The UK government has recovered £74 million from excessive profits made by companies running asylum accommodation, following a review of contracts after Labour took office last year. While welcomed, the sum represents only a small fraction of the £2.1 billion spent on asylum accommodation in 2024/25—equivalent to less than two weeks’ costs. Ministers have sought to cut expenses through room sharing, cheaper alternatives, and plans … Continue reading UK government recovers £74m from asylum hotel firms

Spain’s former king Juan Carlos has, for the first time, recounted how he accidentally killed his younger brother Alfonso nearly 70 years ago. In his memoirs, published in France, Juan Carlos described the March 29, 1956 incident when, at age 18, he fired a .22-calibre pistol in a room at the family home in Estoril, Portugal, unaware a bullet remained in the chamber; the shot … Continue reading Spain’s former king reveals how he shot and killed his brother

Indonesia’s national police chief, Listyo Sigit Prabowo, said a suspect linked to explosions at a mosque inside a school complex in North Jakarta was a student there, and authorities are investigating his background and motive. The blasts, which occurred during Friday prayers in Kelapa Gading, injured dozens but caused no deaths. The suspected perpetrator is among two people currently in surgery. Police found toy weapons … Continue reading Student suspect investigated after Indonesia mosque blast injures dozens

North Korea fired at least one ballistic missile toward its eastern waters, South Korea’s military reported Friday, following recent artillery tests and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s visit for annual security talks. The short-range missile traveled 700 km (435 miles) toward the East Sea (Sea of Japan), likely landing outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone. The launch comes amid rising tensions as South Korea prepares to … Continue reading North Korea fires ballistic missile days after Hegseth visit, says Seoul

The Louvre’s president and director, Laurence des Cars, acknowledged ongoing security shortcomings following the theft of Crown jewels worth over €88 million three weeks ago. In an interview Friday, she said a “master plan” to upgrade the museum’s security, including improvements to video surveillance, is being implemented. A recent report by the French Court of Audit criticized the museum for prioritizing acquisitions and visible projects … Continue reading Louvre museum director defends security plan after audit slams spending

Typhoon Kalmaegi wreaked havoc in central Vietnam on Thursday after devastating the Philippines, where it killed at least 188 people, mostly in Cebu province. The storm brought torrential rains and powerful winds to areas already flooded from record rainfall, leaving homes destroyed, trees uprooted, and tens of thousands displaced. Survivors in the Philippines are now struggling to salvage belongings and clear debris as floodwaters recede, … Continue reading Typhoon Kalmaegi slams into Vietnam after unleashing deadly destruction in the Philippines

China’s largest and most advanced aircraft carrier, the Fujian, has officially entered service, marking a major milestone for the world’s largest navy, Chinese state media reported. Unlike China’s first two carriers, the Fujian was both designed and built domestically and features an electromagnetic catapult system capable of launching heavier aircraft, including the J-35 stealth fighter, J-15T heavy fighter, and KJ-600 early-warning plane. President Xi Jinping … Continue reading China aims to expand its power in the Pacific with its new Fujian aircraft carrier

U.S. forces conducted another strike on an alleged drug trafficking vessel in the Caribbean, killing three people, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said, raising the death toll from the Trump administration’s campaign to at least 70. The strikes, launched in September, have targeted boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, destroying at least 18 vessels, though the U.S. has not publicly provided evidence linking them to … Continue reading US strikes another alleged drug boat bringing death toll from campaign in Latin America to 70