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An asteroid named 2024 ON just passed near Earth without causing any damage, and another asteroid, which might appear like a mini-moon, is on its way. That asteroid, named 2024 PT5, is just 33 feet long and is travelling in cosmic space.It will soon be captured by Earth’s gravity for a singular orbit, which means the 2024 PT5 asteroid will make half a revolution in a horseshoe-shaped orbit around the planet before it continues its cosmic journey.It is quite rare to see an asteroid being attracted by Earth’s gravitational pull, as in most cases asteroids either miss Earth or burn upon entering the planet’s atmosphere. An asteroid that cannot escape Earth’s gravitation is called a mini-moon. As 2024 PT5 is a smaller asteroid, despite falling into Earth’s gravitational pull, it will be visible only through special telescopes.The asteroid 2024 PT5 is not a mini-moon technically, as it will not complete one full revolution around Earth but will remain in the planet’s orbit for over 56 days. In most cases, when astronomers discover a mini-moon, it turns out to be a man-made object such as a part of a spacecraft or satellite.The 2024 PT5 asteroid, first discovered by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System on August 7, will make one complete revolution around Earth, starting from September 29 to November 25, before it breaks free of our planet’s gravitational pull and continues its journey.A report in The New York Times quoted Federica Spoto, an asteroid dynamics researcher at the Center for Astrophysics, Harvard & Smithsonian, as saying that “it is pretty cool” and that 2024 PT5 could help scientists gain more knowledge about the space rocks that pass Earth very frequently.

Last night's biggest shock came when this HBO show about a veteran stand-up comic starring Jean Smart took best comedy over The Bear. Was it a victory for genuinely funny comedy?At the last Emmys ceremony in January, delayed from 2023, the Jeremy Allen White-fronted show The Bear picked up six awards in the comedy category; a result that was highly contested by TV viewers who argued that an anxiety-ridden show about trauma in a restaurant's kitchen was definitely more of a drama than a comedy. Cut to last night's official 2024 Emmys ceremony, and father and son hosting duo Eugene and Dan Levy couldn't resist a little dig in their opening monologue about the issue, which was clearly still as contentious eight months on: "I know some of you might be expecting us to make a joke about whether The Bear is really a comedy... but in the true spirit of The Bear, we will not be making any jokes."However while The Bear did very well again in the comedy categories, winning four awards (outstanding lead actor, outstanding supporting actor, outstanding supporting actress and outstanding directing), it lost the big one – best comedy – in what was the greatest upset of the night. Instead, HBO show Hacks unexpectedly clinched the coveted outstanding comedy series, with not a glimpse of chefs' whites in sight.On X, there was delight from some users, in part because of who it beat. Hacks is a genuinely funny comedy that undoubtedly fits its Emmy category, giving some viewers the feeling that all has been made right in the TV world. "I believe three hours of collective live tweeting that The Bear is not a comedy actually metaphysically changed the name inside the Outstanding Comedy envelope to Hacks," one person commented on X, while another added simply: "The Emmys said The Bear is not a comedy." Leaving The Bear controversy aside, there was a lot of goodwill towards the win for Hacks. "Hacks was next-level brilliant (and genuinely hilarious) this season. I'm thrilled it won tonight," another Emmy viewer wrote on X. "Hacks wins, there is justice for comedy after all," another commented. 

Starvation in war-stricken Sudan "is almost everywhere", the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has told the BBC's Today programme after visiting the country."The situation in Sudan is very alarming... the massive displacement - it's now the largest in the world, and, of course, famine," director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.He said 12 million people were already displaced, adding that attention in the global community to Sudan was "really low" and race was a factor.Thousands of people have been killed since a civil war broke out in April 2023 between Sudan's army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF)."Imagine: destruction, displacement, diseases everywhere, and now famine," Dr Tedros told the BBC.He said he had recently visited a camp for the internally displaced people and a hospital in Sudan."You see there many children skin and bone, emaciated."Close to 25 million people - half of Sudan's population - "need support", Dr Tedros said.He stressed that Sudan "is not getting the attention it deserves", and that was the case with other recent conflicts in Africa."I think race is in the play here. That's what I feel now. We see the pattern now."Dr Tedros - who grew up during war in Ethiopia - said: “Especially in Africa, I think the attention is really, really low.”“That’s the sad part, because you see it repeatedly, not just in Sudan,” he added.“I know the smell of war, the image of war, the sound of war," the WHO chief said."From that, I can understand how it impacts others, and I remember my mother praying I survive a day at a time - growing up, survival of the day was a big thing, I see the same thing is Sudan and Gaza."Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Dr Tedros said the world did not give “equal attention to black and white lives".At the time, he elaborated by saying only a fraction of the aid given to Ukraine was given to other humanitarian crises, with Tigray in Ethiopia, Yemen, Afghanistan and Syria not receiving the same treatment.Dr Tedros urged mainstream media to give more attention to Sudan, describing the situation there as a "tragedy".In August, a UN-backed committee of experts declared a famine at a camp housing about 500,000 displaced people near the besieged city of el-Fasher in Darfur, one of the regions worst affected by the conflict.The leader of Sudan's army, Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the head of the RSF, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, had jointly staged a coup in 2021, but then fell out eventually plunging Sudan into a civil war last year.The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is accused of supporting the RSF with money and guns - which it denies - while Saudi Arabia is said to have close ties with the Sudanese government.Various mediation efforts, brokered by Saudi Arabia and the US, have failed to end the conflict.

The number of people in Myanmar who have died in the wake of Typhoon Yagi rose to more than 220, with nearly 80 others still missing, the military government said.The storm swept through northern Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar in early September and has killed more than 500 people across the region so far, according to official figures.It triggered severe floods and mudslides in Myanmar, leaving at least 226 dead as whole villages were wrecked.With hundreds of thousands of acres of crops destroyed, the UN also warned that more than half a million people in the war-torn country are in urgent need of food as well as drinking water, shelter and clothes.The number of people in Myanmar who have died in the wake of Typhoon Yagi rose to more than 220, with nearly 80 others still missing, the military government said.The UN said the storm's devastation spanned nine states and regions, including the the country's capital Naypyidaw in the interior, as well as Mandalay to the north, Magway to the west, and Bago to the south - regions that lie along the Irrawady, Myanmar's largest river.Also hit were Shan State in the north-east and Mon, Kayah and Kayin states, which lie to its south.A civil war has engulfed the country since early 2021, when the army sized power after ousting the democratically-elected government.Since then thousands have been killed and millions forced from their homes as various armed resistance groups battle the ruling military junta.In the last year or so, the army has lost control of large parts of the country, creating an unstable patchwork of governance.That, coupled with poor communication in remote areas, has meant information about casualties has been slow to emerge.

Dancing with the Stars is known for its glitz and glitter, and a staple of US television for almost 20 years. But on Tuesday during the show’s prime-time season premiere, there will be a twist, when convicted fraudster Anna Delvey - real name Anna Sorokin - takes to the floor wearing a bejewelled ankle monitor.In a press release, Disney-owned ABC called Sorokin “an artist, fashion icon and infamous NYC socialite”, as well as “a notorious ankle bracelet fashionista”. She will be joining a cast that includes an NBA veteran, various reality-TV stars, and two Olympians, for the latest edition of the US spin-off from the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing format.Critics accused the channel of glamorising her past crimes. The New York Post called it a “new low for pop culture”.Some have also questioned how she has right to live and work in the US, as a German-Russian citizen.Sorokin’s electronic ankle monitor is not for her original 2019 convictions, which came after she travelled the world masquerading as a European heiress, conning banks, lawyers and a private jet company out of more than $200,000 (£150,000).Instead, the ankle monitor is the result of a years-long immigration battle in the US, where she is fighting deportation.

Dominique Pelicot, the 71-year-old man accused of drugging his wife to sleep and recruiting dozens of men to abuse her for over 10 years, has admitted to all the charges against him in his first testimony since the trial opened on 2 September.Referring to the 50 co-defendants who are accused of raping his now ex-wife Gisèle, Mr Pelicot said: "I am a rapist like the others in this room.""They all knew, they cannot say the contrary," he said. Only 15 of the 50 defendants admit rape, with most saying they only took part in sexual acts.Of his ex-wife, Mr Pelicot said: "She did not deserve this.""I was very happy with her," he told the court.Gisèle, who was given the chance to respond shortly after, said: "It is difficult for me to listen to this. For 50 years, I lived with a man who I would've never imagined could be capable of this. I trusted him completely."Although no cameras are allowed in court, the trial is open to the public at the request of Gisèle Pelicot, who waived her right to anonymity at the beginning of the proceedings. Her legal team said opening up the trial would shift the "shame" back on to the accused.Mr Pelicot, who is a father and grandfather, began his testimony by telling the court of traumatic childhood experiences and said he was abused by a male nurse when he was nine years old.When asked about his marriage to Gisèle, Mr Pelicot said he considered suicide when he found out she was having an affair.Throughout his testimony on Tuesday morning, Mr Pelicot repeatedly assured the court that he never "hated" his wife and was in fact "crazy about [her]... I loved her immensely and I still do.""I loved her well for 40 years and badly for 10," he added, apparently referring to the decade during which he drugged her and abused her.He was also asked about the thousands of videos he took of men abusing his unconscious wife. These were found by investigators and were instrumental in tracking down the 50 men who are now accused of rape.Mr Pelicot recognised he had filmed the men partly for "pleasure," but also "as insurance, since today, it is thanks to [the videos] that we have been able to find the people who took part in this".Mr Pelicot was then questioned by Stéphane Babonneau, one of Gisèle's lawyers, who asked him why he had been unable to find the will to stop abusing her, even when she started presenting medical problems. In previous sessions of the trial, Gisèle said she was worried she was developing Alzheimer’s or a brain tumour because of hair and weight loss and large memory gaps. These were, in fact, side-effects of the drugs her husband was giving her."I tried to stop, but my addiction was stronger, the need was growing," he said."I was trying to reassure her, I betrayed her trust. I should've stopped sooner, in fact I should've never started at all."Mr Pelicot is also accused of drugging and abusing his daughter, Caroline, after semi-naked photos of her were found of his laptop. He has previously denied this and on Tuesday he also stated he had never touched his grandchildren. "I can look my family in the eyes and tell them that nothing else occurred," he said.Mr Pelicot also said he "became perverted" when, in 2010, he met a male nurse on the internet who suggested he drug his wife with a sedative, explained how to administer it and shared photos of drugged women. "That's when it all clicked," Mr Pelicot said. "Everything started then."Béatrice Zavarro, Mr Pelicot's lawyer, told French TV that she did not know what people would think of her client, but that he was "sharing his truth".

Israel has made the safe return of residents to the north of the country an official war goal, the prime minister's office has said.The decision was taken by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet late on Monday.About 60,000 people have been evacuated from northern Israel because of near-daily attacks by Iran-backed Hezbollah in neighbouring Lebanon.Cross-border fighting escalated on 8 October 2023 - a day after the deadly attack on Israel by Hamas gunmen from the Gaza Strip - when Hezbollah fired at Israeli positions, in solidarity with the Palestinians."The Security Cabinet has updated the objectives of the war to include the following: Returning the residents of the north securely to their homes," a statement from the prime minister's office said."Israel will continue to act to implement this objective," it added.Earlier on Monday, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said the only way to return Israel's northern residents to their homes was through "military action", during a meeting with US envoy Amos Hochstein.“The possibility for an agreement is running out as Hezbollah continues to ‘tie itself’ to Hamas, and refuses to end the conflict,” a statement from his office said."Therefore, the only way left to ensure the return of Israel’s northern communities to their homes, will be via military action.”Gallant's comments came as speculation grew that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wanted to replace him amid differences between the two men over the war in Gaza.US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin warned of the devastating consequences of further escalation.In a statement from the US defence department, his office said he "reaffirmed the necessity of a ceasefire and hostage deal, and that Israel should give diplomatic negotiations time to succeed, noting the devastating consequences that escalation would have on the people of Israel, Lebanon, and the broader region."Israel has repeatedly warned it could launch a military operation to drive Hezbollah away from the border.Hezbollah is a Shia Muslim organisation which is politically influential and in control of the most powerful armed force in Lebanon.The group has so far made no public comments on the issue.The latest Israeli move marks an expansion of the country's previously stated war goals:"The Security Cabinet has updated the objectives of the war to include the following: Returning the residents of the north securely to their homes," a statement from the prime minister's office said."Israel will continue to act to implement this objective," it added.Earlier on Monday, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said the only way to return Israel's northern residents to their homes was through "military action", during a meeting with US envoy Amos Hochstein.“The possibility for an agreement is running out as Hezbollah continues to ‘tie itself’ to Hamas, and refuses to end the conflict,” a statement from his office said."Therefore, the only way left to ensure the return of Israel’s northern communities to their homes, will be via military action.”Gallant's comments came as speculation grew that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wanted to replace him amid differences between the two men over the war in Gaza.US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin warned of the devastating consequences of further escalation.In a statement from the US defence department, his office said he "reaffirmed the necessity of a ceasefire and hostage deal, and that Israel should give diplomatic negotiations time to succeed, noting the devastating consequences that escalation would have on the people of Israel, Lebanon, and the broader region."

The Indian state of West Bengal has agreed to remove the police chief of its capital, Kolkata, following a meeting with doctors protesting the rape and murder of their colleague.Two other senior officials - the director of medical education and the director of health services - will also be removed, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said.Thousands of junior doctors in the state have been on a strike since 9 August, when the body of the 31-year-old woman was found at the state-run hospital where she worked.The crime sparked nationwide outrage and concerns about the safety of health workers in India.A hospital volunteer was arrested in connection with the case, which is now being investigated by a federal agency.The protesting doctors have voiced five key changes: justice for the victim, the removal of senior police officials, and enhanced security for health workers, among them.The Indian state of West Bengal has agreed to remove the police chief of its capital, Kolkata, following a meeting with doctors protesting the rape and murder of their colleague.Two other senior officials - the director of medical education and the director of health services - will also be removed, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said.Thousands of junior doctors in the state have been on a strike since 9 August, when the body of the 31-year-old woman was found at the state-run hospital where she worked.The crime sparked nationwide outrage and concerns about the safety of health workers in India.A hospital volunteer was arrested in connection with the case, which is now being investigated by a federal agency.The protesting doctors have voiced five key changes: justice for the victim, the removal of senior police officials, and enhanced security for health workers, among them.

NHS medics are to be tested in coping with a fictitious cholera outbreak in Worcestershire ahead of teams being deployed in Gaza and Ukraine.The simulated exercise will be staged in a remote area of the county on Tuesday and involve about 30 doctors and nurses, medical aid charity UK-Med said.A treatment clinic will be set up as the team race against the clock to treat live-actor patients and prevent the spread of the disease, they added.The charity said it has two field hospitals in Gaza and has treated over 150,000 people so far.UK-Med acts as the nation’s frontline health response to disasters overseas in agreement with the government, it said.Melanie Johnson, deputy health director, recently spent six weeks in Gaza and said preparation was crucial.“Infectious disease outbreaks are common in disaster and conflict zones, where health and sanitation infrastructure are damaged or destroyed – Gaza being an obvious example," she said.