Author: Trainee Reporter

United States: The US State Department has issued an immediate suspension of all foreign assistance and paused any new foreign aid allocations, according to an internal memo obtained by officials and US embassies abroad. This decision follows President Donald Trump’s executive order, signed, initiating a 90-day pause on foreign development assistance while a comprehensive review is conducted. The United States, the largest global foreign aid donor, spent $68 billion on international assistance in 2023. The State Department’s directive is poised to impact a wide collection of programmes, including development and military aid. According to the memo, exceptions to the halt…

Japan: The Bank of Japan (BOJ) has increased its short-term policy rate to “around 0.5 percent,” marking its highest level in 17 years. The move comes in reaction to accelerating consumer price increases, with December’s core inflation climbing 3 percent compared to the same period last year—the fastest pace in 16 months. This decision follows data revealing heightened inflation and is aimed at providing the BOJ with more flexibility for future rate cuts if economic conditions require it. The central bank had last raised rates in July, a surprise move at the time that started global stock market turmoil. Governor…

Australia: Australian police are investigating the vandalism of a Captain James Cook statue in Sydney. The statue was covered in red paint and impaired just days before the Australia Day weekend. This marks the second time in a year that the monument has been targeted. The statue, located in the Randwick suburb, had its hand, face, and nose damaged in the attack. Councillor Carolyn Martin condemned the act during an interview, calling it “a disservice to the community and reconciliation efforts.” First unveiled in 1874, the statue underwent repairs in 2023 after a similar incident when it was vandalised with…

Nepal: The cost of climbing Mount Everest will rise sharply, as Nepal increases permit fees for the first time in almost ten years. The fee during the peak climbing season of April to May will jump from $11,000 to $15,000, marking a 36 percent hike. Climbers venturing outside the peak season will also encounter higher costs. Permits will now be $7,500 from September to November and $3,750 from December to February. These revised rates will come into effect from September that reflect a similar 36 percent increase. Income from mountaineering permits is a significant contributor to Nepal’s economy, with trekking…

California: A lawsuit has been filed in a California federal court accusing LinkedIn of sharing private messages from its Premium users with third parties to train artificial intelligence (AI) models. The legal action argues the Microsoft-owned platform “quietly” introduced a privacy setting in August 2022 that automatically opted users into a programme allowing their data to be used for AI training. The criticism also alleges LinkedIn sought to cover these actions by amending its privacy policy in September 2022, permitting the exposure of user information for AI-related purposes. The filing claims LinkedIn later revised its FAQ section to state that…

United States: US President Donald Trump has announced plans to impose a 10 percent tariff on imports of Chinese-made goods as early as February 1, citing concerns over the export of fentanyl to Mexico and Canada. Speaking at a press conference in Washington, Trump blamed both China and the European Union for what he described as unfair trade practices. Trump stated that, “China is an abuser, but the European Union is very, very bad to us. They treat us very, very badly. Tariffs are the only way to get back fairness.” Trump’s administration has also threatened to impose a 25…

Turkey: At least 76 people have been confirmed dead following a devastating fire that destroyed the Grand Kartal Hotel, a popular Turkish ski resort in the Bolu mountains. The blaze, which broke out in the early hours on 21st January during a peak holiday period, has left the nation in mourning. The fire commenced at 03:27 local time (00:27 GMT) in the hotel’s restaurant on the fourth floor before spreading to the wooden-clad upper levels of the 12-story building. Over 230 guests were staying at the resort, many of whom were entrapped as the flames consumed the structure. Some victims…

United States: President Donald Trump has begun his term with a flurry of executive orders targeting immigration, including efforts to end birthright citizenship, declare illegal immigration a national emergency, and disassemble key Biden-era initiatives. One of the most controversial orders seeks to bar children born on U.S. soil to undocumented migrants or temporary visa holders from automatically obtaining citizenship. Immigration advocacy groups and legal experts have denounced the move as unconstitutional, with the ACLU already filing a lawsuit. Trump also pitched the CBP One mobile app, which allowed migrants to schedule asylum appointments, leaving thousands stranded at the border. His…

Sydney: Authorities in Sydney have revealed that the mysterious marble-sized balls that led to the closure of several Sydney beaches last week contained saturated acids, E. coli, and faecal bacteria. The discovery follows an earlier incident in October when similar debris appeared on the city’s coasts, stimulating widespread closures and a large-scale clean-up. The Northern Beaches council demonstrated that the balls, which were first spotted on 14 January at popular spots like Manly and Dee Why, were collected and sent to the New South Wales Environment Protection Authority (EPA) for further testing. The council urged the public not to handle…

United States: President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to reverse what he called “four long years of American decline, in a fiery speech at the “Make America Great Again (MAGA) Victory Rally” in Washington, DC. Speaking to a crowd of 20,000 at the Capital One Arena, Trump promised a transformative first 100 days, declaring that, “We’re going to give them the best first day, the biggest first week, and the most extraordinary first 100 days of any presidency in American history.” Trump sketched an ambitious agenda for his upcoming presidency, including immediate actions to crack down on illegal immigration, promote oil…