World News

US startup claims it turned mercury into gold in lab using nuclear fusion

Marathon Fusion has claimed that it converted mercury into stable gold using fusion technology, but the quantity produced, production cost and commercial viability remain unclear

Odds of 2026 becoming the hottest year surge higher with strong El Niño

Another scientific body, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, forecasts that 2026 is still unlikely to supplant the 2024 heat record but will come a close second

14 nationals on board a yacht off Yemen coast safe, says Indian embassy

Some Arab media on Thursday quoted Yemen's Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree as claiming that Saudi forces targeted the Indian yacht near Yuqar Island near the Yemeni coast in the Red Sea

Pak refused to accept bodies of its own soldiers in Kargil war: India at UN

India's UN representative recalled that the Indian Army buried Pakistani soldiers with military honours in 1999 after Pakistan refused to acknowledge their involvement in the Kargil war

Starbucks China brings in no-order, no-seat rule amid fierce competition

The new rule requires customers to purchase before taking a seat, with stores displaying notices about the change

Tibet earthquake kills 16: A look at major Himalayan quakes in recent years

From Tibet and Nepal to northern India, powerful earthquakes have killed thousands, destroyed homes over the years, highlighting the Himalayan region's vulnerability to seismic activity

France steps up security, deploys military to contain fresh protests

There will be 20% more police on the ground than last Saturday, according to the Interior Ministry

AI data centre backlash threatens Australia's $70 billion investment boom

Of the 40-plus large centers planned or under construction in Sydney and Melbourne, just 23% have confirmed publicly that they have secured electricity supply or grid connections

Europe's summer heat kills 50,000 people, shaves $18.9 billion off GDP

Those findings, from two separate studies, reveal the extent of Europe's vulnerability to rising temperatures in what's likely to be one of the hottest years in modern history

OpenAI shifts valuation to $1.25 trillion as funding talks near final stage

The ChatGPT maker shifted the value discussed in the talks by $150 billion, from $1.4 trillion

Musk's donations top $445 million in push for Republicans in US midterms

The world's richest person put $77 million into America PAC, Federal Election Commission filings show, in an effort to elect Republicans in November midterm contests

Trump says Musk restored Ukraine's Starlink access, dodges call question

Ukraine uses Starlink for battlefield communications and drone operations. Restricting the satellite service ​hampered the country's attack and air defence drone missions against Russia

What is PHP? Why are governments and businesses worldwide going offline?

A critical security flaw in the programming language underpinning much of the web has prompted a global rush to patch vulnerable systems

Microsoft develops AI tool that can diagnose 'sequentially' like doctor

A Microsoft AI tool that mimics doctors' step-by-step diagnostic process outperformed general physicians on complex medical cases and emergency room scenarios

Zuckerberg strikes Meta deal to cover potential California billionaire tax

If passed by voters in the November 3 election, the measure would levy a one-time 5 per cent tax on the wealth of Californians whose net worth exceeds $1 billion

US judge orders Trump to sit for deposition in $10 bn BBC lawsuit by Dec 11

The order from US Magistrate Judge Enjolique Lett came as lawyers for the British broadcaster complained that Trump had delayed his appearance in his own lawsuit

Trump admin offers mixed messages on limits to Ukraine's Starshield access

The limitations placed on Starshield last week alarmed Ukraine's military and government officials, with commanders reporting lost drones and disrupted missions

Fake poll on US midterm elections spooks media houses, politicians

Wedgewood Polling admitted to fabricating poll data and accused poll aggregators of not vetting their firm before using their results a charge rejected by the two media houses

US proposes rule to crack down on high-tech investments in China, others

The US government has been working for years to deny China and other adversaries investments that could help them boost their military power

Thousands gather in Paris after court lifts protest ban amid unrest

Organisers of the Paris protest said an administrative court overturned a ban issued by police after they challenged it