Usher jokes about viral fan rejection during concert

Australia’s state of Victoria has a new premier after the ruling Labor Party selected Ben Carroll as its leader ahead of the closely watched state election in November. The leadership change comes as Labor attempts to improve its standing with voters after months of declining public support under former premier Jacinta Allan. Carroll, who had been serving as Victoria’s deputy Labor leader, was elected unopposed on Tuesday shortly after Allan announced her resignation. He now takes charge of Australia’s second most populous state, which includes the city of Melbourne, at a time when Labor faces a difficult electoral challenge. Allan became premier in 2023 but struggled to maintain public confidence as concerns over the economy and growing dissatisfaction with Labor’s long period in office affected her popularity. The party has governed Victoria for the past 12 years, and recent opinion polls suggested many voters were ready for a change. Several surveys conducted before Allan stepped down indicated that the opposition Liberal Party was on course to win the November election. However, some polls suggested the Liberals might need support from the right wing One Nation party to form a government if they fail to secure a clear majority. Speaking after announcing her resignation, Allan warned that the possibility of a Liberal and One Nation alliance remained the biggest concern for Labor. She argued that such a coalition would pose a significant political challenge for the state and urged voters to consider the implications before casting their ballots. One Nation was founded in 1997 and was once considered a fringe political movement. In recent years, however, the party has gained greater public support through its tough stance on immigration and other national issues. Its leader Pauline Hanson has seen her popularity rise, with some opinion polls showing stronger public approval for her than for Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. The leadership transition comes just one day after an Australian court rejected Hanson’s appeal against a ruling that found she had racially discriminated against a Muslim senator by telling her to return to Pakistan. The decision kept the earlier judgment in place and added further attention to One Nation during an already important political period. Allan said she had been prepared to contest any leadership challenge within Labor but ultimately decided that stepping aside was in the party’s best interest. She explained that a leadership battle only months before the election would consume valuable time and resources that should instead be focused on the campaign. She also expressed confidence that she could have retained the leadership if challenged, but said avoiding internal divisions would give Labor a better chance of competing effectively in November. With Ben Carroll now leading the party, Labor hopes a fresh face at the top will help reconnect with voters and improve its prospects in one of Australia’s most important state elections. The outcome will be closely watched across the country as a measure of changing political trends and the growing influence of smaller parties such as One Nation.

The death toll from a powerful earthquake in western Colombia has crossed 250 as rescue teams continue searching through collapsed buildings for survivors. The 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck the country’s coffee-growing region early Monday. It caused widespread destruction across several cities and surrounding areas. Local authorities reported that at least 254 people had died by Tuesday morning. Pereira recorded 101 deaths, while 95 fatalities were reported in Cali, Colombia’s third-largest city. Rescue workers have been operating around the clock in the worst-hit areas. They are using cranes, excavators and heavy machinery to remove huge sections of concrete. In some locations, rescuers have been forced to work with their hands. Volunteers have also joined the search, forming human chains to move debris away from collapsed structures. Families have gathered near damaged buildings while waiting for news of relatives who may still be trapped. Rescue workers have reported finding both survivors and bodies beneath the rubble. The earthquake severely damaged homes, apartment buildings, schools and medical facilities. Some structures were completely destroyed, while others were left unstable and unsafe for residents. Cali suffered major damage. Several upper floors of a hospital collapsed, including areas used for paediatric treatment. Hospital officials said some patients became trapped, while hundreds of others were treated outside the damaged facility. The city’s morgue reached capacity as authorities continued bringing in victims from affected areas. Medical and emergency services have been working under difficult conditions. The United Nations humanitarian office estimated that around 5,000 homes had been damaged. Dozens of buildings collapsed, while hundreds of other residences were destroyed or seriously affected. The earthquake also disrupted essential infrastructure. Electricity, water supplies, healthcare services and telecommunications were affected in several areas. Authorities also closed six airports because of damage. Roads were damaged in multiple locations, creating additional difficulties for rescue teams and the delivery of emergency supplies. The region near the epicentre has faced particularly severe disruption. Poor communications have made it difficult for authorities to assess the full scale of the disaster. Nearly 100 aftershocks were recorded by Tuesday morning. Officials have warned residents and rescue workers to remain cautious as damaged buildings could collapse during further tremors. President Abelardo De La Espriella visited the affected region and announced a three-month economic relief measure for residents of Risaralda. The government said the initiative was intended to support people and businesses affected by the disaster. International assistance has also begun. The United States announced $15.5 million in emergency support for shelter, food, protection and damage assessments. The Inter-American Development Bank said $50 million could immediately be made available for reconstruction support if requested by the Colombian government. The United Nations said it was expanding its presence in the affected region to support humanitarian operations. Officials cautioned that the final death toll and overall scale of the destruction could take several days to establish because communications remain disrupted in some of the hardest-hit areas.