Venezuela quakes: thousands feared dead & more
Today’s briefing covers a major natural disaster in South America, leadership changes at a prominent Auckland school, and extreme weather warnings for travelers and regional neighbors.
Thousands of people are feared dead in Venezuela after two powerful earthquakes struck in and around the capital city of Caracas. The quakes wreaked havoc across the region, causing massive destruction and trapping many residents beneath collapsed buildings. Emergency responders are currently working to locate and rescue those buried under the rubble. The scale of the tragedy is expected to grow as officials assess the damage in the densely populated capital and surrounding areas.
Parents and students at St Cuthbert’s College, a private girls' school in Auckland, are facing a leadership change following the resignation of principal Charlotte Avery. Avery is stepping down after less than two years in the role, having moved from England to take the position in 2024.
New Zealanders traveling to Western Europe are warned of record-breaking heat as temperatures soar above 40 degrees Celsius. A "heat dome"—a weather phenomenon that traps hot air over a region—is currently baking the area, creating dangerous conditions and breaking historical temperature records in several countries.
Food security is at risk in Papua New Guinea as El Niño, a climate pattern that can significantly alter rainfall, triggers severe drought and damaging frost. The country’s National Weather Service warns that shifting rainfall is destroying crops, which may lead to widespread food shortages across the Pacific nation.
Check the app's News section for more updates, including the emotional farewell to an Australian TV host and a broadcasting ruling over a Trump-related complaint.