At least 14 people were injured in a violent incident at a factory in central Japan on Friday afternoon, after a suspected attacker carried out a stabbing and liquid spray attack at the Yokohama Rubber Mishima Plant in Mishima City, located in Shizuoka Prefecture. Authorities have confirmed that the suspected attacker has been taken into custody, and an investigation is currently underway to determi

Illinois will see a significant expansion of public safety and criminal justice reforms in 2026, as hundreds of new laws approved by the General Assembly take effect across the state. Among the most consequential measures are new requirements for firearm storage, expanded protections for crime victims, and updated procedures for law enforcement reporting and investigations. Lawmakers said the package of legislation reflects growing concerns about gun safety, violent crime, and gaps in service

Several new state laws aimed at improving worker pay, expanding health care protections, and strengthening consumer safeguards are set to take effect across Virginia on Jan. 1, marking one of the most wide-ranging policy updates in recent years. The measures touch on issues ranging from minimum wage increases to medical billing practices and digital protections for children, reflecting priorities lawmakers say are rooted in everyday concerns of residents. Political analyst Leslie Ca

US President Donald Trump has announced an ambitious plan to revive American naval dominance with the creation of a new class of heavily armed battleships named after himself. The announcement was made from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, where he introduced what he called the Golden Fleet, a sweeping initiative aimed at modernising and expanding the US Navy through large-scale shipbuildi

Brookfield Zoo is offering Chicago-area residents and visitors an excellent opportunity to explore one of the region’s most popular attractions without paying an admission fee, as the zoo has announced free entry on most days throughout January and February. The expanded winter free admission schedule gives families, students, and animal enthusiasts a chance to enjoy a meaningful outdoor experience during the colder months while keeping expenses low. With a wide variety of exhibits and thousan

Shocking new details have surfaced about last weekend’s mass shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, where two gunmen opened fire on crowds gathered to celebrate the Jewish festival of Hanukkah. The attack killed 15 people and left over 40 injured, including two police officers. Court documents released on Monday indicate that the accused gunmen, Sajid Akram and his father Naveed Akram, conducted specialised weapons training before carrying out the shooting. Police allege the pair practiced at

The world’s richest individual added significantly to his fortune after a major legal reversal in the United States. The Delaware Supreme Court on Friday cleared Elon Musk’s long-disputed $56 billion compensation package from Tesla, overturning a lower court ruling that had invalidated the 2018 pay plan. The decision marked a pivotal moment in a case that has drawn global attention to executive compensation, corporate governance, and shareholder rights at one of the world’s most valuabl

US President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that he has signed an executive order initiating a significant change in federal marijuana policy, directing that cannabis be reclassified as a less dangerous drug under US law. The move represents one of the most notable shifts in national drug policy in recent years, although it stops short of legalizing marijuana for recreational use at the federal level. Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump said the order would begin the process of

A prominent youth leader from Bangladesh, Sharif Osman Hadi, has died in Singapore after succumbing to severe injuries sustained during an assassination attempt in Dhaka earlier this month, officials confirmed on Thursday. His death has sent shockwaves through political circles in Bangladesh and has raised renewed concerns over political violence targeting emerging leaders. Sharif Osman Hadi served as the spokesperson of Inqilab Mancho, a youth-oriented political platform that has g

Filmmaker Mira Nair has shared a candid behind-the-scenes revelation about her acclaimed television adaptation of Vikram Seth’s A Suitable Boy, offering fresh insight into the casting process behind the ambitious BBC series. In a recent interview, Nair disclosed that her son, Zohran Mamdani, was originally her first choice for the central role that was eventually portrayed by actor Ishaan Khatter. According to Nair, Mamdani possessed the essential qualities she believed were requi

WASHINGTON — As the holiday shopping season accelerates, consumer protection officials are warning residents to remain vigilant against increasingly sophisticated gift card scams. District Attorney General Brian Schwalb issued a public consumer alert on Monday, cautioning shoppers about a growing form of retail fraud known as gift card draining, which has become more prevalent during peak gift-giving periods. According to Schwalb’s office, gift card draining differs from traditi

Australia is mourning after a devastating terror attack at Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach on Sunday evening left at least 15 people dead and more than 40 injured, sending shockwaves across the nation and around the world. The attack occurred during a gathering marking the first night of Hanukkah, turning a moment of religious celebration into one of profound tragedy and grief. Emergency services responded swiftly, but the scale and brutality of the incident have deeply scarred the community an

Visakhapatnam has taken a significant leap toward becoming a major IT hub with Cognizant officially beginning operations at its new 1,000-seat facility in the Mahati Fintech building at Rushikonda IT Park Hill 2. Industry experts say this marks the beginning of a new growth phase for the city’s technology ecosystem. The development comes months after discussions held in Davos, where Minister Nara Lokesh met Cognizant’s leadership on January 23. The company approved its Visakhapa

Spotify has released its Wrapped list for 2025, offering detailed insight into India’s most-streamed artists, songs and albums over the past year. The data shows a mix of consistent favourites, resurgent classics and the accelerating influence of independent musicians and podcasts on the country’s listening habits. Arijit Singh continued his long-standing dominance as India’s most-streamed artist for the seventh year in a row. Pritam and Shreya Ghoshal followed in second and third place

A federal appeals court has ruled that Alina Habba, previously an attorney for former President Donald Trump and later positioned by the administration to continue serving as New Jersey’s acting U.S. attorney, is legally disqualified from holding the post. The decision, issued Monday by a three-judge panel of the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia, upholds a lower court’s conclusion that Habba’s appointment did not comply with federal law governing interim federal prosecu

A powerful surge of arctic air is sweeping across the United States as meteorological winter begins, sending temperatures plunging far below seasonal norms and placing much of the country under a deep freeze. Weather officials report that more than 235 million people will experience below-freezing conditions through the end of the week as the cold mass pushes steadily south and east. The early-season outbreak marks one of the most widespread cold events so far this year, fueled by a dip in the j

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade returned to the streets of New York City on Thursday, drawing large holiday crowds despite brisk temperatures and steady winds sweeping across Manhattan. The annual celebration, which remains one of the most widely recognized holiday events in the country, began on the Upper West Side and continued along its traditional route toward the iconic Macy’s flagship store on 34th Street. This year’s parade introduced several new balloons and floats, adding fr

Two United States National Guard soldiers were critically injured on Wednesday in a targeted shooting just a short distance from the White House, in what authorities have described as one of the most serious security incidents near the presidential district in recent years. The attack occurred at the Farragut West metro station, a busy transit hub situated only two blocks from the presidential complex, heightening concerns about public safety and the vulnerability of high-profile locations in

Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro was placed in custody on Saturday and transferred to federal police headquarters in Brasília, deepening tensions in a country still reckoning with the political turmoil that followed the 2022 election. The detention came two months after the Supreme Court convicted him of attempting to orchestrate a coup to overturn his loss, although authorities have indicated that the latest move is not aimed at enforcing that earlier sentence. The development has

A growing number of Texas families are finding it increasingly difficult to put food on the table as financial pressures continue to mount. Rising grocery prices, inflation, employment disruptions and reported delays in SNAP benefits have created an environment where many households are struggling to cover even basic needs. Nonprofits across North Texas have been working to bridge the gap, relying heavily on community support to meet the surge in demand for food assistance. Among th