Author: Trainee Reporter

Sri Lanka: Galagodaatte Gnanasara, a hardline Sri Lankan monk and close ally of ousted former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa, has been sentenced to nine months in prison for insulting Islam and inciting religious hatred. The Colombo Magistrate’s Court delivered the sentence, relating to remarks he made in 2016. Sri Lanka rarely convicts Buddhist monks, making this sentence particularly significant. This marks the second time Gnanasara has been imprisoned, as he has faced numerous accusations of hate crimes and anti-Muslim violence over the years. In December, Gnanasara was halted for comments he made during a 2016 media conference, where he directed derogatory…

United States: TikTok will argue its case before the US Supreme Court in a last-ditch effort to overturn a law threatening its operations in the country. The decision could have far-reaching implications for national security and free speech. The popular social media platform has difficult legislation passed last year that mandates its separation from Chinese parent company ByteDance by January 19 or face a nationwide ban. The US government claims that TikTok poses a significant national security risk, citing concerns that China could exploit the platform for intelligence or political manipulation. TikTok denies these allegations, claiming that it has been…

China: China has expanded its consumer trade-in discounts to revive its slowing economy. The initiative now includes products such as microwave ovens, dishwashers, rice cookers, and water purifiers, with discounts of up to 20 percent available for new purchases. Previously, the state-backed program covered items like televisions, smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, and electric and hybrid vehicles. Officials say the schemes, which began in March, have already shown “visible effects,” with sales of major appliances and cars on the rise. To further bolster consumer spending, $11 billion (81 billion yuan) has been allotted to the trade-in schemes this year. However, some economists…

India: Six people lost their lives, and dozens were injured in a stampede at the Tirupati temple in Andhra Pradesh. Thousands of devotees had gathered to collect tickets for the upcoming 10-day Vaikuntha Dwara Darshan festival, one of Hinduism’s most sacred events. Visuals from the scene depicted a messy rush at the 91 counters set up for ticket distribution. Eyewitnesses reported that the crowd rushed as gates opened, overwhelming the limited police presence. BR Naidu, chairman of the temple’s trust, attributed the incident to overcrowding. BR Naidu stated that, “It is an unfortunate incident.” Trust board member Bhanu Prakash Reddy…

Tibet: Over 14,000 rescue workers have been deployed in Tibet to aid with the aftermath of a powerful 7.1 magnitude earthquake that struck western China, killing at least 126 people. The earthquake, which occurred near Mount Everest, caused widespread destruction, with more than 3,600 buildings reported as collapsed. Thousands of homes were destroyed, leaving many residents without shelter. Rescue efforts are confused by freezing temperatures, dropping as low as -16°C overnight. However, over 400 people have been rescued, and the air force, along with drones, has been enrolled to aid in the operation. Chinese state media reports that more than…

Thailand: A mahout in Thailand has been charged with imprudence after an elephant in his care fatally injured a Spanish tourist. The victim, 22-year-old Blanca Ojanguren García, was struck in the head by the elephant while bathing it at the Koh Yao Elephant Care Centre in southern Thailand. She later died from her injuries in the hospital. The incident has reignited troubles over the safety and ethics of Thailand’s elephant tourism industry. Animal rights groups have long criticised elephant tourism for its impact on the animals, including disruptions to their natural behaviours and potential stress from human interaction. The elephant…

India: Rescuers in Assam, a state in northeastern India, are working tirelessly to save nine miners tangled in a flooded illegal “rat-hole” coal mine. Authorities fear that three of the miners have already died, as rescue teams have discovered bodies they are unable to reach due to the dangerous conditions. The miners became trapped when rising water flooded the narrow, manually dug mine. Despite a ban on such mining since 2014, illegal coal mining remains uncontrolled in Assam and other northeastern states. The Indian Army has joined the search and rescue operation, deploying personnel, divers, medical staff, and specialised equipment…

Las Vegas: Nvidia’s CEO Jensen Huang has taken centre stage at CES 2025, announcing the company’s highly anticipated RTX 50-series gaming chips. The new family of chips, leveraging Nvidia’s cutting-edge Blackwell artificial intelligence (AI) technology, pledges to deliver movie-quality images with a performance boost twice as fast as previous models. Prices for the RTX 50-series will range from $549 (£438) to $1,999. During his keynote address, Huang revealed the chips’ capabilities with a live, real-time rendering of stunning graphics, showcasing intricate textures and dynamic movements. The display left tech experts and enthusiasts in wonder, with robotics graduate student Gary Yang…

United Kingdom: More than half of UK companies have planned to raise prices in the next three months due to escalating costs and taxes, as revealed by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC). According to a survey of nearly 5,000 firms, business confidence has dropped to its lowest point in two years, with nearly two-thirds of respondents expressing concerns about the rise in national insurance contributions (NICs) set to take effect in April. The BCC’s findings highlight that 63 percent of businesses are worried about the impact of higher taxes, the highest level of concern recorded since 2017. The national…

United States: 1st Lady Melania Trump of the United States, is set to be the executive producer of a new documentary on Amazon Prime Video, slated for release later this year. The project, which began filming in December 2024, is expected to hit theaters and streaming platforms in the second half of 2025. While details about the documentary remain scarce, Amazon Prime has expressed enthusiasm about sharing “this truly unique story” with viewers worldwide. The exact extent of Mrs. Trump’s involvement is unclear, but her role as executive producer indicates she will have significant editorial control over the project. Directed…