Author: Trainee Reporter

England: Industrial poultry farming is driving more than 100-fold increase in the spread of campylobacter, a leading food poisoning bacteria, according to new research. Campylobacter remains the most common bacterial cause of diarrhoea worldwide. In the UK, the bacterium accounts for 3.5 times more cases of stomach illness each year than all other monitored foodborne bacteria combined. The study by the University of Oxford examines how large-scale poultry production reshapes the evolution of the bacteria. Rapid growth in global chicken farming creates dense environments that favour transmission. This enables bacteria to circulate more widely and adapt more quickly. Global chicken…

Assam: Severe floods in Assam have claimed 68 lives and affected over 600,000 people, with rising river levels and heavy rainfall deepening the emergency. Flooding remains a persistent threat in Assam, where nearly 40 percent of the state classifies as flood-prone by the National Flood Commission (NFC). The region lies on the vast floodplain of the Brahmaputra River, which flows from the Himalayas and is fed by more than 50 tributaries. During the monsoon season, heavy rainfall increases the river’s volume. The Brahmaputra spreads across flat plains and deposits large amounts of sand and silt. This process reduces the river’s…

London: US-Iran pause in strikes pushed oil prices down over 5 percent, easing fears about disruptions in key global supply routes worldwide. Brent crude futures dropped $5.70 to $91.08 per barrel, a decline of about 5.9 percent, briefly slipping below the $90 mark in early trading. US West Texas Intermediate crude also fell $4.80 to $84.51 per barrel, reflecting a drop of roughly 5.4 percent. Both benchmarks are now trading at their lowest levels in nearly a week. The decline followed three weeks of steady gains driven by conflict concerns. The earlier rally had pushed Brent prices close to $100…

Kampala: Uganda launched emergency food aid after 19 people died from hunger in the drought-hit Karamoja region, where food shortages continue to worsen. Authorities acted after months of drought and failed harvests left nearly 1.5 million residents facing acute food shortages. The crisis intensified across Karamoja where rainfall remained far below expected levels. Crops withered. Livestock conditions also declined, worsening food insecurity. The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) reported that conditions across the region deteriorated into a full crisis phase. The warning highlighted rising malnutrition rates and increasing pressure on already limited resources. The government announced plans to…

Tokyo: Kazuyoshi Miura has scored a competitive goal at the age of 59, marking a rare milestone in professional football history. The veteran striker added a goal as Fukushima United defeated Iwaki Furukawa 7-0 in the Emperor’s Cup. The result ensured progression in the domestic competition while highlighting Miura’s enduring presence in the sport. Miura scored in the 52nd minute and the goal extended the lead to 5-0. The move followed a well-timed run into the penalty area. A teammate delivered a precise cutback and Miura completed the action with a first-time finish. The strike came at 59 years and…

Hong Kong: Typhoon Noul has made landfall in southern China, bringing heavy rain and gale-force winds that disrupted transport and forced mass evacuations across several coastal regions. The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) raised the storm warning to Typhoon Signal No. 9 as the cyclone passed within 80 kilometres of the city. The alert was later lowered to Signal No. 8 at 07:10 am. HKO stated that Signal No. 8 would remain in place until at least noon, keeping most businesses and transport services suspended. The storm struck Guangdong province early on June 22. Intense rainfall and strong winds spread across…

Paris: French authorities have ordered the evacuation of the Cap Ferret peninsula on the south-west coast as a major wildfire continues to burn across the Gironde region, forcing hundreds of people to flee by boat. The fire, which began on June 22 in Saumos, spread rapidly and consumed around 8,700 hectares. Firefighters continue efforts to contain the blaze through dry and windy conditions. Gironde prefect Sophie Brocas ordered a full peninsula evacuation as conditions worsened, with around 20,000 people displaced across the region. No new casualties were reported, though two firefighters died earlier tackling a separate blaze near Bordeaux airport.…

New Delhi: Youth protests in India continued after activist Sonam Wangchuk ended a 26-day hunger strike over exam paper leaks that triggered widespread anger among students. The protests, led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), demanded the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan, Education Minister of India, over exam paper leaks affecting around 2 million students. The controversy is also linked to several student suicides. The demonstrations mark the most significant youth-led challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi since 2014. Opposition parties support the movement’s demands, while parliament proceedings during the monsoon session face repeated disruptions. https://twitter.com/CJP_for_India/status/2080510294565212417 In Connaught Place, businesses were…

California: Rising expenditure on artificial intelligence has pressured Google’s cash generation, pushing Alphabet’s free cash flow into negative territory despite strong revenue growth. Alphabet Inc. reported that free cash flow of negative $5.9 billion (£4.3 billion). This is the first such level in at least a decade based on financial records. The decline reflects heavy investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure. The company’s quarterly revenue has reached $119.8 billion. This marks a 23 percent increase compared with the same period last year. Growth has continued across core segments. This performance reflects sustained demand across advertising, cloud, and digital services. Rising costs…

New Delhi: Indian solar panel manufacturers have shut production lines after facing waits of up to eight months for locally sourced components. The disruption followed new rules introduced on June 1 to boost domestic manufacturing. Industry sources warned that the policy shift strained supply chains and slowed production. Manufacturers without in-house solar cell facilities faced the longest delays. Waiting periods stretched from six to eight months for domestic cells, driving up production costs sharply. Panels using local cells now cost nearly twice as much as those built with Chinese imports. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) stated that…