Indonesian rescuers search for missing students after school collapse kills 37
Indonesian rescuers are searching on Sunday for missing students after a prayer hall at an Islamic boarding school collapsed almost a week ago. They have recovered 23 bodies over the weekend search, bringing the death toll to 37, Associated Press reported.
Using jackhammers, circular saws and sometimes their bare hands, rescue teams diligently removed rubble in an attempt to find the 26 missing students.
The structure fell on top of hundreds ofstudents, mostly boys between the ages of 12 and 19, on Sept. 30 at the century-old Al Khoziny school in Sidoarjo on the eastern side of Indonesia’s Java island. Only one student escaped unscathed, authorities said, while 95 were treated for various injuries and released. Eight others suffered serious wounds and remained hospitalized Sunday, according to Associated Press.
Police said two levels were added to the two-story building without a permit, leading to structural failure. This has triggered widespread anger over illegal construction in Indonesia.
Border Patrol agents shoot armed woman in Chicago as protesters confront immigration personnel
U.S. Border Patrol personnel shot an armed woman in Chicago on Saturday, the Department of Homeland Security said, as scores of protesters faced off against federal immigration agents on the city's southwest side, Reuters reported.
No law enforcement officers were seriously injured in the incident in which a group that included the woman rammed cars into vehicles used by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a DHS spokesperson said in a statement. The woman, a U.S. citizen who was not identified, drove herself to the hospital, according to the statement.
No additional information was immediately available about the woman's condition.ICE agents fired pepper spray and loaded rubber bullets as part of heated exchanges with protesters on Saturday, according to Reuters.
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said in a post on X that she was sending additional "special operations" to control the scene in Chicago’s Brighton Park neighborhood. The woman was armed with a semi-automatic gun, assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.
Nearly 500 arrested at Palestine Action protest in London
Nearly 500 people have been arrested in central London during protests in support of the proscribed group Palestine Action, the Metropolitan Police has said, BBC reported.
Organisers Defend Our Juries said around 1,000 took part in demonstrations around Trafalgar Square backing Palestine Action - a group which was proscribed by the government in July making it illegal to show any support or affiliation to them.
The Met said 488 of the arrests were for supporting a proscribed organisation, with the the youngest person held being 18 and the oldest 89.
Demonstrations went ahead despite pleas from ministers and police who called for protests to be postponed following Thursday's deadly synagogue attack in Manchester, according to BBC.
Syria holds first elections since Assad, but not in all provinces
Syria will hold its first parliamentary elections on Sunday since the fall of Bashar al-Assad, amid concerns over inclusivity and successive delays, BBC reported.
There will be no direct vote for the People's Assembly, which will be responsible for legislation during a transitional period.
Instead, "electoral colleges" will select representatives for two-thirds of the 210 seats. Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa will appoint the rest.
Long-time former President Assad was ousted by Sharaa's forces 10 months ago after a 13-year civil war.
Authorities say they have postponed the polls for security reasons in two Kurdish- controlled provinces and a third which saw deadly fighting between government forces and Druze militias, according to BBC.
