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Overnight News Digest: It’s Almost Fall! [1]

['Gary Turner', 'Bill In Portland Maine', 'Thom Hartmann', 'Greg Dworkin']

Date: 2026-09-18  

Welcome to the Overnight News Digest with a crew consisting of founder Magnifico, regular editors side pocket, maggiejean, Chitown Kev, eeff, Magnifico, annetteboardman, Besame, jck, JeremyBloom, and doomandgloom. Alumni editors include (but not limited to) Interceptor 7, Man Oh Man (RIP), wader, Neon Vincent, palantir, Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse (RIP), ek hornbeck (RIP), rfall, ScottyUrb, Doctor RJ, BentLiberal, Oke (RIP) and jlms qkw. OND is a regular community feature on Daily Kos since 2007, consisting of news stories from around the world, sometimes coupled with a daily theme, original research or commentary. Editors of OND impart their own presentation styles and content choices, typically publishing each day near 12:00 AM Eastern Time. Please feel free to share your articles and stories in the comments.

Pictures of the week from The Guardian — and their photos of the week in wildlife, And also from The Guardian:

A sea of hands, a giant ‘lifesaver-saurus’ and a melting robot: Queensland’s SWELL sculpture festival 2026 – in pictures The beach becomes a giant art gallery each year as SWELL sculpture festival takes over Currumbin in Queensland’s south-east. Almost 100 large-scale artworks are on display during the free, 10-day outdoor exhibition, now in its 24th year. Among the artists is invited guest Patricia Piccinini, whose bronze sculpture Salute to the Sun ‘is a chimera, seamlessly moving between deer, tree, fungus, human and motorcycle’. The works are on display until Sunday 20 September

From Al Jazeera:

How fantasy fans keep a Turkish blacksmithing tradition alive In Izmir’s historic Kemeralti bazaar, the Akdemir family is finding new customers for a four-generation craft. By Sinan Keskin Kemeralti Bazaar, Izmir, Turkiye – To the casual passer-by, the Akdemir family’s workshop could be any traditional blacksmith’s forge. Dozens of hammers and tongs hang from the walls; kebab skewers, knives and axes lie across the benches; a length of steel glows in the fire. But for those familiar with fantasy worlds and gaming, a second look may be required. Just a few steps inside the workshop’s shutter-style doors, an enormous forged fantasy sword rests across a countertop, similar to the one wielded by the Lich King in the popular video game World of Warcraft. Elsewhere are weapons inspired by TV series and video games, including Game of Thrones and League of Legends, rendered in steel.

From Deutsche Welle:

Aztec manuscript loaned back to Mexico after two centuries Mahima Kapoor For years, Mexico has demanded the return of a treasured manuscript. Now the Aztec relic is back home from France — but on loan. The Azcatitlan Codex, a rare and prized manuscript that recounts the history of the Aztecs in vibrant pictograms, has returned to Mexico for the first time since 1840. It went on display in Mexico City on Thursday. The codex is a 16th-century artifact and regarded as one of the most important visual records of Aztec history. It records the founding of the Aztec capital to its fall after the subsequent arrival of Spanish conquistadores.

From Al Jazeera:

Rare Ethiopian manuscript stolen by British forces triggers restitution row The Gondar Gospel belonged to the library of Emperor Tewedros but was seized in a battle decades ago. By Shola Lawal A sacred book looted by British forces from an Ethiopian king has prompted an intense ownership dispute after it resurfaced in a private sales catalogue nearly 160 years after it was stolen. The Gondarine Gospel, an ancient bible originally in the possession of Emperor Tewodros II, was listed among rare books meant to be sold at the ongoing Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. It was listed for sale at $250,000.

From The Guardian:

Interview ‘The man’s a psychopath when it comes to hedgerows’: Derek vs Derek, the unexpectedly heartwarming doc about farmers at war Patrick Barkham One Devon farmer, called Derek, is committed to rewilding his land. His neighbour, also a Derek, tends cattle and crops. What happened when a film-maker decided to follow the bickering pair? Derek Gow and Derek Banbury should hate each other. Gow is an outspoken rewilder widely credited with bringing back the beaver in England. As he returns his Devon sheep farm to wild nature, he is also breeding storks, wildcats, red-backed shrikes, glowworms and even adders to return to the countryside. Over the hedge, Banbury, his neighbour, is proud to be an intensive farmer, producing milk and beef cattle behind tightly clipped hedges. “It’s like he’s just gone mad,” says Banbury of Gow at the start of Derek vs Derek, an illuminating and unexpectedly funny new documentary that follows the pair over three years. “And the madness is now crossing the road on to my land.”

Another from The Guardian:

And one more from The Guardian

Singapore is paying people to read books – can it fix the reading crisis? A government scheme is giving citizens cash for spending time with a good book. We ask behavioural scientists, along with The Anxious Generation author and psychologist Jonathan Haidt, whether it’ll help make the habit stick Ella Creamer Could the solution to the reading crisis lie in paying people to put down their phones and pick up a book? That’s what one government, at least, is resorting to: this month, Singapore launched a scheme promising actual cash to citizens as a reward for logging reading time on a government website. It’s unlikely to make you megabucks – you have to rack up 50 reading sessions of at least 15 minutes to earn one Singapore dollar (£0.59), with only one logged session allowed per day. But behavioural scientists and psychologists told the Guardian such a scheme could still help boost a habit in precipitous decline.

As always, beneath the fold we have the more serious/depressing/earth-shaking stories. There are always a lot of them. We begin tonight with the Americas, then move west to Asia, and around the continents to end in western Europe.

From News-Medical.net:

Chile becomes first South American nation to eliminate dog-transmitted rabies Chile has become the first country in South America to receive the World Health Organization (WHO) validation for eliminating dog-transmitted rabies as a public health problem. The recognition highlights more than 50 years of progress without a human case of rabies and confirms the country’s capacity to prevent transmission from re-emerging. I congratulate the government and people of Chile on this historic achievement. This validation reflects decades of commitment to protecting communities from rabies and demonstrates the impact of sustained investment in public health. Chile’s success offers valuable lessons for countries working to end human deaths from this preventable disease.” Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General The recognition reflects more than five decades of sustained national efforts to interrupt dog-mediated transmission and maintain that achievement through dog vaccination, surveillance and timely access to post-exposure prophylaxis.

From Discover Magazine:

9-Million-Year-Old Capybara Tooth From Chile Hints at Unexpectedly Wet Conditions in the Ancient Atacama Desert Learn how a fossilized capybara tooth could point to a drastically different climate in the Atacama Desert almost nine million years ago. Written by Jack Knudson Capybaras are among the most adored animals on the internet, having risen to fame with their stoic demeanor and clumsy antics. These rodents, which look somewhat like giant guinea pigs, have always thrived near rivers and ponds. It may come as a surprise, then, that their ancestors used to live in what is now the Atacama Desert in northern Chile. A new study published in Scientific Reports has detailed the discovery of a fossilized tooth from a capybara that lived in the Atacama Desert around nine million years ago. Back then, however, the Atacama Desert may not have been much of a desert at all; it may have had a wetter climate, challenging the idea that it is one of the world’s oldest continuously dry regions. And while capybaras are long gone from the area, the fossil tooth suggests that they once enjoyed life in coastal Chile millions of years ago.

From the Associated Press:

Brazilian police arrest a suspect in dozens of killings SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazilian police said Friday they will reopen dozens of cases linked to a self-confessed serial killer who was arrested as he attempted to escape dressed as a woman and carrying a child. Jorlan Lopes da Silva, 33, is suspected of killing at least 16 people in the region of Mulungu, in northeastern state of Paraiba. He was arrested on Sunday after a two-day search.

From The Guardian:

From the NYTimes:

Manitoba Joins List of Canadian Provinces to Stop Changing Clocks A survey of 72,000 residents found that most wanted to stop falling back and springing forward every year. The region will now follow others that have abandoned the practice. By Lynsey Chutel Residents of Manitoba, Canada, will no longer switch their clocks from daylight saving time, the provincial government said on Thursday, as more regions in the country abandon the seasonal shift back and forth. The province made the decision after a survey of 72,000 residents showed that an overwhelming majority, 92 percent, wanted to ditch seasonal time changes, according to an official announcement. In the survey, carried out in May, 58 percent of residents chose to stay on daylight saving, or summer, time, which is currently an hour behind Eastern time.

From Al Jazeera:

Australia to detain tourists who overstay visas amid immigration crackdown More than 77,000 visa overstayers face detention or departure as Australia cracks down on immigration violations. Australia will begin detaining visa overstayers as part of a broader immigration crackdown, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke announced. The Australian Border Force will expand its team by 100 compliance officers, who will work to detain or encourage the departure of roughly 77,000 people currently living in Australia without a valid visa, Burke said Thursday. He said the policy was designed to reintroduce consequences for overstaying.

From Surfer.com:

20-Foot Great White Kills Swimmer in Western Australia ‘Like a Scene Off Jaws’ (Video) Witnesses describe a 20-foot great white tossing a swimmer like a ragdoll off Sorrento Beach as rescuers race to recover the victim and calm a shaken community. By Dashel Pierson Managing Editor, SURFER In a horrific scene that unfolded right in front of terrified beachgoers, a swimmer was killed by a massive Great White shark off the coast of Western Australia. The victim, understood to be a beloved member of the local surf life-saving club, was enjoying a morning swim with a friend about 30 meters from the shore at Sorrento Beach when the catastrophic ambush occurred.

From Al Jazeera:

Philippines school shooting leaves at least three dead, including gunman At least eight people were also injured in the country’s third deadly school shooting since June. At least three people, including a 16-year-old suspected gunman, have been killed and several injured in a shooting at a school in the Philippines. The attack was reported on Friday in Banga town in ‌South Cotabato, in the southern Philippines. It is the country’s third deadly school shooting incident since June.

From NBC News:

China vessel rams Philippine boat on refueling mission, coast guard says Chinese authorities blamed the Philippines for the latest confrontation between the two countries in disputed waters in the South China Sea, which caused damage but no injuries. MANILA, Philippines — A China Coast Guard vessel rammed a Philippine boat on a resupply mission in the South China Sea on Friday, damaging its railings and deck structures but causing no injuries, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said, in the latest confrontation between the two countries in disputed waters. The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources vessel BRP Datu Magat Salamat was on a mission to distribute fuel to Filipino fishermen about 54 nautical miles off the coast of Palawan province when a China Coast Guard vessel carried out a series of dangerous maneuvers and made contact with the Philippine ship, the coast guard said.

From the South China Morning Post:

From Al Jazeera:

Indonesia acquires first aircraft carrier amid military upgrade Indonesia says vessel will be used to aid disaster relief across the archipelago, but its arrival comes amid drive to upgrade the military. Indonesia has welcomed the delivery of its first-ever aircraft carrier with a military ceremony as the vessel arrived at a naval base. The 41-year-old former Italian navy vessel Giuseppe Garibaldi docked in North Jakarta’s Tanjung Priok seaport on Friday, after sailing from Italy via Colombo and the Malacca strait, Indonesian Navy Chief of Staff Muhammad Ali told reporters.

From the NYTimes:

Convicted of Theft, an Ex-Prime Minister Is Set to Swap Prison for Mansion The former prime minister of Malaysia, Najib Razak, was convicted in the multibillion-dollar 1MDB scandal. He’ll serve out his time at a luxury home. By Zunaira Saieed A former prime minister of Malaysia convicted of stealing millions of dollars from a government fund was granted a conditional pardon on Friday, permitting him to serve out his prison sentence under house arrest at his luxury mansion. The former prime minister, Najib Razak, was ousted from office and eventually convicted of graft in 2020 as part of the fallout from the looting of a multibillion-dollar sovereign wealth fund, 1 Malaysia Development Berhad, known as 1MDB. The scandal also led to legal action in the United States because of the involvement of the investment bank Goldman Sachs.

From the AP:

At least 4 killed as floods inundate more than 16,000 homes in Vietnam By ANIRUDDHA GHOSAL HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — At least four people were killed after heavy rains, floods and landslides inundated more than 16,000 homes in northern and central Vietnam, authorities said Friday. Large areas remain flooded, although rain that has fallen in the region since Monday stopped Thursday afternoon. Floodwater continued to cover highways and low-lying areas, disrupting traffic and daily life.

From The NYTimes:

Warnings Across the Himalayas After Nepal Floods The catastrophe set off alarms in a region with thousands of glaciers spanning eight nations. Better monitoring and cooperation between the countries could save lives, experts say. By Somini Sengupta, Hari Kumar and Zane Irwin Somini Sengupta has covered climate issues for several years and has reported from the retreating Chorabari glacier in the Himalayas. It’s not just Nepal. Glaciers are melting across much of the Himalayas. Long-frozen ground, known as permafrost, is thawing. And a raft of disasters is menacing tens of millions of people who live in the countries that span the world’s highest mountains: landslides, bursting lakes, swollen rivers so forceful they wash away entire communities. Now, three weeks after a glacier collapsed, unleashing flash floods that left more than 8,000 dead or missing in Nepal and China, experts are urging national and local leaders across the region to prepare better for the next catastrophe. That includes more robust monitoring of their shared mountains and rivers, exchanging data with each other, and putting in place early warning systems and evacuation plans.

From Al Jazeera:

North Korea anthem played at South’s Bangladesh hockey match at Asian Games Asian Games organisers in Japan accidently play North Korea’s anthem ahead of South’s during hockey match with Bangladesh. The South Korean men’s hockey ⁠team were ⁠left bemused before their Asian Games match against Bangladesh on Friday when North ⁠Korea’s national anthem was played instead of their own. Lined up before the match, the ⁠South Korean players looked around in confusion as the anthem rang out at Green Stadium in Gifu, Japan.

From Al Jazeera:

Bomb attack at Pakistan mosque kills at least 27 people Attack claimed by faction of Pakistan Taliban (TTP) active in the region. A suicide bomb attack at a mosque and subsequent gun battle in Pakistan’s restive northwest have killed at least 27 people, including six civilians and 15 police officers, with dozens of others injured. As worshippers gathered for Friday prayers, an explosive-laden car was rammed into the entrance of a mosque at a police headquarters in Kohat. The city is in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa near the Afghan border,

From The Guardian:

British woman who was kidnapped in Malawi rescued by police after shootout Four of Nurat Osman’s alleged abductors were killed during rescue after she was taken from outside her home last week Rachel Savage in Johannesburg A British woman kidnapped in Malawi last week has been rescued by police after a shootout in which four of her alleged abductors were killed. Nusrat Osman was abducted outside her home in the southern city of Blantyre on 11 September at about 12.30pm. Police had offered a reward of 30m Malawi kwacha (£12,950) for information leading to her rescue and the arrest of the perpetrators.

Also from The Guardian:

Survivors recount panic and struggle to breathe in Nigerian prison cell where 37 died Police fire teargas as protests break out in city of Minna after deaths of suspected illegal goldminers, many of whom were children Eromo Egbejule Survivors from a prison cell in Nigeria where 37 suspected illegal goldminers died while in the custody of a paramilitary group this week have recounted their panic and struggle for breath, as police on Friday fired teargas at people protesting against the deaths and imposed an overnight curfew in the city of Minna. The victims – many of whom were children – were found dead on Thursday in the cells of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), which had raided suspected illegal goldmines and ⁠locked up dozens of miners in the city, the state capital of the mineral-rich state of Niger.

From DW:

‘No compromises’: Far-right AfD has few potential partners Hans Pfeifer Germany’s far-right AfD party is riding high after its latest electoral triumph in Saxony-Anhalt. But one question remains: Does it actually want to govern? With just under 44% of the vote, the far-right populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) emerged as by far the strongest party in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt on September 6. It fell only narrowly short of an absolute majority in the newly elected state parliament, and with it the opportunity to govern on its own. From the outset, the AfD made clear that governing alone was its preferred outcome. Only by avoiding having to compromise with coalition partners, the party argued, could it fully implement its agenda, which included compulsory work schemes for asylum-seekers, citizen patrols monitoring migration-related issues, and the abolition of all public funding for democracy and civic engagement programs.

From The Guardian:

Swedish teenager jailed for attempted murder, rape and assault committed online, with victims in Germany and Australia Eighteen-year-old known as Chai was active in networks notorious for their sadistic exploitation of young people Ariel Bogle A Swedish teenager known as Chai has been sentenced to more than 10 years in jail for attempted murder, rape and aggravated assault – crimes committed via the internet, including against a teenage girl in Australia. The district court found that Chai, 18, was active in online networks notorious for their sadistic extortion of young and vulnerable people, coercing them to create sexually explicit material or engage in acts of violence – and for the youth of those involved. The teenager was between 15 and 17 when the offences were committed.

From France24:

Far-right politician Éric Zemmour joins 2027 French presidential race French far-right politician Éric Zemmour said on Friday that he would run in next year’s presidential election, joining far-right candidate Marine Le Pen, who was runner-up to President Emmanuel Macron in the last two elections. Zemmour is campaigning on a crackdown on immigration, including a plan to expel unemployed foreigners even if they are legal residents. French far-right politician Éric Zemmour said on Friday that he would run in next year’s presidential election, vowing to crack down on immigration and expel unemployed foreigners even if they were legal residents. “I will be a candidate in the presidential election,” the head of the Reconquest party, who was a distant fourth in the last vote for the top job in 2022, told the BFMTV broadcaster. He joins the fray as more prominent far-right candidate Marine Le Pen is eyeing her best chance at winning power next year when President Emmanuel Macron steps down, after a court in July reduced her ban on holding public office for a graft conviction.

From The Guardian:

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