Author: Trainee Reporter

Pyongyang: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has overseen a test launch of long-range strategic cruise missiles and called for the unlimited and sustained development of the country’s nuclear combat forces, state media reported. According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim expressed satisfaction after observing the missiles fly along a designated orbit over waters west of the Korean Peninsula before accurately striking their target. The launch took place, although KCNA did not disclose the exact launch location. The missile test comes amid a flurry of high-profile public activities by Kim, as Pyongyang seeks to showcase military strength and…

Mexico: At least 13 people were killed and nearly 100 injured after a passenger train derailed in Mexico’s south-western Oaxaca region, according to the Mexican Navy. The Interoceanic train, which was travelling between the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean, was carrying 241 passengers and nine crew members at the time of the accident. Navy officials said 98 people were injured, with 36 receiving treatment in the hospital. Me informa la Secretaría de Marina que en el accidente del Tren Interoceánico lamentablemente fallecieron 13 personas; 98 están lesionadas, cinco de ellas de gravedad. Los heridos se encuentran en hospitales…

Ukraine: Kyiv has suffered a major overnight assault from Russian forces, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy conveyed, highlighting that Moscow doesn’t want peace as he headed to Florida for high-level talks with US President Donald Trump. The 10-hour attack, involving missiles and drones, killed two people and left 32 injured, according to local authorities. Ukraine’s Minister for Development Oleksiy Kuleba reported that 40 percent of residential buildings in Kyiv and nearby districts were left without heating due to damage to energy infrastructure. Russia’s Ministry of Defence stated that long-range precision weapons were aimed at energy facilities, which it claimed were being…

Myanmar: Polls have opened in Myanmar’s first general election since the military overthrew the democratically elected government led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi in a 2021 coup. The tightly controlled election is being held in around one-third of the country’s 330 townships, with large swathes of the Southeast Asian nation excluded due to ongoing civil war between the military and various opposition forces. Voting has been cancelled entirely in 65 townships, while two additional rounds of polling are scheduled for January 11 and January 25. According to reports from Yangon, polling stations opened at 6am local time, with…

Washington: King Charles III and the Prince of Wales are expected to make separate visits to the United States in 2026 as part of efforts to reinvigorate trade relations with US President Donald Trump’s administration, according to reports. Advanced discussions are underway regarding a visit by the king, which is likely to take place in April. If confirmed, it would mark the first visit by a reigning British monarch to the US since Queen Elizabeth II travelled there in 2007 at the invitation of then-president George W Bush. Prince William is expected to undertake a separate visit later in the…

Cambodia: Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to an immediate ceasefire, their defence ministers said in a joint statement, bringing a halt to weeks of intense fighting along their disputed border that has killed at least 41 people and displaced nearly one million civilians. The ceasefire took effect at noon local time (05:00 GMT). Under the agreement, both sides will halt all troop movements and permit civilians residing in border areas to return home. The statement added that once the truce holds for 72 hours, Thailand will release 18 Cambodian soldiers currently in its custody. The breakthrough followed several days of…

Tokyo: Japan’s cabinet has approved a record defence budget proposal exceeding $58 billion (9 trillion yen) for the next fiscal year, signalling a continued push to strengthen the country’s military and coastal defences with escalating security concerns in East Asia. The proposal, which still requires parliamentary approval by March, forms part of a wider $784 billion (122.3 trillion yen) national budget for the fiscal year beginning in April 2026. It marks the fourth consecutive year of Japan’s five-year plan to raise defence spending to 2 percent of gross domestic product, a target long encouraged by its ally, the United States.…

Brazil: Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has undergone what doctors described as a ‘successful’ surgery to repair an inguinal hernia, according to a statement by his wife, Michelle Bolsonaro. The 70-year-old, who is serving a 27-year prison sentence for attempting to overthrow Brazil’s democratic system, was temporarily released from custody to undergo the procedure at DF Star Hospital in Brasília. It marked his first time outside prison since late November. Michelle Bolsonaro stated that, “Successful surgery completed, without complications. Now we wait for him to wake up from anaesthesia.” Bolsonaro was granted court permission to leave prison after federal police…

Washington: The administration of United States President Donald Trump has announced plans to resume wage garnishments for borrowers who have defaulted on their federal student loans, marking the first such action since the COVID-19 pandemic began. According to a spokesperson for the US Department of Education, affected borrowers will start receiving official notices from January 7. The initial phase is expected to impact around 1,000 borrowers, with the number set to increase steadily in the coming months. While the department did not specify how borrowers were selected for the first round of garnishments or how many people could ultimately be…

Pennsylvania: At least two people have been killed and several others injured following an explosion and fire at a nursing home in the US state of Pennsylvania, authorities said. Emergency crews were dispatched to the Silver Lake Nursing Home in Bristol at around 14:00 local time (19:00 GMT) after reports of a gas odour. Officials said that shortly after responders arrived, the building exploded, triggering a massive fire and causing a partial collapse of the structure. Five people were initially reported missing, although officials said it was unclear whether they were inside the building at the time of the blast.…