New York cleaners create new path to entrepreneurship
An immigrant-led, worker-owned co-operative in New York City is trying to transform the gruelling job of cleaner into a path to entrepreneurship.
Brightly Cleaning is adapting to a franchise business model - similar to that which turned McDonald's into a global behemoth - with thousands of small business owners operating under a shared brand.
The co-operative’s growing success aims to put workers’ needs at the forefront of the cleaning industry.
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Military fires tear gas at Sudan protesters
Tens of thousands of Sudanese protesters marked the first anniversary of a coup that halted the country's transition towards democracy.
It was one of the largest demonstrations since mass marches in January, with security forces using tear gas and stun grenades to hold them back.
Since the army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, seized power there have been near-weekly anti-coup marches.
The military takeover prompted foreign donors to cut off assistance and the Sudanese economy has been in turmoil.
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Vladimir Putin watches first Russian nuclear drill since Ukraine invasion
Vladimir Putin has overseen annual exercises by Russia's nuclear forces.
Ballistic and cruise missiles were launched from the Arctic to Russia's Far East, the Kremlin said.
The US was told about the drill under the terms of the New Start arms treaty.
The launches took place as Russia made unsubstantiated claims that Ukraine was plotting to use a "dirty bomb" - an explosive device mixed with radioactive material.
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Pictures show 'biggest ever' meteor impact on Mars
Space probes have witnessed a big impact crater being formed on Mars - the largest in the Solar System ever caught in the act of excavation.
A van-sized object dug out a 150m-wide bowl on the Red Planet, hurling debris up to 35km (19 miles) away.
In more familiar terms, that's a crater roughly one-and-a-half times the size of London's Trafalgar Square.
Scientists detected the event using the seismometer on the US space agency's InSight lander. The probe picked up the ground vibrations.
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Ebola intensifies in Kampala, Uganda
Since Uganda’s Ebola outbreak began in September, the health ministry has recorded 109 cases and 30 deaths.
Now, six children in the same Kampala family have contracted the virus, authorities in the capital say.
As the virus spreads, there is growing concern that it could reach other countries.
Viruses can spread faster in densely populated areas and this particular strain of Ebola - called the Sudan strain - has no vaccine yet.
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Elon Musk completes $44bn Twitter takeover
The world's richest man, Elon Musk, has completed his $44bn (£38.1bn) takeover of Twitter, according to US media and an investor in the firm.
He tweeted "the bird is freed," in an apparent reference to the deal closing.
A number of top executives, including the boss, Parag Agrawal, have reportedly been fired.
It brings to a close a saga that saw Twitter go to court to hold the multi-billionaire to the terms of a takeover deal that he had tried to escape.
Twitter has not yet confirmed the takeover, but an early investor in the company said that the deal had been completed.
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'Massive' drone attack on Black Sea Fleet, Russia says
Ukraine has carried out a "massive" drone attack on the Black Sea Fleet in the Crimean port city of Sevastopol, damaging one warship, Russia has said.
Nine drones were used, a top official said. Ukraine has not commented.
Without providing evidence, Russia accused British troops of being involved in Saturday's attack - and in blowing up gas pipelines last month.
In its response, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) said Russia was "peddling false claims of an epic scale".
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Itaewon crowd crush kills more than 150 in Seoul, South Korea
More than 150 people have died in a crush as huge Halloween crowds surged into a narrow street in South Korea's capital, Seoul, officials have said.
At least another 82 were injured in the incident in the Itaewon nightlife area which was holding its first unmasked Halloween celebrations since Covid.
Reports describe a desperate scene of people caught up in the crush piling on top of each other.
Most of the dead were teenagers or in their 20s. Nineteen were foreigners.
The cause of the disaster is still being established.
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Somalia twin car bomb blasts kill 100 in capital
Twin car bomb explosions near a busy junction in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, killed at least 100 people, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has said.
Among the victims "who were massacred [were] mothers with their children in their arms", the AFP news agency quotes the president as saying.
He appealed for international medical help to deal with the 300 injured.
The president blamed the al-Shabab militant group for Saturday's attack which targeted the education ministry.
According to the pro-jihadist Somali Memo website, al-Shabab has said it was behind the blasts.
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New Zulu King Misuzulu crowned in historic South Africa ceremony
A new Zulu king has been crowned at a historic event attended by thousands in South Africa's coastal city of Durban.
King Misuzulu ka Zwelithini was formally acknowledged as monarch by President Cyril Ramaphosa, who gave him a certificate of recognition.
The ceremony was the first Zulu coronation since South Africa became a democracy in 1994.
It ends a long and bitter tussle to find a successor for King Goodwill Zwelithini who died last year.
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Russia halts grain deal after 'massive' Black Sea Fleet attack
Russia has announced it is suspending its involvement in the internationally-brokered deal that allows Ukraine to export grain from its Black Sea ports.
It comes after Russia accused Ukraine of a "massive" drone attack on the Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol, Crimea.
Ukraine has not admitted the attack and President Volodymyr Zelensky called the Russian move "rather predictable".
Without providing evidence, Russia also accused British troops of being involved in Saturday's attack.
It also accused the UK of blowing up gas pipelines last month.
In its response, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) said Russia was "peddling false claims of an epic scale".
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Morbi bridge collapse leaves dozens dead in India
At least 141 people have died after a pedestrian suspension bridge collapsed in the western Indian state of Gujarat on Sunday evening.
Most of those who died were women, children or elderly.
The 230m (754ft) bridge on the Machchu river in Morbi was built in the 19th Century.
It had reopened just a week ago after repairs. The Gujarat government has opened an investigation into the tragedy.
Philippines storm Nalgae kills dozens in floods and mudslides
Dozens of people have been confirmed dead with many more missing after a storm hit the Philippines.
Storm Nalgae has killed at least 98 people since it made landfall.
Whole villages have been swept away by flooding and rescuers are still searching for bodies that have been buried in landslides.
The storm has caused the most havoc in Maguindanao province, on Mindanao island.
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World record set in Japan for largest group of people with same name
A huge group of people with that exact same name have broken a world record in Japan.
178 different people, all named Hirokazu Tanaka, met up in Tokyo on Saturday.
Some people travelled from as far as Hanoi, in Vietnam, and both a toddler and an 80-year-old were in attendance.
The record had not been broken since it was set in 2005 by 164 Martha Stewarts.
The group had been trying for a while to break the record and had two failed attempts before this successful one.
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Grave of Harry Potter's Dobby the Elf saved
A memorial site to Harry Potter character Dobby the Elf has been saved after fears it was causing environmental issues.
The plot at Freshwater West beach in Wales is often visited by fans leaving hand painted rocks and socks at the location where Dobby died in the Deathly Hallows film.
However, concerns about high visitor numbers and pollution regarding the gifts left to the character, led to a survey on its possible relocation.
But a consultation by National Trust Wales, which manages the beach, concluded it can stay "in the immediate term".
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Elon Musk announces monthly fee for Twitter blue tick
Just days after taking charge of Twitter, Elon Musk has revealed a monthly subscription fee of $8 (£7) for a blue tick on Twitter.
Blue ticks on the platform currently signify trusted and reliable sources and include accounts belonging to journalists, governments, emergency services and celebrities.
Mr Musk said an overhaul to the verification process was needed following his $44bn takeover of the social media giant in October 2022.
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China's 'iPhone city' placed in Covid lockdown
A coronavirus lockdown has been put in place around the world's largest iPhone manufacturing plant in China.
The lockdown in Zhengzhou follows footage shared on social media of workers fleeing the Foxconn plant due to strict on-site Covid rules being issued.
Now, the area surrounding the plant has been put into strict Covid measures, with people being asked to work from home if they can.
Conditions at the plant have been described as "miserable" with low amounts of food and water and people confined to rooms as a result of the lockdown.
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