Author: Trainee Reporter

Taiwan: Taiwan’s defence ministry has reported the detection of a Chinese balloon, marking the first such incident since April. The balloon was observed on 24th November at 6:21 PM local time, approximately 111 km (69 miles) northwest of Keelung City, at an altitude of 33,000 feet. It entered Taiwan’s Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) and vanished two hours later at 8:15 PM. This latest sighting was part of a broader military presence in the region, with the Taiwanese ministry also noting the detection of 12 Chinese military aircraft and seven warships in the surrounding waters over the past 24 hours.…

Romania: Ultranationalist Calin Georgescu has emerged as the frontrunner in the Romanian presidential election, securing 22% of the vote with 96% of ballots counted. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, a pro-European Social Democrat, trails closely with 20%, according to preliminary figures from the Central Electoral Bureau. Georgescu’s unexpected rise, forced by a grassroots campaign heavily reliant on TikTok, has upended earlier exit polls that had projected Ciolacu as the clear leader and centre-right candidate Elena Lasconi as his likely challenger. Lasconi currently holds third place with 18%, while nationalist George Simion is in fourth. The result positions Georgescu, who ran independently…

Russia: The Ukraine-Russia war has marked its 1,000th day this week with heightened tensions, as Western nations particularly expanded military support for Ukraine and Moscow responded with new nuclear threats. The United States delivered a major policy shift by allowing Ukraine to use ATACMS long-range missiles to strike targets inside Russia, resulting in missile hits on Russia’s Bryansk region. This was followed by UK-supplied Storm Shadow missiles hitting Russia’s Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces have charged 600 sq km of Russian territory. In addition, outgoing President Joe Biden approved the deployment of controversial anti-personnel landmines to Ukraine, further strengthening its…

United States: Donald Trump has named Scott Bessent, a prominent Wall Street financier and former advisor to George Soros, as his nominee for US Treasury Secretary. The appointment caps a lengthy selection process for one of the administration’s most influential posts, with sweeping responsibilities over tax policy, public debt, international finance, and economic sanctions. Bessent, 62, has been a vocal advocate of Trump’s America First agenda, pledging to strengthen US competitiveness and implement policies that reduce trade imbalances.  Trump wrote in his announcement on Truth Social, mentioning that, “Scott is widely respected as one of the world’s foremost international investors…

England: Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has signed a two-year contract extension, keeping him at the Premier League champions until 2027. The extension will see the Spanish manager spend more than a decade at the club, having joined in 2016 and transformed City into a football powerhouse, securing six league titles and one Champions League trophy. Guardiola’s decision to expand his tenure will be a relief to City fans, who had concerns that his time at the club might be approaching an end with his previous contract set to expire at the end of this season. In a statement, the…

Pakistan: A tragic convoy attack has claimed at least 41 lives, including women and children after anonymous gunmen attacked a convoy of 200 passenger vehicles in Pakistan’s tribal district of Kurram. The convoy, travelling through the remote mountainous region near the Afghan border, was under police escort due to ongoing sectarian violence in the area. According to officials, the attackers first targeted the police escort before spreading fire indiscriminately on the vehicles. Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos and horror. Saeeda Bano, a survivor, recounted how she hid beneath car seats with her children as gunfire erupted around them. When the…

US: The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has demanded Google to sell its Chrome browser, a move sought at disassembling the tech giant’s dominance in search monopoly. This is part of a wider set of legal remedies proposed in a court filing, seeking to control Google from maintaining its search monopoly. The DOJ also reached an end to exclusive contracts with companies like Apple and Samsung that make Google’s search engine the default on many smartphones and browsers. These proposals observe a landmark anti-competition ruling in August, in which District Judge Amit Mehta concluded that Google had unlawfully stifled competition…

India: Gautam Adani, one of India’s wealthiest businessmen, has been faced US charges with directing a $250 million bribery scheme and concealing the misconduct to guarantee international investments. The charges, filed in New York, accuse the 62-year-old tycoon and senior executives at the Adani Group of bribing Indian officials to win lucrative contracts for the company’s renewable energy business, launched to generate over $2 billion in profits over two decades. Prosecutors allege that Adani and his associates misled investors while raising $3 billion in loans and bonds, enclosing from US firms. They reportedly made false claims about the company’s anti-bribery…

Gaza: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared during a visit to Gaza, that Hamas will no longer govern the Palestinian enclave after the ongoing conflict concludes, claiming that Israel has significantly crippled the militant group’s military capabilities. Netanyahu’s statement came as Israeli forces continued their military operations in Gaza, aiming to disassemble Hamas leadership and infrastructure. In a recorded video message, Netanyahu reaffirmed Israel’s commitment to recovering the remaining 101 hostages believed to be held by Hamas in Gaza, announcing a $5 million reward for the safe rescue of each individual. The prime minister issued a stark warning to…

Washington, D.C.: Former President Donald Trump has appointed Howard Lutnick, CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald and co-chair of his transition team, as the next Commerce Secretary. Lutnick will lead the administration’s efforts on tariffs and trade, key elements of Trump’s economic agenda. In his announcement, Trump lauded Lutnick as a “dynamic force on Wall Street for more than 30 years” and emphasised his contributions to assembling the new administration. Lutnick will also direct the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, extending his influence in shaping U.S. trade policy. Known for his strong support of competitive economic strategies, Lutnick has been a…