What happens when a rebel rapper walks straight into the prime minister’s office? In Nepal, that question just became reality. At 35, Balendra Shah—better known as Balen—has ridden a wave of youth frustration all the way to the top. Voters, fed up with corruption and elite politics, didn’t just listen to his lyrics—they believed them.
Why is the Philippines strengthening military ties with partners thousands of kilometres away? The answer lies in the increasingly tense waters of the South China Sea. In a fresh step toward deeper defence cooperation, Manila and France have signed a visiting forces agreement. Allowing their troops to train and operate in each other’s territory. The
Can a social media app really shape a child’s mental health? A jury in Los Angeles has delivered a verdict that suggests it can—and the decision could ripple across the tech world. In a landmark case, jurors ruled that Meta and Google deliberately designed their platforms to be addictive. Harming a young woman identified as
Why would a country’s top leader personally visit a construction site nearly a decade after it began? In the case of Xi Jinping, the answer is simple: the future of a city—and perhaps a legacy. On Monday, the Chinese president made a rare inspection trip to Xiongan New Area. A massive urban project rising about
A military transport plane crashed just seconds after takeoff in the country’s remote Amazon region on Monday. Killing eight people and injuring many others. The aircraft—a Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules operated by the Colombian Air Force—was carrying 114 passengers and 11 crew members. When it went down near the border town of Puerto Leguízamo. Military
What if the first voice you heard each morning wasn’t a person—but a talking doll? For some elderly residents in South Korea, that’s becoming reality. Take 72-year-old Ahn So-hyun. She has lived alone for decades after losing her husband, with limited eyesight and children who can rarely visit. Many days passed in silence. Then came
What happens when paradise meets a relentless storm? That’s the question residents in Hawaii are grappling with as torrential rains continue to hammer the islands. A statewide flood watch remains in effect after a powerful storm triggered evacuations and flash-flood warnings across several areas. The biggest concerns are on Oahu and parts of Maui County.
What happens when cutting-edge technology meets global geopolitics? Sometimes, it turns into a high-stakes smuggling drama. US prosecutors say three individuals linked to a US tech supplier are at the center of an alleged scheme. To secretly funnel advanced artificial intelligence chips to China. According to the US Department of Justice, the group allegedly plotted
What happens when speaking out becomes dangerous? That’s the troubling question many Indonesians are asking after a shocking acid attack on a human rights activist. Authorities in Indonesia have detained four soldiers suspected of involvement in the assault on Andrie Yunus. Andrie Yunus is a prominent activist from KontraS, a group known for investigating forced
Smuggling wildlife usually brings to mind elephants or exotic birds—but ants? That’s exactly what authorities in Nairobi say they uncovered in a surprising airport bust. A Chinese national, Zhang Kequn, and his Kenyan associate Charles Mwangi have been charged with illegally trading wildlife. Officials allegedly found more than 2,000 live queen garden ants hidden in
What happens when a regional war spills into the heart of a capital city? Early Tuesday morning, residents of Baghdad got a frightening glimpse. Rockets and at least five drones were launched toward the United States Embassy in Baghdad. Iraqi security officials described it as the most intense attack yet since the US–Israel war with
Can a chatbot accidentally push someone deeper into a delusion? A new scientific review suggests the possibility—and it’s raising eyebrows in the mental health community. Researchers writing in The Lancet Psychiatry warn that AI chatbots could reinforce delusional thinking. Particularly among people already vulnerable to psychosis. The review was led by psychiatrist Hamilton Morrin of
