Venezuela quakes: thousands feared dead & more today
Thousands are feared dead in Venezuela following two massive earthquakes, while Papua New Guinea faces a growing food crisis due to extreme weather. Locally, a major Auckland private school is searching for a new leader following a sudden resignation, and national media regulators have dismissed a complaint regarding political news coverage.
Thousands of people are feared dead and many more remain trapped under rubble after two powerful earthquakes hit Caracas, the capital of Venezuela. The quakes have caused widespread destruction in and around the city, leaving many residents without shelter. Rescue teams are currently working through the debris to find survivors as the death toll is expected to rise.
Papua New Guinea is at high risk of severe food shortages as El Niño, a climate pattern that affects global weather, brings a combination of intense drought and damaging frost. The National Weather Service reports that shifting rainfall patterns are destroying crops across the country, threatening the livelihoods of local farmers. This weather event is expected to significantly impact food security for the regional neighbor in the coming months.
Families at St Cuthbert's College, a prominent private school in Auckland, are facing a leadership change after principal Charlotte Avery resigned from her post. Avery, who moved from England to take the role, had been with the school for less than two years. The college has not yet announced a timeline for appointing a permanent replacement.
Broadcasting standards for radio news have been upheld following a rejected complaint against MediaWorks Radio Ltd, a major New Zealand broadcaster. The Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA), which oversees television and radio content, ruled that a bulletin concerning former US President Donald Trump did not breach accuracy or fairness requirements.
For more on these stories and other local updates, visit the News section in the app. Read about the record-breaking heatwave currently affecting western Europe, the sentencing of a Sydney woman following a domestic tragedy, and the departure of a long-time Australian television host.