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Indian Space Startup Launches Country's Second Privately Built Rocket

FILE PHOTO: Agnibaan SubOrbital Technological Demonstrator (SOrTeD), vehicle is seen at Agnikul's Launchpad at Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, India, November 28, 2022. Agnikul Cosmos Private Limited/Handout via REUTERS
FILE PHOTO: Agnibaan SubOrbital Technological Demonstrator (SOrTeD), vehicle is seen at Agnikul's Launchpad at Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, India, November 28, 2022. Agnikul Cosmos Private Limited/Handout via REUTERS
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Indian Space Startup Launches Country's Second Privately Built Rocket

FILE PHOTO: Agnibaan SubOrbital Technological Demonstrator (SOrTeD), vehicle is seen at Agnikul's Launchpad at Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, India, November 28, 2022. Agnikul Cosmos Private Limited/Handout via REUTERS
FILE PHOTO: Agnibaan SubOrbital Technological Demonstrator (SOrTeD), vehicle is seen at Agnikul's Launchpad at Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, India, November 28, 2022. Agnikul Cosmos Private Limited/Handout via REUTERS

India's Agnikul Cosmos launched its Agnibaan rocket for the first time on Thursday, powered by the only Indian rocket engine to use both gas and liquid fuel in the country's second flight of a privately built rocket.
The Agnibaan's first flight had been called off four times in the last two months because of technical issues. The most recent cancellation was Tuesday, when launch was aborted five seconds before lift-off, Reuters reported.
The South Asian nation's space agency, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), has not successfully flown a rocket with a so-called "semi-cryogenic" engine.
"A major milestone, as the first-ever controlled flight of a semi-cryogenic liquid engine realized through additive manufacturing," ISRO said on social media platform X.
Agnibaan is a customizable, two-stage launch vehicle that can carry a payload of up to 300 kg (661 lb) into orbit of about 700 kilometers (435 miles).
The suborbital flight on Thursday was meant to test the new engine and 3D-printed parts; the company did not immediately say how long the test lasted or what altitude the rocket reached.
Pawan K Goenka, chairman of space regulator Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Center (IN-SPACe), also hailed the "historic moment". The Indian Space Association (ISpA) said the launch would "bolster global confidence" in the country's private space industry.
India Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been pushing for the privatization and commercialization of the country's space sector in the last few years.
India's first privately developed rocket, from the company Skyroot, flew in 2022.
Agnikul, whose name is derived from the Hindi and Sanskrit work for fire, was founded in 2017 and runs India's first private launchpad and mission control center. All other launchpads are operated by ISRO.

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Royal Commission for AlUla Launches 2026–2027 Archaeology Season in AlUla and Khaybar

The season further reflects RCU’s commitment to developing Saudi capabilities in archaeology and heritage through fieldwork - SPA
The season further reflects RCU’s commitment to developing Saudi capabilities in archaeology and heritage through fieldwork - SPA
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Royal Commission for AlUla Launches 2026–2027 Archaeology Season in AlUla and Khaybar

The season further reflects RCU’s commitment to developing Saudi capabilities in archaeology and heritage through fieldwork - SPA
The season further reflects RCU’s commitment to developing Saudi capabilities in archaeology and heritage through fieldwork - SPA

As part of its ongoing efforts to preserve AlUla’s cultural heritage and strengthen its position as a global center for archaeological research and knowledge, the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) has announced the launch of the 2026–2027 Archaeology Season across AlUla and Khaybar.

The season builds on previous years of archaeological research, excavation, documentation and conservation, reflecting RCU’s long-term commitment to studying one of northwest Arabia’s most significant archaeological landscapes, SPA reported.

This year’s program focuses on several key research themes, including early human presence, ancient Arabian kingdoms and oasis societies, routes of movement and pilgrimage, environmental history and water management, inscriptions and written heritage, and material culture and ways of life. These themes help connect archaeological evidence across sites, periods and disciplines, deepening understanding of how communities and civilizations lived over different historical periods.

At Hegra, research focuses on the ancient settlement center, including specialist studies of plant and animal remains and archaeological finds, supporting a deeper understanding of life at the site across multiple historical periods. In Dadan, the second phase of the Dadan Archaeological Project builds on the results of the preceding five-year project, focusing on funerary and residential areas to better understand the development of one of AlUla’s most important ancient centers over time.

In Khaybar, research examines the relationship between people and the oasis across different periods, including studies of the Neolithic (New Stone Age), a prehistoric period, the history of Khaybar during Islamic periods, sedimentary records, ancient environments and the natural resources that shaped human presence and cultural change.

Research into historic routes of movement in South AlUla also supports understanding of the pilgrimage and trade route landscape, including forts, railway stations and associated archaeological remains, and the travel networks that connected the region with its surroundings over time.

AlUla’s written heritage remains one of the key areas of archaeological research. More than 25,000 inscriptions have been recorded in AlUla, forming an important record of northwest Arabia’s history, languages and cultural interactions. Specialist studies also examine animal remains, ceramics, qanat water systems, oasis water management and material culture, moving beyond archaeological discoveries to develop a deeper understanding of aspects of daily life.

The season further reflects RCU’s commitment to developing Saudi capabilities in archaeology and heritage through fieldwork, laboratory analysis, specialist studies, digital documentation, community engagement and collaboration with international research institutions.

These efforts support knowledge transfer and the development of Saudi expertise in archaeology and heritage. University students actively participate in fieldwork, laboratory work, specialist studies and digital documentation, mentored by Saudi and international experts from collaborating institutions. The program also includes community activities that connect archaeological research with local knowledge through practical activities, museum and laboratory experiences, and site visits involving teachers, students, Rawis and rangers.

RCU’s archaeology program forms part of its wider commitment to preserving AlUla’s cultural heritage, advancing research and knowledge, and reinforcing the position of AlUla and Khaybar as areas of rich archaeological and historical significance and centers for archaeological research, cultural exchange and heritage-led development. These efforts align with Saudi Vision 2030’s objectives to safeguard Saudi Arabia’s national heritage, promote its cultural identity and share its heritage with the world.

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Indonesia Fires Burned Over 1.9 Mn Hectares Through September, Says Monitor

A drone view of a palm oil plantation area shrouded in haze from wildfires in South Arut, West Kotawaringin Regency, Central Kalimantan province, Indonesia, October 18, 2026. (Reuters)
A drone view of a palm oil plantation area shrouded in haze from wildfires in South Arut, West Kotawaringin Regency, Central Kalimantan province, Indonesia, October 18, 2026. (Reuters)
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Indonesia Fires Burned Over 1.9 Mn Hectares Through September, Says Monitor

A drone view of a palm oil plantation area shrouded in haze from wildfires in South Arut, West Kotawaringin Regency, Central Kalimantan province, Indonesia, October 18, 2026. (Reuters)
A drone view of a palm oil plantation area shrouded in haze from wildfires in South Arut, West Kotawaringin Regency, Central Kalimantan province, Indonesia, October 18, 2026. (Reuters)

Fires in Indonesia burned through over 1.9 million hectares between January and the end of September this year, a monitor analyzing satellite imagery said on Monday.

The figure, an area nearly 12 times larger than London, is a conservative estimate in part because haze has complicated satellite verification, said David Gaveau, founder of deforestation monitoring site Nusantara Atlas.

Indonesia's government has not provided official figures for areas burned since announcing 202,000 hectares had been razed by the end of July.

Gaveau said the true scale of the burning was likely to be even higher than the 1,916,588 hectares his organization has detected so far.

"Our burned-area estimates are conservative for two reasons. First, we exclude individual burn scars smaller than 6.25 hectares... Second, we prioritize avoiding false detections," he said.

This year, the calculation has also been impacted by heavy haze, which has obscured satellite images at times.

"The total reported burned area therefore underestimates the true area burned," he said.

Even so, Nusantara Atlas data shows the area burned by the end of September this year was 38 percent higher than the same point in 2019.

The satellites the monitor uses were not available during severe fires in 2015, so comparable data is not available.

But Gaveau said it was likely this year would be similarly bad.

"My intuition is that it probably is as bad. If you look at the sheer number of hotspots, it's still trending up and up," he said.

Varieties

Beijing’s Population Expected to Become Super-Aged by 2035

People cross the street at a busy intersection in Beijing, China, 19 October 2026. (EPA)
People cross the street at a busy intersection in Beijing, China, 19 October 2026. (EPA)
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Beijing’s Population Expected to Become Super-Aged by 2035

People cross the street at a busy intersection in Beijing, China, 19 October 2026. (EPA)
People cross the street at a busy intersection in Beijing, China, 19 October 2026. (EPA)

The ‌Chinese capital Beijing is expected to become "super-aged" by 2035, with around one-third of its population aged 60 and above, the official Beijing Daily reported.

Chinese policymakers have made population planning a key part of the country's economic strategy, and this year the government faces a total potential ‌cost of around ‌180 billion yuan ($26.92 billion) ‌to ⁠boost births, according ⁠to Reuters estimates.

One in every three residents of the Chinese capital will be aged 60 or above by 2035, the Beijing Daily reported on Saturday.

Beijing had ⁠5.29 million permanent residents aged ‌60 and above ‌at the end of last year, ‌almost one-quarter of its population, the ‌newspaper said.

The city's government is stepping up support for elderly residents, including raising the basic pension, the report added.

China's population has been shrinking since 2022 and is ageing ⁠rapidly, ⁠complicating government plans to boost domestic consumption and rein in debt, with hundreds of millions of people set to leave the workforce at a time when pension budgets are already stretched.

Demographers and economists argue that fewer children today could mean fewer households and slower consumption growth over time.