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  • Boy fighting for life after being mauled by shark in Australia

    Boy fighting for life after being mauled by shark in Australia

    A 12-year-old Australian boy remains in critical condition following a severe shark attack at Shark Beach in Sydney Harbour on Sunday. The incident occurred while the victim and his friends were jumping from a six-meter rock ledge in the Vaucluse suburb.

    Marine authorities confirmed the boy sustained life-threatening injuries to both legs during the encounter with what experts believe was a bull shark—a species notorious for its aggressive behavior in warm, shallow waters. His immediate rescue was credited to quick-thinking friends who pulled the unconscious boy from the water before emergency services arrived.

    New South Wales Marine Area Commander Joseph McNulty described the teenagers’ response as ‘gallant’ and ‘brave,’ noting they confronted a traumatic scene to save their friend. ‘Their actions gave him a fighting chance at survival,’ McNulty stated.

    Emergency responders faced what officials called a ‘horrendous scene’ upon arrival. Police transported the boy via speedboat to a waiting ambulance at a nearby wharf, applying tourniquets to stem bleeding and performing resuscitation efforts during transit.

    Authorities suggested unusual environmental conditions contributed to the attack. Recent heavy rainfall created brackish water conditions that may have flushed nutrients into the harbor, attracting sharks closer to shore—what McNulty termed a ‘perfect storm environment.’

    Despite its alarming name, Shark Beach has historically been considered safe for swimming, with rare reported incidents. The location remains a popular swimming destination despite Australia’s status as one of the world’s most active regions for shark encounters, recording at least five fatal attacks in 2023 alone.

    New South Wales Premier Chris Minns joined in praising the rescuers: ‘I want to acknowledge the young people who did everything possible to save his life. That was a brave thing to do.’

    The incident highlights both the unpredictability of marine environments and the importance of emergency preparedness in coastal communities. Medical professionals continue to monitor the boy’s condition in intensive care as recovery efforts continue.

  • ‘It wasn’t clean’: Mother mourns son killed in US Maduro assault

    ‘It wasn’t clean’: Mother mourns son killed in US Maduro assault

    Natividad Martinez stands vigil at her son’s gravesite in a Caracas cemetery, her grief contradicting official accounts of a surgical military operation. Her 18-year-old son, Saul Pereira Martinez, was among the Venezuelan soldiers killed during a January 3rd assault by US forces targeting then-President Nicolás Maduro.

    The night of the invasion, Pereira had just completed his guard duty shift at Fort Tiuna when he sent his mother a final message: ‘I love you. It has begun.’ Hours later, he would become one of at least 83 casualties officially acknowledged by Venezuela’s defense ministry—a death toll that directly contradicts Washington’s claims of a casualty-free operation.

    ‘You can’t come to my country and kill people like that,’ Martinez stated during her cemetery visit. ‘Because they say it was a clean operation. It wasn’t clean. Do you know how many people died?’

    According to family accounts, Pereira was caught within Maduro’s security perimeter, making his unit a primary target. His stepfather, a government security official who requested anonymity, believes the young soldier’s death resulted from ‘collateral effect of that infiltration’—referring to US intelligence sources that located Maduro.

    The operation, ordered by then-President Donald Trump, involved substantial military deployment throughout the Caribbean region. Despite bellicose rhetoric and previous strikes on alleged drug-smuggling vessels, the family maintained they never anticipated the situation would escalate to direct assault on Venezuelan soil.

    Pereira had recently completed training with the Honor Guard in December and was studying at the military academy. His mother had welcomed his military service, noting how it transformed him from a directionless youth into a disciplined young man who studied diligently and helped with household chores during visits home.

    At the graveside gathering, family and friends remembered Pereira as ‘a brave man’ through tears, salsa music, and toasts in his honor. The government posthumously promoted him, but his mother emphasizes that beyond political divisions—Venezuela remains polarized between Maduro supporters and opponents—each fallen soldier represented a human being mourned by loved ones.

    ‘Those who died are also human beings. They are all Venezuelans. On one side or the other, they are all human beings, they all have people who mourn them,’ Martinez reflected. Despite her anguish, she expressed pride in her son’s sacrifice: ‘He died for his country. Regardless of what they say, to me, my son was a patriot.’

  • Vietnam’s Communist Party congress meets to pick new leaders​

    Vietnam’s Communist Party congress meets to pick new leaders​

    Vietnam’s political landscape enters a pivotal phase as the ruling Communist Party commences its quintennial congress, a decisive gathering that will determine the nation’s leadership structure and establish critical economic objectives for the coming years. This high-stakes assembly brings together approximately 1,600 delegates tasked with approving comprehensive policy frameworks and electing key governing bodies.

    At the forefront of leadership considerations stands General Secretary Tô Lâm, widely regarded as the predominant candidate for continuation in the party’s most influential position. The 68-year-old leader, who assumed office in August 2024 following the passing of his predecessor Nguyễn Phú Trọng, has championed an ambitious reform agenda during his tenure. Lam’s background as a former police official within the secretive public security ministry has shaped his governance approach, characterized by both economic modernization initiatives and consolidation of institutional power.

    The political proceedings follow a meticulously orchestrated sequence: delegates will first elect a new Central Committee of approximately 200 members, who in turn will select the 17-19 member Politburo—the party’s supreme decision-making authority. This body ultimately determines the general secretary position through a closed-door process devoid of electoral competition, typically resulting in near-unanimous approvals. The Vietnamese public maintains no direct involvement in selecting national leadership.

    Economically, Vietnam confronts both remarkable opportunities and significant challenges. While boasting Southeast Asia’s most rapidly expanding economy with consistent growth exceeding 6% annually, the administration has established an ambitious 10% growth target for 2026. This objective emerges amidst complex global trade dynamics, particularly concerning U.S. tariff policies that initially threatened 46% levies before settling at 20% on Vietnamese exports. Remarkably, official statistics indicate a 28% increase in exports to the United States despite these trade barriers.

    The nation’s single-party socialist system has fostered policy continuity that attracts substantial foreign investment, especially as multinational corporations diversify supply chains away from China. However, maintaining this economic momentum requires navigating persistent challenges including institutional corruption—which precipitated the resignation of two previous presidents—and the looming uncertainty of international trade relations.

    Lam’s vision for national development extends beyond immediate economic targets, envisioning transformation into an upper-income, knowledge-driven technological economy by 2045. His administration has prioritized administrative reforms, private sector expansion, and national development initiatives while simultaneously centralizing authority and enhancing the police ministry’s influence.

    Leadership transitions may extend beyond the congress’s January 25 conclusion, with legislative elections scheduled for March 15 and the new National Assembly convening in April to formally appoint senior government officials. Reports suggest potential constitutional modifications regarding leadership structure, including possible consolidation of the general secretary and presidential roles—a arrangement Lam experienced temporarily between May and August 2024.

    The congress outcomes will fundamentally shape Vietnam’s political and economic direction, testing the Communist Party’s capacity to deliver prosperity and maintain legitimacy through fulfilling its ambitious developmental promises.

  • India gets Trump’s invite to join Board of Peace on Gaza, source says

    India gets Trump’s invite to join Board of Peace on Gaza, source says

    The Trump administration has formally invited India to participate in its newly proposed “Board of Peace” initiative targeting global conflict resolution, with initial focus on the Gaza situation, according to a senior Indian government official speaking on Sunday, January 18, 2026.

    The invitation arrives during a period of diplomatic strain between New Delhi and Washington, primarily driven by the collapse of bilateral trade negotiations. The failed trade deal would have reduced substantial tariffs currently imposed on Indian exports to the United States, which stand among the world’s highest at approximately 50 percent.

    President Trump has reportedly extended similar invitations to nearly 60 nations worldwide, including Pakistan—India’s regional neighbor and strategic rival. The Pakistani government has already indicated its willingness to engage with international peace and security efforts concerning the Palestinian territory.

    India’s Ministry of External Affairs has not yet issued an official response regarding its potential participation in the initiative. The silence leaves observers questioning whether New Delhi will commit to the multinational diplomatic effort.

    The proposed Board of Peace represents the Trump administration’s latest attempt to address protracted global conflicts through a coalition of willing nations. Its formation and operational framework remain undefined, though the Gaza conflict appears to be its initial testing ground.

  • Syrian government, Kurdish forces agree to immediate ceasefire

    Syrian government, Kurdish forces agree to immediate ceasefire

    In a significant development for Syria’s protracted conflict, the Syrian government and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have reached a comprehensive ceasefire agreement effective immediately. The breakthrough accord, announced Sunday through an official document published by the Syrian Presidency, follows intense negotiations amid recent military escalations in northeastern territories.

    The agreement mandates the simultaneous withdrawal of all SDF-affiliated military units to positions east of the Euphrates River. This strategic repositioning occurs alongside the complete transfer of military and administrative control over the Kurdish-held provinces of Deir al-Zor and Raqqa to Damascus authorities. The arrangement encompasses all critical infrastructure, including border crossings and hydrocarbon facilities containing Syria’s vital oil and gas fields.

    A key provision requires the SDF to facilitate the evacuation of all non-Syrian leadership and forces associated with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) beyond national borders. The framework further outlines the integration of SDF combat units into Syria’s formal defense and interior ministries following comprehensive security vetting procedures.

    The documented accord bears the signatures of both Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and SDF commander Mazloum Abdi, signaling high-level endorsement from both factions. President al-Sharaa characterized the agreement as resolving “all lingering files with the SDF” during statements to state media, while confirming scheduled direct negotiations with Commander Abdi for Monday.

    This diplomatic achievement represents a substantial recalibration of Syria’s complex geopolitical landscape, potentially altering power dynamics in the region’s decade-long conflict. The accord facilitates government reassertion over strategically and economically significant territories while providing structured integration for Kurdish forces into national institutions.

  • My children were recruited in a trafficking scam. I joined a police hunt to find them

    My children were recruited in a trafficking scam. I joined a police hunt to find them

    A heartbreaking human trafficking epidemic is devastating families across West Africa, where criminal networks are exploiting desperate job seekers through sophisticated scams operating under the guise of legitimate company QNET. The BBC Africa Eye investigation has uncovered the brutal reality of these operations through the tragic story of Foday Musa, a Guinean father separated from his children for nearly two years.

    Musa’s nightmare began in February 2024 when his 22-year-old son and 18-year-old daughter were recruited from their remote village in Guinea’s Faranah region by agents promising overseas employment. Instead of legitimate jobs, the seven recruits found themselves captives of human traffickers who transported them across the border into Sierra Leone.

    “My heart is broken. I can’t stop crying. If you look at my eyes, you can see the pain,” Musa told BBC investigators, describing the agony of listening to his son’s desperate 76-second voice message begging for rescue.

    The criminal syndicates have weaponized the name of QNET—a legitimate Hong Kong-based wellness and lifestyle company—to lend credibility to their operations. Traffickers target vulnerable individuals with promises of employment in the United States, Canada, Dubai, and Europe, demanding substantial upfront payments for alleged administrative costs.

    Victims who pay these fees—often their family’s entire savings—are typically trafficked to neighboring countries and informed they can only proceed abroad after recruiting additional participants. Even when victims successfully enlist friends and family members, the promised jobs never materialize.

    INTERPOL’s anti-trafficking unit in Sierra Leone has made combating these networks a priority. “It’s very easy for these traffickers to manoeuvre across each of our borders at these illegal crossing points,” explained Mahmoud Conteh, head of investigations at Sierra Leone’s anti-trafficking unit.

    The investigation revealed that traffickers maintain multiple safe houses where victims are held in squalid conditions. During one raid in Makeni, central Sierra Leone, authorities discovered 10-15 people sleeping per room, with some victims as young as 14. Most originated from Guinea, highlighting the transnational nature of the crisis.

    The psychological impact on victims is profound. Aminata (pseudonym), a 23-year-old Sierra Leonean woman, described how traffickers forced her into prostitution to survive after her family’s college savings were stolen. Victims are compelled to participate in elaborate deception campaigns, complete with fake passports and staged airport photos to maintain the illusion of international travel.

    Despite police conducting over 20 raids in the past year and rescuing hundreds of victims, prosecutions remain scarce. US State Department statistics reveal only four trafficking convictions in Sierra Leone between July 2022 and April 2025, underscoring the challenges under-resourced authorities face.

    In a bittersweet development, INTERPOL confirmed that Musa’s children were eventually released by traffickers. His daughter has returned to Guinea but hasn’t contacted her family, reflecting the deep shame experienced by many victims. Musa’s son remains missing, leaving the father’s anguish unresolved.

    “After all that has happened, I really just want it all to be over and to see my kids,” Musa expressed, his voice heavy with the weight of nearly two years of uncertainty and heartbreak.

  • Chile declares emergency as wildfires kill at least 18

    Chile declares emergency as wildfires kill at least 18

    Chilean President Gabriel Boric has declared a state of emergency in the southern regions of Nuble and Biobio following devastating wildfires that have claimed at least 18 lives and displaced more than 50,000 residents. The catastrophic blazes, fueled by strong winds and extreme summer temperatures, have been burning uncontrollably for two days approximately 500 kilometers south of Santiago.

    The most severe human losses have been concentrated in the city of Penco, according to local Mayor Rodrigo Vera. Survivors describe harrowing escapes from fast-moving flames that consumed entire communities overnight. “We had to leave with the shirts on our back. If we had stayed another 20 minutes we would have burned to death,” recounted Matias Cid, a 25-year-old student from Penco.

    The aftermath reveals apocalyptic scenes of charred ruins, destroyed vehicles, and smoldering landscapes where homes once stood. In the port town of Lirquen, residents fled to beaches for safety as fire engulfed residential areas. “There is nothing left standing,” said Alejandro Arredondo, 57, surveying the metal and wood debris that comprised his neighborhood.

    President Boric has mobilized all available resources, including nearly 4,000 firefighters and military personnel, warning that the death toll is likely to rise. The declaration of emergency enables armed forces deployment to assist containment efforts. The National Service for Disaster Prevention and Response reports that evacuations have been most extensive in Penco and Lirquen, with a combined population of approximately 60,000 people.

    Weather conditions continue to hinder firefighting operations, with forecasts predicting persistent high temperatures and strong winds. This tragedy marks another chapter in Chile’s growing climate crisis, following February 2024 wildfires near Vina del Mar that killed 138 people. Experts increasingly attribute these extreme weather events to climate change impacts affecting the South American nation.

  • Surging billionaire wealth a political threat, Oxfam warns as Davos opens

    Surging billionaire wealth a political threat, Oxfam warns as Davos opens

    As global elites convened for the World Economic Forum in Davos, Oxfam issued a stark warning about the unprecedented concentration of wealth among billionaires, describing it as a grave political danger. The charity’s annual report revealed that billionaire fortunes surged to a record $18.3 trillion in 2025, marking a 16.2% increase during the first year of Donald Trump’s second presidential term.

    The analysis specifically highlighted Trump’s policy initiatives—including deregulation efforts and undermining international corporate tax agreements—as significant drivers of this wealth accumulation among the ultra-wealthy. For the first time in history, the world now counts more than 3,000 billionaires, with the top 12 individuals, led by Tesla’s Elon Musk, possessing more collective wealth than the poorest four billion people globally.

    Oxfam emphasized that this economic disparity is increasingly translating into political influence, citing billionaires’ acquisitions of major media outlets such as Musk’s takeover of X (formerly Twitter) and Jeff Bezos’ purchase of The Washington Post. Amitabh Behar, Oxfam’s executive director, characterized the situation as ‘highly dangerous and unsustainable,’ noting that the wealth gap is creating a parallel ‘political deficit’ that undermines democratic processes.

    The report specifically criticized Washington’s decision to exempt U.S. multinationals from the internationally agreed minimum tax rate of 15%, calling it a clear example of how economic inequality is being institutionalized. ‘The super-rich have not only accumulated more wealth than could ever be spent,’ Oxfam stated, ‘but have also used this wealth to secure the political power to shape the rules that define our economies and govern nations.’

    Trump’s participation at Davos drew approximately 300 protesters to the Swiss resort town on Sunday, many wearing masks of Musk and Vice President JD Vance while holding symbolic fistfuls of euros. Nathalie Ruoss of the Swiss Young Socialists told AFP that the World Economic Forum lacks democratic legitimacy, particularly criticizing its inclusion of figures like Trump whom she described as ‘fascists.’

    The gathering occurs amid heightened tensions regarding the political influence of extreme wealth, with Oxfam concluding that billionaire power ‘undermines political freedom and erodes the rights of the many’ while giving the ultra-wealthy disproportionate control over global futures.

  • Train collision in Spain kills 21, injures dozens

    Train collision in Spain kills 21, injures dozens

    A catastrophic collision between two high-speed trains in southern Spain has resulted in at least 21 fatalities and left over 70 injured, creating what emergency officials describe as an exceptionally complex rescue operation. The tragedy occurred Sunday evening near Adamuz in the Andalusia region when a Malaga-Madrid service operated by private rail company Iryo derailed and crossed onto adjacent tracks, colliding with an oncoming train headed toward Huelva.

    Emergency response teams faced tremendous challenges extracting survivors from the wreckage, with Francisco Carmona, head of Córdoba firefighters, describing how twisted metal entrapped passengers, requiring rescuers to remove deceased individuals to reach living victims. Some carriages tumbled down a four-meter embankment, compounding the structural damage.

    Survivors recounted terrifying moments of impact and darkness. Montse, a passenger on the second train, described being thrown about as luggage tumbled onto passengers while children cried in the darkness. Another survivor, Lucas Meriako, compared the scene to a horror movie, noting many injuries resulted from shattered glass throughout the carriages.

    Transport Minister Óscar Puente expressed perplexity at the accident, noting the derailed train was practically new and the track had been completely renovated on a straight section, making the incident extremely unusual. With approximately 300 passengers aboard the Iryo service, emergency medical teams transported 30 critically injured individuals to hospitals.

    Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez declared a night of profound pain for the nation, while King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia offered heartfelt condolences to victims’ families. International leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed solidarity with Spain.

    Adif, Spain’s rail infrastructure manager, suspended all high-speed services between Madrid and Andalusian cities including Córdoba, Seville, Málaga, and Huelva throughout Monday while establishing support centers at major stations to assist victims’ relatives. The Defense Ministry deployed approximately 40 emergency military personnel with 15 vehicles to assist recovery efforts.

    This incident represents Spain’s most significant rail tragedy since the 2013 Santiago de Compostela derailment that killed 80 people, occurring on what is Europe’s most extensive high-speed rail network spanning over 3,000 kilometers.

  • Factory explosion in China kills two, injures 84

    Factory explosion in China kills two, injures 84

    A catastrophic explosion has struck a major industrial facility in northern China, resulting in multiple casualties and significant structural damage. The incident occurred at approximately 3:00 PM local time on Sunday at the Baogang United Steel plant located in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

    According to official state media reports, the powerful detonation claimed two lives and left 84 individuals injured, with five people currently unaccounted for following the disaster. Medical authorities confirmed that five of those hospitalized sustained serious injuries requiring intensive treatment.

    The force of the explosion was substantial enough to generate noticeable seismic tremors throughout the surrounding area. Circulating footage from the scene depicted massive plumes of dark smoke billowing into the atmosphere, while the ground surrounding the facility was covered with extensive debris including collapsed structural elements, ceiling fragments, and damaged piping systems.

    Baogang United Steel, the affected facility, operates as a significant state-owned enterprise within China’s critical iron and steel production sector. Emergency response teams and investigative authorities have been deployed to the site to conduct rescue operations and determine the precise cause of the industrial accident.

    This tragic event recalls China’s challenging history with industrial safety incidents, which have ranged from manufacturing facility explosions and mining collapses to geological disasters. The incident bears resemblance to previous industrial tragedies including the 2015 Tianjin port explosions that resulted in 173 fatalities and widespread urban destruction, and last year’s chemical plant explosion in Shandong province that caused five deaths and numerous injuries.