Filmmaker Johnny Harris says his YouTube series, “The Human Element,” combines visual explanations of global issues with reporting from communities affected by them. He says field reporting helps him connect topics such as sanctions, development and climate change to people’s lived experiences, and that he approaches communities with curiosity, respect and a willingness to listen.
Key Facts
Harris developed his explanatory journalism while working alongside journalists at Vox.
He launched “The Human Element” as a long-form video series on YouTube, with new episodes planned throughout the year.
Harris said expert interviews and desk reporting alone left him feeling that he lacked a full understanding of how major issues affect people.
The article describes a visit to Mauritania, where advancing desert dunes threaten a village.
During that visit, community members invited Harris to join a traditional drum circle.
Harris said he tries to observe, listen and ask questions when reporting in unfamiliar communities.
The article says encounters with communities affected by crises changed Harris’s view of the series’ purpose.
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Global fossil-fuel carbon dioxide emissions are projected to fall 0.4% in 2026 to 42.2 billion tons, largely because the Iran war disrupted oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz and drove up energy prices. Scientists said the decline may not last; total global carbon dioxide emissions, including those from land-use changes, are expected to rise 1%.
Key Facts
Oil emissions fell nearly 2% in 2026, while natural gas emissions fell 0.3% and coal emissions rose 0.6%.
The Global Carbon Project’s international team of more than 140 scientists calculated the annual emissions estimate using data from around the world.
The Strait of Hormuz is a vital route for petroleum shipments, and the war in Iran has effectively closed it, according to the article.
The 2026 fossil-fuel emissions decline is the third global drop this century; the other declines occurred during the 2009 recession and the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.
Land-use changes, including deforestation and human-caused peat fires, contributed to a projected 1% rise in total global carbon dioxide emissions.
The article estimates that fossil-fuel emissions in 2026 released about 1,335 tons of carbon dioxide per second.
Researchers and outside experts differed on whether the drop signals a lasting peak in emissions, citing both growing electric vehicle use and the potential for increased oil production elsewhere.
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Seven people were taken to hospital after a car struck them on Hyndland Road in Glasgow’s west end at about 15:45 on 10 November. Police Scotland is treating the incident as a road traffic collision and said inquiries are ongoing.
Key Facts
Police Scotland said the driver was assessed by paramedics and treated at the scene.
Unconfirmed reports said the car mounted the pavement, hit a bus stop shelter and then struck scaffolding before stopping.
Hyndland Road was closed between Clarence Drive and Novar Drive, and police urged the public to avoid the area.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service sent two fire appliances to the scene.
First Minister John Swinney said he was deeply concerned and thanked the emergency services.
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Independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta closed after years of pressure from Russian authorities, ending its operations in Russia, according to the article. The paper had investigated official corruption and human rights abuses, and authorities recently searched offices and homes, arrested an editor, designated the newspaper a “foreign agent,” and revoked its media license.
Key Facts
Novaya Gazeta was established in 1993, partly with money from Nobel Peace Prize winnings donated by former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev.
The newspaper reported on government corruption, human rights abuses by Russian troops in Chechnya, and the 1999 apartment bombings.
Its longtime editor-in-chief, Dmitry Muratov, received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021 for defending freedom of expression.
The newspaper stopped printing in 2022 after a media crackdown that followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The article says Novaya Gazeta closed its doors for the final time on Monday after sustained pressure from authorities and security services.
In April, authorities searched the newspaper’s office for 12 hours and arrested editor Oleg Roldugin, who was awaiting trial, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.
On September 4, Russia’s Justice Ministry designated the newspaper a “foreign agent.”
On October 15, investigators searched editor-in-chief Sergei Sokolov’s home and took him for questioning; the newspaper’s Russian media license was also revoked.
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French far-right politician and author Éric Zemmour announced that he will run in France’s 2027 presidential election. He said his proposals include removing some foreign residents and reducing immigration by two million; he will compete with National Rally leader Marine Le Pen and other candidates.
Key Facts
Zemmour announced his candidacy in an interview with TF1 television.
He finished fourth in France’s 2022 presidential election.
Zemmour said he would seek to expel foreign offenders serving prison sentences and foreign residents who have been unemployed for more than six months.
He said he wants two million fewer immigrants in France.
The article says Zemmour will compete with Marine Le Pen in the April 2027 election.
Jean-Luc Mélenchon of France Unbowed unveiled his programme to supporters on Saturday.
Emmanuel Macron is due to end his term as France’s president.
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Russia said it expelled a member of Moldova’s embassy staff in response to Moldova’s expulsion of a Russian embassy employee on October 23. Moldova said a Russian drone had entered its airspace and crashed near homes and an energy facility; Russia disputed Moldova’s stated basis for its decision.
Key Facts
Russia’s Foreign Ministry said it summoned Moldova’s ambassador, Lilian Darii, and notified him that a Moldovan embassy staff member was declared unacceptable.
Russia described its action as a response based on the principle of reciprocity.
Moldova expelled a Russian embassy employee after reporting debris from a drone carrying explosives on its territory.
Moldovan President Maia Sandu said the drone was Russian and had crashed near homes and an energy facility.
Drones have entered Moldovan territory on multiple occasions since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.
Moldova launched a 400-kilovolt power line linking Vulcanesti and Chisinau to Romania’s electricity grid.
The new line is intended to reduce Moldova’s reliance on Russian energy and the Cuciurgan power plant in Transnistria.
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A Ukrainian drone unit called the Peaky Blinders is trying to intercept Russian drones over Slovyansk, a heavily damaged city in the part of Donetsk region still controlled by Ukraine. Slovyansk is one of four cities in Ukraine’s fortified eastern “fortress belt,” which has become a focus of peace talks involving Ukraine, Russia and the United States.
Key Facts
The BBC’s Jonathan Beale reported from inside Slovyansk.
Slovyansk has faced heavy bombardment from Russian drones, missiles and glide bombs.
The Peaky Blinders take their name from the BBC television series.
The unit’s task is to intercept Russian drones.
The fortress belt consists of four cities with reinforced defensive lines in Ukrainian-controlled parts of Donetsk region.
The article says Russia wants Ukraine to give up the fortress cities.
Talks involving Ukraine, Russia and the United States resumed in Abu Dhabi after a nine-month pause.
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Five countries endorsed a voluntary declaration at the COP31 U.N. climate talks in Turkey to double the number of homes worldwide with rooftop solar panels by 2030. The plan’s organizers say reaching the goal will require national policies, stronger power grids, and support for solar panels and batteries.
Key Facts
The declaration aims to increase the number of homes with rooftop solar from about 150 million to at least 300 million by 2030.
Australia, Bangladesh, Kenya, Nigeria, and Vanuatu endorsed the declaration.
Lawmakers from 21 other countries, including the United Kingdom, South Africa, and Sri Lanka, also endorsed it.
Indonesia’s state-owned electric power company, Perusahaan Listrik Negara, endorsed the declaration.
The declaration is voluntary and non-binding.
Turkey is advocating for electricity to reach 35% of global energy consumption by 2035, preferably from renewable sources.
Coal accounted for 33% of Turkey’s electricity generation last year, while it made up more than 40% of Australia’s electricity generation.
Experts said grid upgrades and support for solar panels and batteries are needed for rooftop solar to reduce emissions.
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Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has returned home to serve the remainder of a prison term under house arrest. The transfer follows a court ruling that a royal pardon allows him to complete the sentence at home; he denies wrongdoing and is appealing a separate, longer sentence tied to the 1MDB scandal.
Key Facts
Najib was prime minister from 2009 to 2018.
He was convicted in a case involving 42 million ringgit transferred from SRC International, a former 1MDB unit, to his personal accounts.
He began serving a 12-year sentence in 2022; an appeal later cut the term in half.
Malaysia’s king granted Najib a conditional pardon allowing him to serve the remaining two years at home.
A high court ruled on Tuesday that house arrest could take effect immediately.
Najib’s party paid a $12 million fine under the pardon’s terms.
In a separate case, Najib received a 15-year sentence in December 2025 for misappropriating nearly 2.3 billion ringgit from 1MDB; he is appealing.
Investigators estimated that $4.5 billion was taken from 1MDB, with more than $1 billion allegedly going to accounts linked to Najib.
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Russell Brand was sentenced to more than 10 years in prison after a criminal trial in London. His wife, Laura Gallacher, attended the sentencing; Brand’s lawyer said she intended to stand by him and described the impact on the family.
Key Facts
Brand was sentenced on Monday at Southwark Crown Court in London.
Judge Joel Bennathan described Brand in court as a sexual predator.
Brand mouthed “we’ll be OK” to Gallacher as officers led him away, according to the article.
Gallacher and Brand married in 2017 and have three children, aged 10, 8 and 3.
Gallacher is an author and illustrator who has written several children’s books, including The Joy Journal for Magical Everyday Play.
Gallacher attended the sentencing with Brand’s father and other members of his entourage.
Metropolitan Police Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy called the sentencing a significant milestone in holding Brand accountable.
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Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella has posted videos showing security operations against armed groups, including footage of himself speaking beside body bags. The videos have drawn criticism from the country’s ombudsman, who said displaying the dead as a backdrop should not become state practice.
Key Facts
De la Espriella took office in early August 2026.
On September 2, he posted a video beside 23 body bags after a security operation against a faction that split from the former FARC guerrilla group.
In that video, he said 23 people described as terrorists had been killed and vowed to defeat the group.
Two days later, he posted another video beside four body bags and praised the death of an ACSN leader.
The second video had received about two million views and was pinned to his X profile, according to the article.
People’s Defender Iris Marin Ortiz criticized the videos on September 6, saying the state should not use the dead as the backdrop for public statements.
De la Espriella campaigned on a hardline approach to armed groups, contrasting it with the previous government’s policy of seeking dialogue, known as “total peace.”
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Judge Mr Justice Bennathan received praise for sentencing remarks that rejected rape myths in Russell Brand’s case. Brand was sentenced to 10 and a half years for raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others, and the judge also criticized people who witnessed assaults and enabled his conduct.
Key Facts
Bennathan said women retain the right to refuse sex and seek justice regardless of what they wear, where they go or what they drink.
Andrew Thomas KC and Kama Melly KC of the Criminal Bar Association praised the judge’s remarks and said rape myths should have no place in courtrooms.
Rape Crisis England & Wales chief executive Ciara Bergman said the remarks recognized women’s rights and the courage of those who came forward.
Bergman criticized claims by Brand’s defence barrister that victims must fight, scream or report an assault immediately for their allegations to be credible.
Deniz Uğur of the End Violence Against Women Coalition said rape myths influenced public discussion and could harm survivors.
Bennathan criticized people who witnessed assaults at a radio station and a TV studio, saying Brand’s entourage indulged his behavior.
Labour deputy leader Lucy Powell praised the judge’s remarks and criticized the cross-examination of Brand’s victims.
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Russian and Ukrainian delegations held nearly four hours of U.S.-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, the first such meeting since February. The sides discussed humanitarian matters and security guarantees, but officials described no major breakthrough; another session was scheduled for Wednesday.
Key Facts
The talks took place in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.
The U.S. delegation included Jared Kushner and envoy Steve Witkoff.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the talks covered prisoner exchanges, the return of detained Ukrainian civilians and children, and security guarantees.
A senior Ukrainian official said the delegations discussed a large-scale prisoner exchange, with details to be discussed later.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the meeting productive but said much work remained.
The meeting was the first three-way session since February, and a second day of talks was planned for Wednesday.
The article reported that fighting continued, with overnight drone and missile attacks claimed by both sides.
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UNIFIL said about a dozen rounds were fired at a patrol near Wadi Jilu in southern Lebanon on Tuesday. The patrol returned fire, and the shooting stopped; no one was reported hurt. G7 foreign ministers called for a new security arrangement in Lebanon before UNIFIL’s mandate expires at the end of 2026, but reported no agreement on a replacement.
Key Facts
UNIFIL did not identify who fired at the patrol.
The patrol returned fire, after which the shooting stopped.
UNIFIL reported no casualties and called for an investigation.
UNIFIL said attacks on peacekeepers violate Security Council Resolution 1701 and international humanitarian law.
The UN Security Council voted last year to end UNIFIL’s mandate on December 31, 2026.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said G7 foreign ministers agreed that Lebanon should avoid a security void after the mandate ends.
The G7 ministers backed moving quickly toward a new security arrangement, but no breakthrough on replacing UNIFIL was reported.
Lebanese officials have called for UNIFIL’s mandate to be extended.
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British authorities arrested an unidentified 41-year-old U.S. military member near Gloucester on suspicion of spying for Russia. The person remains in custody as British police investigate with the FBI and U.S. military; no charges or further details about the suspect were provided in the article.
Key Facts
Police suspect the man of assisting a foreign intelligence service and obtaining or disclosing protected information under the UK National Security Act 2023.
Officers are searching two locations in Gloucestershire.
British counterterrorism police said the investigation is ongoing.
The FBI and U.S. military worked with British police on the case.
Police said the arrest is not connected to other counterterrorism investigations, including a suspected plot at RAF Fairford.
The man is being held at a London police station.
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A jury at Caernarfon Crown Court found Blade Silvano guilty of six counts of sexual assault by penetration involving a woman she met online. The case involved Silvano posing as a male army captain and surgeon; she is due to be sentenced next month.
Key Facts
The jury said the six offences occurred between November 2022 and June 2023.
Silvano used the name “Hunter” and met the woman through the Plenty of Fish dating site.
The victim told the court she believed she was in a relationship with a man and would not have dated a woman.
The court heard Silvano kept the lights low and did not allow the victim to touch her intimately.
The victim learned Silvano was female after receiving a call from Silvano’s long-term female partner.
Silvano was jailed in 2023 after a separate case involving a woman in Cambridgeshire; those offences took place in 2016 and 2017.
In the earlier case, Silvano was convicted of two counts of assault by penetration.
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Joe Biden and Jill Biden visited Trinity College Dublin on Tuesday for a ceremony honoring their son, Hunter Biden. Pro-Palestinian protesters gathered outside, and Irish police made at least two arrests after some protesters moved toward the departing group and objects were reportedly thrown.
Key Facts
Hunter Biden received the Gold Medal for Outstanding Contribution for Public Discourse from Trinity College's College Historical Society.
At least two people were arrested by Gardaí, Ireland's police.
Pro-Palestinian protesters gathered during the Biden family's visit.
Irish broadcaster RTÉ reported that people moved forward and threw objects as the family left.
Joe and Jill Biden also met Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin.
Martin said on X that they reflected on Joe Biden's strong Irish roots.
Hunter Biden was convicted of gun and tax crimes in the United States in 2024 and was later pardoned by his father.
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The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council unanimously overturned laws in Trinidad and Tobago that criminalised consensual same-sex intimacy. The ruling followed an 11-year legal challenge by Jason Jones and found the laws incompatible with the right to respect for private and family life.
Key Facts
The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council is Trinidad and Tobago’s final court of appeal.
Jason Jones, a dual citizen, began the legal challenge 11 years ago.
Jones won in Trinidad and Tobago’s High Court in 2018, but the government appealed successfully.
The government argued that savings law clauses protected the laws from legal challenge.
Jones’s lawyers argued that changes made to the laws in 1986 removed that protection.
Lord Sales said the laws could not be justified in a society that respects individual rights and freedoms.
The article says Trinidad and Tobago had been among about 34 Commonwealth countries that criminalised homosexuality under laws originating in the British colonial era.
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Sydney’s jacaranda trees typically bloom for six weeks each spring, covering parts of the city in purple flowers. BBC journalist Tabby Wilson visits a well-known spot for photos and speaks with visitors who traveled from around the world to see the blooms.
Key Facts
Jacaranda trees in Sydney typically flower for six weeks each spring.
The blooms turn parts of the city purple.
The flowering season also fills social media feeds with images of the trees.
BBC journalist Tabby Wilson visits a famous Sydney jacaranda photo spot.
Wilson speaks with visitors who traveled from across the globe to see the blooms.
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The article says British publishers withdrew several Russell Brand books after a jury convicted him of rape and sexual assault and he received a 10½-year prison sentence. It revisits passages in his 2007 memoir that describe sexual pressure, violence toward women, and cruelty to a dog, and notes that commentators say celebrity media once treated provocative behavior more leniently.
Key Facts
Pan Macmillan and other publishers reportedly withdrew Brand’s books from sale after his conviction.
The article says a jury convicted Brand of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault.
Brand was sentenced to 10½ years in prison, according to the article.
In his 2007 memoir, My Booky Wook, Brand described a school game involving grabbing girls over their clothing and wrote, “No one was safe from me.”
The memoir recounts Brand using pleading, emotional pressure, and lies to persuade a woman identified as Penny to have sex.
Brand wrote that he spat in a lap dancer’s face after she slapped him, and that he smashed a sex worker’s phone.
Brand also wrote about luring the family dog, Topsy, upstairs and kicking it down the stairs.
Public relations professionals told Newsweek that entertainment media in the late 2000s and early 2010s often treated provocative celebrity behavior as part of a performer’s public image.
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