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A catastrophic apartment fire at Hong Kong's Wang Fuk Court housing complex on November 26, 2025, has tragically claimed 146 lives, casting a profound shadow over the city. This devastating blaze, which rapidly spread from external scaffolding during renovations, has sparked urgent investigations into urban safety regulations and led to arrests on suspicion of manslaughter.
India's Parliament began its Winter Session on December 1, 2025, with the government prioritizing key bills on excise, health security, and GST, while immediately facing strong opposition demands for a structured debate on electoral reforms. This session, also marking Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan's first time presiding over the Rajya Sabha, is anticipated to be contentious, as opposition parties threaten disruption if discussions on the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls are not permitted.
Europe is experiencing unprecedented December warmth, with temperatures 3 to 5 degrees Celsius above average, a phenomenon attributed to climate change, an erratic jet stream, and warm Atlantic winds. This unusual weather poses significant threats to the agricultural sector, disrupting crop cycles and increasing pest activity, while also highlighting Europe's status as the fastest-warming continent.
China's top economic planning agency is sounding the alarm over a potential investment bubble in its booming humanoid robotics industry, warning that a proliferation of over 150 companies producing "highly similar" models could stifle innovation. This rare caution from the National Development and Reform Commission, despite the sector's designation as a key growth driver, reflects historical patterns of over-investment in Chinese tech and aims to prevent detrimental market shakeouts.
In a move that has sent shockwaves through the scientific community, the Trump administration in 2025 froze or terminated over 5,300 research grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF), totaling more than $5 billion in unspent funds. These unprecedented cuts, impacting critical areas from cancer research to environmental protection, have left thousands of researchers in precarious positions and threaten the U.S.'s leadership in vital scientific fields.
A critical software vulnerability has triggered an unprecedented global recall of up to 6,000 Airbus A320 family aircraft, causing widespread flight disruptions and impacting millions of travelers worldwide. This massive recall, initiated on November 28-29, 2025, follows a serious in-flight incident and mandates urgent fixes to address a susceptibility where solar radiation could corrupt critical flight control data, as directed by aviation authorities.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has formally submitted an "extraordinary request" for a pardon to President Isaac Herzog's office, seeking to end his protracted corruption trial involving charges of fraud, breach of trust, and accepting bribes. Netanyahu, who denies all wrongdoing and claims the cases are a "witch-hunt," argues that a pardon would serve the national interest by allowing him to focus on governing and unifying the country.
A groundbreaking gene therapy, AMT-130, has demonstrated remarkable potential by significantly slowing the progression of Huntington's disease by 75% in a pivotal Phase I/II clinical study, offering substantial hope for patients with this devastating neurodegenerative disorder. However, despite these promising results, the U.S. FDA recently indicated that the external control data from these studies are no longer considered adequate for a Biologics License Application, introducing uncertainty into its approval timeline.
Cyclone Ditwah has unleashed widespread devastation across Sri Lanka, tragically claiming over 200 lives, leaving 218 people missing, and affecting nearly a million individuals with severe floods and landslides. In response, India launched "Operation Sagar Bandhu" to deliver extensive rescue and humanitarian aid, while Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake declared a state of emergency and appealed for urgent international assistance.
Scientists at the University of Tokyo, led by Professor Tomonori Totani, have potentially discovered the first direct observational evidence of dark matter by identifying a distinctive halo of high-energy gamma rays using NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. This groundbreaking finding, which aligns with theoretical predictions for dark matter particle annihilation, could fundamentally rewrite our understanding of the universe and offers a direct glimpse into the elusive substance that has puzzled scientists for decades.
The global economy is currently in a complex transition as 2025 approaches, balancing resilient growth against persistent inflation and escalating geopolitical and trade uncertainties. Despite avoiding a full-scale recession, global GDP is projected to slow from 3.3% in 2024 to 3.2% in 2025, with advanced economies facing subdued growth while emerging markets show robust expansion.
Thousands of Filipinos protested in Manila on November 30, 2025, demanding accountability for a multi-billion-dollar infrastructure scandal involving alleged corruption in critical flood-control projects that left communities vulnerable. This widespread public anger intensified following recent devastating typhoons and the displacement of millions, leading to calls for justice and the prosecution of higher-ranking officials beyond those already arrested.