Couple returns from work to discover koala in their bedroom
An Australian couple met an unexpected guest when they returned home from work – a koala bear waiting patiently in their bedroom.
Fran Dias Rufino, who moved to Australia from Brazil, and her husband Brunno Rufino, reached home around 12.30am on 13 November and found an adult koala bear sitting on the floor next to their bed.
In a video she shared on her social media, the koala can be seen looking at the couple for a few seconds before climbing onto a bedside table.
“Only in Australia. We came from work now and we just found a koala in my bedroom,” she wrote in her post. “I was so nervous that I forgot my English.”
“I was nervous and worried about how we would manage him to go out,” Ms Rufino told CNN.
“His face is like, ‘Why are you so dramatic?’” said one comment on her Instagram video. “I prefer a cute koala than a spider or something like this,” wrote another.
In a video she posted later, she explained that the koala eventually ran outside the house through an open door after her husband used a sweater to lure it away.
Responding to questions in further videos, she said that it was likely the koala had entered through an unlatched pet door, and that koalas had been seen on top of eucalyptus trees in her neighbourhood before.
Many questioned Ms Rufino’s caption where she described the koala bear as being “aggressive”. She said in a comment that the koala had tried to bite them.
Koalas are critically endangered marsupials native to Australia and only about 100,000 to 250,000 are left now, according to the country’s National Koala Monitoring Programme. They face threats such as dog attacks, diseases like Chlamydia, wildfires, habitat loss, and fragmentation.
The area where the Ruffinos live in south Australia have relatively stable numbers for the koala population, according to CNN.
A recent study found that a 50km stretch of the Peak Downs Highway is a “roadkill hotspot” for koalas with nearly 150 of the endangered marsupials killed in just one year. About 145 healthy koalas were struck and killed along this stretch in 2023 compared to an average of 350 elsewhere in Australia due to road accidents every year, researchers from the Central Queensland University found.
American tourist arrested for ‘defacing Tokyo’s iconic shrine’
An American tourist was arrested in Japan for allegedly defacing a traditional wooden gate at a famous Tokyo shrine by etching letters on it, police said on Thursday.
Steve Hayes, a 65-year-old American, was holidaying in Japan with his family and arrived in the country on Monday. He visited one of Tokyo’s most famous shrines, Meiji Jingu, and allegedly defaced one of its gate’s pillars as a prank by using his fingernails to scratch the surface, reported AFP.
The American tourist is suspected of carving five letters of the Latin alphabet in a space measuring roughly 5cm by 6cm on the pillar on Tuesday morning.
Mr Hayes was arrested on Wednesday “on suspicion of damaging property” at the shrine complex, a police spokeswoman said.
The arrest comes at a time Japan is facing a surge in unruly tourists visiting the country post the Covid-19 pandemic.
Last month, a Chilean influencer posted a clip of doing pull-up exercises on a red gate at a different Japanese shrine, sparking online backlash for “disrespecting” the holy spot.
The influencer, with more than 139,000 followers on Instagram, later apologised in a video and said it “was not my intention to show disrespect”.
Japan is witnessing an unprecedented surge in the number of tourists visiting the east Asian country. The country has said it wants to welcome 60 million tourists a year in the next five-six years, doubling its own record from 2019, before the pandemic torpedoed its tourism economy.
Earlier this year, Japan set a record high for monthly tourists in June, as its weak yen fuelled a tourism boom that is becoming a key driver for the economy.
While traveller spending has been a boon for the economy, the masses of people at visitor hot spots has rankled some locals and prompted concerns among policymakers.
In July, authorities imposed admission fees and hiker limits on sacred Mt Fuji amid concerns of crowded trails and increased littering.
The mayor of Himeji in western Japan also suggested charging foreigners about six times the rate residents pay to enter the city’s famous samurai-era castle.
In another episode of unruly tourism, tourists eager to see Japan’s Mount Fuji were seen poking holes in a new barrier designed to prevent bad behaviour at a popular panoramic spot.
The installation of a black mesh screen in Fujikawaguchiko was completed and was carried out by officials in Yamanashi prefecture after locals became increasingly frustrated with the influx of foreign visitors who were littering, trespassing and breaking traffic rules in a bid to capture social media worthy perfect photos.
New Zealand may start charging visitors to iconic tourist sites
New Zealand is considering charging visitors to some of the country’s most iconic destinations in an effort to conserve them.
The government is seeking feedback on charging both domestic and foreign visitors to five iconic tourist sites, which collectively receive 2.6 million people a year.
The conservation minister called it the biggest potential change in conservation in over three decades.
“We’re also consulting on a proposal to introduce access charges for some public conservation areas,” Tama Potaka said. “Access fees are widely used internationally to help maintain popular sites sustainably.”
According to two discussion documents released on Friday, the government plans to charge each New Zealander $20 and each foreigner $30 access fee for Cathedral Cove, Tongariro Alpine Crossing, Franz Josef Glacier, Milford Sound, and Aoraki Mount Cook National Park.
The fees are expected to bring in about $71m a year. Charging only international visitors will yield about half that.
“New Zealand’s ecosystems are declining and nearly 4,000 native species are either at risk or threatened with extinction,” one of the documents states.
The Department of Conservation “is only just ‘holding the line’ at present and cannot do this everywhere”, it adds about the access fees.
Many countries such as the US, UK, Japan, and Australia charge access fees to control the number of visitors to tourist sites and raise revenue, the department points out.
The government will also discuss “modernising” the management of conservation land.
The proposal has drawn criticism from Forest and Bird, an independent conservation organisation, which said connecting to nature is part of being a Kiwi.
“Connection to te Taiao is a fundamental part of being a New Zealander. All New Zealanders should be guaranteed the ability to connect with our natural environment regardless of how much money they earn,” it said.
Mr Potaka said he did not hold “a firm view” on whether New Zealanders have an inalienable right to free access to public conservation land.
“I think the average Kiwi, in certain specific places, would be up for that discussion because the average Kiwi recognises that looking after those iconic places does not come cost-free,” he said.
Usagi weakens over Philippines but Taiwan braces for severe weather
Typhoon Usagi weakened over the Philippines on Thursday afternoon but was still expected to bring damaging winds to parts of Taiwan early Friday morning.
Packing sustained winds of 132mph, the typhoon could uproot small trees and tear off roof shingles, forecasters said. Heavy rains accompanying the storm were likely to result in flash flooding in low-lying and inland areas, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Centre.
Usagi, named Ofel in the Philippines, continued its west-northwest track across the Philippine Sea early on Wednesday, moving towards Luzon. As of 11am local time on Wednesday, the centre of the storm was located nearly 722km east of the capital city, Manila.
It was forecast to approach the Cagayan province on Thursday afternoon before making landfall on the Camiguin Island later in the day.
The storm was expected to move close to the Batanes province early on Friday, shift northeastward, weaken to a tropical storm and approach Pingtung county in Taiwan by the afternoon.
The storm could then move towards Japan’s Miyako Islands in Okinawa Prefecture late on Saturday, forecasters said, and weaken further to a tropical depression by early Monday.
Philippine authorities evacuated people in Cordillera, Ilocos and Cagayan valley regions even as much of the northern and central parts of the country were still recovering from devastation caused by recent storms Trami, Kong-rey, Yinxing and Toraji.
The Philippines, Japan, Taiwan, and even US territories like Guam are frequently battered by storms during the typhoon season from July to mid-December.
Severe weather could cause disruptions in business operations, transportation and utilities in the affected regions, authorities warned, with some roads and bridges potentially becoming impassable.
Regional airports could experience flight delays or cancellations and ports might face temporary closures.
In a rare occurrence, four storms have been simultaneously active in the Western Pacific Ocean this month. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, this is the first time since records began in 1951 that so many storms have been present in the Pacific basin during November.
Bangladesh recovers thousands of guns looted during revolution
Bangladesh‘s army has recovered 6,000 guns that were stolen during the student-led bloody revolution in August that forced prime minister Sheikh Hasina to resign and flee the nation.
The army on Wednesday said it arrested 2,500 people for allegedly looting thousands of weapons during the deadly protests and in the aftermath of unrest.
Intekhab Haider Khan, the Colonel Staff of the Directorate of Military Operation, said 6,000 weapons were recovered along with 200,000 rounds of ammunition. The operation to recover illegally held firearms was still ongoing, he told reporters.
The Bangladesh army in September had recovered 3,700 weapons of different varieties during an amnesty to surrender guns.
The military was given magistracy powers on 17 September to address instability across the country in the days following the month-long unrest.
The interim government headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus said more than 1,000 people were killed in the violent agitation in capital Dhaka. The death toll included children, law enforcement agents and journalists.
Police in Bangladesh were accused of using lethal force to contain the protests before stepping back in the wake of the prime minister’s minister.
“More than 400 students and members of the general public have lost their sight,” said Nurjahan Behun, the health adviser in the interim government.
Colonel Intekhab on Wednesday said the military has managed to control over 700 violent incidents, which included 141 instances in educational institutions, 86 in government offices, and 98 political conflicts. “In most cases, our timely measurers had helped prevent many unpleasant situations including losses of life and properties,” he told reporters.
He said more than 700 drug dealers or people associated with drug trading have been arrested and large quantities of banned substances have been recovered.
The army is “highly conscious” of upholding human rights and preventing “extrajudicial killings was a top priority” under orders from the government, he added.
Bangladesh’s interim government last week said it would request Interpol to bring back the ousted prime minister from India to face trial for “crime against humanity”.
“Those responsible for the indiscriminate killings during the mass uprising in July and August will be brought back from wherever they have taken refuge”, law advisor Asif Nazrul said on Sunday.
Song Jae-lim death: South Korean actor dies, aged 39
South Korean actor Song Jae-lim has died, aged 39.
The actor, who is also known as Song Jae-rim, was found dead in his home in the Seongdong Ward in Seoul at midday on Tuesday (12 November). He was due to meet a friend for lunch when his body was discovered, according to Korean media.
Police are not treating the death as suspicious, and a note was found at the scene according to Variety.
The K-Drama star first rose to fame for his role as a loyal warrior in Moon Embracing the Sun, a fantasy drama about a mediaeval King and a female shaman who fall in love.
He made his debut in the 2009 film Actresses. He gained further popularity after appearing on the reality show We Got Married in 2014.
The actor’s family have told media that they would hold a small and private funeral for the star on Thursday (14 November). The event took place at the Yeouido St. Mary’s Funeral Hall.
Jae-lim began his career as a runway model, appearing in national magazines including Vogue Girl Korea, Dazed Korea, Nylon Korea, GQ Korea, and Marie Claire Korea.
Tributes from the Korean entertainment industry poured in as his co-stars and other celebrities paid tribute to the star.
Actor Yoo Sun, who co-starred with Jae-lim in the drama Our Gap Soon in 2016, shared a photo of them together on Wednesday (13 November), writing: “It’s too sad, it hurts so much… May you find peace and rest.”
Please Take Care of My Refrigerator actor Hong Seok-cheon also posted a tribute, sharing a smiling photo of Jae-rim and writing, “I mourn that I’ll never see that wonderful smile again. It hurts me to let you go without a proper goodbye. I’m so sorry.”
Fellow actor Kim Min-kyu, said she had spoken with the star only a month ago. He recalled their last conversation as he said that the actor seemed upbeat about his future projects.
“You told me about your ongoing performances with such a bright voice… Why…?” he said.
An official confirmation for the cause of Jae-lim’s death is yet to be announced.
Hong Kong closes schools as Typhoon Toraji triggers warning
Hong Kong shut down schools and some businesses after authorities raised the third-highest typhoon warning for Tropical Storm Toraji which passed about 150km south of the city.
Toraji is expected to weaken and move away on Thursday, with winds gradually moderating throughout the day, allowing the warning signal to be lowered to 3 by 10.20am local time.
This is the second time the Hong Kong Observatory issued a T8 alert this year, following Super Typhoon Yagi, which passed south of the city in September. Typhoon Signal 8 (T8) indicates that gale or storm-force winds are currently impacting or are expected to impact the city.
“In the past few hours, Tropical Storm Toraji adopted a more northerly track towards the coast of Guangdong,” the government forecaster said on Wednesday evening. “With Toraji edging closer to the Pearl River Estuary, local winds will strengthen further.”
“It is expected that Toraji will skirt within around 200km (125 miles) to the south of the territory [Thursday] morning,” the Hong Kong Observatory said in a statement.
Hongkongers with long or challenging commutes, as well as those residing on outlying islands, were advised to start heading home on Wednesday. Evening school classes were also cancelled on Wednesday, and the city’s education bureau announced that schools would stay closed on Thursday.
Public transport routes were also disrupted.
However, the education bureau said on Thursday morning that classes of afternoon primary and secondary schools will resume today.
People in Hong Kong were advised to avoid the shoreline and refrain from water sporting activities. Authorities have stepped up efforts this year to crack down on surfing during bad weather, with two people “found to have committed the acts of illegal surfing during hoisting of red flags” at Big Wave Bay Beach on 25 October this year.
Toraji was one of three storms in the region on Wednesday. Although Hong Kong’s typhoon season runs from May to November, the peak period is July to September.
Experts warn that climate change could lead to more frequent and severe typhoons. Due to the warming seas, these tropical cyclones are becoming more intense and destructive, experts note.
In November this year, four tropical cyclones simultaneously formed in the western North Pacific and the South China Sea – a phenomenon reportedly not seen since record-keeping began in 1961.
On Thursday morning, it was reported that Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing continued operating during the storm, marking the first time it stayed open under new rules that allow trading during typhoons and heavy rains since their introduction on 23 September.
Meanwhile, Chris Au Young from the Airport Authority, noted that airport operations should remain mostly unaffected throughout the day.
“According to the Civil Aviation Department’s assessment, runway operations today are expected to be normal,” he said.
However, he advised tourists to check with their airlines before going to the airport.
Flights resume to Bali after cancellation due to huge volcanic ash
Limited flight services resumed in Bali on Thursday after several airlines cancelled their flights to the popular holiday destination due to a volcanic eruption nearby.
Around 83 international routes, mostly from Australia and Southeast Asia, were cancelled on Wednesday after Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki on the Indonesian island of Flores, located about 500km east of Bali, spewed a 9km tower of ash.
At least 10 people have died and about 15,000 evacuated since the volcano began erupting last week.
Thousands of passengers were stranded on Wednesday after nearly a dozen airlines grounded all flights scheduled to reach and depart from the Denpasar Airport in Bali.
On Thursday, Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Australia resumed some of their services from Bali to Australia, noting “improved” conditions.
Jetstar will operate six flights, while the Qantas group will operate one scheduled flight and two delayed flights from yesterday.
“We will continue to contact guests whose flights have been cancelled to accommodate them on recovery flights in the coming days,” a Virgin Australia spokesperson told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Jetstar said six flights will depart for Bali on Thursday, including two “ad-hoc flights” to clear the backlog. “We will continue to monitor the changing conditions and volcanic activity and work on plans to operate more recovery flights…,” the airline said in a statement.
The Qantas group said three aircraft will depart for Bali from Australia and passengers impacted by the cancellation on 12 and 13 November will be given rebooking options.
Ahmad Syaugi Shahab, the general manager of Bali’s Ngurah Rai airport, said 26 domestic flights and 64 overseas ones were cancelled on Wednesday alone. That included flights from Singapore, Hong Kong, Qatar, India, and Malaysia, some of which resumed on Thursday.
All flights to and from the island of Lombok in the West Nusa Tenggara province, another popular destination for tourists in Indonesia, were cancelled on Wednesday as well.
Air New Zealand said it cancelled a flight to Denpasar scheduled for Wednesday and a return service to Auckland for Thursday. It said the passengers would be given the option to rebook while it monitors the movement of ash in the coming days.
Two of the Korean Air flights were forced to return on Wednesday because of the volcanic ash.
Bali’s airport on Thursday morning recorded another 32 international flight cancellations while 180 international flights were scheduled, Mr Shahab told AFP. “We hope affected airline passengers can resume their travel on Thursday,” he added.
The volcano erupted again overnight into Thursday morning, spewing thick ash column as lava poured from its crater.
The 1,584m volcano on the remote island of Flores has shot billowing columns of ash dozens of times since last Thursday, said Hadi Wijaya, the head of the Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation.
While visiting the devastated areas, officials found craters where rocks fell during eruptions, up to 13m wide and 5m deep, in several places including a destroyed school.
Lewotobi Laki Laki is one of a pair of stratovolcanoes in the East Nusa Tenggara province, known locally as the husband-and-wife mountains. “Laki laki” means man, while its mate is Lewotobi Perempuan, or woman.
Lewotobi Laki Laki is one of the 120 active volcanoes in Indonesia, an archipelago of 280 million people. The country is prone to earthquakes, landslides and volcanic activity because it sits along the “Ring of Fire,” a horseshoe-shaped series of seismic fault lines around the Pacific Ocean.