Author: staff
The battle of the electric vehicles seems to be comfortably leaning in favour of Chinese producer BYD as Elon Musk’s Tesla cars continue to underperform sales-wise, with the Chinese producer posting a nearly 28% increase in year-to-date sales for December. Tesla sold around 480,000 of its Model 3 and Y in the third quarter, and around 400,000 in the fourth quarter, according to December estimates. 1.6 million models are expected to be sold in 2026, down from about 1.79 million in 2024. In comparison, BYD sold about 1.7 million battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in 2024 and around 2.25 million in…
The rescue comes as SOS Méditerranée resumes operations with the Ocean Viking. In mid December 2025, the organisation announced it had completed repairs costing around 130,000 euros, along with upgrades to crew training and onboard safety procedures. The aim is to restore regular search and rescue patrols along one of the world’s deadliest migration routes. The operating environment remains tense. SOS Méditerranée reports a rise in violence and obstruction targeting rescue ships and people in distress, including several incidents involving other NGOs. Since an attack on the Ocean Viking in August, the organisation has warned that the lack of accountability…
By Rebecca Ann Hughes & JENNIFER SINCO KELLEHER with AP Published on 02/01/2026 – 13:04 GMT+1 •Updated 13:17 A federal appeals court ruling on New Year’s Eve blocked Hawaii from enforcing a climate change tourist tax on cruise ship passengers, a levy that was set to go into effect at the start of 2026. Cruise Lines International Association challenged the fee in a lawsuit, arguing that the new law violates the US Constitution by taxing cruise ships for entering Hawaii ports. They also argued it would make cruises more expensive. The lawsuit notes that on top of the 11 per cent levy, the law authorises…
“We predict with high probability a transition from manipulative influence to the [Russian Federation] special services’ armed provocation, resulting in significant human casualties,” the intelligence service said in a statement. “The location of the provocation may be a religious building or other object of high symbolic significance both in [Russia] and in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine,” the statement read.The spy service said the Kremlin intended to pin the attacks on Ukraine by deploying Western-made drones brought from the front line to the site of the faked attack.Such operations are “consistent with modus operandi of Russian special services,” the…
Donald Trump’s return to the White House in 2025 marked a stunning political comeback, with the US president pushing an aggressive MAGA policy from trade to international relations. While the US leader has shaped the events of a turbulent 2025, the new year may prove harder to manage for Trump as the midterm elections approach. For Europeans, that is one factor to watch after a difficult year in which the future of the transatlantic relation, the bedrock of economic prosperity and security for the continent since the end of the Cold War, came under scrutiny as MAGA went after the…
Binéfar, an Aragonese town of just over 10,000 inhabitants, located between Huesca and Lérida in northeastern Spain, is home to the largest military robotics plant in the country. This town in the Alto Aragon region designs and manufactures ground robots that are now used in war scenarios, explosive ordnance disposal operations and logistical support missions in more than 20 countries. The plant belongs to the EM&E Group (Escribano Mechanical & Engineering) and is one of the key players in the growth of the Spanish defence sector in a context marked by the war in Ukraine and the rise of unmanned…
“On his very first day as New York City Mayor Mamdani shows his true face: He scraps the IHRA definition of antisemitism and lifts restrictions on boycotting Israel. This isn’t leadership. It’s antisemitic gasoline on an open fire,” Israel’s foreign ministry said in a post. Mamdani became mayor just after midnight on New Year’s Eve, beginning a term that Democrats hope will energize the party ahead of the 2026 midterms. The 34-year-old democratic socialist campaigned on an ambitious but costly agenda, including universal free childcare and free buses, financed in part by higher taxes on corporations and the wealthy. Friday’s…
The first attack took place late on Thursday, triggering three fires. A non residential building and two farm structures were damaged, while falling debris affected nearby homes, roads and parked cars. Emergency crews were seen working at the scene in the hours that followed. A second strike hit around 2 a.m. on Friday, setting a shopping centre on fire. The blaze was later brought under control. Authorities said no casualties were recorded from either attack. In the wider Zaporizhzhia region, Russian forces launched 737 attacks over the past day, including drones, air strikes, rocket barrages and artillery fire across 27…
Published on 02/01/2026 – 11:00 GMT+1 The daughter of US acting legend Tommy Lee Jones, best known for his roles in the Men in Black franchise and No Country for Old Men, has been found dead at a hotel in California, according to US media reports. Victoria Kafka Jones, 34, was pronounced dead in the early hours of New Year’s Day at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco. The San Francisco Fire Department said emergency crews were called to the hotel at 2.52am local time following reports of a medical emergency. Paramedics pronounced her dead, a department spokesperson said. The…
The morning after the blaze, police and firefighters continued working behind tents and screens near the site of the Le Constellation bar, where a New Year’s celebration turned fatal. Around 40 people were killed and more than 115 injured when the fire broke out around 1.30 am in a packed venue. Emergency services mounted a large response. Ten helicopters, 40 ambulances and about 150 responders were deployed. Victims were taken to hospitals across Switzerland, including Zurich, Lausanne and Geneva, after local facilities were overwhelmed by severe burn injuries. As of 2 January 2026, identifying victims and returning bodies to families…