Oct 19, 2026
Heavy rain battered Seoul on Sunday, leaving roads flooded, trees uprooted and traffic disrupted across the city. Flooding forced the closure of the underpass beneath Jeungsan Bridge in Seodaemun-gu in both directions at 3:04 p.m., before traffic resumed at around 4:17 p.m., according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s traffic information system. Several expressway sections, including
Helen Haines, an independent lawmaker in Australia, was critically injured after being struck by a car. The incident occurred outside her electoral office and is being investigated as an apparent deliberate attack. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the act and mentioned that a driver was arrested at the scene. There was also a knife found inside the vehicle during the investigation.
MABALACAT CITY, Pampanga — Two more Nigerian men were arrested in Angeles City on Sunday after P105,000 worth of illegal drugs were allegedly found in their possession. Their arrest was made a day after a 46-year-old Nigerian man was arrested in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Balibago, Angeles City, that yielded some P5.96 million worth
Tony Hall, a 62-year-old London resident, faces deportation despite living in the UK for 50 years. His immigration issues stem from a 2001 criminal conviction for conspiracy to rob and possession of a firearm. He has lived under a deportation threat for over 14 years, reporting biweekly to the Home Office. Hall's current status leaves him at risk of homelessness as he relies on his sister for support.
PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday voiced the public’s “anger” and “shame” over rioting and looting during nationwide protests against rising living costs and poor conditions in schools . At least 2,400 people were arrested. Macron echoed other government officials in blaming much of the violence on far-left activists, accusing them of attacking police and public buildings to foment chaos. “Those who looted will have to pay for the damage, and those who sought to bring down the Republic will be held accountable,” Macron said in a televised address to the nation. He denounced “unrestrained violence” by “insurrectionist elements from radical far-left groups, joined by numerous criminals.” Macron earlier held an emergency meeting with senior government officials, a day after masked groups set fires and attacked city halls in several cities. He said he had instructed prefects to work with mayors to protect public buildings and businesses in the coming weeks, including by banning protests when necessary. Flames engulfed the 19th-century City Hall in the
CALGARY — A fire that killed at least four soldiers and left 19 people in critical condition began with a smoldering grass fire that ignited in an Alberta military base's training area where personnel were drilling, Canadian officials said Sunday. Officials said 39 people were in hospitals as a result of the fire at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright, which began around 4 p.m. MDT (2200 GMT) on Saturday. Winds up to 60 miles per hour (96 kilometers per hour) fed the flames. Major General Wade Rutland described the fire as an "uncommon, rapid" event. “I’ve certainly never seen anything like it," said Rutland, commander of 1st Canadian Division, which is based in Edmonton, about 210 km (130 miles) west of the military site. Prime Minister Mark Carney said earlier Sunday that the fire was one of the worst peacetime tragedies ever for Canada's armed forces on home soil. "The nation is in mourning for those brave members of our Armed Forces whom we have lost," Carney said Sunday, adding that he had ordered flags on federal buildings across the country to be lowered to half-staff to honor th
TEHRAN — Iran's Revolutionary Guards said Monday an oil tanker caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz after hitting a mine, the latest such incident since Tehran tightened its grip of the waterway. Iran seized control of the strait after war broke out against the United States and Israel late February, choking off the vital shipping route which normally carries about a fifth of the world's oil. The Islamic republic has demanded that all ships seek its authorisation before transiting. "An oil tanker, which was in violation, struck a naval mine south of the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in an explosion and a fire in its engine room," Iranian state media quoted the Guards as saying. The tanker was travelling in the strait's "unauthorized southern route" and had disabled its positioning and navigation systems, the statement said. It came a day after the Guards said two oil tankers caught fire in the strait, both after hitting mines. The Guards' naval commander Admiral Ali Ozmaei warned this week that any vessel that deactivated its navigation systems would be considered "hostile." The United State
China's embassy in Thailand has warned citizens to carefully plan their trips and pay extra attention to transport security following a string of high-profile kidnappings targeting Chinese nationals. Online influencers and artists were also advised to remain vigilant against high-paying job scams operating in Thailand in the latest such warning issued on Friday. There have been a number of high-profile incidents in recent months in which online celebrities and travellers were kidnapped in Thailand and trafficked to scam syndicates in Myanmar. The Bangkok embassy urged travellers to "pay attention to transport arranged by others" and "plan their itinerary and choose licensed transport and legal operators", while being "careful not to take any free rides from acquaintances or strangers" alike. Individuals should also refuse sudden changes to venues or travel routes and keep their families informed of their whereabouts, Friday's notice posted to the embassy website said. While the embassy issued a similar warning in April, its latest advisory highlighted particular concern over the growing n
BEIJING — China's economy grew faster than expected in the third quarter as a surge in exports and strong factory activity offset persistent weakness in domestic demand, easing pressure on policymakers to roll out more forceful stimulus measures. The 4.5% growth rate, released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Monday, beat the forecast for 4.4% growth in a Reuters poll, and improved from the more-than-three-year low of 4.3% in the April-to-June period. The stronger headline growth was underpinned by a surge in exports, with China's trade surplus widening more than expected in September and keeping the country on track to surpass last year's record $1.2 trillion surplus. September activity data also showed signs of improvement. Retail sales rose a better-than-expected 1.1% from a year earlier, accelerating from August's 0.4% increase and marking the fastest growth since March. Consumer spending remained subdued overall, however, highlighting the uneven nature of the recovery. Industrial output grew 5.5% in September, up from 5.2% in August and marking the strongest pace in si
