AI-Designed Gene Editing Produces Rice Plants Resistant to Devastating Disease

Posted on October 30, 2026 by Shelton Rozario

Researchers at the University of Missouri (Mizzou) have developed rice plants that resist bacterial blight, a destructive disease that threatens rice production and farmers’ livelihoods. The findings could offer new ways to protect harvests, particularly in parts of Asia and Africa, where the disease can cause substantial agricultural losses.

The research was led by Bing Yang, a Curators’ Distinguished Professor in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources. His team investigated how bacterial blight interacts with rice at the genetic level to identify ways to strengthen the plant’s natural defences.

“Bacterial blight can wreak havoc on rice crops, reducing both yield and quality, which creates serious challenges for farmers who depend on the staple grain,” Yang said. “Our lab investigates how bacterial blight interacts with rice at the genetic level — knowledge that helps us identify ways to strengthen the plant’s natural defenses.”

The work could eventually contribute to the development of stronger crop varieties capable of resisting diseases and other environmental stresses. However, the researchers emphasise that further work is necessary before the newly developed rice plants can reach commercial farms.

Further Testing Needed Before Commercial Use

The Mizzou team must transfer its findings from a laboratory rice line into varieties cultivated commercially. Researchers will also need to conduct additional tests, meet regulatory requirements and establish partnerships with industry to support the commercialisation of any resulting varieties.

Consequently, farmers may have to wait several years before they can cultivate rice developed using this approach.

Beyond rice, Yang believes the research could provide a foundation for addressing agricultural challenges in other crops, including corn and soybeans. The same genetic approach could potentially help scientists develop plants better equipped to withstand diseases, drought and extreme temperatures.

“Our recent breakthrough paves the way to explore genetic solutions to a range of challenges that farmers face across Missouri and nationwide, from devastating plant diseases to drought and extreme temperatures,” Yang, an investigator in the Bond Life Sciences Center, said. “By developing crops that are better equipped to withstand these stresses, we can help farmers protect yields, strengthen agricultural resilience and prepare for an increasingly challenging growing environment.”

OpenCRISPR-1 Brings AI Into Crop Gene Editing

The breakthrough relies on OpenCRISPR-1, an AI-designed gene-editing tool that allows researchers to make targeted changes to an organism’s DNA. Such modifications can help scientists alter genes associated with particular traits, including those that make plants vulnerable to disease.

Originally developed by California biotechnology company Profluent, OpenCRISPR-1 had previously been demonstrated in animal cells. Yang’s team adapted the technology for use in rice, expanding its potential applications in agricultural research.

One notable feature of the tool is its accessibility. Unlike proprietary gene-editing technologies that may require licensing agreements for commercial applications, OpenCRISPR-1 is open source and available for research and crop genome-editing commercialisation.

“Unlike proprietary gene-editing tools that may require licensing agreements for commercial use, OpenCRISPR-1 is open source and free for research and commercialization of crop genome editing,” Yang said. “That accessibility gives researchers and companies greater flexibility to explore new genetic solutions and develop crop varieties with valuable agricultural traits.”

Making the tool freely accessible could give researchers and agricultural companies greater flexibility to investigate genetic solutions to crop production challenges.

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Marine Heatwaves Disrupt Nutrition and Reproductive Flexibility in Humpback Whales

Posted on October 30, 2026 by Shelton Rozario

Climate change is driving increasingly intense marine heatwaves, raising concerns about their effects on marine wildlife. A new study led by researchers at the University of Hawai‘i (UH) at Mānoa has revealed how extreme ocean warming disrupts the metabolism, nutrition and reproductive success of humpback whales, shedding light on the biological mechanisms behind population declines observed during previous warming events.

Earlier reports from NOAA, academic researchers and regional monitoring programmes documented troubling changes during the 2014–2016 Pacific marine heatwave, known as the Blob. These included fewer humpback whale sightings in Hawai‘i and Alaska, declines in calf numbers and widespread signs of nutritional stress. However, the physiological mechanisms behind these population-level changes remained unclear. The new study, published in iScience, helps explain how extreme ocean temperatures affect whales internally.

“These findings give us a window into how whales actually cope with extreme environmental stress,” said lead author Ching-Tsun Chang, a former graduate student in the Department of Oceanography at the UH Mānoa School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology and now an assistant professor at National Sun Yat-sen University, Taiwan. “We’ve known from previous reports that humpback whales declined in number and body condition during the Blob. What we show here is the physiological story behind those patterns: how whales adjust their metabolism, how nutrient use shifts, and how reproduction may be compromised.”

How Humpback Whales Respond to Extreme Ocean Warming

To investigate the physiological effects of marine heatwaves, researchers analysed nearly eight years of biochemical records preserved in the baleen of stranded female humpback whales from Hawai‘i. Baleen, the filtering structure whales use to feed, grows continuously and preserves a timeline of biochemical signals that can reveal changes in an animal’s nutritional and reproductive history.

“Baleen is an extraordinary archive,” said co-author Kristi West, Director of the UH Health and Stranding Lab and associate researcher in Human Nutrition, Food and Animal Sciences at the UH Mānoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience. “It lets us reconstruct an animal’s nutritional and reproductive history with fine detail. By pairing these biochemical records with bioenergetic models, we can finally see how climate extremes ripple through a whale’s body.”

The team combined compound-specific isotope analysis of amino acids with bioenergetic models, which estimate how animals use and allocate energy. This approach allowed researchers to reconstruct how whales used nutrients and mobilised energy reserves before, during and after the marine heatwave.

The results revealed the physiological mechanisms behind the declines documented during previous warming events. During the heatwave, whales essentially “powered down”, slowing their metabolism to stretch limited food supplies. This reduced nutritional availability made it more difficult for females to maintain early pregnancies, even after becoming pregnant.

Researchers also examined one whale’s decades-long history, which revealed the cumulative effects of environmental change. Its baleen preserved a five-year record showing how changing ocean conditions affected its body late in life.

Why Marine Heatwaves Threaten Whale Reproduction

Humpback whales are capital breeders, meaning they rely on energy reserves accumulated during feeding seasons to support migration, pregnancy and lactation. This reproductive strategy makes them particularly vulnerable when marine heatwaves disrupt feeding conditions and reduce food availability.

When whales cannot replenish their energy reserves, they have limited opportunities to compensate for nutritional shortages. The findings suggest that reduced nutrient availability during marine heatwaves can affect not only whales’ metabolic processes but also their ability to sustain pregnancy and successfully reproduce.

These physiological effects help explain why previous monitoring programmes observed declines in calf numbers and signs of poor body condition during the 2014–2016 Blob. The study connects those population-level observations with changes in how whales regulate their metabolism, use nutrients and allocate energy to reproduction.

What the Developing 2026–2027 El Niño Could Mean for Humpback Whales

The findings arrive as the Pacific enters a developing 2026–2027 El Niño, which is expected to be one of the strongest on record, bringing unusually warm conditions across the North Pacific.

Seasonal forecasts from international climate centres project widespread surface ocean warming that could reduce prey availability in key humpback whale feeding regions. Although this developing event is distinct from the 2014–2016 Blob, the anticipated warming highlights the importance of understanding how whales respond physiologically to extreme environmental stress.

“As marine heatwaves become more frequent, capital-breeding species like humpback whales may face increasing challenges in a rapidly warming ocean,” said Brian Popp, co-author and professor of Earth Sciences at the UH Mānoa School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology. “Understanding these physiological responses is essential for anticipating how populations will fare in the decades ahead.”

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Newly Discovered Dinosaur Species Had a Remarkable Appetite for Fruit

Posted on October 30, 2026 by Shelton Rozario

A newly identified dinosaur species may change scientists’ understanding of how dinosaurs interacted with flowering plants. Researchers from Stony Brook University, the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), and the North Dakota Geological Survey have discovered Infernogallus jamesi, a small oviraptorosaur with specialised chewing muscles that indicate it may have eaten fruit.

Led by Dr. Gregory Funston, assistant professor in the Department of Anatomical Sciences at Stony Brook University, the research analysed the dinosaur’s chewing muscles and skull structure. The findings, published in Nature Communications, reveal an unusual arrangement resembling the anatomy of modern fruit-eating parrots.

The discovery challenges the traditional picture of Cretaceous dinosaurs as predominantly meat-eaters or plant-eaters with less specialised feeding habits.

“We knew dinosaurs evolved to fill so many different roles in ecosystems in the Cretaceous, but we never expected to discover fruit-eating dinosaurs,” says Dr. Gregory Funston. “For more than 100 years, we didn’t know what the skulls of these animals looked like. Now, we know they were even weirder than we could have predicted.”

A Small Dinosaur With Unusual Feeding Adaptations

The name Infernogallus, meaning “hell chicken,” refers to the Hell Creek Formation in the United States, where its fossils were discovered. The formation stretches across Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming, and was home to dinosaurs such as Tyrannosaurus rex and Triceratops.

The fossil material includes a nearly complete, articulated skull and a partial skeleton, currently displayed at the Royal Ontario Museum.

Infernogallus belonged to the caenagnathids, a group of toothless, feathered dinosaurs that evolved from meat-eating ancestors. Approximately the size of a turkey, it weighed around 12 kilograms (25 pounds), making it one of the smallest members of its group even as a fully grown adult.

Its specialised chewing mechanics suggest that it could mash soft foods, particularly stone fruits, to separate the fleshy parts from the central seed.

“It’s pretty rare for animals to become specialized for a diet of fruit, so when it happens, it comes with some remarkable adaptations,” says Dr. Thomas Dudgeon, current Rebanks Postdoctoral Research Fellow at ROM and one of the co-authors of the research paper. “The anatomy of Infernogallus is bizarre among dinosaurs, and we quickly realized that we were dealing with something special.”

CT Scans Reveal How Infernogallus Chewed Fruit

To understand the dinosaur’s feeding abilities, researchers used CT scans to reconstruct its skull and examine its palatal bones, which form the roof of the mouth.

They found that these bones curved downwards into the mouth, changing the orientation of certain chewing muscles. Instead of facing vertically, these muscles were positioned from front to back, potentially allowing the beak to slide backwards and forwards during chewing.

This mechanism differs from the comparatively rigid, vertical biting action associated with T. rex and other dinosaurs. A similar forward-facing muscle arrangement occurs in mammals, including humans, which perform complex chewing movements, and in certain fruit-eating birds, such as the Vulturine Parrot (Psittrichas).

The researchers suggest that these adaptations helped Infernogallus process soft foods in its mouth rather than relying primarily on digestion to break them down.

Discovery Could Reveal Dinosaurs’ Role in Plant Evolution

The findings may also offer new insights into the relationship between dinosaurs and flowering plants. During the Cretaceous period, flowering plants increasingly replaced cone-bearing plants as the dominant vegetation on land. Fossil evidence from this period includes preserved fruits, reflecting the expansion of these plants.

Because Infernogallus appears to have consumed fruit, the discovery raises the possibility that some dinosaurs helped disperse plant seeds, an ecological role performed by birds, reptiles, and small mammals today.

The researchers also observed parallels between the evolutionary diversification of caenagnathids and the increasing size and availability of fruits. This suggests that changes in flowering plants may have influenced the development of specialised feeding adaptations in these dinosaurs.

“Complete remains of small dinosaurs like Infernogallus are very rare in the fossil record. The strange skull of Infernogallus is an exciting find because it reveals surprising insights into dinosaur evolution and feeding specialization,” says Dr. David Evans, Chief Curator, Natural History & Temerty Chair in Vertebrate Palaeontology at ROM and senior author of the paper. “This discovery shows that we still have a lot to learn about the world of T. rex, and about dinosaurs more generally.”

The discovery highlights how much remains unknown about dinosaur diversity and behaviour near the end of the Cretaceous. It may also contribute to ongoing scientific debates about whether dinosaur populations were already declining before the mass extinction that brought the era to an end.

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Scientists Visualise a 120-Year-Old Mathematical Puzzle Using Gold Nanoparticles

Posted on October 30, 2026 by Shelton Rozario

How do identical electrical charges arrange themselves when confined to the surface of a sphere? Although the question appears straightforward, finding the lowest-energy arrangement becomes increasingly difficult as the number of charges increases. Researchers at the University of Innsbruck have now brought this longstanding mathematical challenge into the laboratory using superfluid helium droplets and gold nanoparticles.

Known as the Thomson problem, the question originated from the atomic model proposed by Nobel laureate J. J. Thomson in 1904. His now-outdated “plum-pudding” model described an atom as a positively charged sphere containing negatively charged electrons. Although the atomic theory has since been superseded, the mathematical problem of determining how repelling charges distribute themselves across a spherical surface remains relevant.

In 1998, mathematician Stephen Smale included the problem as Problem No. 7 in his list of 18 major mathematical challenges for the 21st century. Exact solutions remain available for only a limited number of small systems. Beyond mathematics, the problem has implications for understanding the structures of viruses, fullerenes and colloidal shells.

Gold Nanoparticles Reveal Electrical Charge Arrangements

Paul Scheier’s research team at the Department of Ion Physics and Applied Physics at the University of Innsbruck developed an experimental method to examine these arrangements.

The researchers generate nanodroplets of superfluid helium at temperatures just a few tenths of a degree above absolute zero. They then introduce multiple electrical charges using an electron beam. Because the charges repel one another, they move towards the droplet’s surface and organise themselves into configurations with minimal disturbance from their surroundings.

The charged droplets subsequently pass through gold vapour. Gold atoms attach to the locations of the electrical charges and develop into singly charged nanoparticles containing approximately 700 atoms each.

“Superfluid helium nanodroplets give us an exceptionally clean and cold environment in which up to several thousand charges can organize on a curved surface with very little external disturbance,” says Paul Scheier.

The droplets are deposited onto a transmission electron microscopy grid, where the helium evaporates. The gold nanoparticles remain behind, preserving a visible imprint of the original charge arrangement.

“By tagging the charge centers with gold nanoparticles, we can preserve and image these arrangements after the helium has evaporated,” Scheier explains.

Experimental Results Closely Match Theoretical Predictions

The Innsbruck team examined 25 imprints containing between five and 36 charges per droplet. The resulting patterns closely corresponded to the lowest-energy configurations predicted by theoretical calculations.

The researchers also investigated larger droplets with radii reaching approximately one micrometre. In these systems, the gold nanoparticles formed hexagonal lattices interrupted by isolated fivefold defects.

These defects emerge because a flat hexagonal arrangement cannot cover a curved surface perfectly without structural adjustments. A familiar example is a football, whose spherical surface incorporates pentagonal panels among hexagons.

“This opens a new experimental route to studying how charge ordering evolves from small, well-defined configurations to much larger systems on curved surfaces,” says Scheier.

Collaborator Shengfu Yang from the University of Leicester highlighted how the findings could change the relationship between mathematical theory and experimental observation.

“What excites me most is that this reverses the usual relationship between theory and experiment. Instead of mathematics simply predicting what an experiment should see, we can now let nature generate solutions and ask mathematics to explain what we observe,” adds Yang.

The team intends to improve the experimental technique by slowing the helium droplets, which could help prevent distortions in the resulting imprints, particularly when larger numbers of charges are involved. Rotating helium droplets can also develop non-spherical shapes. This could allow researchers to investigate how electrical charges organise themselves across more complex curved surfaces.

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Spider Named After Stephen Colbert Has a Genome 50% Larger Than Humans

Posted on October 30, 2026 by Shelton Rozario

Trapdoor spiders often reach their largest size around Halloween after spending the summer feeding. However, researchers at the University of California, Davis, have discovered another remarkable characteristic of one species: its unusually large genome.

Named Aptostichus stephencolberti after comedian Stephen Colbert, the spider is approximately the size of a quarter. Its genome measures 4.6 gigabases, equivalent to 4.6 billion DNA base pairs. Although it is not the largest spider genome known, it represents an important addition to scientific understanding of spider genetics.

“At 4.6 gigabases, or 4.6 billion DNA base pairs, it’s not the largest genome among the spiders, but it’s significant,” said Jason Bond, a professor in UC Davis’s Department of Entomology and Nematology and the study’s corresponding author.

How the Trapdoor Spider Lives

The species inhabits burrows along Northern California’s coastal dunes, where beachgoers may unknowingly encounter it. Female spiders spend their entire lives underground in silk-lined burrows protected by hinged doors that blend into their surroundings.

They wait for vibrations to signal the approach of potential prey before emerging rapidly to capture it. Despite their intimidating appearance, their venom is not dangerous to humans. Bond noted that only around 30 to 50 of the more than 50,000 known spider species have venom established as toxic to people.

What Makes Its Genome Different?

The spider’s genome contains 52 chromosomes, compared with 23 in humans. However, its larger genome does not simply reflect a greater number of genes. Approximately 77% consists of repetitive DNA sequences that have been copied multiple times throughout its genetic material.

Researchers also identified a feature shared by spiders generally: the absence of telomere repeats, which normally help protect the ends of chromosomes. This loss could help explain why chromosomes have evolved more rapidly in spiders than in vertebrates.

“It lends itself to broadening our understanding of spider genome composition and consequently how genomes have evolved across the animal Tree of Life,” Bond said.

The spider’s name originated in 2008, when Colbert discovered that Bond had named a trapdoor spider after rock musician Neil Young. Wanting similar recognition, Colbert used a segment titled “Who’s Not Honoring Me Now?” on his former Comedy Central programme, The Colbert Report, to demand a spider of his own.

Bond subsequently named Aptostichus stephencolberti in his honour. The final “t” in Colbert’s name is silent when pronouncing the spider’s scientific name.

Coastal Habitat Faces Environmental Threats

The genome sequencing forms part of the California Conservation Genomics Project, a state-funded initiative designed to develop genetic datasets that support conservation efforts.

Because trapdoor spiders rarely travel far and their coastal habitats are fragmented, genomic information can help scientists identify distinct populations that may need protection.

“We Californians love our beaches and trapdoor spiders share them with us,” Bond said. “We’re hoping to understand how things like climate change, fire and urbanization might be impacting the genetic diversity of species.”

The species lives exclusively in coastal dunes across Central California, from the San Francisco Bay to Monterey. Rising sea levels threaten this restricted habitat, while invasive species pose another significant risk.

“They’re going to be incredibly sensitive to sea-level rise, but they’re also very sensitive to invasive species,” Bond said.

Beyond conservation, spider genomes may help researchers identify compounds in venom with potential medical and agricultural applications. Some venom-derived substances could be developed into painkillers, while others may offer new ways to control pests.

“We don’t really know what’s out there in terms of untapped natural product diversity for venoms,” Bond said.

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Permanent Daylight Saving Time Could Add 2 Billion Dark School Commutes in the US

Posted on October 30, 2026 by Shelton Rozario

A proposal to make Daylight Saving Time (DST) permanent in the United States could significantly increase the number of children travelling to school before sunrise. Researchers at the University of Washington estimate that the change could result in at least two billion additional dark school commutes nationwide compared with the current system of switching between Daylight Saving Time and Standard Time twice a year.

The US House of Representatives passed a bill supporting permanent DST during the summer of 2026. Nineteen states, including Washington, have already approved the change in advance. However, the legislation remains stalled in the US Senate. If enacted, the change would eliminate the annual clock adjustment in autumn, extending evening daylight but leaving mornings darker between November and March.

To assess the potential impact on students, researchers examined 14 of the 19 states that had approved permanent DST. They combined school start times, student enrolment figures and geographical coordinates to estimate how often children would travel to school in darkness under the proposed system.

Washington alone could experience nearly 35 million additional dark school trips. Georgia showed the largest difference among the 14 states analysed, with an estimated 71 million more trips in darkness. Extrapolating the findings nationwide produced an estimate of at least two billion additional dark commutes.

Dark Mornings Could Increase Risks for Young Pedestrians

The researchers also analysed US traffic collision data and found that fatal crashes involving school-aged pedestrians were approximately twice as likely to occur during dark mornings as after sunrise.

Senior author Horacio de la Iglesia, a professor of biology at the University of Washington, questioned the benefits of a policy designed to preserve evening sunlight at the expense of morning daylight.

“It’s called the ‘Sunshine Protection Act’ because you get an extra hour of light at the end of the day. But you will take that hour from the morning. You could call it the Sunshine Destruction Act,” de la Iglesia said. “These dark mornings will inequitably affect children who have to go to school at a certain time. It’s a very tangible metric that anybody from any state or socioeconomic background can relate to. Nobody wants their kids to go to school in the dark.”

Morning light also plays an important role in regulating the body’s circadian clock, which influences sleep, mood and appetite. Reduced exposure to daylight after waking can interfere with these biological processes.

Lead author Guadalupe Rodríguez Ferrante, a postdoctoral scholar in biology at the university, explained why the team wanted to quantify the potential consequences.

“When we send kids to school in the dark, we are depriving them from an opportunity to get that morning daylight,” Rodríguez Ferrante said. “We were asking what’s the cost for these children. We wanted actual numbers, a real number of kids based on the geographic location of each school.”

Western Time Zones and Early School Starts Face Greater Impact

The analysis identified communities on the western edges of their time zones and districts with early school schedules as particularly vulnerable. These locations experience sunrise later relative to the clock, increasing the likelihood that students will travel before daylight.

Mississippi and Alabama illustrate the potential scale of the change. Schools in both states begin at an average time earlier than 8 a.m. Under the existing system, each state would record approximately two million dark school trips. Under permanent DST, that figure could rise to more than 20 million per state.

“Some districts probably never experience a dark commute under the current system, and, if this passes, suddenly they will wake up to this new reality that their kids are going to school in the dark,” Rodríguez Ferrante said. “Keep in mind that we used the actual start time listed for each school, and a lot of schools offer breakfast or other things before school, so the kids could be getting there even earlier.”

The nationwide estimate assumed that students would leave home at approximately 8 a.m. According to Rodríguez Ferrante, this is a relatively late departure time, meaning the calculation could underestimate the actual number of dark commutes.

“For the estimation, we assumed students would be leaving home around 8 a.m.,” Rodríguez Ferrante said. “That’s pretty late, so our calculation is likely an underestimation of the real number.”

Delaying School Start Times May Not Solve the Problem

The researchers also warned that permanent DST could undermine efforts to delay high school start times. These changes are intended to accommodate teenagers’ naturally shifted circadian rhythms, which differ from those of younger children and adults.

One proposed solution is to push school schedules later to ensure students travel after sunrise. However, de la Iglesia argued that this could have wider consequences for work schedules and evening activities.

“I’ve heard the argument, ‘If we’re in permanent DST, we can just delay the school start time to address these issues,'” de la Iglesia said. “Well, if we do that, you will end up going to work later. And everything is going to get delayed. You will get out of work an hour later, and you will miss the opportunity to enjoy your evening light. And essentially, we’re just going to be realigning everybody to solar time. That, by definition, is Standard Time.”

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Madagascar’s Flying Fox Bats Are Getting Smaller, Study Suggests

Posted on October 30, 2026 by Shelton Rozario

Flying foxes are the world’s largest bats, with wingspans reaching approximately five feet. However, Madagascar’s giant fruit bats appear to have become smaller over recent decades. Scientists at Chicago’s Field Museum identified the trend after noticing that older bat skulls and skins in the museum’s collections appeared larger than specimens they encountered during recent fieldwork in Madagascar. The observation prompted researchers to investigate whether the difference reflected a broader change in the animals’ physical characteristics.

Emily Cornelius Ruhs, a postdoctoral researcher at the Field Museum’s Negaunee Integrative Research Center and the study’s lead author, initially considered several possible explanations.

“I was thinking about a million different angles to explain why the bats were getting smaller. I wondered if it was related to changes in temperature or habitat,” Ruhs said.

Her colleague Steve Goodman, the Field Museum’s only full-time field biologist, proposed that hunting pressure might be responsible. Having worked in Madagascar for nearly 40 years, Goodman had observed that historical museum specimens were considerably larger than the bats encountered today.

“many of these animals were of monster size compared to animals we handle today. Hence, the idea was formed that they have diminished in body size as a result of recent heavy hunting pressure and they are not living as long as they did in decades past. This underlines the importance of historical museum material in helping scientists to understand change through time,” Goodman said.

Bat Size Decline Coincides With Commercialised Hunting

To investigate the trend, Goodman examined 121 Madagascar flying fox specimens held in nine natural history museums across the United States and Europe. The specimens had been collected over approximately 150 years.

He measured their skulls and teeth, while Ruhs conducted statistical analyses to identify changes in size over time. The results revealed a clear decline beginning around 1980, coinciding with the period when researchers believe bat hunting became more commercialised.

“We took all those measurements and put them together, and we looked at how they changed over time. We saw a clear drop in size starting around 1980, when we believe bat hunting became more commercialized,” Ruhs said.

The results surprised her because the difference was so pronounced that she initially suspected an analytical error.

“I thought that there must be something wrong with the analysis, there was no way that the rough estimate we had was correct, but it was,” she said.

Although the study establishes a correlation between shrinking body size and the expansion of commercial hunting, it does not conclusively demonstrate that hunting caused the change. Nevertheless, researchers suspect that hunters’ preference for larger animals could be contributing to the trend.

“If you’re the biggest bat in the sky, you might be the easiest target. You’re also going to provide a hunter with the most meat,” Ruhs said.

Why Losing Larger Bats Could Threaten Populations

Hunting may have consequences beyond reducing the number of bats. Many of the largest specimens examined in the study were also older individuals. If hunters disproportionately target larger, sexually mature bats capable of breeding, the practice could affect population reproduction and long-term survival.

Madagascar’s legislation classifies flying foxes as vermin because they consume commercially important fruits. The bats are also hunted for food on a large scale in certain parts of the country, making them an important resource for some communities.

However, researchers caution that hunting may not fully explain the decline in body size.

“Things like deforestation, climate change, inadequate or shifting timing of the fruit season could all be playing a role in making flying foxes smaller than they were 40, 50 years ago,” Ruhs said. “I don’t think there’s any one cause that explains it all.”

The findings therefore point to several possible human-driven pressures that may be affecting Madagascar’s flying fox populations.

Researchers Call for Stronger Conservation Measures

Flying foxes provide an important food source for some Malagasy communities and appear on the menus of certain roadside restaurants. Protecting their populations will require conservation measures that account for both their ecological needs and their importance to local livelihoods.

“These bats are an important food source in certain portions of the island for people to feed their families or on the menu in some roadside restaurants, so it is critical to figure out ways to protect the bat populations,” Ruhs said. “This needs to involve higher levels of protection following new national laws, particularly at breeding sites, so that the populations don’t collapse.”

The study also demonstrates how historical museum collections can help scientists investigate changes in wildlife across generations.

“We can still get a lot of information from these bat specimens that were collected in the 1800s,” Ruhs said.

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Kessler Foundation Recognized as One of the Top Workplaces in America for 2026

Posted on October 26, 2026 by Shelton Rozario

Kessler Foundation has been included in the America’s Best Workplaces rankings for 2026, announced by Best Companies Group in partnership with BridgeTower Media. The recognition places the New Jersey-based nonprofit among employers acknowledged for their workplace environments and employee experiences.

The America’s Best Workplaces Awards recognise organisations across the United States that demonstrate a strong commitment to workplace culture. The programme evaluates employers across four business categories: small, medium, large, and enterprise. It aims to highlight organisations that create positive working environments and make employee experience an important part of their organisational practices.

The recognition follows two other workplace honours received by Kessler Foundation earlier in 2026. The organisation was named among the Best Places to Work for Women and the Best Places to Work in New Jersey. These awards add to its recognition for fostering an environment that supports its employees and the foundation’s wider mission.

Employee Experience Plays a Key Role in Rankings

Best Companies Group determines the rankings through an evaluation process that combines organisational information with employee feedback. Its assessment algorithm considers workplace policies, internal practices, workforce demographics, and responses from employee surveys designed to measure workplace experience.

The combined data informs the overall scores used to determine which organisations qualify for recognition and how they rank within their respective business categories. The approach considers both the policies an organisation establishes and how employees experience the workplace in practice.

Commenting on the latest recognition, Rodger DeRose, president and chief executive officer of Kessler Foundation, highlighted the importance of the people behind the organisation’s work.

“We are honored to once again be recognized as one of America’s Best Workplaces,” said Rodger DeRose, president and chief executive officer of Kessler Foundation. “Great workplaces are not defined by the work they do, but by the people who make that work matter. At Kessler Foundation, our people are our greatest strength, our mission is our shared purpose, and changing lives is our greatest reward. When we lift each other up, we make it possible to lift others even higher.”

Kessler Foundation Advances Rehabilitation Research

Established in 1985, Kessler Foundation is a nonprofit organisation headquartered in New Jersey. It focuses on rehabilitation research aimed at improving the lives of people with disabilities. Through scientific research and the development of new interventions, the foundation works to advance recovery, promote independence, and support a more inclusive and accessible society.

Its researchers develop and test interventions intended to improve care, mobility, cognitive functioning, and quality of life. Their work addresses conditions including traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, stroke, multiple sclerosis, autism, and other neurological and developmental disabilities.

Beyond clinical and rehabilitation research, the foundation examines barriers affecting participation in communities and workplaces. It develops evidence-based approaches to expand employment opportunities and improve inclusion for people with disabilities.

The foundation’s latest workplace recognition highlights its organisational culture alongside its ongoing efforts to improve rehabilitation outcomes and create opportunities for people with disabilities.

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Rahul Gandhi’s convoy collides with ambulance on UP expressway; several injured

Posted on October 26, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

Vehicles travelling in Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s convoy collided with an ambulance on the Purvanchal Expressway in Uttar Pradesh on Monday morning, leaving several people reportedly injured. Gandhi was safe and his vehicle was not involved in the collision, according to police and Congress representatives.

The accident occurred around 10.15 a.m. near Haliyapur in Sultanpur district, as Gandhi was travelling from Lucknow to attend proceedings at a special MP-MLA court. The court was scheduled to deliver its verdict in a criminal defamation case filed against him over remarks about Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Five vehicles at the rear of the convoy were involved in the collision, according to reports citing police. Those reportedly injured included Congress workers, party office-bearers and security personnel accompanying the convoy.

The precise number of injured people and the severity of their injuries were not immediately established in the available reports.

Sudden braking triggers collision

A police officer told the Press Trust of India that the incident occurred when a private vehicle belonging to local Congress leaders, travelling towards the front of the group, suddenly applied its brakes for an unspecified reason. Vehicles following it then collided with one another.

The vehicles involved had joined the convoy midway, carrying passengers that included Congress workers from neighbouring Amethi district, the officer said.

Congress spokesperson Anshu Awasthi confirmed that Gandhi was safe and that his vehicle had not been involved in the accident.

“Rahul ji is completely safe. It was a minor brush as his motorcade moved along the expressway,” Awasthi told PTI.

The collision took place near the 89.5-km to 91-km stretch of the expressway, according to different media reports. Some reports identified an ambulance among the vehicles involved, while others initially described the incident as a collision among vehicles travelling in the convoy.

Visuals from the scene showed vehicles closely grouped across the expressway lanes and a damaged SUV stopped near the ambulance. The exact sequence of the collision and the circumstances involving the ambulance were not independently established in the initial reports.

There were also differences in early accounts of the injuries. While some reports said several people were injured, a police officer cited by PTI said no major injuries had been reported. A precise official injury count was not immediately available.

The convoy resumed its journey towards Sultanpur after the incident and reached the court at around 11.15 a.m., according to the police officer cited by PTI.

Rahul Gandhi acquitted in Amit Shah defamation case

Gandhi was travelling to Sultanpur for the final proceedings in a defamation case dating back to 2018. A special MP-MLA court subsequently acquitted him, ruling that his remarks were not defamatory.

The complaint was filed by Vijay Mishra, a local BJP leader and former chairman of the Sultanpur District Cooperative Bank. It concerned remarks Gandhi allegedly made during a campaign rally in Bengaluru ahead of the 2018 Karnataka Assembly elections, when Shah was the BJP president.

Gandhi had criticised the BJP’s claims of promoting clean politics, referring to a party president who was an accused in a murder case. Mishra alleged that the remarks were derogatory and defamatory.

Gandhi appeared before the court on Monday for the verdict. Following his acquittal, Congress leaders and supporters celebrated outside the court.

The expressway collision and the court proceedings unfolded during the same journey from Lucknow to Sultanpur. Gandhi escaped injury in the road incident and subsequently attended the court proceedings, where the verdict went in his favour.

Further details about the injuries, damage to the vehicles and any subsequent police action were awaited.

Typhoon Champi Heads Towards Japan After Killing One in Taiwan; 198 kph Gusts Forecast

Posted on October 23, 2026 by Sridhar P

Typhoon Champi is moving towards Japan’s southwestern islands on Friday after battering Taiwan with powerful winds and torrential rain, disrupting hundreds of flights and prompting evacuations. Japan’s weather agency warned of gusts reaching 198 kph, waves as high as 12 metres and the risk of prolonged downpours around Okinawa.

Taiwan reported one death and more than 170 injuries as Champi passed near its northeastern coast, according to the Associated Press. Authorities cancelled all 262 domestic flights and 669 international flights, closed schools and offices, and evacuated more than 2,600 people from vulnerable mountainous areas.

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said Champi, the 30th typhoon of the year, was moving north-west off the southern islands. It forecast that the storm would pass near the Sakishima island chain, southwest of Okinawa, through Saturday before turning towards the East China Sea and later approaching Kyushu.

Japan braces for violent winds, flooding and 12-metre waves

The JMA forecast maximum wind gusts of 198 kph in Okinawa on Friday and 180 kph on Saturday. Waves could reach 12 metres on both days, while rainfall could total 250 mm in the 24 hours through Saturday, followed by up to 120 mm over the next 24 hours. The agency warned that rainfall could be higher if a persistent rainband forms.

The principal threats include landslides, flooding in low-lying areas, rivers rising or overflowing, and coastal flooding caused by storm surges coinciding with high tides. Forecasts indicated that Champi would pass closest to the Sakishima Islands by October 24 before moving into the East China Sea and turning towards Kyushu around October 26. It is forecast to weaken gradually, potentially becoming an extratropical low south of Honshu by October 27.

The storm’s projected path remains subject to change. Its weakening would not necessarily eliminate the risks from heavy rain, high waves and strong winds across affected areas.

Flights cancelled and power outages reported

The typhoon has already affected southwestern Japan. One person was injured, flights were grounded and nearly 2,000 homes on Ishigaki Island lost electricity, the Associated Press reported. Dozens of flights serving islands including Miyako, Ishigaki and Okinawa were cancelled.

Japan Airlines had warned of possible operational disruptions at Naha, Miyako, Ishigaki and Yonaguni airports. Travellers were advised to check flight status as the storm approached the islands.

The disruption follows a major shutdown in Taiwan, where transport services, schools and offices were affected as Champi passed nearby. The scale of the storm’s circulation meant that dangerous weather extended well beyond its centre.

Taiwan forecasters warn the storm could prolong dangerous conditions

Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration warned that Champi’s large wind field could keep strong winds affecting the island for an extended period.

Forecaster Liu Pei-teng told Reuters: “If the storm slows down, the strong winds will affect Taiwan for longer.” Liu also said a direct landfall could not be ruled out if the storm “stalls, loops, or wobbles from side to side” as it approaches Taiwan.

In the northeastern Taiwanese county of Yilan, authorities prepared for flooding and possible evacuations. Lee Ming-chen, head of the port town of Suao, told Reuters: “When necessary, the military will come in to help people, including using amphibious vehicles for evacuations or disaster relief.”

Taiwan reported one death after a person was swept away by waves on Thursday, with more than 170 others injured, according to the AP report published Friday. More than 2,600 people had been evacuated from vulnerable mountainous areas.

The storm had earlier reached peak sustained winds of 298 kph before weakening as it approached Taiwan. Its centre was forecast to remain offshore as it passed the island’s northeastern tip and moved towards Japan.

For Japan, the immediate focus is the passage near Okinawa’s remote islands, where violent gusts, high seas and concentrated rainfall pose the greatest risks. Authorities and travellers will be watching for changes in Champi’s track as it moves north and potentially brings further disruption to western Japan.

A teenager’s final act, a YouTuber’s 151 hours in a kennel: How compassion can change animal care

Posted on October 23, 2026 by Sridhar P

When an Indian teenager plunged towards his mother as a horse-drawn carriage overturned in New York’s Central Park, he was trying to save someone he loved. Romanch Mahajan struck his head on the ground and later died in hospital. His family’s visit to one of the world’s most recognisable urban parks ended in a tragedy that would become part of a much larger debate about human safety and the treatment of animals.

Months later, the New York City Council voted to pass a law bearing his name, seeking to bring an end to the city’s horse-drawn carriage industry. The measure, approved on October 22, will phase out the industry by June 1, 2028.

Romanch’s story is not simply about a tourist caught in a fatal accident. It is about how an individual tragedy can give fresh force to a cause that has struggled for years to command political action.

Across the United States, animal-welfare advocates have used very different approaches to make a similar point: suffering that remains distant or invisible can be difficult to confront, but a personal story can make it impossible to ignore.

In 2017, YouTuber Elton Castee spent 151 hours living inside a dog kennel to raise money for animal protection. A year earlier, animal-shelter worker Rob Morlino had spent a weekend in a kennel to draw attention to the needs of abandoned animals.

Their experiences were voluntary campaigns. Romanch’s death was an irreversible loss. Yet all three stories illuminate the relationship between personal sacrifice, public attention and the effort to change how animals are treated.

Romanch Mahajan: When a family tragedy became a public cause

Romanch, 18, had recently completed his higher secondary education at Angel’s Public School in Mamun, Pathankot. He was visiting New York with his parents and brother to celebrate his graduation.

The family was enjoying Central Park when the carriage driver stopped to take their photograph. The horse suddenly bolted, overturning the carriage and throwing Romanch’s mother, Priya, from the vehicle.

Romanch tried to save her. His head struck the ground, and he later died in hospital.

For his family, the loss was devastating. But his death also brought renewed attention to a dispute that animal-welfare groups and some city lawmakers had pursued for years: whether horse-drawn carriages belong in an increasingly congested urban environment.

The campaign had faced resistance from carriage operators and their union, whose members depend on the trade for their livelihoods. Previous efforts to end the industry had failed.

Romanch’s death gave the debate a human dimension that could not be reduced to arguments about tourism, tradition or commercial interests.

His uncle, Gaurav Mahajan, joined supporters of the ban outside City Hall before the Council vote. Speaking on behalf of the family, he appealed to New Yorkers not to forget the teenager.

“True justice means recognising that these gentle, majestic horses do not belong on the congested asphalt or trapped in dangerous traffic,” he said. “On behalf of his parents and his brother, I leave New Yorkers with one final sacred request: please do not forget Romanch.”

The Council approved Romanch’s Law by 40 votes to seven, with two abstentions. The legislation provides for a phased end to the industry by June 1, 2028, alongside measures intended to support workers and ensure the humane placement of the horses.

The law does not erase the family’s loss. It does, however, give Romanch’s name a place in a policy decision intended to reduce risks to people and animals.

Elton Castee: 151 hours inside a dog kennel

Eight years before New York’s vote, an American internet personality tried a very different way to get people to pay attention to animal welfare.

On August 27, 2017, YouTuber Elton Castee entered a kennel at spcaLA’s Pitchford Companion Animal Village and Education Center in Long Beach, California. His initial goal was to raise $100,000 for the organisation in memory of his dog Sparta, who had died the previous year.

Castee remained in the kennel while viewers watched his livestream. He reached his original fundraising target by Wednesday morning, but chose to continue.

His next goal was to raise an additional $50,000 for spcaLA’s Disaster Animal Response Team, with the campaign extending to relief efforts following Hurricane Harvey in Texas.

When he ended the livestream on September 2, the fundraiser had collected $188,275, according to spcaLA. The organisation said more than seven million people had tuned in during the campaign.

The money supported animal-cruelty investigations, disaster response, shelter, food and veterinary care for abandoned and abused animals.

Castee’s campaign drew attention because it transformed an abstract problem into a visible, sustained personal experience. Rather than simply asking people to donate, he placed himself in an environment associated with animals awaiting care and adoption, allowing viewers to follow the challenge in real time.

His decision to remain after reaching the initial target also demonstrated how a fundraising effort could evolve when public interest created an opportunity to help more animals.

It was not equivalent to the suffering of animals confined in shelters, nor did the experience reproduce the challenges faced by abandoned pets. Its significance lay in its ability to mobilise an online audience around a practical welfare objective.

Rob Morlino: Becoming the story to help shelter animals

Castee was not the first person to use the kennel as a fundraising platform.

In 2016, Rob Morlino, who worked with the Santa Fe Humane Society, spent 48 hours living in a kennel as part of an online campaign called #AdoptRob.

The challenge involved eating from a dog bowl, walking on a leash and wearing a protective cone, while using a livestream to engage viewers and encourage support for shelter animals.

The idea emerged during discussions about how the organisation could attract attention to an issue that often struggles to compete with other demands on public generosity.

Morlino later described the campaign as an attempt to rise above the noise surrounding animal welfare. The unusual format helped the shelter reach a much wider audience, with the campaign reported to have reached more than 4.5 million people.

The money raised was not enough to transform the organisation’s finances, according to the campaign account published by CrowdRise. But the initiative helped the shelter understand how online engagement could be turned into fundraising and greater awareness.

The parallel with Castee is clear: both used their own discomfort as a way to make animal welfare visible, while asking audiences to translate attention into support.

Their efforts also highlight a broader lesson for charities. A compelling human story can bring people to an issue, but lasting benefits depend on directing that attention towards concrete needs, from veterinary care and shelter capacity to rescue operations and adoption.

Three stories, one question about compassion

Romanch, Castee and Morlino occupy very different places in the story of animal welfare.

Romanch was an 18-year-old visitor whose attempt to save his mother ended in his death. Castee was an online creator who used a prolonged kennel stay to raise money for animal protection and disaster relief. Morlino was a shelter worker who turned a weekend in a kennel into a public-awareness campaign.

Their experiences should not be conflated. A fatal accident is not a fundraising challenge, and a temporary voluntary stay in a kennel does not reproduce the vulnerability of animals dependent on shelters for survival.

But the stories share a central feature: they made people look at an issue through an individual experience rather than an abstract argument.

In New York, the question was whether an old tourist tradition could continue amid concerns about public safety, animal welfare and the working conditions of carriage horses. The City Council’s decision to phase out the industry followed years of campaigning, with Romanch’s death providing renewed urgency.

For animal shelters, the challenge is often less dramatic but equally persistent: finding homes for abandoned animals, financing medical treatment and keeping rescue services running. Castee’s fundraiser demonstrated how an online audience could be mobilised to support those needs.

Morlino’s campaign offered another lesson: a striking act can generate attention, but the ultimate measure of success is what that attention enables an organisation to do.

Romanch’s Law will take time to implement, and the transition will affect workers as well as horses. The legislation therefore represents the beginning of a process, not the end of every dispute surrounding the industry.

For his family, the law carries a more personal meaning. A teenager who died trying to protect his mother will be remembered through a measure intended to change a longstanding city practice.

And for those working to protect animals, the three stories offer a reminder that compassion can take many forms: a family demanding that a death not be forgotten, a creator remaining in a kennel until a fundraising target grows, or a shelter worker turning himself into the subject of a campaign.

None of these acts alone can resolve every problem in animal welfare. But each shows how a personal story can move a wider public conversation towards action.

FAQs

1. Who was Romanch Mahajan?

Romanch Mahajan was an 18-year-old Indian tourist from the Pathankot area who died after a horse-drawn carriage overturned in Central Park in June 2026. He was visiting New York with his family to celebrate his graduation.

2. What is Romanch’s Law?

It is New York City legislation passed by the City Council on October 22, 2026, to phase out the horse-drawn carriage industry by June 1, 2028. It also includes provisions for workers and the humane placement of horses.

3. How much did Elton Castee raise by living in a dog kennel?

Castee raised $188,275 for spcaLA after spending 151 hours in a kennel in 2017. The fundraiser supported animal welfare work and disaster response, including relief efforts connected to Hurricane Harvey.

4. Who was Rob Morlino?

Morlino was an animal-shelter worker who spent 48 hours in a kennel in 2016 as part of the #AdoptRob campaign to raise awareness and funds for shelter animals.

5. What connects these three stories?

Each illustrates how an individual experience can draw public attention to animal welfare. Romanch’s death helped renew pressure for legislative change, while Castee and Morlino used voluntary challenges to encourage donations and support for animal-care organisations.

New York votes to ban horse-drawn carriages, honours Indian teen killed in Central Park

Posted on October 23, 2026 by Sridhar P

New York City Council has passed legislation to ban horse-drawn carriages, naming the measure after Indian teenager Romanch Mahajan, who died in June while trying to save his mother during an accident involving a horse-drawn carriage in Central Park.

The legislation, called Romanch’s Law, was adopted on Thursday following years of campaigning by animal rights activists who argued that horses should not be exposed to congested city traffic and potentially dangerous working conditions.

The teenager’s death gave fresh momentum to the campaign, which had faced opposition from carriage owners and the union representing drivers.

The bill now goes to Mayor Zohran Mamdani for his signature. Even if the mayor refuses to sign it, the legislation would still become law because the Council passed it with enough votes to override a veto.

Romanch’s death has turned the debate over horse-drawn carriages into a question of public safety as well as animal welfare, bringing renewed attention to the risks associated with operating horse-drawn vehicles on busy city streets.

Romanch died trying to save his mother

Romanch, who had recently completed his higher secondary education at Angel’s Public School in Mamun, Pathankot, was visiting New York with his parents and brother.

The family was enjoying the sights of Central Park when the carriage driver stopped to take a photograph of them. The horse suddenly bolted, overturning the carriage and throwing Romanch’s mother, Priya, from the vehicle.

Romanch tried to save her by diving after her, but his head struck the ground. He was taken to hospital, where he died.

His uncle, Gaurav Mahajan, attended a rally outside City Hall organised by supporters of the proposed ban before the Council voted on the legislation.

Appealing to New Yorkers to support the measure, Gaurav said: “True justice means recognising that these gentle, majestic horses do not belong on the congested asphalt or trapped in dangerous traffic”.

Speaking on behalf of Romanch’s immediate family, he added: “On behalf of his parents and his brother, I leave New Yorkers with one final sacred request: please do not forget Romanch”.

The family’s appeal placed the teenager’s death at the centre of a debate that animal rights campaigners had pursued for years.

Council cites animal welfare and public safety

City Council Speaker Julie Menin described the passage of the legislation as a significant step towards protecting animals, the public and workers.

“Our landmark vote to pass Romanch’s Law is a demonstration of this Council’s commitment to animal welfare, public safety, and worker protection,” Menin said.

Animal rights activists have long sought to end the horse-carriage trade in New York City, arguing that horses should not be made to work amid heavy traffic and other urban hazards. Their campaign encountered resistance from carriage operators and the union representing drivers.

Romanch’s death provided renewed urgency to the effort, helping bring the proposed ban to a decisive vote.

The legislation’s passage marks a major development in the long-running dispute, although the next formal step is for Mayor Mamdani to sign the bill. The Council’s vote is reported to be sufficient to withstand a mayoral veto.

For Romanch’s family, the measure carries a significance beyond the regulation of a particular form of transport. The legislation bears the name of a teenager who died while trying to protect his mother, giving his death a lasting place in New York’s debate over animal welfare and public safety.

FAQs

1. What is Romanch’s Law?

Romanch’s Law is legislation passed by the New York City Council to ban horse-drawn carriages. It is named after Indian teenager Romanch Mahajan, who died in a carriage accident in Central Park.

2. How did Romanch Mahajan die?

Romanch died after a horse bolted and overturned the carriage carrying his family in Central Park. He tried to save his mother, Priya, who had been thrown from the vehicle, but struck his head on the ground and later died in hospital.

3. Who must approve Romanch’s Law?

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani must sign the bill. According to the report, the Council’s vote was sufficient to override a mayoral veto.

4. Why have activists sought a horse-carriage ban?

Animal rights activists have campaigned against horse-drawn carriages for years, citing concerns about animal welfare and the dangers of operating the vehicles in congested city traffic.

5. What did Romanch’s family say after the vote?

His uncle, Gaurav Mahajan, called for recognition of the risks to horses in city traffic and urged New Yorkers not to forget Romanch.

Tibet earthquake Leaves 16 killed, 54 injured; Rescue teams rush to spot

Posted on October 23, 2026 by Sridhar P

A powerful magnitude-7.0 earthquake struck China’s Tibet region late Thursday, October 22, killing at least 16 people and injuring 54 others, as rescue teams searched damaged buildings and authorities rushed emergency supplies to the affected communities.

The earthquake struck Baqen County in Nagqu City at 10:33 p.m. local time, according to Chinese authorities. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) placed the epicentre about 191 kilometres east-northeast of Nagqu, at a depth of 18 kilometres. China’s earthquake monitoring agency measured the quake at a depth of 10 kilometres.

The affected area is sparsely populated and lies at an average altitude of about 4,800 metres, complicating emergency response efforts. Nagqu is located more than 300 kilometres north of Lhasa, the Tibetan regional capital. “Checks are under way in villages across the township,” Lhawang Dagpo, deputy head of Maru Township, said, according to Xinhua.

The death toll and extent of the damage were still being assessed on Friday, October 23, while emergency personnel continued rescue, evacuation and relief operations.

Hundreds of homes damaged as rescue teams mobilise

The earthquake caused at least 339 homes to collapse or sustain damage and affected 20 livestock sheds, according to local authorities cited by Chinese state media. Eleven of the injured were reported to be in serious condition, while 35 sustained minor injuries in the initial casualty assessment.

More than 1,600 personnel from the affected county were deployed for rescue and relief work. Regional fire and rescue authorities also sent additional rescuers, fire engines, search dogs and equipment to the disaster zone.

Emergency supplies included 1,000 prefabricated housing units, more than 3,200 tents and over 2,800 folding beds, alongside quilts, stoves, clothing and other essentials. The supplies were intended to help residents whose homes were damaged or who could not safely return to their houses.

China activated emergency response mechanisms at regional and national levels. The regional government initiated a Level-II earthquake disaster response, while the national earthquake relief authorities and the Ministry of Emergency Management activated a Level-IV response and dispatched a team to assist local officials.

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for maximum efforts in rescue operations and medical assistance, according to reports by state media.

Railway disruption, road closures complicate relief efforts

The earthquake disrupted transport and communications in parts of the affected region. Railway authorities temporarily halted trains on sections of the Qinghai-Xizang Railway while inspecting tracks and equipment. Some trains were delayed as officials assessed potential damage.

Rockfalls also forced the closure of part of National Highway 317, with access restricted to emergency, rescue and official support vehicles while crews worked to clear debris. Communications were reported to be down in some affected areas, creating additional challenges for rescue coordination and damage assessments.

A hotel owner identified only by the surname Wang described the experience to China News Service, “The whole building was shaking.” Wang said plates and bowls were falling in a friend’s restaurant. He and his guests went downstairs after the shaking eased. No one at his hotel was injured, the report said.

The USGS recorded several aftershocks following the main earthquake, including tremors measuring between magnitude 4.3 and 5.2. Authorities continued monitoring seismic activity as rescue operations proceeded.

Weather conditions could further complicate the response. Chinese state media reported that intermittent snowfall was expected in the earthquake-hit area over the following three days, raising concerns about conditions for residents and emergency workers in the high-altitude region.

The earthquake is the strongest reported in the region in five years, according to China’s state broadcaster CCTV. The disaster comes less than two years after a magnitude-6.8 earthquake struck Dingri County in Tibet’s Xigaze region on January 7, 2025, killing 126 people.

Authorities are continuing to verify casualties, assess structural damage and provide emergency assistance as the rescue effort develops.

FAQs

1. Where did the October 2026 earthquake strike?

The earthquake struck Baqen County in Nagqu City in China’s Tibet region at 10:33 p.m. local time on October 22.

2. How many people were killed or injured?

At least 16 people were killed and 46 injured, according to the initial casualty figures reported by local authorities on October 23.

3. How strong was the earthquake?

The earthquake measured magnitude 7.0 according to Chinese monitoring authorities. The USGS also reported a magnitude-7.0 earthquake but estimated its depth at 18 kilometres, compared with the 10-kilometre depth reported by China’s monitoring agency.

4. What damage did the earthquake cause?

Local authorities reported that 339 homes had collapsed or sustained damage and 20 livestock sheds were affected. Transport and communications were also disrupted in parts of the region.

5. What is China doing to help earthquake victims?

Authorities deployed rescue personnel and emergency equipment, supplied temporary housing, tents, beds and other essential items, and activated regional and national disaster-response mechanisms.

6. Could weather conditions affect rescue operations?

Yes. Forecast snowfall in the high-altitude region could complicate access, evacuation and the delivery of relief supplies.

How can CEC Gyanesh Kumar be removed? The parliamentary process, legal hurdles and what happens next

Posted on October 22, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has said Parliament will follow the prescribed procedure if the Opposition submits a fresh motion seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. His statement brings the focus back to a constitutional process that is far more demanding than an ordinary parliamentary vote.

Under Article 324(5) of the Constitution, the CEC can be removed only in the same manner and on the same grounds as a Supreme Court judge. The relevant grounds are proved misbehaviour or incapacity. The procedure is governed by the constitutional framework and the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968.

The Opposition’s campaign against Kumar centres on allegations concerning the Election Commission’s handling of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and reported objections raised by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi over aspects of the Commission’s decisions.

However, allegations, political demands and the submission of a removal notice do not establish that the constitutional grounds for removal have been met. The charges would have to undergo the prescribed scrutiny and inquiry before Parliament could consider the final removal address.

Birla’s October 22 statement does not indicate whether a new notice has been admitted or whether the allegations satisfy the legal threshold. It means that any fresh notice will be dealt with under the applicable rules. <Cite refs={[“turn356701search1″,”turn356701search2”]}/>

Step 1: How a removal motion begins

The first requirement is a formal notice of a motion seeking the CEC’s removal on grounds of misbehaviour or incapacity.

Under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, the notice must be signed by at least 100 members of the Lok Sabha or 50 members of the Rajya Sabha. The motion may be initiated in either House. Meeting the signature threshold does not automatically trigger an inquiry or guarantee that the motion will be admitted.

The Speaker of the Lok Sabha or the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha examines the notice and may consult relevant persons and consider available material before deciding whether to admit or reject it.

This is the first major hurdle for the Opposition. A notice must meet the applicable procedural requirements, and its allegations must be considered within the legal framework for removal. The presiding officer’s decision determines whether the process proceeds to the next stage.

Birla has said he will examine any fresh notice according to parliamentary rules. He has not committed to admitting a motion against Kumar.

Step 2: What happens if the motion is admitted?

If a motion is admitted, an inquiry committee is constituted to investigate the grounds cited for removal. The committee has three members:

A Supreme Court judge, selected from among the judges of the Supreme Court.
A Chief Justice of a High Court.
A distinguished jurist.

The committee examines the allegations and evidence under the Judges (Inquiry) Act. The procedure gives the person facing the charges an opportunity to respond to the case.

The inquiry is a crucial stage because the constitutional standard is not simply whether MPs have lost confidence in the CEC. The issue is whether the grounds of misbehaviour or incapacity are established through the prescribed process.

If the committee finds that the charges have not been proved, the removal proceedings cannot advance on the basis of those charges. If it finds the charges proved, the motion proceeds for parliamentary consideration under the statutory framework.

Admission, therefore, is not equivalent to a finding of wrongdoing, and an inquiry does not itself remove the CEC.

Step 3: The two-House test that determines removal

Even if an inquiry committee establishes the charges, removal is not automatic. Both Houses of Parliament must pass an address seeking removal, with each House meeting the special-majority requirements laid down in Article 124(4) of the Constitution.

Each House must approve the address with:

A majority of its total membership.
A majority of at least two-thirds of the members present and voting.

Both Houses must pass the address during the same session of Parliament. The address is then presented to the President, who issues the removal order in accordance with the constitutional process.

The requirement is more demanding than winning a simple majority among MPs who happen to vote. A motion must satisfy both the majority of the House’s total membership and the two-thirds threshold among members present and voting.

The Opposition would therefore need to navigate several separate stages: secure the required signatures, obtain admission of the motion, establish the charges through an inquiry and secure the required majorities in both Houses.

A political alliance may have sufficient numbers to submit a notice without necessarily having the votes required to complete the process. Conversely, the strength of the allegations cannot be determined solely by counting the MPs supporting the motion.

What can happen next in the Gyanesh Kumar case?

The immediate question is whether the Opposition submits a fresh notice and whether the relevant presiding officer admits it.

If the notice is rejected, the proposed proceedings would not advance through that notice. If it is admitted, the statutory inquiry process would follow. A finding that the charges are not proved would prevent the proceedings from advancing on those charges; a finding that they are proved would bring the motion to the parliamentary stage, where both Houses would still need to meet the special-majority requirements.

The political controversy concerns the Election Commission’s handling of electoral-roll revision and reported differences within the institution. The legal question is narrower: whether the specific allegations establish misbehaviour or incapacity under the constitutional removal standard.

The reported objections by other Election Commissioners may form part of the material cited by the Opposition, but internal disagreement alone does not establish a ground for removal. The evidence, the nature of the alleged conduct and the findings of the prescribed inquiry would matter.

There is also an important distinction between a demand for resignation and constitutional removal. Kumar could leave office through resignation, but a parliamentary removal motion is a separate process with its own requirements. The CEC cannot be removed by an ordinary executive order or a simple vote expressing political disapproval.

The procedure is designed to protect the independence of the office while allowing removal where the constitutionally specified grounds are established. It places the burden on the process to move beyond political allegations and establish the case through formal scrutiny.

For now, Birla’s statement signals no outcome on Kumar’s tenure. The next decisive developments will be the filing and admissibility of any fresh notice, the evidence placed before an inquiry committee if one is constituted, and the parliamentary numbers if the case reaches a final vote.

FAQs

1. Can the Chief Election Commissioner be impeached?

The CEC can be removed through a special constitutional procedure modelled on the removal process for a Supreme Court judge. The Constitution uses the framework of removal on grounds of proved misbehaviour or incapacity.

2. How many MPs are needed to initiate the motion?

The notice must have the signatures of at least 100 Lok Sabha members or 50 Rajya Sabha members. Meeting this threshold does not guarantee admission.

3. Who decides whether the motion is admitted?

The Lok Sabha Speaker or the Rajya Sabha Chairman considers the notice and decides whether to admit or reject it under the applicable law and procedure.

4. Who investigates the charges if the motion is admitted?

A three-member committee comprising a Supreme Court judge, a High Court Chief Justice and a distinguished jurist investigates the allegations.

5. What majority is required to remove the CEC?

Each House must pass the removal address with a majority of its total membership and at least a two-thirds majority of members present and voting. Both Houses must pass it in the same session.

6. Does admitting the motion mean Gyanesh Kumar will be removed?

No. Admission leads to an inquiry. The charges must be proved, and both Houses must subsequently pass the removal address with the required majorities.

7. What has Om Birla said about the fresh motion?

On October 22, 2026, Birla said any fresh notice would be examined according to the prescribed parliamentary rules and procedures. He did not announce that a new motion had been admitted.

8. Has any Chief Election Commissioner been removed through this process?

No Chief Election Commissioner has previously been removed through this constitutional procedure. The outcome of any future attempt would depend on the applicable process and the evidence considered.

Women Scientists Largely Missing From UK School Science Exam Specifications, Study Finds

Posted on October 22, 2026 by Shelton Rozario

Women scientists and their contributions are largely missing from compulsory science learning materials used by UK school examination boards, according to new research from the University of Cambridge. The study found that just one woman appeared among 86 scientists mentioned in Key Stage 4 (KS4) science specifications, which cover GCSE-level and equivalent qualifications.

The research, published in the British Educational Research Journal, analysed specifications from the UK’s six main examination boards across biology, chemistry, environmental science, geology, physics and astronomy. Rosalind Franklin, whose X-ray crystallography research contributed to the discovery of DNA’s double-helix structure, was the only woman identified in the KS4 materials. Even her contribution appeared in just one specification.

The researchers, Dr Greg J Cooke, Skyla B White and Stephanie Buttigieg, collaborated with the IncludeHer movement to examine how women’s scientific achievements are represented in school curricula. They found that several important discoveries included in compulsory learning materials were made by women, yet their names and contributions were not explicitly acknowledged in the specifications.

The team argues that relatively small changes to existing curricula could address these omissions without requiring substantial restructuring of the science syllabus. Including the achievements of women scientists, including Nobel Prize winners, could help students understand the history of scientific discovery and encourage more girls to pursue science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects.

Gender Gap in Advanced Science Subjects Raises Concerns

The researchers identified a potential relationship between the gender representation of scientists in compulsory learning materials and the subjects students choose to study at higher levels.

Although girls typically outperform boys in most STEM subjects at KS4, boys are significantly more likely to choose physics, mathematics and further mathematics at Key Stage 5 (KS5), which covers A-level and equivalent qualifications. The proportion of girls opting for mathematics and further mathematics is now lower than it was in 2005.

The study found a “compelling” correlation between the gender representation of scientists encountered by students at KS4 and the STEM subjects girls subsequently choose at KS5. The researchers suggest that the transition between these educational stages may be a critical point for retaining girls in science.

Physics specifications at KS4 were found to contain a particularly strong concentration of male scientists. The researchers suggest that this lack of representation could be one factor influencing the considerably lower proportion of girls who continue studying physics at KS5 compared with boys.

Biology and chemistry, which are slightly more popular among girls than boys at KS5, showed a different pattern. Their KS4 specifications contained fewer references to individual scientists overall.

The team acknowledges that women’s under-representation in STEM careers results from multiple, complex factors. However, the researchers argue that increasing the visibility of women scientists in school materials could help challenge stereotypes about who can succeed in science.

Research on relatable STEM role models has indicated that seeing people with whom students can identify can strengthen their sense of belonging in science and encourage positive attitudes towards scientific careers. The Cambridge team believes that making women’s achievements part of compulsory learning could help more girls envisage a future in STEM.

Dr Greg J Cooke said: “The women we recommend for the updated science specifications have helped shape the modern world. It is important that students understand the iterative history of science and the context behind these discoveries to frame their knowledge when assessing the bigger picture: How did Susan Solomon help save the ozone layer? How did Lise Meitner’s work eventually lead to the dawn of the nuclear age? It is long overdue that we teach these inspiring stories about women.”

Researchers Recommend Including More Women Scientists

The Cambridge researchers identified specific opportunities to incorporate women scientists’ contributions into existing examination specifications.

For KS4 biology, they recommend including Rosalind Franklin in every specification, rather than limiting references to her work to a single one.

In chemistry, they suggest introducing Marie Skłodowska-Curie during lessons on atomic structure and isotopes. Curie won two Nobel Prizes, discovered polonium and radium, and coined the term “radioactivity”.

For physics, the researchers recommend including Lise Meitner, a nuclear physicist who contributed to the discovery of nuclear fission and provided the first theoretical explanation of the process. Despite her contribution, she was controversially excluded from a Nobel Prize.

The study also examined KS5 examination specifications and found that only three of the 181 scientists mentioned were women: Rosalind Franklin, geologist Marie Tharp and seismologist Inge Lehmann.

The researchers recommend including Dorothy Hodgkin’s work in KS5 biology lessons on protein structure. Hodgkin won a Nobel Prize for using X-ray crystallography to determine the structures of important biological molecules, including insulin.

They also highlighted the omission of Annie Jump Cannon, whose work contributed to the development of the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram, a tool taught in school science despite her name not appearing in the specifications.

Skyla B White said: “Despite years of effort to achieve gender parity in science, it is disappointing that students in the UK can complete their science education without learning the names of the women behind the scientific discoveries they study. This matters because it is at this stage, when students begin to choose which subjects to pursue further, that the gender divide grows. It’s fantastic that students learn about the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram, for example, but it was built on the work of Annie Jump Cannon, who is not mentioned. You can’t tell one story without the other.”

Stephanie Buttigieg said: “Research has shown that relatable role models can help keep more girls in STEM by strengthening their sense of belonging in science and fostering positive attitudes towards scientific careers. When school science specifications leave out women’s names, they miss a real opportunity to help girls see a future for themselves in science and continue to reinforce the harmful stereotype that science is mainly for men.”

‘Who are they blackmailing?’ Rahul Gandhi targets BJP-RSS over Epstein-Puri picture

Bhopal family’s 109-year wait for British war loan of ₹35,000 remains unpaid, UK denies obligation

Posted on October 22, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

A piece of paper dated June 4, 1917, has become the centre of a family’s search for answers spanning more than a century. It records an investment of ₹35,000 by Seth Jumma Lal Ruthia, a merchant in the princely state of Bhopal, in an Indian War Loan issued during British rule.

The investment was made during the First World War, when the British administration raised money from the public to finance military expenditure. More than 109 years later, the Ruthia family says it has yet to receive a clear account of what happened to the money.

The family’s claim has now encountered a fresh hurdle. The United Kingdom’s Debt Management Office (DMO), responding to an inquiry from the family’s legal counsel, said it could find no evidence that the loan was or is an obligation of the British government.

The email, dated October 16, 2026, did not say whether the investment had been repaid. That omission has left the family pursuing the same fundamental question: if the money was settled, when and how did that happen?

For the descendants, the dispute is about more than the possible value of an old financial instrument. It is also about the meaning of a document that has survived generations, bearing the name of an ancestor who died long before India became independent.

A merchant’s wartime investment survives across generations

The certificate identifies Seth Jumma Lal Ruthia as the subscriber to the loan through the firm Seth Rama Kishan Jaskaran Ruthia. It bears the signature of W S Davis, who was then the political agent in Bhopal, and records the date of June 4, 1917.

According to the family, the investment carried an annual interest rate of 5.5%. The certificate has remained among the family’s papers for more than a century and now provides the documentary basis for its claim.

Jumma Lal Ruthia died in 1937, a decade before British rule in India ended in 1947. The investment therefore predates independence, the transfer of power and the many political and institutional changes that followed.

War loans were a familiar feature of British India’s wartime finances. The colonial administration invited members of the public, traders and institutions to subscribe money to government-issued debt instruments, with interest offered in return. The funds supported military expenditure, including supplies and troop payments.

For a merchant in Bhopal, subscribing to such an instrument meant placing money in a financial arrangement backed by the authority of the colonial administration. The surviving certificate records that transaction, but it does not, by itself, establish whether the investment remains unpaid today or which present-day institution would be legally responsible for it.

The family has sought repayment of the original ₹35,000 subscription and says it supplied authenticated documents, including the historical certificate, through its legal counsel.

The amount involved in 1917 was substantial enough to remain a matter of interest to the descendants more than a century later. The family estimates that compounding the sum at 5.5% annually over 109 years could produce several crores of rupees. A separate comparison based on the rise in gold prices could put the equivalent above ₹10 crore.

These are the family’s estimates, not an independently established amount owed by the British government. Any actual entitlement would depend on the terms of the instrument, its repayment history, the applicable legal framework and whether a surviving liability can be established.

Britain’s response leaves the family’s central question unanswered

The latest response came from the UK Debt Management Office after an inquiry by Shreyansh Raniwala, legal counsel for the family of Vivek Ruthiya, 63, of Sehore in Madhya Pradesh.

In its October 16 email, the office said it had investigated the matter but could find no evidence that the loan was or is an obligation of the UK government.

The response does not amount to a judicial ruling on the family’s claim. Nor does it establish that the investment was repaid. It indicates that the office has not found evidence supporting the existence of a British government liability in the records it examined.

That distinction is central to the dispute. A certificate can document an original subscription, but proving that a debt remains outstanding after 109 years requires more than establishing that the investment was once made.

Social activist Vinay Ruthiya has questioned why the British authorities have not provided an account of the loan’s repayment or settlement. He said the family had submitted the documents requested by the authorities, including the historical certificate.

“If the loan was repaid, there should be a record showing when and how it was settled. We submitted the documents they asked for, including the historical certificate,” he said. “We want a clear answer on what happened to the money,” he added.

The family is seeking clarification on whether the subscription appears in historical financial records and, if so, how the liability was accounted for. That would help distinguish between a claim that cannot be verified from available records and one that can be traced to a recorded repayment or settlement.

The passage of time complicates the search. The investment was made under a colonial administration that no longer exists in its original form, and the merchant who subscribed to it died in 1937. The family is now attempting to trace the financial history of a transaction through records that may have been created, transferred or maintained by institutions over several generations.

The immediate question is whether further historical records can establish the fate of the subscription. The broader issue is whether the available documentation can identify a legally responsible entity and demonstrate an outstanding obligation.

For now, neither the family’s claim nor the British office’s response provides a complete account of what happened to the money.

The certificate dated June 4, 1917, remains evidence of the investment the family says its ancestor made. But after more than a century, the most important part of the story remains unresolved: whether the loan was ever repaid, and where the record of that repayment, if it exists, can be found.

FAQs

1. Who invested ₹35,000 in the 1917 Indian War Loan?

Seth Jumma Lal Ruthia, a merchant associated with the firm Seth Rama Kishan Jaskaran Ruthia in the princely state of Bhopal, is named on the certificate dated June 4, 1917.

2. What has the UK Debt Management Office said?

The office said on October 16, 2026, that it could find no evidence that the loan was or is an obligation of the British government. It did not state whether the money had been repaid.

3. How much could the original investment be worth today?

The family estimates that compounding ₹35,000 at 5.5% annually for 109 years could produce several crores of rupees. A gold-price comparison could exceed ₹10 crore. These are estimates, not an established debt.

4. Does the old certificate prove that Britain still owes the money?

No. The certificate provides documentary evidence of the original subscription, but it does not independently establish that the loan remains unpaid or that the present-day UK government is legally liable.

5. What is the family asking British authorities to clarify?

The family wants to know whether the subscription appears in historical financial records and, if the loan was repaid, when and how the settlement occurred.

6. Why is the case difficult to resolve after 109 years?

The investment dates to British colonial rule, and the original subscriber died in 1937. Establishing a current liability requires tracing historical financial records, repayment or settlement information, and the legal status of the instrument.

Magnitude-7 earthquake jolts Tibet weeks after deadly Nepal-border floods

Posted on October 22, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

A powerful magnitude-7.0 earthquake struck northern Tibet on Thursday evening, October 22, raising fresh concerns about seismic activity in a Himalayan region still recovering from devastating flash floods and landslides in August.

According to India’s National Centre for Seismology (NCS), the earthquake occurred at 8.03 pm IST, approximately 489 km north-northwest of Pandin in Arunachal Pradesh, at a reported depth of 173 km. China’s earthquake monitoring agency, however, placed the epicentre in the Nagqu region of northern Tibet at a depth of around 10 km, highlighting differences between preliminary measurements from monitoring agencies.

A second earthquake, measuring magnitude 5.0, struck the region at around 8.42 pm IST, according to the NCS. Another magnitude-5.2 earthquake was also reported in China at around 8.29 pm IST, adding to the sequence of seismic events recorded that evening.

Initial reports did not confirm casualties or property damage from the magnitude-7.0 earthquake. The full extent of its impact remained unclear as information from the affected region continued to emerge.

The earthquake comes weeks after catastrophic flooding and landslides along the Nepal–Tibet border killed hundreds of people and left many others missing. The August disaster destroyed homes, damaged roads and bridges, and disrupted communities across difficult-to-access Himalayan terrain.

Nagqu earthquake raises questions over the scale of seismic activity

The strongest earthquake was reported in the Nagqu region of northern Tibet, hundreds of kilometres from Lhasa, the regional capital.

The reported depth differed substantially between monitoring agencies. India’s NCS placed the earthquake at 173 km, while China’s Earthquake Networks Center reported a depth of approximately 10 km. The United States Geological Survey also reported a magnitude-7.0 earthquake, with its initial estimate placing the epicentre about 191 km east-northeast of Nagqu at a depth of 18 km.

Such differences can occur in preliminary earthquake reports because agencies use different data sources and analysis methods. Magnitude, depth and epicentre estimates may be revised as additional seismic information becomes available.

The sequence of earthquakes prompted attention because of the region’s mountainous geography and the potential vulnerability of remote settlements and infrastructure. However, the earthquake’s actual effects could not be established from its magnitude alone.

The available reports did not establish whether the tremors caused landslides, structural damage or disruptions to transport links. Those details would require confirmation from local authorities and subsequent assessments.

August floods left a trail of destruction along Nepal–Tibet border

The latest earthquake follows a devastating natural disaster in late August, when a collapse involving ice and rock near the Nepal–Tibet border triggered a destructive surge of water, mud and debris.

The resulting floods swept through settlements in Nepal’s Rasuwa district and affected areas on the Tibetan side of the border. Roads and bridges were damaged or destroyed, complicating rescue operations and access to affected communities.

Early reports linked seismic activity to the flooding, but subsequent analysis by the US Geological Survey indicated that the recorded tremor was generated by the ice-and-rock landslide itself rather than by a conventional earthquake that triggered the disaster.

The distinction is important: the August flood disaster and the October earthquake are separate events, and no evidence available in the initial reports established a direct connection between them.

The Himalayan region is exposed to multiple natural hazards, including earthquakes, landslides, glacial lake outburst floods and sudden surges caused by ice or rock collapses. The latest earthquake has renewed attention on the vulnerability of communities and infrastructure in this high-altitude terrain.

For now, the priority is to establish the extent of the earthquake’s impact, verify reports from affected areas and determine whether additional hazards have followed the tremors.

FAQs

1. When did the magnitude-7 earthquake strike Tibet?

The earthquake was reported at 8.03 pm IST on Thursday, October 22, 2026.

2. Where was the earthquake’s epicentre?

China’s earthquake monitoring agency placed it in the Nagqu region of northern Tibet. Other agencies reported slightly different epicentre estimates.

3. Were there casualties or damage?

Initial reports did not confirm casualties or property damage. The full impact remained unclear.

4. Were there additional earthquakes?

Yes. The NCS reported a magnitude-5.0 earthquake in the region at around 8.42 pm IST and a separate magnitude-5.2 earthquake in China at around 8.29 pm IST.

5. Is the earthquake linked to the August floods?

No direct link has been established. The August disaster was associated with an ice-and-rock collapse that triggered destructive flooding along the Nepal–Tibet border.

6. Why do agencies report different earthquake depths?

Seismic agencies use different observations and analysis methods, so preliminary estimates can vary and may be revised as more data becomes available.

Trump Ocean row: Did Sundar Pichai really stop Trump’s renaming plan?

Posted on October 22, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

US President Donald Trump has claimed that Google CEO Sundar Pichai rejected his proposal to rename the Atlantic Ocean the “Trump Ocean”, offering a rare account of an alleged disagreement between the president and one of the world’s most influential technology executives over geographical naming.

Speaking at a rally in South Carolina on Wednesday, October 21, Trump said he had approached Pichai about changing the ocean’s name, only to be told that the proposal was different from previous geographical renaming initiatives because oceans extend across multiple countries.

According to Trump’s account, Pichai declined to accommodate the request, explaining that oceans were different from geographical features that could be renamed within the United States.

Trump subsequently indicated that he would probably abandon the idea of renaming the Atlantic Ocean. However, neither Google nor Pichai has publicly confirmed the conversation, leaving the account dependent on the president’s version of events.

The episode raises questions about Trump’s continuing efforts to attach new names to prominent geographical features, Google’s role in implementing official naming changes and the limits of a US administration’s influence over internationally recognised geographical terminology.

Trump’s renaming campaign meets a different geographical challenge

The reported exchange follows Trump’s earlier remarks about renaming the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean, which he made during a rally in Tennessee earlier this month.

Trump floated names including “Trump Ocean” and “Ocean of the Americas”, suggesting that he wanted to rename one of the two major oceans bordering the United States before leaving office.

The proposal followed his administration’s efforts to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. In February 2025, the US government updated its official geographical names database following Trump’s executive order, and Google subsequently introduced the new designation for users accessing Maps in the United States.

Google’s implementation, however, was not a universal replacement of the original name. The company explained that US users would see “Gulf of America”, users in Mexico would continue to see “Gulf of Mexico”, and users elsewhere would see both names.

The administration also pursued the renaming of Lake Ontario as Lake America in 2026, extending the political dispute over geographical names beyond the Gulf of Mexico.

These precedents help explain why Trump’s reported approach to Pichai is significant. Google has demonstrated that it can adapt its maps to changes in official US geographical records, but its documented policy does not establish that the company can unilaterally secure international acceptance for a new name.

An ocean, unlike a geographical feature renamed for domestic government use, involves a much broader international context. Different countries, mapping services and institutions may continue to use established names even when one government adopts a different designation.

What Google’s role reveals about political power over maps

The central question is not simply whether Pichai rejected Trump’s request, but how much power a technology company has over the names used to identify geographical features.

Google Maps is a major source of geographical information for users worldwide. Its labels can influence how people encounter place names in everyday navigation, travel planning, education and news consumption. That reach gives its naming decisions practical significance, particularly when governments introduce politically contentious changes.

Yet Google has previously explained that it follows official government naming sources when updating geographical labels in the United States. Its treatment of the Gulf of America illustrates how the company can apply different names according to the country from which users access the service.

This distinction is important because a change in a national database or on a digital map does not automatically establish universal acceptance of a geographical name. The Gulf of Mexico example shows how competing designations can coexist across national boundaries and mapping platforms.

If Trump’s account is accurate, Pichai’s reported response would illustrate the limits of extending that approach to a much larger international geographical feature. However, without confirmation from Google or independent evidence of the exchange, it would be premature to describe the episode as a verified personal confrontation or a formal rejection by the company.

Trump’s remarks also continue a broader political pattern in which geographical naming has become a tool for asserting national identity and presidential authority. The Gulf of America change demonstrated that the administration could alter official US usage and prompt digital platforms to reflect it. The proposed “Trump Ocean”, by contrast, remains an idea rather than an established geographical designation.

For now, the evidence supports a narrower conclusion: Trump says he approached Pichai about renaming the Atlantic Ocean, and he says the Google chief declined. Whether the conversation happened exactly as described remains unconfirmed.

The distinction matters. A president can propose a new name, a government can adopt it for domestic official use, and a mapping company can reflect that decision within its policies. None of those steps alone guarantees that the rest of the world will follow.

FAQs

1. Did Sundar Pichai reject Trump’s proposal to rename the Atlantic Ocean?

Trump claims that Pichai rejected the proposal, arguing that oceans span multiple countries. Google has not publicly confirmed the conversation.

2. Did Trump officially rename the Atlantic Ocean the Trump Ocean?

No. The “Trump Ocean” proposal has not been established as an official geographical name.

3. Why did Google change Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America on Maps?

Google said it updated the label after the US Geographic Names Information System officially adopted “Gulf of America”. The company displays names according to users’ locations.

4. Would renaming the Atlantic Ocean in the United States change its name worldwide?

Not automatically. A US designation or a change on a particular mapping service would not, by itself, ensure international adoption of the name.

5. Has Google confirmed Trump’s account of his conversation with Pichai?

No public confirmation of the alleged conversation was available in the reporting reviewed for this article.

IMD Warns of Heavy Showers, Flash Flood Risk Across Tamil Nadu Tomorrow and Day After

Posted on October 21, 2026 by Sridhar P

Heavy rainfall is expected to continue across Tamil Nadu as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warns of very heavy showers, thunderstorms and gusty winds in several districts. Persistent downpours have raised concerns about waterlogging and localised flooding, particularly in low-lying areas of Chennai and neighbouring districts.

A low-pressure area formed over the southwest Bay of Bengal on Wednesday, October 21, under the influence of an upper-air cyclonic circulation off the Tamil Nadu coast. The developing weather system is expected to contribute to further rainfall across Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal in the coming days, according to the weather department.

Chennai experienced heavy overnight rainfall, disrupting movement in several neighbourhoods. The Greater Chennai Corporation reported an average rainfall of 70.25 mm across the city during the 24 hours ending at 6 am on Wednesday. Vadapalani, Saidapet and Alandur recorded particularly heavy rainfall, with totals of 132.9 mm, 125.2 mm and 119.4 mm, respectively.

IMD Rain Alert: Districts Facing Heavy to Very Heavy Showers

The IMD has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places in several districts, with thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds reaching 40-50 kmph possible at one or two locations.

The districts identified in the forecast for Thursday include Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Kanniyakumari, Tenkasi, Virudhunagar, Ramanathapuram, Theni, Dindigul, Madurai, Coimbatore, the Nilgiris, Sivaganga, Pudukkottai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam and Mayiladuthurai. Karaikal is also covered by the warning.

For Friday, heavy to very heavy rainfall is forecast at isolated places in Kanniyakumari, the Nilgiris and Coimbatore districts. Thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds could accompany the showers.

The wider wet spell is expected to persist beyond Thursday, with further rainfall warnings covering parts of Tamil Nadu and the adjoining regions over the following days. Residents should consult the latest district-level IMD bulletins because warning areas and rainfall intensity can change.

Chennai Waterlogging Raises Flood Concerns

Heavy rainfall can lead to localised flooding, traffic disruption and difficulties for commuters, particularly in areas prone to water accumulation. Civic authorities have been responding to waterlogging complaints and other rain-related incidents in Chennai.

The Greater Chennai Corporation has urged residents to exercise caution in affected areas. People should avoid walking or driving through flooded stretches, stay away from open drains and report dangerous conditions to civic authorities. Motorists should also check road conditions before travelling and allow additional time for their journeys.

Schools in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram and Ranipet were declared closed on Wednesday, October 21, following heavy overnight rain. Any extension of the closures will depend on fresh announcements from the respective district administrations.

The formation of the low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal remains an important factor in the rainfall outlook. Residents across the affected districts should monitor official weather warnings and local administration advisories as the system develops.

Fire breaks out at Biswa Bangla Gate hanging restaurant in West Bengal

Posted on October 21, 2026 by Sridhar P

A fire broke out at the hanging restaurant atop Biswa Bangla Gate in New Town, West Bengal, on Wednesday evening, triggering panic among people below. Around 50 to 60 customers were dining at the restaurant when flames were spotted at approximately 6.30 pm on Vijaya Dashami. All guests and staff were evacuated safely, and no casualties were reported.

Eyewitnesses said flames and smoke rising from the elevated restaurant alarmed people on the road below. Fire tenders and a large police contingent rushed to the spot after receiving the alert.

As embers began falling onto the road, police stopped traffic on the main arterial stretch beneath the landmark as a precaution. Firefighters and police personnel worked together to bring the blaze under control.

Bidhannagar Police Commissioner Rathod Amitkumar Bharat reached the site with senior officers from New Town and Techno City police stations. After inspecting the area, he confirmed that the fire had broken out in the restaurant section above Biswa Bangla Gate at around 6.30 pm and was contained promptly.

The fire department and the Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (HIDCO) are investigating the cause. Officials are examining whether a short circuit or an incident in the kitchen triggered the blaze.

Authorities have also ordered a comprehensive safety audit of the structure. The police commissioner said the relevant agencies had been instructed to inspect the entire installation following the incident.

The fire briefly disrupted traffic in the area, causing severe congestion. Normal movement has since resumed.

FAQs

1. Where did the fire break out?

The fire broke out at the hanging restaurant atop Biswa Bangla Gate in New Town, West Bengal.

2. When did the incident occur?

The fire was spotted at around 6.30 pm on Wednesday, October 21, during Vijaya Dashami.

3. Were there any casualties?

No casualties were reported. All customers and restaurant staff were evacuated safely.

4. What caused the fire?

The cause has not been established. Investigators are examining a possible short circuit or a kitchen-related incident.

5. What action have authorities taken?

The fire department and HIDCO are investigating the incident, and a comprehensive safety audit of the structure has been ordered.