Sara Duterte on Laos bust: Drug smuggling deterred by tougher crackdown

Immigration agents search Congresswoman Ilhan Omar's home

Omar was first elected to Congress in 2018, and is an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump.

Maine attic portrait believed to be Rembrandt sells for $1.41 million after $15,000 estimate

A portrait by the Dutch master Rembrandt was auctioned for $1.41 million after being discovered in Maine. The painting, titled Portrait of a Young Girl, remained in a farmhouse attic for decades. Auctioneer Kaja Veilleux identified its connection to Rembrandt during an estate visit. Experts suggest its true value could be as high as $15 million if authenticated.

Why Taiwan’s president quoted the Bible in his national day speech

TAIPEI – Taiwan President Lai Ching-te devoted most of his national day speech to domestic issues, but analysts saw his call for Taiwan to become a “city upon a hill”, a biblical image and a phrase long used by US politicians, as a message to Washington. After a morning of marching bands and mass displays,

Ed Sheeran’s foundation reaches 12,000 UK young people through music education support

Meet Harrison Nott, 16, who skipped college to build a towel business generating £750,000 in revenue

Harrison Nott, a 16-year-old entrepreneur from Essex, England, started CoolTowel in his bedroom in 2023. After winning a global pitching competition and attracting investor Rio Ferdinand, his cooling towel business generated over £750,000 in revenue this year. Despite sales success, stock shortages, copycats and operating costs remain challenges as he pursues profitability full-time.

PDEA probes another Filipino linked to Laos meth seizure

MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) is investigating another Filipino, identified by the alias “Boyet,” who allegedly arranged a private jet to transport drugs from Laos to the Philippines. PDEA has also identified a Filipino passenger using the alias “Fahad,” who was arrested at an airport in Laos in connection with the alleged smuggling

Thousands march to Indian Supreme Court to demand election chief resign

The march follows a chaotic weekend in Delhi which saw thousands of protesters detained by police.

Mamdani directs NYPD to review use-of-force policy after officer involved in teen’s fatal shooting retires

Singapore rolls out haze subsidies as Malaysia extends school closures

SINGAPORE — Singapore rolled out subsidies for haze-related medical treatment Monday and schools were closed in parts of neighboring Malaysia, as both countries grapple with persistently unhealthy air quality due to fires in nearby Indonesia. Singapore again ranked the world’s most polluted city on Monday, according to Swiss-based air quality monitor IQAir, as the fires

Jakarta dreams of taking public transport sky-high

JAKARTA – Roadside snack seller Doddy watches Jakarta’s traffic crawl past his stall. The thought of soaring above the capital in a helicopter makes him laugh. “Of course, I would love to see Jakarta from above. Everyone down below will look like tiny ants, right?” said the 45-year-old, who sells gorengan, or fried snacks, speaking

Why the US is bringing back firing squads

The execution of Fort Hood gunman Nidal Hasan would be the first time the US Army had used a firing squad since 1945.

Heavy rain hits southern Thailand as western reservoirs reach 96%

BANGKOK — Reservoirs in western Thailand were at 96% of storage capacity on Sunday (Oct. 11), as heavy rain affected southern and western parts of the country, with Yala province recording 137 millimeters (mm) of rainfall and Phetchaburi 126 mm, according to the Office of the National Water Resources (ONWR). The country’s reservoirs held a combined