Residents came Together to Re-Plaster Mali's Great Mosque of Djenne, Preserving a Heritage Site

The annual re-plastering of Mali’s Great Mosque of Djenne took place, preserving the world's largest mud-brick building. The mosque is a symbol of peace and unity for the city, with residents coming together to maintain it each year. Despite challenges like insecurity and dwindling tourism, the tradition continues as a way to preserve Mali's cultural heritage for future generations. Maintaining this historic site remains a top priority in the region.

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Nostalgia For Days: Touring The Last Blockbuster In The Entire World

If you grew up in the 1990s, chances are you still remember the thrill of a Friday night trip to Blockbuster. Browsing the aisles, reading the back of movie cases, debating between VHS or DVD — it was a ritual for millions of families. And while streaming has taken over, one Blockbuster still stands. In Bend, Oregon, you’ll find what is officially the last remaining Blockbuster store in the world. Yes, it’s real — and it’s thriving. The Bend Blockbuster opened in 2000, run by a local family determined to keep the spirit of movie nights alive. While every other store around the globe shuttered years ago, this one never gave up. Today, it’s more than just a place to rent films and games. It’s a living time capsule for anyone who misses the era of popcorn, plastic cases, and late fees. Online, people can’t help but reminisce. “I miss reading the back of a movie to see what it’s about like a book,” one commenter wrote on a viral video featuring the store. Another added, “We went to Blockbuster every Friday night and next door was Pizza Hut. Man that feeling was magical.” Inside, the shelves are lined with hundreds of titles — from classics to new releases — along with a wall of merchandise. Much of it is locally made in Bend, which gives the place a community feel that’s hard to find anywhere else. Visitors from all over the world stop by to take photos, buy T-shirts, and soak up the nostalgia. The survival of this final Blockbuster says something about what people miss most: the experience. In an age of digital convenience, there’s something special about physically picking a movie, seeing the cover art, and chatting with the staff about what to watch next. So yes, streaming may have changed everything, but in Bend, Oregon, one blue-and-yellow storefront is keeping movie night traditions alive — one rental at a time.

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Therapy Dogs are Providing Vital Emotional Support to First Responders Nationwide

When first responders rush into danger — battling wildfires, responding to shootings, or treating trauma victims — they often carry invisible wounds home with them. The job’s relentless stress can take a heavy toll, leading to burnout, depression, and even suicide. But for many of them, relief now comes in the form of a wagging tail and a wet nose. For the past five years, Heidi Carman and her golden retriever Kerith have brought comfort to emergency workers through First Responder Therapy Dogs, a nonprofit Carman founded after seeing how much joy her dog brought to firefighters, police officers, and paramedics. Since 2021, the group has certified more than 480 therapy dog teams across 46 states, visiting over 150,000 first responders nationwide. “We’re supposed to be there to help other people,” said San Rafael Fire Engineer Dan Rotwein. “And so I think it’s hard naturally for us to say that we need help.” That reluctance can have devastating consequences. Firefighters and police officers are more likely to die by suicide than in the line of duty. Studies show that therapy dogs can lower stress hormones, reduce blood pressure, and boost oxytocin — the hormone tied to emotional connection. For Carman, the journey started by accident. In 2018, she began raising Kerith as a guide dog puppy for a California nonprofit. “She was just too friendly to every single person she met,” Carman said. “She was born to be a working dog, but guide dog work was not the job she was intended to do.” Carman adopted her and trained her as a therapy dog. Their first volunteer visits were at a local hospital, where they met firefighter-paramedics shaken after a tragic call. “They just hugged her, and they just melted their heads into her,” Carman recalled. “And they’re like, ‘We need this so badly right now. Can you come to our fire station?’” Kerith quickly became a fixture at firehouses. When wildfires swept through northern California in 2020, Carman and Kerith began visiting base camps where exhausted crews rested between 24-hour shifts. “It’s just such a relief,” she said. “It’s like an exhale for them just to be with a dog. I’ve seen happy tears, sad tears, a lot of smiles.” As word spread, requests flooded in — from police departments, 9-1-1 dispatch centers, and EMS crews. To meet the demand, Carman launched First Responder Therapy Dogs, creating a national certification and training program for therapy teams. Handlers undergo background checks and 15–20 hours of coursework. The nonprofit provides vests, ID cards, and insurance, and helps teams build relationships with local emergency agencies. “It doesn’t matter the breed,” Carman said. “As long as they have a good temperament and love people.” The dogs are often deployed after traumatic incidents, including mass shootings or line-of-duty deaths. “They don’t want to talk about what they’re feeling,” Carman said. “But when the dog is there, they just start talking.” Commander Jack Hart of the San Francisco Police Department has seen it firsthand. “Oftentimes, as a defense mechanism, we close up,” he said. “When we are around emotional support animals, you just see that all sort of melt away. And that ability to smile and to release has such a profound effect.” For retired firefighter and paramedic Michelle Detrick, Kerith’s visit in 2020 was a turning point. “She put both of her paws on my shoulders, and she just went nose to nose with me,” Detrick said. “And it broke me down. This was my wake-up call that I needed to go to therapy.” Today, Carman’s goal is to make sure every first responder who needs comfort can find it — four paws at a time. “We have helped so many people,” she said. “I’m grateful to Kerith for showing me the way.”

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Young Boy Raises Funds For Local Animal Shelter, Inspired By School Lessons On Charity

When four-year-old Easton Peterson learned about charity at his preschool in Oxford, Michigan, he took the lesson to heart — and decided to turn it into action. For the past month, Easton has been collecting pop cans, donations, and supplies to help his local animal shelter, the K9 Stray Rescue League, which has been rescuing and rehoming dogs for more than 30 years. “At his school, each month they pick a virtue of the month, and back in September the virtue was charity,” said his mother, Alexandra Peterson. “We had some conversations with Easton about what that meant and how we could show charity and give to our community, and after looking at a couple of different options he decided he wanted to help out the dogs.” The K9 Stray Rescue League primarily takes in dogs from Detroit Animal Care and Control and finds homes for roughly 300 dogs each year. Right now, the nonprofit is caring for about 30 dogs at its shelter and several more in foster homes. Lead evaluator and trainer Kelly Barker said Easton’s act of kindness came as a welcome surprise. “I love when kids get involved and I love, especially a four-year-old, that is going to have such empathy and compassion and an interest in helping dogs at such a young age,” she said. Easton and his family began sharing his project on social media, and the community quickly rallied behind him. So far, he’s raised more than $300 and collected over 30 items from the shelter’s Amazon wishlist — everything from dog food and treats to toys and cleaning supplies. “Any donations, especially since we’re funded strictly by donations, is very helpful and keeps our doors open,” Barker said. For Easton, who has always loved animals, the effort has been pure joy. “He just absolutely loves animals in particular, so it’s so great that the shelter that we’re helping is right here in Oxford,” said his mom. His dad, Chad Peterson, says watching his son’s compassion in action has been inspiring. “It’s beautiful to see that innocence in the world and to see him so excited about it and also carry this forward in his life,” he said. Donations to support Easton’s cause can be made directly through the K9 Stray Rescue League website — proof that even the smallest hands can make a big difference.

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'Tron: Ares' Steers To $33 Million Opening At Domestic Box Office

“This is a solid opening for a character-driven comedy about a fugitive living a double life who falls for a divorced mom,” said David A. Gross, author of the industry newsletter FranchiseRe, noting that comedies of this type typically open around $6.4 million domestically. Holding third was Warner Bros.’ One Battle After Another with $6.67 million, bringing its three-week total to $54 million. Fourth place went to Universal Pictures’ Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie with $3.35 million, followed by Sony’s Soul on Fire at $3 million. Dergarabedian called Gabby’s Dollhouse “an unsung hero of the month,” noting that while its numbers are modest, it has remained steady thanks to family audiences. “It’s a very rare movie, in as much as it’s a G-rated film. Usually it’s PG movies that attract the family audience,” he said. Analysts noted that October has been light on major studio tentpoles, with most blockbuster releases pushed to the final weeks of the year. Upcoming heavy-hitters include Wicked: For Good (Nov. 21), Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 (Dec. 5), and Avatar: Fire and Ash (Dec. 19). Until then, Dergarabedian said, audiences will have to dig a little deeper. “Moviegoers have to research and find the movies that really grab them,” he said.

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Thrift Shop Find Could Be Priceless Glasswork of Scottish King

A Scottish antique dealer who picked up a dusty stained glass window at a thrift shop for just $25 believes he may have stumbled upon a priceless piece of medieval history — one possibly linked to King Robert the Bruce himself. Richard Drummond spotted the colorful glass panel while browsing a charity shop in Moffat, Scotland, and was told it had been found in an abandoned local house. After decades of grime were cleaned away, the glass revealed an image of what appears to be a knight, surrounded by a Latin inscription reading “Robert Rex Scotorum” — “Robert, King of the Scots.” “I cleaned it off with a brush, then I could see it said ‘Robert Rex Scotorum,’” said Drummond, 49. “That’s when I thought this was going to be interesting.” Intrigued, he began researching online and consulting experts across Scotland and abroad. Many agreed the craftsmanship suggested it could date as far back as the 14th century, around the time of Robert the Bruce — the Scottish king celebrated for leading his country to independence after victory at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. “It could be priceless,” Drummond told SWNS. “If this is proven to be of that period, it’s a massive historical find for Scotland.” He noted that the engravings, paintwork, and glass structure convinced a local museum curator that the piece was “hundreds of years old.” Some experts have speculated it might have originated in France and arrived in Scotland through the Knights Templar, while others believe it could have come from a castle once occupied by Robert the Bruce himself. “Which castle that is, I have no idea,” Drummond said. “I’m on a mission to get the artifact dated and find out exactly where it came from.” Drummond and his son Alfie recently appeared on the BBC program The Bidding Room, where the show’s experts confirmed the glass could be up to 700 years old. “Is this something that was made in Scotland or England for Robert the Bruce? Is it part of treasure that left France in 1307? Was it made in memory of him?” Drummond wondered. “It’s medieval art; it’s medieval Scottish history, and in my eyes, it’s just stunning.” He hopes to have the piece authenticated and displayed in a museum if its royal connection is confirmed. “It’s so well preserved, it’s been looked after,” he said. “It’s a piece of history that’s been forgotten about in Moffat.”

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Brave 10-Year-Old Saves Brother From Choking With Quick Heimlich Maneuver

A 10-year-old girl in Texas is being praised as a hero after saving her younger brother from choking — using a life-saving skill she learned from a babysitting guide and her mom. Lia and her 7-year-old brother, Logan, were playing on their backyard trampoline when the frightening moment happened. The two were eating sour candies when Logan suddenly began to choke. He clutched his chest and struggled to breathe. Without panicking, Lia sprang into action. She first patted her brother’s back, then quickly performed the Heimlich maneuver. Within seconds, the candy flew out and Logan could breathe again. Local police later shared video of the rescue, calling Lia’s response calm, fast, and effective. Lia’s mother, Heather James, works with the Lavon Police Department’s special programs unit, which offers life-saving courses. She said her daughter had learned the Heimlich technique from both her and a babysitting safety guide. “It was very hard to watch that moment, but I am proud of her,” Heather told NBC News. Heather said she was in the kitchen when it happened, and Lia ran in to tell her what she’d done. Logan, now fully recovered, also learned a lesson from the experience. According to his mom, he promised not to “jump on the trampoline with candy” ever again.

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Detroit Students Pedal Toward Better Attendance With School-Provided Bikes

Every morning, 17-year-old Elyazar Holiday faces a two-hour, four-bus journey to school across Detroit. With no car at home and few yellow buses available for high schoolers, public transit is his only option — and it’s unreliable. Last year, his school found a simple way to make that trek easier: they gave every student a bike. At Davis Aerospace Technical High School, Principal Michelle Davis launched the program as part of a broader effort to tackle chronic absenteeism. Funded through community donations, nearly 100 students received bicycles — a gesture that, for many, has been life-changing. “Giving the students bikes is just one problem that we’ve solved for,” Davis said. “What we do intentionally is solve for all of the problems that the kids have, because that has to be our major responsibility.” For Holiday, the bike means independence — and safety. When a bus is late or doesn’t show, he can ride to a different stop or even pedal the rest of the way to school. “With the bike, I can still make up the distance or go to a different street to get on a different bus and still make it there on time,” he said. “A bike in itself is protection. You can use it to get away from the situation … or even throw it.” Other students say the bikes help them navigate the city and their lives more freely. Senior Myron Dean uses his to get to school in seven minutes, freeing up time for driver’s ed classes. Junior Tryve Roberts said his commute dropped from an hour-long walk to a 16-minute ride, and he’s rarely late now. Principal Davis said the idea was personal. As a teenager, she remembered the freedom she felt when her mother bought her a pink Huffy. So, she wrote “bikes” at the top of her “big ideas” board — and made it happen. It’s part of a larger cultural shift at Davis Aerospace, where improving attendance has become a community-wide mission. The school’s chronic absenteeism rate dropped more than 14 percentage points last year and nearly 23 points since 2018–19. While more than 42 percent of students still missed too many days, the progress stands out in a district where some schools see rates close to 80 percent. Inside the building, attendance is tracked publicly, with monthly prizes for the most consistent classes — cookies, nachos, or a movie day. A “free boutique” offers clothes, coats, and shoes to students who need them, while another room provides hygiene products and laundry machines. Davis says staff even discuss launching a carpool program for nearby families. “What we know is that there’s not just one thing that’s going to decrease absenteeism,” Davis said. “Every kid that has a barrier for attendance, we talk to those students. We see what the barriers are, and we solve for the student and their challenge to getting to school.” For some, the bikes are more than transportation — they’re a taste of freedom. Junior Roderic Pippen said riding has become a hobby. “I like to adventure on the bike — find new places to be at,” he said. “My bike trips are more fun than just sitting in the car, scrolling on the internet.” Seniors Savannah Robinson and Ciana Carter said their bikes gave them independence during the summer when their parents were at work. “Anytime she had a bad day, I’d be like, come on, girl, let’s go ride our bikes and get fresh air,” Robinson said. For Holiday, it’s also opened new doors. This year, he’s using his bike to get to biweekly events for the Midnight Golf Program, a mentorship and college readiness group. “When you’re a teenager, bikes are your first form of transportation,” Davis said. “It gives you a form of freedom. You explore the world with your bike.”

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From Qualifier to Champion: World No. 204 Beat Novak Djokavic, Then His Cousin, to Claim First Major Title

Of all the ways Valentin Vacherot could have won his first major tennis title, this one feels straight out of a movie. The world No. 204 had to fight through qualifying just to make it into the Shanghai Masters. Then, one by one, he toppled four seeded players—each ranked far above him—before shocking world No. 11 Holger Rune in the quarterfinals. Next came the ultimate test: Novak Djokovic in the semifinals. Somehow, the 26-year-old from Monaco beat the 24-time Grand Slam champion in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4, to reach his first-ever Masters 1000 final. And there, waiting for him, was his own cousin. Arthur Rinderknech, ranked No. 54 in the world, had just taken out Daniil Medvedev in the other semifinal. The two cousins, who once played college tennis together at Texas A&M, were suddenly facing each other in one of the sport’s biggest tournaments. In a match that felt more like a family reunion than a professional showdown, Vacherot came back from a set down to beat Rinderknech 4-6, 6-3, 6-3—becoming the lowest-ranked player ever to win an ATP Masters 1000 title. The moment was historic for more than one reason. It was the first time in ATP history that cousins had played each other in a Masters 1000 final, and the first time family members had met in a major ATP final since John McEnroe beat his brother Patrick in 1991. “Grandpa and Grandma would be proud,” Vacherot wrote on the camera lens afterward. Both men struggled to speak in the post-match interview, overcome with emotion. “It is unreal what just happened. I have no idea what is happening right now. I am not even dreaming, it is just crazy,” Vacherot said, according to the ATP Tour. “I am just so happy with my performances the past two weeks. I just want to thank everyone who has helped with my career since the beginning. There has to be one loser but I think there is two winners today. One family that won and I think for the sport of tennis, the story is unreal.” Rinderknech, who had dominated the first set with 12 winners and only two unforced errors, could only smile after watching his cousin’s comeback. “To Valentin, my love, you just gave everything, I’m so happy for you, I hope we’re going to have more,” he said. For Vacherot, the win changes everything. Before Shanghai, he had just one ATP match victory and a total of $594,077 in career prize money. This single tournament earned him $1.12 million and a massive leap into the world’s top 50. But on Sunday night in Shanghai, the money and ranking points seemed secondary. The image that will endure is of two cousins, arms around each other, barely able to speak through the tears—one of them holding a trophy that neither could quite believe was real.

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Austin's Scream Club Offers Unique Stress Relief and Community Connection

On a quiet Sunday evening in Austin, the scene along Lady Bird Lake feels peaceful — runners glide by, a busker strums his guitar, boats drift lazily in the water. Then, suddenly, the calm is broken by a chorus of screams. This isn’t a protest or a movie shoot. It’s Scream Club Austin — one of the city’s newest social groups dedicated to a simple idea: sometimes you just need to yell it out. Every Sunday around 7 p.m., dozens gather on the Pfluger Pedestrian Bridge downtown to do just that. For a few cathartic minutes, they release whatever’s been building up inside — frustration, anxiety, sadness, or just the pressure of trying to keep it all together. The group was started by Austin local Krystal Morris, who admits the inspiration came from her own bad stretch of luck. “After my A/C went out and I stubbed my toe multiple days in a row, I needed to get it out without punching someone in the face,” she said. When she heard about Scream Club Chicago, which launched earlier this year and quickly inspired similar gatherings across the U.S., Morris decided to bring the idea home to Texas. She held Austin’s first Scream Club meeting in early September — and 150 people showed up. “There were multiple people who cried,” she said. “Most people laughed. And I had, immediately afterwards, many, many people coming up saying how much they enjoyed it.” Each session begins with Morris holding a sign that reads “Ever feel the need to scream?” before leading everyone through some light stretches and breathing exercises. Then comes the main event — a few minutes of unrestrained noise. Long battle cries echo across the lake, guttural roars rise over the bridge, and even a few boaters join in from the water. Morris says the act of screaming together hits deeper than people expect. “Sometimes we need permission to scream,” she said. “We’re so used to holding things together or feeling like we should be able to handle whatever is going on in our life. Just having permission to release is a really big part of it.” But the gatherings aren’t only about letting go — they’re about connection, too. “You have that camaraderie with not even knowing the person next to you,” Morris said. “People either are pretty lonely or they don’t feel like they can vent to their friends because they’ll be judged.” That sense of connection is what keeps regulars coming back. “I actually made a new friend,” said Kenken Gorder, who’s been attending since the first meeting. “We met, talked for two hours, walked downtown and then made plans to go to Uchiko.” For others, like first-timer Gustavo Seixas, it’s about finding release. “I’ve been having some ups and downs in my life, like with depression and stuff,” he said. “I was like, why not? There’s so much sh— I want to scream about.” By the end of the session, he was smiling. “It’s really good, just vent out all your frustrations, all your things you have to let go of. Being around everyone doing that, it builds community.” As the final screams fade and the sun sets over the water, the mood shifts from chaos to calm. “It’s a nice way to end the week, nice way to start a new week,” said first-timer Teddy Tesfaye. “Refreshed.”

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New Research Suggests Moon's South Pole Holds Clues to Its Origins

When NASA astronauts land near the moon’s south pole in the coming years, they may be walking on top of one of the most important scientific archives in the solar system. According to new research led by Jeffrey Andrews-Hanna, a planetary scientist at the University of Arizona, the region could hold answers to how the moon itself was born. The study, published October 8 in Nature, reconstructs the violent impact that shaped the South Pole–Aitken basin—an enormous crater spanning 1,900 kilometers from north to south and 1,600 kilometers from east to west—and offers new insight into one of lunar science’s biggest mysteries: why the moon’s far side is so much rougher than the near side we see from Earth. About 4.3 billion years ago, a massive asteroid slammed into the far side of the young moon, gouging out the South Pole–Aitken basin. The crater’s elongated, teardrop shape suggests the asteroid struck at an angle rather than head-on. By analyzing that shape and comparing it to other large craters across the solar system, Andrews-Hanna’s team concluded that the impactor likely arrived from the north, not the south as previously thought. “This means that the Artemis missions will be landing on the down-range rim of the basin — the best place to study the largest and oldest impact basin on the moon, where most of the ejecta, material from deep within the moon’s interior, should be piled up,” Andrews-Hanna said. The researchers found that the southern rim of the crater, which faces the incoming direction of the asteroid, is layered with thick debris ejected from deep below the surface. That debris could contain clues to the moon’s inner structure and chemical evolution. For decades, scientists have known that the moon once had a global “magma ocean.” As it cooled, heavier materials sank to form the mantle while lighter minerals floated to form the crust. But a peculiar mix of elements — potassium, rare earths, and phosphorus, known together as KREEP — became trapped in the final stages of solidification. Those ingredients are now concentrated on the near side of the moon, where they helped drive the volcanic activity that shaped the dark plains forming the “face” visible from Earth. “If you’ve ever left a can of soda in the freezer, you may have noticed that as the water becomes solid, the high fructose corn syrup resists freezing until the very end and instead becomes concentrated in the last bits of liquid,” Andrews-Hanna said. “We think something similar happened on the moon with KREEP.” But why the KREEP-rich material ended up on the near side has been unclear. The new study offers a compelling explanation: as the crust thickened on the far side, molten material beneath it was squeezed toward the near side — “like toothpaste being squeezed out of a tube,” Andrews-Hanna said. The team found that the South Pole–Aitken basin bears signs of this process. The crater’s western rim is rich in radioactive thorium — a marker of KREEP — while the eastern side is not. This uneven distribution suggests that the impact exposed a boundary between two distinct layers of the moon’s crust, offering a rare window into its ancient interior. “The distribution and composition of these materials match the predictions from our models of how the lunar magma ocean evolved,” Andrews-Hanna said. “The last dregs of the lunar magma ocean ended up on the near side, but a thin, patchy layer also existed beneath parts of the far side, explaining the radioactive ejecta we see on one side of the basin.” Many mysteries remain about how the moon formed and cooled, but the Artemis program could soon help answer them. Samples collected from the south pole region will allow scientists to test these ideas in detail. “Those samples will be analyzed by scientists around the world, including here at the University of Arizona,” Andrews-Hanna said. “With Artemis, we’ll have samples to study here on Earth, and we will know exactly what they are. Our study shows that these samples may reveal even more about the early evolution of the moon than had been thought.”

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