Author: Trainee Reporter

Paris: France is awaiting a landmark court verdict, that could determine whether far-right leader Marine Le Pen is eligible to contest the country’s 2027 presidential election, a decision expected to have major political consequences. Le Pen, leader of the National Rally (RN), has consistently topped opinion polls ahead of next year’s election. However, her candidacy now depends on the outcome of an appeal in a case involving the misuse of European Parliament funds. The Paris appeals court will decide whether to uphold, overturn or modify a 2025 ruling that found Le Pen guilty of overseeing a system in which party…

Washington: Severe weather disrupted celebrations marking the United States’ 250th anniversary of independence, with thunderstorms, lightning and record-breaking heat affecting events across the country, including the main national celebration in Washington, DC. Thousands of people had gathered at the National Mall in the US capital for the landmark July 4 event before authorities ordered an evacuation as a powerful thunderstorm approached. The weather delay forced President Donald Trump’s keynote address to be postponed by one hour. Despite the disruption, organisers of the Freedom 250 celebration confirmed that attendees would be allowed back into the venue once conditions improved. Trump also…

London: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has warned his likely successor, Andy Burnham, that no modern British leader can afford to prioritise domestic issues while neglecting international affairs, arguing that global events have a direct impact on people’s daily lives. Starmer rejected the idea that a future prime minister could spend less time on foreign policy. He said issues such as the war in Ukraine and tensions in the Strait of Hormuz directly influence household costs and economic stability in the UK. Starmer remarked that, “If you’re prime minister and you care what bills are going to be like in…

Lampedusa: Pope Leo has praised the United States’ long-standing tradition of welcoming migrants, urging the nation to remain faithful to its founding ideals in a landmark address marking the country’s 250th anniversary. Speaking live from the Vatican after receiving the Liberty Medal from the National Constitution Centre in Philadelphia, the first American-born pope described the United States as a global symbol of freedom because of its history of embracing immigrants. Pope Leo called on Americans to uphold the principles of unity, justice and peace enshrined in the Declaration of Independence. Pope Leo remarked that, “This historic anniversary presents us with…

Seattle: Belgium has staged a remarkable comeback from two goals down to defeat Senegal 3-2 after extra time in their FIFA World Cup Round of 32 clash in Seattle, with Youri Tielemans converting a 125th-minute penalty to keep the Red Devils’ title hopes alive. Senegal looked set for a famous victory after Habib Diarra and Ismaila Sarr gave the African side a commanding 2-0 lead, but Belgium scored twice in the closing minutes of normal time through Romelu Lukaku and Tielemans to force extra time. The decisive moment came deep into stoppage time of extra time when Lamine Camara fouled…

Washington: The United States has decided not to renew the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) in its current form, marking a significant development for North American trade and ending the prospect of an automatic 16-year extension of the landmark agreement. A senior US official said the administration deliberately chose not to approve the renewal until key trade concerns were resolved. The decision does not immediately terminate the trade pact, which remains in force. However, it introduces fresh uncertainty for businesses and investors across North America by preventing the agreement from being automatically extended until 2042. Under the terms of the USMCA,…

Washington: The United States government has lifted export restrictions on foreign access to Anthropic’s most advanced artificial intelligence models, allowing the company to restore worldwide availability of its Claude Fable 5 and Mythos 5 systems. Anthropic confirmed that access to both models will begin returning after the US Department of Commerce informed the company that export licensing requirements had been removed. In a statement shared on X, Anthropic thanked users for their patience and acknowledged those involved in bringing the models back online. The decision follows weeks of uncertainty after the Trump administration ordered Anthropic to block all foreign nationals,…

Lahore: At least 14 children have been killed after the roof of a private tuition centre collapsed in the Kahna suburb near Lahore, Pakistan, in one of the country’s deadliest building accidents involving schoolchildren. According to emergency officials, the incident occurred, when the roof of the building suddenly gave way while children were attending classes. Rescue teams rushed to the scene after receiving an emergency call at around 4:45pm local time and completed the operation within an hour. Farooq Ahmed, spokesperson for Rescue 1122, said most of the victims were between seven and 11 years old. Young children under the…

Afghan: Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have escalated sharply after Pakistan launched airstrikes and deployed ground troops into Afghan border provinces, leaving dozens dead and injured, according to officials from both countries. Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government condemned the operation, calling it a ‘cowardly act’ and describing the attacks as ‘a crime and atrocity.’ Taliban officials told that at least 100 people had been killed or wounded, including civilians, although these figures have not been independently verified. Pakistan, however, said the military operation was aimed exclusively at militant hideouts. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar stated that 29 militants were killed during coordinated strikes…

Tomblaine: France was rocked by one of its deadliest private aviation disasters after a civilian aircraft carrying a group of skydivers crashed shortly after take-off in the eastern town of Tomblaine, killing all 11 people on board. The aircraft, operated by a parachuting school, departed from Nancy-Essey Airfield at around 11:00 a.m. local time, before suddenly plunging to the ground near the edge of the airfield. Authorities confirmed that the pilot and all 10 passengers died in the crash. Among the victims were five experienced skydiving instructors and five first-time participants preparing for tandem jumps. Several of their family members…