Author: Trainee Reporter

United Kingdom: Stargazers worldwide were fascinated as Venus shone brilliantly above a crescent Moon in a spectacular celestial alignment. The stunning sight was observable to the naked eye across regions spanning from the UK and the US to Turkey and China. Often referred to as the Evening Star or Morning Star, Venus stands out as one of the brightest objects in the night sky, rivalling only the Moon in its brilliance. The cosmic show isn’t over yet. Astronomers expect more celestial wonders in January 2025. Venus and Saturn are set to take centre stage, appearing just 2.2° apart in the…

United States: US President Joe Biden has blocked the $14.9 billion Japan’s Nippon Steel takeover of US Steel, a move he says is necessary to protect national security and protect the domestic steel industry. The decision fulfils a campaign promise but has flashed backlash from Japan and raised concerns among foreign investors. Biden argued that keeping US Steel under American ownership is critical to keeping strong supply chains for industries like defence, infrastructure, and manufacturing. Biden stated that, “Without domestic steel production and domestic steelworkers, our nation is less strong and less secure.” The United Steelworkers union, which opposed the…

United States: Tahlequah, the Southern Resident killer whale that made global headlines in 2018 for carrying her dead calf for 17 days, is once again mourning the loss of a newborn. The Centre for Whale Research has confirmed that the whale, also known as J35, was seen off the coast of Seattle, pushing the body of her dead calf. This marks the second time Tahlequah has lost a calf, both of which were female. Out of her four documented calves, only two have persisted. The death is particularly heartbreaking due to the endangered status of the Southern Resident killer whales…

London: Former UK Deputy Prime Minister Sir Nick Clegg has resigned as President of Meta’s Global Affairs, the social media giant. In a post on Meta’s Facebook page, Sir Nick announced his decision to leave the company after nearly seven years, marking the end of his term at one of the world’s most influential tech firms. Sir Nick will be succeeded by his deputy, Joel Kaplan, a prominent Republican and former deputy chief of staff in the George W. Bush administration. Kaplan, known for handling Meta’s relationships with Republican leaders, will take over as Chief Global Affairs Officer. The transition…

Las Vegas: Authorities are investigating after a rented Tesla Cybertruck packed with fuel canisters and firework mortars exploded outside the Trump Hotel, leaving one person dead and seven others injured. The explosion occurred at approximately 8:40 AM PT, near the hotel’s glass entrance, where the truck had been parked. Police say the injuries sustained by viewers were minor. Sheriff Kevin McMahill of the Las Vegas Police Department described the scene as “chaotic,” showing footage of the fiery blast and photos of the charred remains of the vehicle. The incident comes just hours after a fatal truck attack in New Orleans,…

China: Chinese electric vehicle (EV) giant BYD has ended 2024 on a high note, selling 207,734 EVs in December and boosting its annual EV sales to 1.76 million units. The surge, driven by subsidies and discounts, positions BYD as Tesla’s closest competitor in the race to evolve into the world’s top-selling EV maker. Tesla is set to release its quarterly sales data later, following a narrow lead in the previous quarter. However, BYD has been closing the gap, fueled by growing domestic demand and aggressive pricing strategies. BYD’s total vehicle sales skyrocketed by over 41 percent in 2024, compared to…

United States: Tech billionaire Elon Musk has stirred fresh conspiracy by changing his name on the social media platform X to “Kekius Maximus,” alongside a profile picture featuring the controversial meme character Pepe the Frog. The sudden rebranding has sparked speculation, though Musk has not explained the move. The new profile image depicts Pepe in Roman military attire, holding what appears to be a game console. Observers have illustrated connections to “Kek,” an internet slang term for laughter with ties to gamer culture and, more controversially, to the alt-right. The term also represents a name with an Egyptian god of…

Puerto Rico: Nearly 90 percent of Puerto Rico’s 1.5 million electricity customers were left in darkness on New Year’s Eve following a nearly island-wide blackout, according to Luma Energy, the territory’s primary power distributor. Over 700,000 customers, including essential services such as Puerto Rico’s water and sewer company and 16 hospitals, had their power restored. However, frustration scaled as the outage reignited debates over the island’s chronic power issues that have persisted since Hurricane Maria in 2017. Luma spokesperson Hugo Sorrentini stated that, “A cascading failure arising from an electric line at the Costa Sur power plant was recognised as…

Tunisia: The Pentagon has announced the release of Ridah bin Saleh al-Yazidi, a Tunisian detainee held in Guantanamo Bay since the prison camp’s opening in 2002. Al-Yazidi, 59, was repatriated to Tunisia, marking the fourth such transfer by the Biden administration in two weeks. According to the Department of Defence, al-Yazidi was considered eligible for transfer following a “rigorous interagency review process.” Despite being cleared for release over a decade ago, an agreement with Tunisia was only recently finalised. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin informed Congress of the repatriation plan on January 31, 2024. Al-Yazidi, captured by Pakistani forces near…

China: The World Health Organization (WHO) has called on China to provide greater clearness and share data on the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, marking five years since the virus first emerged in Wuhan. In a statement released, the organisation emphasised that understanding the virus’s origins is both a “moral and scientific imperative.” WHO stated that, “Without transparency, sharing, and co-operation among countries, the world cannot sufficiently prevent and prepare for future epidemics and pandemics.” While many scientists consider the virus jumped naturally from animals to humans, doubts persist regarding the possibility of a laboratory leak in Wuhan. China has…