public safety

Fans attending the AFL Round Four clash between Richmond and Brisbane Lions at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Saturday were subjected to long delays as a result of heightened security protocols. The new measures come in response to a serious breach that occurred less than 48 hours earlier during the high-profile Collingwood-Carlton game, where two men allegedly entered the venue with loaded firearms.

A powerful earthquake registering 7.7 on the moment magnitude scale has struck central Myanmar early this morning, with tremors also affecting parts of Thailand, including the capital, Bangkok. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reports that the quake struck near Mandalay at 6:21am GMT, and experts warn that the shallow depth of only 10km (6 miles) could result in extensive damage and a rising death toll in the affected regions.

The British government has initiated a formal investigation into the nation’s “energy resilience” following an electrical substation fire that forced Heathrow Airport—Europe’s busiest air hub for international travel—to close for nearly 18 hours. The overnight blaze at the North Hyde substation, only 3.2 kilometres from the airport, not only severed electricity to Heathrow but also left more than 60,000 local properties without power. The resulting shutdown prompted over 1,300 flight cancellations and stranded approximately 200,000 people. While operations at Heathrow have since resumed, industry officials anticipate residual delays and disruptions for days to come, with some travellers still stuck.

A devastating fire at Pulse nightclub in Kocani, North Macedonia, has claimed the lives of at least 59 people and left around 155 others injured. The tragedy unfolded during a concert by popular hip-hop duo DNK, attended by an estimated 1,500 people. Officials say that the fire was triggered by the use of pyrotechnics by young club-goers, which ignited the roof of the venue.

Green Day has been forced to cancel the final show of their Australian stadium tour due to the severe weather conditions caused by Tropical Cyclone Alfred. The concert, set to take place at the Gold Coast's Robina Stadium on Wednesday night, was called off just one day before the event, much to the disappointment of fans.

Serbia's political tensions erupted into chaos inside parliament on Tuesday as opposition MPs set off smoke bombs and tear gas in protest against the government. The dramatic scenes, broadcast live on national television, unfolded amid four months of student-led demonstrations, which have drawn support from teachers, farmers, and other citizens frustrated with corruption and government failures.

A 40-year-old driver rammed his car into a pedestrian area in Mannheim, southwestern Germany, killing one person and injuring several others, authorities confirmed on Monday. The suspect, a German citizen from the nearby state of Rhineland-Palatinate, was arrested at the scene.

Three empty buses exploded in Bat Yam, a city on the southern edge of Tel Aviv, in what Israeli police are calling a "suspected terror attack." The explosions, which occurred on Thursday night, resulted in no casualties, but authorities say two additional explosive devices failed to detonate.