Benjamin Wong has discovered calm — 8,530 feet above sea level. A high school teacher in Singapore, he enjoys long summer holidays. Still, he finds it difficult to choose destinations that aren’t just as sweltering as his hometown. This year, he is spending his break at a high-end mountain retreat in Yunnan, in southwestern China — a province increasingly favored by travelers hoping to beat the heat. Popular cities such as Dali and Lijiang can see nighttime summer temperatures drop to around 59

Tensions in the Middle East intensified after two oil tankers transporting Saudi crude to Asia reversed course in the Red Sea on Tuesday. The move followed an announcement by Yemen’s Houthi group declaring a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia. The shutdown of the Bab al-Mandeb strait, a vital passage linking the Red Sea with the Indian Ocean, has added new strain to global shipping lanes. This comes as traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains unstable amid the continuing US-Israel conflict

Argentina's legendary first lady died in July 1952. Six decades later, the BBC revisited the extraordinary story of what happened to her body – and the strange 16-year journey it undertook across continents. Within hours of Eva Perón’s death on 26 July 1952, Dr Pedro Ara began his delicate task. The distinguished Spanish anatomist was commissioned to embalm the Argentine first lady using advanced preservation methods similar to those employed on Lenin and Stalin in the Soviet Union. Evita,

Voters in São Tomé and Príncipe head to the polls on Sunday for a presidential election, as one of Africa’s smallest nations aims to reinforce its record as a stable democracy. The National Election Commission reports that roughly 142,000 citizens are registered to cast ballots in the island state, with about 15% of eligible voters residing abroad. Since achieving independence from Portugal in 1975, the country, located off the western coast of Africa, has earned recognition for holding calm

The daughter of well-known Ukrainian singer Pavlo Zibrov, Diana, has ended her relationship with her fiancé. According to recent reports, the артист recently shared details about changes in his daughter’s personal life. Diana had been in a relationship with businessman Andrii Ishchenko, and the couple got engaged in 2021. However, despite the engagement, they never made it to the wedding ceremony. "Diana is now single, young, and beautiful. She has lost 25 kilograms, and perhaps her

Wildfire smoke — increasingly common across the Northern Hemisphere as the planet heats up — affects nearly every organ in the human body and is responsible for tens of thousands of deaths each year, according to a growing body of medical research. Its impact can be swift. Within hours, asthma attacks rise and ambulance calls increase. Within a day or two, emergency departments fill with patients suffering from heart attacks, breathing difficulties, cardiovascular complications and even mental

In the autumn of 2024, Alabama Shakes appeared content to let their indefinite hiatus continue – and few expected otherwise. Seven years had passed since the blues-soul-rock group from Athens, Alabama, had last taken the stage together. Their 2012 debut Boys & Girls had broken them internationally; 2015’s Sound & Color topped the US charts, sold more than a million copies and earned four Grammy awards. Admirers ranged from Bruce Springsteen and Robert Plant to Barack Obama. Yet by 2017

NEW YORK (AP) — No matter which nation you’re backing in the World Cup final, one universal truth remains: nothing sets the mood quite like a perfectly curated playlist. To help fuel the excitement ahead of Sunday’s showdown, the Associated Press has assembled a soundtrack worthy of the occasion. Whether you’re rooting for Argentina to secure back-to-back titles for the first time since Brazil’s golden run in 1958 and 1962, or hoping Spain’s young sensation Lamine Yamal finds the net, these 10

Wessex Water granted its chief executive a pay rise well above inflation despite being prohibited from issuing bonuses due to sewage discharge incidents, newly released accounts show. Ruth Jefferson’s base salary rose by 14% in October, increasing from £590,000 to £670,000, before additional benefits were included. This uplift significantly exceeded the 3.5% awarded to staff and placed her earnings at 18 times the company’s median salary. Executive compensation in the water sector has faced

Starting July 18, 2026, three zodiac signs will be able to take advantage of an important opportunity that appears precisely when they are truly ready for it. On this day, the influence of the stars will help them recognize prospects that may have previously gone unnoticed. The retrograde lunar node is associated with destiny, life direction, and pivotal turning points. Its energy can encourage decisions that may seem risky at first, yet ultimately lead to meaningful and lasting change. Taurus

The co-founder and chief executive of Ocado has said he has “no intention of being a puppet master” overseeing staff decisions, amid signs of tension in the boardroom over succession plans at the grocery technology group. Tim Steiner, who is due to step down as chief executive in 2028, indicated that any incoming leader would be comfortable continuing to work alongside him. Shares in the company fell by almost 15% on Thursday, reaching their lowest level in more than ten years, after Ocado

In summer, cucumbers react instantly to even minor care mistakes, and slight stress can affect the shape of the fruit long before any other warning signs appear. Although their appearance does not influence taste or nutritional value, the shape can reveal what the plant is lacking and help you correct the problem in time. Let’s explore why cucumbers curl as they grow and what causes this feature. Why Cucumbers Grow Curved – What the Shape of the Fruit Reveals It is not always possible to

During a sweeping reshuffle of Ukraine’s government, Defense Minister Mykhaylo Fedorov was dismissed from his post despite a period marked by notable military achievements — a move that has triggered public demonstrations and unease within the armed forces. The 35-year-old Fedorov earned recognition for his forward-thinking use of technology and new recruitment strategies, though his methods reportedly created friction within parts of Ukraine’s defense leadership. He strongly backed Ukrainian

China’s economic expansion slowed markedly from April to June, as subdued domestic demand and the effects of the Iran conflict on oil prices weighed on the economy, despite robust export performance. Official gross domestic product (GDP) data indicated that the world’s second-largest economy grew by 4.3% in the second quarter, falling short of Beijing’s yearly target and down from the 5% growth recorded in the first quarter. The figures were released a day after separate statistics showed that

From midnight on July 15, 2026, the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar officially lifted border controls with Spain. Prior to this decision, the border checkpoints and the metal fence erected back in 1908 had already been dismantled. As Tagesschau recalls, Spain and Gibraltar had been separated by border checks for more than a century. Under the new agreement, however, entry into the British territory is now governed by Schengen Area regulations. Spain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, José

Long before his name was attached to one of the most formidable predators ever to walk the Earth — or appeared in the pages of an auction catalog — the late Gary “Gus” Licking, a cattle rancher in South Dakota, had a strong feeling that something extraordinary lay beneath his land. The Licking ranch sits within the Hell Creek Formation, a renowned fossil-rich region spanning Montana, Wyoming and the Dakotas. It is considered the most significant site in the world for Tyrannosaurus rex. One of

KUBUQI DESERT, China (AP) — For five decades, millions of workers have carried out the same careful routine across the windswept deserts of northern China: pressing forearm-length sticks into loose sand in straight rows, then crossing them with another set to create a tight grid. In the middle of each small square, young saplings are planted. This approach, known as “straw checkerboards,” is a straightforward but effective way to anchor shifting dunes. The grids reduce wind speed at ground

At least 51 people have died and over one million residents have been impacted by days of relentless rainfall across Bangladesh. Severe flash floods and landslides have destroyed homes and displaced thousands in many regions of the country, including the capital city, Dhaka. More than half of the confirmed fatalities have been recorded in Cox's Bazar, an area that hosts a large Rohingya refugee community. In that district last week, several students and a teacher lost their lives after

A massive blaze ripped through a bar in Bangkok late on Sunday night, claiming the lives of at least 27 people and leaving 22 others in critical condition. The fire reportedly began near the stage area of the venue in the bustling Chatuchak district. It quickly spread throughout the premises, cutting off electricity and filling the space with thick smoke, according to witnesses. Videos shared on social media captured scenes of chaos, with terrified patrons screaming as they rushed toward the