World News Hub

Hungary’s lakes and rivers hit record lows as severe drought deepens

Hungary is facing a severe water crisis, with prolonged heat and drought driving water levels sharply lower. Around 99% of the country is under severe or extreme drought, while desertification threatens the Great Hungarian Plain.

Outrage as China programmer’s toilet death ruled non-work-related for being ‘not at desk’

Public anger has surged on mainland social media after authorities declined to classify the death of a programmer in his company’s toilet as work-related. According to Jiupai News, Xing Zhi, a 39-year-old programmer from Shenzhen and father of two, died in his company’s toilet in April. After clocking in that morning, Xing went directly to a second-floor toilet instead of his 11th-floor desk and n...

'We are devastated' - Nigerian villagers bury bodies after overloaded boat capsizes

The overloaded boat was taking people, including many children, to farms to harvest rice.

Japan hangs man convicted of killing 5 people at pachinko parlor

Sunao Takami set fire to the crowded pachinko parlor in Osaka by spreading gasoline and throwing a lit match, engulfing the building, killing five and injuring 10 others.

Quote of the day by Carl Linnaeus: "I well know what a splendidly great diff.."

Bitcoin surges over 25% as shorts get squeezed and Washington leans into crypto

Bitcoin has stormed back from a months-long downtrend, tearing through $79,500 on Friday as a wave of short covering collided with a US Treasury liquidity push and a fresh White House embrace of the crypto industry.

Quote of the day by Dwayne Johnson: "Be humble. Be hungry. And always be..."

Mongolia hosts UN desertification summit as drought crisis deepens

Mongolia is hosting the UN Convention to Combat Desertification’s COP17 in Ulaanbaatar from 17 to 28 August, bringing together representatives from 196 countries and the European Union to tackle land degradation, drought and desertification.

Man dressed as ‘Grim Reaper’ climbs onto hospital roof with long blade and stares at patients

Who is Nathan Cofnas, the self-styled 'race realist' at centre of Jason Arday plagiarism row

Iran touts its trade ties as U.S. turns from bombs to economic warfare

As Vice President JD Vance declares economic pressure "the most effective tool that we have," Iran seeks to show deepening trade ties with its neighbors.

Why is the Gwangju Biennale refusing to call Taiwan’s pavilion the 'Taiwan Pavilion'?

Taiwan’s government and participating artists accuse the Gwangju Biennale of censorship after it renamed its exhibition the “NTMoFA Pavilion”.

Chinese insurer Ping An eyes Hong Kong ETFs as Beijing greenlights cross-border investment

Ping An Insurance (Group), China’s largest insurer in terms of market capitalisation, is eyeing investments in Hong Kong-listed exchange-traded funds (ETFs) to boost returns following Beijing’s green light for cross-border allocations, according to senior executives. “Allowing mainland insurance funds to invest in Hong Kong listed ETFs is set to tighten the ties between Hong Kong and the mainland ...

The Mistral paradox: Europe’s push for tech sovereignty relies on China’s Z.ai

On August 11, a tiny line buried in a lengthy press release from French company Mistral AI spoke volumes about the strategic and technological dilemmas facing the European Union, as the bloc prepares to navigate an autumn period full of geopolitical and trade upheaval. In a bid to roll out “European infrastructure for sovereign AI”, Mistral – Europe’s great hope in the global artificial intelligen...

In 1908, Eliza Homans donated 140 acres of land to stop future development, six years later it became a part of Acadia National Park

Eliza Homans made a remarkable contribution of 140 acres to establish Acadia National Park, incorporating breathtaking locations like the Bowl and the Beehive. This generous act marked the first significant donation to the Hancock County Trustees of Public Reservation, laying the groundwork for the park's creation. In recognition of her impact, Homans Path was later integrated into the park's expa...

Russia conducts missile tests on disputed islands as Japan protests drills

The Pacific Fleet conducted a Bastion missile test just days after Putin's visit to the islands prompted Tokyo to summon Russia's ambassador to Japan and drew a US statement of support for Japanese sovereignty.

This year's El Nino set to be strongest in more than a century, UK forecasters say

Britain's Met Office has predicted sea surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific will reach an "unheard-of" level of potentially more than three degrees above average, triggering severe droughts across South America and the West Pacific. Such an event would have serious knock-on effects for global food security.

Ban on goods from occupied West Bank would help protect two-state solution, says Emily Thornberry – UK politics live

Head of foreign affairs select committee urges government to adopt ban amid rising settler violence, after foreign secretary rebukes Israel over construction tenderIt is a national scandal that survivors of terrorist attacks are still being “mistreated and neglected”, campaigners have said as the UK marked the first dedicated memorial day for victims.Brendan Cox, husband of murdered MP Jo Cox, sai...

Gun stash discovered in German forest believed to be linked to Russia, say reports

Authorities believe handguns found in forest near Berlin were ⁠to be used ⁠to ​carry out assassinations for Russian intelligence, Sueddeutsche reportsGerman security authorities discovered handguns stashed in ⁠a forest near Berlin last year that they believe were ⁠to be used ⁠to ​carry out assassinations on behalf of Russian intelligence, Süddeutsche Zeitung reported on ⁠Friday.The Russian embassy...

Nord Stream bombing suspect to Hollywood fixer: Who is Volodymyr Zhuravlev?

German authorities allege that Ukrainian scuba diver Volodymyr Zhuravlev was involved in the Nord Stream explosions.

Takeover shield: Monte dei Paschi bids for BPM, Generali to forge €80bn Italian bank

Monte dei Paschi clears €34 billion twin bid for Banco BPM and Banca Generali to fend off Intesa Sanpaolo, creating a stronger, bigger €80 billion Italian bank.

Monte dei Paschi: details of bid for Banco BPM and Banca Generali

Mps has cleared a twin swap bid for Banco Bpm and Banca Generali, worth about €34 billion, to counter Intesa Sanpaolo and forge a new Italian bank with European weight.

Cybercriminals perfect 'social engineering': 'Each hack feeds the chances of the next one succeeding

Peter O'Brien is pleased to welcome Simon McGarr, Lawyer with McGarr Solicitors in Dublin, and Managing Director of Data Compliance Europe. Cybersecurity is no longer simply a question of whether governments possess adequate technical defences, explains McGarr. AI is altering those risks at extraordinary speed, placing capabilities once associated with states or sophisticated criminal organization...

Bodies of two hikers missing for decades found after Swiss glacier melts

Officials say the bodies of the two Belgians, who went missing in 1992, were discovered after the Trift Glacier receded.

Philippines floods fuel anger over alleged corruption

Weeks of monsoon rain have flooded northern Philippines, where residents are demanding answers over alleged corruption.