Category: World

Donald Trump is not typically known for his calm or reserve, but in a craftsman’s workshop in rural China the US president-elect sits in divine contemplation. Cross-legged with his eyes half-closed in a pose evoking the Buddha, this porcelain version of America’s divisive leader-in-waiting is the work of designer and sculptor Hong Jinshi. The Zen-like figures — which Hong sells for between 999 and 20,000 yuan (about $140 to $2,700) depending on their size — first went viral in 2021 on the e-commerce platform Taobao, attracting national headlines. And ahead…

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The death toll from massive wildfires that have ravaged Los Angeles rose to 24 on Sunday, with officials warning of incoming dangerous winds that could whip the blazes up further. The fires continued to rip through the United States’ second-largest city for the sixth day, reducing whole communities to scorched rubble and leaving thousands without homes. Massive firefighting efforts have staunched the spread of the Palisades Fire, which was looming toward upscale Brentwood and the densely populated San Fernando Valley. But conditions are set to dramatically worsen, with “extreme fire…

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Vast crowds of Hindu pilgrims in India began bathing in sacred waters on Monday as the Kumbh Mela festival opened, with organisers expecting 400 million people — the largest gathering of humanity. The millennia-old Kumbh Mela, a show of religious piety and ritual bathing — and a logistical challenge of staggering proportions — is held at the site where the Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati rivers meet. In the cool pre-dawn gloom, pilgrims surged forward to begin bathing in the waters. “I feel great joy,” said Surmila Devi, 45. “For…

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SEOUL: Tuesday marks the start of South Korea’s suspended president Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment trial, which will determine the future of the former top prosecutor following his brief martial law order. Whether to support parliament’s resolution to remove Yoon from office or reinstate him as president will be decided by South Korea’s Constitutional Court. Let’s takes a look at what we know: What is cooking? Armed troops stormed the National Assembly building on December 3 following Yoon’s martial law decree, scaling fences, smashing windows and landing by helicopter. The country’s…

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The pitbull mix arrived at Pasadena Humane covered in ash, his paw pads ulcerated from walking on fire debris, his lungs choked with smoke. A good Samaritan found the dog lying in rubble in Altadena, wrapped him in a blanket and brought him to the shelter. Still too weak to walk Saturday, Canela was reunited with his owner – thanks to CNN’s coverage of the act of kindness. The injured pet continues to receive medical treatment and is one of more than 400 animals that have arrived at the Pasadena…

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South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol will not attend the first formal hearing of the trial to determine if he is removed from office or reinstated because of concerns about his safety, Yonhap News reported citing his lawyer. The Constitutional Court hearing is scheduled for Tuesday. It will decide whether to uphold his impeachment or restore him to office. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) is planning a new attempt to take Yoon into custody over a separate case relating to his failed attempt to impose martial…

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Firefighters were racing against time Saturday to get on top of massive wildfires around Los Angeles as winds ramped up, pushing the blazes towards previously untouched neighborhoods. At least 16 people were now confirmed dead from fires that have ripped through the city, leaving communities in ruins and testing the mettle of thousands of firefighters — and millions of California residents. Despite heroic efforts, including precision sorties from aerial crews, the Palisades Fire continued to grow Saturday, pushing east towards the priceless collections of the Getty Center art museum and…

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LOS ANGELES: Californians on Friday demanded to know who is at fault for the vast devastation caused by the raging Los Angeles wildfires, as a strict curfew went into force to prevent looting and lawlessness. At least 11 people died as flames ripped through neighbourhoods and razed thousands of homes in a disaster that US President Joe Biden likened to a “war scene.” While Angelenos grapple with the heart-rending ruin, anger has risen over officials´ preparedness and response, particularly for a series of false evacuation alarms and after hydrants ran…

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Wild chimpanzees inhabit various environments in Africa, from dense tropical rainforests to more open woodland and savannah areas. And these close cousins of our species, according to new research, have developed intriguing genetic adaptations tailored to their habitats — including to pathogens like malaria. Researchers examined genetic data from 388 wild chimpanzees in 18 countries, documenting adaptations driven by the nature of their habitat and revealing previously unknown genetic diversity within this species shaped by local conditions. Forest environments, more so than open habitats, are teeming with pathogens like the…

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SEOUL: South Korea’s transport ministry said Saturday that the black boxes holding the flight data and cockpit voice recorders for the crashed Jeju Air flight that left 179 people dead stopped recording four minutes before the disaster. On December 29, the Boeing 737-800 was flying from Thailand to Muan, South Korea carrying 181 passengers and crew when it belly-landed at the Muan airport and exploded in a fireball after slamming into a concrete barrier. It was the worst-ever aviation disaster on South Korean soil. “The analysis revealed that both the CVR…

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