A fascinating discovery has come from India where a distinct, albeit small, arachnid known as the happy-face spider has been found delighting researchers.

The happy-face spider derives its cheerful moniker from its unique and vibrant colorations, which appear to mimic a smiling face upon their bodies.

This newly identified species, named Theridion Himalayana, is a member of the diverse Theridiidae family. It finds itself among an impressive roster of 577 kindred species, showcasing a wide array of remarkable characteristics.

Residing in high-altitude and moist locales, the happy-face spider was first identified back in 1900 on the Hawaiian Islands.

In a recent study, authorities managed to collect and scrutinize a total of 61 spiders, shedding light on their intriguing existence.

Upon the discovery of this new species in the Western Himalayas of India, the spider exhibited polymorphism in both males and females, with patterns resembling a smiling face and dots in red, black and white, in different styles.

Notably, these spiders can have 32 different color/pattern variations, including the iconic smiling face on their backs.

Through further research, scientists found that the species contains a genetic variation of around 8.5%, indicating a separate and new evolutionary lineage, according to Evolutionary Systematics.

Experts are unsure why the face-like marking occurs on this creature, as it could relate to predator avoidance, mating, camouflage or other natural behaviors that have led to this feature over time.

Through further research, scientists can discover how these spiders evolved and what may have contributed to these morphs.

This goes a long way toward understanding how an environment can influence these changes in the bodies of these insects.

Ukraine has launched a series of bold long-range assaults aimed at dismantling the air defenses surrounding Vladimir Putin’s opulent £1 billion palace, effectively leaving this extravagant sanctuary ‘unprotected’.

For months, Kyiv has relentlessly targeted the energy and oil sectors that are crucial to Russia’s economy, disrupting daily operations and sowing economic turmoil. Now, Ukraine’s military tactics have shifted, setting their sights on the expansive holiday estate of the Russian leader.

On August 7, Ukrainian forces successfully obliterated a Volna Kupol Garant electronic warfare system positioned near the palatial retreat, nestled by the resort town of Gelendzhik on the picturesque Black Sea coast. Just two days following this strike, an S-400 anti-aircraft missile system nearby was also hit.

The sophisticated Volna Kupol Garant system plays a vital role in jamming satellite communications around Putin’s estate, including the Starlink internet service operated by Elon Musk, which is frequently used by Ukrainian troops to maintain connectivity.

Despite its effectiveness against drone attacks, this electronic warfare system presents a significant vulnerability. According to military expert Yan Matveyev, its sheer size—a ‘small military base’—renders it easily detectable from the skies, making it a prime target.

The destruction of the electronic warfare system opened the way for Ukrainian drones to reach the S-400, designed to repel aircraft, drones and cruise missiles.

The S-400 had also been repurposed to launch six missiles at Ukraine on the night of August 9.

‘Satellite imagery shows the destruction of at least one launcher… Now Putin’s “palace” is left unprotected,’ said Matveyev.

The S-400 anti-aircraft missile system – located around 12 miles from the Russian president’s Italianate palace complex – was left ‘ablaze and sputtering for three hours’, according to Major Robert Brovdi, the commander of Ukraine’s unmanned systems forces. 

Volodymyr Zelensky’s forces are ‘systematically destroying’ the elaborate protection for the residence, reported The Moscow Times. 

The palace has been likened to the lair of a James Bond villain with a 16-storey underground complex and bunker, built inside the cliff to withstand nuclear attack. 

Putin’s 17,700-square-metre complex gained widespread notoriety following an investigation by Alexei Navalny, the late opposition activist and founder of the Anti-Corruption Foundation. 

In a video posted in January 2021, which gained over a hundred million views in a month, the Kremlin critic alleged that the closely guarded complex was built for the Russian dictator.

Navalny claimed the property cost £1billion and was paid for ‘with the largest bribe in history’, funded by a circle of businessmen close to Putin.

The nearly two-hour video showed a lavish compound decked out with ostentatious features, including an ornate tea house, an amphitheater, a helipad, a church, and several restaurants. 

The vast property also features a casino, an ice rink and a vineyard.

Security officials maintain a strict no-fly zone above the complex.

Fearing Ukraine’s long-range drone strikes, the Russian president is believed to visit the Black Sea refuge only rarely.

He favours staying in his highly fortified luxury property on Lake Valdai, 185 miles east of Moscow.

That residence is shielded by a total of 27 towers, costing £16million each, mounted with Pantsir anti-aircraft systems, according to an investigation by Radio Svoboda citing satellite imagery. 

The footage of the Gelendzhik mansion was released after Navalny, an anticorruption campaigner, flew back to Russia from Germany and went straight into custody.

Putin denied he owned the palace, with his longtime associate, businessman Arkady Rotenberg, saying he was the proprietor of the infamous property.

In 2024, Navalny died in a remote Arctic prison. His widow accused Putin of orchestrating her husband’s death, saying it was caused by poisoning. 

The Kremlin denies involvement in his death, which Russian officials claimed was caused by natural causes. 

‘The Ukrainian military has launched a deliberate hunt for Russian air defences in occupied Crimea and southern Russia,’ said Matveev.

‘For example, an S-400 system near Gelendzhik was hit after they had been unable to reach it for a long time.’

It comes as Russia was on fire today, as Ukrainian drones hit key industrial targets and mystery infernos deepened Putin’s agony.

The Russian leader arrived in unofficial Siberian capital Novosibirsk as Ukraine staged its latest strikes, and investigators probed whether sabotage was behind unexplained fires.

Putin’s anxiety over the war was shown by a decision to block the only pro-peace party, Yabloko, from standing in next month’s parliamentary elections amid fears its support would skyrocket.

In Voronezh region, a vast Russian Amazon online marketplace complex, Wildberries, was destroyed by a raging fire after a drone attack.

The warehouse facility – measuring 1.68 million square feet and used to back Putin’s war – is 295 miles south of Moscow.

Separately, Ukrainian drones reached almost 1,000 miles into southern Russia to ignite a key Orsknefteorgsintez oil refinery in Orsk, one of the country’s largest, close to the Kazakhstan border.

In the same city, the long-range drones reportedly targeted a strategic mechanical plant.

The facility was the sole Russian producer of artillery cartridge cases of 57mm calibre and above, and manufacturer of components for Grad, Uragan, Smerch and Buratino multiple-launch rocket systems.

The site is one of Russia’s most importance defence plants.

In another blow, a mystery blaze ignited a Rosneft oil refinery in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Khabarovsk region, more than 4,000 miles east of Ukraine.

The cause was not clear but it came as Ukraine is crippling Putin’s oil economy, a key funder of his war machine.

And a key power plant ignited in the Siberian industrial city Angarsk, in another unexplained fire.

A blaze in Novosibirsk caused momentary panic after Putin’s arrival, but it turned out to be non-suspicious, according to law enforcement.

On Monday, Ukraine caused more damage, igniting two major petrochemical plants in Nizhnekamsk, 800 miles from Ukraine, and Tobolsk, a distance of 1,400 miles.

Meanwhile, Russia killed six people and left 19 injured in a ballistic missile and air bomb attack on Ukrainian-controlled Zaporizhzhia region.

Four apartment buildings, industrial facilities, and infrastructure were hit in the attack.

Another attack on civilians came in Dnipropetrovsk region, where three were killed and five wounded.

BOGOTA, Colombia — Rescue teams are racing against time in western Colombia after a devastating earthquake hit the region early Tuesday. The powerful tremor has claimed at least 111 lives, with many still feared trapped under the ruins of collapsed buildings in countless cities and towns.

On Monday, a formidable 7.4 magnitude earthquake shook cities such as Cali, Quibdo, and Pereira, inflicting severe damage. Reports indicate approximately 1,600 structures have either crumbled or sustained damage. To aid in rescue efforts, soldiers, emergency workers, and civilians are joining forces, painstakingly clearing large blocks of concrete by hand in a determined bid to reach the buried.

In an address on Monday afternoon, President Abelardo de la Espriella confirmed the tragic death toll had risen to at least 111.

Across the region, frantic families have turned to citizen-run websites, desperately posting pleas for information on missing relatives. By the end of Monday night, the missing person count had soared to over 2,700, deepening the crisis.

Among the missing is 60-year-old farmer Miguel Ángel Zamora, whose photograph, shared by his niece Dana Carolina Zamora, shows him tenderly cradling his beloved dog. Miguel lived in the rural outskirts of El Cairo, perilously close to the earthquake’s epicenter near San Jose Del Palmar.

Local authorities said 80% of El Cairo, a town of about 7,000 people, was damaged. Zamora said she worried because her uncle lived in a traditional but fragile house made of sticks and mud.

“We are afraid. We hope that is not the case, that he is all right and that it is only a communication failure. But we haven’t heard anything from him,” Zamora said.

Choco, the region surrounding the quake’s epicenter, is one of the poorest and most neglected regions of Colombia, often beset by warring armed groups. Much of Choco is accessible only by boat, through the jungle or by airplane. Little was known about the extent of the damage there.

De la Espriella traveled to Choco’s capital, Quibdo, on Monday night to assess the damage and announced he had mobilized “the entire military and police apparatus” to respond, deploying engineers, rescue workers and search dogs. He announced rental subsidies for those whose homes were damaged while they undergo repairs.

“Choco will never again be the ‘land of the forgotten,'” he said.

The earthquake presents the first major test for de la Espriella, who was sworn in as Colombia’s leader on Friday. De la Espriella is a divisive figure because of his pledge of an all-out crackdown on criminal groups.

The U.S. State Department announced it would provide $15.5 million for emergency shelter, food and other aid. Governments across Latin America also lined up to help.

The earthquake left many in the Andean nation unnerved after two back-to-back quakes devastated neighboring Venezuela in late June, destroying hundreds of buildings and killing more than 6,300 people.

Many Colombians were only beginning to grapple with the disaster’s longer-term consequences.

Mónica Sánchez owns a small company that makes work uniforms. Her home city, Pereira, was one of the worst hit, and a wall inside the factory collapsed. Sánchez and her 12 workers were able to get outside just in time.

“It was shocking – the city fell down around us,” she said.

The relatives and supporters of Laci Peterson are among the concerned voices in California who are rallying against a new parole board policy. This controversial rule would allow for the possibility of resentencing or clemency recommendations for individuals convicted of heinous crimes, such as serial killing and mass shootings, who are currently serving life without parole. This policy is set to be enacted later this year.

“We’re addressing individuals who would have faced the death penalty,” remarked Anne Marie Schubert, a former District Attorney from Sacramento. She currently leads the Criminal Justice Legal Foundation (CJLF) as its president and CEO. This nonprofit, nonpartisan organization has initiated legal action against the newly proposed policy.

“We are spotlighting those who have killed police officers and infants,” Schubert emphasized. “Recently, we highlighted a heartbreaking case at our press conference, involving a six-week-old who suffered a torturous death at the hands of her father over a week, with the gruesome acts caught on video. These are the baby killers we’re referring to. Then there are the mass shooters, like the man in Fresno in the early ’90s who took ten lives and accepted a life sentence without parole. Under this policy, he might qualify for consideration.”

“Mass shooters, serial killers, cop killers—this encompasses individuals whose crimes are so severe that the public readily acknowledges them as the worst offenders, now possibly eligible for reconsideration.”

Schubert singled out some high-profile prisoners serving life without parole:

Scott Peterson was convicted of killing his pregnant wife Laci and their unborn son after she vanished on Christmas Eve in 2002. Gang member David Hill fatally shot San Francisco Police Officer Isaac Espinoza in 2004 and wounded his partner. Darryl Lamar Collins was 24 when he killed two people in 1995 but was granted early release in 2017 thanks to changes in California’s youthful offender parole law — only to kill his girlfriend Fatima Johnson less than a year later. They are among thousands who could potentially benefit from the new regulations, Schubert said.

According to Schubert, the board exceeded its statutory authority by using the bureaucratic rulemaking process to create a resentencing and clemency review system for prisoners sentenced to life without parole, a plan that California’s Office of Administrative Law approved on July 9.

“The main primary arguments deal with the fact that one, they don’t have the legal authority to do this, that this is an administrative bureaucratic agency that’s trying to rewrite the legislature, that they’re trying to rewrite sentencing laws that came out of ballot initiatives,” she said. “And really, this is a violation of what we call Marsy’s Law, which is a constitutional provision that supports the finality of judgments for victims in California.”

The CJLF, along with a coalition of victims’ families and nonprofit groups, filed the lawsuit in an effort to stop the board’s new policy before it goes into effect in October.

“The Board…has taken it upon itself to expand this recommendation authority into a full-blown system of reviews and hearings paralleling and resembling the system of parole hearings — the system that the people of California voted to curb in Marsy’s Law, Proposition 9 of 2008, due to the prolonged suffering it imposes on crime victims and their families,” reads the petition, filed in Sacramento’s Superior Court on July 15.

“The Board has extended this parallel system to include inmates convicted of first degree murder with special circumstances sentenced to life without parole, despite initiative statutes mandating life without parole as the minimum sentence for this crime and forbidding the striking of special circumstances.”

In addition to alleging the new regulations run contrary to California law, the petition raises concerns that the new process would force victims’ families to repeatedly relive traumatic cases that were supposed to be over.

CJLF is working with the victims of some of California’s most notorious murder cases, including Sharon Rocha, the mother of Laci Peterson.

“My daughter, Laci, was eight months pregnant when she and my unborn grandson, Conner, were murdered,” Rocha said in a statement. “Scott Peterson was initially sentenced to death. After his death sentence was overturned, he was resentenced to life without the possibility of parole. Our family believed that sentence would finally bring some measure of certainty. Victims should not have to spend the rest of their lives wondering whether the person responsible will receive another opportunity for release. Justice demands finality.”

Peterson has maintained his innocence for decades and is still fighting his conviction in court. The California Supreme Court overturned his death sentence but has upheld his murder convictions. Prosecutors have opposed his claims and say the evidence against him is “overwhelming.”

When Peterson’s death sentence was reduced to life without parole in 2021, Laci’s close friend Kim Juarez said she reluctantly accepted it because she believed it still meant he would never walk free.

“The only certainty that we had when Scott was put away was that he wasn’t ever going to get out,” she told News Media in a phone interview. “That’s what, to me, is aggravating.”

Juarez described the last two decades as the repeated removal of scabs as Laci’s friends and family have watched appeals, a resentencing and now another potential avenue that could eventually lead to Peterson’s freedom.

“In a world where nothing is guaranteed and in something so big, we are guaranteed to never see Laci and Conner again. That’s never going to happen,” Juarez said. “The person that took her away — we just want to stick to what was handed down to him. This isn’t about punishing him further. It’s just about sticking to what was handed down to him.”

Juarez described trauma that extended well outside of the courtroom and the legal process. Years after Peterson’s conviction, she was pregnant with her own first child. But she found herself gripped by the fear that what happened to her friend could happen to her.

“I was about six months pregnant and I said, ‘If you decide that this isn’t the life you want, don’t kill me. Just let me go,'” she told her husband, a firefighter she’d met while handing out missing person flyers.

Laci Peterson was eight months pregnant on Christmas Eve in 2002, when she went missing from her Modesto home. Peterson was charged with killing her and their unborn son, Conner, when their bodies washed up months later in the San Francisco Bay.

“There was life before this happened and there’s life after this happened — this will always be a part of our lives,” Juarez said. “Every Christmas, my family decorates a miniature Christmas tree for her.”

But Juarez said Scott Peterson continues to cast a shadow over those close to Laci.

“She’s never forgotten, and we want to make her the focus of all of these memories, but it’s like he’s the cloud that hangs over it,” Juarez said. “The likelihood of him getting out, I don’t know what the likelihood is, but the fact that it’s on the table, that it is a possibility, is scary in itself.”

The dispute is also playing out against the backdrop of an unsuccessful effort in the California Legislature last year to expand parole eligibility for some younger inmates serving life without parole.

“Last year there was a bill, it was called SB 672, that… tried to achieve a similar goal of letting life without parole out, but they limited that to people under 26,” Schubert said. “They could not get that bill through the legislature…. So in lieu of that, they backdoor it, and they go through a bureaucratic process that’s not just under 26, it’s everybody.”

The board, in public filings, countered that there’s nothing in existing state law that blocks it from doing so.

“Penal Code sections 1172.1 and 4801 do not exclude individuals sentenced to life without the possibility of parole from consideration by the Board for recommendation of commutation or resentencing,” the board wrote in response to a concerned citizen who protested the new policy on inmates serving life without parole.

“Rather, these statutes grant the Board discretion to evaluate these cases and determine whether referral to the sentencing court or the Governor is appropriate. Had the Legislature intended to bar this population from consideration under either statute, it would have done so.”

Schubert, however, disagreed with that interpretation.

“The law says in California they can write regulations related to parole,” she told News Media. “That’s the word, ‘parole.’ Well, they don’t get parole for life without parole.”

Neither the parole board nor the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation responded to a request for comment.

Navigating New York City is nothing short of an athletic endeavor. Every day, locals find themselves weaving through throngs of distracted tourists and making mad dashes to catch the next train.

The hustle and bustle of city life require a unique set of skills—strength, endurance, balance, and fast reflexes—not unlike those showcased by competitors on “American Gladiators.” Therefore, who better to guide New Yorkers through their daily urban trials than one of the series’ own formidable warriors?

Lu Faustin, renowned by fans as Empire on the Amazon Prime revival of the famed competition, equates surviving in New York to partaking in “an unofficial sport,” as he shared with The Post.

Hailing from Brooklyn, Faustin brings a wealth of experience as a professional bodybuilder and certified personal trainer. As a member of a formidable roster of 16 Gladiators—including wrestlers, CrossFit enthusiasts, and former Division 1 athletes—he challenges everyday participants vying for a $100,000 jackpot.

Competing on the show involves navigating through grueling, physically taxing events that test fitness and strategic thinking, all while Gladiators strive to thwart their progress. This blend of obstacle navigation and adaptability parallels the skills needed to thrive in the urban jungle.

“You gotta have strength,” she said about everyday New Yorkers. “You gotta be quick and hang tough. You gotta be able to take some hits and dodge some hits.”

Here are some of the most common everyday obstacles we face — and how to conquer them like a pro.

1. Master the luggage stair climb

If you’ve ever schlepped a suitcase through Broadway Junction, you know the struggle.

The sprawling Brooklyn subway station is notorious for its steep, three-level climb, featuring about five flights of stairs nicknamed “Stairway to Heaven” (or Hell, depending on the direction) and no public elevators.

It’s an especially grueling trek for travelers heading to JFK, but Faustin might inspire naysayers to reconsider.

“It’s expensive living here, rent is high,” she said. “So take advantage of every obstacle that presents itself to you when you are outside. That’s your gym.” 

Instead of dreading the climb, think of it as a free StairMaster workout.

Like squats, lunges and step ups, safely carrying luggage up and down stairs starts with a solid foundation. Keep your heels and toes planted firmly, maintain a neutral spine and drive through your heels as you climb.

“Focus more so on engaging your glutes,” she said. “Everything should move smoothly.” 

Another option? If your back feels strong and you’re carrying the weight evenly, either hold the suitcase to your center or pick it up and power your way up or down the stairs.

“It really just makes you feel better,” she said. “Maybe not in the moment, but who doesn’t like a nice sculpted butt?”

2. Balance like a subway pro

Standing on a moving subway without grabbing a pole is one of New York’s sneakiest fitness tests.

“You really don’t know when the conductor is going to slam on the brakes,” she said. “You’re going to go flying and you don’t want that.”

If you’re standing hands-free — whether to avoid touching the poles or because every seat is taken — core strength becomes your best friend.

“You should really be focusing on keeping everything firm, compact and stacked — your ribs, your abs, your waist,” explained Faustin. “You should be hunkered down like someone is going to punch you, or like you’re doing a standing crunch.”

Crunches and sit-ups aren’t the only way to build a stronger core. Plenty of strength exercises, including bicep curls, tricep extensions, shoulder press and leg press, require the same bracing technique.

Breathing correctly is just as important.

Faustin recommends learning proper diaphragmatic breathing from a qualified breathwork instructor, but beginners can practice by lying down, placing a hand over their belly and taking deep breaths so the stomach rises — before exhaling until the belly button draws toward the spine.

“Breathwork is something that more people should take advantage of because it truly does make a difference in how you brace and engage your core,” she said.

3. Carrying groceries without wearing yourself out

Like plenty of lifelong New Yorkers, Faustin never learned to rely on a car. Hauling groceries home on public transit was simply part of life.

“I personally refuse to make two trips to and from the grocery store,” she said. “So you have to be able to find that strength to do one trip, no excuses.”

The movement closely resembles that of pull-ups, dead hangs and farmer carries, exercises that challenge grip strength by forcing your forearms to work overtime while holding heavy loads.

And as challenging as the city can be, it can also assist you in taking on these tasks.

“If you don’t have access to a gym, go outside to your local scaffolding and get some pull-ups in,” she said.  

4. Turn your walks into cardio workouts

Faustin logs roughly eight to 10 miles a day — something she says many New Yorkers don’t even realize they’re doing until they leave the city.

“Walking around the city alone will absolutely build your endurance,” she said.

Want to make your commute feel more like a training? Then turn it into a game, recommends Faustin: Spot someone walking ahead and challenge yourself to catch up.

“You pass them, you pass the next one and you do it over and over again,” she said. “They don’t need to know that they are in a competition with you. Treat it like a secret little game.”

She also advises investing in supportive walking shoes with good arch support and ankle stability, strengthening the ankles strong and showing your feet some love afterward with a foam roller, firm ball or a relaxing soak.