Author: staff

Last year was the driest for global rivers in 30 years, while glaciers suffered the largest mass loss in 50 years. Last year was the driest year for global rivers in 33 years, warns a new report coordinated by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). According to the State of Global Water Resources report, the past five years have seen below-normal conditions for river flows and reservoir inflows worldwide, increasing stress on global water supplies.The annual report paints the big picture of the world’s water cycle, from extreme floods to extreme droughts, from rivers and reservoirs to glaciers and groundwater. It brings…

The appointment has raised eyebrows among some China hawks in the British parliament, given TikTok is banned on U.K. government phones amid security concerns. Tory leadership contender Tom Tugendhat, who was sanctioned by China while working as the Commons foreign affairs committee chair, accused his Labour opponents of playing “fast and loose with our nation’s security.” “The prime minister’s latest decision to hire someone directly from the Chinese Communist Party’s mouthpiece TikTok demonstrates, once again, that he cannot provide the leadership this country is crying out for,” Tugendhat said. TikTok insists it has overhauled its data security practices since the…

Astonishingly scything through arch-foe Hezbollah’s upper echelons, remorselessly picking off leaders and military commanders one after another, Israel’s becoming increasingly bullish, convinced the disaster of Oct. 7 is being paid back. Israel is being made safer, victory snatched from the jaws of defeat — or so its leaders argue. And soon, they believe, it will achieve the unbelievable — vanquishing both of Iran’s key allies in the region: Hamas and Hezbollah — the redrawing of the Middle East’s geopolitical map within its grasp. Of course, how Israel’s military campaign actually fares — whether Iran and Hezbollah find a convenient hook…

Netanyahu’s coalition faces increasing pressure as Israel’s conflict with Iranian proxies intensifies, with calls from the US and EU for a ceasefire in Gaza. As Israel raises its military stakes against the Iran-sponsored proxies, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is struggling to persuade the traditional Western partners that his muscular strategy is the only option to save Israel from doom.Despite the US and the EU increasingly demanding a ceasefire in Gaza, the war has been extended to the Lebanese front.Israel is under attack and is fighting against Iran’s proxies, which might lead to an eventual showdown with the regime in Tehran.Meanwhile,…

The Commission’s report on EU consumer law finds that addictive designs, social media influencers, and dark patterns are posing risks for users, manipulating their choices online. It will serve as the basis for the Digital Fairness Act, which will be on the next Justice Commissioner’s agenda. Although EU consumers are among the most protected in the world, online and offline, the consumer regulation lacks teeth to combat new harmful online practices adopted by some businesses, according to the executive’s recent (3 October) Digital Fairness Fitness Check report. The report assessed directives on unfair commercial practices, consumer rights and unfair contract terms.Among…

In time for the one-year anniversary of the 7 October massacre, a new visceral film documents Hamas’ attack at the Israeli Nova music festival. It is not for the faint of heart. Imagine filming yourself knowing you’re about to die.A new documentary now streaming in time for the one-year anniversary of the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack plunges you into this reality. It’s one of the most visceral docs you’re likely to see.We Will Dance Again is a harrowing dive into the Hamas-led attack on the Nova music festival. Through videos shot on phones, GoPro footage attributed to Hamas fighters…

Firm friend Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko gushed, “Your deep understanding of Russia’s historic mission, personal responsibility for the fate of the people and the Fatherland have become a reliable guarantee of strengthening its statehood and sovereignty,” in his birthday message. Chechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov, another key backer of the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion, said, “Today, friends, is the birthday of our national leader, Supreme Commander-in-Chief, President of Russia Vladimir Putin!” in a congratulatory message on his social media. “Undoubtedly, this is a significant day for our entire Fatherland,” Kadyrov added. Meanwhile, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who has been trying to foster…

Set in Norway’s third-largest city, PoMo’s permanent collection will include works by Louise Bourgeois, Katharina Fritsch, Simone Leigh, and Philippe Parreno. Next year, Trondheim will welcome PoMo: a groundbreaking modern and contemporary art museum, housed in a renovated art nouveau post office building.PoMo hopes to redefine the art landscape in the region, particularly with regard to gender representation. In a statement, the museum said its collection “aims to create a ‘new normal’ for Norwegian institutions, dedicating a minimum of 60 percent of its acquisitions budget to women artists to tackle gender inequality in museum collections at large”.The museum’s permanent collection…

Russian state broadcaster VGTRK was hit with an “unprecedented” hacking attack, President Vladimir Putin’s spokesperson said Monday.  In the early hours of Monday morning, all of the company’s online broadcasting and internal services stopped working, including the streaming services of prominent TV and radio channels such as Russia-1 and Russia-24.  Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov expressed support for the Russian broadcasters and said specialists were working to determine who was responsible for the attack on what he called a “critical infrastructure facility.”

The Slovakian prime minister has repeatedly accused the West of fuelling the conflict, claiming the war should be resolved through diplomacy over fighting. Slovakia’s Robert Fico vowed he would not allow Ukraine to become a member of NATO as long as he was prime minister, in another blow to Kyiv’s aspirations to join the alliance amid Russia’s ongoing invasion.”I will direct the lawmakers under my control as chairman of the (ruling Smer) party never to agree to Ukraine joining NATO,” he told broadcaster STVR in an interview on Sunday.”Ukraine’s accession to NATO would be a good basis for a third…