Author: Amanda Martinez

Apple and Huawei launched promotions this January to attract price-sensitive Chinese customers amid growing competition and economic challenges. Apple discounts in China introduced a four-day sale starting January 4th, offering discounts of up to 500 yuan on various iPhone models. The given discounts apply to Apple’s flagship iPhone 16 pro, priced at 7,999 yuan, and the iPhone 16 pro max, which starts at 9,999 yuan. This marks Apple’s second annual promotion before the Lunar New Year festivities. Meanwhile, Huawei reduced its high-end phone prices by 20%, appealing to value-conscious buyers. Experts attribute Apple discounts in China to a pricing strategy…

Tesla’s first sales drop in over a decade was reported as rivals gained momentum and demand softened worldwide. The company delivered 1.79 million cars in 2024, reflecting a 1% decrease compared to 2023’s record.  Despite repeated price cuts to attract buyers, Tesla struggled to maintain its position as the top electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer. Chinese car manufacturer BYD, a rising competitor, achieved a breakthrough by selling 1.76 million EVs last year. BYD’s overall vehicle sales rose 41% to 4.2 million in 2024, driven mainly by its hybrid model. Over 90% of BYD’s sales occurred in China, where government subsidies and…

A murder investigation is underway in County Wexford, Ireland, following the death of 58-year-old John O’Connor. Gardaí and emergency services responded to a call at O’Connor’s residence in Cluain Fada, New Ross, on Tuesday. They found him unresponsive, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. Following a post-mortem examination, authorities confirmed they were treating O’Connor’s death as a murder. Consequently, a thorough investigation is ongoing. Meanwhile, two men were arrested on Tuesday in connection with the incident. One man, in his 30s, remains in custody, while the second man has been released without charge. Furthermore, the Garda Technical Bureau…

Gas supplies from Russia to the European Union via Ukraine ended on Wednesday, following the expiration of a critical five-year agreement. Russia’s energy giant, Gazprom, confirmed that gas flows ceased at 08:00 local time, leaving Europe to adjust its energy strategies as Russian gas transit ends. The termination marks the conclusion of decades of reliance on Ukraine for Russian gas transit, a significant logistical and economic shift. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned Russia, emphasizing that Ukraine would prevent further profits from what he called blood money. Meanwhile, Poland’s government praised the disruption as another strategic win against Moscow’s European influence.…

Puerto Rico faced widespread frustration after a near-total blackout disrupted power for approximately 90% of the island’s residents. Luma Energy, the primary power distributor, reported that nearly 1.5 million customers were impacted by the Puerto Rico blackout crisis on New Year’s Eve. By late Tuesday, Luma had restored electricity to over 700,000 customers, including 16 hospitals and the water and sewer authority. The blackout caused by a Costa Sur power plant line failure triggered a cascading outage across the island. Luma Energy spokesperson Hugo Sorrentini confirmed the widespread nature of the issue during Tuesday’s briefing. President Joe Biden was briefed…

A devastating incident occurred in New Orleans, leaving 10 people dead and 35 others injured. The New Orleans Bourbon Attack was a deliberate act of violence. The suspect intentionally drove a pickup truck into a crowd on Bourbon Street and fired a weapon. According to police chief Anne Kirkpatrick, the suspect drove the truck very fast trying to run over as many people as he could at around 03:15. He crashed, then shot and injured two officers. The FBI is investigating the incident as an act of terrorism. Witnesses described the scene as horrific, with bodies lying on the ground…

A devastating plane crash occurred on Sunday, resulting in the loss of 179 lives. The Jeju Air Plane, a Boeing 737-800, crash-landed at Muan International Airport and slid into a wall, bursting into flames. Investigators have finished extracting data from one of the black boxes, the cockpit voice recorder. The data will now be converted into an audio file, providing valuable insights into the crucial moments leading up to the tragedy. Meanwhile, authorities are working to access the data in the second black box, a flight data recorder. However, this process is taking more time due to a missing critical…

Thousands gather in Dhaka, Bangladesh, demanding the prosecution of Sheikh Hasina, the ousted Prime Minister, due to hundreds of deaths in July’s uprising. The Anti-Discrimination Student movement organized Tuesday’s march for unity at Central Shaheed Minar. The motive of the protest is to urge a trial for Sheikh Hasina and banning her Awami League Party. Protestors called for justice for the deaths of hundreds and injuries to thousands under Hasina’s orders during the unrest. After opposition groups boycotted elections, the protest ended her 15-year tenure as Bangladesh’s longest-serving leader. On August 5, Hasina fled to India following weeks of escalating…

Scotland’s weather chaos has widely disrupted the country. Heavy rain and strong winds have caused rail closures, power outages, and flood warnings. Rail services have been significantly impacted, with 15 flooding incidents reported on the Far North Line. Due to hazardous road conditions and flooding, ScotRail has closed several lines, including the Wick/Thurso line. Due to bad weather, hundreds of people were left without power. Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks reported power cuts in several areas, including Ardgay, Lairg, and Golspie. The Met Office has issued several warnings, including a yellow rain warning for Hogmanay, covering central Scotland, Tayside, and…

The US-China Cyber Attack has left the US Treasury Department reeling. Earlier this month, a Chinese state-sponsored hacker broke into the department’s systems, accessing employee workstations and unclassified documents. The Treasury Department has deemed this breach a major incident. American officials stated that the hackers accessed the Treasury Department’s systems through a third-party service provider called BeyondTrust. The application offers remote technical support to employees, but the hackers were able to override security using a stolen key. The compromised service has since been taken offline, and there is no evidence to suggest the hackers have continued to access Treasury Department…

Liam Payne’s death investigation is ongoing in Argentina. Five people have been charged in connection with the death of One Direction singer Liam Payne. Payne died on October 16 after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires. The hotel’s manager, Gilda Martin, and receptionist, Esteban Grassi, along with Payne’s friend Roger Nores, have been charged with manslaughter. Two others, Ezequiel Pereyra and Braian Paiz, have been charged with supplying drugs. According to court documents, hotel employee EDP is suspected of selling cocaine to Payne on October 15 and 16. Waiter BNP is also suspected of selling cocaine to Payne…

Iranian authorities detained Italian journalist Cecilia Sala for allegedly breaking Islamic Republic laws when she was there. A day before she was scheduled to return to Italy, Sala, a 29-year-old podcaster who covers world events, was arrested on December 19th. According to reports, Cecilia Sala was detained in Tehran’s Evin jail in solitary confinement.  While denying any connection to the recent capture of Mohammad Abedini in Milan, Iranian authorities confirmed her detention. Abedini, arrested on December 16th, faces charges of supplying drone parts to the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), resulting in three US soldier’s deaths. United States officials suspect…