Be Informed

Why are Thailand and Cambodia fighting along their border?

Thailand and Cambodia are engaged in their worst fighting in over a decade, exchanging heavy artillery fire across their disputed border, with at least 16 people killed and tens of…

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US B-2 bombers and bunker-busters used in Iran strike

The U.S. Air Force's B-2 Spirit stealth bombers were involved in strikes on Iran's nuclear sites on Saturday. Three Iranian nuclear sites were struck in a "very successful attack," President…

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Who is Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who crushed internal threats repeatedly during more than three decades in power, now faces his greatest challenge yet. His archenemy, Israel, has secured free…

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Israeli and U.S. intelligence differ on status of Iran’s nuclear program. Who’s right?

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has argued for decades that Iran was on the verge of producing a nuclear weapon. And he ordered the attack on Iran because he believed…

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Iran’s Fordo Facility And The Role of the U.S. Bunker-Buster Bombs

If the U.S. decides to support Israel more directly in its attack on Iran, one option for Washington would be to provide the “bunker-buster” bombs believed necessary to significantly damage…

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The Iran-Israel Standoff: Missile Capabilities

Here’s a look at Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities and the defensive systems employed by Israeli and other forces in the region. Iran’s missiles Tehran has thousands of ballistic and cruise…

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Israel and Iran: How do they compare militarily?

Israeli strikes on Iran on Friday and Tehran’s vows of reprisals have brought the two Middle East adversaries closer to an all-out war, which also threatens to draw in the…

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What to know about Iran’s nuclear sites

Israel attacked multiple Iranian nuclear and military sites on Friday as tensions reached new heights over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program. Israeli leaders said the attack was necessary to head…

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What’s in the UK-EU reset deal?

Britain agreed the most significant reset of relations with the European Union since Brexit on Monday, with both sides hailing deals on everything from trade and migration to security and…

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What is an Augustinian?

The newly-appointed pontiff, Pope Leo XIV, was the leader of the Catholic order of St. Augustine. A core value for this order is to "live together in harmony, being of one…

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From the moment he steps onto the balcony, each pope signals his style of leadership – here’s how Pope Leo XIV’s appearance compares with Pope Francis’ first

By Daniel Speed Thompson, Associate Professor of Religious Studies, University of Dayton As crowds celebrated in St. Peter’s Square, a man in white and red stepped onto the balcony of…

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The symbolic elements of Pope Leo XIV’s election, his vestments, and coat of arms

The election of Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, marked a significant milestone in the Catholic Church’s modern history, making him the first American-born pontiff and underscoring the…

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Who is the new pope, Leo XIV

Robert Prevost has become the 267th pope, the first time in 2,000 years that an American has been appointed to lead the Catholic church. Chicago-born Prevost has chosen to be…

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How does a pope get his name?

In his autobiography "Hope," published in January 2025, Pope Francis, who died on April 21, describes the moment during the 2013 papal election when he found his name. During the…

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Conclave: the Vatican’s secret process for choosing a new pope

The next pope will be chosen by the College of Cardinals, the Catholic church’s most senior figures appointed by the pontiff, who will make their way to Rome in the…

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What could be behind the Iberian power outage?

The hunt has begun for the cause of a massive blackout across Spain, Portugal and parts of France that halted trains, bank machines and traffic lights, in one of Europe's…

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The official liturgical booklet for Pope Francis’ funeral Mass

The Vatican has released the official liturgical booklet for Pope Francis' funeral Mass, scheduled for April 26, 2025. The document outlines the full ceremony, including prayers, readings, and rituals, reflecting…

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The details of the Russia-Ukraine Deal Framework being proposed by the US, Ukraine and European officials

Reuters has published what it says are details of the Russia-Ukraine Deal Framework being proposed by the US. The news agency says the proposal is described as “the final offer…

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Where Pope Francis stood on Abortion, Islam, Capitalism and other key issues

Pope Francis changed the Catholic Church's teaching in areas such as the death penalty and nuclear weapons, upheld it in others such as abortion, and made inroads with Muslims and…

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Everything you need to know about visiting Rome and the Vatican following the death of Pope Francis

Travellers to Rome should expect closures, visitor restrictions and crowds at some of the city’s main attractions. Tourists who have booked to visit Rome in the coming weeks will experience…

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Who might succeed Pope Francis?

An old Italian saying warns against putting faith, or money, in any presumed front-runner ahead of the conclave, the closed-door gathering of cardinals that picks the pontiff. It cautions: "He who enters a…

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Pope Francis: Key moments from his life

Here are some facts about Pope Francis, who has died at the age of 88. - Jorge Mario Bergoglio was born on December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, of…

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What next after the death of Pope Francis?

Pope Francis has died at the age of 88, after 12 years as spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church. His death has set in motion the centuries-old process of…

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The roots of the Easter story: Where did Christian beliefs about Jesus’ resurrection come from?

As Easter approaches, Christians around the world begin to focus on two of the central tenets of their faith: the death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. Other charismatic Jewish…

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Who is Friedrich Merz, the man set to be the next German chancellor?

Conservative leader Friedrich Merz is on course to become post-World War II Germany’s 10th chancellor after finalizing a deal Wednesday to form a new government. Merz, 69, who will succeed…

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What are the EU’s options in response to Trump tariffs?

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday that the European Union had a "strong plan" to retaliate against tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, although it…

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How realistic is France’s offer to extend its nuclear umbrella?

President Emmanuel Macron has said he will launch a strategic dialogue on extending the protection offered by France's nuclear arsenal to its European partners. Europe's primary nuclear deterrence comes from…

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What is in the huge German spending plan agreed by parties?

German Chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz reached an agreement with the Greens on Friday on a massive increase in state borrowing just days ahead of a parliamentary vote next week. This should…

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What’s so special about Ukraine’s minerals? A geologist explains

By Munira Raji, Research Fellow of Geology, University of Plymouth Ukraine’s minerals have become central to global geopolitics, with the US president, Donald Trump, seeking a deal with Ukraine’s president…

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Everything we know about Ukraine accepting 30-day ceasefire deal after US talks in Saudi Arabia

Ukraine has accepted Donald Trump’s proposal for a 30-day ceasefire with Russia during crunch talks in Saudi Arabia in which the US agreed to lift its pause on intelligence sharing…

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Text of US-Ukraine statement paving way for resumption of aid, intelligence sharing

Here follows the full text of the joint U.S.-Ukrainian statement that was published after bilateral talks in Saudi Arabia's Jeddah on Tuesday: Today in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – under the…

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What we know about the US decision to cut intelligence sharing with Ukraine

The CIA says the US has stopped sharing intelligence with Ukraine, less than a week after a bust-up between Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The announcement came just…

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Airlines cautiously return to Middle East

Some global airlines have started lifting suspensions on flights to and from Middle East after the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into effect in January. Below are some carriers…

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Europe’s options for paying to bolster its defence readiness

European Union leaders will discuss on Thursday how to finance a sharp increase in defence readiness to deter any possible future attack from Russia and become less dependent for security…

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A guide to Germany’s political parties

Here's a look at Germany's political parties — CDU, CSU, SPD, FDP, Left Party, Greens, AfD, BSW — who they are and what they want. Christian Democratic Union (CDU)/Christian Social…

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Seismic Alerts in Santorini: What You Need to Know

Residents and tourists on the Greek island of Santorini have been put on high alert after an increase in seismic activity. Since Friday, the island has been hit by more…

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A look at DeepSeek: China’s open-source AI research lab which rivals OpenAI

Chinese AI research lab DeepSeek grabbed global attention last week with the release of its open-source AI model, DeepSeek-R1. The company says the model rivals industry giants like OpenAI in…

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What Measures Are Being Taken for Non-EU Citizens in Spain’s Housing Crisis?

Spain is planning a raft of measures to address its brewing housing crisis, including an up to 100% tax on properties that non-European Union residents buy. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro…

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A look at the terms — and tensions — in the Israel-Hamas draft ceasefire deal

If the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal goes according to the current draft, then fighting will stop in Gaza for 42 days, and dozens of Israeli hostages and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners…

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RedNote: What to know about the Chinese app TikTok users are flocking to

Chinese social media app RedNote has been thrust into the limelight after more than half a million TikTok users recently joined the platform in protest against a likely imminent ban…

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Why Greenland?

Here's what to know about Greenland and Trump's interest in the autonomous territory of Denmark. What has Trump said about the U.S. and Greenland? The president-elect talked about buying Greenland…

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Takeaways from Trump’s press conference

President-elect Donald Trump made news with a series of assertions and pronouncements during a press conference on Tuesday, less than two weeks before he returns to the White House. Here…

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Who could replace Justin Trudeau as Canada’s prime minister?

Justin Trudeau's nine years as Canadian prime minister is coming to an end after he announced he will step down as leader of the governing Liberal Party. It means his…

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What to know about the HMPV outbreak in China

Reports of an outbreak of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) in parts of China are drawing international attention. HMPV was identified by a research group in the Netherlands in 2001, and had likely…

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New Orleans truck attack adds to growing list of similar incidents

A new chapter in mass attacks began in Nice, France, in 2016, when a man drove a heavy truck into crowds of Bastille Day celebrants. Since then vehicle attacks have…

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Which infectious disease is likely to be the biggest emerging problem in 2025?

By Conor Meehan, Associate Professor of Microbial Bioinformatics, Nottingham Trent University COVID emerged suddenly, spread rapidly and killed millions of people around the world. Since then, I think it’s fair…

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5 elections to watch in 2025

By Lisandro Claudio , Associate Professor of Southeast Asian Studies, University of California, Berkeley; Garret Martin, Senior Professorial Lecturer, Co-Director Transatlantic Policy Center, American University School of International Service; Jorge…

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