Swedish PM Meets With Military to Address Gang Violence

On Friday, Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson announced that the nation's army would support in addressing a recent surge in gang violence — that has killed at least 12 people in September alone — following a meeting with armed forces and police officers....

Metaculus

US Senate Formalizes Dress Code

Led by Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Mitt Romey (R-Utah), the US Senate on Wednesday unanimously passed a formal dress code that requires members to wear business attire on the floor, including a coat, tie, and slacks for men....

US Accuses China of 'Global Information Manipulation'

The US State Dept. on Thursday claimed China is threatening global freedoms by allegedly spending billions of dollars a year to shape perceptions of the country in a large-scale campaign of influence, censorship, and disinformation....

Media

Senator Dianne Feinstein Passes at 90

US Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) died Thursday night at her home in Washington, D.C. In a statement, her chief of staff James Sauls said she 'never backed away from a fight for what was just and right' and 'was always willing to work with anyone, even those she disagreed with, if it meant b...

Politics

UN: Over 2.5K Migrants Lost to the Mediterranean in 2023

On Thursday, the UN's refugee agency said that more than 2.5K people had died or gone missing while attempting to cross the Mediterranean between Jan. 1 and Sept. 24....

Social issues

White House to Withhold Funding for For-Profit Colleges

The US Dept. of Education announced a new rule Wednesday that will withhold federal funding from for-profit colleges and all non-degree programs that consistently leave graduates with low-pay or unaffordable loans. The measure, called a 'Gainful Employment' rule, will be officially published on O...

Politics

Pakistan: More Than 50 Killed in Multiple Mosque Attacks

Local officials said that at least 52 people were killed and scores more were wounded after a suicide bombing in Mastung in Pakistan's Balochistan province on Friday....

Crime & Justice

India-Canada Rift: Blinken Meets Indian Counterpart

On Thursday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met India's Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in Washington, DC, amid the fallout of Canada's accusation of potential Indian involvement in the assassination of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar....

Metaculus

Rotterdam: University Student Kills 3 in Twin Shootings

An Erasmus University student killed a 14-year-old girl and her mother in their home before opening fire at Erasmus Medical Center and killing a lecturer in the Dutch city of Rotterdam on Thursday....

Crime & Justice

UN: US Jail Practices Racist, an 'Affront to Human Dignity'

In a report published Thursday, three UN-appointed experts called for the overhaul of the US criminal system to combat alleged systemic racism in American prisons....

Crime & Justice

HRW: European Companies Ditching Toxic Ships on Bangladesh Beaches

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has claimed that European shipping firms are dumping their old ships on dangerous and polluting scrap yards on beaches in Bangladesh, allegedly using loopholes in international regulations to make profit at the expense of Bangladeshi lives and the environment....

Environment & Energy

Putin Meets Ex-Wagner Commander Andrei Troshev

Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin was this week pictured in a meeting with Andrei Troshev, formerly a senior commander of the Wagner mercenary group led by Yevgeny Prigozhin until his death in a plane crash earlier this year....

Politics

India: Manipur Remains on Edge Despite Curfew

On Thursday, at least ten people were injured in clashes between security officials and protesters in India's strife-hit northeastern state of Manipur....

Military

Weight Loss Drugs Face FDA Scrutiny

Popular weight loss drugs, including Wegovy, Saxenda, and Ozempic, are under investigation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) after reports of suicidal risks were reported to the US watchdog....

Health

Taiwan Unveils First Domestically-Produced Military Submarine

Taiwan on Thursday unveiled its first domestically-produced submarine. The development comes as the island strengthens its defenses amid fears of a potential Chinese invasion, with Pres. Tsai Ing-wen stressing that this achievement had previously been deemed impossible....

Military

OpenAI in Talks to Create 'iPhone of Artificial Intelligence'

OpenAI is reportedly in advanced talks with former Apple designer Jony Ive and Japanese conglomerate SoftBank to collaborate on the 'iPhone of artificial intelligence.'...

Science & Technology

US Gen. Milley Reportedly Takes Safety Measures After Trump Comments

In an interview with CBS News, General Mark Milley, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who’s scheduled to retire Oct. 1, said he has taken 'safety precautions' to protect himself and his family since former Pres. Donald Trump last week made a social media post that could’ve been const...

Metaculus

ChatGPT Can Now Access Up to Date Information

ChatGPT can now browse the internet to provide users with current information, its parent company, OpenAI, announced Wednesday....

Metaculus

House GOP Opens Biden Impeachment Inquiry

The Republican-led Oversight, Judiciary as well as the Ways and Means committees in the US House of Representatives on Thursday began formal hearings as part of their impeachment inquiry into Pres. Joe Biden....

Metaculus

NKorea Enshrines Nuclear Ambitions Into Constitution

North Korea's (DPRK) rubber-stamp parliament, the Supreme People's Assembly, unanimously adopted a constitutional amendment on Wednesday to enshrine a policy that 'develops highly nuclear weapons to ensure' its 'rights to existence' and to 'deter war.'...

Metaculus

US Govt. Shutdown Becoming More Likely

The chances of a US federal government shutdown have increased as the Republican-controlled House and Democrat-run Senate have planned votes on conflicting government funding bills that are unlikely to become law....

Burkina Faso Junta Says It Thwarted Coup Attempt

On Wednesday, Burkina Faso's military government claimed the country's security and intelligence services had foiled an attempted coup the previous day....

2nd GOP Presidential Debate Held Without Trump

On Wednesday night, Republican presidential hopefuls sparred during the party's second primary debate of the season at the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California, with several candidates criticizing the absence of former Pres. Donald Trump....

Metaculus

Japanese Scientists Find Microplastics in Clouds

Microplastics have been found in clouds, a new study reports. The discovery suggests a mechanism for how microplastics—tiny pieces of plastic that are less than five millimeters long—could potentially affect the climate....

Research

Iraqi Wedding Fire: PM Visits Victims

On Thursday, Iraqi PM Mohammed Shia al-Sudani visited the survivors and families of the victims of a deadly wedding fire that left over 100 dead and 150 injured in Nineveh's mostly Christian Hamdaniya area on Tuesday....