Author: Trainee Reporter

China: Shares of the world’s largest EV battery maker, Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Limited (CATL), has surged as much as 18 percent on their first day of trading in Hong Kong, following the year’s biggest initial public offering (IPO). The Chinese battery giant raised nearly $4.55 billion (HK$35.7 billion) in the high-profile listing. CATL, which already trades on China’s Shenzhen Stock Exchange with a valuation exceeding $138.7 billion, manufactures over one-third of all EV batteries sold globally. Its clients include Tesla, Volkswagen, Toyota, and other major automakers. Despite escalating US-China tensions and ongoing tariff pressures, analysts believe CATL’s limited exposure…

Australia: A British ultra-endurance athlete has shattered the world record for running across the width of Australia, completing the 3,800km journey in just 35 days. William Goodge, 31, began his transcontinental run on 15 April at Cottesloe Beach in Perth, crossing the finish line at Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach, his father by his side. Goodge covered the equivalent of two-and-a-half marathons a day, around 100km daily, enduring punishing physical and mental challenges along the way. His feat breaks the previous record held by Chris Turnbull, who completed the run in 39 days in 2023. Australian Nedd Brockmann had run the…

Britain: British climber Kenton Cool has reached the summit of Mount Everest for a record 19th time, further cementing his legacy as the non-Sherpa with the most climbs of the world’s highest peak. The 51-year-old mountaineer summited the 8,849-metre (29,000-foot) Himalayan giant at 11:00 local time (04:15 GMT), accompanied by experienced Nepali Sherpa Dorji Gyaljen, who recorded his 23rd successful ascent. Cool first climbed Everest in 2004 and has returned nearly every year since. Despite the impressive milestone, he has previously been modest about his record, acknowledging that many Nepali Sherpas have achieved far more. After completing his 16th climb,…

United States: Former US President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer that has spread to his bones, according to a statement released by his office. Biden, 82, was diagnosed after visiting a doctor for urinary symptoms. The cancer has been categorised as a high-grade, aggressive form of the disease, with a Gleason score of 9 out of 10. Despite the severity of the diagnosis, Biden’s team says the cancer is hormone-sensitive, meaning it could still be effectively controlled with treatment. “Melania and I are saddened to hear about @JoeBiden’s recent medical diagnosis. We extend our warmest and…

North Carolina: Tempers have flared at Quail Hollow as Shane Lowry and Tyrrell Hatton delivered emotional outbursts during a tense second round at the US PGA Championship. Lowry, the 2019 Open champion, erupted after a ruling on the eighth hole denied him relief for what he believed to be an embedded ball. Visibly furious, the Irishman slammed his club into the ground and swore loudly about this place, before flipping his middle finger at the hole following a bogey. He went on to card a 71, missing the cut by just one shot at two over par. Adding to the…

United States: Moody’s Ratings has downgraded the United States government’s credit rating from Aaa to Aa1, stripping the country of its last remaining top-tier score among the three major credit agencies. The agency cited the failure of successive administrations to rein in ballooning fiscal deficits as the key reason for the move, a development that could rattle global financial markets and further complicate President Donald Trump’s economic agenda. The downgrade marks the end of the U.S. government’s clean sweep of triple-A ratings. Standard & Poor’s cut the U.S. rating in 2011, and Fitch followed in 2023. Moody’s stated that, “Successive…

United States: Donald Trump has unveiled business agreements totalling more than $200 billion between the United States and the United Arab Emirates during his ongoing tour of the Middle East. The package includes a $14.5 billion commitment involving Boeing, GE Aerospace, and Etihad Airways, aimed at strengthening commercial aviation and economic ties between the two nations. According to the White House, Etihad Airways has committed to purchasing 28 US-made Boeing 787 and 777X aircraft powered by GE engines. Etihad’s fleet expansion comes amid broader growth plans announced by its CEO, Antonoaldo Neves. The airline aims to extend its fleet from…

Los Angeles: Olympic spectators may soon escape LA’s infamous gridlock by taking to the skies, thanks to a new partnership between LA28 and Archer Aviation. The committee organising the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games has announced plans to launch an air taxi service that would ferry fans between key venues. The electric aircraft, known as ‘eVTOLs’ (electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles), are being developed by Archer Aviation, a startup backed by United Airlines and Boeing. If approved by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in time, the piloted Midnight aircraft could offer short, 10–20 minute flights across the Los…

United Kingdom: UK-based carmaker Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has confirmed it has no intention of setting up manufacturing operations in the United States, with ongoing disruption caused by President Donald Trump’s tariff policies. JLR, which does not operate any production facilities in the US, had previously paused shipments to the country in April following Trump’s initial round of tariff announcements. Exports resumed earlier this month, but uncertainty continues to loom over the firm’s US strategy. This week, Jaguar joined a growing number of major companies opting not to issue profit forecasts, citing economic unpredictability driven by shifting US trade policies.…

India: India has blocked access to several Chinese state media accounts on X (formerly Twitter), including Xinhua News Agency and the Global Times, in a move reportedly linked to allegations of spreading Pakistani propaganda and misinformation during recent cross-border clashes. Turkish broadcaster TRT World was also blocked. The action follows India’s protest over China’s decision to rename several locations in the contested border state of Arunachal Pradesh, referred to by Beijing as Zangnan. The Indian government described the move as vain and preposterous, reaffirming that the territory remains an integral and inalienable part of India. While the Global Times’ X…