Author: Trainee Reporter

Kyiv: Russia has targeted Ukraine with a record-breaking 728 drones, Ukraine’s air force reported. The barrage came just hours after US President Donald Trump pledged to ramp up defensive weapon deliveries to Kyiv and issued unusually blunt remarks about Russian President Vladimir Putin. Ukraine’s air defence units successfully intercepted nearly all drones, including through electronic jamming systems, the air force said via the Telegram messaging platform. The attack followed weeks of intensifying Russian airstrikes, prompting fresh calls from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for stricter sanctions targeting the revenue streams that fuel Russia’s war, particularly oil exports. Zelenskyy stated that, “There is…

Seoul: South Korea has repatriated six North Korean nationals who accidentally drifted into its waters earlier this year, in a move seen as a cautious step towards inter-Korean engagement. The Ministry of Unification confirmed that all six individuals had consistently expressed their wish to return to the North. Two of the North Koreans had entered South Korean waters in March and remained for four months, the longest recorded stay by non-defectors. The remaining four, all sailors, were found in May after reportedly crossing the disputed maritime boundary in the Yellow Sea. This is the first such return under President Lee…

Indonesia: Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki, one of Indonesia’s most active volcanoes, has erupted again, forcing over 4,000 residents to evacuate and grounding dozens of flights in the region. The volcano shot a towering column of ash 18 kilometres into the sky, marking its most powerful eruption since November. Authorities raised the alert to the highest level following the renewed activity, which began through multiple eruptions, including a second major blast and a third at a slightly reduced intensity. Despite the scale of the eruptions, no casualties have been reported so far. Muhammad Wafid, head of Indonesia’s geology agency stated that, “The…

Washington, D.C.: The United States is grappling with its worst measles outbreak in over three decades, with 1,277 confirmed infections reported nationwide, according to data released by Johns Hopkins University. The outbreak marks a troubling revival of the highly contagious and vaccine-preventable disease, which was declared eliminated in the US in 2000. Measles cases have now been recorded in 38 states and the District of Columbia. At least three deaths have been linked to the outbreak, and 155 patients have required hospitalisation. A vast majority of those infected, 92 percent, were either unvaccinated or had an unknown vaccination status, according…

Nairobi: Kenya’s security forces have blocked all major roads into central Nairobi ahead of planned nationwide protests marking the historic Saba Saba movement. Much of Nairobi’s central business district was abandoned, with a visible heavy security presence. Businesses remained shuttered, and some schools advised students to stay home as tension gripped the capital. Checkpoints were set up more than 10 kilometres from the city centre, leaving hundreds of commuters and overnight travellers left. Only a limited number of vehicles were allowed through. In the city, barricades made of razor wire blocked access to key government buildings, including the State House…

Kerala: A 14-member team of British engineers has arrived in India to begin work on repairing a cutting-edge F-35B fighter jet that has remained grounded at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in Kerala for more than three weeks. The state-of-the-art stealth aircraft, operated by the Royal Navy, was diverted to Thiruvananthapuram on June 14 after encountering adverse weather during a sortie over the Indian Ocean. It later reported a technical snag, stopping it from returning to the HMS Prince of Wales, the UK’s flagship aircraft carrier. Since then, the $110 million jet, known for its short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) capabilities…

East Melbourne: A deliberately lit fire has sparked national condemnation after a Melbourne synagogue was targeted during Shabbat. The night has drawn widespread denunciation from political and community leaders, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pledging federal support to bring those responsible to justice. According to Victoria Police, an unidentified man entered the synagogue grounds on Albert Street around 8pm and poured a flammable liquid on the building’s front door before setting it alight. Approximately 20 worshippers were inside at the time and were forced to evacuate through a rear exit. No injuries were reported, and firefighters managed to contain the…

Antarctica: Researchers have discovered that zooplankton, minute marine animals like copepods, krill and salps undertake a remarkable seasonal migration in Antarctic waters, during which they lock away millions of tonnes of carbon deep in the ocean. A tiny, often-overlooked ocean creature commonly sold as fish food has been found to play a vital role in protecting the Earth from climate change, according to new research. Dr. Guang Yang from the Chinese Academy of Sciences stated that, “These animals are unsung heroes. This forces a rethink about how much carbon the Southern Ocean can store.” Each year in spring, zooplankton gorge on…

Antarctica: An American teen has hit a major roadblock in Antarctica to become the first person to fly solo across all seven continents in a small plane. Ethan Guo, 19, was detained by Chilean authorities after allegedly submitting a false flight plan before flying his single-engine aircraft to King George Island, a remote Antarctic outpost. According to Chile’s General Directorate of Civil Aeronautics, Guo’s deviation from the approved route activated alert protocols, prompting his detention upon landing at Teniente R. Marsh Airport. The airport is situated on King George Island, home to several international research stations, where temperatures in July…

Washington D.C.: The US Supreme Court has allowed the Trump administration to deport eight men, most of whom have no ties to South Sudan to the war-torn country after detaining them for weeks at a US military base in Djibouti. The court’s order follows a previous ruling by its conservative majority, allowing immigration officials to expedite deportations to third countries without requiring proof that the deportees would face danger. The men, originally from countries including Vietnam, South Korea, Mexico, Laos, Cuba, and Myanmar, were informed by the US government that they would be sent to South Sudan, despite only one…