Armenis (Romania) (AFP) – Two hundred years after the bison disappeared from Romania, more than 100 of Europe’s largest land mammal now roam the country’s south-eastern forest, the fruit of a seven-year project carried out by NGOs the World Wildlife Fund and Rewilding Europe in the Eastern European nation.
London (AFP) – Climate activists demanding the UK government immediately insulate homes nationwide end a 10-day pause in their civil disobedience protests. The activists, who want the government to insulate all British homes starting with social housing, began their disruptive demonstrations last month but temporarily suspended them in mid-October to give themselves and the public “a break”.
Al Anbari (Iraq) (AFP) – In Iraq’s vast western desert, some 200 families live in a hamlet largely cut off from the rest of the world, their only neighbour one of the country’s biggest military bases. Lost in rocky ochre hills and surrounded by humble palm groves, Al-Sahl’s only education facility is a primary school, and residents rely on livestock and farming to survive.
Khartoum (AFP) – General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan dissolves transitional authorities and declares a state of emergency during a statement on Sudan state television. The announcement comes after armed forces detained figures of the government in charge of leading the transition to democracy since the April 2019 ouster of autocratic president Omar al-Bashir.
Khartoum (AFP) – Sudanese citizens take to the streets and block the roads with burning tyres in protest against the military and the arrest of Sudan’s prime minister. Armed forces detained Omar al-Bashir on October 25th over his refusal to support their “coup” after weeks of tensions between the military and civilian figures sharing power since the ouster of the autocrat.
Sagaing (Myanmar) (AFP) – In Myanmar, a Buddhist monk has become a symbol of hope for thousands, who believe him to be an antidote to their “three catastrophes”: the military’s ousting of the government, the Covid-19 pandemic and an economy ruined by nearly nine months of unrest.
Taipei (AFP) – CCTV footage shows the ground shake in Taipei City as a strong earthquake strikes northeastern Taiwan. Taiwan’s central weather bureau said the quake was of magnitude 6.5, the biggest on the island this year, while the US Geological Survey gave a lower figure of 6.2. There were no immediate reports of widespread damage.
Bangkok (AFP) – A cocktail bar owner in Bangkok hopes fruity mocktails seasoned with Kratom, a recently decriminalised tropical herb, will help keep his business afloat amid a seven-month ban on alcohol service in the Thai capital. The city, once a popular nightlife spot, is under a curfew and bars, pubs and restaurants are prohibited from selling alcoholic drinks as part of coronavirus restrictions.
Washington (AFP) – Animal welfare advocates, conservationists and scientists have carried out a three-year effort to count every cat in the US capital and provide an accurate estimate of the size of Washington’s indoor, outdoor and shelter population, as well as the health of the city’s cats. As part of the DC Cat Count, researchers set up wildlife cameras in more than 1,500 spots across the city.
Indianapolis (AFP) – The winner was not a driver but an algorithm at Indianapolis’s famous Motor Speedway, pushing its car to an average speed of 218 km/h and ushering autonomous vehicles into a new era. Nine university teams took part in the Indy Autonomous Challenge in the hopes of winning a million dollars and pushing forward the advent of self-driving cars.
