UK News
View All 9One of Britain's last remaining D-Day veterans honoured with special party ahead of VJ Day
A special party was held in Leeds in honour of one of Britain's last remaining D-Day veterans. Jack Mortimer, 102, was just 20 when he bravely stormed Nazi-occupied beaches while under fire. He was a corporal with the Royal Army Ordnance Corps during World War Two and part of the Allied forces that landed on Sword Beach in Normandy on D-Day on June 6, 1944.Jack was tasked with transporting troops during Operation Neptune – the name given to D-Day landings – as the Allied forces pushed into mainland Europe. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say The valiant dispatch rider rode in his Jeep as enemy mortar shells exploded around him.At a special celebration of his life and achievements at his Leeds care home, Jack looked back on that fateful day and told GB News: "I landed it (in) about three feet of water, and I made it all right; I made it back on D-Day."There were guns going off and pistol shooting all over the place, and I don't know how I survived, but I survived."There were thousands and thousands of ships on either side of us, loads of vehicles, tanks and artillery."It was dangerous, it was noisy, smoky, and smelly, and I saw lots of casualties."I'm proud to be a D-Day veteran. We were all trained to do a little job. We all did our job, and we all did it well."After the landings, Jack advanced onto Caen, Northern France, with other infantry and later delivered messages to commanders on his motorbike while dodging the enemy. He also served in Antwerp and the Hook of Holland, where he remained until the end of the war.LATEST DEVELOPMENTSWW2 veterans take to the skies in iconic Spitfire for the first time: 'Never expected this!'The Troubles are being rewritten before our eyes and veterans are paying the priceLabour MP accused of barging into historic D-Day cafe and helping herself to foodD-Day was a successful but costly operation – by the end of June 6, Allied forces had suffered nearly 10,000 casualties, of which 4,000 were fatalities.To this day, it is the dead Jack remembers and says his fallen comrades deserve recognition."The true heroes are the ones that are lying (sic) in the graves. They're the ones who didn’t come home, and they should always be remembered," he said. As part of remembering the fallen, Jack also remembers the announcement of VJ Day, which is 81 years ago today. When Europe celebrated the surrender of German forces on VE Day, thousands of British, Commonwealth and Allied Armed Forces personnel were still involved in bitter fighting in the Far East and the Pacific. The conflict only came to an end after two atomic bombs were dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and Soviet forces declared war on Japan. At Jack's party, the 81st anniversary of VJ Day was also commemorated by the Royal British Legion. Jeff Gantschuk, Chairman for the Guiseley Branch of RBL, told the People's Channel: "It's sometimes classed as a forgotten conflict, but the sacrifices those people made out there, they had horrific conditions to deal with."For those who have survived, we really do need to honour them and respect everything that they've done." It is also important for the Royal British Legion to thank veterans like Jack for the part he played in World War Two, and Jeff added: "It's wonderful to get to his (Jack's) age. It really is. He's achieved so much, and he's been with so many celebrities, you might say, and royalty as well. He's a cheeky chappy at times. He really is, and he's a lot of fun to be around."Jack's fiancée Flo waited for him throughout the war, and the pair got married during his first period of leave, roughly one year after D-Day. He became the general manager of a clothing company in his home town of Halifax when he left the army after the war.The pair were together for 78 years – with Jack regularly visiting her even when she needed to live in a care home during her later years, and he is now living in the care home that she also stayed in.Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter
Five dead after powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake strikes Indonesia
At least five people have died after a powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Indonesia.Tremors hit eastern Indonesia in the early hours on Saturday, causing buildings to be collapsed into dust and rubble.The governor of East Nusa Tenggara Province, Emanuel Melkiades Laka Lena, said five people had died from collapsing rubble in their sleep.Earlier, the national disaster mitigation agency BNPB said one person had died and four other had been injured. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say Video filmed at a port in Maumere showed large chunks of concrete breaking off the terminal building as passengers fled the devastating scene.Search and rescue workers in the town dug and saw through debris to retrieve people caught in the rubble.It is unclear if the five people who have died are the previously four injured people.The Indonesian agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics said the quake struck the Flores region in East Nusa Tenggara shortly before 5.00 local time.Around 50,000 people felt very strong or severe shaking, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).At least 2,000 residents of Nageko were evacuated from their homes after the tremors as a precautionary measure, according to the BNPB."The quake was massive, the shock was so strong, we were resting at home with family," Nona, a 51-year-old resident of Talibura, a village in the region told Reuters."There were 13 of us inside the house and we all ran to save ourselves."LATEST WORLD NEWS:Deadly 7.4 magnitude earthquake strikes off Indonesia triggering tsunami wavesHuge volcanic eruption causes flight cancellations at popular British holiday hotspotPowerful 7.4 earthquake kills at least 111 in Colombia as multiple buildings reduced to rubbleTsunami warnings were quickly declared, but were later dropped.Reports of shaking were also felt in West Nusa Tenggara and parts of South Sulawesi, with tremors lasting around one minute, according to the BNPB.Arnold Welianto, who lives in Talibura village, Sikka, East Nusa Tenggara, said he was still asleep when he felt "very strong shaking".He told the BBC: "I was startled awake and immediately went to my child's room."Once we were outside, residents in our neighbourhood, which is located close to the shoreline, had already fled their homes and were heading toward the hills and crowding the roads, while some other residents were standing along the roadside because the sea had also receded."He said many in the village were still outdoors and were afraid of returning to their homes as a result of ongoing aftershocks.A hospital in the Ende district was forced to move patients outside from the shaking, footage from Kompas TV showed.Indonesia's national disaster management agency said it was focusing on prioritising public safety and preventing additional casualties from aftershocks and other hazards.A helicopter has been deployed because the landscape of the area - which consists of many islands - makes access challenging. Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter
The 8 best independent and alternative art galleries in London
Culture | Exhibitions The 8 best independent and alternative art galleries in London From Bloomsbury townhouses to Camberwell print workshops, explore eight of London’s best independent, artist-run, and alternative art galleries shaking up the city’s contemporary scene Agnes Dauti1 minute ago COMMENTS The gallery scene in London is booming far beyond the traditional white cubes. From Bloomsbury to Camberwell via artist-run galleries, warehouse-scale projects and performance spaces hidden above antiques fairs, the sector is buzzing despite high rents and costs. Many of these galleries have just opened or relocated within the past year, but most are the product of years of effort and experience. They present the work of established artists, experimental concepts and innovative collaborations. Here are some of the best in London. Galerina 1 Guilford Street, WC1 Guilford Street in Bloomsbury has often been the home to the diamond in the rough. In the 1990s, No 64-65 housed artists and Milch Gallery, but the street is now home to Galerina. From its beginnings in a founder’s bedroom, Galerina’s obsession with intimate spaces and avant-garde style has earned it a cult following. The space may be small and awkwardly shaped but it feels much bigger: home to a unique artistic community. It’s showing the work of DeSe Escobar, who explores her relationship with toys as a child experiencing gender dissonance, filtered through her sensibility as a glamorous artist and stylist. Pep Rally 12; galerina. net Piccalilli The Penarth Centre, SE15 Michael Andrew Page at Piccalilli South Bermondsey’s Penarth Centre is home to Piccalilli, an artist-led gallery where collaboration is the basis of the enterprise. Artists are given the time and space to explore, experiment and implement their projects in a manner which doesn’t involve filling up the gallery space. That makes for exhibitions that are open-ended and alive to their surroundings. Piccalilli isn’t just a showroom but a place where concepts can brew. Its latest collaboration, with Michael Andrew Page, explores the emotional and historical weight of objects, and their connections to home, memory, loss and personal value. The Price of Home opens on August 21; piccalilli-gallery. com Chisenhale Gallery 64 Chisenhale Road, E3 Chisenhale Gallery near Victoria Park features one of the biggest spaces in the entire list, namely a warehouse that manages to transcend its scale. The gallery is famous for its ability to discover artists and work with them for two years to create new commissions from their concepts.
Builders find hidden treasure chest filled with gold worth £7.5million while doing renovation work in a cellar
Workers renovating a cellar in a building in Belgium have stumbled on a hidden treasure of gold worth an estimated £7.5million. The hoard was found as a firm worked on a former brewhouse in the town of Sint-Gillis-Dendermonde, about a 40-minute drive from Brussels, on Tuesday morning. The stash was hidden in a wall and contained gold bars, gold nuggets and a mountain of coins. It was unclear exactly how the treasure hoard was stored, with some reports describing a 'chest', while others saying it was wrapped in plastic. An 18-year-old student worker called Kobe found the stash as he and a colleague were working on sewage piping at around 8.15am. While excavating the wall, he initially came across the coins which he believed were just ordinary €1 coins. But upon finding the nuggets and bars, he realised he had stumbled upon something major. Upon finding the stash the contractors immediately called the client, a charity called CAW Oost-Vlaanderen, as well as the police. The stash has since been moved to a high-security vault belonging to the Belgian government. Police are now investigating the source of the treasure, as it is unclear how it ended up in the building. Many of the gold bars appear to have been stamped around 1957 and 1961.
World News
View All 10Man charged with assault, hate crimes after allegedly disrupting Shabbat services at NYC synagogue
close Video Fox News Flash top headlines for August 14 Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on FoxNews. com. NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! A man was charged with multiple hate crimes after allegedly disrupting Shabbat services at a New York City synagogue Friday, striking a congregant and attacking a member of the security team, authorities said. New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the man disrupted services at Central Synagogue on Lexington Avenue in Manhattan. The NYPD later identified the suspect as Larry Montes, 46, of the Bronx, and said he was charged with two counts of assault as a hate crime and one count of criminal mischief as a hate crime, among other charges. NORTH CAROLINA WOMAN CHARGED IN ALLEGED HOUSTON SYNAGOGUE ATTACK PLOT AS INVESTIGATORS SEARCH FOR 2 OTHERS A Bronx man was charged with multiple hate crimes after allegedly disrupting Shabbat services and attacking a congregant and security member at Central Synagogue in Manhattan, police said. (REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz) "As synagogue security was escorting him out, he struck a member of the congregation, damaged synagogue property, and then spit at and headbutted a member of the security team," Tisch said in a statement posted on X. An NYPD sergeant working a paid detail at the synagogue immediately intervened and took Montes into custody, according to Tisch. No one was seriously injured, and the incident remains under investigation, Tisch said. "I have spoken with the rabbi of the synagogue, and I'm relieved that no one was seriously injured," she said. "Those who were hurt were evaluated at the scene and are doing well. Tisch said the incident was particularly personal because she grew up attending Central Synagogue. DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he was "horrified" . (Michael M. Santiago/) "I understand the sanctity of this space and its meaning for congregants," she said. "Central Synagogue is where I grew up. In joy and in sorrow, it has always been a place of comfort and peace. What happened there tonight is deeply painful. A place of worship should never be a crime scene." Michael Sinkewicz is a writer for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to michael. sinkewicz@fox. com
At least two people killed after magnitude-7.7 earthquake strikes near Indonesia
Aug. 15, 202600:37 Now Playing At least two people killed after magnitude-7.7 earthquake strikes near Indonesia UP NEXT Powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake causes intense shaking near Indonesia U. S. Ambassador Huckabee condemns ‘Israeli terrorists’ for siege of West Bank homes Once-in-a-lifetime total solar eclipse sweeps across Europe Desperate search for earthquake survivors Timelapse video shows total solar eclipse in Spain Yasmin Vossoughian interviews her mother after seeing the total eclipse on her 80th birthday Crowds in London experience first total eclipse in 27 years Cloudy conditions obscure first glimpse of solar eclipse over Iceland Desperate search for survivors after deadly Colombia earthquake Ex-Marine freed from Russian prison after Trump discussed case with Putin At least 169 people dead in Colombia after earthquake as search for survivors continues Unmanned Chinese rocket explodes moments after liftoff Deadly earthquake hits Colombia Death toll in earthquake surpasses 100, Colombian president says Watch: Videos capture the moment a 7.4-magnitude earthquake strikes Colombia Search for survivors underway after 7.4-magnitude earthquake hits Colombia Centuries-old Roman shipwreck discovered off the coast of Italy Mexican influencer fatally shot during livestream At least 17 people killed after fatal overnight Russian strikes in Ukraine A magnitude-7.7 earthquake hit off the coast of Indonesia in the eastern Flores region, according to the United States Geological Survey. At least two people were killed and others injured. Aug. 15, 2026 At least two people killed after magnitude-7.7 earthquake strikes near Indonesia UP NEXT Powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake causes intense shaking near Indonesia U. S.
Caitlin Clark overcomes injury scare, drops 29 points on Dallas Wings as Fever take top spot in East
close Video WNBA Turmoil: Stephanie White Taught A LESSON & Sophie Cunningham | Don't @ Me w/ Dan Dakich Dan Dakich breaks down the hypocrisy surrounding the WNBA and the Indiana Fever as Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham step up to defend head coach Stephanie White. Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever were back at the friendly confines of Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis as they welcomed another one of the league's biggest stars, Paige Bueckers, and the Dallas Wings. Now, there's been a lot of drama in the WNBA as of late, and this one delivered some of that as well. Just a different brand of drama. Not the clotheslining and rage-tweeting-about-White-privilege-from-the-locker-room kind. DIJONAI CARRINGTON RESPONDS TO 'WHITE PRIVILEGE' POST, BUT LEAVES MEANING OF IT STILL UNCLEAR Caitlin Clark overcame a first-half injury scare to lead the Fever to a win and drop a double-double on the Dallas Wings. (Photo /) The Wings entered the game shorthanded, with Azzi Fudd among those sidelined. Still, despite missing some serious firepower, Dallas kept things close. It started slowly, with both teams failing to put more than 20 points on the board in the first quarter, but the offense ramped up a touch in the second quarter, with the Wings taking a 37-35 lead to the locker room. Speaking of which, it was at the very end of the first half that one of the most notable moments of the game occurred. Clark rolled her ankle while the Fever were on defense and, worse yet, hobbled off the court to the locker room. The Fever were hoping to take over first place in the Eastern Conference, and that would be tough in a close game without Clark. However, thousands of fans in the building breathed a sigh of relief when Clark started the second half and went on a roll. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. The floodgates opened offensively, with Clark finishing the night with 29 points and 10 assists. Bueckers also scored 29 points for the Wings, adding six assists and six rebounds. Dallas Wings star Paige Bueckers finished the night with 29 points of her own. (Photo by A. Mast/NBAE via ) But the Fever got an added scoring punch from Kelsey Mitchell — who finished with 23 points for a franchise-record 18th straight 20-point game — and Tyasha Harris, who went 4-for-4 from 3-point range, to pull away for a 98-87 win. DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP That gives the Fever first place in the East over the Atlanta Dream, who, coincidentally, will host them on Sunday in a big game for the conference's top spot.
Mangione admits to shooting insurance CEO, pleads guilty to federal charges
Mangione read a statement in court in which he described targeting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside an investor conference in late 2024.
Politics
View All 10Is the US already in World War IV — and losing?
What if our enemies bypass weapons and tactics imagined for World War III, and instead just hit us the crippling cyberattacks of World War IV?
BBC lawsuit: Channel plans to subpoena Trump family members
The BBC is seeking to subpoena three members of President Trump’s family as it builds its defense to his $10 billion defamation lawsuit. In a Friday court filing, attorneys for the BBC argued that Trump’s children, Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump, as well as his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, “have personal knowledge and likely have…
Burnham: We will protect ‘tinderbox’ Britain from raging wildfires
Andy Burnham has vowed to ramp up efforts to protect “tinderbox” Britain from raging wildfires and insisted the government would not “shrink” from the battle against climate change. Writing exclusively for The Independent, the prime minister pledged to send in more helicopters to tackle the crisis and vowed to stick to Labour’s target of reaching net zero by 2050 to “save our children’s future”. And he promised to send in more military to ease pressure on the ground and support wildfire evacuations after 200 troops were deployed to aid communities on Friday. It comes after he announced a ban on disposable barbecues that have sparked blazes across the country, telling Britons not to light an open fire “of any kind” and to dispose of cigarettes carefully amid a “combustible” situation. He added: “You are taking risks with other people’s homes, with other people’s lives, if you act recklessly.” Writing in The Independent, Mr Burnham said the impacts of the relentless heat and drought of record-breaking heatwaves were “on a scale that we simply haven’t seen before”. He wrote: “This summer has shown beyond doubt that climate change is not a far-off prospect, but with us today. None of us can pretend we cannot see it.” open image in gallery Prime minister Andy Burnham visits Stourbridge in the West Midlands (Reuters) “I know people are deeply worried about the climate crisis and what it means for them and their children’s future. So let me say again very directly – there can be no turning away from the fight against climate change. This government will hold to the target of reaching net zero by 2050 and continue to work with other countries to protect our planet,” he added. “This summer has shown everyone what is at stake. So we will not shrink from this battle. This government will rise to the moment and build a better, fairer, greener and more resilient Britain.” He recommitted to building nine new reservoirs to tackle water supply issues, as most of the country is in drought, and said he would look at measures to ensure hospitals, schools and homes are better adapted to deal with extreme temperatures. You know, it’s just unbelievably devastating for people in this in this position. Speaking about practical measures to tackle the blazes, Mr Burnham said: “We have a system of mutual aid in play at the moment, where fire and rescue services are supporting each other, but with so many incidents, it is crucial that the military support is there if fire and rescue services can’t do the same backup that they would normally be doing.
UK diplomats no longer get hardship bonus for being posted to Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires hosts the official workplace of the Argentinian president, shown here in front of Plaza de Mayo square British diplomats in six locations around the world, including Buenos Aires and Santiago in South America, will no longer get hardship payments for working in dangerous cities. Bonuses and respite breaks are granted to those working in cities considered risky, like Beirut in Lebanon, or with high crime, such as Pretoria in South Africa, or high air pollution in cities including New Delhi and Beijing. The UK government has removed Santiago, in Chile, Panama City in Panama, Pyongyang in North Korea, Bamako in Mali, and Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in addition to the two south American cities, according to the latest list published last week, external. The 144 locations still on the list include many trouble spots but also popular holiday destinations such as Bali and Rio De Janeiro, prompting criticism from the Conservatives. Tory chairman Kevin Hollinrake said civil servants receiving extra pay for working in such areas is unfair on the taxpayer. The Foreign Office has given civil servants extra payments for working in areas where there is a high level of danger, or high risks to health, for the past 30 years. They are meant to compensate staff and families for the additional costs and challenges of living overseas in difficult locations and are reviewed regularly. Factors and risks covered , climate, natural disaster, isolation and other impacts on quality of life. Amounts are not routinely published but in 2009, the last time a breakdown was released, the highest payments for civil servants and their spouses were for postings to Karachi, Pakistan, which was worth an extra £26,647, or £14,804 in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria. The hardship payment for being posted as part of a couple to Buenos Aires was £1,517 and Santiago was £777, according to the 2009 Diplomatic Services Allowances, external. Answering a parliamentary question from Tory peer Lord Moylan, external, Foreign Office minister Lord Wood of Anfield said assessments of hardship take into account factors that mean members of staff are required to take additional breaks for the benefit of their physical or mental health. He added: "These arrangements are not new, and indeed have applied consistently under successive governments for a number of decades." Bangkok, Cape Town, and Kuala Lumpur are still among the cities that qualify for hardship payments, alongside Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Muscat. It'll be delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Business
View All 10China poised to lift travel ban on Manus founders
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The experience economy is a blockbuster phenomenon
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How grandparents can help with school fees
Private education will be much more expensive for a child starting school today than for those just graduating, so planning is key
Turkey and Cyprus holiday spots hit by Iran war and last-minute booking
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Technology
View All 10Google Workspace Promo Codes: 14% Off for August 2026
Save StorySave this story Save StorySave this story What Is Google One, and Should You Subscribe? If you use Google’s apps and AI, it’s worth looking at this all-inclusive service. We break down the plans and how much they cost. 14% Off These Google Workspace Promo Codes 2026 There are some notable differences between each Workspace plan – I’ll dig into them in the next section – but all three plans come with access to the full slate of Workspace apps. You get Gmail, Drive, Calendar, and Meet, of course, but even the cheapest Starter plan includes basic access to Google’s other apps, such as NotebookLM and Gemini inside the Workspace suite. If you want to save, make sure to click one of the promo codes at the top of this page to secure your discount. What Is Google Workspace Individual, and How Does It Work? Google is making changes to its productivity suite again, and some of it may cost you money. Here's what you need to know. ? Google offers four different Workspace plans, though only three are relevant for most people. There’s Starter, Standard, and Plus, as well as Enterprise, which is only available if you contact Google’s sales team. There isn’t a minimum number of users on any of the plans, but the bottom three options (Starter, Standard, and Plus) support up to 300 users. If you need more than that, you’ll need an Enterprise plan. Although you have access to all the apps regardless of the plan you choose, there are some important differences, particularly between the Starter and Standard plans. Both include secure storage through Google Drive, but Starter comes with 30GB per user while Standard comes with a massive 2TB per user. Plus bumps that up to 5TB per user. Across all plans, storage is in a shared pool, so each additional user adds to the total pool of storage your organization can use. Gemini is also a big difference between Starter and Standard. Although both have access to the Gemini app, Starter only has Gemini in Gmail and Vids. Standard (and Plus) includes Gemini across the full suite, including in Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drive, Meet, and Chat. Google Gemini Can Summarize Your Emails in Gmail. AI can tackle your email mountain so you don't have to. Here's how to decide whether Gmail's new productivity feature makes sense for your workflow. a great option for anyone just getting started, regardless of if you’re a freelancer or a small business with a handful of employees.
Talks to sell PayPal to Stripe and Advent are heating up
In Brief Posted: PM PDT · August 14, 2026 : CFOTO/Future Publishing / Lucas Ropek Talks to sell PayPal to Stripe and Advent are heating up PayPal CEO Enrique Lores’ turnaround plan for the fintech company could include a sale — of itself. The prospect first popped in July when Stripe and private equity giant Advent offered to buy PayPal for $60.50 a share in a deal that would have valued it at $53 billion, the Wall Street Journal reported at the time. But apparently, negotiations never stopped and a deal could come together in the coming weeks, according to new reporting , which cited unnamed sources. PayPal declined to comment on the report. A Stripe spokesperson said the company doesn’t “comment on rumors or speculation.” The negotiations are taking place as Lores attempts to save the company from its lagging trajectory. Lores joined PayPal in March, after spending years at HP. In April, Lores made the first moves in his turnaround plan, including an executive shuffle and splitting the business into three operating models: checkout solutions and PayPal, consumer financial services (and Venmo), and payment services and crypto. A month later, Lores told investors that PayPal would recommit to the fundamentals,” which included “becoming a technology company again.” PayPal’s turnaround will also include a cost-saving plans, which is expected to reduce its workforce by 20% over the next two to three years. PayPal was founded in 1998 by a number of men who went on to be Silicon Valley luminaries, including Peter Thiel, Elon Musk, Max Levchin, Luke Nosek, and others. The company has struggled in recent years, after ballooning during the pandemic due to an e-commerce boom. Topics Advent, Fintech, Fintech, PayPal, stripe Scale faster. No matter your goal, Disrupt can empower you.
New York City Lawmakers Push to ‘Ban the Scan’ at MSG
CommentSave StorySave this story CommentSave StorySave this story Privacy advocates and musicians rallied outside Madison Square Garden on Friday, pushing for new legislation to prevent facial-recognition technology at the venue and other public spaces in New York City. “MSG and its CEO, James Dolan, have been flagrantly abusing biotechnology,” City Council member Shahana Hanif said at the event on Friday, after leading a chant of “ban the scan.” In January, Hanif proposed a bill that would prohibit public venues from using biometric recognition tech such as Madison Square Garden’s facial-recognition systems. Madison Square Garden is well-known for its biometric data collection practices. As WIRED has previously reported, fans who are critical of Dolan or the New York Knicks can end up on watch lists, their faces filed in MSG’s extensive database. In one instance, MSG security tracked the movements of a specific fan at a Knicks game down to the minute, cataloging their movements, who they spoke with, when they ate, and where they sat. Hundreds of lawyers involved in disputes with Dolan or Dolan-owned properties have been banned from Dolan’s venues, including a mother who was blocked from taking her daughter to a Radio City Music Hall show. In July, WIRED reported that MSG also maintains a database that assigns risk scores to around 400 celebrities and VIPs. Some of the dossiers also include the race and sexual orientation of those who attend the arena. MSG filed a defamation lawsuit against WIRED later that month. At the rally on Friday, Hanif was joined by Brooklyn-based country musician Paisley Fields, a representative from the democratic-socialist working group NYC DSA Tech Action, and members of the digital rights advocacy group Fight for the Future. Hanif’s “Ban the Scan” bill now has 27 endorsements, more than half of the City Council. Members are in talks with speaker Julie Menin about advancing the legislation, according to Hanif. “People have been recognizing each other’s faces since the beginning of time—we just do it electronically,” an MSG spokesperson said in an emailed statement. Hanif tells WIRED that, as a Muslim who grew up in post-9/11 New York, surveillance isn’t new. However, she says, many may not understand the extent of the surveillance that they’re exposed to simply by attending a Knicks game or a concert at Madison Square Garden or one of its associated venues. The fact that Dolan, who has a long relationship with President Donald Trump, is the one collecting the data worries Hanif even more. “New Yorkers need to understand, right now, between AI and all these tools that are being sold to us as being for … our city’s safety, are actually making us less safe,” Hanif says.
Self-driving trucks are officially testing on California highways
Aurora Innovation and Kodiak AI, two companies developing self-driving trucks, have received permits from the California Department of Motor Vehicles to test their autonomous vehicle technology on public roads. And Kodiak has already started. Kodiak said it is starting with a handful of test trucks in California, primarily around its Mountain View office. Both companies applied for testing permits this spring under updated rules approved , the agency that regulates autonomous vehicles in the state. Those rules, approved April 28, lifted a ban on driverless vehicles weighing over 10,000 pounds from testing on public roads and provided a regulatory path for companies to test, and eventually deploy, autonomous heavy-duty vehicles. Kodiak and Aurora met the DMV’s permitting criteria, including safety, insurance, vehicle registration, safety driver qualification, and other requirements, according to the agency. The testing permits require a human safety operator to be behind the wheel and prohibit companies from operating on roads where the posted speed limit is 25 miles per hour or less, unless they are on a “direct route” between destinations. Despite those restrictions, the prospect of self-driving trucks on California’s highways continues to fuel opposition. Last week, Teamsters California sued the state’s DMV, alleging that the agency circumvented laws requiring it to study and publicly disclose the possible economic impacts of allowing self-driving trucks on public roads. The lawsuit, filed in the state’s Superior Court in Alameda County, also accused the DMV of failing to consider the safety risks to motorists. For autonomous vehicle developers, the new rules allow them to test and eventually deploy in their home territories. Aurora and Kodiak are both based in California, but until recently focused their testing and deployment activities in Texas because of their home-state’s ban on autonomous heavy-duty trucks. Aurora launched a self-driving truck service in Texas in May 2025, starting with a Dallas-to-Houston route. The company has added more routes since, including between Fort Worth and El Paso, El Paso and Phoenix, Fort Worth and Phoenix, and Laredo and Dallas. Kodiak began commercial driverless truck operations in January 2025 in an off-road environment in West Texas’ remote Permian Basin. Kodiak has since expanded to on-highway operations, including a route between Dallas and Houston. Topics aurora, autonomous trucks, kodiak ai, self-driving trucks, Transportation When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence. Kirsten Korosec Transportation Editor Kirsten Korosec is a reporter and editor who has covered the future of transportation from EVs and autonomous vehicles to urban air mobility and in-car tech for more than a decade.
Science
View All 10'Strap yourself in and feel the Gs': NASA announces 'Max Power' aerospace expo
Click for next article NASA's quiet supersonic X-59 aircraft is seen here during a flight on March 20, 2026. The event, which NASA announced today (Aug. 14), will be held Nov. 7 and Nov. 8 at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) on Florida's Space Coast. It's called "Max Power," which is also a famous Homer Simpson pseudonym. In the 13th episode of the show's 10th season, which first aired in February 1999, Homer legally changed his name to Max Power. He wanted to disassociate himself from a bumbling character on the (fictional) TV show "Police Cops" who shared his given moniker. Watch On Homer made the switch to Max Power — which he said he got off a hair dryer — without consulting his family, a move that did not go over well. "Wait a minute!" his dad protested. "The family name is my legacy to you. I got it from my father, and he got it from his father, and he traded a mule for it. And, if you're unable to attend this November, you'll likely have other chances down the road. "Certainly, the idea is that this event, Max Power, becomes the first of many," Isaacman said during a press conference today. Spaceflight and Tech Editor Michael Wall is the Spaceflight and Tech Editor for Space. com and joined the team in 2010. He primarily covers human and robotic spaceflight, military space, and exoplanets, but has been known to dabble in the space art beat. His book about the search for alien life, "Out There," was published on Nov. 13, 2018. Before becoming a science writer, Michael worked as a herpetologist and wildlife biologist. D. in evolutionary biology from the University of Sydney, Australia, a bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona, and a graduate certificate in science writing from the University of California, Santa Cruz. To find out what his latest project is, you can follow Michael on Twitter.
Is empty space really empty? This magnetic star may finally solve a 90-year-old mystery
The idea dates to 1936, when the German physicist Werner Heisenberg and his student Hans Euler proposed that space is never truly void. Instead, they argued, it is a simmering sea of "virtual particles" — electrons and their antimatter counterparts, positrons — that flicker in and out of existence, briefly interacting with their surroundings before vanishing. This subatomic froth is a consequence of quantum mechanics, and it remains invisible under ordinary conditions. They are among the rare celestial objects capable of generating fields strong enough to reveal vacuum birefringence, offering scientists an extreme environment to test physics under conditions impossible to replicate on Earth. "We're not just studying astronomical objects anymore; we're using them to test the laws of nature," study co-author Michela Negro, an astrophysicist at the Louisiana State University, said in a statement. Astronomers have caught glimpses of this elusive phenomenon before, but not conclusively. In 2017, researchers using the Very Large Telescope in Chile observed polarization hints around a faint neutron star called RX J1856.5-3754, located about 400 light-years from Earth. However, those optical measurements remained open to interpretation, partly due to the challenges of isolating the optical signal. An illustration of a magnetar. ()At the time, scientists noted that definitive proof would require space-based X-ray observatories, specifically NASA's then-forthcoming Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE). Launched in 2021, IXPE carries three identical telescopes designed to measure the polarization of high-energy X-rays. "It's only in the last six or so years that we've actually had a telescope capable of detecting this effect around magnetars," Lower told Michael West Media, an independent news website in Australia. In March and April 2025, the researchers pointed IXPE at 1E 1547-5408, a magnetar that spins once every two seconds and is unusual among its kind for steadily emitting radio waves. The team supplemented that data with observations from an X-ray telescope aboard the International Space Station, as well as Australia's Murriyang radio telescope and the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory. According to the study, two findings pointed to vacuum birefringence at work. First, the X-rays picked up , far higher than standard models of a neutron star's surface emission could explain on their own. Second, the polarization pointed the same way as the star's magnetic field, matching the pattern already observed in its radio waves. The researchers concluded that this combination leaves vacuum birefringence as the only explanation that fits the data. "It's a bit of a relief because it means that our theories still work and there's nothing broken with physics," Lower told the Michael West Media news site.
'Days of the farmers' union dictating policy are over' - Muir
There have been calls for the Agriculture Minister, Andrew Muir, to resign The Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir has said "the days of the Ulster Farmers' Union (UFU) dictating government policy are over". It comes after the UFU extended a vote of no confidence in the department to include the minister, the permanent secretary and the chief vet, over how a cull of 51 cattle was carried out in County Tyrone. The cows were shot in June, leading to complaints about the manner of the cull which was carried out within earshot of members of the public. The UFU President John McLenaghan had said there were concerns about the independence of a Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Daera) review into the incident. Muir said he would continue to engage with the UFU and had spoken with its president on Friday morning. He added that the situation he had inherited in the department was "extremely challenging", with issues building up "due to wrong government policy previously". He said he was "arguably the first minister in the history of this state that is not beholden to one vested interest". Muir described some of the speeches at a protest outside Stormont on Monday as "pure electioneering" and called on his fellow politicians to "calm it down". Earlier this week, Muir said a death threat had been made against him. He also received one in June. On Friday, he said "the police will be coming looking" for those who threatened or abused anyone in public life. In a statement to BBC News NI, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said it does "not discuss the security of individuals and no inference should be drawn from this". "However, we will continue to do all we can to ensure that all of our politicians are supported and that they can undertake their role free from fear and intimidation," Insp Roberts said. The UFU also called for Daera's Permanent Secretary Katrina Godfrey and the Chief Veterinary Officer Brian Dooher to resign. In response, the senior civil servants' union the FDA said it was "entirely inappropriate" to call for the resignation of officials who were "duty-bound to serve ministers" and "could not defend themselves publicly". The minister has previously said there was no reasonable alternative to the cattle being euthanised on site and has insisted it was a last resort as officials had to act on a court order.
Test moderators use AI-generated writing to judge literacy standards
Key stage 2 tests are taken 6 Catherine Delahaye/ The UK Department for Education (DfE) is testing the use of AI to produce writing samples used in the assessment of pupils’ literacy standards as they move between primary and secondary school, claiming it cuts annual costs by 95 per cent. Around 2000 moderators are asked to check the standard of pupils’ writing at the end of key stage 2 (KS2), a critical moment in a child’s educational pathway in England and Wales. To ensure that grades given , the moderators cross-check pupils’ work against samples of writing usually drawn from actual work produced by schoolchildren. That process costs around £100,000 a year. Starting this year and next year, some moderators will instead be shown AI-generated output created by ChatGPT’s GPT-5 model. The experiment is limited for now. DfE says GPT-5 is currently being used to create three collections of writing for one standardisation exercise, while one full exercise in 2026-27 and 2027-28 will continue to contain scripts written . Around 20 experienced local authority moderation managers will review the AI-derived material for authenticity before it is used. The department plans to decide in spring 2027 whether to continue producing samples this way or return to procuring them from an external supplier. Its transparency record lists no formal impact assessment for the system. The consequences of this are impossible to predict, she says. “Is it a concern if we don’t use real children’s writing? I guess we don’t know what the impact is until we can measure the impact.” The DfE didn’t respond to New Scientist’s request for comment. The use of AI in this way shouldn’t affect which secondary schools pupils end up at, since the KS2 writing assessments take place after pupils have been assigned to their new schools. But how well children match up to the synthetic samples could dictate the level of support they receive when they enter their next school. Because AI can tend to produce flat or bland writing, there are worries that children who speak English as a second language or who are neurodivergent and so may not use the same language as the majority may be discounted. DfE’s own assessment of the potential risks notes that “LLMs produce texts that often [exclude] atypical vocabulary and sentence structures that might be used -native [English-speaking] students” – something it plans to mitigate by “thorough review”. The assessment also points out that the AI-generated outputs will be “heavily reviewed and edited” and subject to review before being used in standardisation processes. “Use of AI is seeping into all aspects of our lives and without proper governance, we do not know what the implications will be,” says Jo-Anne Baird at the University of Oxford. “In assessment, there is a concern that there will be a backwash, with the AI-generated materials becoming the standards that teachers try to get pupils to emulate.
Environment
View All 10South Africa’s top court blocks Shell’s offshore oil exploration right
The Constitutional Court ruled that Shell and Impact Africa had not complied with resource governance law, had failed to meaningfully conduct public consultation and had failed to consider the impact on climate change, cultural rights, livelihoods and ecological harm. The ruling references last year's landmark advisory opinion , which states that countries have a legal duty to prevent and repair damage to the climate system. The South African judges argued climate change "transcends borders" and that states' obligations "must be understood within the broader framework of international law." Already have an account? Log in here → Upgrade to keep reading For 15 years we’ve rigorously reported on the decisions shaping our climate. Upgrading to a paid subscription is how readers like you help keep this work going. £40/quarter → Or £130/year — best value. The Constitutional Court ruled that Shell and Impact Africa had not complied with resource governance law, had failed to meaningfully conduct public consultation and had failed to consider the impact on climate change, cultural rights, livelihoods and ecological harm. The ruling references last year's landmark advisory opinion , which states that countries have a legal duty to prevent and repair damage to the climate system. The South African judges argued climate change "transcends borders" and that states' obligations "must be understood within the broader framework of international law." “This case must also be understood against the backdrop of well-documented struggles , marine resources and ways of life in the face of extractive activities that they believe threaten their very existence,” wrote Justice Narandran Kollapen. Protesters march to the Constitutional Court in 2025 (Photo: Ihsaan Haffejee/GroundUp)The Constitutional Court found that the exploration right had been unlawfully granted . The ruling upholds a 2022 regional court decision against Shell and overturns a 2024 appeal that allowed the company to conduct fresh public consultations under the original exploration right. Today's decision means the right, initially granted in 2014, must be set aside. Celebrating the decision, Sherelee Odyar, oil and gas campaigner at Greenpeace Africa, told Climate Home News that the court confirmed "serious failures" in the awarding of exploration rights to Shell and Impact Africa, which "can not simply be corrected later". The Wild Coast is a biodiversity hotspot which has been conserved over generations . “Our land and sea are central to our livelihoods and our way of life. Over generations we have conserved them, and they have conserved us,” reads the founding statement in the case. A Shell spokesperson said it noted the ruling, responding that “we are committed to responsible offshore exploration, meaningful stakeholder engagement and environmental stewardship.” The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources did not respond to requests for comment at the time of publication. "Renewed strength" for communities The ruling adds to a series of legal challenges brought 2014 under Operation Phakisa, a plan aimed at “unlocking the economic potential of the oceans”.
One dead, dozens injured and thousands evacuated in Croatian wildfires – as it happened
Firefighters discover body and say more than 40 people hurt in the Lokva Rogoznica and Omiš areasEngland has received just 4mm of rain so far in August, or 6% of the long-term average for the month, the Environment Agency said on Friday, as reported by PA.It follows the driest July on record for the country, when only 7mm of rain was measured, or 10% of the average. Continue reading...
Burnham brings in military and bans disposable barbecues in ‘tinderbox’ Britain
An abandoned disposable barbecue next to the Jubilee River in Dorney, Buckinghamshire. Photograph: Maureen McLean/Shutterstock View image in fullscreen An abandoned disposable barbecue next to the Jubilee River in Dorney, Buckinghamshire. Photograph: Maureen McLean/Shutterstock Burnham brings in military and bans disposable barbecues in ‘tinderbox’ Britain PM temporarily bans barbecue sales as 19 people are taken to hospital during fires in West Midlands Downing Street has issued a temporary GB-wide ban on the sale of disposable barbecues and brought in the military to help deal with wildfires as Andy Burnham urged people not to risk lives in “tinderbox” Britain this weekend. The prime minister spoke from Stourbridge in the West Midlands, where at least 19 people have been taken to hospital during eight fires that have ripped through several homes. He said it was necessary to bring in a temporary ban on disposable barbecues from today, asking retailers to withdraw them from sale, as he spoke of the “absolutely devastating” wildfires. “Please think about the situation we are in,” he said. “Britain is a tinderbox right now. Setting a fire in any outdoor setting is a risk to people’s homes and other people’s lives.” View image in fullscreen Andy Burnham with West Midlands’ chief fire officer, Simon Tuhill, during a visit to Stourbridge, England. Photograph: Peter Byrne/Pool PA/APHe said not all of the 37 fires across Britain had been caused “probable” that some of them had been. Advice published online -use grills had “been the cause of a number of serious wildfires across the country over the summer months. “Disposable barbecues cannot be considered a safe product in the context of the ongoing weather and environmental conditions and must not be made available for sale either in store or online at the current time.” The prime minister also revealed he planned to commission firefighting planes, as used to douse flames in Europe and the US, to combat the spread of wildfires, as he said the country had to “face up” to the “changing climate”. Grass fire in Stourbridge triggers ‘extensive’ devastation Burnham said plans were being drawn up for emergency financial support for fire services battling the spread of wildfires. He warned that the weekend ahead would be difficult in terms of fires, and that hotter and drier than normal conditions could last through September and into October. He said late autumn could then bring the prospect of floods as the ground would be drier than usual. skip past promotion after promotion The prime minister has faced criticism for not having addressed the issue of the climate emergency after his first Cobra meeting on the heatwave this week.
Q&A: What does China’s 15th five-year plan for coal mean for climate action?
China has published a new five-year plan for coal, the latest in a slew of important policy documents for the country’s energy transition. The 15th five-year plan for the development of the coal industry was published (NDRC) and the National Energy Administration (NEA) on 10 August, covering the period 2026-2030. This is a key period, covering the years building up to China’s pledge to peak its carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions “before 2030”. Government-affiliated organisations had previously mooted the possibility of coal consumption peaking before 2027. However, the new plan does not set a specific, government-endorsed year for peaking coal consumption, instead including a broader goal to peak use of the fuel in this five-year period. It also discusses the “green and low-carbon transition” of the coal industry, coal-related methane emissions and the “clean and efficient use” of the fuel. But, in general, the plan emphasises the importance of coal in China’s energy system and focuses on the systems underpinning its production. Analysts tell Carbon Brief that the plan confirms a “broader trend” – driven – in which coal’s role in China as a “cheap and secure” source of energy is reinforced – instead of plotting a phase-down or transition for the industry. Nevertheless, as the deadline for peaking CO2 emissions looms, the plan does warn the sector of the need to diversify into other industries – including clean energy and chemicals – as coal consumption peaks. Below, Carbon Brief looks closer at what the plan means for China’s use of coal over the next five years and how it relates to wider climate targets. What does the plan say about peaking coal? What does the plan say about China’s coal production? What does the plan say about coal’s greenhouse gas emissions? How does the plan tell coal companies to evolve? Article Contents Expand menu Close What does the plan say about peaking coal? What does the plan say about China’s coal production? What does the plan say about coal’s greenhouse gas emissions? How does the plan tell coal companies to evolve? What does the plan say about peaking coal? Five-year plans are a key tool in Chinese governance, used to guide economic and social development across the economy. The plan for coal is the latest topic-specific document to address climate and energy matters within the 15th five-year plan period of 2026-30. It is subordinate to the overarching 15th five-year plan, which covers China’s broad socio-economic strategy. Other topic-specific plans for the period cover climate change, developing a “new-type energy system” and renewable energy, among other topics.
Weather
View All 8Today: Sunny Intervals, Minimum Temperature: 11°C (52°F) Maximum Temperature: 22°C (71°F)
This video can not be played This morning will see patchy cloud and spells of sunshine, with the odd spot of drizzle possible under the thickest cloud. Turning dry and sunny later this afternoon as cloud clears. Mostly dry and clear at first tonight, but the early hours will become overcast with a few spots of light rain possible. Drier with clear spells again . Starting similarly tomorrow with patchy cloud, sunny spells, and a few spots of light rain. Becoming mostly cloudy this afternoon, but it should remain dry. Outlook for Monday to Wednesday Monday will largely cloudy with outbreaks of rain moving in during the afternoon, turning heavy into the nighttime. Windier and cloudy on Tuesday with showers pushing in, but drier and sunnier . Staying windy overnight into Wednesday with spells of rain developing, these becoming widespread and locally heavy in the afternoon. Average wind speed 4 Miles per hour, North Westerly4Average wind speed 7 Kilometres per hour, North Westerly7 Humidity: Humidity: 83%,83% Visibility: Visibility: Excellent, Excellent Pressure: Pressure: 1019 millibars, Steady,1019mb, Steady Observation station: Rostherne no 2 (53.367° North, 2.383° West)Observation station: Rostherne no 2 (53.367° N, 2.383° W) Our favourite Weather Watchers photos nearby Report for Great Budworth, Cheshire Dave BReported by Dave B Report for Delamere, Cheshire Dave BReported by Dave B Report for Delamere, Cheshire LadybugRuthReported , Wigan Jean`s JewelsReported by Jean`s Jewels
Sunday: Light Cloud, Minimum Temperature: 14°C (57°F) Maximum Temperature: 21°C (70°F)
This video can not be played This morning will see patchy cloud and spells of sunshine, with the odd spot of drizzle possible under the thickest cloud. Turning dry and sunny later this afternoon as cloud clears. Mostly dry and clear at first tonight, but the early hours will become overcast with a few spots of light rain possible. Drier with clear spells again . Starting similarly tomorrow with patchy cloud, sunny spells, and a few spots of light rain. Becoming mostly cloudy this afternoon, but it should remain dry. Outlook for Monday to Wednesday Monday will largely cloudy with outbreaks of rain moving in during the afternoon, turning heavy into the nighttime. Windier and cloudy on Tuesday with showers pushing in, but drier and sunnier . Staying windy overnight into Wednesday with spells of rain developing, these becoming widespread and locally heavy in the afternoon. Average wind speed 4 Miles per hour, North Westerly4Average wind speed 7 Kilometres per hour, North Westerly7 Humidity: Humidity: 83%,83% Visibility: Visibility: Excellent, Excellent Pressure: Pressure: 1019 millibars, Steady,1019mb, Steady Observation station: Rostherne no 2 (53.367° North, 2.383° West)Observation station: Rostherne no 2 (53.367° N, 2.383° W) Our favourite Weather Watchers photos nearby Report for Great Budworth, Cheshire Dave BReported by Dave B Report for Delamere, Cheshire Dave BReported by Dave B Report for Delamere, Cheshire LadybugRuthReported , Wigan Jean`s JewelsReported by Jean`s Jewels
Major M7.7 earthquake hits Flores region, Indonesia, tsunami potential reported
Epicenter of M7.7 earthquake in Flores Region, Indonesia on August 14, 2026. Credit: TW/SAM, Google The epicenter was located 70 km (45 miles) NNW of Ende (population 87 269), 100 km (60 miles) WNW of Maumere (population 87 720), 105 km (65 miles) ENE of Ruteng (population 41 533), 165 km (100 miles) E of Labuan Bajo (population 188 724), and 325 km (200 miles) NW of Kupang (population 442 758), East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. 56 000 people are estimated to have felt severe shaking, 420 000 very strong, 1 171 000 strong, 2 712 000 moderate, 11 167 000 light and 25 000 weak. BMKG said tsunami waves were possible based on modeling and placed 22 areas under Alert status across East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara, South Sulawesi and Southeast Sulawesi. Estimated tsunami arrival times ranged from to UTC ( to WIB on August 15). Alert areas included North Manggarai, Northern Ngada, the northern part of West Manggarai, North Ende, Ende Island, North Sikka, Sikka Island and northeastern Flores in East Nusa Tenggara; Sangiang Island, Gili Island, North Bima City and North Dompu in West Nusa Tenggara; Selayar, Jeneponto, Bantaeng, Takalar, Bone, Wajo, East Luwu, North Luwu and Palopo City in South Sulawesi; and Bau-Bau City in Southeast Sulawesi. BMKG advised local governments in areas under Alert status to immediately direct residents to evacuate and to stay away from beaches and riverbanks. The USGS issued a Yellow alert for shaking-related fatalities and economic losses. Some casualties and damage are possible and the impact should be relatively localized. Past yellow alerts have required a local or regional level response. Estimated economic losses are less than 1% of GDP of Indonesia. Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are vulnerable to earthquake shaking, though resistant structures exist. The predominant vulnerable building types are unreinforced brick with concrete floor and precast concrete frame with wall construction. Recent earthquakes in this area have caused secondary hazards such as tsunamis and landslides that might have contributed to losses. Epicenter of M7.7 earthquake in Flores Region, Indonesia on August 14, 2026. Credit: TW/SAM, Google Epicenter of M7.7 earthquake in Flores Region, Indonesia on August 14, 2026. Credit: TW/SAM, Google According to USGS data, the quake was followed three aftershocks by UTC – M5.9 at UTC, M5.6 at UTC, and M6.1 at UTC. Epicenter of M7.7 earthquake in Flores Region, Indonesia on August 14, 2026 and aftershocks. Credit: TW/SAM, Google Estimated population exposure to earthquake shaking Selected cities exposed Regional seismicity References: 1 M7.7 earthquake 68 km NNW of Ende, Indonesia – USGS – August 14, 2026 2 M7.7 earthquake Flores Region, Indonesia – EMSC – August 14, 2026 Teo Blašković I'm a dedicated researcher, journalist, and editor at The Watchers.
Asteroid 2026 PC6 passed Earth at 0.05 LD, marking closest flyby of 2026
Asteroid 2026 PC6 close approach on August 12, 2026. Credit: ESA/NEOCC, The Watchers 2026 PC6 is one of 101 known asteroids to pass within 1 LD of Earth in 2026, as of UTC on August 14. Based on nominal LD distance, it is the closest known asteroid flyby within 1 LD recorded so far this year. The Minor Planet Center (MPC) noted the initial reported observation by ATLAS-TDO at Teide Observatory in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, at UTC on August 11 – about 23 hours and 30 minutes before closest approach. 2026 PC6 is an Aten-class near-Earth asteroid with an estimated diameter of 6.8 to 15 m (22 to 49 feet). The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Small-Body Database reports an orbit with a semimajor axis of 0.749 AU, perihelion of 0.426 AU, aphelion of 1.073 AU, eccentricity of 0.432, and inclination of 19.8 degrees. Asteroid 2026 PC6 close approach on August 12, 2026. Credit: ESA/NEOCC, The WatchersMPC reported 101 total observations over the interval from UTC to UTC on August 11. Its orbit entry used 97 observations, a 1-day arc, orbit type Aten, and an uncertainty value of 5. Asteroid 2026 PC6 close approach on August 12, 2026. Valid: UTC on August 14 Asteroids within 1LD in 2025. Valid: UTC on March 26, 2026 Asteroids within 1 LD in 2024 Asteroids within 1 lunar distance in 2023 Asteroids within 1 LD in 2022 Asteroid within 1 LD in 2021 Asteroids within 1 LD in 2020 References: 1 Asteroid 2026 PC6 – JPL/SSD – Accessed August 14, 2026 2 2026 PC6 – IAU/MPC – Accessed August 14, 2026 Teo Blašković I'm a dedicated researcher, journalist, and editor at The Watchers. With over 20 years of experience in the media industry, I specialize in hard science news, focusing on extreme weather, seismic and volcanic activity, space weather, and astronomy, including near-Earth objects and planetary defense strategies. You can reach me at teo /at/ watchers. news.
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