World

Typhoon Yagi caused $1.6 billion in economic losses in Vietnam, state media said Monday, as the UN's World Food Programme said the deadly floods it triggered in Myanmar were the worst in the country's recent history.

Yagi battered Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos and Thailand with powerful winds and a huge dump of rain over a week ago, triggering floods and landslides that have killed more than 400 people, according to official figures.

Sri Lanka's presidential hopeful Anura Kumara Dissanayaka wants a peaceful revolution after his Marxist party failed to seize power in two uprisings that left more than 80,000 people dead.

The 55-year-old son of a labourer has emerged as a serious contender in the presidential polls on September 21, after forming a coalition with professionals frustrated with long-established politicians.

Tens of millions of people in Shanghai and across China's densely populated east coast hunkered indoors Monday as the strongest storm to hit since 1949 swept in, downing trees and disrupting transport across the region.

Typhoon Bebinca landed early Monday morning in the city's eastern coastal area, with wind speeds of up to 151 kilometers per hour (94 miles per hour), state media said.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador announced Sunday that he had signed into law controversial judicial reforms making Mexico the world's only country to elect all its judges by popular vote.

The outgoing leftist leader signed the decree in a video posted on social media, calling it a "historic day."

As Peru prepares to lay former president Alberto Fujimori to rest on Saturday, the families of civilians killed in his war on left-wing guerrillas are grappling with his death.

"He left without asking for forgiveness from the (victims') relatives. He made a mockery of us," sobbed Gladys Rubina, the sister of one of the victims of two massacres in the 1990s for which Fujimori spent 16 years behind bars.

From talks on social issues to topics like constitutionalism and religion, bookseller Yu Miao wanted Jifeng Bookstore in Shanghai to be a place for public discussions.

"But some topics are considered taboo and sensitive to discuss in public spaces," he told AFP, of the store that was effectively forced out of business in China in January 2018.

When Russians started being arrested for opposing the Ukraine offensive, Maria felt the same kind of fear she guessed her ancestors, victims of repression under Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, must have lived through.

Now two and a half years into its military offensive, Russia has imprisoned hundreds for protesting or speaking out against the campaign -- even in private -- in a crackdown that has paralyzed the Kremlin's domestic critics.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese hit back at Elon Musk on Saturday after the tech mogul called his government "fascists" for proposing laws that would fine social media giants for spreading misinformation.

Australia introduced a "combating misinformation" bill earlier this week, which includes sweeping powers to fine tech giants up to five percent of their annual turnover for breaching online safety obligations.

Pope Francis stated on Friday that voters will need to choose between the "lesser of two evils" in the U.S. presidential election between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, according to CNN.

“One must choose the lesser of two evils. Who is the lesser of two evils? That lady or that gentleman? I don’t know,” said Francis while speaking to reporters on the papal plane. “Everyone with a conscience should think on this and do it.” Specifically, in Francis' view, Harris' stance in favor of abortion and Trump's stance against immigrants are equally problematic to him.

Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) described to podcaster Shawn Ryan how he and Donald Trump intend to resolve the Russian war against Ukraine.

"It would probably look like — is something like the current line of demarcation between Russia and Ukraine, that becomes a demilitarized zone so the Russians don't invade again and Ukraine remains its independent sovereignty and it doesn't join NATO or some of the sort of allied institutions," Vance proposed.

A new Javan rhino calf has been spotted in an Indonesian national park, the facility's head said Friday, further boosting hopes for one of the world's most endangered mammals after two other sightings this year.

The female calf, believed to be between three and five months old, was spotted in camera trap footage taken in May at Java's Ujung Kulon National Park, a find only made public Thursday by Indonesia's environment and forestry ministry.

North Korea released images of its uranium enrichment facility for the first time on Friday, showing leader Kim Jong Un touring it as he called for more centrifuges to boost his nuclear arsenal.

The country, which conducted its first nuclear test in 2006 and is under rafts of UN sanctions for its banned weapons programs, has never publicly disclosed details of its uranium enrichment facility.

Malaysian police expanded their probe Friday into a major Islamic business organization with links to a banned sect, after hundreds of children were rescued from alleged abuse at care homes believed to be run by the group.

Investigators stormed 20 charity shelters across two Malaysian states on Wednesday, arresting 171 suspects including Islamic teachers and caregivers, and bringing to safety 400 children and teens.