A series of devastating wildfires have swept across South Korea since last Friday claiming the lives of at least 28 people and injuring dozens more, as reported by local news agency Yonhap. The intense blazes have scorched approximately 48,000 hectares (118,000 acres) of forest prompting urgent responses from emergency services.

Fortunately, improved weather conditions following overnight rainfall on Thursday have provided some relief for firefighting efforts. Cooler temperatures and better visibility have enabled authorities to make progress against the flames which were driven by powerful winds from central Uiseong County to coastal areas.

Lim Sang-seop, chief of the Korea Forest Service, stated, “We plan to mobilise all available resources to extinguish the main flames by the end of the day.” However, officials warn that the drought and dry conditions have significantly fueled the wildfires, making them a recurring threat in the region.

In recent years, South Korea has experienced rising average temperatures and an increase in extreme weather events heightening the risk and severity of wildfires. Experts attribute this trend to the ongoing impacts of climate change.

In response to the crisis, South Korea’s acting president, Han Duck-soo emphasized the government’s commitment to assisting those affected. “All efforts will be taken to help people access financial resources to get their homes rebuilt. Money should be limitless,” he stated.

Local authorities are working to swiftly transition evacuees from temporary tent camps to more stable accommodations, although officials acknowledge that the recovery process will be lengthy.

As the nation grapples with the aftermath of these catastrophic wildfires, the urgency of addressing climate change and its repercussions is more apparent than ever.

Pope Francis has urged Catholics worldwide to pray for him as he continues to receive treatment for double pneumonia at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital. This marks the second consecutive Sunday that the 88-year-old pontiff has been unable to deliver the traditional Angelus prayer in person.

In a heartfelt message written over the past few days, Pope Francis expressed his confidence as he undergoes treatment, stating, “I am confidently continuing my hospitalisation and carrying on with the necessary treatment.” This message comes after the Vatican revealed on Saturday that the Pope’s condition is still considered “critical.”

In Sunday’s message, the Pope extended his gratitude to the medical staff at the hospital and to the many well-wishers who have sent him messages of support. “In recent days, I have received many messages of affection and I have been particularly struck by the letters and drawings from children,” he noted. “Thank you for this closeness and for the prayers of comfort I have received from all over the world! I entrust you all to the intercession of Mary, and I ask you to pray for me.”

Pope Francis was first admitted to the hospital on February 14 after struggling with breathing difficulties. His history of lung infections including having part of a lung removed at age 21 and developing pleurisy as an adult makes him particularly vulnerable to respiratory issues.

Since becoming Pope 12 years ago, he has been hospitalized multiple times including for bronchitis in March 2023. The Vatican has committed to being transparent about his health providing daily updates. However, the content and tone of these announcements have sparked speculation among observers.

A Saturday update from the Vatican indicated that while the Pope was alert and spent the day in an armchair, he remained “not out of danger” and was, in fact, “more unwell” than the previous day. His medical team confirmed he required blood transfusions due to a low platelet count related to anemia and needed a “high flow” of oxygen for respiratory support. They emphasized the complexity of his condition, noting that even minor changes could disrupt a “delicate balance.” “He is the Pope,” one doctor remarked, “but he is also a man.”

In his Sunday message, the Pope also took a moment to highlight the third anniversary of the war in Ukraine urging prayers for all victims of armed conflict and calling for peace in places such as Palestine, Israel, the Middle East, Myanmar, Kivu and Sudan.

The Angelus prayer is traditionally delivered by the Pope from the window of the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican, accompanied by a brief address. As the world holds its breath for his recovery, Pope Francis’s call for prayer underscores the deep connection between faith and healing during difficult times.

The Mexican coast has been hit by the first storm of the North Atlantic hurricane season, which is also drenching southern Texas with heavy rain. The storm has claimed three lives of whom two are minors. Officials in Mexico said death occurred in the northern Nuevo León state.

In Texas and over its boarder, a disaster declaration has already been put in place and masses have been warned about “life-threatening” flooding and mud sliding in the North-East of Mexico and southern Texas.

The system has upgraded the nature of the storm from a tropical cyclone, but says that it remains below hurricane-strength. Meteorologists expect it to make a landfall in Mexico later during the course of the week before it dissipates without directly striking the United States.

The governor of the state of Nuevo León announced a temporary suspension of public transportation while schools in the neighbouring Tamaulipas have been closed.

The state’s declaration of disaster by, Governor Greg Abbott, indicates that widespread and severe property damage, injury and loss of life are most likely to occur.

The United States weather Agency indicates that the North Atlantic hurricane season that runs from the month of June to November could this year experience as many as seven major hurricanes. The agency further reveals that this would be more than double the usual number since record-high sea surface temperatures have shifted the regional weather patterns.

Wildfires that have started earlier than usual and they have already burnt through tens of thousands of acres in California and New Mexico, claiming at least two lives in the latter US state.

Some Mexicans welcomed the rain brought by Alberto following a severe drought in the region.

The US is worried that the rift between Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky and the commander-in-chief of the country’s armed forces, Valery Zaluzhny, is hampering Kiev’s military efforts.

The Biden administration wants Ukraine to “sharpen” its plan for fighting Russia in 2024.

However, Washington is concerned that differences between Zelensky and Zaluzhny are slowing efforts to crystallize a new strategy, the sources said.

According to one of Bloomberg’s interlocutors, the US must clearly understand Kiev’s plans to determine “how it can best align its support to help Ukraine defend itself in the coming year.”

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan is likely to raise the issue with Zelensky on the sidelines of the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, the people said. Earlier this week, WEF president Borge Brende announced that the Ukrainian leader will attend the high-profile event, scheduled to take place between January 15 and 19.

Last month, Ukrainskaya Pravda newspaper reported that Zelensky has been giving orders to the military bypassing the commander-in-chief, with Zaluzhny sometimes only learning about what the armed forces are doing from his subordinates. According to the sources, the two have been at loggerheads for months, but Kiev’s failed counteroffensive has worsened the tensions.

In December, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said that thwarting Ukraine’s NATO-backed counteroffensive was the main goal achieved by the Russian military in 2023.

Shoigu announced that, according to Moscow’s estimations, Kiev’s  losses last year  exceeded 215,000 troops and 28,000 units of heavy weaponry. 

A Russian missile strike has killed 11 people, including five children, in eastern Ukraine, a local official says.

S-300 missiles hit the town of Pokrovsk in Ukrainian-held territory in Donetsk region, the regional governor said.

“The enemy is cynically hitting civilians, trying to bring as much misery as possible,” Governor Vadim Filashkin posted on Telegram.

In his evening video address, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian forces had targeted residential areas.

Russia should always feel consequences for such attacks, Mr Zelensky added.

Russia is yet to comment.

Pokrovsk is about 70km (43 miles) north-west of Donetsk city, which is occupied by Russian forces.

Before the war it had a population of about 60,000 people. Some residents have been returning despite official warnings about the dangers.

Earlier this week Ukrainian forces launched more than 70 drones across the border into Russia after Moscow launched its biggest aerial bombardment. This led to evacuations in the south-western city of Belgorod.

Rishi Sunak will become the United Kingdom’s new prime minister after winning the ruling Conservative Party’s leadership contest on Monday.

Sunak’s win comes days after Truss’s resignation which followed disastrous tax cuts plans and policy U-turns that caused unprecedented economic crisis and drew a rare intervention from the Bank of England.  

During his first public speech, since winning the contest on Monday, Sunak said Britain faces serious economic challenges and needs stability and unity.

“There is no doubt we face a profound economic challenge…we now need stability and unity, and I will make it my utmost priority to bring our party and our country together,” said Sunak.

Sunak, a former finance minister, has been left with the task of steering a deeply divided country through an economic downturn.  

Sunak’s only challenger, Penny Mordaunt, leader of the House of Commons and former defence minister, was reportedly backed by 30 MPs compared to nearly 150 that supported Sunak.

“This decision is a historic one and shows, once again, the diversity and talent of our party,” said Mordaunt in a statement as she withdrew from the race just minutes before the winner was due to be announced. “Rishi has my full support.”  

Having lost to Liz Truss in September 2022, Sunak racked up the support of his fellow MPs early, and fast in the latest leadership contest. He crossed the 100 nominations he needed long before the deadline including from MPs that had previously backed Truss or Boris Johnson.

Sunak was first elected as an MP in 2015 for Richmond in north Yorkshire and was made finance minister or chancellor in February 2020 under Boris Johnson.

Sunak’s accession is believed to be directly attributed to the chaos of the past few months. And he is seen as a safe pair of hands, having won wide praise for his handling of the economy during the Covid-19 pandemic in which he helped businesses and citizens with big government spending programs that saved many livelihoods.

Rishi Sunak was born in Southampton in 1980, where his father was a GP and his mother ran a pharmacy. His parents are both of Indian origin who came to the UK from East Africa and he becomes the first British Asian prime minister.

Queen Elizabeth, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, the nation’s figurehead and a towering presence on the world stage for seven decades, died peacefully at her home in Scotland on Thursday aged 96.

“The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon. The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow,” the palace said in a statement.

News that the queen’s health was deteriorating emerged shortly after midday on Thursday when her doctors said she was under medical supervision, prompting her family to rush to Balmoral Castle in Scotland to be by her side.

Thousands gathered outside Buckingham Palace, in central London, and there was a stunned silence when the flag was lowered to half-mast. The crowd surged to the gates as the notice announcing the death of the only monarch most Britons have ever known was attached to the black iron gates.

Thousands of people across the UK and the world are still reacting to the death of Queen Elizabeth II with tributaries and condolence messages, Queen Elizabeth will lie in rest at St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh as preparations are made for her funeral, which is expected in around 10 days.

Because the Queen died in Scotland , the coffin will then be flown to London, where hundreds of thousands of people will be allowed to file past over a period of four days’ lying in state at Westminster Hall.

A state funeral will take place at Westminster Abbey in ten days’ time, which will see the nation observe a two minutes’ silence, before the queen is buried at Windsor Castle. 

Flags across the U.K. will be lowered to half-mast ahead of a national minute’s silence and the start of an official period of mourning.

According to sources, over the next few days there is a schedule of events and ceremonies planned whose details are yet to be confirmed:

On Friday,

King Charles III, her eldest son who became King the moment the Queen died, will make his first speech as King, according to his spokesman. No time has yet been given for his remarks.

At midday, bells will toll in tribute to the Queen at Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral and Windsor Castle.

Gun salutes of 96 rounds to mark each year of her life will be fired in Hyde Park and elsewhere at 1pm.

A remembrance service is due to take place at St Paul’s Cathedral in the evening attended by the prime minister and other senior ministers.

Saturday

The ceremony, in which Charles will be formally proclaimed King will take place at St James’s Palace in London in front of a ceremonial body known as the Accession Council.

At the meeting, the death of Queen Elizabeth will be announced and a traditional proclamation will be read aloud.

King Charles will then be expected to attend a second meeting with the group where he will make his first declaration and swear an oath to preserve the Church of Scotland. After trumpeting and fanfare, he will be formally declared the new King as gun salutes are fired from sites around the city.

Flags will return to full mast for a 24-hour period beginning at 13:00 BST on Saturday to mark the proclamation of King Charles as King, before returning to half-mast.

Life and legacy of Queen Elizabeth II

Born on April 21, 1926, Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, the elder daughter of Prince Albert, Duke of York, and his wife, Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon had little chance of assuming the throne, until late 1936, her uncle, King Edward VIII abdicated to marry an American divorcée, Wallis Simpson, her father; King George VI became King and 10-year-old “Lilibet” (as she was known within the family) became the heir presumptive to the throne.

As a young princess she first took on public duties during the Second World War, appearing on the radio and being appointed one of her father’s effective deputies as counselor of state. 

She became queen in 1952 after the premature death of her father George VI, and went on to become both the country’s longest-lived and longest-serving monarch.

In 1947, she married Philip Mountbatten, a marriage which lasted 73 years until his death in 2021 and produced four children: Charles, Anne, Andrew and Edward. 

The queen has been affected by mobility problems over the last year and greatly reduced her public appearances, including missing the state opening of parliament in May and a service of thanksgiving to celebrate her seventy years on the throne.

She is credited with revitalizing the monarchy, embarking on a seven-month world tour shortly after she took the throne and helping to secure the transition of the Empire into the Commonwealth of Nations.

King Charles III automatically becomes head of the Commonwealth, an association of 56 independent countries and 2.4 billion people. For 14 of these countries, as well as the UK, the King is head of state.

King Charles III will embark on a tour of the U.K, starting with a visit to the Scottish parliament and a service at St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh.