Blast

The South Korean military and the United Nations Command have opened an investigation into an explosion in the Demilitarized Zone separating North and South Korea. The joint probe aims to determine the cause of the blast in one of the world's most heavily fortified border areas, where any incident carries heightened security and diplomatic sensitivity.

Pope Leo condemned assisted dying as 'false compassion' during a visit to Lourdes, the French shrine famed for reported miraculous cures. Speaking at the pilgrimage site, he contrasted the shrine's tradition of healing with moves to legalise euthanasia, arguing that ending life is not genuine care for the sick. The remarks come as several European countries debate expanding assisted dying laws.

Researchers bombarded water with light roughly 10 billion times brighter than natural sunlight, expecting faster evaporation, but the water failed to evaporate any more quickly. The surprising result challenges assumptions about how light drives evaporation and could reshape understanding of processes relevant to climate science, desalination and industrial drying technologies.

A nor'easter is continuing to hammer Monmouth and Ocean counties in New Jersey, with the storm bringing strong winds, heavy precipitation and coastal impacts to the area. Local outlets are tracking ongoing disruptions for residents as the weather system lingers over the region.