Author: Trainee Reporter

Jakarta: Indonesian police have dismantled a baby trafficking syndicate accused of smuggling at least 14 infants to Singapore for adoption, following the arrest of 12 individuals across several cities including Jakarta, Bandung, and Pontianak. Authorities launched an investigation after a parent reported a suspected baby kidnapping, which led them to a suspect who admitted to trafficking 24 infants. According to West Java police, the majority of the babies were taken from biological parents in the province and transported to Pontianak, a city on Borneo island, before being smuggled across international borders. Surawan, director of general criminal investigation for West Java…

Washington, D.C.: Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has announced plans to invest hundreds of billions of dollars into building massive AI data centres in the US, marking a bold step in the company’s initiative to lead the race toward artificial superintelligence. The first of these, a multi-gigawatt facility named Prometheus, will be constructed in New Albany, Ohio, and is expected to go live in 2026. A second centre, called Hyperion, will be located in Louisiana and could scale up to five gigawatts of computing capacity over the coming years, with full operations slated for 2030. Zuckerberg stated that, “We’re building multiple…

Washington, D.C.: US President Donald Trump has announced that the United States will send advanced weapons to Ukraine through NATO countries, warning Russia of 100 percent tariffs on its trading partners if no peace deal is reached within 50 days. Speaking after meeting NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump said Ukraine would receive ‘top-of-the-line weapons’ worth billions. While specific weapons were not detailed, the aid will include missiles and ammunition. European nations will send their Patriot air defence systems to Ukraine, and the US will replace them. Trump stated that, “We want to make sure Ukraine can do what it…

London: The Bank of England is poised to execute more significant interest rate cuts if the UK labour market continues to show signs of weakening, Governor Andrew Bailey has revealed. Bailey remarked that, “I really do believe the path is downward. The benchmark rate, which stands at 4.25 percent, will be reviewed at the next Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting on August 7. Economists widely expect a cut, following two reductions earlier this year. Interest rates play a crucial role in determining the cost of borrowing and savings for millions across the UK, affecting mortgages, credit cards, and investment returns.…

London: Donald Trump has accepted an invitation from King Charles III for a second state visit to the United Kingdom, Buckingham Palace confirmed. The visit, set for September 17–19, will see the US president and First Lady Melania Trump hosted at Windsor Castle due to ongoing renovations at Buckingham Palace. This marks a rare departure from royal tradition, as second-term US presidents are typically not granted a formal state visit. Trump’s first state visit to the UK took place in 2019, when he was hosted by the late Queen Elizabeth II. While a detailed programme has yet to be released,…

New Caledonia: France and New Caledonia have reached a landmark agreement that will transform the Pacific archipelago into a new state within the French Republic, following years of political deadlock and deadly separatist unrest. President Emmanuel Macron announced the historic accord, describing it as ‘a bet on trust’ that aims to redefine France’s relationship with New Caledonia. Emmanuel Macron stated that, “A State of New Caledonia within the Republic,” signals a new chapter in their shared future, with the promise of greater autonomy and lasting peace. The deal was sealed after 10 days of high-stakes negotiations near Paris, where New…

Kyiv: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has pledged unconditional support for Russia’s war in Ukraine, reaffirming a growing military and political alliance between Pyongyang and Moscow. The statement was reported by North Korean state media following Kim’s meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in the capital. During the high-level talks, Kim stated that North Korea backed all the measures taken by the Russian leadership in addressing what he called the root cause of the Ukrainian crisis. The meeting was described by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) as taking place in an atmosphere of warm comradeship and trust.…

Isfahan: A senior Israeli official has warned that Iran could potentially recover enriched uranium buried beneath its Isfahan nuclear facility, one of three key sites targeted in last month’s US air and missile strikes. Speaking to US journalists during a closed-door briefing in Washington, the unnamed official confirmed Israeli intelligence assessments suggesting enriched uranium remains buried underground at the Isfahan complex. The facility was among those hit on June 22 during Operation Midnight Hammer, a surprise US military campaign that involved submarine-launched cruise missiles. While retrieving the buried uranium would be highly challenging, the official stated that any Iranian efforts…

Malaysia: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held back-to-back meetings on the sidelines of the ASEAN foreign ministers’ gathering in Malaysia’s capital, with Ukraine dominating the agenda. The two officials met briefly, following a more extensive 50-minute discussion. Rubio revealed that the US and Russia are exploring what he called a ‘new and different approach’ to reviving stalled peace efforts in Ukraine. Lavrov, for his part, reiterated Russia’s stance on the conflict. Lavrov remarked that, “We discussed Ukraine. We confirmed the position that Vladimir Putin had outlined, including in his July 3 conversation with…

Seoul: The former South Korean President, Yoon Suk-yeol, has been arrested for a second time and returned to solitary confinement, following a court order issued in Seoul. The 64-year-old, who is currently on trial for insurrection, faces mounting legal trouble over his failed attempt to set martial law in December last year. Yoon’s re-arrest comes with concerns from prosecutors and the court that he may attempt to destroy evidence related to the case. Yoon is being held at the Seoul Detention Centre, where he previously spent 52 days earlier this year before being released on procedural grounds in March. The…