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Technology

Magnitude 5.7 earthquake jolts Bangladesh, killing three

At least three people were killed and several injured after a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck Bangladesh on Friday, police said, with buildings damaged in many areas including Dhaka, the densely populated capital. Tremors were felt in eastern states in neighbouring India that border Bangladesh, but there were no immediate reports of major damage in either country, authorities said. The United States Geological Survey said the earthquake’s epicentre was in the city of Narsingdi, about 40 km (25 miles) east of Dhaka. City residents rushed out of their homes as buildings shook and some makeshift structures collapsed, Reuters witnesses said. Three people were killed when the railing of a six-storey building collapsed during the earthquake, police said. “We felt a strong jolt and buildings were shaking like trees,” said Suman Rahman, a Dhaka resident. “Staircases were jammed as peo ple rushed down. Everyone was terrified, children were crying.” The fire department reported injuries after bricks and loose cement fell from buildings that were under construction. “I have never felt such a tremor in my life. We were at the office when furniture started shaking. We rushed down the stairs on the street and saw other people on the road already,” said Sadman Sakib, who works in a private firm in Dhaka. Muhammad Yunus, the head of the South Asian country’s interim government, urged people to remain calm as authorities assess the damage. “Everyone is urged to remain alert and not pay attention to any kind of rumours or misinformation,” he said in a statement. “Further guidance will be provided through hotlines and official channels if necessary. We remain committed to ensuring the safety of all citizens.” Source: Reuters

13 hours ago

Technology

Magnitude 5.7 earthquake jolts Bangladesh, killing three

At least three people were killed and several injured after a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck Bangladesh on Friday, police said, with buildings damaged in many areas including Dhaka, the densely populated capital. Tremors were felt in eastern states in neighbouring India that border Bangladesh, but there were no immediate reports of major damage in either country, authorities said. The United States Geological Survey said the earthquake’s epicentre was in the city of Narsingdi, about 40 km (25 miles) east of Dhaka. City residents rushed out of their homes as buildings shook and some makeshift structures collapsed, Reuters witnesses said. Three people were killed when the railing of a six-storey building collapsed during the earthquake, police said. “We felt a strong jolt and buildings were shaking like trees,” said Suman Rahman, a Dhaka resident. “Staircases were jammed as people rushed down. Everyone was terrified, children were crying.” The fire department reported injuries after bricks and loose cement fell from buildings that were under construction. “I have never felt such a tremor in my life. We were at the office when furniture started shaking. We rushed down the stairs on the street and saw other people on the road already,” said Sadman Sakib, who works in a private firm in Dhaka. Muhammad Yunus, the head of the South Asian country’s interim government, urged people to remain calm as authorities assess the damage. “Everyone is urged to remain alert and not pay attention to any kind of rumours or misinformation,” he said in a statement. “Further guidance will be provided through hotlines and official channels if necessary. We remain committed to ensuring the safety of all citizens.” Source: Reuters

13 hours ago

World

White House says peace plan 'should be acceptable' to Russia, Ukraine

STORY: :: The White House says a U.S.-backed plan to end the war in Ukraine 'should be acceptable to both sides' :: Washington, D.C. :: November 20, 2025 :: Karoline Leavitt, White House Press Secretary "Special envoy Witkoff, Marco Rubio have been working on a plan quietly for about the last month. They've been engaging with both sides, Russia and Ukraine, equally, to understand what these countries would commit to in order to see a lasting, endurable peace. // It's a good plan for both Russia and Ukraine. And we believe that it should be acceptable to both sides. And we're working very hard to get it done." REPORTER: "You said this is a good plan. So according to our sources, this proposal demands major concessions from Ukraine and doesn't demand much from Russia. So was Russia involved in drafting..." LEAVITT: "Your understanding is wrong. Have you read the full plan? You haven't." REPORTER: "... If you can give details." LEAVITT: "You've read reporting from one side of the war. And so I want you to understand that the administration has talked equally with both sides. You have seen President Trump engage directly with both President Putin and President Zelenskiy. Likewise, his national security team has as well. In fact, Special Envoy Witkoff and Secretary Rubio met with some of the Ukrainians just in the past week to discuss this very plan." Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told reporters U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff were involved in the meetings. She said the administration is having good conversations with both parties to the conflict about how to end the war.

16 hours ago

Technology

US DOJ investigating handling of its own probe into Senator Schiff

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Federal prosecutors in Maryland are scrutinizing the conduct of two allies of U.S. President Donald Trump in their investigation of Democratic Senator Adam Schiff, according to a document reviewed by Reuters and two sources briefed on the matter. The department has asked a witness in the Schiff case for any communications and documents involving William Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, or any people acting at his behest, as well as anyone claiming to be working for the Justice Department and DOJ official Ed Martin, according to a subpoena reviewed by Reuters. Martin, the department's pardon attorney, was previously tapped by Attorney General Pam Bondi to serve as a special assistant U.S. attorney to help investigate mortgage fraud by public officials. Pulte has made several mortgage fraud referrals to the Justice Department this year. In addition to Schiff, he also asked the Justice Department to investigate New York Attorney General Letitia James and Federal Reserve Board Governor Lisa Cook. James has since been charged with bank fraud, and has pleaded not guilty. The scrutiny by federal prosecutors of Pulte and Martin's involvement in the Schiff referral and subsequent investigation was first reported by MS Now. Pulte and the FHFA did not respond immediately to Reuters' requests for comment. Martin and a spokesperson for Martin did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment. A Schiff spokesman declined to comment. The subpoena, sent to Christine Bish, asked her to provide all documentation and communications referenced in an October 2025 interview with federal agents regarding the Schiff investigation, specifically focusing on any individuals or communications coming from Pulte and Martin, or people claiming to be working for them. The subpoena asked her to appear on Thursday before a grand jury in Greenbelt, Maryland. Two sources briefed on the matter confirmed to Reuters that a witness in the investigation did appear. Bish could not be reached immediately for comment. She told CNN on Thursday that she went before the grand jury expecting to be asked about the investigation into Schiff, but said that prosecutors "seemed more concerned" about her communications with Pulte and Ed Martin. FHFA director Pulte has emerged as a top Trump ally by targeting perceived foes of the president with claims of mortgage fraud. But his recent actions and the ouster of the agency's watchdog have brought criticism and detractors, on Capitol Hill and at the White House. (Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch in Washington, additional reporting by Andrew Goudsward and Maiya Keidan, Writing by Chris Prentice; editing by Scott Malone and Daniel Wallis) By Sarah N. Lynch

17 hours ago

Politics

US judge halts Trump's National Guard deployment in Washington, D.C

(Reuters) -A federal judge on Thursday halted for now President Donald Trump's deployment of National Guard troops to Washington D.C., dealing Trump a temporary legal setback to his efforts to send the military to American cities over the objections of local leaders. U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb, an appointee of former President Joe Biden, temporarily blocked the Trump administration from deploying National Guard troops to enforce the law in the nation's capital without approval from its mayor. Cobb paused her ruling until Dec. 11 to allow the Trump administration to appeal. The legal fight is playing out alongside several others across the country as Trump presses against longstanding but rarely tested constraints on presidents using troops to enforce domestic law. District of Columbia Attorney General Brian Schwalb, an elected Democrat, sued on Sept. 4 after Trump announced the deployment on Aug. 11. The lawsuit accused Trump of unlawfully usurping control of the city's law enforcement and violating a law prohibiting troops from doing domestic police work. Trump has unique law-enforcement powers in Washington, which is not part of any state, but local officials say he overstepped by supplanting the mayor's policing authority and violated legal prohibitions against federal troops doing civilian police work. Trump administration lawyers called the lawsuit a political stunt in court filings and said the president is free to deploy troops to Washington without the approval of local leaders. The administration also has said the troops are operating lawfully and successfully reducing crime. Trump, a Republican, has also moved to deploy troops in Los Angeles, Chicago and Portland, Oregon, to combat what he describes as lawlessness and violent unrest over his crackdown on illegal immigration. Democratic leaders of those cities and their states have sued to block the deployments, saying they amount to an attempt to punish political foes with militarized shows of force. (Reporting by Jack Queen in New YorkEditing by Nick Zieminski) By Jack Queen

17 hours ago

Technology

Another fire ignites at Ford aluminum supplier Novelis

(Reuters) -Another fire ignited on Thursday at Novelis' aluminum plant in Oswego, New York, that supplies Ford's lucrative F-150 truck line, about two months after a blaze halted much of the facility's production. Ford in October cut its profit forecast, citing a gross hit of up to $2 billion from the incident. The Dearborn, Michigan, automaker expects to offset about $1 billion of that next year by increasing production at certain truck plants, it said in October. While Novelis also supplies other automakers, Ford is a major consumer because its trucks use a largely aluminum body. The automaker indefinitely paused production of its F-150 Lightning electric pickup in Michigan after the September fire, and output of its gas-powered trucks has also been disrupted. The Oswego plant also had a small fire in October. Novelis in October said it planned to restart operations at the affected part of the plant by the end of December, an acceleration from its previous projection of resuming by the first quarter of 2026. A Novelis spokesperson said it was too soon to say if Thursday's fire would delay that timeline. "A fire started at Novelis' Oswego, New York, plant this morning. Everyone working at the plant was safely evacuated. Multiple local fire departments responded, and the fire is now under control. Crews are still on site to ensure it is fully extinguished," the spokesperson said. Ford did not immediately respond to a request for comment. (Reporting by Nora Eckert in Detroit, additional reporting by Nathan Gomes in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar, Rod Nickel) By Nora Eckert

21 hours ago

World

Oil edges up amid broader market rally, falling U.S. crude stockpiles

LONDON: Oil prices edged up on Thursday after falling in the previous session, boosted by a bigger-than-expected draw in U.S. crude stockpiles and a general risk-asset market rally. Brent crude futures were up 57 cents, or 0.9%, at $64.08 a barrel at 1101 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures were 51 cents, or 0.9%, higher at $59.95. Both benchmarks rebounded after falling around 2% inthe previous session after reports indicated the U.S. was renewing its push to end the Russia-Ukraine war and has drafted a framework for it, which could mean more Russian barrels being released into the market. World stock markets, which often move in tandem with oil prices, rallied on Thursday as investors cheered AI chip giant Nvidia’s forecast-topping earnings. Meanwhile, a deadline from U.S. sanctions on trading with Russian oil giants Rosneft and Lukoil is running out on Friday, while Lukoil and any suitors for its assets have until December 13 to agree deals involving its sprawling international portfolio. Lending support to oil prices from the demand side was a bigger-than-expected draw in U.S. crude stockpiles, which reflected rising refining runs amid good margins in the world’s biggest oil consumer, and export demand for U.S. crude. Crude inventories fell by 3.4 million barrels to 424.2 million in the week ended November 14, the Energy Information Administration said, compared with analysts’ expectations in a Reuters poll for a 603,000-barrel draw. That said, analysts also pointed out that gasoline and distillate stockpiles in the U.S. built for the first time in over a month, a sign of slowing consumption. Gains were capped by persisting oil market oversupply fears and the U.S. dollar hovering near a six-month high, which makes dollar-denominated commodities such as oil more expensive.

1 days ago

World

Louvre museum to add 100 external cameras by 2026 after heist exposed security flaws

France’s Louvre Museum will install 100 external cameras by the end of 2026 as part of measures to tighten security after last month’s spectacular heist, its director said on Wednesday. Laurence Des Cars also told a National Assembly hearing that ties with Paris police would be tightened with the installation of an “advanced police station within the Louvre’s estate”. The daylight October 19 robbery, in which four robbers made off with jewels worth $102 million, has raised doubts over the credibility of the world’s most-visited museum as a guardian for its myriad works. While investigators have charged four suspects accused of involvement in the raid, the treasures have yet to be recovered. Officials have admitted there was inadequate security camera coverage of the outside walls of the museum and no cover of the balcony involved in the break-in. After the robbery, French officials said the Louvre would introduce extra security, including anti-intrusion devices and anti-vehicle ramming barriers on nearby public roads, by the end of the year. A report published last month by France’s public audit body, known as the Cour des Comptes, said the museum’s inability to update its infrastructure was exacerbated by excessive spending on artwork. Des Cars, however, told lawmakers: “I fully take responsibility for these acquisitions, which are the pride of our country and our collections. Work at the Louvre should not be seen as competing with the enrichment of national collections.” Source: Reuters

1 days ago

Technology

UK pay settlements rise to highest in 2025, Brightmine says

LONDON (Reuters) -Median pay settlements granted by British employers in the three months to the end of October rose to their highest so far this year at 3.3%, up from 3% in the three months to September. Brightmine said the move reflected higher public sector pay deals which took effect in August and September. "Early indications suggest that 2026 pay awards are likely to remain steady - and potentially edge lower - as cost pressures continue to weigh on employers," Brightmine manager Sheila Attwood said. * Median public sector pay award 3.8% versus 3% in privatesector * 53% of pay awards were below 2024 levels, while 13% wereabove * Survey based on 24 pay awards covering over 460,000employees which took effect between August 1 and October 31 * 44% of employers said pay awards fell short of employees'expectations * The Bank of England is closely monitoring wage growth forsigns of inflation pressure in the economy (Reporting by David Milliken; editing by Suban Abdulla)

2 days ago

World

Russia's Novatek gives deep discounts to sell sanctioned LNG to Chinese buyers, sources say

LONDON/SINGAPORE (Reuters) -Russian liquefied natural gas producer Novatek has slashed the prices of its cargoes by 30% to 40% since August to entice Chinese buyers to purchase sanctioned gas from its Arctic LNG 2 project, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. The purchases have ended the commercial limbo for the $21-billion project, which is subject to some of the harshest sanctions the U.S. and Europe have imposed on Russia. Washington is seeking to block the flow of oil and gas revenue to Kremlin coffers as U.S. President Donald Trump ratchets up pressure on Moscow to end its war in Ukraine. The White House has also threatened action against countries that continue to buy Russian energy exports. But China, a longtime ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, opposes Western sanctions. Cracking down on Chinese entities flouting them could prove tricky. Washington only last month struck a delicate truce in its trade war with Beijing, and one senior industry source said enforcing the measures could jeopardise U.S. ambitions of doing its own LNG deals with China. DEEP DISCOUNTS DRAW CHINESE BUYERS TO PUTIN-LINKED PROJECT Novatek, which is co-owned by some of Putin's closest allies, started producing LNG at the plant in December 2023. But it failed to sell a single cargo until August this year, when it slashed prices for Chinese buyers. The gas producer sold its first cargo, which was delivered on August 28, at a discount of $3 to $4 to the Asian benchmark LNG price of around $11 per mmBtu, according to an industry source familiar with the deal. For subsequent deliveries - there have been 14 in total since August - Chinese buyers continued to receive steep discounts of around 30% to 40%, a second source familiar with the deals said. That means cargoes are selling at $28 million to $32 million, well below their market value of over $44 million. The prices of the cargoes have not been previously reported. Reuters has been unable to ascertain the names of the Chinese companies that bought them. Novatek did not respond to a Reuters request for comment. WASHINGTON NOT ENFORCING ITS SANCTIONS Much of Moscow's oil and gas is not directly subject to Western sanctions. And China is the world's biggest buyer of its energy exports. Trump's predecessor President Joe Biden, however, imposed specific sanctions on Arctic LNG 2 as well as related entities and vessels soon after it began operations in December 2023. French partner TotalEnergies subsequently walked away from the project, though two of China's largest energy firms - China National Petroleum Corp and China National Offshore Oil Corporation - remained, each with a 10% stake. The sanctions have also derailed Russian hopes of acquiring a fleet of Arc7 ice-class tankers to make year-round deliveries. Until August, without a buyer, cargoes from the project floated at sea or were transferred to storage units, costing Novatek millions of dollars, according to traders. Trump has made ending the war in Ukraine a foreign policy priority. And to pressure Moscow to negotiate, he has broadened U.S. sanctions targeting Russian energy, pressed allies to do the same, and threatened countries buying Russian exports, including India, with steep tariffs. So far, however, Washington has not moved to punish Chinese entities involved in the Arctic LNG 2 purchases. "They are pressuring their allies to stop importing Russian gas or LNG. But they are not implementing their own sanctions on Arctic LNG 2," said Anne-Sophie Corbeau, a researcher at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy. The White House did not respond to a Reuters request for comment, asking if the administration was concerned by the LNG purchases and if there were any efforts under way to discourage or prevent the transactions. China's government has approved the purchases, said the two Beijing-based senior industry sources. And the Chinese business registration portal shows the Beihai LNG Terminal in southern China, to which the cargoes are being delivered, is run by state-owned energy infrastructure monopoly PipeChina. When asked if the government gave guidance over the imports or if it was concerned Washington might impose sanctions on PipeChina, which runs most of the country's oil and gas infrastructure, the office of the foreign ministry spokesperson did not directly comment but reiterated China's opposition to unilateral sanctions and "long-arm jurisdiction". "Energy cooperation between China and Russia is normal economic and trade cooperation beneficial to both countries' people," the spokesperson's office said. BEIHAI BECOMES CHINA'S DEDICATED RUSSIAN LNG IMPORT TERMINAL Prior to August, Beihai, a mid-sized terminal, had been used to import gas from various sources and companies, including eight U.S. LNG cargoes in 2024. But since August, PipeChina has refused to grant other companies access to Beihai, which has effectively become a dedicated entry point for Russian gas, said a third Chinese source, a trader with direct knowledge of the matter. The UK government imposed sanctions on Beihai in October. PipeChina did not respond to requests for comment. Complicating matters, Trump, who has repeatedly integrated American energy exports into trade deals with partners seeking to reduce U.S. tariff burdens, has voiced his desire to sell more LNG to China. The United States would find it difficult to sanction PipeChina as that would also block U.S. gas sales, a Western energy executive, who sells gas into China, told Reuters. China has not imported any U.S. LNG since February due to tariffs imposed during the trade war between the world's two largest economies. (Reporting by Marwa Rashad in London, Emily Chow and Chen Aizhu in Singapore; additional reporting by Moscow bureau, Jarett Renshaw in Washington and Sam Li in Beijing; Editing by Dmitry Zhdannikov, Simon Webb and Joe Bavier) By Marwa Rashad, Emily Chow, Chen Aizhu and Anna Hirtenstein

2 days ago

Technology

UK to build new munitions factories to boost warfighting readiness

LONDON (Reuters) -Britain is to build a network of new munitions factories to boost its warfighting readiness, in a move aimed at restoring domestic production of military explosives for the first time in nearly two decades. Defence Secretary John Healey is set to announce on Wednesday plans for new potential sites and confirm that construction on the first factory is expected to start next year. Below are the key details about the government's announcement: * The government in June committed 1.5 billion pounds ($1.97billion) of additional investment for munitions and relatedcomponents * At least 13 potential sites identified for factories;first construction expected next year * Factories will produce munitions, propellants, explosivesand pyrotechnics for the British Army and support for Ukraine * At least 1,000 new jobs expected * Feasibility studies funded to kickstart high volumeproduction; engineering design work on first factory under way * Two new drone factories opening this week in southwestEngland as part of defence growth deals backed by 250 millionpounds ($328.88 million) * Ministry of Defence to publish procurement note outliningmulti-year investments and nine key materials($1 = 0.7607 pounds) (Reporting by Sam Tabahriti;Editing by Alison Williams)

2 days ago

Politics

Brazil's Congress approves spending cut measures, caps tax credit for companies

BRASILIA (Reuters) -Brazilian Congress on Tuesday approved a bill that includes spending-containment measures and limits on companies' use of tax credits, which were previously struck down when a presidential decree expired without a vote. KEY DETAILS o The text, which was approved by Congress' lower house in October and by the Senate on Tuesday, now awaits ratification by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. o The bill defines that tax credit compensations unrelated to a taxpayer's economic activity will not be accepted. o It also adds controls on the granting social benefits to fishermen during periods of fishing restrictions. CONTEXT o The approved measures were initially part of a broad executive order signed by Lula earlier in the year that Congress let expire, putting the government in a fiscal impasse. o The measures could generate about 25 billion reais ($4.70 billion) in savings for the public accounts, according to a lawmaker aligned with the administration. (Reporting by Bernardo Caram; Writing by Andre Romani and Fernando Cardoso, Editing by Natalia Siniawski)

2 days ago

Technology

Rare earth magnet startup Vulcan Elements to build $1 billion North Carolina plant

(Reuters) -Vulcan Elements, a North Carolina-based rare earth magnet producer, said on Tuesday it will build a $1 billion manufacturing facility in its home state to supply U.S. electronics and military customers. The facility, which is being funded in part by the Pentagon, is slated for Benson, roughly 30 miles (48 km) southeast of Raleigh. It would boost U.S. access to magnets that turn power into motion for electric vehicles, cell phones, fighter jets and thousands of other products. Those magnets are at the center of global trade conflict as China uses them as leverage in negotiations with the Trump administration. The company chose North Carolina over other states due to its engineering-focused workforce and economic incentives, said CEO John Maslin. The plant site is located inside North Carolina's so-called "Research Triangle," near prominent universities, laboratories and military complexes. "The most important thing for us was workforce. It was finding the PhDs, the engineers and the technicians from complementary industries," Maslin said. While the U.S. had been the world's largest magnet manufacturer, it let that skill lapse in the 20th century. Vulcan's magnet technology was developed by a co-founder and the company does not foresee any patent issues, Maslin said. North Carolina estimates the facility will boost the state's economy by $2.6 billion. If that happens, Vulcan will be eligible for $17.6 million in state grants. Vulcan in August signed a rare earth oxides supply deal with ReElement Technologies. The oxide would need to be turned into a metal before it is turned by Vulcan into magnets. Maslin said that the metallization step will be done in the Benson facility, but he declined to say if Vulcan or a third party would conduct that step. Vulcan's goal is to produce 10,000 metric tons per year of magnets, with a "significant" amount of that production online by 2027. That is roughly the same volume planned by MP Materials for its Texas magnet facility. (Reporting by Ernest Scheyder; Editing by Lincoln Feast)

2 days ago

Politics

Ex-US Treasury chief stepping back from public roles after Epstein emails

Former US Treasury secretary Larry Summers said on Monday he will step back from all public commitments, days after President Donald Trump ordered the Justice Department to investigate his and other prominent Democrats’ ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Summers, a former president of Harvard University, where he is a professor, told the university’s student newspaper that the move was to allow him “to rebuild trust and repair relationships with the people closest to me”. The announcement came after the House Oversight Committee released thousands of files related to Epstein last week, including documents that showed personal correspondence between Summers and Epstein. “I am deeply ashamed of my actions and recognise the pain they have caused. I take full responsibility for my misguided decision to continue communicating with Mr Epstein,” Summers told The Crimson. “While continuing to fulfil my teaching obligations, I will be stepping back from public commitments as one part of my broader effort,” Summers added. Summers, a Democrat, served as former president Bill Clinton’s Treasury secretary and former president Barack Obama’s National Economic Council director. He currently serves on the board of OpenAI and as a director of the Harvard Kennedy School’s Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government. OpenAI and Harvard did not immediately respond to requests for comments. Summers also did not immediately respond. The Epstein scandal has been a political thorn in Trump’s side for months, partly because he amplified conspiracy theories about Epstein to his own supporters. Many Trump voters believe Attorney General Pam Bondi and other Trump officials have covered up Epstein’s ties to powerful figures and obscured details surrounding his death by suicide in a Manhattan jail in 2019. The US House of Representatives will vote on Tuesday on forcing the release of investigative Epstein files after Trump, who had initially opposed the vote, called on fellow Republicans to support it.

3 days ago

Politics

‘Workplaces of death’: South Korean president’s childhood fuels crackdown

South Korean Kim Yong-ho thought he would die within seconds after a 200kg (441lbs) industrial press at a Hyundai Steel plant sprang to life during maintenance and crushed his legs and back. It was 2019, and Kim said he thought the heavy machinery around him had been switched off as he made repairs. “I was flattened like a squashed frog in a roadkill,” he said. “I couldn’t breathe for a few seconds.” A quick-thinking colleague saved his life by alerting the machine’s operator, said Kim, now 39. Haunted by his own injuries as a child labourer, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung – who crushed his finger and arm making rubber and later baseball gloves – has vowed to lower the country’s above-average rate of industrial accidents in what he calls “workplaces of death”. So far, his administration has raided companies, increased spending to prevent industrial accidents and expanded workplace protections to subcontracted labourers, among other initiatives. His critics, however, say he is punishing companies – not proactively protecting workers – and they believe his pro-labour rhetoric is nothing more than repackaged populism. In its 37 trillion won (US$25.5 billion) budget for next year, the Labour Ministry increased spending to prevent industrial accidents and said it would fine companies up to 5 per cent of their operating profit if they recorded three deaths or more in a year. The president has also visited firms to press for improved safety and set up a special team to investigate industrial accidents. Some companies have already reacted by shortening work shifts, sacking officials and pausing projects. Changing attitudes Labour Minister Kim Young-hoon, a former train operator and labour activist, said the new policies would not be effective unless attitudes changed about work. “There has been a perception in South Korea that we should sacrifice some casualties in order to push the country to grow faster,” he said in an interview. “If we don’t bring a fundamental change to such perceptions, no policy would work.” According to International Labour Organization data from 2023, South Korea had 3.9 deaths per 100,000 workers, well above the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development average of 2.6. For fatal construction accidents, South Korea has the second-highest rate among OECD member countries with 15.9 deaths per 100,000 workers, according to ILO and official South Korean data. Earlier this month, a hulking, decommissioned heating structure at a power station in Ulsan collapsed on nine workers as they prepared to demolish it. A couple were quickly rescued but seven others were trapped; rescuers worked for more than a week to recover their lifeless bodies. “I used to be a factory worker and I was a victim of an industrial accident too,” the president said in July during a visit to a bread factory run by SPC Group where a worker was crushed to death in May. After Lee’s visit, SPC changed work shifts to an eight-hour schedule from 12 hour shifts. Over the past few months, builder POSCO E&C sacked its chief executive and halted 103 construction sites following the deaths of two expressway builders. Shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean apologised and suspended operations after a supervisor died at its shipyard. Nearly 80 executives at DL Construction tendered their resignations after a death at a construction site. POSCO, DL and Hanwha said they resumed operations and construction after undertaking safety measures. Last year, South Korea’s Serious Accidents Punishment Act was applied to workplaces employing five or more people. Under it, employers can face a jail term of at least a year for a single death. But deaths have not dropped over the past five years, rising 4.1 per cent to 2,098 last year. Nearly 86 per cent of employers accused of violating the law were released on probation and paid an average fine of 73 million won. Populist measure? Critics say the South Korean president is sounding populist notes and scapegoating companies rather than preventing accidents. Jung Jin-woo, a professor in the Department of Safety Engineering at Seoul National University of Science and Technology, said South Korea had many more safety inspectors than some developed countries and Lee’s plans only gave the perception of safety. “If [Lee] keeps pushing companies to meet standards that they can never meet, they may focus on just pretending to do it,” Jung said. Labour Minister Kim said the government was taking preventive – not just punitive – steps, like subsidising companies’ safety equipment purchases. “This is not a political show or a temporary thing at all,” Kim said. The minister said South Korea’s problem with industrial accidents was made worse because companies hire chains of subcontractors to skirt legal responsibility and cut costs. In August, the liberal Democratic Party passed the Yellow Envelope Act, which expands protection to subcontracted workers. In a statement, the 1.2 million-member Korean Confederation of Trade Unions said Korea East-West Power, the government-run company that operated the site of the deadly power plant collapse earlier this month, tried to avoid risks by hiring outsourced workers. The union also said the company’s safety rules were lacking. Kwon Myung-ho, CEO of Korea East-West Power, said on Thursday that the company would investigate the cause of the accident and try to remedy the situation. Kim, the temporary Hyundai Steel worker who was hospitalised for a month and took a two-year leave to deal with mental illness after his accident, said he had to resume his former job to make a living, even though he saw no safety improvements. Hyundai Steel declined to comment. “Nothing has changed after I returned,” Kim said.

4 days ago

Technology

China rare earths deal will ‘hopefully’ be done by Thanksgiving, Bessent says

A rare earths deal between the US and China will “hopefully” be done by Thanksgiving, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in remarks that were broadcast on Sunday. Bessent’s comments follow a framework agreement announced last month in which Washington agreed not to impose 100 per cent tariffs on Chinese imports and China would hold off on an export licensing regime for crucial rare earths minerals and magnets. “I am confident that post our meeting in Korea between the two leaders, President Trump, President Xi (Jinping), that China will honour their agreements,” Bessent told Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures programme. Bessent also disputed a recent report in The Wall Street Journal that said Chinese officials planned to restrict access to rare earths for US companies with ties to the military.

4 days ago

Sports

Parrott hat-trick sickens Hungary as Ireland grab World Cup playoff spot in wild win

An injury-time goal by Troy Parrott to complete his hat-trick booked Republic of Ireland a spot in the playoffs for next year’s World Cup with a thrilling 3-2 comeback victory over their nearest Group F rivals Hungary

4 days ago

Politics

Blast at police station in Indian Kashmir kills nine, injures 27

SOURCE: REUTERS t least nine people were killed and 27 injured when a pile of confiscated explosives blew up at a police station in Indian Kashmir, the region’s police chief said on Saturday, days after a car blast in New Delhi killed eight people. The dead included policemen, government officials and forensic staff who were examining the explosives at the time, Nalin Prabhat, director general of police for the federally administered region of Jammu and Kashmir, told a news conference. He said the cause of the blast late on Friday and the extent of the damage were being investigated. Indicating there was no militant involvement in the incident, Prabhat said forensic and chemical examinations of previously recovered explosive materials were under way when “an accidental explosion” occurred on Friday night. “Any other speculation into the cause of this incident is unnecessary,” he said. The identification of the bodies was under way, as some have been completely burnt, a police source said. “The intensity of the blast was such that some body parts were recovered from nearby houses, around 100-200 metres away from the police station,” the source said.Earlier, a local police official told Reuters an explosion had ripped through Nowgam police station. The official said fire had engulfed the compound and fire tenders had been rushed to the spot. The blast occurred four days after a deadly car explosion in the Indian capital New Delhi killed at least eight people in what the government has called a terrorist incident. Nuclear-armed neighbours India and Pakistan have for decades fought periodic wars over the disputed region of Kashmir, which they both claim in full and rule only in part.

6 days ago

Technology

Scenes from immigration court in NYC

Swipe or click to see more REUTERSA priest prays for federal immigration officers as they wait outside immigration court in Manhattan for respondents to leave their hearings so they can conduct targeted detentions, in New York City, on Nov. 14. Swipe or click to see more REUTERSA priest prays for federal immigration officers as they wait outside immigration court in Manhattan for respondents to exit their hearings for targeted detentions, in New York City, on Nov. 14. Swipe or click to see more REUTERSA priest prays for federal immigration officers as they wait outside immigration court in Manhattan for respondents to depart hearings for targeted detentions, in New York City, on Nov. 14. Swipe or click to see more REUTERSA priest prays for federal immigration officers as they wait outside immigration court in Manhattan for respondents to finish their hearings before conducting targeted detentions, in New York City, on Nov. 14. Swipe or click to see more REUTERSA priest prays for federal immigration officers as they wait outside immigration court in Manhattan for respondents to leave hearings for targeted detentions, in New York City, on Nov. 14. Swipe or click to see more REUTERSA priest and other clergy members pray for respondents and detainees outside immigration court in Manhattan, in New York City, on Nov. 13. Swipe or click to see more REUTERSA priest and other clergy members pray for respondents and detainees outside immigration court in Manhattan, in New York City, on Nov. 13. Swipe or click to see more REUTERSFederal immigration officers wait for respondents to leave their hearings before conducting targeted detentions outside immigration court in Manhattan, in New York City, on Nov. 12.

6 days ago

Politics

Modi’s alliance set to easily win Bihar vote

NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling coalition is set to comfortably retain power in the poor and populous state of Bihar, a vote count showed on Friday, giving him a boost after a disappointing national vote last year. Winning Bihar is crucial because it is India’s third-most-populous state with nearly 130 million people and it sends the fifth-highest number of lawmakers to Parliament. Control of the eastern state strengthens any party’s power in the Hindi heartland and often helps to shape national political narratives. Modi’s National Democratic Alliance coalition could easily cross the majority mark of 122 seats, with data from the Election Commission of India showing it was leading in more than 170 seats. TV channel NDTV said it was ahead in 191 seats, a potential gain of 69 seats from the last election.

6 days ago