Author: Trainee Reporter

New York: An alarming new report has revealed that nearly a third of the land area larger than India has shifted from humid to dryland conditions in just the past three decades, particularly impacting agriculture and water resources. Drylands now account for 40 per cent of Earth’s land area, excluding Antarctica, with 75 per cent of the world’s land experiencing worsening aridity since 1990. The changes are likely to be permanent, according to the study by the UN Science Policy Interface, a body of scientists convened by the United Nations. The economic toll of increasing aridity is already being felt.…

Europe: A new report from campaign group Transport and Environment (T&E) has ranked Eurostar as Europe’s worst rail operator, with Germany’s Deutsche Bahn scoring poorly for trustworthiness. The analysis, which evaluated 27 European operators on ticket prices, punctuality, and refund policies, revealed that only 11 companies achieved punctuality rates above 80 per cent. Trains emit less carbon than planes or cars, but many travellers are inhibited by high costs and inconsistent service. Eurostar, which operates routes such as London to Paris and Brussels, was criticised for charging nearly double the European average price per kilometre on comparable routes. Meanwhile, Deutsche…

Ghana: Ghanaians have headed to the polls in a critical Presidential and Parliamentary election dominated by concerns over a debt crisis, high inflation, and rising living costs. Close to 19 million registered voters are choosing a new president as well as members of parliament for 275 constituencies across the country. The presidential race sees Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) facing off against former President John Mahama, attempting a political comeback with the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC). Bawumia’s potential victory would make him Ghana’s first Muslim leader, while Mahama hopes to unseat the ruling party…

Melbourne: Political and religious leaders have strongly condemned the arson strike on the Adass Israel synagogue attack in Melbourne, which left two of its three buildings gutted after alleged intruders broke in and set it on fire. Two congregants inside the synagogue at the time were evacuated, with one supporting minor injuries. The attack has flashed an international war of words, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accusing the Australian government of contributing to growing antisemitism by supporting a recent UN resolution urging Israel to end its occupation of Gaza and other Palestinian territories. Netanyahu wrote on social media, stating…

United Kingdom: Scientists at the University of Cambridge and the Early Cancer Institute have developed a groundbreaking urine test that may detect the first signs of lung cancer, proposing new hope for early diagnosis. The innovative test works by identifying “zombie” cell proteins—specific markers released by damaged cells in lung tissue that stimulate cancer development. These cells, also known as senescent cells, stay alive but lose their ability to grow and divide, causing damage to their surroundings and paving the way for cancer. The test affects injecting a sensor that interacts with these zombie cell proteins, releasing a blend detectable…

United States: President Joe Biden is considering issuing pre-emptive pardons to notable critics of President-elect Donald Trump, as concerns grow over potential revenge from Trump’s incoming administration. Biden has discussed the prospect with senior White House aides, though no specific names have been formally suggested. The move would aim to shield individuals who opposed Trump during his previous term, including figures involved in the impeachment efforts and the investigation of the 2021 Capitol riots. US media reports suggest potential recipients include Dr. Anthony Fauci, who criticised Trump’s COVID-19 response, and California Senator-elect Adam Schiff, who led the first impeachment case.…

Colombia: Colombia’s Finance Minister, Ricardo Bonilla has stepped down following allegations of corruption linked to the country’s disaster relief agency. In a major shake-up within President Gustavo Petro’s administration, Bonilla, who announced his resignation, denied all charges, maintaining his innocence in the face of accusations involving fund diversion and vote-buying within Congress. Bonilla stated that, “I leave with my head held high,” adding that his legal defence rests on truth and transparency. Despite accepting his resignation, President Petro defended Bonilla, calling him a determined economist and criticising what he described as the pervasive corruption in Colombian politics. Bonilla’s resignation follows…

France: The French government has collapsed after Prime Minister Michel Barnier was ousted in a no-confidence vote. Members of Parliament overwhelmingly reinforced the motion against him, with 331 votes in favour—far exceeding the 288 needed to pass. This marks the first time since 1962 that France’s government has fallen due to a no-confidence vote, heightening the political instability caused by a fragmented parliament. The collapse comes just three months after Barnier, a former Brexit negotiator, was designated by President Emmanuel Macron. The motion of no confidence was flashed by Barnier’s use of special presidential powers to force through a controversial…

United Kingdom: Telegram has agreed to collaborate with the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) to combat the spread of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), marking a notable shift after years of resistance. The IWF, a globally recognised organisation used by major online platforms to detect and remove CSAM, will now work with Telegram to enforce its world-leading tools. This decision follows growing criticism and a legal challenge to Telegram’s failure to negotiate extreme content. In August, the platform’s founder, Pavel Durov, was arrested in Paris for alleged negligence in addressing illegal activities on the app, including drug trafficking, cybercrime, and CSAM.…

United States: Meta, the tech giant behind Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, has reported minimal AI impact on elections worldwide this year. The company attributed this success to advanced defences against coordinated misinformation campaigns and bot networks, according to Nick Clegg, Meta’s president of global affairs. Since 2017, Meta has dismantled 39 coordinated misinformation networks originating in Russia, followed by Iran and China. Clegg underlined that despite concerns over generative AI, the volume of AI-generated misinformation remained low. Harmful content, including deep fake videos and audio clips, was swiftly flagged and removed. In the U.S. alone, Meta blocked 590,000 attempts to…