Author: Justin M. Larson

Justin Rowlatt,Climate editor and Jessica Cruz,South America producerBBC / Tony JolliffeThe Amazon rainforest could face a renewed surge of deforestation as efforts grow to overturn a long-standing ban that has protected it.The ban – which prohibits the sale of soya grown on land cleared after 2008 – is widely credited with curbing deforestation and has been held up as a global environmental success story.But powerful farming interests in Brazil, backed by a group of Brazilian politicians, are pushing to lift the restrictions as the COP30 UN climate conference enters its second week.Critics of the ban say it is an unfair…

Zoe KleinmanTechnology editorBBCDue to “brain fog” BBC technology editor Zoe Kleinman had to hold notes during a recent live TV reportWhen I rather nervously shared a personal post about dealing with brain fog at work on the social network LinkedIn last week, I had no idea that it would have such an enormous impact.It’s been viewed hundreds of thousands of times. Women have stopped me on the street to talk to me about it.I’ve been overwhelmed by hundreds of messages from people sharing support and their own experiences of it.Usually I cover technology news. But given the response, it felt…

Cartel de los Soles, a group the US alleges is led by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, will be designated a terrorist organisation, the US State Department has said.US Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a statement on Sunday announcing that the US intends to consider the group a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) from 24 November. It means that Maduro will effectively be designated a terrorist as well, because the US alleges he heads the Cartel de los Soles, an accusation Maduro strongly denies. It is the Trump administration’s latest effort to reduce drug trafficking and put pressure on Maduro, as…

Frank GardnerSecurity correspondent BBCFirst comes the warning, that disembodied voice over the tannoy: “Your attention please. Air siren in the city. Please move to the shelter on the minus second floor.” Then comes the mosquito-like whine of the incoming Russian drones, massing in their hundreds just above the clouds.It’s followed immediately by the rattle of anti-aircraft fire, the distant thud of explosions, then finally the ominous klaxon call of ambulance and fire sirens.This is the grim reality of night time in Kyiv and other cities across Ukraine.These are attack drones that explode on impact. Drones are now an integral part…

Ecuadoreans have voted against allowing the return of foreign military bases in the country, frustrating US hopes of expanding its presence in the eastern Pacific region.The referendum result is a blow to Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa, who had campaigned to change the constitution to reverse a ban that the country’s legislature passed in 2008.He had said it would help fight organised crime and reduce the soaring violence the country has seen in recent years, during which it has become one of the world’s biggest drug-trafficking hotspots.The US had hoped the referendum would pave the way to opening a military base…

China’s imports of U.S. soybeans have shown little sign of rebounding as Beijing’s stockpiles swelled to their highest levels in years, undermining U.S. President Donald Trump’s claims that a recent trade truce would spur major new Chinese purchases. China, the world’s largest consumer of soybeans, has built up a glut of supplies after months of aggressive stockpiling, which analysts said allowed Beijing to slow-walk its purchase agreement even as both sides touted improved relations. A U.S. Department of Agriculture report released last Friday showed only two Chinese purchases of American soybeans since the summit between Trump and Chinese President Xi…

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves speaks on stage during the Labour Party conference on Sept. 29, 2025, in Liverpool, England. Ian Forsyth | Getty ImagesU.K. Finance Minister Rachel Reeves is walking a tightrope as her critical Autumn Budget looms, as pressure mounts to appease voters, shore up public finances and convince money markets her policies are sound.Thanks to her self-imposed fiscal rules, which she has doubled down on in recent weeks, Reeves has been left scrambling to find strategies that can plug a multi-billion-pound hole in public finances by the time she delivers the budget on Nov. 26.That means…

For decades, Washington blocked Seoul’s desire for the attack submarines over concerns about nuclear proliferation. President Trump reversed that policy last month, but left key questions unresolved. Source link

Afghan officials are lashing out against their former allies in the Pakistan military as hostilities between the two countries intensify. Source link

The Japanese economy shrank by 1.8 percent compared to the same quarter last year, as U.S. tariffs dampened automobile exports and prompted a bleak outlook for growth. Source link

Visitors in front of the Cinderella Castle at Tokyo Disneyland in Tokyo, Japan on Jan. 17, 2023.Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesJapan’s tourism-exposed stocks fell on Monday as tensions with China intensified after Beijing issued a travel and study alert for Chinese citizens considering going to Japan.Beauty and cosmetics firm Shiseido, which relies heavily on Chinese spending, plunged 11%. Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings, the parent company of the Mitsukoshi and Isetan department-store chains, lost over 10%.Oriental Land, operator of Tokyo Disney Resort, declined 4.74%. Shares of airline operator ANA Holdings fell 3.48%. Hankyu Hanshin Holdings, a rail, retail and hotel operator,…

Chile’s presidential election will go to a run-off vote in December between a Communist Party and a far-right candidate, after the first round on Sunday produced no outright winner.The election campaign was dominated by crime and immigration, as migration to the country has grown in recent years and candidates pledged to fight foreign gangs like Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua.The Communist Party’s Jeannette Jara, from the governing coalition, narrowly won the first round followed closely by far-right candidate José Antonio Kast.The result is expected to give a boost to Kast, as Jara was the only left-wing candidate running against several right-wing…

Tokyo, Japan skyline with the Tokyo TowerChunyip Wong | E+ | Getty ImagesJapan’s economy contracted by a smaller-than-expected 0.4% in the quarter ended September compared to the previous three months, helped by both private and government consumption.Economists polled by Reuters had expected a 0.6% decline.On an annualized basis, Japan’s GDP for the third quarter of 2025 fell 1.8%, a softer decline compared with estimates of a 2.5% contraction.Exports of goods and services shrank 1.2% compared to the second quarter when they had risen by 2.3%. Net exports contributed to a 0.2 percentage point drop in GDP.Japan’s shipments had seen contractions for…

The United States has carried out at least 21 strikes on boats the Trump administration accuses of smuggling drugs, killing at least 83 people. Source link

An electronic quotation board displays the Nikkei 225 stock prices on the Tokyo stock Exchange in Tokyo on Nov. 5, 2025.Greg Baker | Afp | Getty ImagesAsia-Pacific markets traded mixed on Monday as investors looked toward a slate of regional economic data.Japan’s benchmark  slid 0.63% after the country’s economy contracted by a smaller-than-expected 0.4% in the quarter ended September, compared to the previous one. The Topix lost 0.44%.South Korea’s Kospi jumped 1.78% while the small-cap Kosdaq added 0.68%.Futures for Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index stood at 26,500, slightly lower than its last close of 26,572.46.Australia’s benchmark S&P/ASX 200 was 0.26% lower.Markets will also be keeping…

Ruth Comerford and Ethirajan Anbarasan,Global Affairs reporterWatch: Protesters against violent crime and the Sheinbaum government clash with police in Mexico CityAt least 120 people – 100 of them police officers – have been injured in clashes during anti-government protests in Mexico City, police said.Thousands of demonstrators marched in the Mexican capital on Saturday to protest against violent crime and President Claudia Sheinbaum’s government.Sheinbaum said the marches, which also took place in other cities, had been funded by right-wing politicians who oppose her government.The rally was organised by Gen Z youth groups, drawing support from citizens protesting against high-profile killings, including…

At least four people have died after two boats carrying nearly 100 migrants capsized off the coast of Libya on Saturday, rescue workers have said.Those confirmed to have died by the Libyan Red Crescent so far were all passengers in a boat carrying 26 Bangladeshi nationals.The humanitarian group did not say whether there were further fatalities among passengers in a second boat which sank while carrying around 70 mostly Sudanese people.The boats were using the central Mediterranean route between North Africa and Italy, which is the “deadliest known migration route in the world” according to the UN International Organization for…

According to the UN peacekeeping mission, bursts of heavy artillery hit an area just five meters away from the UNIFIL blue helmets, who had to beat a hasty retreat and take shelter in the terrain.Mission representatives were able to contact the IDF (Israeli Defence Force) via their communications channels and ask them to stop firing, UNIFIL explained in a press release. The patrol was able to leave safely half an hour later, when the tank withdrew to IDF positions.”Fortunately, no one was injured,” the statement said, adding that the attack was a serious violation of Security Council Resolution 1701, which…

Georgina RannardClimate and science reporter, Belém, BrazilGetty ImagesAçaí is a popular health food sold around the worldIn a lab in a renovated warehouse on the banks of a churning, brown river in Belém, Brazil, machines are pulping candidates for the next global “superfood”.Cupuaçu… Taperebá… Bacaba… Like açaí berries – these fruits are rich in antioxidants, fibre or fatty acids.If Brazil has its way, they could soon be popping up on your social media feeds and being sold in fashionable cafes in the UK, Europe and the US.It’s part of a bold plan by the country, which is hosting the COP30…

Ione WellsSouth America correspondentJohnReimberg/XEcuador’s interior minister shared this picture following news of Chavarria’s captureThe leader of one of Ecuador’s biggest drug-trafficking gangs has been captured in an operation involving Spanish police, Ecuador’s president Daniel Noboa has said. Wilmer “Pipo” Chavarria, the head of Los Lobos, was detained in the city of Malaga, according to Spain’s National Police. President Noboa said Chavarria had faked his own death, changed his identity and hidden in Europe while continuing to control criminal operations in Ecuador, including illegal mining and ordering murders.His family had claimed in 2021 that he had died from a heart attack…

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! In-vitro fertilization (IVF) can take a serious toll on families, not only emotionally but financially, especially when every cycle comes with new bills and no clear sense of what the full journey might cost. Gaia Family aims to change that by removing the guesswork around pricing with a blend of tech and AI-driven forecasting. Instead of worrying about unpredictable costs, couples pay a fixed upfront price or monthly installments that cover their planned IVF treatment, medications, embryo transfers and built-in protections if cycles or transfers aren’t successful. It gives families a clearer path…

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Cybercriminals are again turning TikTok into a trap for unsuspecting users. This time, they’re disguising malicious downloads as free activation guides for popular software like Windows, Microsoft 365, Photoshop and even fake versions of Netflix and Spotify Premium.Security expert Xavier Mertens first spotted the campaign, confirming that the same kind of scheme was seen earlier this year. According to BleepingComputer, these fake TikTok videos show short PowerShell commands and instruct viewers to run them as administrators to “activate” or “fix” their programs.In reality, those commands connect to a malicious website and pull…

A market central to a Brazilian port city’s culture and cuisine got a makeover for the U.N. Climate Change Conference. The results have thrilled some, but angered others. Source link

China sent Coast Guard ships near disputed islands and warned travelers and students about safety risks in Japan. The escalation is over comments on Taiwan by Japan’s new prime minister. Source link