Author: Trainee Reporter

Mexico City: At least two people have died, and 12 others were injured after a powerful 6.5-magnitude earthquake struck southern and central Mexico, causing moderate damage and triggering widespread emergency inspections. The epicentre of the quake was located near San Marcos, close to the popular tourist destination of Acapulco in the southwestern state of Guerrero. Authorities said the state suffered moderate structural damage, along with landslides on several highways. Guerrero Governor Evelyn Salgado confirmed that a 50-year-old woman died in the state, while Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada reported the death of a 60-year-old man in the capital. Brugada added…

Kharkiv: Two people, including a three-year-old child, were killed and around 28 others injured after a Russian strike hit the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, Ukrainian officials confirmed. A multi-storey residential apartment block was almost destroyed in what authorities described as a dual missile attack. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the strike as heinous, accusing Russia of continuing attacks on civilians despite ongoing diplomatic efforts. Kharkiv regional officials said the bodies of a woman and a three-year-old child were recovered from the rubble, with preliminary information suggesting they may have been a mother and son. Among the injured was a…

Crans-Montana: A devastating fire at a New Year’s Eve party in the Swiss Alpine resort town of Crans-Montana has killed about 40 people and left more than 115 injured, many of them seriously, as authorities race to identify victims and determine the cause of the blaze. The fire broke out at Le Constellation, a popular bar frequented by young tourists, triggering scenes of panic as people attempted to smash windows to escape. Survivors and witnesses described chaos, with burn victims flooding into the streets as flames engulfed the venue. Relatives and friends of those who attended the party have been…

Beijing: Chinese President Xi Jinping has invited South Korean President Lee Jae Myung to a state visit in Beijing, underlining China’s push to reinforce relations with Seoul with rising regional tensions in East Asia. South Korea’s National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said President Lee will meet Xi in Beijing before travelling to Shanghai, where he will visit the historic site of South Korea’s provisional government established during Japan’s 35-year colonial rule. According to Wi, the two leaders are expected to discuss practical cooperation in areas such as supply-chain investment, tourism and responses to transnational crime. Lee is also likely to…

Crans-Montana: Several people were killed and others injured after an explosion tore through a bar in the luxury Alpine ski resort town of Crans-Montana, Swiss police said. Gaetan Lathion, a police spokesperson in Wallis canton in southwestern Switzerland stated that, “There has been an explosion of unknown origin. There are several injured, and several dead.” The blast occurred at around 1:30 am (0030 GMT) at Le Constellation, a bar popular with tourists, as revellers were celebrating the New Year. The media also reported multiple fatalities and injuries, citing police sources. Images published by Swiss media showed a building engulfed in…

New York City: Zohran Mamdani has made history by becoming the first mayor of New York City to be sworn in using a Quran, marking a landmark moment for representation in the United States’ largest city. The first Muslim and South Asian mayor of New York, Mamdani, used two Qurans for a private swearing-in ceremony held at a disused subway station beneath Times Square. One was his grandfather’s personal Quran, while the other was a nearly 200-year-old copy loaned by the New York Public Library (NYPL). A second public ceremony is scheduled to take place at New York City Hall,…

California: The Walt Disney Company has agreed to pay $10 million (£7.4 million) to resolve allegations that it violated US children’s privacy laws by failing to properly label some YouTube videos as content made for children, enabling targeted advertising and the collection of personal data without parental consent. The settlement follows an investigation by the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which found that Disney did not correctly identify certain child-directed videos on YouTube, a requirement under the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). As a result, children were allegedly exposed to targeted advertising and had their personal information collected without…

Jerusalem: Israel has announced plans to revoke the licences of 37 humanitarian organisations operating in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, a move that has drawn sharp criticism from several Western governments and international aid bodies. Well-known international non-governmental organisations, including ActionAid, the International Rescue Committee and the Norwegian Refugee Council, are among those affected. Their licences are set to be suspended from January 1, with operations required to cease within 60 days. Israeli authorities said the decision followed the groups’ failure to comply with new registration requirements, including the provision of what officials described as complete and verifiable personal…

New Delhi: India’s rise as the world’s largest rice producer and exporter has been hailed by policymakers as a triumph of resilient farmers and supportive government policies. However, behind the record exports lies a growing crisis in the country’s agricultural heartlands, where intensive rice cultivation is rapidly depleting groundwater reserves. India has nearly doubled its rice exports over the past decade, with shipments exceeding 20 million metric tonnes in the latest fiscal year. The country now accounts for about 40 percent of global rice exports, giving it a pivotal role in international food markets. Yet interviews with farmers, officials and…

Australia: Derby, a remote coastal town in Western Australia’s Kimberley region with a population of about 3,200, is preparing for dangerous conditions as severe Tropical Cyclone Hayley approaches the coast. With only one road connecting Derby to the rest of the region, residents are acutely aware of the risks. Memories remain fresh of ex-Tropical Cyclone Ellie, which triggered catastrophic flooding three years ago and left Derby and surrounding communities isolated for weeks. Tropical Cyclone Hayley, currently a category-three system, was located about 185km north-west of Broome and tracking east, with landfall expected near Cape Leveque by evening. The Bureau of…