Philippines Economic Updates - World Bank Group

Billionaire Tesla CEO Elon Musk is once again pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into a US election - this time with the aim of helping Republicans maintain their control of Congress. Musk donated upwards of $200m (£150m) in the quarter that ended on 30 September, according to Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings reviewed by the BBC. The fillings were released with just over two weeks until the 2026 midterm election, where many races for the House of Representatives and Senate are close and Republicans risk losing their majorities in both the House of Representatives and Senate. Musk also put significant money, $290m, and effort into helping elect President Donald Trump and other Republicans in 2024. Here is where the richest person in the world has been donating this time around, and what it might mean for his businesses. Most of the donations went to one groupThe bulk of the money donated last quarter by the world's only trillionaire, $158m, went to the Senate Leadership Fund (SLF) Pac, the filings showed. It is one of the largest publicly known single political donations in US history, and some have suggested it is the biggest ever.

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Montrealers took to the streets Saturday to stand in solidarity with high school students in France who protesters say are facing “detestable” conditions. Since mid-September, high school students in France have taken to the streets calling for education reform, saying conditions in their schools deteriorated dramatically following the summer break. They say schools are under-resourced and they are experiencing a shortage of staff. “Nobody should have to work this hard to do what they want to do in life and students in France, all they want to do is learn,” Amara Grant, a young Montrealer, told Global News at the protest at Phillips Square Saturday. The movement has since grown to protest the high cost of living and critique the social welfare funding. Similar protests have sprung up across Europe, including in Greece, Belgium and Albania. Story continues below advertisement

AtlanticNova ScotiaNew BrunswickPrince Edward Island Newfoundland and LabradorCalgaryLethbridgeKitchenerGuelphNorthern OntarioSudburyNorth BaySault Ste. MarieTimminsOttawaKingstonBrockvillePembrokeReginaYorktonSaskatoonPrince AlbertTorontoWatchWeatherPeelHamiltonDurhamYorkHaltonNiagaraQueen's ParkToronto City HallIn PicturesVancouverVancouver IslandCanadaLocal SpotlightRoyal FamilyPoliticsNanosPower PlayQuestion PeriodFederal Election 2025WorldMideast ConflictRussia-Ukraine WarWatchLatestCaptured on CameraPoliticsLifestyleConsumerHealthExplainedEntertainmentTechnologyDeception DecodedAutosEnvironmentBusinessInflationReal EstateAutos

(Screengrab from footage shared on social media)Apple's iPhone 18 smartphones are being advertised in Tehran at unusually low prices as “war booty”, with sellers claiming the devices were recovered from a cargo ship that sank near the Strait of Hormuz, Iran International reported on Saturday. The advertisements surfaced after a container ship reportedly sank near the strategic waterway on October 13. Videos circulating on social media purportedly showed shipping containers floating in the sea, with iPhones and expensive perfumes scattered in the water as people aboard small boats collected the goods. According to a report by Ynet News, footage circulated by media outlets across the Arab world on Thursday evening showed people retrieving objects from the water. One boat appeared to be carrying boxes of iPhones, with one report claiming that the devices were Apple's latest iPhone 18 models. The identities of those seen collecting the goods remain unclear. There has been no official confirmation of the incident. Iran's cyber police have warned prospective buyers against paying deposits or advance fees before inspecting the products and verifying sellers' identities.