Brazilian police arrested a woman for allegedly poisoning her family with an arsenic-laced Christmas cake, resulting in three deaths and three illnesses. The incident occurred on December 23 in Torres, Brazil. The suspect, reportedly the daughter-in-law of the cake’s baker, researched arsenic online before the event. High arsenic levels were found in the victims’ blood and cake. Two sisters and a niece died, while the baker remains hospitalized. Police are investigating a previous death in the family for potential links to poisoning. Ava Sinclair 07/01/2025 12:00 am
Over 46,000 Appalachian Power customers in West Virginia are experiencing outages, with Kanawha County hardest hit. Crews from seven states are assisting nearly 5,000 AEP workers to restore power, prioritizing essential facilities. In southern West Virginia, Mercer County has nearly 11,000 outages. Over 10,000 Kentucky Power customers in eastern Kentucky are also affected. Penelope Kingsley 07/01/2025 12:00 am
South Korea’s anti-corruption agency requested police assistance to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol before his arrest warrant expired. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials made the request after a failed attempt to detain Yoon at his Seoul residence, where police faced resistance from his supporters. Despite entering Yoon’s property, a standoff with his security team led investigators to abandon the effort due to safety concerns. The agency expressed regret over Yoon’s non-compliance and plans to review further actions. The warrant was issued over Yoon’s brief imposition of martial law. Penelope Kingsley 06/01/2025 8:30 pm
Justin Trudeau announced his resignation as leader of Canada’s Liberal Party, prompting the search for a new leader amid declining poll numbers. Former Deputy PM Chrystia Freeland is a top contender, having been a key figure in Trudeau’s team. Despite her recent resignation and criticism of Trudeau, Freeland’s political experience, including roles as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Finance, positions her as a strong candidate. Her support for Ukraine and handling of trade negotiations have been praised, though she faces criticism from figures like Donald Trump. Penelope Kingsley 06/01/2025 8:30 pm
Herbert Kickl, leader of Austria’s far-right Freedom Party, received a mandate to form a new government after outgoing Chancellor Karl Nehammer’s efforts failed. The Freedom Party, which opposes Russian sanctions and promotes anti-immigration policies, won 28.8% in September’s election. President Alexander Van der Bellen tasked Kickl with negotiating with the conservative Austrian People’s Party. Previous coalitions saw the Freedom Party as a junior partner, but current talks could lead to a far-right-led government, with no other viable parliamentary options. Noah Prescott 06/01/2025 8:30 pm
In Brazil, a woman was arrested for allegedly poisoning a family with arsenic-laced cake on Christmas Eve in Torres, Rio Grande do Sul. Three women died, and three others were hospitalized. The suspect, the daughter-in-law of one victim, had longstanding family disputes. She faces charges of triple homicide and three attempted homicides. High arsenic levels were found in the victims, with concentrations far exceeding safe limits, confirming the poisoning as intentional. Penelope Kingsley 06/01/2025 8:30 pm
President Nicolás Maduro is set to begin a third term in Venezuela amid doubts about the election’s validity. The ruling party-controlled congress will host his swearing-in, despite claims from main challenger Edmundo González, who alleged victory and went into exile. The election’s transparency is questioned due to the lack of detailed vote counts and alleged government manipulation. Global condemnation followed, but Venezuela’s high court, aligned with Maduro, upheld his victory without releasing vote details. González plans to return to Caracas, but his intentions remain unclear. Penelope Kingsley 06/01/2025 8:30 pm
Three Israelis, including two women in their 70s and a 35-year-old police officer, were killed in a Palestinian shooting attack on a bus and cars in the West Bank. The attack occurred near al-Funduq on Highway 55. The bus driver was seriously wounded, and other victims sustained mild to moderate injuries. Israeli forces are pursuing the attackers, believed to be at least two Palestinian gunmen. Prime Minister Netanyahu vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice. The victims were identified as Aliza Reiss, Rachel Cohen, and Master Sergeant Elad Yaakov Winkelstein. Noah Prescott 06/01/2025 5:00 pm
Prime Minister Keir Starmer responded to Elon Musk’s accusations of spreading misinformation about child sex abuse victims. Starmer criticized those spreading lies, emphasizing their lack of interest in victims. He defended his record as head of public prosecutions, highlighting his role in prosecuting grooming gangs and implementing mandatory reporting guidelines. Starmer noted his office’s actions against such gangs, including the first case against an Asian grooming gang, and stressed transparency in his prosecutorial work. Ava Sinclair 06/01/2025 5:00 pm
Christy Clark, a potential Liberal Party leadership contender, praised Trudeau’s service and emphasized the opportunity to grow the party. Mark Carney, another possible candidate, thanked Trudeau for his leadership and sacrifices. Jagmeet Singh of the New Democrats criticized Trudeau’s government for failing Canadians on issues like housing and healthcare, expressing disappointment in their focus on political survival. Noah Prescott 06/01/2025 5:00 pm
