the audience.

Ukrainian President Zelensky smirked when asked if he was becoming a scapegoat for Trump’s political troubles, drawing laughter in Brussels as tensions between Kyiv and Washington deepen.

WATCH | Zelensky gives cheeky response when asked if Trump is making him a scapegoat ahead of US midterms

Gujarat Police is sending its female cops to garba venues across the state during Navratri to monitor crowds and ensure the safety of women, children and senior citizens. Vadodara’s anti-human trafficking unit head inspector Chandrika Aasundra is part of the Gujarat Police’s SHE team. She attends garba events dressed in traditional chaniya choli instead of her uniform with several other women police officers. The 38-year-old officer also keeps a close watch on the surroundings of the event to identify any suspicious activity. She has been involved in this practice for the last two years as part of the police’s security arrangements during the nine-day festival. “We feel like Mr India. We are around, but we cannot be seen,” Aasundra said and referred to the Bollywood film in which the main character becomes invisible, as quoted by The Indian Express. She explained that officers of the unit maintain the same level of alertness and confidence whether they are in uniform or dressed in traditional attire, with their body posture and alertness remaining unchanged. She added that they are just as confident, adding that it is fun because people cannot identify them, and her team continue to work while dancing. Aasundra noted that people’s behaviour often shifts when they spot officers in uniform, whereas undercover duty lets officers observe the crowd more naturally. “When you are in uniform, people tend to behave well. But when they cannot recognise us, we can see them for who they are,” she added.&nbsp;Manjita Vanzara also told IANS, “The Vadodara City Police’s women’s teams have been organized across various police stations and zones. At locations hosting large-scale Garba events and *pandals* during Navratri, our female officers—dressed in traditional attire—have been deployed to ensure security. Furthermore, members of our ‘SHE Team’ are assisting with traffic management, while other female officers are conducting patrols. Additionally, all locations are being monitored via CCTV cameras."<h3>Rise of female cops</h3>The forces have also witnessed an upsurge in the number of women personnel ever since the state announced 33 per cent reservation for women in 2014. Sub-Inspector Hetal Jadeja also said that the decision to deploy thousands of female cops undercover came after discussions on improving safety measures at crowded events. “While we conduct awareness programmes for women and children, we felt that women police personnel going undercover would help. Uniformed officers may create deterrence for a short period, but the possibility of undercover cops being present at venues creates a stronger impact,” she said. Several pieces of footage of Inspector Nidhi Kalsaria in traditional attire at a garba venue in Ahmedabad recently also surfaced on social media. Meanwhile, Garba celebrations across Gujarat have grown into massive events, drawing thousands of attendees to venues throughout the state’s cities. With many of these gatherings held on city outskirts, security has become an increasingly complex task for police. Navratri ranks among the busiest times of year for Gujarat Police, who deploy thousands of personnel across garba grounds, control rooms and roads to maintain order through the festival period.

Garba celebrations across Gujarat have grown into massive events, drawing thousands of attendees to venues throughout the state’s cities. With many of these gatherings held on the city outskirts, security has become an increasingly complex task for police. 

Gujarat Police is sending its female cops to garba venues across the state during Navratri to monitor crowds and ensure the safety of women, children and senior citizens. Vadodara’s anti-human trafficking unit head inspector Chandrika Aasundra is part of the Gujarat Police’s SHE team. She attends garba events dressed in traditional chaniya choli instead of her uniform with several other women police officers. The 38-year-old officer also keeps a close watch on the surroundings of the event to identify any suspicious activity. She has been involved in this practice for the last two years as part of the police’s security arrangements during the nine-day festival. “We feel like Mr India. We are around, but we cannot be seen,” Aasundra said and referred to the Bollywood film in which the main character becomes invisible, as quoted by The Indian Express. She explained that officers of the unit maintain the same level of alertness and confidence whether they are in uniform or dressed in traditional attire, with their body posture and alertness remaining unchanged. She added that they are just as confident, adding that it is fun because people cannot identify them, and her team continue to work while dancing. Aasundra noted that people’s behaviour often shifts when they spot officers in uniform, whereas undercover duty lets officers observe the crowd more naturally. “When you are in uniform, people tend to behave well. But when they cannot recognise us, we can see them for who they are,” she added. Manjita Vanzara also told IANS, “The Vadodara City Police’s women’s teams have been organized across various police stations and zones. At locations hosting large-scale Garba events and *pandals* during Navratri, our female officers—dressed in traditional attire—have been deployed to ensure security. Furthermore, members of our ‘SHE Team’ are assisting with traffic management, while other female officers are conducting patrols. Additionally, all locations are being monitored via CCTV cameras." Rise of female cops The forces have also witnessed an upsurge in the number of women personnel ever since the state announced 33 per cent reservation for women in 2014. Sub-Inspector Hetal Jadeja also said that the decision to deploy thousands of female cops undercover came after discussions on improving safety measures at crowded events. “While we conduct awareness programmes for women and children, we felt that women police personnel going undercover would help. Uniformed officers may create deterrence for a short period, but the possibility of undercover cops being present at venues creates a stronger impact,” she said. Several pieces of footage of Inspector Nidhi Kalsaria in traditional attire at a garba venue in Ahmedabad recently also surfaced on social media. Meanwhile, Garba celebrations across Gujarat have grown into massive events, drawing thousands of attendees to venues throughout the state’s cities. With many of these gatherings held on city outskirts, security has become an increasingly complex task for police. Navratri ranks among the busiest times of year for Gujarat Police, who deploy thousands of personnel across garba grounds, control rooms and roads to maintain order through the festival period.

Garba celebrations across Gujarat have grown into massive events, drawing thousands of attendees to venues throughout the state’s cities. With many of these gatherings held on the city outskirts, security has become an increasingly complex task for police.&nbsp;

'We feel like Mr India': Gujarat’s undercover SHE team guard garba nights at Navratri

A former US Army sniper has claimed that American special operations troops killed three reptilian-looking beings during a secret mission near Area 51 and that one US soldier was allegedly killed in the battle, and his body was burnt immediately after. According to the account, officials then floated a training accident as a cover story for the serviceman's death.Nick Betts, ex-US sniper and co-host of the 'Liberty Risk' podcast, as per a Daily Mail report, claimed that an unnamed member of the US military's Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) told him about the alleged encounter at an underground facility in Nevada. Betts was not present during the operation, and the claims have not been independently verified.The source allegedly told Betts that a team was sent to the facility after regular radio checks stopped and another quick-reaction force failed to return. The soldiers were reportedly issued directed-energy weapons, instead of the normal guns with bullets, before entering a network of underground tunnels.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/ai-cracks-napoleon-era-secret-letter-unsolved-for-more-than-200-years-what-was-hidden-in-the-ciphers-1792139231806">AI decodes Napoleon-era secret letter unsolved for more than 200 years. What was hidden in the ciphers?</a><h2>'Reptilian-looking' beings allegedly encountered</h2>During an episode of the Liberty Risk podcast, Betts said that the team encountered a bipedal creature that appeared “mildly reptilian-looking” and was carrying a weapon similar to those issued to the soldiers. "They said that they f****** shot this creature that was bipedal, mildly reptilian-looking but had fingers, and was using this weapon system," Betts said.One American serviceman was allegedly struck in the chest and killed during the encounter. The team reportedly returned fire and killed the creature. Betts said his source claimed the operation ended with all three reptilian alien beings dead.The alleged account took a darker turn when Betts said the dead soldier's remains were burnt at the site, despite objections from fellow servicemen who cited the soldier's Catholic beliefs. The source allegedly claimed that a cover story was created, attributing the death to a training accident that had incinerated the soldier's body.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/inside-tesla-s-roadster-10-features-of-elon-musk-s-flying-car-that-push-the-limits-of-electric-vehicles-in-pics-1792121766476">Inside Tesla's Roadster: 10 features of Elon Musk's 'flying car' that push the limits of electric vehicles | In Pics</a><h2>Betts says he was warned not to speak</h2>Betts said he heard the story during a night of drinking while in Poland working on a documentary about the war in Ukraine. Although he acknowledged that the source had been drinking, Betts maintained that the man was coherent.He said he became more convinced after asking another alleged participant about aliens the following morning. According to Betts, the man grabbed him by the neck, slammed him against a wall and warned him never to discuss the subject again. "I would have chalked it up to the wine if it wasn't for being choke-slammed up against a f****** wall in the morning at 6am," Betts revealed.<h2>What is Area 51?</h2>Area 51 is a real, highly restricted US military installation long associated with speculation about UFOs and extraterrestrial research. The CIA has documented its role in testing secret aircraft, but the facility's history does not establish the existence of aliens or the alleged battle.The US military and the White House have maintained that there has never been any physical evidence that UFOs or extraterrestrials exist.

A former US Army sniper claims troops killed three reptilian-looking beings near Area 51, where a soldier allegedly died in the battle. He says the serviceman's body was burnt immediately and a training accident was cited as a cover story. Scroll down for extraordinary claims you cannot miss.

A former US Army sniper has claimed that American special operations troops killed three reptilian-looking beings during a secret mission near Area 51 and that one US soldier was allegedly killed in the battle, and his body was burnt immediately after. According to the account, officials then floated a training accident as a cover story for the serviceman's death. Nick Betts, ex-US sniper and co-host of the 'Liberty Risk' podcast, as per a Daily Mail report, claimed that an unnamed member of the US military's Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) told him about the alleged encounter at an underground facility in Nevada. Betts was not present during the operation, and the claims have not been independently verified. The source allegedly told Betts that a team was sent to the facility after regular radio checks stopped and another quick-reaction force failed to return. The soldiers were reportedly issued directed-energy weapons, instead of the normal guns with bullets, before entering a network of underground tunnels. Also read | AI decodes Napoleon-era secret letter unsolved for more than 200 years. What was hidden in the ciphers? 'Reptilian-looking' beings allegedly encountered During an episode of the Liberty Risk podcast, Betts said that the team encountered a bipedal creature that appeared “mildly reptilian-looking” and was carrying a weapon similar to those issued to the soldiers. "They said that they f****** shot this creature that was bipedal, mildly reptilian-looking but had fingers, and was using this weapon system," Betts said. One American serviceman was allegedly struck in the chest and killed during the encounter. The team reportedly returned fire and killed the creature. Betts said his source claimed the operation ended with all three reptilian alien beings dead. The alleged account took a darker turn when Betts said the dead soldier's remains were burnt at the site, despite objections from fellow servicemen who cited the soldier's Catholic beliefs. The source allegedly claimed that a cover story was created, attributing the death to a training accident that had incinerated the soldier's body. Also read | Inside Tesla's Roadster: 10 features of Elon Musk's 'flying car' that push the limits of electric vehicles | In Pics Betts says he was warned not to speak Betts said he heard the story during a night of drinking while in Poland working on a documentary about the war in Ukraine. Although he acknowledged that the source had been drinking, Betts maintained that the man was coherent. He said he became more convinced after asking another alleged participant about aliens the following morning. According to Betts, the man grabbed him by the neck, slammed him against a wall and warned him never to discuss the subject again. "I would have chalked it up to the wine if it wasn't for being choke-slammed up against a f****** wall in the morning at 6am," Betts revealed. What is Area 51? Area 51 is a real, highly restricted US military installation long associated with speculation about UFOs and extraterrestrial research. The CIA has documented its role in testing secret aircraft, but the facility's history does not establish the existence of aliens or the alleged battle. The US military and the White House have maintained that there has never been any physical evidence that UFOs or extraterrestrials exist.

A former US Army sniper claims troops killed three reptilian-looking beings near Area 51, where a soldier allegedly died in the battle. He says the serviceman's body was burnt immediately and a training accident was cited as a cover story. Scroll down for extraordinary claims you cannot miss.

Lizard people? Ex-US Army sniper claims soldier killed by 'reptilian beings' in battle near Area 51

The United States on Wednesday (Oct 14) finalised and codified a rule ending automatic extensions of employment authorisation documents (EADs) for eligible foreign nationals awaiting renewal of their work permits. The move particularly matters for the tens of thousands of Indians working in the US and their spouses. Here's all you need to know.<h2>Why it matters for Indians in America</h2>The biggest concern for Indian families is that eligible H-4 spouses of H-1B visa holders could lose the ability to work while waiting for their employment authorisation renewals. Under the finalised US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rule, filing a renewal application on time will no longer automatically extend work authorisation for the categories covered by the change.For Indian families already navigating lengthy employment-based green card backlogs, the consequences could be significant. Many H-4 spouses, largely women, have built careers in the US while their partners pursue permanent residency. If an existing Employment Authorisation Document (EAD) expires before a renewal is approved, those covered by the rule may have to stop working, potentially disrupting household income, career progression and financial planning.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/visa-applications-made-easier-for-northeast-india-as-guwahati-opens-new-centre-1792127827908">Visa applications made easier for Northeast India as Guwahati opens new centre</a><h2>Why the change matters</h2>The automatic extension policy was originally designed to prevent immigrants from losing their jobs because of delays at US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Eligible applicants could previously continue working for up to 540 days after their permits expired while renewals were pending.The revised rule, which takes effect on October 14, removes that protection for covered renewal applications. Applicants generally can file for renewal only within 180 days of their EAD's expiry, leaving limited room to absorb lengthy processing delays.The scale of the backlog adds to the concern. As of June 30, 2026, more than 432,000 EAD renewal applications had been pending for at least six months, including over 91,000 that had been awaiting decisions for more than 18 months, according to figures cited in the supplied reports.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/us-india-origin-congresswoman-pramila-jayapal-criticises-india-over-sir-exercise-alleges-130-million-people-being-purged-from-electoral-rolls-1792038655277">US: India-origin Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal criticises India over SIR, alleges 130 million being 'purged' from electoral rolls</a><h2>Who is affected, and who is exempt?</h2>The change affects certain categories of foreign nationals who rely on EADs, including eligible H-4 spouses of H-1B workers and some asylum seekers. DHS says ending automatic extensions will allow authorities to conduct more frequent eligibility and security checks.However, the change does not apply uniformly to all foreign workers. Eligible spouses of L-1 visa holders can work without an EAD, while F-1 students who timely apply for STEM Optional Practical Training extensions retain a separate 180-day automatic extension under a different provision.<h2>Legal challenge offers limited relief</h2>The policy has also faced a legal challenge. A US district court in California issued a preliminary injunction on September 10, 2026, in favour of seven plaintiffs who challenged the interim rule, finding that DHS had not adequately followed the procedures required under the Administrative Procedure Act. However, the relief was limited to those plaintiffs and did not apply nationwide.The administration has also signalled a possible future move to remove H-4 spouses from the categories eligible for employment authorisation.

US has ended automatic work permit extensions for certain immigrants, raising concerns for Indian H-4 spouses of H-1B workers. Here's why the move matters to the Indian diaspora in America.

The United States on Wednesday (Oct 14) finalised and codified a rule ending automatic extensions of employment authorisation documents (EADs) for eligible foreign nationals awaiting renewal of their work permits. The move particularly matters for the tens of thousands of Indians working in the US and their spouses. Here's all you need to know. Why it matters for Indians in America The biggest concern for Indian families is that eligible H-4 spouses of H-1B visa holders could lose the ability to work while waiting for their employment authorisation renewals. Under the finalised US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rule, filing a renewal application on time will no longer automatically extend work authorisation for the categories covered by the change. For Indian families already navigating lengthy employment-based green card backlogs, the consequences could be significant. Many H-4 spouses, largely women, have built careers in the US while their partners pursue permanent residency. If an existing Employment Authorisation Document (EAD) expires before a renewal is approved, those covered by the rule may have to stop working, potentially disrupting household income, career progression and financial planning. Also read | Visa applications made easier for Northeast India as Guwahati opens new centre Why the change matters The automatic extension policy was originally designed to prevent immigrants from losing their jobs because of delays at US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Eligible applicants could previously continue working for up to 540 days after their permits expired while renewals were pending. The revised rule, which takes effect on October 14, removes that protection for covered renewal applications. Applicants generally can file for renewal only within 180 days of their EAD's expiry, leaving limited room to absorb lengthy processing delays. The scale of the backlog adds to the concern. As of June 30, 2026, more than 432,000 EAD renewal applications had been pending for at least six months, including over 91,000 that had been awaiting decisions for more than 18 months, according to figures cited in the supplied reports. Also read | US: India-origin Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal criticises India over SIR, alleges 130 million being 'purged' from electoral rolls Who is affected, and who is exempt? The change affects certain categories of foreign nationals who rely on EADs, including eligible H-4 spouses of H-1B workers and some asylum seekers. DHS says ending automatic extensions will allow authorities to conduct more frequent eligibility and security checks. However, the change does not apply uniformly to all foreign workers. Eligible spouses of L-1 visa holders can work without an EAD, while F-1 students who timely apply for STEM Optional Practical Training extensions retain a separate 180-day automatic extension under a different provision. Legal challenge offers limited relief The policy has also faced a legal challenge. A US district court in California issued a preliminary injunction on September 10, 2026, in favour of seven plaintiffs who challenged the interim rule, finding that DHS had not adequately followed the procedures required under the Administrative Procedure Act. However, the relief was limited to those plaintiffs and did not apply nationwide. The administration has also signalled a possible future move to remove H-4 spouses from the categories eligible for employment authorisation.

US has ended automatic work permit extensions for certain immigrants, raising concerns for Indian H-4 spouses of H-1B workers. Here's why the move matters to the Indian diaspora in America.

US ends automatic work permit extensions; Indian workers lose 540-day safety net: What it means

A coded letter commissioned by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1809 and left unsolved for more than two centuries has been deciphered in just six hours using artificial intelligence. This groundbreaking feat highlights how the emerging technology is changing the study of history. Carter Church, a 27-year-old AI engineer at US cybersecurity firm SentinelOne, used OpenAI’s latest model, GPT-6 Astra, to decode the wartime message, which, as it turns out, contains details about the positions of French and allied troops. The letter, made up of symbols, numbers and letters spread across two dozen lines, had for decades remained overlooked in an online academic archive.<h2>Weeks' work done in hours</h2>Church said the task would have taken weeks using conventional methods. He spent several evenings working on the cipher before consulting Japanese patent engineer Satoshi Tomokiyo, who maintains an online catalogue of unsolved codes, to verify the solution.“What AI mostly brings is persistence,” Church told AFP, describing an “unbelievable sense of satisfaction and excitement” when he saw the result.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/claude-ai-sent-philadelphia-police-phony-murder-anthropic-argues-incident-less-severe-than-other-cybersecurity-episodes-1791617194991">Claude AI sent Philadelphia police phony murder; Anthropic argues incident 'less severe' than other cybersecurity episodes</a><h2>AI changes the game for amateur code-breakers</h2>The discovery is part of a wider shift in historical cryptography, as publicly available AI systems help people without specialist training tackle problems that once demanded extensive research and painstaking manual work.Tomokiyo, whose website Cryptiana is a resource for amateur cryptographers, described 2026 as a potential turning point for historical code-breaking. He said that since mid-September, AI had been used to solve most of the ciphers listed on his website.While researchers have been developing AI systems for cryptanalysis for some time, the public availability of advanced general-purpose models has accelerated the process. Church used OpenAI’s GPT-6 Astra, but others have previously used models developed by rival AI company Anthropic.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/something-truly-catastrophic-will-happen-former-openai-employees-sound-the-alarm-claim-they-were-fired-for-prioritising-ai-safety-1791511799924">'Something truly catastrophic will happen': Former OpenAI researchers sound the alarm, claim they were fired for prioritising AI safety</a><h2>'Mixed feelings'</h2>The rapid progress has also brought mixed feelings among enthusiasts who have spent years pursuing difficult codes. Tomokiyo said he was pleased to see long-standing puzzles solved, while questioning the ease with which AI appeared to have overcome some of them. "I'm excited long-time problems are now solved, but on the other hand, I have mixed feelings, because AI seems to have solved these difficult problems so easily," he said.He acknowledged that AI has taken away the satisfaction of being the first to crack a cipher and said: “I feel useless.” Some ciphers may remain unsolved for years, he added, particularly when there is little relevant data available to help AI identify patterns.

AI has helped crack a coded letter from Napoleon’s 1809 military campaign in just six hours, after more than 200 years without a solution. What was hidden in the historical pages? Scroll down to find out.

A coded letter commissioned by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1809 and left unsolved for more than two centuries has been deciphered in just six hours using artificial intelligence. This groundbreaking feat highlights how the emerging technology is changing the study of history. Carter Church, a 27-year-old AI engineer at US cybersecurity firm SentinelOne, used OpenAI’s latest model, GPT-6 Astra, to decode the wartime message, which, as it turns out, contains details about the positions of French and allied troops. The letter, made up of symbols, numbers and letters spread across two dozen lines, had for decades remained overlooked in an online academic archive. Weeks' work done in hours Church said the task would have taken weeks using conventional methods. He spent several evenings working on the cipher before consulting Japanese patent engineer Satoshi Tomokiyo, who maintains an online catalogue of unsolved codes, to verify the solution. “What AI mostly brings is persistence,” Church told AFP, describing an “unbelievable sense of satisfaction and excitement” when he saw the result. Also read | Claude AI sent Philadelphia police phony murder; Anthropic argues incident 'less severe' than other cybersecurity episodes AI changes the game for amateur code-breakers The discovery is part of a wider shift in historical cryptography, as publicly available AI systems help people without specialist training tackle problems that once demanded extensive research and painstaking manual work. Tomokiyo, whose website Cryptiana is a resource for amateur cryptographers, described 2026 as a potential turning point for historical code-breaking. He said that since mid-September, AI had been used to solve most of the ciphers listed on his website. While researchers have been developing AI systems for cryptanalysis for some time, the public availability of advanced general-purpose models has accelerated the process. Church used OpenAI’s GPT-6 Astra, but others have previously used models developed by rival AI company Anthropic. Also read | 'Something truly catastrophic will happen': Former OpenAI researchers sound the alarm, claim they were fired for prioritising AI safety 'Mixed feelings' The rapid progress has also brought mixed feelings among enthusiasts who have spent years pursuing difficult codes. Tomokiyo said he was pleased to see long-standing puzzles solved, while questioning the ease with which AI appeared to have overcome some of them. "I'm excited long-time problems are now solved, but on the other hand, I have mixed feelings, because AI seems to have solved these difficult problems so easily," he said. He acknowledged that AI has taken away the satisfaction of being the first to crack a cipher and said: “I feel useless.” Some ciphers may remain unsolved for years, he added, particularly when there is little relevant data available to help AI identify patterns.

AI has helped crack a coded letter from Napoleon’s 1809 military campaign in just six hours, after more than 200 years without a solution. What was hidden in the historical pages? Scroll down to find out.

AI decodes Napoleon-era secret letter unsolved for more than 200 years. What was hidden in the ciphers?

A video of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi launching a fiery critique of the opposition Congress party is making the rounds on social media. In the clip, Modi lambasts the Indian National Congress, asserting that "Congress has become a burden on the country."The viral video comes amid a growing tussle between the Modi-led NDA government and opposition parties—including the Congress and the INDIA bloc—over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and opposition demands for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.What exactly did Prime Minister Modi say, and when did he give this speech? Has he broken his silence on the ongoing nationwide protests? Here is everything you need to know.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/supreme-court-seeks-centre-delhi-police-response-on-jantar-mantar-s-de-notification-as-protest-site-after-oct-10-anti-gyanesh-kumar-demonstration-1792050142201">Supreme Court seeks Centre, Delhi Police response on Jantar Mantar's de-notification as protest site</a><h2>Has PM Modi broken his silence on the protests against CEC Gyanesh Kumar, SIR?</h2>The last few weeks have seen parts of India embroiled in demonstrations staged by Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), opposition parties (INDIA bloc including Congress), student groups, and civil society organisations. While several cabinet ministers have responded to the ongoing demonstrations, PM Modi has not made any public comments directly addressing the current anti-SIR protests or the demands surrounding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's removal.Following the surge of the video clip online, social media users claimed, "Something BIG is cooking. This is not a normal campaign speech."&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Haven't seen Modi ji in this avatar in the last 12 years 🔥

Directly calling out Congress - &quot;Sar phire, benaqab neta desh ko tabah karne par tule hain. Mahilaon ko aage karke PM nahi banoge&quot;

Something BIG is cooking. This is not normal campaign speech. https://t.co/qT1IMkL4dB&mdash; Gaurav (@k_gauravs) <a href="https://x.com/k_gauravs/status/2110759645157728580?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

However, a WION fact-check revealed that the clip is not recent. It is an old video from February 22, 2026.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/supreme-court-issues-notice-to-eci-on-voter-roll-revision-sir-row-on-rahul-gandhi-s-plea-hears-october-10-delhi-protest-pleas-1792049056350">Supreme Court issues notice to ECI, CEC Gyanesh Kumar on Rahul Gandhi, INDIA bloc plea; seeks answers on voter roll revision, SIR row</a><h2>What did PM Modi say in the video?</h2>The viral clip is from a public rally in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, where PM Modi flagged off the final stretch of the Namo Bharat rail corridor and the Meerut Metro. Addressing the crowd, the Prime Minister heavily criticised the opposition for stalling parliamentary proceedings and disrupting major events—specifically condemning a Youth Congress protest during the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi."While citizens are working day and night to make India a developed nation, some political parties cannot digest the country’s success," Modi said during the February speech. "The crazy (sarfirae) and reckless (be-lagaam) leaders of Congress are bent on destroying the country."He added: "If you want to sit in the Prime Minister’s chair, you must first win the hearts of the people. You cannot become Prime Minister by sending women MPs to occupy seats... What compulsion is there to push mothers and sisters forward like this? Have you become so hollow? Congress has become a burden on the country".

A video of PM Narendra Modi calling Congress a “burden on the country” is going viral amid protests over SIR and demands concerning CEC Gyanesh Kumar. But did the prime minister make the remarks recently, or is the clip from an earlier speech? WION Fact-checks.

A video of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi launching a fiery critique of the opposition Congress party is making the rounds on social media. In the clip, Modi lambasts the Indian National Congress, asserting that "Congress has become a burden on the country." The viral video comes amid a growing tussle between the Modi-led NDA government and opposition parties—including the Congress and the INDIA bloc—over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and opposition demands for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. What exactly did Prime Minister Modi say, and when did he give this speech? Has he broken his silence on the ongoing nationwide protests? Here is everything you need to know. Also read | Supreme Court seeks Centre, Delhi Police response on Jantar Mantar's de-notification as protest site Has PM Modi broken his silence on the protests against CEC Gyanesh Kumar, SIR? The last few weeks have seen parts of India embroiled in demonstrations staged by Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), opposition parties (INDIA bloc including Congress), student groups, and civil society organisations. While several cabinet ministers have responded to the ongoing demonstrations, PM Modi has not made any public comments directly addressing the current anti-SIR protests or the demands surrounding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's removal. Following the surge of the video clip online, social media users claimed, "Something BIG is cooking. This is not a normal campaign speech."

A video of PM Narendra Modi calling Congress a “burden on the country” is going viral amid protests over SIR and demands concerning CEC Gyanesh Kumar. But did the prime minister make the remarks recently, or is the clip from an earlier speech? WION Fact-checks.

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Napoleon’s 1809 secret message decoded by AI. What was hidden in the ciphers?

‘Congress a burden on country’: Did PM Modi break silence on SIR protests?