An international cargo ship caught fire while docked in eastern China on Thursday, with major casualties reported, according to China’s official Xinhua News Agency.

cargo ship fireeastern Chinacasualties

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for intensified rescue efforts after a foreign cargo ship caught fire while under repair at a Qingdao port in Shandong, causing major casualties. He ordered authorities to establish the cause and hold those responsible accountable. Premier Li Qiang urged treatment for the injured and measures against secondary disasters.

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At least three people were killed in Russian strikes on Ukraine while Volodymyr Zelenskyy was in Canada for talks. Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces said drones flew 3,000 kilometres to hit the Novy Urengoy and Purovsky gas condensate plants in Russia’s Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug.

Russia-Ukraine wardrone strikesRussian energy

At least two people were killed in Russian strikes on Ukraine while Volodymyr Zelenskyy was in Canada for talks. Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces said drones flew 3,000 kilometres to hit the Novy Urengoy and Purovsky gas condensate plants in Russia’s Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, calling it their deepest strike inside Russia.

Russia-Ukraine warRussian strikesdrone attackenergy infrastructure

Russian attacks across Ukraine killed at least seven people, Ukrainian officials said, including four in Mykolaiv and three in Sumy. Ukraine claimed responsibility for a drone strike that caused a fire at gas facilities in Russia’s Yamal-Nenets region, calling it the deepest strike of the war at more than 3,000km from the border.

Russia-Ukraine wardrone strikesgas plantsUkraine

At least nine people were killed in overnight Russian strikes on warehouses and ports across Ukraine. Five died and 24 were injured in Sumy, while a separate attack on the Black Sea port of Mykolaiv killed four and injured 19. The attacks came as Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Canada for talks on air defence and winter preparations.

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Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced in Parliament that ministers will receive their first pay rise in 15 years. His benchmark salary will increase by 64% to 3.6 million Singapore dollars (€2.4 million) annually.

SingaporeLawrence Wongministerial pay

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced the ministerial pay increases in Parliament on Tuesday, marking the first adjustment in 15 years. His benchmark annual salary will climb 64% to 3.6 million Singapore dollars (€2.4 million).

SingaporeLawrence Wongministerial pay

Donald Trump has pledged to give every American adult $5,000 if Republicans retain control of Congress in November’s midterm elections, in an extraordinary bid to influence voters before the November 3 polls. The mechanism and legality are unclear; with about 270 million US adults, the proposal could cost roughly $1.35 trillion.

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The US president’s promise of a nationwide cash payout if Republicans win the midterm elections is adding uncertainty to the Treasury market before a 30-year bond auction. It is also reviving concerns over Washington’s fiscal discipline and unpredictable policymaking.

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Donald Trump says Americans would receive a $5,000 payout if Republicans win the midterm elections.

Donald TrumpRepublican Partymidterm electionsU.S. politics

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he would pay every American adult a $5,000 “Trump dividend” if Republicans retain control of Congress in November’s midterm election, making an extraordinary appeal for voters to support his party.

US politicsDonald Trumpmidterm electionsRepublican Party

President Trump said he would pay every American adult a $5,000 “Trump dividend” if Republicans retain control of Congress in November’s midterm election, in an extraordinary effort to persuade voters to support his party.

Donald TrumpUS politicsmidterm electionsRepublican Party

Donald Trump promised a $5,000 “dividend” for U.S. citizens if Republicans win the midterm elections. The payout could cost more than $1 trillion and is likely to face legal obstacles.

Donald TrumpUS politicsmidterm elections

Survivor Roland Lerma told the BBC that passengers fell into chaos when the MV June Aster caught fire near Coron in Palawan. After being knocked down and trampled, he crawled free and jumped into the sea, floating for about two hours before rescue. Five people have died and 86 remain missing as the search continues.

Philippine ferry fireCoronsearch and rescue

The Philippine coast guard said Thursday that a fire broke out aboard a ferry near a popular tourist destination in Palawan, killing at least five people and leaving 86 missing.

Philippinesferry firemissing people

At least five people died and 86 remained missing after a fire broke out aboard a ferry near a tourist hotspot in Palawan province, the Philippine coast guard said Thursday.

Philippinesferry firePalawan

A fire aboard a passenger ferry off the western Philippines has killed at least five people, while dozens remain missing.

Philippinesferry firemissing people

The MV June Aster caught fire off the coast of Palawan in the Philippines, leaving five people dead and more than 80 missing.

PhilippinesPalawanferry fire

At least five people died and 86 remain missing after the MV June Aster caught fire near Coron in Palawan. The ferry was carrying 117 passengers and 17 crew members from Manila, while strong currents and poor weather hampered the search and firefighting. The cause is under investigation.

Philippinesferry firesearch and rescue

Apple CEO John Ternus has unveiled the first foldable iPhone, the book-style Duo, priced from $1,999 in the US and reaching $3,200. Analysts say it could become a major innovation or an expensive branding showcase, while its sales may be constrained by the price and the learning curve for users switching from conventional phones.

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Russia’s latest drone incursion into Moldova and NATO airspace comes as Moscow increasingly deploys jet-powered attack drones. The weapons blur the distinction between conventional UAVs and low-cost cruise missiles, making them far more difficult to intercept.

RussiadronesMoldovaNATO

Russia’s latest drone incursion into Moldova and NATO airspace comes as Moscow increasingly deploys jet-powered attack drones. These systems blur the line between traditional UAVs and low-cost cruise missiles, making them considerably harder to intercept.

ZelenskyyRussiadronesMoldova

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said a drone nearly collided with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s plane as it was preparing to take off from Moldova for Oslo. Støre’s office said a drone threat in Moldovan airspace delayed the flight, but the drone’s distance and whether the incident was accidental or deliberate remain unclear.

Zelenskydrone threatMoldovaNorway

The episode of Zelenskyy dodging drones highlights a deepening dilemma over Europe’s defence. Discussions at the Riga Conference will range from the Baltics to the broader security picture shaping Europe.

ZelenskyydronesEuropean defenceRiga Conference

A drone nearly struck Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s plane while he was travelling to Norway for a royal funeral. Hours earlier, Vladimir Putin had played down the Russian threat to Europe during a call with Donald Trump. Reporting from the Riga security conference also examines an Anthropic researcher’s resignation and warning that AI is “gambling with our lives.”

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Norway’s prime minister said the plane carrying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Oslo for the king of Norway’s funeral nearly collided with a drone while taking off from Moldova on Tuesday.

Volodymyr ZelenskyydroneNorway

French President Emmanuel Macron called on Thursday for “shared governance” of space in a speech at the two-day International Space Summit.

Macronspace governanceParis summit

A sold-out Bayeux Tapestry exhibition opened in London on Thursday as British visitors showed “mania” for the medieval artwork depicting the Norman conquest of England. It is the first time the tapestry has been displayed outside France.

Bayeux TapestryLondonexhibition

Dramatic, bloody and occasionally lewd, the nearly millennium-old Bayeux Tapestry is finally being displayed in London. The hand-stitched work tells the story of a conquest that changed the course of history.

Bayeux TapestryLondonmedieval art

The Bayeux tapestry exhibition opens in the UK with tickets sold out after a digital queue lasting up to nine hours and a record single-day tally for the British Museum. The newsletter presents 68 facts about the roughly 68-metre medieval embroidery, including its account of the events leading to the 1066 Battle of Hastings and evidence it may have been made in England by several women.

Bayeux tapestryexhibitionBritish Museummedieval art

A sold-out exhibition of the Bayeux Tapestry opens in London on Thursday, amid what is described as public “mania” in Britain. The medieval artwork depicting the Norman conquest of England is being displayed outside France for the first time.

Bayeux TapestryLondon exhibitionmedieval art