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A statue of Captain James Cook in Sydney has been defaced with red paint and damaged, just days before the Australia Day weekend. Police have launched an investigation into the incident, marking the second time the monument has been targeted in the past year.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has been elected taoiseach (prime minister) of Ireland for the second time, following intense debates in the Dáil (Ireland’s lower house of Parliament). The Dáil faced multiple suspensions on Wednesday due to heated exchanges between the government and opposition parties.  

President Donald Trump has called on Saudi Arabia and other OPEC nations to reduce oil prices, warning that high costs are prolonging the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump expressed surprise that OPEC hadn’t acted to lower prices before the elections, emphasising the impact on global stability.  

A rapidly growing wildfire, known as the Hughes Fire, is threatening communities about 45 miles north of Los Angeles. The blaze has already consumed over 10,000 acres (4,000 hectares), forcing the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents in an area still recovering from previous devastating fires.

A rapidly growing wildfire, named the Hughes Fire, has erupted in Los Angeles County, forcing the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents. The fire ignited Wednesday morning near Castaic Lake, about 45 miles northwest of Los Angeles, in a mountainous area close to homes and schools.

President Donald Trump has directed US agencies to ramp up efforts to “repel, repatriate, and remove” undocumented immigrants, framing it as part of a broader effort to combat what he calls an “invasion” at the southern border.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin, who was set to be nominated, accused Sinn Féin and other opposition TDs (MPs) of orchestrating the disruption. He called the delay ‘premeditated, coordinated, and choreographed.’

Fico’s claims, based on what he described as a classified intelligence report, came ahead of a no-confidence motion against his government. The motion was abandoned after the parliamentary session was held in secret at Fico’s request, prompting the opposition to walk out in protest.  

A two-year-old boy and a 41-year-old man were killed in a stabbing at Schöntal Park in Aschaffenburg, Germany. Two others, including a child, were seriously injured.  

On his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump claimed his efforts to resolve the conflict would be a “very big favor” to Russia and its president. He previously vowed to negotiate a settlement to the war, which began in 2014 and escalated with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, within a single day.