Author: Emily Harper

The Trump administration has placed Colombia on its official list of countries failing to meet international obligations in the fight against drugs, a process known as decertification. This is the first time in roughly three decades that Colombia, a long-standing U.S. ally in anti-narcotics operations, has been designated in this way. The decision underscores Washington’s mounting concern over the steep rise in coca cultivation, the raw material for cocaine production, inside Colombian territory. U.S. Decertifies Colombia After Surge In Coca Cultivation In 2023, the U.S. government reported an unprecedented, nearly threefold increase in land used for coca cultivation over the…

StubHub, one of the world’s largest secondary ticket marketplaces, has officially launched its initial public offering (IPO), pricing shares at $23.50 each. The stock began trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “STUB.” Through the sale of just over 34 million shares, the company raised close to $800 million, setting its total market capitalization at approximately $8.6 billion. Offer Details and Market Valuation The company has announced that the funds raised will primarily be used to reduce debt and for general corporate purposes, including investments in technology and operations. According to StubHub, its platform has become…

A Close Encounter Without Risk Asteroid 2025 FA22, a large space rock measuring between 130 and 290 meters across, is set to pass by Earth on 18 September. The flyby will occur safely at a distance just over twice that of the Moon, offering no threat of impact. The asteroid was first detected in March by the Pan-STARRS 2 telescope, and initial orbital calculations briefly raised concerns about a possible collision with Earth in 2089. Follow-up observations have since ruled out any chance of impact. From Risk List to Research Opportunity When its trajectory was first analyzed, 2025 FA22 topped…

Moynihan Affirms Long-Term Role While Preparing Successors Brian Moynihan, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Bank of America, reiterated in recent remarks that he has no intention of leaving his role in the near future. Speaking in a Bloomberg TV interview, he asserted that while move-on is not imminent, his duty—and that of his management team—is to ensure that individuals with the requisite experience are positioned to lead in the future. He said: “I’m not going anywhere in the short term … it takes a while to set that up and get people used to the size and scale of…

Royal Pageantry at Windsor Castle President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were welcomed at Windsor Castle with full royal honors, including a procession of horses and carriages. King Charles III and Queen Camilla, alongside Prince William and Princess Catherine, hosted the American delegation in a display of pomp that highlighted centuries of tradition. Trump and King Charles inspected the guard of honor before touring rare items from the Royal Collection, such as a letter from King George III about the American Revolution and correspondence between President Abraham Lincoln and Queen Victoria. The exchange of symbolic gifts underscored the…

At Windsor Castle, staff are undertaking elaborate preparations ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump’s second state visit to the United Kingdom. A 50-meter mahogany table is being readied in the castle’s great hall, while the Royal Mews grooms polish the hooves of carriage horses for the ceremonial procession. Outside, a military honor guard is rehearsing daily to ensure precise formation when the president arrives. Preparations Expand At Windsor Castle Attention is being given to every detail of the royal welcome. A state banquet is scheduled to be served on 200-year-old silver, a showcase of Britain’s historic grandeur. Brass bands are…

Nearly 200 shipping companies, representing both private and public stakeholders, are urging global maritime authorities to approve new measures that would, for the first time, introduce a global fee on greenhouse gas emissions. The proposal comes from the Getting to Zero Coalition, a broad alliance of companies, governments, and intergovernmental organizations seeking to accelerate the industry’s decarbonization. Industry Pushes For Regulatory Change The coalition is pressing members of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to adopt binding rules that will apply to all large vessels operating worldwide. Their recommendations include a mandatory emissions fee and stricter fuel performance standards. These measures…

European Wasps Found on Both Coasts Scientists at Binghamton University, working with colleagues from the University of Iowa and other institutions, have confirmed the discovery of two previously unknown species of parasitic wasps living in North America. The wasps belong to the genus Bootanomyia dorsalis and were identified on both the East and West Coasts of the United States. Genetic analysis revealed that the two populations are distinct, indicating that these insects were introduced separately from Europe. On the West Coast, the wasps were genetically identical, suggesting a small, localized introduction. In contrast, samples collected in New York showed more…

Ukraine’s government has presented its draft budget for 2026, outlining a deficit equivalent to 18.4% of gross domestic product (GDP), Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko announced. The budget envisions revenues of around 2.8 trillion hryvnias (approximately USD 67 billion) against expenditures projected at 4.8 trillion hryvnias. The gap underscores the scale of fiscal pressures facing Ukraine as it continues to fund defence, social programs, and post-war reconstruction efforts. The proposal represents one of the largest peacetime deficits in modern Ukrainian history, reflecting extraordinary conditions created by the ongoing conflict with Russia. The budget will now be submitted to parliament, where lawmakers…

Governor Cox’s Remarks on Radicalisation Utah governor Spencer Cox has connected the role of social media directly to recent acts of political violence in the United States. Speaking in the aftermath of the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at a college in Utah, Cox argued that online platforms have fuelled radicalisation over the past several years. He described social media algorithms as addictive and harmful, comparing their influence to drugs and warning that they enable vulnerable individuals to be pushed toward extremist ideologies. According to Cox, investigators found that the suspect in the Kirk case, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson,…