Typhoon Kalmaegi death toll hits 114 in Philippines; storm rebuilds strength as it heads to Vietnam
The death toll in the Philippines from Typhoon Kalmaegi rose to 114 with another 127 people still missing, the disaster agency said on Thursday, as the storm that devastated the country’s central regions regained strength as it headed towards Vietnam.
In Vietnam’s Gia Lai province, some 350,000 people were expected to have been evacuated by the middle of the day as authorities warned of heavy rains and damaging winds that could cause flooding in low-lying areas and disrupt agricultural activity.
In the Philippines’ hardest-hit province of Cebu, the scale of the destruction became clearer as floodwaters receded to reveal flattened homes, overturned vehicles and streets choked with debris.
Taiwan must be allowed equal participation when China hosts Apec, US says
Taiwan must be allowed full and equal participation when China hosts Apec in 2026, the US State Department said on Nov 5, after Taipei complained that Beijing had "added a lot of conditions" to its attendance, Reuters reported.
The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) is one of the only international bodies Chinese-claimed Taiwan is a member of, and next November's summit in Shenzhen will come as relations between Taipei and Beijing have plummeted amid a stepped-up Chinese military pressure campaign against the island.
China's foreign ministry said this week that Taiwan's participation in Apec activities must comply with the "one China" principle, which Beijing views as meaning both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one country, something Taipei's government rejects, according to Reuters.
Trump administration has revoked 80,000 non-immigrant visas, US official says
President Donald Trump's administration has revoked around 80,000 non-immigrant visas since its inauguration on January 20 for offenses ranging from driving under the influence to assault and theft, a senior State Department official said on Wednesday, Reuters reported.
The extent of the revocations, first reported by Washington Examiner, reflects a broad immigration crackdown initiated when Trump came into office, deporting an unprecedented number of migrants including some who held valid visas.
The administration has also adopted a stricter policy on granting visas, with tightened social media vetting and expanded screening, according to Reuters.
US Supreme Court casts doubt on legality of Trump’s global tariffs
US Supreme Court justices raised doubts on Wednesday over the legality of President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs in a case with implications for the global economy that marks a major test of Trump’s powers.
Conservative and liberal justices alike sharply questioned the lawyer representing Trump’s administration about whether a 1977 law meant for use during national emergencies gave Trump the power he claimed to impose tariffs or whether the Republican president had intruded on the powers of Congress.
But some of the conservative justices also stressed the inherent authority of presidents in dealing with foreign countries, suggesting the court could be sharply divided in the outcome of the case.
The court has a 6-3 conservative majority. The arguments, lasting more than 2-1/2 hours, came in appeals by the administration after lower courts ruled that Trump’s unprecedented use of the law at issue to impose the tariffs exceeded his authority.
Businesses affected by the tariffs and 12 US states, most of them Democratic-led, challenged the tariffs.
