Category: World

A powerful moisture-laden atmospheric river is forecast to hit the Pacific Northwest early this week, unleashing days of heavy rainfall, mountain snow and a heightened risk of river flooding across western Washington and Oregon.Forecasters at the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes have rated the incoming system as a “Level 4 of 5” event — placing it among the region’s most intense. Rain is expected to begin along coastal areas and bleed inland, with widespread

The Small Business Administration has ordered every participant in its 8 Business Development Program — all 4,300 firms — to submit detailed financial and business documentation covering the last three fiscal years. The demand, communicated in letters issued December 5, requires firms to deliver bank statements, general ledgers, payroll registers, subcontracting agreements and employment records by January 5, 2026, or risk losing their eligibility in the 8 programme and facing further actions.This sweeping documentation request marks the first

The United States Department of State reaffirmed a Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory against travel to or remaining in Venezuela, citing grave concerns over crime, civil unrest, deteriorating public services and very limited consular support. The announcement cautioned Americans that acts such as kidnapping, arbitrary detention, torture, terrorism, and violent crime are widespread — and that shortages of fuel, electricity, water, medicines and medical supplies make the situation especially hazardous.The advisory comes as tensions between Washington and Caracas

Australia is rolling out a law that will bar under-16s from holding or creating accounts on major social media platforms — a first for any democracy — setting a possible precedent for other countries to follow. From 10 December 2025, services such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, Reddit, X, Threads, Twitch and Kick must ensure no user under 16 is registered, or face fines of up to A$49.5 million.Already the law is having real-world consequences: starting 4 December,

Rwanga Foundation extends rural electrification effort as survivors call for long-term supportA Kurdish village attacked with chemical weapons in 1987 now has a continuous electricity supply after a new solar project funded by the Rwanga Foundation began operating this month. Sheikh Wasan, where 211 residents were killed in the attack carried out by Iraqi forces during the Anfal campaign, has received 72 solar systems containing 432 panels. Local records show 281 people have returned to live in the settlement, which previously

Russia has blocked access to Apple’s FaceTime and messaging service Snapchat, escalating a sweeping campaign to curb foreign communication platforms across the country. The decision by the state regulator Roskomnadzor marks a significant shift from throttling public social media sites to restricting private and encrypted communication tools.Roskomnadzor said the two services were being used “to organise and carry out terrorist acts within the country” and for recruiting individuals for criminal activity, fraud and other crimes. Authorities argued this posed unacceptable

Previously unseen photographs from Jeffrey Epstein’s private island residence have been made public by lawmakers in Washington, offering a closer look at the property at the centre of one of the most scrutinised criminal networks in the United States. The images were disclosed by Democratic members of a congressional committee examining Epstein’s activities and the conduct of officials who interacted with him over several decades.The release forms part of a broader inquiry into how Epstein’s criminal operations were enabled, overlooked,

Apple TV’s psychological thriller Pluribus moves towards its climax with growing speculation over the direction its final two episodes may take, as creator Vince Gilligan signals an unpredictable ending that has stirred widespread debate among viewers. The show, which has drawn sustained attention for its layered narrative and tightly constructed suspense, has now become the focus of expansive discussions across fan communities attempting to decipher its trajectory. Gilligan’s suggestion of a “wild” conclusion has added further urgency to those conversations,

Millions of Americans are heading into 2026 facing sharply higher health-insurance costs. Employer-based insurance premiums are projected to rise by nearly 9 percent, marking the steepest increase in fifteen years. For families paying for their own coverage through public marketplaces created under the Affordable Care Act, the shock will likely be greater. Premiums on those plans are expected to jump by roughly 26 percent, and enhanced subsidies that helped cushion the blow for many households are poised to expire. Against

Germany’s competition watchdog has launched a market test to assess whether modifications proposed by Apple to its App Tracking Transparency framework sufficiently address concerns that the policy gives Apple’s own apps an unfair advantage over competitors. The test will collect input from app publishers, media organisations and data-protection authorities to evaluate whether the revised consent prompts and user flows create a level playing field for all developers.The framework in question was introduced by Apple in 2021 to require apps

The government of Mozambique has committed to invest 12 million US dollars to rehabilitate technical and vocational education and training institutions countrywide, a move aimed at expanding capacity and better aligning training with labour market needs. The investment, slated to kick off in 2026, forms part of a broader reform supported by partner organisations. The Secretary of State for Technical and Vocational Education, Leo Jamal, announced the plan at a Vocational Education Forum in Maputo, emphasising the urgency of

Nigeria must generate 27.3 million new formal jobs from 2025 to 2030 if it is to maintain an unemployment rate of 4.3 per cent, according to the Nigerian Economic Summit Group. That works out to roughly 4.55 million net new jobs each year, a target seen as essential to absorb a growing labour force and to gradually formalise a workforce long dominated by informal, low-productivity work.The NESG report, titled “From Hustle to Decent Work: Unlocking Jobs and Productivity for

Filmmaker James Cameron has delivered a stark warning to Hollywood: generative artificial intelligence capable of creating entire performances from a single text prompt risks erasing the human essence from cinema. In an interview on CBS’ Sunday Morning, he described the notion of AI-generated actors and performances as “horrifying,” arguing that such automation undermines what he considers the core of film — live collaboration between actor and director.Cameron, celebrated for pioneering motion-capture techniques in films such as Avatar and The

Merck & Co has agreed to acquire Cidara Therapeutics for approximately $9.2 billion, paying $221.50 per share in cash to acquire all outstanding Cidara stock. The deal secures for Merck access to Cidara’s lead candidate, CD388, a long-acting antiviral designed to prevent influenza A and B infections, particularly among individuals at elevated risk of complications. CD388 is currently undergoing Phase III trials after earlier data demonstrated promising protection, and it has been granted Breakthrough Therapy and Fast Track designations by

Ghana’s central bank is preparing to implement a formal framework for non-interest banking, signalling the country’s first comprehensive move toward Islamic banking, capital markets and takaful insurance. Under the plan, conventional lenders will receive training in Sharia-compliant financial services to equip them to offer non-interest products. The shift reflects growing interest from banks and regulators in providing ethical, risk-sharing alternatives to conventional interest-based banking.The process is spearheaded by Bank of Ghana, which has outlined plans to finalise regulatory standards for

A planned fiscal overhaul in Zimbabwe would raise the royalty on gold miners from 5 % to 10 % whenever the metal sells above US$2,500 per ounce, a move that Caledonia Mining Corporation says will sharply dent profits at its flagship operation, Blanket Mine, and imperil the viability of its new expansion project. The firm, listed on London’s AIM and other exchanges, said that if applied to the full gold price — not merely incremental ounces — the higher levy

New York City agencies are mobilising emergency flood response as a coastal storm is expected to bring a brief snow-to-rain transition early Tuesday, likely creating slick roads and risks of localised flooding. The forecast from the National Weather Service shows any snow in the city at sunrise will quickly turn to rain, with the bulk of snowfall shifting to inland regions such as the Hudson Valley, northern New Jersey and Connecticut.Forecast data projects accumulation of 4 to 7

FG Gold Limited has closed a US$330 million senior debt agreement with the Africa Finance Corporation and the African Export-Import Bank, unlocking financing for the development of the Baomahun Gold Project — set to become Sierra Leone’s first large-scale commercial gold mine. The facility was formalised during AFC’s investor forum in London, marking one of the most significant mining deals in the country’s history.The Baomahun project spans 124.27 km² in the Bo and Tonkolili Districts, roughly 200 km east

Walmart will open its second South African store at Fourways Mall in Johannesburg on Friday, 28 November 2025, just days after launching its first outlet at Clearwater Mall in Roodepoort. The Fourways store is scheduled to open at 08:00, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony led by store manager Lunghani Lincoln Mathebula and the creation of 80 permanent jobs.The arrival of the Fourways outlet underscores Walmart’s drive to establish a footprint in South Africa under its own brand, rather than operating solely

Kenya’s total exports during the second quarter of 2025 rose by 1.7 per cent to reach KSh 280.0 billion, while imports grew more sharply, pushing up the overall merchandise trade deficit. That dynamic contributed to a wider current account shortfall and signalled that economic headwinds could complicate the country’s external balance even as growth picks up.Export strength this quarter was driven largely by gains in coffee, horticulture and vegetable-oil shipments. Coffee exports surged by 69 per cent to KSh 19.7