Author: Amanda Martinez

The Republic of Ireland is battling a severe weather crisis. Due to snow and icy conditions, approximately 30,000 customers are without water. This has led to the cancellation of non-urgent outpatient appointments in several hospitals. Furthermore, thousands of homes are without power. Schools in multiple countries were forced to close on the first day of term. Bus and rail services were severely impacted. The countries of Cork, Kerry, Tipperary, and Limerick, as well as southern Leinster, were among the worst affected areas. Met Éireann, Ireland’s national weather forecaster, has issued a yellow warning for snow and ice. The forecaster warns…

South Korea’s embattled president fortified his residence against authorities as Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment crisis escalates. Barbed wire, barricades, and parked buses surrounded his compound over the weekend to prevent investigators from making another arrest attempt. Yoon ignored summonses to face questioning on charges of insurrection and abuse of power. Last Friday, the anti-corruption government attempted to arrest Yoon but faced resistance from his potential security team. The six-hour standoff ended without an arrest. Public prosecutors requested police assistance to enforce the arrest warrant, but the police refused, calling the move legally controversial. The current warrant is set to expire…

President Joe Biden has banned new offshore oil and gas drilling along most of America’s coastline, covering 626 million acres of water. This move comes just weeks before Donald Trump takes office. It aims to protect the environment and reduce the country’s reliance on fossil fuels. The ban covers the entire Atlantic coast and eastern Gulf of Mexico, the Pacific coast of California, Oregon, and Washington, and a section of the Bering Sea off Alaska. Biden’s decision reflects concerns that drilling off these coasts could cause irreversible damage to places Americans hold dear and is unnecessary to meet the nation’s…

Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to announce his resignation after facing mounting pressure within his own party. Reports suggest Justin Trudeau plans to step down during a press conference at Rideau Cottage on Monday morning.  This decision follows months of dwindling public support and internal criticism from Liberal Party members. Sources close to Trudeau revealed his intention to resign before an emergency party meeting scheduled for wednesday. Trudeau aims to avoid the appearance of being ousted by his own Member of Parliament. His Departure would mark the end of his nine-year tenure as Prime Minister since 2015. This…

A devastating incident occurred at the Koh Yao Elephant Care Center in Thailand, resulting in the death of a Spanish tourist. Blanca Ojanguren Garcia, 22, was bathing an elephant when the animal suddenly attacked her. García’s boyfriend witnessed the tragic event. Experts believe the elephant may have been stressed due to interacting with tourists outside its natural habitat. Animal activists have long criticized elephant bathing activities, citing the disruption of natural behaviors and exposure to unnecessary stress. Furthermore, many elephants used for tourism in Asia live in severely inadequate conditions. World Animal Protection reports that over 60 elephants endure profound…

A breakthrough has been made in the fight against Congo Gold Smuggling. Three Chinese nationals have been arrested in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo with 12 gold bars and $800,000 in cash. A tip-off from a local resident made the arrests possible. According to Jean Jacques Purusi, the governor of South Kivu province, the gold and money were hidden under the seats of their vehicle. Furthermore, the governor stated that the arrests were kept secret after the recent release of another group of Chinese nationals accused of running an illegal gold mine in the area. This move was made to…

The US Department of State has confirmed an $8 billion arms sale to Israel, pending Congress’s approval. This package includes missiles, artillery shells, and bombs to support Israel’s military. The House and Senate must review and approve the consignment before its execution. This sale announcement comes days before the President ends his term on January 20th, 2025. Critics continue to pressure Washington to reevaluate military support for Israel due to the growing civilian casualties in Gaza. Despite these calls, US officials insist on the country’s unwavering commitment to Israel’s security and defense needs. This arms package includes advanced Hellfire missiles…

Donald Trump, President-elect of the United States, will face sentencing on January 10th in his hush-money case. Justice Juan Merchan announced this decision to set Trump’s January sentencing less than two weeks before his presidential inauguration. The judge indicated that Trump would receive an unconditional discharge, avoiding jail time, probation, or fines. For Trump’s January sentencing hearing, He can attend it virtually or in person. The case emanated from Trump’s May conviction on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.  These charges relate to a $130,000 payment made to Stormy Daniels, an adult film star, through Trump’s former attorney Michael…

A harsh winter storm will hit Scotland this weekend, bringing heavy snow and ice. Temperatures are forecast to drop as low as -10C, with the Met Office issuing yellow alerts for ice and snow nationwide. The risk of disruption will be in southern and eastern Scotland, where up to 5 cm of snow could accumulate, increasing to 0 to 20 cm over high ground. Rain or sleet is more likely near some northern and eastern coasts. The Met Office warned that the conditions could lead to power cuts and travel delays. Several football matches got postponed due to frozen pitches,…

King Charles is deeply saddened by the death of Edward Pettifer, a 31-year-old British man who was killed in the New Orleans attack on New Year’s Day. Pettifer was among 14 people killed in the attack. Furthermore, he was the stepson of Alexandra Pettifer, known as Tiggy, who cared for Prince William and Prince Harry when they were children. Notably, the attack occurred on January 1, when a 42-year-old US Army veteran drove a pick-up truck into crowds along New Orleans’s famous Bourbon Street. Consequently, the suspect, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, was shot dead by police. Additionally, a flag of the Islamic…

Nick Clegg leaves Meta after nearly seven years as president of global affairs. His departure comes just weeks before Donald Trump’s inauguration as US president. Clegg will be replaced by Joel Kaplan, a Republican and former deputy chief of staff in the White House during President George X Bush’s administration. Kaplan is known for handling the company’s relations with Republicans. Trump has been critical of Meta, accusing the platform of censorship and silencing conservative speech. However, tensions between Trump and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg appear to be easing. As the two are dining together at Trump’s Florida estate in Mar-a-Lago.…

South Korean authorities suspended their attempt to arrest impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol after an hours-long standoff with his security detail. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) halted its efforts for Yoon Suk-yeol’s arrest after the Presidential Security Service (PSS) blocked access.  Investigators arrived at Yoon’s compound on Friday morning, seeking to arrest him for alleged insurrection and abuse of power. The charges stem from his brief declaration of martial law on December 3rd, which ignited South Korea’s most profound political crisis in decades. According to the Yonhap News Agency, PSS Chief Park Jong-joon referred to military secrecy restrictions…