Iraq faces elections at a delicate moment in the Middle East. While the ceasefire in Gaza may have tamped down regional tensions, fears remain of another round of conflict between Israel and Iraq’s neighbor, Iran. Iraq managed to stay on the sidelines during the brief Israel-Iran war in June.

Meanwhile, Baghdad faces increasing pressure from Washington over the presence of Iran-linked armed groups in Iraq.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani came to power in 2022 with the backing of a group of pro-Iran parties but has since sought to balance Iraq’s relations with Tehran and Washington.

The Nov. 11 vote will determine whether he gets a second term — rare for Iraqi premiers in the past.
Who’s missing from the elections

A total of 7,768 candidates — 2,248 women and 5,520 men — are competing for 329 parliament seats.

The strongest political factions running include Shiite blocs led by former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, cleric Ammar al-Hakim, and several linked to armed groups; competing Sunni factions led by former parliament speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi and current speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadan i; and the two main Kurdish parties, the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan.

The contest is just as notable for who is absent.

The popular Sadrist Movement, led by influential Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, is boycotting. Al-Sadr’s bloc won the largest number of seats in the 2021 elections but later withdrew after failed negotiations over forming a government, and it continues to stay out of elections.

In the suburb known as Sadr City on Baghdad’s outskirts, a banner posted on one street read, “We are all boycotting upon orders from leader al-Sadr. No to America, no to Israel, no to corruption.”

The Victory Coalition, a smaller group led by former Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, also announced a boycott, alleging corruption in the process.

Meanwhile, some reformist groups emerging from mass anti-government protests that began in October 2019 are participating but have been bogged down by internal divisions and lack of funding and political support.
Vote-buying and political violence

There have been widespread allegations of corruption and vote-buying. Political analyst Bassem al-Qazwini described these elections as “the most exploited since 2003 in terms of political money and state resources.”

A campaign official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was talking about alleged illegal conduct, asserted that almost all candidates, including major blocs, are distributing money and buying voter cards, with the price of a card going as high as 300,000 Iraqi dinars (around US$200).

The Independent High Electoral Commission asserted its commitment to conducting a fair and transparent process, saying in a statement to The Associated Press that “strict measures have been taken to monitor campaign spending and curb vote-buying.”

It added that any candidate found guilty of violating laws or buying votes will be “immediately disqualified.”

Campaigning has been marred by political violence.

On Oct. 15, Baghdad Provincial Council member Safaa al-Mashhadani, a Sunni candidate in the al-Tarmiya district north of the capital, was killed by a car bomb. Two people were arrested on suspicion of the killing, the First Karkh Investigative Court said Thursday. It did not name the suspects but said the crime was believed to be “related to electoral competition.”

Aisha Ghazal Al-Masari, a member of parliament from the Sovereignty Alliance to which al-Mashhadani belonged, described the killing as “a cowardly crime reminiscent of the dark days of assassinations,” referring to the years of security vacuum after Iraq’s former autocratic leader, Saddam Hussein, was ousted in the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.
The role of militias

Political parties linked to Iran-backed militias are leveraging their significant military and financial influence.

They include the Kataib Hezbollah militia, with its Harakat Huqouq (Rights Movement) bloc, and the Sadiqoun Bloc led by the leader of the Asaib Ahl al-Haq militia, Qais al-Khazali.

The Popular Mobilization Forces, a coalition of militias that formed to fight the Islamic State group, was formally placed under the control of the Iraqi military in 2016 but in practice still operates with significant autonomy.

Al-Sudani told journalists recently that armed factions that have transformed into political entities have the constitutional right to participate in elections.

“We cannot prevent any group from engaging in politics if they renounce arms. This is a step in the right direction,” he said.

However, several militias with affiliated political parties participating in the elections are still active and armed.

The U.S. State Department said in a statement that Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with al-Sudani on Monday and “highlighted the urgency in disarming Iran-backed militias that undermine Iraq’s sovereignty, threaten the lives and businesses of Americans and Iraqis, and pilfer Iraqi resources for Iran.”
Al-Sudani seeks another term

Al-Sudani has positioned himself as a pragmatist focused on improving public services. Polling shows that Iraqis are relatively positive about the country’s situation.

Al-Mustakella Research Group, affiliated with Gallup International Association, found that over the past two years, for the first time since 2004, more than half of Iraqis polled believed the country is heading in the right direction.

In the latest poll, in early 2025, 55% of Iraqis surveyed said they had confidence in the central government.

However, only one Iraqi prime minister, Maliki, has served more than one term since 2003.

Ihsan al-Shammari, professor of strategic and international studies at Baghdad University, said that the premiership “does not depend solely on election results but on political bloc agreements and regional and international understandings” to form a government.

He added that disagreements over control of state institutions that have arisen between al-Sudani and some leaders in the Shiite Coordination Framework bloc that brought him to power “may hinder his chances of a second term.”

Some Iraqis said they don’t have high hopes for the country, no matter what the election outcome.

Baghdad resident Saif Ali said he does not plan to vote, pointing to lagging public services.

“What happened with regards to electricity from 2003 until now? Nothing,” he said, referring to regular power cuts. ”What happened with water? Drought has reached Baghdad. These are the basic services, and they are not available, so what is the point of elections?”

Qassim Abdul-zahra, The Associated Press

North Korea building memorial for troops killed in #Ukraine war. North Korea has begun constructing a memorial for its soldiers killed fighting in Russia’s war with Ukraine, state media reported Thursday, as leader Kim Jong Un hailed a “historic peak” in ties with Moscow.

The so-called Memorial Museum of Combat Feats will be built in the capital Pyongyang, where Kim and Russia’s ambassador to North Korea attended a groundbreaking ceremony, according to the Korean Central News Agency.

Kim, addressing Thursday’s event, said the museum “is a sacred sanctuary dedicated to the immortality of true patriots.”

North Korea, one of the world’s most insular nations, has become a key Russian ally since Moscow invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

It has sent thousands of soldiers and container loads of weapons to help the Kremlin push Ukrainian forces out of western Russia.

At least 600 North Korean soldiers have been killed and thousands more wounded, according to estimates from South Korea.

In patriotic remarks carried by KCNA, Kim said his country’s troops have been in Russia’s Kursk region for one year and he praised them for helping Russia achieve a “decisive victory.”

“Our heroes destroyed the fiendish neo-Nazi invaders with their staunch spirit not to tolerate any aggression but to annihilate the aggressors,” Kim said.

He added that North Korea and Russia’s relationship was “now rising to its historic peak.”

Kim said the memorial would feature sculptures dedicated to the North Korean soldiers who have fought in Russia, as well as photos and artwork portraying the combat.

Moscow’s ambassador to North Korea, Aleksandr Matsegora, and other Russian embassy officials attended Thursday’s ceremony, KCNA reported.

Several North Korean government and military officials were also present, along with families of soldiers who have died in Russia.

Russia and North Korea last year agreed to a strategic partnership agreement that obligates each side to provide “military and other assistance” should either of them be attacked.

In Moscow, an art exhibition has been held to celebrate ties with Pyongyang -- depicting North Korean soldiers and their Russian comrades resisting a hostile West.

Rubio will travel to Israel after Vance’s visit to ensure fragile Gaza ceasefire holds.

As U.S. Vice President JD Vance’s visit to Israel comes to a close, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he would be traveling to the country to keep the momentum on the U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.

Earlier this week, Vance announced the opening of a civilian military coordination center in southern Israel where some 200 U.S. troops are working alongside the Israeli military and delegations from other countries planning the stabilization and reconstruction of Gaza.

Rubio told journalists at Joint Base Andrews late Wednesday that he plans to visit the center and appoint a Foreign Service official to work alongside the top U.S. military commander in the Middle East, Vice Adm. Brad Cooper.

The U.S. is seeking support from other allies, especially Gulf nations, to create an international stabilization force to be deployed to Gaza and train a Palestinian force.

“We’d like to see Palestinian police forces in Gaza that are not Hamas and that are going to do a good job, but those still have to be trained and equipped,” he said.

Rubio also criticized efforts by far-right politicians in the Israeli parliament who on Wednesday took the symbolic step of giving preliminary approval to a bill that would give Israel authority to annex the occupied West Bank -- a move the U.S. opposes.

U.S. President Donald Trump “has made clear that’s not something we’d be supportive of right now, and we think it’s potentially threatening to the peace deal,” he said.

The bill passed in a 25-24 vote. It is unclear whether the bill has support to win a majority in the 120-seat parliament, and Netanyahu has tools to delay or defeat it.
Vance visits Holy Sepulcher

Meanwhile, Vance visited the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the sprawling 12th century basilica where Christians believe Jesus was crucified, died and rose again, in Jerusalem’s Old City.

He is then expected to meet Israel’s Defense Minister, Israeli military leaders and other officials at the army’s headquarters in Tel Aviv.

On Wednesday, Vance sought to ease concerns that the Trump administration was dictating terms to its closest ally in the Middle East.

“We don’t want in Israel a vassal state, and that’s not what Israel is. We want a partnership, we want an ally,” Vance said, speaking beside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in response to a reporter’s question about whether Israel was becoming a “protectorate” of the U.S.

Netanyahu, who will meet with Rubio on Friday, expressed similar sentiments while acknowledging differences of opinion as they push forward the U.S.-proposed ceasefire agreement.

Israeli media referred to the nonstop parade of American officials visiting to ensure Israel holds up its side of the fragile ceasefire as “Bibi-sitting.” The term, utilizing Netanyahu’s nickname of Bibi, refers to an old campaign ad when Netanyahu positioned himself as the “Bibi-sitter” whom voters could trust with their kids.
Palestinians in Gaza in dire need of medical care

In the first medical evacuation since the ceasefire began on Oct. 10, the head of the World Health Organization said Thursday they had evacuated 41 critical patients and 145 companions out of the Gaza strip.

In a statement posted to X, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called on nations to show solidarity and help some 15,000 patients who are still waiting for approval to receive medical care outside Gaza.

On Wednesday, an official with the U.N. Population Fund described the “sheer devastation” that he witnessed on his most recent travel to Gaza, saying that there is no such thing as a “normal birth in Gaza now.”

Andrew Saberton, an executive director at UNFPA, told reporters how difficult the agency’s work has become due to the lack of functioning or even standing health care facilities.

“I was not fully prepared for what I saw. One can’t be. The sheer extent of the devastation looked like the set of a dystopian film. Unfortunately, it is not fiction,” he said.

Saberton added that Palestinian women cannot get access to a hospital. “They often don’t even have access to a private space in a tent. We have stories of women giving birth actually in the rubble, beside the road,” he said.
Court hearing on journalists’ access to Gaza

Separately on Thursday, Israel’s Supreme Court held a hearing into whether to open the Gaza Strip to the international media and gave the state 30 days to present a new position in light of the new situation under the ceasefire.

Israel has blocked reporters from entering Gaza since the war erupted on Oct 7, 2023.

The Foreign Press Association, which represents dozens of international news organizations including The Associated Press, had asked the court to order the government to open the border.

In a statement after Thursday’s decision, the FPA expressed its “disappointment” and called the Israeli government’s position to deny journalists access “unacceptable.”

The court rejected a request from the FPA early in the war, due to objections by the government on security grounds. The group filed a second request for access in September 2024. The government has repeatedly delayed the case.

Palestinian journalists have covered the two-year war for international media. But like all Palestinians, they have been subject to tough restrictions on movement and shortages of food, repeatedly displaced and operated under great danger. Some 200 Palestinian journalists have been killed by Israeli fire, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

“It is time for Israel to lift the closure and let us do our work alongside our Palestinian colleagues,” said Tania Kraemer, chairperson of the FPA.

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Lee reported from Washington. Josef Federman in Jerusalem and Farnoush Amiri in New York contributed to this report.

North Korea has stolen billions in cryptocurrency and tech firm salaries, report says.

Officials in Pyongyang orchestrated the clandestine work to finance research and development of nuclear arms, the authors of the 138-page report found. The review was published by the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team, a group that includes the U.S. and 10 allies and was set up last year to observe North Korea’s compliance with U.N. sanctions.

North Korea also has used cryptocurrency to launder money and make military purchases to evade international sanctions tied to its nuclear program, the report said. It detailed how hackers working for North Korea have targeted foreign businesses and organizations with malware designed to disrupt networks and steal sensitive data.

Despite its small size and isolation, North Korea has heavily invested in offensive cyber capabilities and now rivals China and Russia when it comes to the sophistication and capabilities of its hackers, posing a significant threat to foreign governments, businesses and individuals, the investigators concluded.

Unlike China, Russia and Iran, North Korea has focused much of its cyber capabilities to fund its government, using cyberattacks and fake workers to steal and defraud companies and organizations elsewhere in the world.

Aided in part by allies in Russia and China, North Korea’s cyber actions have “been directly linked to the destruction of physical computer equipment, endangerment of human lives, private citizens’ loss of assets and property, and funding for the DPRK’s unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs,” the report said, using the acronym for North Korea’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

The monitoring group is made up of the U.S., Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, South Korea and the United Kingdom. It was created last year after Russia vetoed a resolution directing a U.N. Security Council panel of experts to monitor Pyongyang’s activities. The team’s first report, issued in May, looked at North Korea’s military support for Russia.

Earlier this year, hackers linked to North Korea carried out one of the largest crypto heists ever, stealing $1.5 billion worth of ethereum from Bybit. The FBI later linked the theft to a group of hackers working for the North Korean intelligence service.

Federal authorities also have alleged that thousands of IT workers employed by U.S. companies were actually North Koreans using assumed identities to land remote work. The workers gained access to internal systems and funneled their salaries back to North Korea’s government. In some cases, the workers held several remote jobs at the same time.

A message left with North Korea’s mission to the U.N. was not immediately returned on Wednesday.

David Klepper, The Associated Press

U.S. strikes eighth alleged drug-carrying boat, this time in the Pacific Ocean.

The attack Tuesday night was a departure from the seven previous U.S. strikes that had targeted vessels in the Caribbean. Hegseth said on social media that the latest strike killed two people, bringing the death toll to at least 34 from attacks that began last month.

The strike represents an expansion of the military’s targeting area as well as a shift to the waters off South America where much of the cocaine from the world’s largest producers is smuggled. Hegseth’s post also draws a direct comparison between the war on terrorism that the U.S. declared after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and the Trump administration’s crackdown.

“Just as Al Qaeda waged war on our homeland, these cartels are waging war on our border and our people,” Hegseth said, adding “there will be no refuge or forgiveness -- only justice.”

Republican U.S. President Donald Trump has justified the strikes by asserting that the United States is engaged in an “armed conflict” with drug cartels and proclaiming the criminal organizations unlawful combatants, relying on the same legal authority used by President George W. Bush’s administration when it declared a war on terrorism.
Targeting a boat in a thoroughfare for cocaine smuggling

In a brief video Hegseth posted Wednesday, a small boat, half-filled with brown packages, is seen moving along the water. Several seconds into the video, the boat explodes and is seen floating motionless on the water in flames.

The U.S. military has built up an unusually large force in the Caribbean Sea and the waters off the coast of Venezuela since this summer, raising speculation that Trump could try to topple Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Maduro faces charges of narcoterrorism in the U.S.

In his posts on the strikes, Trump has repeatedly argued that illegal narcotics and the drug fentanyl carried by the vessels have been poisoning Americans.

While the bulk of American overdose deaths are from fentanyl, the drug is transported by land from Mexico. Venezuela is a major drug transit zone, but the eastern Pacific Ocean, not the Caribbean, is the primary area for smuggling cocaine.

Colombia and Peru, countries with coastlines on the eastern Pacific, are the world’s top cocaine producers. Wedged between them is Ecuador, whose world-class ports and myriad maritime shipping containers filled with bananas have become the perfect vehicle for drug traffickers to move their product.

The administration has sidestepped prosecuting any of the occupants of the alleged drug-running vessels after returning two survivors of an earlier strike to their home countries of Ecuador and Colombia.

Ecuadorian officials later said they released the man that was returned, saying that they had no evidence he committed a crime in their country.
Questions from Congress as strikes continue

Lawmakers from both political parties have expressed concerns about the military actions. But the Republican-controlled Senate recently voted down a Democratic-sponsored war powers resolution, mostly along party lines, that would have required the president to seek authorization from Congress before further military strikes.

Some Republicans have asked the White House for more clarification on its legal justification and specifics on how the strikes are conducted, while Democrats insist they are violations of U.S. and international law.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., has clashed with Vice President JD Vance about the strikes and said during a floor speech that “Congress must not allow the executive branch to become judge, jury and executioner.”

Rep. Adam Smith of Washington state, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, called this week for a hearing on the strikes after the commander overseeing the South American region abruptly announced his early retirement.

In a statement, Smith said he has “never seen such a staggering lack of transparency on behalf of an Administration and the Department to meaningfully inform Congress on the use of lethal military force.”

By Konstantin Toropin.

Associated Press writer Regina Garcia Cano in Caracas, Venezuela, contributed to this report.

South Korea says North Korea has fired a ballistic #missile toward the North’s eastern waters.

SEOUL — North Korea performed its first ballistic missile test in five months Wednesday, South Korea’s military said, days before U.S. President Donald Trump and other world leaders are to gather in rival South for a regional conference.

A brief statement from South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile was launched in an eastward direction but gave no further details such as how far the weapon flew.

North Korea usually test-launches missiles in the waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan, causing no damage in neighbouring countries. But the Joint Chiefs of Staff statement only said the latest missile landed in the waters.

The launch comes days before South Korea hosts the Asia-Pacific Economic Conference, an annual summit meant to promote economic integration and trade throughout the region. It has no military component. Trump was expected to come to Gyeongju ahead of the summit for bilateral meetings with world leaders including Chinese President Xi Jinping and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, but South Korean officials say Trump won’t likely attend the APEC’s main conference set for Oct. 30-Nov. 1.

Experts earlier said North Korea could launch provocative missile tests before or during the APEC summit to underscore its commitment to being recognized as a nuclear weapons state. Experts say Kim would need that status to call for the UN to lift punishing economic sanctions on it.

Wednesday’s ballistic missile launch is the first of its kind since North Korea on May 8 tested short-range systems that simulated nuclear counterstrikes against U.S. and South Korean forces. The latest launch was also the first missile test by North Korea since Lee took office in June with a promise to push to restore peace on the Korean Peninsula.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has been sharply accelerating the pace of weapons tests since since his high-stakes nuclear diplomacy with Trump fell apart in 2019 due to wrangling over U.S.-led economic sanctions on North Korea. But last month, Kim suggested he could return to talks if the U.S. drops its demand for a denuclearization of North Korea, after Trump repeatedly expressed his hopes for a new round of diplomacy.

Earlier this month, Kim displayed a new intercontinental ballistic missile at a massive military parade in Pyongyang, with top Chinese, Russian and other leaders present. The parade, which marked the 80th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers’ Party, highlighted Kim’s growing diplomatic footing and his relentless drive to build an arsenal that could strike the U.S. and its allies. Analysts say Kim would believe an expanded nuclear arsenal would increase his leverage in potential talks with the U.S.

North Korea’s state media said the Oct. 10 parade featured the Hwasong-20 ICBM, which it described as the country’s “most powerful nuclear strategic weapon system.” Observers said the ICBM is designed to carry multiple nuclear warheads to defeat U.S. missile defences and that North Korea could test-launch it in coming months.

Kim’s diplomatic credentials have been bolstered recently. He took centre stage with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin at a Beijing military parade last month. Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung have also repeatedly expressed hopes to meet Kim as he flaunts a provocative nuclear program.

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The Associated Press

Son charged after 80-year-old Oshawa man killed minutes after leaving local mosque: police.

A 42-year-old man from Oshawa has been charged with second-degree murder after allegedly killing his own father outside a local mosque, police say.

The incident happened on Oct. 16.

Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS) said they were called to a residential property near Mcgrigor Street and Simcoe Street South for unknown trouble at about 4:20 p.m. that day.

Police say officers found a male with obvious signs of trauma outside of a home near the mosque.

Life-saving measures were performed, but he was pronounced dead at the scene a short time later.

The victim has been identified as 80-year-old Ibrahim Bala, of Oshawa. He is Durham Region’s seventh homicide victim of the year.

Const. Nick Gluckstein, of DRPS, previously said they believe Bala left the Islamic Centre of Oshawa next door at around 2:30 p.m. and was killed sometime prior to 2:40 p.m.

The mosque said Bala was a “very dear community brother,” adding that they’re heartbroken by his tragic death.

The National Council of Canadian Muslims also released a statement about the homicide on Friday, describing him as a “prominent Muslim community member.”

On Monday, the Islamic Centre of Oshawa released a follow-up statement saying that it has received news of an arrest in this case and reiterating its commitment to helping the family during this difficult time.

“We truly appreciate the outpouring of support and compassion,” the the masjid said.

“Mental health does not discriminate based on religion, ethnicity, age, or gender. We strongly advocate for families to access available mental health resources to help ensure that a tragedy of this nature never happens again.”

U.S. begins sending nuke workers home as shutdown drags, The agency responsible for safeguarding the U.S. nuclear stockpile began placing most staff on enforced leave Monday, an official said, as yet another congressional vote to end the crippling government shutdown failed.

With the standoff about to enter its fourth week, some 1,400 workers at the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) were due to receive notices telling them they had been placed on unpaid furlough.

“Due to the Democrat shutdown, approximately 1,400 NNSA federal employees will be furloughed as of today, October 20th and nearly 400 NNSA federal employees will continue to work to support the protection of property and the safety of human life,” a U.S. Department of Energy spokesperson said in a statement.

The United States has an arsenal of 5,177 nuclear warheads, with about 1,770 deployed, according to the global security nonprofit Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.

The NNSA, which oversees 60,000 contractors, is responsible for designing, manufacturing, servicing and securing the weapons.

The U.S. Department of Energy did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but CNN reported that the furloughs will initially hit sites that assemble nuclear weapons, such as Pantex in Texas and Y-12 in Tennessee.

At 20 days, the United States is enduring its longest full government shutdown ever -- the third-longest if partial stoppages are included.

U.S. President Donald Trump has been ratcheting up pressure on Democrats to vote with his Republicans to reopen the government, with increasingly ominous threats to slash public services and ramp up mass layoffs.

“So we’re hoping the Democrats become much less deranged and that we will get the vote pretty soon. And I hear they’re starting to feel that way, too,” Trump said at the White House.

Kevin Hassett, director of the White House National Economic Council, told CNBC he expected the shutdown to end “some time this week” -- but he warned Democrats of “stronger measures... to bring them to the table” if it dragged on further.

A cargo aircraft skids off a Hong Kong runway into the sea, killing 2 people, The Emirates flight, arriving from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, was landing at Hong Kong International Airport around 3:50 a.m., according to Hong Kong’s airport authority.

Four crew members on the plane were rescued and taken to a hospital. Initial reports from police said two people in an airport ground vehicle were killed.

Emirates said the Boeing 747 freighter flying as EK9788 was wet leased and operated by Turkish cargo carrier Act Airlines. In wet leases, the company supplying the plane also provides the crew, maintenance and insurance. The airline said there was cargo on board.

Local Hong Kong broadcasters showed the aircraft partially submerged just off the edge of the airport’s sea wall. The aircraft’s front half and cockpit were visible above water but the tail end appearing to have broken off.

The crash occurred on the north runway of Hong Kong’s airport, one of Asia’s busiest. That runway remained closed, while the two other runways at the airport continue to operate.

Hong Kong’s Civil Aviation Department said in a statement it was following up with the airlines and other parties involved in the crash.

Chan Ho-him, The Associated Press

South Korea seeks to arrest dozens of online scam suspects repatriated from Cambodia.

Online scams, many based in Southeast Asian nations, have risen sharply since the COVID-19 pandemic and produced two sets of victims: the tens of thousands of people who have been forced to work as scammers under the threat of violence, and the targets of their fraud. Monitoring groups say online scams earn international criminal gangs billions of dollars annually.

State prosecutors have asked local courts to issue arrest warrants for 58 of the 64 returnees at the request of police, the Korean National Police Agency said in a statement. Police said the people they are seeking to place under arrest are accused of engaging in online fraud activities like romantic scams, bogus investment pitches or voice phishing, apparently targeting fellow South Koreans at home. The courts are expected to determine whether to approve their arrests in coming days.

The police agency said that five people have been set free, but it refused to disclose the reasons for their releases, saying investigations are still under way.

South Korean police said that four of the 64 returnees told investigators that they were beaten while being held in scam centers in Cambodia against their will.

South Korea faces public calls to take stronger action to protect its nationals from being forced into overseas online scam centers, after one of its nationals was found dead in Cambodia in August. He was reportedly lured by a friend to travel to Cambodia to provide his bank account to be used by a scam organization. Authorities in Cambodia said the 22-year-old university student was tortured.

Estimates from the U.N. and other international agencies say that at least 100,000 people have been trafficked to scam centers in Cambodia, with a similar number in Myanmar and tens of thousands more in other countries.

Officials in Seoul estimate that some 1,000 South Koreans are in scam centers in Cambodia, and last week, South Korean authorities imposed a travel ban on parts of Cambodia and sent a government delegation to Cambodia to discuss joint steps.

Online scam centers were previously concentrated in Southeast Asian countries including Cambodia and Myanmar, with most of the trafficked and other workers coming from Asia. But an Interpol report in June said the past three years have seen victims trafficked to Southeast Asia from distant regions including South America, Western Europe and Eastern Africa and that new centers have been reported in the Middle East, West Africa and Central America.

Hyung-jin Kim, The Associated Press