What happens when intelligence gathering goes digital — and starts targeting hearts and minds instead of just state secrets? That’s the question hanging over a new move by Taiwan, which has launched an online platform encouraging Chinese nationals to share intelligence tips. The government says it’s creating a “secure channel” for people who are increasingly
Could science be racing against time to stop the next major Ebola crisis? With a fast-growing outbreak already claiming nearly 250 lives. Researchers are urgently developing three new vaccines aimed at a rare and particularly challenging strain of the deadly virus. The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo species of Ebola, has infected more than 1,000
After more than a week trapped inside a flooded cave in Laos, the first glimmer of hope has finally emerged. One of five men found alive deep underground has been rescued. Marking a major breakthrough in a race against time that has gripped rescuers and communities alike. The group had entered the remote cave in
SpaceX is finally stepping into the public markets — and it’s doing it at a scale that feels almost unreal. Elon Musk’s rocket and satellite company has unveiled plans to list on the Nasdaq under the ticker SPCX. Targeting a valuation of around $1.75 trillion and aiming to raise up to $80 billion in its
What happens when a city is hit by more rain in an hour than it can handle in a week? That’s exactly the nightmare unfolding in Wellington, where flash floods have forced officials to declare a state of emergency. In just under an hour, a staggering 77mm of rain drenched the city—turning streets into rivers,
Can a painting truly rewrite history? In India, it just did. Raja Ravi Varma’s 19th-century masterpiece Yashoda and Krishna has smashed auction records. It sold for a staggering 1.67 billion rupees ($17.9m) at a Saffronart event in Delhi. It overtakes last year’s $13.8m record set by MF Husain. Varma, born in 1848 in Kerala, is
Imagine spotting a 15-ton whale stranded in shallow water—what would you do? That’s exactly the scene unfolding off the Baltic Sea coast in Lübeck Bay, northern Germany. Rescuers are racing against the clock to save a massive humpback whale. The animal, around 12–15 meters long, was first seen Monday near Niendorf in Timmendorfer Strand. Authorities
Should kids really be scrolling through social media before they even turn 16? That’s the question Indonesia is now answering with a firm “no.” The government has announced a sweeping rule that will ban children under 16 from having accounts on major social platforms. The list is long—YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Roblox and
In a remarkable first for the United Kingdom, a baby boy named Hugo has been born to a mother who received a womb transplant from a deceased donor. Born at Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Hospital in London, Hugo weighed a healthy 3.09kg—and carried a story that feels almost unbelievable. His mother, Grace Bell, was born
In an age where everything lives on fragile hard drives, the idea is unsettling. Files vanish. Systems crash. So how do you preserve human knowledge for thousands of years—not just decades? Enter Microsoft’s bold experiment: storing data inside glass. Through its Silica project, researchers are using lasers to etch information into silica glass. Yes, actual
Hong Kong has delivered its toughest verdict yet under the national security law. It’s landed on one of the city’s most recognisable faces. Jimmy Lai, the 78-year-old media tycoon and outspoken pro-democracy figure, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison. For “colluding with foreign forces.” For critics, it feels less like justice and more
What happens when a country barely has time to dry out before the next downpour arrives? Portugal is finding out the hard way. Days after Storm Kristin tore through the country, killing five people and knocking out power to hundreds of thousands. Authorities are bracing for yet another round of heavy rain. Around 200,000 homes
