Death toll rises to 94 in Hong Kong residential building fire
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The death toll in a major fire that broke out at a residential complex in Hong Kong had risen to 94, Xinhua reports.
High-rise units in one of the buildings in Wang Fuk Court were spotted to have gone ablaze again at around 11:00 p.m. on Thursday.
Firefighters had entered mid-level units in the building for search and rescue. The department said it is making all-out efforts to put out the fire in the rest of the levels and carry out rescue.
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France arrests 4 more suspects in high-value Louvre jewel theft
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Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau on Tuesday announced the arrests of four additional individuals in connection with the theft at the Louvre Museum, Xinhua reports.
The suspects, two men aged 38 and 39 and two women aged 31 and 40, all from the Paris region, were taken into custody. The prosecutor's office said the charges against them would not be specified until the end of their police custody.
This latest round of arrests follows an initial wave of detentions and indictments in late October and early November.
The theft occurred on the morning of Oct. 19 in the Apollo Gallery of the Louvre Museum, where four individuals stole eight jewels valued at approximately 88 million euros. Initial findings indicate the perpetrators used a freight elevator to access an upstairs window, broke open display cases, and fled with the items.
Police and judicial authorities continue working to reconstruct the full chain of responsibility while pursuing multiple leads on the whereabouts of the stolen jewels.
On the same day, local media Le Parisien reported that the investigation had gained new momentum with the arrest of an additional individual described as the "fourth member" of the main group involved in the robbery. The suspect has been placed in custody, though no trace of the stolen jewelry has yet been found, the report said.
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212 dead due to adverse weather in Sri Lanka
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Adverse weather in Sri Lanka has killed 212 by Sunday afternoon, Xinhua reports.
Sri Lanka's Disaster Management Center said rescue teams are still searching for at least 218 people who are still missing across multiple districts.
The country's Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security, and Cooperative Development said there is no shortage of essential commodities in the country.
The ministry said temporary shortages have occurred as a result of delays in transport disruptions caused by flooding. However, it emphasized that supplies are being replenished continuously. The government is ready to import additional quantities of any essential item should limited shortages arise, while ensuring protection for local farmers.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka's Commissioner General of Examinations Indika Liyanage announced that the university entrance examination and all other scheduled exams have been postponed indefinitely due to the ongoing disaster. The revised schedule will be announced in due course, she said.
The Department of Meteorology said the effects of the cyclone is weakening across the country. Officials announced that the disruptions to electricity and water supply would be addressed in the coming days.
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Flood death toll in southern Thailand hits 145
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The death toll from severe flooding in southern Thailand has hit 145, authorities said on Friday as water levels begin to recede and rescue operations continue. During a press briefing, government spokesperson Siripong Angkasakulkiat said that fatalities have been reported across eight southern provinces, with Songkhla recording the highest toll at 110, Xinhua reports.
According to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, the widespread southern flooding has affected an estimated 3.54 million people, even though water levels in several areas have receded.
Hat Yai, the worst-hit city, received the heaviest rainfall in years during an intense monsoon earlier this week, prompting the government to declare a state of emergency in Songkhla province to streamline evacuation and rescue efforts.
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Trump signs bill to end longest gov't shutdown in U.S. history
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U.S. President Donald Trump signed on Wednesday a funding package to end the federal government shutdown after 43 days - the longest in U.S. history, Xinhua reports.
The U.S. House of Representatives voted 222-209 in favor of the spending package on Wednesday night, two days after the Senate passed it 60-40. The legislation was later signed into law by President Donald Trump.
However, the package only temporarily and partially resolves the political dilemma paralyzing Washington for the past 43 days. It funds most federal agencies at current levels through Jan. 30, but covers only three of the 12 annual appropriations bills that Congress must pass each year.
If both parties fail to reach an agreement on the nine remaining bills, the U.S. government could be trapped in another shutdown in just over two months.
In fact, the two parties did not stop trading blame even with the reopening of the federal agencies in the near future.
The Democrats cost the country 1.5 trillion U.S. dollars "with their recent antics of viciously closing our Country, while at the same time putting many at risk -- and they should pay a fair price," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
He added at the bill signing ceremony that the total effect will take weeks and probably months to calculate accurately, including the serious harm to the economy, people and families.
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