World

Prime Minister Scott Morrison faced significant public backlash after taking a pre-Christmas vacation to Hawaii while Australia battled widespread, emergency-level bushfires. Returning to intense criticism, Morrison acknowledged he would have made different choices with hindsight, as fires continued to rage across New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland.

World Bank President David Malpass highlights critical need for debt management in emerging economies. Global debt in developing countries reached $55 trillion in 2018, representing fastest and largest debt accumulation in 50 years. Policymakers must prioritize transparency to ensure sustainable economic growth.

Scissors, invented around 1500 BC in Egypt, are incredibly versatile tools used by people of all ages. Evolving over centuries, these pivoted metal blades now come in 16 different types and serve countless purposes across various settings.

Malaysia's former Prime Minister Najib Razak breaks silence on 1MDB scandal, defending himself in court against accusations of misappropriating 42 million ringgit from SRC International. He claims he was misled by financier Jho Low while trying to grow the state investment company.

Five major US technology companies are sued by International Rights Advocates for alleged involvement in child labor deaths during cobalt mining in Democratic Republic of Congo. The lawsuit highlights dangerous working conditions where children earn minimal wages extracting critical battery materials.

Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Sang-hoon has been convicted of union-busting, receiving an 18-month prison sentence for tracking union members' personal information and deliberately undermining labor negotiations to dismantle subcontracting firms with active unions.