Record-breaking rains and a succession of tropical storms have unleashed widespread devastation across Southeast Asia, claiming nearly 800 lives and displacing over a million people. This catastrophic event, impacting nations like Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines, underscores the severe humanitarian toll of climate change and the region's increasing vulnerability to extreme weather.
FIBA has launched a significant overhaul of its 3x3 Federation Ranking system, effective December 1, 2025, doubling the ranking window to 24 months to kick off the qualification race for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. This strategic change coincides with an expanded Olympic quota, increasing 3x3 basketball teams from eight to twelve per gender, marking a landmark moment for the sport's growth.
Chinese researchers have achieved a significant quantum computing breakthrough by demonstrating a novel form of quantum matter that maintains its integrity despite disturbances, potentially revolutionizing how future quantum computers safeguard information. This innovative approach, utilizing the Zuchongzhi 2 processor to create a non-equilibrium higher-order topological phase, offers inherent protection against errors and noise, paving the way for more reliable and fault-tolerant quantum devices.
A palm oil company is urgently clearing critical rainforest within a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in Borneo, threatening endangered species and Indigenous Dayak communities. This destructive activity by PT Equator Sumber Rezeki, a subsidiary of First Borneo Group, has already razed nearly 1,500 hectares of orangutan habitat, despite the parent company's "zero-deforestation" pledges, leading to calls for immediate government intervention.
The Trump administration has enacted stringent new immigration policies, including an immediate halt to asylum decisions and a pause on visas for Afghan nationals, following a shooting incident in Washington D.C. These sweeping measures, announced around December 1, 2025, were prompted by an Afghan national, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who allegedly killed a National Guard soldier, raising significant concerns for thousands of applicants and those awaiting Special Immigrant Visas.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has announced a significant policy change in the Autumn Budget 2025, aiming to reduce average UK household energy bills by approximately £150 annually by shifting renewable electricity costs from consumer bills to general taxation, effective April 1, 2026. However, this initiative has drawn criticism from environmental groups and industry stakeholders due to the simultaneous discontinuation of the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme, which previously funded energy-efficiency upgrades for vulnerable households.
Europe's Vega C rocket successfully launched South Korea's advanced KOMPSAT-7 Earth-observation satellite on December 1, 2025, from French Guiana, significantly boosting global capabilities for environmental monitoring and high-resolution imaging. This pivotal mission, the sixth for the Vega C and fifth successful flight, highlights deepening international collaboration in space and marks a crucial milestone for both European launch services and South Korea's ambitious space program.
India has mandated that all new smartphones sold in the country must come with its state-owned "Sanchar Saathi" cybersecurity app pre-installed and undeletable, a move aimed at combating online fraud and cybercrime. This directive, however, has sparked significant privacy concerns among tech giants and advocates who fear expanded state surveillance and a lack of user consent.
Russian forces announced on Monday, December 2, 2025, the capture of Pokrovsk, a critical logistics hub in eastern Ukraine, and Vovchansk in the Kharkiv region, marking significant claimed territorial advances. If confirmed, the fall of Pokrovsk, a vital road and rail intersection, could severely complicate Ukraine's ability to resupply its units, though Ukrainian officials have not yet acknowledged these Russian claims.
Fujitsu has launched Frontria, a new international consortium uniting over 50 global organizations to combat the escalating threats of AI-generated disinformation, misinformation, and AI system vulnerabilities. This crucial initiative aims to bolster information reliability and ensure the trustworthiness of artificial intelligence, addressing a critical global risk identified by the World Economic Forum.
Researchers have unveiled a surprising new role for Hormone-Sensitive Lipase (HSL), discovering it not only breaks down fat but also maintains fat cell function from within the nucleus, challenging long-held scientific assumptions. This pivotal finding, which reveals HSL deficiency leads to fat loss rather than accumulation, offers critical insights into metabolic disorders like obesity and lipodystrophy, potentially revolutionizing their understanding and treatment.
Catastrophic floods and landslides have swept across South and Southeast Asia, claiming over 1,000 lives and displacing hundreds of thousands in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Malaysia. Sri Lanka, particularly hard-hit by Cyclone Ditwah with 334 fatalities, declared a state of emergency amidst widespread devastation that experts attribute to the climate crisis.