Typhoon kills 4

    TATTERED lanterns, festive lights and tin roofs littered towns in the central Philippines yesterday after Typhoon Melor swept through, killing at least four people and leaving millions without power ahead of Christmas.

    Distraught survivors surveyed their damaged homes on the eve of the traditional nine-day Christmas vigil that Filipinos observe with dawn masses and rice cakes.

    Christmas is the most celebrated holiday in the Philippines, where 80 percent of its 100 million people are Catholic, and decorations such as colorful lights and lanterns have already been put up in most towns.

    Thai king appears

    THAILAND’S revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej made a rare public appearance Monday after failing to show up for nationwide celebrations marking his birthday earlier this month.

    Local television showed footage of the monarch, who turned 88 on Dec. 5, swearing in dozens of judges at a reception room in a Bangkok hospital where he has been convalescing.

    The king was last seen in public on Sept. 1 and did not make an appearance on his birthday — the second year running he missed the celebrations he would usually take part in.

    EU visa response

    DIPLOMATS from the 28-member European Union on Monday warned they could respond in kind if the United States makes good on plans to end visa-free entry for some EU nationals.

    After the Nov. 13 terror strikes in Paris and as part of wider anti-terror efforts, the U.S. House of Representatives voted last week in support of the Visa Waiver Program Improvement Act of 2015, a measure the White House supports.