Top stories
1. Chemistry Nobel awarded for solving mystery of life’s asymmetry
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to French and Japanese scientists for solving the mystery of life’s asymmetry. Their work explains why biological molecules exhibit a single handedness.
Source: BBC World
2. Scientists in Vienna and Beijing create world’s first nuclear clocks - Reuters
Reuters reports that scientists in Vienna and Beijing have created the world’s first nuclear clocks. The breakthrough could lead to timekeeping more precise than today’s atomic clocks.
Source: Reuters World (via Google News)
3. IMF chief warns energy shock, growing debt and AI risks threaten global growth
The IMF chief warned that an energy shock, rising debt levels and risks stemming from artificial intelligence are threatening global growth. The remarks highlight multiple downside risks facing the world economy.
Source: Reuters World (via Google News)
World news
1. Ten people linked to Kenya’s first-ever Ebola case quarantined as screening concerns grow
Ten people linked to Kenya’s first-ever Ebola case have been quarantined. The patient traveled through multiple cities in DR Congo, drove to Uganda, and then flew to Kenya, raising concerns about screening.
Source: BBC World
2. Russia says plague institute worker’s death does not risk an epidemic - Reuters
Russia said the death of an employee at a plague research institute does not create a risk of an epidemic. Authorities provided no further details in the initial report.
Source: Reuters World (via Google News)
3. Canada suspends plans to expand assisted dying to people with mental illness
Canada has indefinitely paused plans to expand assisted dying to people whose sole condition is mental illness. Eligibility had been scheduled for March 2027, delaying a contentious expansion.
Source: BBC World
4. World shares, euro slide as high oil prices, fiscal worries linger - Reuters
Reuters reports that global shares and the euro slid as high oil prices and lingering fiscal worries weighed on markets. Sentiment stayed cautious as investors monitored oil prices and government finances.
Source: Reuters World (via Google News)
5. ‘Catastrophic wildfire loop’ after colonisation left parts of Australia more at risk from bushfires, study finds
Researchers found that after 1788, the shift from open woodland to dense forest led to more intense fires, matching the loss of Indigenous cultural burning. Experts say colonisation’s drastic land-use changes created a “catastrophic wildfire loop,” making south-east Australia more vulnerable to climate-fuelled bushfires.
Source: The Guardian World
6. Abortion pill access jumps almost 50% after Australia eases restrictions for pharmacies
A study published Thursday in JAMA Network Open found that the number of Australian pharmacies stocking the MS-2 Step abortion pill rose from 2,228 to 4,107—nearly 50%—after prescribing rules were eased in 2023. Researchers say deregulating abortion medication improves safer, faster healthcare access.
Source: The Guardian World
7. Pacific nations insist world must increase efforts to meet global warming limit - Reuters
Pacific nations insist the world must increase efforts to meet the global warming limit, warning that current action falls short of what is needed to avert the climate threats facing them.
Source: Reuters World (via Google News)
8. EXCLUSIVE: US consumer watchdog examiners adopt lighter touch amid pressure and threats, sources say - Reuters
Reuters exclusively reports, citing sources, that examiners at the US consumer financial watchdog have adopted a lighter touch toward the firms they oversee amid pressure and threats. No further details were provided.
Source: Reuters World (via Google News)
9. Flydubai attack investigation widens as alleged hijacker’s training in New Zealand scrutinised
New Zealand authorities are investigating the flydubai co-pilot accused of trying to hijack an Israel-bound flight on 30 September before passengers and crew stopped him. He had trained in New Zealand after leaving a degree in Australia, where a Jewish group seeks a full probe.
Source: The Guardian World
10. France halts use of stun grenades after boy’s hand blown off in student protests
France has suspended the use of stun grenades after a boy’s hand was blown off during student protests. The move followed complaints from several groups that police used disproportionate force against teenagers.
Source: BBC World
11. Datacentre company Firmus’s high flying valuation may be coming back down to earth ahead of expected ASX debut
Sources say AI datacentre company Firmus Technologies is cutting its valuation weeks before an expected ASX debut, as it seeks to attract sceptical investors. It may even shelve its initial public offering altogether.
Source: The Guardian World
12. A 194-year-old tortoise, world’s oldest land animal, may hold clues to longer life - Reuters
A 194-year-old tortoise, regarded as the world’s oldest land animal, may offer clues about longer life, Reuters reports. Researchers are studying the animal for insights into longevity.
Source: Reuters World (via Google News)