South Wales Village Overrun by Mystery Plague of Flies

Residents of Bettws, a village near Bridgend in South Wales, are grappling with a severe infestation of flies that has disrupted daily life and left many considering leaving their homes. The unexpected plague of common houseflies has forced villagers to cancel visits and even contemplate temporary relocations as the swarm overwhelms their homes.

Locals describe the situation as unbearable, with thousands of flies invading their properties. Hayley Laaser, a lifelong resident, shared her frustration: “We’ve tried everything—nets, sticky strips, keeping windows closed—but nothing works. The flies are everywhere, and it’s affecting our mental health.”

Environmental health officers from Bridgend County Borough Council have been dispatched to investigate the source of the infestation. Council member Martyn Jones has urged residents to refrain from speculating on social media, assuring them that appropriate action will be taken once the cause is identified.

In the meantime, the council has offered tips for managing the fly invasion, including keeping food covered, cleaning spillages, and using zappers or environmentally friendly traps. Local businesses, like the Oddfellows Arms pub, have also been impacted, with owner Melanie Simons halting food service due to the relentless presence of flies.

As villagers wait for a solution, some are exploring options to temporarily escape the swarm, hoping for a swift resolution to what has become a public health concern.

Israeli Drone Strike Kills One, Injures 10 in Southern Lebanon

An Israeli drone fired multiple missiles on Tuesday, targeting a residential flat in a five-story building in Nabatieh, southern Lebanon. The Lebanese Health Ministry reported that eight people were injured in the attack.

The identities of those inside the building remain unclear, and it has yet to be determined whether any Hezbollah members were present at the time.

In a separate incident earlier that day, an Israeli drone assassinated a Hezbollah fighter, Mohammad Qassem al-Shaer, while he was riding a motorbike on the Bab Mareaa-Saghbine road in Western Bekaa. The attack also left two passersby injured.

The Israeli army confirmed the strike, stating that al-Shaer, a commander in Hezbollah’s Radwan Force, was “eliminated” in the Qaraoun area. Following the assassination, Israeli artillery shelled Sawaneh and Aita al-Shaab.

These events occurred against the backdrop of ongoing clashes between the Israeli army and Hezbollah since the war between Israel and Hamas erupted in Gaza last October. The conflict has resulted in numerous casualties, mostly among Hezbollah fighters, who have declared their support for Hamas.

South Korean Youth Increasingly Reluctant to Marry Amid Economic Struggles in 2022

The reluctance of South Korean young people to marry intensified in 2022, according to data released by Statistics Korea on Tuesday. Among those aged 25-39, only 33.7 percent were married, a 2.4 percentage point decline from the previous year and significantly lower than the 38.5 percent recorded in 2020.

The data revealed a stark gender gap, with 40.4 percent of young women in this age group being married, compared to only 27.5 percent of men. The growing hesitation toward marriage and family formation is attributed to economic pressures, including high housing costs, persistent unemployment, and rising education expenses.

Additionally, the percentage of young married couples with children also fell, dropping to 74.7 percent in 2022, compared to 75.6 percent in 2021 and 76.6 percent in 2020. Meanwhile, the proportion of unmarried individuals aged 25-39 living with their parents was 50.6 percent, down 1.3 percentage points from the previous year.