World

International affairs, events, and conflicts

World
Fossil fuels 'flailing and failing', UN chief declares
In a landmark speech at United Nations Headquarters in New York, Secretary-General António Guterres declared the fossil fuel era “flailing and failing,” urging world leaders to embrace what he called an “unstoppable” clean energy revolution. The address, delivered on 22 July, marked a pivotal moment in global climate diplomacy ahead of the COP30 summit in Brazil this November. Guterres cited dramatic cost declines in solar and wind energy, now 41% and 53% cheaper respectively than fossil fuel alternatives, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). In 2024, renewables accounted for 92.5% of all new electricity capacity added globally, with every continent installing more clean power than fossil fuels. “There are no price spikes for sunlight. No embargoes on wind,” Guterres said, referencing energyy price shocks triggered by Russia’s Ukraine invasion.. He warned that fossil fuel dependence exposes economies to geopolitical turmoil and undermines energy sovereignty. The Secretary-General has also condemned continued fossil fuel subsidies, which outpace those for renewables by a ratio of 9 to 1. In 2023, fossil fuel subsidies reached $620 billion globally, compared to just $70 billion for clean ene
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Hydropower project: China to build world's largest dam
Iron ore futures jumped to five-month highs as China launched the world's largest hydropower project, sending steel demand expectations soaring and reshaping commodity markets. China's announcement of its $167 billion Tibet mega-dam has sparked the biggest iron ore rally in months, with futures climbing 2.9% to breach $104 per tonne on Monday. The Yarlung Tsangpo project, unveiled by Premier Li Qiang during a groundbreaking ceremony in Nyingchi, will require three to four times more steel than the Three Gorges Dam - currently the world's largest hydroelectric facility.Steel demand whips up commoditiesThe September iron ore contract on the Dalian Commodity Exchange peaked at ¥819 per tonne - the highest level since February 26th. Coking coal futures jumped 7.88% whilst coke advanced 5.05% on expectations the scheme would consume unprecedented volumes of steelmaking inputs. The newly established China Yajiang Group will oversee the construction of five cascade hydropower stations capable of generating 300 billion kilowatt-hours annually - equivalent to Britain's total electricity consumption. China's CSI Construction & Engineering Index surged 4% to seven-month highs as Power Construction Corporation and Arcplus Group
World
Typhoon Wipha reaches shore after battering Hong Kong
Typhoon Wipha has made landfall in southern China after battering Hong Kong, where the island cancelled hundreds of flights amid heavy winds and rain. Wipha has reached China’s Guangdong province, where it has been downgraded to a tropical storm. Hong Kong issued its highest tropical cyclone warning yesterday, reporting winds of more than 167 kilometres per hour. "As Typhoon Wipha is moving away from Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Observatory issued the Strong Wind Signal No. 3 at 7.40pm today (July 20). It replaced the No. 8 Southeast Gale or Storm Signal at 4.10pm today,” Hong Kong’s government wrote on Sunday evening. “According to the Hospital Authority, as at 7.40pm today, 33 people (18 men and 15 women) have been injured during the typhoon period and received medical treatment at the Accident and Emergency Department of public hospitals.” More than 110 millimetres of rain fell within three hours on Sunday while Wipha remained near Hong Kong’s shores. The Hong Kong Observatory issued a No. 10 hurricane signal on Sunday, at its maximum level, before lowering warnings to No. 8 and then No. 3. The island’s government said it had confirmed seven cases of flooding. It has opened 34 temporary shelters, with 277 people taki
World
Rains in Punjab kill at least 63 people in 24 hours
Heavy monsoon rains in Pakistan’s Punjab province have killed at least 63 people and injured nearly 300 people within 24 hours, marking one of the deadliest days so far. Provincial officials said this brings the total death toll from the rain to at least 159 nationwide since late June. More than half of the victims were children. The torrential downpours caused floods and building collapses, with most deaths caused by weaker homes' roofs falling. Since June 25, more than 1,000 homes have been damaged. In Punjab alone, the monsoon rains have killed 103 people and injured 393 since late June, according to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA). More than 120 homes were damaged and six livestock killed. Monsoon rains are regular in South Asia and essential for crop irrigation and replenishing water supplies. However, their adverse effects have worsened in recent years due to rapid urban expansion, poor drainage systems and more frequent extreme weather events linked to climate change. In 2022, monsoon floods submerged around a third of the country, killing 1,7000 people and leaving Pakistan with economic damage exceeding US$30 billion.
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Tomorrowland music festival stage destroyed by fire
The main stage at Belgium’s Tomorrowland music festival was destroyed by fire two days before the electronic music event’s first weekend was set to begin. Tomorrowland will still go ahead as planned, organisers said. The festival had estimated that 400,000 people would attend across Tomorrowland’s two weekends, on 18-20 July and 25-27 July. “Due to a serious incident and fire on the Tomorrowland Mainstage, our beloved Mainstage has been severely damaged,” wrote Tomorrowland. “We can confirm that no one was injured during the incident.” The fire began around 6 pm on Wednesday, local time. Its cause is currently unknown. Firefighters managed to contain the blaze before 8 pm, per the local newspaper Gazet Van Antwerpen, and left the site on Thursday morning. The festival’s main campsite will open near Antwerp on Thursday as previously planned, Tomorrowland said, with organisers set to decide on new scheduling and whether the remains of the stage will be demolished. All the main acts will still perform and additional events in Antwerp and Brussels will go ahead, according to Tomorrowland. The 2025 edition of Tomorrowland will be its 19th, and will feature DJs like David Guetta, Armin van Buuren, Charlotte de Witte

World
US steps in as Israel strikes Syrian defence ministry
The Israeli military has struck the Syrian defence ministry in Damascus and the government forces in southern Syria in a deadly blow. Syrian state media reported the loud explosions in the city, where at least three people were killed and 34 others were injured. Since the clashes between Druze militias and Bedouin tribes erupted on Sunday, more than 300 people have been killed in Suweida. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed his forces were "working to save our Druze brothers and to eliminate the regime's gangs" while the Syrian foreign ministry accused Israel of "treacherous aggression". The U.S. has stepped into the conflict with Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying he was “very worried” about the violence in the south but believed it would end within hours. “We have agreed on specific steps that will bring this troubling and horrifying situation to an end tonight,” he said. “This will require all parties to deliver on the commitments they have made, and this is what we fully expect them to do.” As the situation developed on Wednesday, Netanyahu was giving evidence in his corruption trial in a Tel Aviv courthouse and had to leave the stand. In a video statement, he urged Israeli Druze not to
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No letter from Queen for budding Cameroon centenarian
They are well-known in cricket circles as the nervous 90s, the scores at which batsmen make uncharacteristic mistakes that prevent them from reaching a century. If he is unsettled at reaching the age of 92, Paul Biya is showing no signs of it, because he plans to run in Cameroon's presidential election on 12 October. The world’s oldest head of state, he has ruled the poor central African nation of 30 million people for almost 43 years and, if returned for an eighth term, he could remain in power until he turns 100. “I am a candidate in the presidential election on October 12, 2025,” Biya announced in a post on social media site X. “Rest assured that my determination to serve you is commensurate with the seriousness of the challenges we face. “Together, there is no challenge we cannot overcome.” Queen Elizabeth II’s passing in 2022 at the age of 96 leaves Biya as the oldest-serving head of state, leading a nation that was never a British colony, but joined the Commonwealth of Nations in 1995 because some of its regions had been administered by Britain. Biya’s chances of carrying his chronological bat to 100 were questioned only months ago, as rumours of his demise swirled for a long time out of the public eye a
World
China builds world's largest floating wind turbine
China has built the world’s largest floating offshore wind turbine, as the country invests heavily in renewable energy generation. Developed by state-owned electricity infrastructure companies China Huaneng Group and Dongfang Electric, the 17 megawatt turbine has a rotor diameter of 262 metres. China added 46 gigawatts of wind power capacity in the first five months of 2025. China is fast-tracking 1.3 terawatts worth of solar and wind energy projects, according to a report by Global Energy Monitor last week, which would almost double the country’s capacity. “As of March 2025, China has emerged as the world’s offshore wind powerhouse — growing from under 5 GW in 2018 to 42.7 GW in 2025 (50% of global capacity),” the report said. “Though only a small portion of China’s overall renewable capacity, China’s offshore wind fleet contributes over 50% of the overall offshore wind capacity in construction worldwide.” Each of China Huaneng and Dongfang Electric’s 17MW turbines generate around 68 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per year, the company said. It is designed for waters deeper than 50 metres, and can withstand waves more than 24 metres tall. Dongfang Electric previously built the world’s largest non-floating
World
Large iceberg heads for small town in Greenland
An iceberg of titanic proportions is on a collision course with Greenland, prompting authorities to issue a warning. The iceberg is set to make contact with Innaarsuit, a small island located in western Greenland, whose local income revolves primarily around fishing. Officials said if the iceberg made contact with the shore or breaks apart, potential damage and injuries could follow. It’s unlikely that any broken ice chunks will fall directly on land; however, the impact of plummeting permafrost would create massive waves that could sweep ashore. Government representatives caution against getting too close to the iceberg, both on the water and on land. “Emergency services encourage families not to go in a group towards the store, while at the same time asking people with walking difficulties to be extra careful when walking towards the store,” they said. Dennis Lethonen said that typically, large icebergs move within a few days; however, this one has remained stationary for around a week, causing concern. “Because of this, the [local municipality] issued the official warning for the iceberg, and we are temporarily closing the local fish factory where I work as well as the small shop,” Lehtonen said. This is