A look at some of the headlines making world stories today.

Putin’s private army is trying to increase Russia’s influence in Africa

Russia is tightening its grip on Africa. But Moscow doesn’t want to admit it. Central African Republic (CNN) – There’s nothing secret about Russia’s presence in the Central African Republic. The streets are plastered with propaganda posters proclaiming “Russia: hand in hand with your army!”

Hong Kong airport cancels all departing flights

For the second day in a row, Hong Kong International Airport has taken the extraordinary step of canceling all outbound flights due to protesters. Hong Kong’s Airport Authority told CNN that all outbound flights were cancelled as of 5:15 p.m. (local).

The nuclear mystery in Russia’s Far North

An official state of mourning has been declared in the Russian city of Sarov. Last Thursday, five nuclear specialists employed by Rosatom, Russia’s state atomic energy corporation, were killed in a blast at a military test site in northern Russia, not far from the port of Severodvinsk.

Whitney Cummings shuts down efforts to extort her over photo

Whitney Cummings is taking a public approach to dealing with internet scum and making it clear she won’t be bullied.

Who’s who of Jeffrey Epstein’s powerful friends, associates and possible co-conspirators

Jeffrey Epstein’s death ends the criminal case against him, but his powerful friends and associates may not have heard the last of it.

Two new Ebola treatments show promise in the fight against the outbreak in Congo

The World Health Organization has decided to narrow an experiment with Ebola patients in the Democratic Republic of Congo to two treatments that show real promise.

Yemen’s civil war within a civil war

Last Wednesday, fighting broke out in the coastal city of Aden, the temporary seat of the internationally recognized government of Yemen.

Archaeologists find evidence of Biblical conquest of Jerusalem

Archaeologists excavating on (CNN) – Mount Zion in Jerusalem have uncovered evidence of the Babylonian conquest of the city, appearing to confirm a Biblical account of its destruction. Academics from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte made significant finds, including ash deposits, arrowheads and broken pieces of pots and lamps.

A man’s false teeth were stuck in his throat for eight days after a surgery

A 72-year-old’s false teeth got stuck in his throat during surgery and weren’t discovered for eight days, doctors have said.

Ebola drugs trial shows ‘90% survival rate’

Ebola may soon be a “preventable and treatable” disease after a trial of two drugs showed significantly improved survival rates, scientists have said. Four drugs were trialled on patients in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where there is a major outbreak of the virus.

Dramatic video shows stabbing suspect’s arrest

Video captured in central Sydney shows the moment bystanders intervened to apprehend stabbing suspect.

Can you plant 350 million trees in a day?

Ethiopia says it planted more than 350 million trees in just one day which, if verified, would be a world record. But is such a feat even possible? We’ve been looking at the numbers. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed launched the £1.1bn tree planting project earlier this year to tackle deforestation and climate change.

Swarovski apologises to China over Hong Kong error

Jewellery firm Swarovski has apologised to China for erroneously describing Hong Kong as a country on its website. Several firms have come under scrutiny recently for not adhering to China’s territorial claims. Versace apologised at the weekend after an image on one of its T-shirts appeared to imply Hong Kong was an independent territory.

Could Facebook’s new currency be stopped in its tracks?

Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg wants to launch a global currency and change the world of finance for billions of people. But many – including powerful politicians, bank chiefs and regulators – don’t like the idea one bit. Why? Libra, Facebook’s proposed new digital currency, is not receiving a balanced response.

Facebook is working on a dark mode version of its Android app

Facebook is developing a dark mode version of its Android app. This is according to researcher Jane Manchun Wong (via Android Police), who dug into the app’s code and discovered some parts of the app have been reworked to have a dark background.

Five tiny homes on Amazon to make your minimalist dreams come true

Are you looking to stop paying rent, live minimalistically, or just want a place to yourself?There’s only one answer: tiny houses. And if you’re looking to make the switch from dreary apartment to humble tiny abode, Amazon has a few for you to check out.

Apple TV+ has first look at ‘The Morning Show’ with Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, and Steve Carell

There’s a lot of mystery surrounding all things Apple TV+, but here’s a trailer to get excited about: Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, and Steve Carell taking us behind the scenes of the TV a.m. news circuit on The Morning Show. The trailer doesn’t show us much.

Samsung’s 108-megapixel camera sensor is now official

Every product here is independently selected by Mashable journalists. If you buy something featured, we may earn an affiliate commission which helps support our work. Last week, Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi hinted it would launch a phone with a 108-megapixel camera sometime in the future.

Macaulay Culkin has his own ideas about what a ‘Home Alone’ remake would look like

You might have spotted the news that Home Alone has been added to the seemingly never-ending list of Disney remakes that are happening. In response to the news, Macaulay Culkin – star of the beloved 1990 original – tweeted a photo of what the updated movie would actually look like.

Tesla Model 3 hits parked truck, turns into a fireball

A Tesla Model 3 crashed into a parked tow truck on a Moscow motorway, Reuters reported Sunday. Following the crash, which happened late on Saturday, the car caught fire and was destroyed completely. The driver, director general of investment fund Arikapital Alexey Tretyakov, was hospitalized, while two of his children, who were also with him in the car, suffered minor injuries.