China opens probes into four online travel booking platforms

In 1927, Henry Ford built a town over a stretch of Amazon rainforest; in 1945 he was forced to sell it for $250,000

Henry Ford initiated the Fordlandia project in the lush Amazon rainforest of Brazil to secure a steady rubber supply. However, his corporate methods often clashed with local traditions and agricultural practices. The plantation faced numerous obstacles, including pests and diseases harming the rubber trees. Despite investing heavily over seventeen years, Fordlandia ultimately succumbed to failure, illustrating the challenges of integrating foreign business models within local ecosystems.

California buried a gas pipeline and removed its final barrier; salmon returned after 70 years

A decades-long barrier blocking fish migration in Alameda Creek was removed in 2025. This action reopened over twenty miles of upstream habitat for migratory fish. Chinook salmon were documented in the newly accessible area shortly after the construction. This marked the first access to this watershed section since the 1950s. The project is part of a larger, nearly thirty-year restoration effort.

Deadly shark attack prompts rare kill order in Western Australia

Police boats and helicopters are patrolling Perth's beaches as authorities continue their search for the swimmer's body, and the shark that attacked him.

Ellen DeGeneres’ $6.7M farmhouse is back on the market for $14.75M after 7 years

'He's paying him back': Trump defends Russian oligarch funding his son's Bahamas wedding

Flights at Luxembourg airport on hold after drone activity forces shutdown

In 1998, Alaska miner found a 294.1-ounce gold nugget; 23 years later, it sold for $750,000

In Alaska, a miner's incredible find of a massive gold and quartz specimen led to the unveiling of the largest gold nugget ever discovered in the state. Weighing over twenty pounds, this extraordinary piece, known as the Alaska Centennial Nugget, was held in a private collection until it hit the auction block in 2021, where it fetched an impressive $750,000.

California to open 2,060 coastal acres near Diablo Canyon as trails and campsites after $42m deal

A 2,060-acre stretch of California’s Central Coast near the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant will become a nature preserve after a $42 million conservation deal. The Wildlands Conservancy plans to open Wild Cherry Canyon to the public with hiking trails and campsites while protecting Native American cultural sites. The preserve is expected to open within five years, with guided tours possibly starting next year.

Malibu Estate Price Swings: Carson’s former home jumps to $110m; sale history charts luxury surge

Johnny Carson's iconic Malibu estate has embarked on quite a price adventure. Initially acquired for around nine point five million dollars, the property was later listed at eighty-one point five million dollars. It ultimately sold for forty million dollars in 2019 and has now returned to the market, boasting a staggering price tag of one hundred ten million dollars.

Early voting begins in US midterms that could shift control of Congress

HENRICO, Va. — In-person voting for this year’s midterm elections began Friday, ushering in the final six weeks for Americans to decide which party they trust to lead Congress through a cost-of-living crisis, a prolonged war in Iran and other pressing issues. Election administrators say they are prepared and confident the vote will be accurate and secure. Nevertheless, President Donald Trump has continued efforts to denigrate certain voting methods and reshape how elections are run, through court challenges, an expansive federal hunt for noncitizen voters and a pressure campaign to force election officials to share sensitive voter data. Friday marked the start of early voting in Virginia. Voters in a few other states, including Minnesota and South Dakota, can cast absentee ballots in person, typically at a local election office or voting center. More expansive early voting is scheduled to begin in those and other states in the coming weeks. At a voting location in Fairfax, Virginia, 18-year-old college student Sanya Singhal was among the first to vote early in person Friday morning,

California governor signs executive order to develop AI 'kill switch'

LOS ANGELES — California Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order Friday directing state officials to explore the feasibility of imposing a mandatory "kill switch" for the most advanced AI models. Newsom, widely seen as a possible Democratic presidential contender in 2028, said he was making the move because U.S. President Donald Trump was doing nothing on the issue. The Republican leader this week dismissed fears over AI as a hoax and is urging U.S. AI companies to keep advancing in order to stay ahead of China in developing the novel technology. California is home to Silicon Valley and the AI firms at the forefront of the sector. "The federal government's abject failure to create any form of meaningful AI oversight or accountability should alarm every American, especially when AI CEOs themselves are begging for regulation," Newsom said in a statement. "We're not waiting to act — we're going to speed up our work on substantial and responsible AI oversight before it's too late." The order comes days after dire warnings from industry insiders about the threat the technology poses

Princess Diana's famous 'revenge dress' goes on show ahead of Sotheby's auction

LONDON — Revenge has rarely been so stylish. A striking black dress worn by the late Princess Diana on the day her estranged husband publicly admitted adultery is going up for auction at Sotheby’s, with a presale estimate of up to $300,000. First, the “revenge dress,” as it has become known, is going on an international tour, testament to the enduring global fascination with Diana almost 30 years after her death. The garment, which went on public display Friday at Sotheby’s in London, was worn by Diana on June 29, 1994, the broadcast date of an interview in which the then-Prince Charles acknowledged infidelity. Diana, who knew the revelation was coming, chose to wear the figure-hugging, off-the-shoulder silk dress by Greek designer Christina Stambolian for a gala at London’s Serpentine Gallery. Morgane Halimi, Sotheby’s global head of handbags and fashion, said Diana chose the “beautiful and powerful outfit” as a way to seize control of her own story. “She always used fashion as a way of expression, but this time (it) was a way to communicate her personal expression of