World

Kim Yong Nam, the former ceremonial head of North Korea for over two decades, has died at the age of 97, state media reported on Tuesday. State broadcaster Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that the former diplomat died of multiple organ failure on Monday. Kim Jong Un visited his remains "to express deep condolences over his death," it said. The country will hold a state funeral for him on Thursday. He was known for his diplomacy, reverence to the Kim family and his trademark propaganda speeches. Who was Kim Yong Nam? Born in 1928, Kim Yong Nam served in key foreign ministry positions. He played a vital role in shaping North Korea's diplomatic approach under the nation's founder Kim Il Sung. He went on to serve as the president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assemb...

The Latvian Parliament on Thursday voted to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention, an international treaty aimed at supporting women who are victims of violence. The tally from the ballot was 56 to withdraw from the treaty, 32 to remain, and two abstentions. Is the vote set in stone? The vote, which came after a 13-hour session of intense debate, would make Latvia the first European Union member state to quit the Istanbul Convention, which the very same parliament ratified in November 2024. The motion must now be signed by Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics, who has indicated he is not in favor. He has, however, also hinted that he might not subvert a parliamentary decision. The Council of Europe treaty came into force in Latvia last year and is intended to standardize support for wom...

Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed Thursday to extend a ceasefire following peace talks in Istanbul, after their deadliest border clashes in years. A follow-up round of negotiations will be held in Istanbul next week, Turkey's Foreign Ministry said. According to the ministry, both sides would meet again on November 6 to finalize a monitoring mechanism to "ensure maintenance of peace and imposing penalty on the violating party." The peace talks, mediated by Turkey and Qatar, had faltered earlier this week, with the Afghan state media blaming the "unreasonable demands of the Pakistani side." Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed the talks had concluded and said Afghanistan sought "good relations with Pakistan based on mutual respect and non-interference." The Pakistan government h...

Taking center stage at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders' summit in South Korea on Friday, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for protection of the multilateral trading system and deeper economic cooperation. "Changes unseen in a century are accelerating across the world," Xi told leaders assembled in the South Korean city of Gyeongju. "The rougher the seas, the more we must pull together," Xi said, seeking to present China as a defender of global free trade amid protectionist policies pushed by the US. Earlier this month, Xi threatened to choke off rare earth exports, which are a critical component of high-tech items like smartphones. In South Korea, however, Xi told the summit that countries should should adhere to the principle of "extending, rather than breaking"...

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh signed an major defense agreement at an ASEAN summit in Malaysia on Friday, as the two countries work on repairing recently frayed ties. Both Hegseth and Singh praised the accord, titled "Framework for the US-India Major Defense Partnership," which is set to last for a decade. In an online post Hegseth described it as "a cornerstone for regional stability and deterrence." The agreement would help deepen coordination, intelligence sharing and technology collaboration between the two countries, he said. "It's a significant step for our two militaries, a roadmap for deeper and even more meaningful collaboration ahead," Hegseth told reporters after the signing. In turn, India's Singh lauded the "fruitful meeting...

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will nominate US President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters. Takaichi met Trump in Tokyo on Tuesday, where the two discussed economic and security issues. "In such a short period of time the world started to enjoy more peace," Takaichi told reporters through an interpreter. "I myself was so impressed and inspired by you Mr. President." Trump and the Nobel Peace Prize Since his return to power in January, Trump has been increasingly focused on the Nobel Peace Prize. He has claimed to have ended several conflicts around the world. Experts, however, contest his claims. Many world leaders and lawmakers are adopting a new tactic to stay in Trump's good graces — praising his peace effo...

The man accused of killing former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pleaded guilty on Tuesday, three years after the broad daylight assassination. Tetsuya Y., 45, admitted in court to fatally shooting Abe with a homemade gun during a 2022 campaign speech. "Everything is true," he said in court. He faces charges of murder and violating Japan's firearms laws. Shooter targeted Abe over ties to Unification Church Abe was shot with a homemade gun while holding a rally near a train station in the western city of Nara on July 8, 2022. The Japanese branch of the Unification Church said Abe, while not a member, had supported the church in promoting peaceImage: Kim Kyung-Hoon/REUTERS Tetsuya Y. was arrested directly after the shooting. He told the police he targeted Abe over his ties to the...

"Three countries, two lakes, one destination," says Greek environmentalist Mirsini Malakou, who has worked toward this vision in the Balkans for 30 years. Malakou is head of the Society for the Protection of Prespa (SPP), a Greek non-governmental organization that strives to preserve one of the oldest freshwater systems in Europe, the Prespa lakes.  The mountain-rimmed lake basin where Great Prespa Lake and Small Prespa Lake lie took shape about five million years ago, long before human beings joined the ecosystem or nation states laid boundaries. Today, these two stunningly picturesque and largely unspoiled bodies of water are shared by three countries: Greece, Albania and North Macedonia. The impact of political tension In places where nationalist politics dominate, as they do in ...

The premier of Canada's most populous province said Friday he will withdraw the anti-tariff commercial that caused US President Donald Trump to end trade talks with the United States' northern neighbor. After talking with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said in a statement, posted on social media, he has decided to "pause" the advertising campaign "effective Monday so that trade talks can resume." What was the ad that had angered Trump? Trump had previously declared an ending to "all trade negotiations" with Canada because of a television commercial sponsored by Ontario that used the words of former US President Ronald Reagan to criticize US tariffs. "We've achieved our goal, having reached US audiences at the highest levels," Ford said in a statement pos...