Africa
Bus crash leaves 13 children dead
At least 13 school students died in South Africa when a minibus they were traveling in collided with a lorry. Two other students are in critical condition. South Africa has a high rate of fatal road collisions. Last year, 11,418 people died in vehicle accidents in South Africa, which is a 6 percent lower rate than in 2024.
Ghana makes cyber-crime arrest
Officials in Ghana arrested nine Nigerians who are accused of coordinating cyber-crime activities from makeshift offices. Police recently raided the offices, seizing 62 laptops, 52 cell phones and two pump-action guns. Ghana has recently been cracking down on cyber-criminals and has worked with the United States to arrest high-profile suspects recently.
Asia
Factory explosion leaves four dead in China
A factory in northern China exploded, leaving four people dead and 84 others injured. Videos showed the explosion sending large plumes of smoke into the sky while ceilings and pipes collapsed. China has a history of industrial accidents. Last year, an explosion at a chemical plant left five people dead and 19 others injured.
Japanese mayor apologizes after making offensive remarks
Yokohama Mayor Takeharu Yamanaka has apologized after allegedly referring to his staff as “human scum.” He apologized, particularly to the city’s human resource chief, who allegedly complained about Yamanaka. An investigation is being considered under the supervision of the deputy mayor.
Europe
High speed train crash leaves dozens dead in Spain
At least 39 people were killed during a high-speed train crash in Spain. The train derailed and crossed over to the opposite tracks, colliding with another train. Most of the victims were in the front carriages of the second train. Spanish leaders have called for an investigation into the incident.
Eight skiers killed by avalanches
Eight people in the Austrian Alps were killed by a series of avalanches while skiing. Poor conditions have caused several deaths in the Alps in places like Switzerland and France. Last week, six skiers in France died after getting caught in avalanches. In Austria, a 58-year-old resident also recently died because of avalanches.
Latin America
Venezuela opposition leader looks ahead to the future
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said she will lead the country when the timing is right. In an interview, Machado said she believes she will be elected president of Venezuela at some point. Machado recently gave her Nobel Peace Prize medal to President Donald Trump, saying the gesture was a recognition of his commitment to Venezuela’s freedom.
Wildfires in Chile
Officials in Chile have declared a state of catastrophe because of deadly fires in the Ñuble and Biobío regions. At least 50,000 people have been forced to evacuate while another 18 residents have died. Officials expect the death toll to increase. Thanks to the state of catastrophe declaration, Chile’s armed forces can be deployed to help.
North America
Four NFL teams advance to AFC/NFC Championship
Two games are scheduled to play out this coming Sunday, (New England Patriots at Denver Broncos) for the AFC title and the (L.A. Rams at Seattle) for the NFC title. Winner of Championship games will advance to the Super Bowl held February 8. Denver Broncos will start secondary QB Jarrett Stidham, who replaces QB Bo Nix injured in Buffalo/Denver game on Saturday.
Sports bribery scheme unveiled
Authorities in the United States have charged 26 people in connection to an alleged scheme designed to enrich sports gamblers. Among those who were allegedly involved in the scheme include 39 players and 17 NCAA men’s basketball teams that are accused of attempting to fix or fixing 29 games. Authorities allege that gamblers placed bets on games where players purposefully underperformed.
