(London) British Home Secretary Mahmoud defended the Labour government's proposed drastic cuts to refugee protections and the termination of automatic welfare benefits for asylum seekers on Sunday, saying illegal immigration is "tearing our country apart." The plan has drawn criticism from the far-right Reform Party and the center-left Conservative Party, with Labour left-wing MPs also publicly condemning the move as "wrong."

A major multi-vehicle collision occurred on a highway in Yeongcheon, North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea, at around 3:00 AM on Monday (November 17). A tanker truck collided with a lorry, triggering a rear-end collision involving at least eight vehicles. Three of the vehicles caught fire, resulting in two deaths and four injuries. Thick smoke billowed into the sky from the accident site, creating a highly dangerous situation. A large amount of oil spilled from a 25-meter-high bridge pier onto farmland. Police stated that while the 24,000 liters of Class C fuel oil carried by the tanker truck were highly flammable, they did not pose an explosion hazard. The photo shows firefighters extinguishing the fire at the accident scene. (Xinhua)

(Sydney) Several children's sand toys in Australia and New Zealand have been found to contain toxic asbestos fibers. Authorities have recalled the products for further testing, and more than 70 schools in both countries have closed for cleanup.

(Washington, D.C.) U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessenter said the United States hopes to finalize an agreement with China to secure rare earth supplies before the Thanksgiving holiday at the end of this month. He expressed confidence that China will fulfill the agreement, but warned that the United States has no shortage of retaliatory measures should China renege on its promises.

(London, Reuters) Arctic leaders have warned that the threat of hybrid warfare is spreading from the Baltic Sea to the far north, including through actions by countries like Russia that damage undersea internet cables.

(Washington, D.C.) The USS Ford, the largest aircraft carrier in the United States, has led a carrier strike group into the Caribbean Sea and joined the U.S. amphibious ready group and the Marine Corps expeditionary force previously deployed there to carry out U.S. anti-drug operations.

(Washington, D.C.) U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessant said that President Trump's plan to distribute a $2,000 (about S$2,602) "bonus" subsidy to U.S. citizens using tariff revenue must be approved by Congress.

(Jerusalem) The United Nations Security Council will vote on a draft resolution on Gaza supported by the United States. Israel reiterated its opposition to Palestinian statehood and the need to disarm Hamas ahead of the vote.