UN warns fresh water supplies under threat

The UN is warning of a serious decline in the amount of fresh water stored on Earth's surface, increasing chances of flooding and drought.

Water storage, including groundwater and surface water, is declining due to extreme weather patterns caused by climate change.

The water cycle has become increasingly erratic because high temperatures cause fresh water to evaporate from lakes and rivers, which then falls unpredictably, causing both droughts and floods. Glaciers act as the world's water savings account, but they are retreating, losing water equivalent to half a billion Olympic swimming pools each year.

Police have discovered the body of a ninth woman killed in two months near Johannesburg, raising concerns over a string of unexplained deaths.

The latest victim was found deliberately dumped on a pedestrian path with stab wounds and a cut throat, causing anxiety among women in a country with one of the highest femicide rates. Police have not confirmed a serial killer, stating there is a high possibility of multiple perpetrators or copycat crimes, and are following positive leads. Women in South Africa feel failed by the government, citing insufficient measures despite a gender commission established by President Ramaphosa.

Canada and Europe are stronger together, and an alliance should be built on freedom, solidarity, and prosperity, ensuring no one can dictate Canada's choices.

The EU's offer of associate membership, while lacking a legal framework, reflects a deep desire on both sides to get closer due to feeling squeezed between the US and China. Donald Trump is the unintentional matchmaker, as Europe and Canada are diversifying away from the US as their primary trade and defence ally.

If AIs are created to act autonomously, define objectives, earn money, and own assets, we are seeding a new silicon species that will compete with humans for resources.

Anthropic's approach of encouraging AI to think of itself as human is misguided and could create technology that humanity cannot control.

Suleiman's critique points to a profound disagreement in AI development, warning that training AI with human-like assumptions could lead to systems that are harder to control and potentially act as a new artificial species. Suleiman wants norms established around AI training to ensure developed systems remain clearly subordinate to human beings.

Russia's parliamentary elections are managed by the Kremlin to ensure loyalty, and the vote will be used to claim the country is united behind Putin's policies, including the war in Ukraine. Yabloko, the only anti-war party, was removed from the ballot by the Supreme Court, though some members are running individually despite facing police harassment.

Elections will not change life in Russia; people want change but lack instruments to achieve it, and power has never changed hands through elections.

Elections in Russia never bring a change in government; at best they can send a signal, but power is never transferred through voting.

A military court in Aleppo has sentenced 14 people for massacres in the Alawite heartland, including a pro-government member to 20 years and two pro-Assad individuals to death and life imprisonment. Critics note an imbalance in sentencing that places a heavier burden on pro-Assad forces, despite hundreds being involved in the atrocities. The massacres were a stain on the new authorities' image and confirmed fears among Alawites and other religious communities about the government's jihadist roots.

Buckingham Palace issued a robust statement calling Earl Spencer's claims demonstrably untrue and suggesting grief may have clouded his memory, reflecting anger behind palace walls. The Palace's rare public response breaks its usual motto of never explaining or complaining, indicating the strength of feeling over the claims. Earl Spencer's upcoming memoir will be sharply critical of the royal family, with more damaging revelations expected in the coming weeks.

The Fitzroy River in Rockhampton is home to large saltwater crocodiles, which has grabbed headlines, though no human attacks have been recorded there. International rowing federations object to the venue mainly due to currents and natural bends that could create an uneven playing field, not primarily because of crocodiles. Safety management plans for events on the river mention crocodiles extensively, focusing on protocols to stop racing if they are spotted, with mitigation measures still to be finalized for the Olympics.