RT Ask Rio Times 17 years of Latin America reporting, on demand. Answers are generated from Rio Times reporting only — every claim links to its source article. Open the full Ask Rio Times → RTAsk Rio TimesCost of living, safety, visas across Latin America› SOUTH SUDAN · ELECTION GUIDE Key Facts —Polling day South Sudan votes on Tuesday 22 December 2026 in its first national election since independence in 2011. —Where Voting is nationwide, across 10 states and three administrative areas, with the capital Juba as the hub for embassies and flights. —Who runs it The National Elections Commission, led by Chairperson Gabriel Bol Deng since mid-September 2026. —Registration No voter has been registered yet, and the commission has not announced a start date for the paper-based register. —Entry A visa is required before arrival, proof of yellow fever vaccination is required, and US passports pay US$160 at the embassy in Washington. —US advice The State Department rates South Sudan Level 4, Do Not Travel, and says emergency help for Americans is limited. —Still …

The links to the alleged list of areas covered by the supposed nationwide program lead to a third-party blog site to trick social media users into typing in sensitive personal information Claim: All national ID holders, including non-Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries, are eligible to receive a cash aid and rice subsidy starting October 20. Rating: FALSE Why we fact-checked this: The claim was posted by Facebook page Ph News Alert 24 on October 19. The page currently has over 26,000 followers. As of writing, the video containing the claim has amassed over 42,400 reactions, 11,600 comments, 9,000 shares, and 3.2 million views. The video shows a host of a supposed news organization detailing the registration process for the program. Graphics on the video also show October 20, 22, 29, and 30 as the supposed payout dates. “Lahat ng may national ID ay merong makukuhang P5,000 at rice subsidy. Lahat ng Filipino… Ang registration form ay makikita dito sa aming post at comment section. Kapag nakapag-register ka na, i-comment ang pangalan ng mayor niyo …

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 20 — The government is refining proposals to improve the National Haze Action Plan, particularly regarding school closure directives and the Ministry of Education’s (MOE) early preparations to ensure learning can continue if schools are forced to close. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, via a Facebook post yesterday, said the health of children remains the government’s top priority while ensuring their education is not disrupted. He said the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma), the Department of Environment, and the Malaysian Meteorological Department will refine these proposals together with the MOE and the Ministry of Health (MOH). “I also emphasised that allocation requirements for cloud seeding operations will be fulfilled to reduce the haze. These operations are currently being carried out almost daily, depending on suitable cloud conditions,” he said in the post. Earlier, the Prime Minister chaired a National Disaster Management Council meeting, which discussed in detail the current and concerning haze situation as well as its impact on public health, especially school going children. Anwar said the meeting was also …

South Korea’s decade-old debate over female conscription resurfaced during a National Assembly audit this month, amid growing concerns that a shrinking draft-eligible population could undermine military readiness. During a National Assembly defense committee audit on Oct. 12, opposition lawmakers raised the issue, arguing that the time has come for a public discussion as the eligible male population continues to fall. Defense ministry data shows the pool of 20-year-old men eligible for service dropped from 332,000 in 2019 to 257,000 in 2022, and is projected to fall further to 228,000 by 2035 and 120,000 by 2043. Rep. Yoo Yeong-ha of the main opposition People Power Party said, “Now, we must officially put female conscription on the table. This will also require broad societal consensus.” Rep. Chun Ha-ram of the Reform Party used the term “gender-equal conscription” — meaning mandatory service for both men and women — to call for a broader discussion on reforming the system. “If we continue wringing a dry towel without even considering gender-equal conscription as an option, I question whether that is …

PARIS  – Smashing shop windows and snatching boxes of goods, migrant looters poured into stores across the French capital on Saturday, facing no resistance from authorities as nationwide protests degenerated into violence. Crowds of masked men wearing black hoodies yanked at metal store shutters until they gave way, clearing shelves of cigarettes, sunglasses, clothes, jewellery and food. The violence erupted as hundreds of thousands of demonstrators gathered across the country to denounce the cost of living, following weeks of student protests and stoking political uncertainty six months before France’s presidential election. AFP journalists saw looters emerging from a supermarket carrying bags stuffed with cakes, fruit juice and alcohol. From a small jewellery shop across the street, they took antique clocks. On a street corner, entire display racks of sunglasses vanished. Inside the shops, they searched for the cash register, smashing it onto the floor, sometimes only to discover it was empty. Perched on a pavement terrace with a colleague, a 38-year-old art teacher who gave her name as Alma said she had “never seen anything …

• Petroleum Division flags irregular lifting of imported LPG from terminals • Ogra asked to ensure supplies at notified prices, particularly in remote areas ISLAMABAD: The government has taken notice of the alleged hoarding of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to create an artificial shortage ahead of winter and directed all relevant federal and provincial agencies to take coordinated action. Consequently, the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) is also reported to have directed provincial governments and federal authorities concerned with port operations and clearance to take swift corrective measures. The action followed reports that LPG was being sold in the market at almost 50 per cent higher rates (Rs5,000 per 11.8kg domestic cylinder) than the Rs3,296 notified by Ogra. “It has been reported through various sources that, although LPG importers are importing LPG as per indigenous LPG demand, the imported volumes do not appear to be regularly lifted from LPG import terminals, raising concerns regarding possible hoarding and the creation of an artificial shortage in the domestic market,” according to a Petroleum Division letter to …