India curbs 10-minute deliveries
The Indian government has asked quick-commerce platforms to remove the “10-minute delivery” promise over concerns about delivery rider safety, following talks with companies after a nationwide workers’ strike.
Major platforms such as Zomato, Blinkit and Zepto have faced criticism for pressuring gig workers to meet tight deadlines, which workers say leads to unsafe riding, long hours and low pay. Some companies have already removed the claim from branding, though fast deliveries continue in many areas.
Labour unions welcomed the move as a step toward protecting workers, but riders and experts say pressure remains built into the system, with earnings and ratings still linked to speed, and broader issues like wages and social security unresolved.
Kiefer Sutherland arrested in LA
Actor Kiefer Sutherland was arrested early Monday in Los Angeles on suspicion of making criminal threats after allegedly assaulting a ride-hail driver, police said. The incident occurred just after midnight near the Hollywood Hills.
Police said Sutherland entered the vehicle, physically assaulted the driver, and made threats. The driver did not need medical treatment. Sutherland was released a few hours later on a $50,000 bond and is due in court on Feb. 2.
Sutherland, best known for his role as Jack Bauer on “24,” has a history of alcohol-related arrests, including drunken driving convictions in 2004 and 2007.
China announces record trade surplus despite Trump tariffs
China announced record export numbers for 2025, a year when US President Donald Trump's tariffs and trade policy caused turmoil in the global economy, BBC reported.
Beijing on Wednesday reported the world's largest-ever trade surplus - the value of goods and services sold overseas compared to its imports - at $1.19tn (£890bn).
It's the first time China's full-year trade surplus has passed $1tn, beating 2024's record figure of $993bn, according to BBC.
At least 19 killed after crane falls on train in Thailand, 80 injured
At least 22 people in Thailand have been killed and scores injured after a crane collapsed onto a passenger train, derailing it on Wednesday, officials said, The Guardian reported.
Footage from the scene verified by Agence France-Presse showed the crane’s broken structure resting on giant concrete pillars, with smoke rising from the wreckage of the train below.
Rescuers worked to extract passengers from the tilted carriages in Nakhon Ratchasima province, north-east of the capital, Bangkok, according to The Guardian.
