A new study has concluded that nearly one in two farmers worldwide experiences pesticide poisoning each year. Drawing on publicly available evidence collected between 2006 and 2023, the research, commissioned by Pesticide Action Network, estimated that 402 million to 433 million farmers and agricultural workers suffer unintentional acute pesticide poisoning annually. With the global farming population estimated at 934 million people, the findings suggest that around 46% are affected each year.

Tschabalala Self is strikingly upbeat and determinedly hopeful. The American artist is preparing for the unveiling of Lady in Blue, her new work for the fourth plinth in London’s Trafalgar Square: a monumental, vividly painted bronze figure of a black woman moving confidently into the future. Self speaks with certainty about the sculpture, despite the experience she had with her previous public artwork in Britain. “Yes,” she says from her home in upstate New York. “That was an openly racist

For almost three decades, a corner of Sonoma County belonged to Tsarist Russia, leaving a little-known but important mark on the history of the United States. The journey from San Francisco to Fort Ross takes roughly two hours, tracing a spectacular route north along the California coast. Once the fog around the Golden Gate had faded behind me, the road carried me past dry vineyards and towards Sonoma’s isolated shoreline. I opened the car windows. On one side, the land dropped sharply into the

Onimusha: Way of the Sword Two decades after its last outing, Capcom’s fiercely stylish action series is back. Samurai master Miyamoto Musashi faces armies of fighters and monstrous demons across Edo-era Kyoto. Learn its demanding swordplay before plunging into a storm of clashing steel, flying limbs and spectacular sprays of blood. 4 September; PC, PS5, Switch 2, Xbox Screenbound Described as gaming’s first 5D platformer, Screenbound asks players to explore a 3D environment while also

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Final arguments are set for Monday in one of the most closely watched hip-hop trials, involving the man prosecutors say helped arrange the killing of Tupac Shakur. Duane “Keffe D” Davis, 63, is charged with one count of murder with a deadly weapon, with prosecutors alleging the crime was intended to benefit or support a criminal gang. The charge stems from Shakur’s killing in Las Vegas nearly three decades ago. A jury pool of 16 people, including four alternates, heard

These routes cross oceans, continents, and multiple time zones, putting even seasoned travelers’ endurance to the test. An Airbus aircraft recently spent more than 24 hours and 24 minutes in the air during a nonstop flight from Melbourne to Toulouse, covering around 23,000 km. However, this was a test operation rather than a commercial passenger service. Among flights available to book, Singapore Airlines’ New York–Singapore service remains the world’s longest scheduled nonstop passenger route.

Drawing on the DIY pop-rock feminist spirit of the 1990s, Olivia Rodrigo turned a benefit concert into a major fundraising effort for women’s well-being, bringing her young fan base into the movement and generating $20 million. Daisy Chain Fields featured a women-centered lineup that included queer pop performer Chappell Roan, rising rapper Doechii and riot grrrl trailblazers Bikini Kill, all supporting women’s health, workplace rights and legal protections. Before Saturday’s festival in

The government is preparing to revise its approach to curfews and provide civilians with faster access to information about air threats. Ukrainian Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi announced this, without specifying what exact changes may be introduced. According to him, the work of the state, the capital, the economy and critical infrastructure must be adjusted to respond to Russia’s evolving attack tactics. “Long air raid alerts affect not only public safety, but also businesses, logistics,

The road to Pedrovo is thrillingly steep, and at every tight bend I find myself hoping no tractor appears around the corner. Near the village, we leave the car behind and walk the final stretch to the hamlet, a cluster of white houses with red roofs perched on a sharp karst slope. The warm, dry breeze carries the fragrance of wild sage. A painted wooden sign points us towards Čilčevi Farmstead. We head down a flight of stone steps into a green garden, where a table waits beneath the trees with

BENGALURU, India (AP) — Delegates from almost 200 nations concluded United Nations talks on desertification in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on Friday, focusing on how to keep land fertile as a warming climate intensifies and damaged soils and ecosystems become less able to retain water, grow food and sustain communities. As much as 40% of the planet’s land is degraded, according to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, which hosts the biennial conference. Drought is also appearing

SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Dolly Parton did more than sing with affection about her Tennessee mountain home. Throughout her life, she lifted the profile of a frequently overlooked region, celebrating the place that shaped her music and helping create a tourism surge that permanently transformed communities near the Great Smoky Mountains. That enduring loyalty made Parton’s death deeply personal across rural Sevier County. Around the globe, she was recognized as one of country music’s greatest

More than 18 months after the last official look at Grand Theft Auto 6, developer Rockstar has given fans a 26-minute preview of its highly anticipated blockbuster game. The “extended look” premiered on Netflix six hours before arriving on YouTube, offering players their first opportunity to watch substantial footage of the title in action. Presented without commentary or explanatory text, the montage highlighted upgraded visuals, richly detailed locations, and several car chases and gunfights

Evidence hidden in DNA may help solve the mystery of human ancestors who are absent from the fossil record but remain embedded in the genes of people alive today. Scientists established years ago that our species, Homo sapiens, interbred with extinct human relatives, including Neanderthals and Denisovans. Yet other ancestral groups have remained difficult to identify. Unlike Neanderthals and Denisovans, whose DNA has been extracted from prehistoric remains, these populations are genetic

CIA Director John Ratcliffe warned Russian officials in Moscow against escalating tensions with US allies in NATO, particularly Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, amid Russia’s prolonged invasion of Ukraine. The US intelligence chief also used his rare, unofficial trip to the Russian capital to press Moscow to reduce its military and economic support for Iran, according to media reports citing informed sources. News of Ratcliffe’s visit, which the administration did not formally acknowledge until

A fire erupted at the Afipsky oil refinery in Russia’s Krasnodar region after a drone attack, according to local officials. In a separate incident, two workers at the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant were injured in another Ukrainian drone strike. At least two people were killed and two more wounded by falling drone wreckage near Afipsky railway station, regional Governor Veniamin Kondratyev said on Tuesday. Management at the nuclear facility said the drone struck close to

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — A court in Peru on Monday evening found four men guilty in a contract-killing case and imposed prison sentences ranging from 15 to 35 years for the 2023 murder of Indigenous forest defender Quinto Inuma Alvarado. The closely followed proceedings were widely viewed as a major test of whether violence against Indigenous and environmental advocates in the Amazon would be punished. Genix Saboya Saboya and Limber Ríos Ruiz each received 35-year prison terms. Segundo Juan

KRAKOW, Poland (AP) — When Nastya Podorozhnya’s family members escaped the war in Ukraine and crossed into neighboring Poland, volunteers greeted them warmly. Podorozhnya, 29, was already based in Poland when the conflict erupted. Yet just days before Russia launched its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, she hurried back to Ukraine to help her sister and nieces leave the country. Returning to Poland amid the first major wave of refugees, she saw extraordinary generosity from Polish

Iran says it is confident it can withstand an expansion of US sanctions after Washington unveiled what it called an “economic D-Day” intended to cut the country off from the global economy. Iranian Economy Minister Ali Madanizadeh said Tehran was “fully prepared” for the restrictions, which he predicted would result in “another defeat” for the United States. Introducing a broad package of measures, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that countries maintaining financial partnerships with

Passengers may be surprised to learn that a bright, scorching summer day can delay or even cancel a flight. Yet extreme heat can create serious challenges for aviation. High temperatures reduce aircraft performance, potentially leading to delays, weight limits, additional fuel stops and, in certain situations, cancellations. According to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University professor Cary Grant, who flew for United Airlines for decades, a very hot day can disrupt operations much like snow or

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran’s currency sank to an unprecedented low Monday as Washington prepared to unveil new sanctions described as an “economic D-Day,” intensifying pressure on an economy already damaged by earlier restrictions and a U.S. naval blockade. The rial fell to 2.02 million against the U.S. dollar when trading began on unofficial currency markets. Iran’s Central Bank maintained an official rate of roughly 1.5 million rials per dollar, although most Iranians rely on the