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Approximately 880 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) employees, including weather forecasters, were terminated Thursday in the latest wave of federal workforce reductions by the Trump administration, according to CBS News. The layoffs come as Elon Musk, heading the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), continues efforts to cut government spending through funding reductions and staff dismissals. A NOAA spokesperson declined to comment on internal personnel matters but assured that the agency would continue to "provide weather information, forecasts and warnings pursuant to our public safety mission." Prior to these cuts, NOAA employed about 12,000 staff worldwide, including 6,773 scientists and engineers. Democratic Congressman Jared Huffman criticized the move, stating that Americans "depend on NOAA for free, accurate forecasts, severe weather alerts, and emergency information." He added that "Musk's sham mission is bringing vital programs to a screeching halt" and warned […]

A tour bus accident in eastern Thailand has left 18 people dead and 23 injured after the vehicle overturned into a ditch, according to police reports. Colonel Sophon Phramaneehe explained the cause of the Wednesday crash: "It was a downhill road and the brakes failed, and the driver lost control of the vehicle before it overturned." He confirmed the deceased were adults participating in a study trip. The bus was carrying 49 Thai nationals, including the driver. Social media showed emergency personnel responding at the scene in Prachinburi province, approximately 155km east of Bangkok, assisting victims near the overturned bus. Local official Somjai Phutthasena reported about 20 injured passengers were hospitalized, with several in critical condition. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra offered condolences and announced an ongoing investigation. She warned on X that legal consequences would follow if safety violations were […]

The death toll from a military aircraft crash in Omdurman near Sudan's capital has risen to at least 46 people, with 10 others injured, officials confirmed. The Antonov plane crashed Tuesday evening during takeoff from Wadi Seidna military airport in northern Omdurman, part of greater Khartoum. The Khartoum Media Office updated the casualty figures on Wednesday, revising the health ministry's initial report of 19 deaths. The aircraft reportedly crashed over a residential house in Omdurman's Karrari district. Major-General Bahr Ahmed, a high-ranking Khartoum commander, was reportedly among those killed. The Sudanese military, currently engaged in conflict with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since April 2023, confirmed both military personnel and civilians perished in the incident. Military sources told Reuters the crash was likely caused by technical failure, though the official statement provided no specific cause. Local residents reported hearing a […]

South Korea's birthrate, the world's lowest, increased in 2024 for the first time in nine years as policies encouraging companies and citizens to embrace parenthood began showing results. The country had experienced a plummeting birthrate over the past decade as women chose career advancement over marriage and having children, driven by rising housing costs and child-rearing expenses. This trend put the nation of 51 million on a path toward halving its population by century's end. In 2024, South Korea's fertility rate rose to 0.75 children per woman from 0.72 in 2023, breaking an eight-year decline from 1.24 in 2015. According to Statistics Korea, the crude birthrate—babies born per 1,000 people—reached 4.7, interrupting a downward trend that began in 2014. The increase reflected more marriages following pandemic delays and government policies supporting work-family balance, childcare, and housing. "Social values shifted toward […]