Archipelago nation in the Indian Ocean
Biologists report white-nose syndrome has reached Canada’s Northwest Territories, raising urgent questions about bat populations and North America’s winter hibernacula. The Pd fungus threatens thousands of hibernating bats, with experts forecasting impacts across the region while researchers race to understand its spread.
Six armed pirates hijack the Eritrean-flagged MT Sibu 1 east of al-Mukalla, Yemen, steering toward Somalia’s Puntland coast. The incident marks the latest in a string of hijackings by Somali pirates since April, with concerns rising over extended reach and security along the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. Puntland deploys coastal forces and condemns near-coast strikes; the IMB recorded 38 piracy incidents in H1 2026.
President Donald Trump has said the US war with Iran will end "immediately after" the November midterm elections and predicted oil and gasoline prices will fall once voting is over. His comments have come as Brent crude has climbed above $100 a barrel, US fuel prices and diesel records have risen, and Republican leaders are campaigning at a two‑day midterm convention in Dallas.
Survey shows Aldabra Atoll hosts about 183,000 adult and sub-adult Aldabra giant tortoises, the largest count yet. Conservationists warn climate shifts and invasive species remain threats, but eradication efforts could boost growth further. The findings come from five years of counting (2018–2022) by SIF and University of Exeter and published in Ecology and Evolution.