Rachel Morgan News Editor 
A southerly storm has left a trail of disruption across New Zealand, forcing a state of emergency in Kaikōura after two months’ worth of rain fell in just 48 hours. While floodwaters are now receding in the south, MetService has issued a series of heavy rain and strong wind warnings for the lower and central … Read more
The Metropolitan Police are investigating two £250,000 donations made to Reform UK by Fiona Cottrell, the mother of Nigel Farage’s ally George Cottrell. The inquiry, launched in February 2025 following a referral from the Electoral Commission, centers on whether the May 2024 payments were intended to conceal the true source of the funds, potentially violating … Read more
The Los Angeles debut of “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, In Concert” will take place at the Peacock Theater from July 16–18. This four-performance event celebrates the film’s 25th anniversary by pairing a screening on a 60-foot screen with a live performance of Howard Shore’s Academy Award- and Grammy Award-winning … Read more
The Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) have launched a unified system to manage the government’s School-Based Feeding Program (SBFP), aiming to streamline milk distribution to public school students nationwide. Signed on Thursday in Pulilan, Bulacan, by Education Secretary Sonny Angara and Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., the joint administrative … Read more
Ahmad Esleem, a 30-year-old Palestinian driver transporting food aid for the World Central Kitchen (WCK), was shot and killed by an Israeli soldier on Wednesday along the Philadelphi corridor in Gaza. Witnesses and the Association of Transport Companies in Gaza describe the incident as a “field execution,” while the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) characterize the … Read more
A 67-year-old man was pronounced dead at Block 128 Yishun Street 11 on Thursday, July 9, after he was discovered motionless at a void deck table. Police arrived at the scene at approximately 4.30pm following reports of the man, who was found in a seated position. Authorities have confirmed that no foul play is suspected … Read more
Latvian Minister of Education Ilze Indriksonе has proposed a new strategy to shift the focus of higher education exports from the quantity of foreign students to the quality and prestige of the country’s universities. The plan aims to increase institutional competitiveness by implementing stricter admissions and monitoring standards for international applicants, prioritizing those from EU, … Read more
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) detained former People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) Secretary-General Ma’ruf Cahyono on Thursday, one year after he was named a suspect in a procurement corruption case. Authorities allege that Cahyono solicited kickbacks totaling approximately Rp 30 billion ($1.7 million) from contractors during his tenure at the MPR Secretariat from 2019 to 2021. … Read more
Kainga Ora initiated over 5,000 Tenancy Tribunal applications in the 2025/2026 year as part of a “firm but fair” strategy to manage its 78,000 public housing properties. While the agency aims to resolve disputes early, the approach has drawn criticism from the Green Party over concerns regarding tenant stability and potential homelessness. Tribunal Activity and … Read more
Environment Canada has issued a severe thunderstorm watch for Toronto and much of the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) as of Thursday afternoon. The agency warns of potential 90 km/h wind gusts and localized rainfall exceeding 60 millimetres, following a series of earlier thunderstorm warnings that have since been lifted. Storm Impacts and Regional … Read more