Japan to halt funding for a UN women's rights panel over call to end male-only imperial succession

Barclays bank is facing major IT issues affecting its app, online banking, and payments, with customers unable to get help via telephone or messaging services. The outage, occurring on a critical tax deadline day, has caused frustration among customers, some experiencing declined cards and missing wages. The bank is working to resolve the issue as customers face difficulties making tax payments and other financial transactions, impacting millions of UK retail customers. Full Article

Barclays customers faced financial chaos as a major outage disrupted the bank's services, leaving users unable to access accounts, make payments, or check wages. Over 3,000 complaints were reported, with mobile and online banking being the most affected, sparking frustration among customers. Barclays apologized for the inconvenience and directed customers to their website for updates on the ongoing technical issues. Full Article

Heavy rainfall in North Queensland has caused road closures and multiple rescues, with three tropical lows looming off the coast. Crocodile sightings have been reported in floodwaters, with the focus on a low pressure system off Cairns bringing up to 700mm of rain in some areas. Authorities are preparing for "life threatening" flash flooding, with emergency services on high alert and reinforcements sent north in anticipation of continued riverine flooding impacts. Full Article

Inflation closed out 2024 strong, with the personal consumption expenditures price index increasing 2.6% year-over-year in December, meeting expectations and above the Fed's 2% target. Core PCE also came in at 2.8%, signaling elevated inflation levels. Fed Governor Michelle Bowman expects inflation to decelerate in 2025 but suggests keeping interest rates on hold until clear signs of improvement are seen. Full Article

French President Emmanuel Macron announced that the Paris Olympics' cauldron balloon will float over the city every summer until the 2028 Los Angeles Games, using water and electric light instead of fossil fuels. The cauldron, a 7-meter ring of fire supported by a giant air balloon, will be reinstalled in the Tuileries gardens and will be a lasting legacy of the Paris Games, according to Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo. The cauldron's return from June 21...

In Bengaluru, BJP MLA B.P. Harish criticized the lack of transparency in the selection process for new presidents of 23 district units, leading to rebellion within the party. Rebels, including Harish and MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, plan to visit Delhi to demand the removal of party State president B.Y. Vijayendra, citing concerns over his leadership and alleged favoritism in appointments. The rebellion has gained support from neutral party leaders, with Chickballapur MP K. Sudhakar also...