Southern California wildfire engulfs homes, prompts evacuation orders

Al Jazeera - Oct 17, 2026

The fast-spreading Norte Fire in Orange County is fuelled by intense warm winds and unseasonably high temperatures.

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Hanoi ‘under attack’ — from tree fragrance 
Oct 17, 2026
Hanoi ‘under attack’ — from tree fragrance 

The star-shaped white blossoms of Hanoi’s milkwood trees have inspired songwriters and lovers, but city authorities began cutting them back on Friday after an outcry from residents over their “overpowering” fragrance. The Vietnamese capital boasts more than 14,400 Alstonia scholaris, tall evergreens that shade the streets in summer and in autumn produce flowers that fill

BARMM politicians, 10 others under probe over Laos drug seizure
Oct 17, 2026
BARMM politicians, 10 others under probe over Laos drug seizure

MANILA, Philippines — Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Friday identified 11 people, among them a former Bangsamoro official, allegedly behind the botched shipment of 521 kilograms of “shabu” (crystal meth) to the Philippines from Laos on Oct. 1. Reports said the illegal drugs, worth P3.5 billion, were discovered and seized as 23 pieces of luggage

‘Cancel debt’ campaign held as IMF, World Bank meet
Oct 17, 2026
‘Cancel debt’ campaign held as IMF, World Bank meet

BANGKOK—As finance ministers gather in Bangkok for the weeklong annual meetings by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Annual which end Sunday, Fight Inequality Alliance (Fia) is calling for debt cancellation and an end to lending rules that force governments to pay creditors before they pay for hospitals, schools and food. “Prices of

Iran denies Saudi accusation of involvement in Houthi attacks
Oct 17, 2026
Iran denies Saudi accusation of involvement in Houthi attacks

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran on Friday denied having anything to do with attacks by Yemen’s Houthis, a day after Saudi Arabia accused it of having encouraged the group’s recent escalation against the kingdom. Since Yemen’s civil war flared back to life in July, the pro-Iran Houthis have repeatedly struck Saudi targets including Red Sea tankers,

First images released of Pope Leo after cancer surgery, celebrating Mass at hospital
Oct 17, 2026
First images released of Pope Leo after cancer surgery, celebrating Mass at hospital

ROME — The Vatican on Friday released the first images of Pope Leo XIV since his lung cancer surgery, showing him celebrating Mass, as doctors said that tests confirmed the “continued improvement” in his recovery. The photos show Leo standing up at the altar in green vestments celebrating Mass in a makeshift chapel that has been set up for him in Gemelli hospital. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said Leo presided alone over the liturgy, distributing Communion to medical personnel and Vatican gendarmes present. He also delivered a homily in which he thanked the hospital staff “for the work they do every day taking care of the sick in their fragility, and in a particular way what they had done for him,” Bruni said. Bruni confirmed Leo would deliver the traditional noontime Angelus prayer on Sunday, but it wasn't clear whether he would do it from the hospital or back at the Vatican. The Vatican had originally estimated a weeklong hospital stay, and had cancelled his audiences through Tuesday. Bruni said the pope’s doctors would decide if there were any changes expected to his dis

Pyongyang rejects Seoul's hypersonic test claims, justifies own arms buildup
Oct 17, 2026
Pyongyang rejects Seoul's hypersonic test claims, justifies own arms buildup

North Korea renewed its attack on South Korea's recent hypersonic weapon test Friday, rejecting Seoul's explanation that advanced materials prevented the weapon from showing burn marks and using the South's weapons development to justify its own arms buildup. The latest dispute comes as the two Koreas offer conflicting assessments of the technology demonstrated in South Korea's first test launch of a hypersonic glide vehicle on Oct. 8. North Korea initially questioned the test's success, arguing the vehicle must have failed to reach hypersonic speeds because photos showed no soot on its surface. Seoul's defense ministry countered that the vehicle was equipped with advanced thermal-protection technology and that visible soot was not necessarily expected during hypersonic flight. On Friday, Pyongyang fired back at the defense, calling Seoul's explanation "far-fetched." "It's not a matter of heat-resistant materials or thermal protection performance," Kim Jong-sik, a vice department head of the Workers' Party Central Committee, said in a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency. S

Hyundai Motor to recall over 94,000 vehicles in US over fire risk
Oct 17, 2026
Hyundai Motor to recall over 94,000 vehicles in US over fire risk

WASHINGTON — Hyundai Motor America will recall more than 94,000 Hyundai and Genesis vehicles in the United States over a potential fire risk caused by overheating power seat motors, according to U.S. transportation authorities. The recall affects 94,622 vehicles, including certain 2015-2016 Hyundai Genesis and 2017-2020 Genesis G80 models, according to a recall notice posted by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Oct. 9. The agency said the front power seat motors may overheat due to a stuck power seat control switch, potentially causing a fire while the vehicle is parked or being driven. Owners have been advised to park their vehicles outdoors and away from other vehicles or structures until repairs are completed, as a fire could increase the risk of injury. A remedy for the defect is still under development, with notification letters to affected vehicle owners expected to be mailed Dec. 7, according to the agency.

China invites Trump spokesperson to visit after 'no proper toilets' remark
Oct 17, 2026
China invites Trump spokesperson to visit after 'no proper toilets' remark

The Chinese foreign ministry responded Friday to White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia's remarks that China lacked "proper toilets," suggesting that she visit the country again. Zacharia, who took office less than a week ago and was now reportedly "let go" from the role, made the comment during a Thursday interview with conservative commentator Jack Posobiec while discussing perceptions in 2016 that China was poised to overtake the United States. "I remember this very distinctly, having just come from China, thinking, 'How is China the next country on the horizon? They don't even have proper toilets,'" she said. Asked about the remarks at a regular press briefing Friday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning offered a brief response. "She's welcome to come and see China when she has the opportunity," Mao said, according to the ministry's official transcript. Zacharia previously lived in Beijing, where she reportedly worked at Zhong Lun Law Firm from 2011 to 2013. The newly appointed spokesperson has also faced scrutiny over her legal credentials after acknowledging that she h

US stock indexes mostly losing ground as tech sector weighs on market
Oct 17, 2026
US stock indexes mostly losing ground as tech sector weighs on market

Stocks on Wall Street are mostly slipping Friday as another pullback in big technology companies weighs on the market. The S&P 500 was down 0.5 percent as of 12:23 p.m. Eastern time and on track for a weekly loss. The benchmark index is just below the all-time high it set last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average wavered between small gains and losses of less than 0.1 percent. The Nasdaq composite was down 1.3 percent and headed for its first weekly loss in five weeks. Weakness for AI stocks has been a major drag on the tech-heavy index this week. Technology companies were the biggest drag on the broader market. Micron Technology fell 3.8 percent, Advanced Micro Devices dropped 3.7 percent, Broadcom was down 3 percent and Intel lost 4.4 percent. The declines in heavyweight tech stocks outweighed losses in most other parts of the market, and the majority of U.S. stocks were rising. It’s been a choppy week for chipmakers and other big tech stocks central to the artificial intelligence industry. Investors are now worried that the companies, which have relied on debt markets to finance a

Iran denies nuclear ambitions, says ready for talks
Oct 17, 2026
Iran denies nuclear ambitions, says ready for talks

TBILISI — Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian denied Friday that Tehran sought nuclear weapons, expressed readiness for dialogue and condemned U.S. sanctions during talks with Georgia's prime minister. In his meeting with Georgian premier Irakli Kobakhidze, Pezeshkian also called for closer ties with Georgia, weeks after Tbilisi cut aviation links between the two countries following U.S. sanctions targeting Iranian airlines. The two met on the sidelines of a U.N. biodiversity summit in Armenia's capital Yerevan. "Iran is not seeking nuclear weapons, and we consider the malicious propaganda against our country to be lies," Pezeshkian said, according to a statement from his office. "We have always been ready for dialogue. They think they can force us to surrender, but we will not bow to coercion," he added, calling U.S. sanctions against Tehran "unjustifiable and inhumane." In his meeting with Kobakhidze, Pezeshkian also called for a clear timetable to expand cooperation between Tehran and Tbilisi, Iran's Tasnim news agency reported. The report quoted Kobakhidze as saying he opposed foreig

From hospital, pope pushes Putin for ceasefire in contested Ukraine city
Oct 17, 2026
From hospital, pope pushes Putin for ceasefire in contested Ukraine city

VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone on Friday, calling for a ceasefire in a Russian-occupied city in southern Ukraine, as the former recovers in hospital from a lung cancer operation. The Vatican said that Pope Leo "expressed his deep concern about the grave humanitarian situation in the city of Oleshky, in the Kherson region, and called for a ceasefire to allow the delivery of food and medical assistance, and the voluntary and safe evacuation of the civilian population." The surprise notice from the Vatican Friday evening suggested that the recovering pope is still hard at work, despite Tuesday's operation to remove a cancerous tumor from his right lung. Residents of Oleshky in southern Ukraine are facing a worsening humanitarian crisis with shortages of food and medication as they are caught in the crossfire between Russian and Ukrainian troops. The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk denounced on Friday a "desperate" situation in the city, calling on Russia to enable civilians to evacuate. In a note, the Kremlin said the tw

Trump touts Hyundai's $560 mil. Georgia investment pledge at campaign rally
Oct 17, 2026
Trump touts Hyundai's $560 mil. Georgia investment pledge at campaign rally

WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday highlighted Korean automotive parts maker Hyundai Transys Inc.'s plan to invest nearly $560 million in Georgia during a campaign rally in the state, as he promoted his economic agenda ahead of the midterm elections. "Hyundai just announced it will invest $560 million to expand its factories in West Point, Georgia," Trump said during the rally in Dalton, Georgia, apparently referring to Hyundai Transys, an automotive parts-making affiliate of Korea's Hyundai Motor Group. The investment plan was announced last week by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp's office. According to the governor's office, Hyundai Transys plans to upgrade two existing manufacturing facilities and build a third plant in West Point to expand production of hybrid vehicle powertrains, while creating 320 new jobs.

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