Browsing: Main Headlines

Judges in France are set to deliver verdicts today for 51 men involved in a mass rape trial that has stunned the nation. The case centres around Dominique Pelicot, 72, who is accused of drugging his ex-wife, Gisèle, raping her, and orchestrating a series of sexual assaults by dozens of men over nearly a decade.

At least 13 people have died and two are missing after an Indian navy speedboat crashed into a passenger ferry off the coast of Mumbai. Three of the victims were Navy personnel. More than 100 passengers were rescued, according to Maharashtra state chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.

At least 100 North Korean soldiers have been killed in the ongoing Ukraine war, according to a South Korean MP. Lee Sung-kwon revealed this information after receiving a briefing from the country’s National Intelligence Service. The casualties, which also include around 1,000 injured, are believed to have occurred since North Korean troops entered the conflict on Russia’s side earlier this month.

France’s highest court, the Cour de Cassation, has upheld a corruption conviction against former President Nicolas Sarkozy, rejecting his appeal. The ruling means that Sarkozy, who served as president from 2007 to 2012, must now wear an electronic monitoring bracelet for a year.

Tens of thousands of people in Mayotte are still without access to clean water following the devastation caused by Cyclone Chido. The French Indian Ocean territory is grappling with widespread destruction, and rescuers are working tirelessly to locate missing individuals.

US stock prices took a hit after the Federal Reserve announced its third consecutive interest rate cut, but its economic projections indicated a slower pace of cuts in the coming year.

Israeli airstrikes on Tuesday killed dozens of people in Gaza City and Beit Lahiya as negotiations continued in Doha. Medics confirmed at least 10 people died in an airstrike on a house in the Daraj suburb of Gaza City, including eight members of the same family. Among the victims were a father, his three children, and their grandmother, according to casualty reports.

In a shocking incident at the Gudauri ski resort in Georgia, 11 Indian nationals and one Georgian were found dead in a commercial building on Monday. Preliminary investigations suggest carbon monoxide poisoning as the likely cause.

Luigi Mangione, the man accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, has been formally indicted by a Manhattan grand jury on murder charges that include allegations of terrorism.  

Russia’s security service (FSB) has detained a 29-year-old man from Uzbekistan in connection with the assassination of Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, the head of Russia’s Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Defence Forces.

Canada has unveiled a robust new plan to enhance security along its border with the United States, pledging strengthened surveillance and the creation of a joint “strike force” to combat transnational organised crime.

The tragic school shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, that claimed the lives of a teacher and a student and left six others wounded, appears to have been driven by a “combination of factors,” according to Police Chief Shon Barnes.

Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, head of Russia’s Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Defence Forces, was killed by a bomb in Moscow on Tuesday. The device, hidden in a scooter, exploded as Kirillov and an assistant left an apartment building in southeast Moscow, about four miles from the Kremlin.  

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz lost a parliamentary confidence vote, paving the way for early elections on February 23. The move follows the collapse of his three-party coalition in November, leaving Scholz leading a minority government reliant on opposition support.

Israeli air and ground strikes killed more than 50 people in Gaza on Sunday, including children and a journalist, according to medics. The attacks hit multiple locations, including a UN-run school sheltering displaced families in Khan Younis, where graphic scenes of casualties were reported.

A 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck near Vanuatu’s capital, Port Vila, causing significant damage to buildings and infrastructure. The quake, recorded at 12:47 PM local time (01:47 GMT) at a depth of 57.1km, initially triggered a tsunami alert, which has since been lifted.

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew met with President-elect Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago as the app faces a looming ban unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, sells it by January 19.

A 15-year-old student opened fire at Abundant Life Christian School in Wisconsin, killing a teacher and a teenager, and injuring six others. The shooter, identified as Natalie Rupnow (also known as Samantha), was a student at the school and reportedly died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Two of the injured remain in critical condition.

Five people were killed in a series of shootings in northern France, including near a migrant camp in Loon-Plage, close to Dunkirk. A 22-year-old man has surrendered to police and confessed to the attacks, according to French media.

South Korea’s constitutional court has begun impeachment proceedings against President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was suspended after declaring martial law and triggering nationwide chaos. Parliament impeached Yoon last Saturday, leaving Prime Minister Han Duck-soo as acting president during the trial.

Cyclone Chido has wreaked havoc on Mayotte, a French Indian Ocean territory, with wind speeds exceeding 225 km/h (140 mph), flattening settlements and leaving hundreds feared dead. Rescue teams, including reinforcements from France, are working tirelessly to locate survivors amid widespread destruction and severe shortages of food, water, and shelter.

Bitcoin soared to an all-time high, briefly surpassing $106,000, fueled by optimism over Donald Trump’s pro-cryptocurrency stance ahead of his return to the White House. The cryptocurrency has gained more than 50% since Trump’s election victory on November 5.

Israel announced plans to shut its Dublin embassy, accusing Ireland’s government of “extreme anti-Israel policies.” Foreign Minister Gideon Saar criticised Ireland for supporting South Africa’s legal action at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which accuses Israel of “genocide.”  

A tornado struck Scotts Valley, California, on Saturday afternoon, injuring four people and flipping cars, according to local authorities. The EF1 tornado, with winds peaking at 90 mph, lasted five minutes, damaging power lines and leaving Monterey County among the hardest hit with ongoing outages.

Brazil’s federal police arrested former defence minister Braga Netto on Saturday on suspicion of obstructing the investigation into 2022’s alleged attempt to prevent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s inauguration.