Saturday, April 19
A 23-year-old medical student, Hadi Nazari, survived for 14 days in the snowy mountains of Kosciuszko National Park after getting lost while hiking. He managed to stay alive by drinking creek water, foraging for berries, and finding two muesli bars. Nazari was eventually found by a group of hikers and airlifted to a hospital.
A 33-year-old science teacher from Goleta, California, fell while hiking near the Preveli Monastery in Crete, Greece. Thomann, who was six months pregnant, slipped 164 feet into a gorge. Despite rescue efforts, she succumbed to her injuries a week later. Her family has chosen to honour her wishes as an organ donor.
President-elect Donald Trump meets with Republican senators on Capitol Hill as the GOP strategises for his upcoming term. The party faces internal debates over whether to pass Trump’s priorities in one or two bills. The stakes are high with issues like tax cuts, border security, and energy production at the forefront of the legislative battle.
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen paid tribute to her father Jean-Marie Le Pen, the controversial founder of the National Front who passed away at 96. Known for antisemitism and racial violence, he was both revered and criticized. Marine aims to mainstream the party despite their public disputes and her own legal troubles.
Elon Musk intensified criticism against George Soros, accusing him of anti-Israel sentiment after reports linked Soros to funding pro-Hamas groups. Musk condemned Soros's influence on politics and media, claiming the financier aims to destroy Western civilization. This follows Musk's harsh reaction to President Biden awarding Soros the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Pope Francis greeted ambassadors at the Holy See but asked an aide to deliver his annual foreign policy speech because he was battling a cold. The 88-year-old pope, who often suffers winter bronchitis, had sounded congested but continued his busy schedule after a demanding Christmas period.
