Author: Trainee Reporter

Moscow: In a significant escalation of military efforts, Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree ordering a substantial increase in the country’s military personnel by 180,000, bringing the total to 1.5 million active servicemen. The expansion, set to take effect on December 1, will make Russia’s army the second-largest in the world, behind only China. The decree, published on the government’s official website, states that the total size of Russia’s armed forces will grow to 2.38 million people. According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), this will place Russia ahead of both the United States and India…

France: Tragedy struck overnight as eight people lost their lives while attempting to cross the English Channel. French police stated that a rubber boat, carrying around 50 individuals, sank after facing difficulties in waters north of Boulogne-sur-Mer, near Ambleteuse, in the northern Pas-de-Calais region at approximately 01:00 local time (00:00 BST). The French coast guard responded after the vessel was spotted heading towards the coast, but they were unable to provide immediate help from the sea. Upon the proximity to the beach, emergency services treated 53 survivors, while eight people were confirmed passed away. Sea rescuers failed to locate any…

South Bohemia, Czech Republic – The dam burst in the South Bohemia region on Saturday has escalated into a national emergency, as heavy rainfall continues to lash the area. Authorities have been prepared to lessen the damage, but fears of flash floods have put thousands of tenants under high pressure. Environment Minister Petr Hladik warned that the inflexible rainfall had left the ground saturated, with rainwater now flowing across the surface rather than being absorbed. Petr Hladik conveyed that, “This increases the threat of flash floods significantly”, urging residents in the most affected areas to prepare for potential evacuations at…

Lebanon: Hezbollah’s deputy leader, Naim Qassem, has released a alert warning to Israel regarding the potential expansion of its conflict with Lebanon. Qassem cautioned that a full-scale war could impact in large losses on both sides and take over hundreds of thousands more Israelis from the northern regions of the country. His warning came amid rising fire as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly on the verge of launching a significant military operation against Hezbollah on the northern border. The ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, which have intensified since Israel’s conflict with Gaza began in October, have already…

Tel Aviv: Thousands of anti-government opponents cluster together in Tel Aviv, prompting the Israeli government to strengthen efforts to secure the release of captives held by Hamas in Gaza. The demonstrators marched outside army headquarters and key government buildings, conveying frustration with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s handling of the situation. The slogan against Netanyahu filled the air, with many calling for a deal with Hamas to return approximately 100 captives who remain in Gaza. These mass objections have gained momentum in recent weeks following the discovery of six captives’ bodies in Gaza, which has further inflamed public sentiment. An approximate…

Venezuela: Venezuelan authorities have detained six foreign nationals, including three US citizens, two Spaniards, and one Czech, accusing them of plotting to destabilize the country and assassinate President Nicolás Maduro and top officials. The arrests were declared by Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, who also disclosed the seizure of hundreds of weapons tied to the alleged conspiracy. The alleged plot comes on the heels of rising friction between Venezuela and Western nations. Just two days prior, the US imposed sanctions on 16 Venezuelan officials closely linked to Maduro following his disputed re-election in July. While the Venezuelan government claims the detained…

London: OpenAI has introduced a groundbreaking artificial intelligence model designed to excel in solving advanced scientific, mathematical, and coding challenges. Named OpenAI o1, the model was unveiled as part of a preview series, marking the beginning of a new generation of AI with enhanced reasoning capabilities. OpenAI o1 is engineered to process and tackle complex problems more effectively than its predecessors. According to OpenAI, this new model spends additional time thinking through problems before responding, akin to how a human might deliberate on complex issues. The model demonstrates capabilities that go beyond traditional AI use cases, including assisting healthcare researchers…

Beijing: The 2024 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) has themed ‘Global Services, Shared Prosperity’, kicked off with fanfare in Beijing, introducing global participants and setting the stage for new trade and cooperation opportunities. This year’s fair has drawn a significant turnout, with participants from 85 countries and international organizations, as well as over 450 Fortune Global 500 companies and industry leaders. The highlight is on China’s dedication to working with the global community to monitor on new opportunities in an increasingly globalized economy. Since its inception in 2012, CIFTIS has evolved into a premier platform for global…

United States: Former president Donald Trump declared that he will not engage in any further debates leading up to the 2024 election. In a post on his social media platform, Trump aimed at Vice President Kamala Harris, mocking her for not accepting debate offers from major networks. Trump firmly commented that, “She was a no-show at the Fox Debate, and refused to do so.” During a rally in Tucson, Arizona, Trump restated his stance to a cheering crowd. Trump claimed that, “We’ve done two debates and because they were successful, there will be no further third debate.” Vice President Kamala…

Gaza: According to a statement from the UN, Israeli strike on Gaza school has killed six UNRWA staff members. The al-Jaouni school in Nuseirat refugee camp was being used as protection for thousands of displaced Palestinians. As per the report of Gaza’s Civil Defence agency, 18 people were killed in total during the strike, including women and children, while 18 others were wounded. Israel’s military said the airstrike targeted a Hamas command centre operating from the school and highlighted that precautions were taken to reduce harm to civilians. In contrast, UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the attack, calling it a…