Category: World

Forecasters are positioning what has been one of the weakest La Niña events in years to diminish through the first half of 2026, with climatologists projecting a transition to neutral Pacific conditions between February and April. This shift, shaped by evolving ocean-atmosphere interactions across the equatorial Pacific, could lessen the climatic imprint of La Niña on global weather patterns and open the way for the next stage of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation cycle.The tropical Pacific continues to exhibit below-average sea

Greenland’s long-standing drive for full independence from Denmark is gathering renewed attention as political leaders and community voices weigh the implications of public remarks by United States President Donald Trump suggesting Washington could seek control of the Arctic territory. While calls for sovereignty have echoed across the island for decades, the latest geopolitical tension has prompted some Greenlandic Inuit to argue that the path towards independence must now unfold alongside efforts to counter external pressure.Greenland, the world’s largest island, remains

Food queues are lengthening, blackouts are stretching into the night and petrol stations stand dry across Cuba as tighter US sanctions and a collapse in tourism compound a severe fuel shortage, pushing daily life on the island towards what many residents describe as a breaking point.Authorities in Havana have acknowledged acute constraints on diesel and petrol supplies, attributing the shortfall to tougher enforcement of US measures targeting oil shipments from Venezuela and other partners. Washington has intensified scrutiny of tankers

A growing chorus from France’s political, financial and academic establishment is warning that the country is approaching a decisive moment as the far right edges closer to power, unsettling markets and raising questions about the durability of the republic’s economic model and European commitments.The unease sharpened after confirmation that François Villeroy de Galhau, the long-serving governor of the Banque de France and a central figure in euro-area policymaking, will leave his post a year before the scheduled end of his

Buckingham Palace has said it stands ready to support any police inquiry into the Duke of York after disclosures raised questions about whether Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor shared confidential United Kingdom trade material with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. The statement, issued on Monday, underscored the Royal Household’s position that it will cooperate fully should investigators seek assistance.The Palace said it would “support any appropriate investigation” in line with established procedures, stopping short of commenting on the substance of the claims. The

Donald Trump has warned he could block the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge, a major new road link between Windsor, Ontario, and Detroit, framing the threat as leverage in broader trade and border negotiations with Canada. The statement has injected uncertainty into one of North America’s most significant infrastructure projects, designed to ease congestion at the busiest commercial crossing on the US–Canada frontier.Speaking to supporters and later reinforcing the message through campaign aides, Trump argued that the bridge’s

South Africa’s central bank is open to drawing on new repurchase agreement facilities from the European Central Bank should they become available, Governor Lesetja Kganyago said, signalling a pragmatic approach to shoring up foreign-currency liquidity as global financial conditions remain uneven.Speaking on the margins of international central-bank meetings, Kganyago indicated that access to euro liquidity via ECB repo lines would add a useful layer to South Africa’s external buffers, complementing existing arrangements with other major monetary authorities. The comments place

Almaty has been selected to stage the 2029 Asian Winter Games after organisers withdrew the event from the Trojena ski resort at Neom, citing construction timelines that no longer aligned with delivery requirements. The decision restores the continental winter showpiece to a city with an established cold-weather sporting pedigree and existing venues, easing pressure on organisers to meet fixed international deadlines.The Olympic Council of Asia confirmed the switch after consultations with national Olympic committees and regional stakeholders, saying the revised

Documents released by the United States Justice Department have revealed how Jeffrey Epstein’s web of influence extended into India, underscoring the disgraced financier’s sustained efforts to cultivate relationships with prominent figures across business, politics and academia long before his arrest and death.The files, unsealed as part of litigation connected to Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell, include exchanges indicating contact between Epstein and Anil Ambani over a period stretching from early 2017 through 2019. The correspondence spans discussions on global affairs, business

Abu Dhabi welcomed the announcement of talks between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran to be hosted by the Sultanate of Oman, describing the move as a constructive step that could ease regional tensions and reinforce diplomatic pathways in the Gulf. The United Arab Emirates said the decision to engage through dialogue reflects a shared recognition that negotiation remains the most effective means to address complex security and political challenges.Officials in the United Arab Emirates framed the

The United Kingdom has expanded its sanctions regime against figures accused of fuelling Sudan’s civil war, imposing measures this week on six senior commanders and facilitators linked to atrocities and the recruitment of foreign fighters. These actions, announced by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office under the Sudan Regulations 2020, include asset freezes, travel bans and director disqualifications intended to disrupt financial and military support networks that sustain the conflict.The designations target a mix of military and

Iran entered high-level talks with the United States in Muscat on Friday seeking what officials described as a durable agreement, as Washington signalled that any understanding must sit within a wider regional framework. The negotiations, hosted by Oman, reflect an attempt by both sides to test whether long-running hostility can be channelled into a structured outcome at a moment of heightened tension across West Asia.Officials in Tehran said the objective was to secure commitments that endure beyond electoral cycles and

Spain’s government is preparing legislation that would bar children and teenagers under the age of 16 from accessing mainstream social media platforms, signalling one of Europe’s most far-reaching attempts to curb the digital exposure of minors as concerns over online harm intensify.Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said the proposal would form part of a broader package of child-protection measures aimed at tackling cyberbullying, addictive design features and the spread of harmful content among young users. The plan, outlined during a public

French prosecutors have carried out a judicial operation targeting offices and data linked to Elon Musk’s social media platform X as part of an inquiry into how the company’s recommendation systems operate, widening the scope to include examination of its artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok. The move places one of the world’s most influential digital platforms under intensified regulatory and legal scrutiny in Europe at a time when authorities are tightening oversight of algorithm-driven services.The Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed that the

South Africa’s flagship reform programme is moving into a broader and more complex phase as Operation Vulindlela expands beyond its initial focus on energy, logistics and telecommunications, signalling a renewed push to lift growth and attract investment at a time of fragile confidence.Launched in 2020 within the Presidency, Operation Vulindlela was designed to unblock structural constraints that had long weighed on the economy. Its early emphasis on electricity supply reform, port and rail efficiency, and opening up data and spectrum

Fashion has long crossed borders, but for Scotland-based Nigerian creative Esther Oladapo, clothing functions as a narrative device shaped by migration, memory and identity rather than mere aesthetics. Working between cultures, Oladapo has built a practice that draws on West African heritage while engaging directly with Scotland’s contemporary fashion and creative scenes, positioning her among a growing cohort of diasporic designers redefining how African stories are told in European spaces.Based in Scotland for several years, Oladapo’s work reflects a dialogue

Syrian authorities say security forces have dismantled an unconventional drug-smuggling operation that relied on hot-air balloons, seizing millions of Captagon pills and large quantities of narcotics in what officials described as a coordinated border and interior operation.A statement carried by state media said troops confiscated about two million Captagon tablets, 605 palm-sized packets of hashish weighing a combined 151kg, 610 helium cylinders and 75 hot-air balloons believed to have been prepared for cross-border launches. The haul also included 30 plastic

A plan by the Transportation Security Administration to charge passengers a $45 fee for travelling without acceptable identification has triggered a legal challenge in the United States, reopening a long-running debate over the limits of regulatory authority and the rights of air travellers at security checkpoints.The fee, announced as part of updated screening procedures, applies to passengers who arrive at airports without government-issued photo identification and are cleared through alternative identity-verification processes. The agency argues that the charge reflects the