North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has declared the South his country’s “principal enemy”, jettisoned agencies dedicated to reunification and outreach, and threatened war over “even 0.001 mm” of territorial infringement. But is the fiery rhetoric a sign of a real shift? AFP takes a look at what we know: After years of worsening ties, Pyongyang made it official this...
WORLD
Who Stands Where: What US, China, India Said On Iran-Pak Airstrikes
At least 11 people have been killed after Iran and Pakistan traded airstrikes this week, signalling a worrying escalation of tension and armed conflict in a Middle East already wracked by violence and bloodshed, after Israel’s war on Gaza and attacks by Tehran-backed Houthi militia – who claim to be acting in solidarity with the Palestinians besieged by Tel Aviv – on commercial ships in the...
Imran out of Pak election race, nomination papers invalid
The high court upheld the decisions of the returning officer (RO) and appellate tribunal given against acceptance of the disqualified former premier’s nomination papers from NA-122 and NA-89 constituencies. It reported that Imran’s nomination papers had been rejected primarily on the grounds of being convicted in the Toshakhana case, in which he was sentenced to three years of imprisonment. The...
US targets Houthi anti-ship missiles in new strike on Yemen
The U.S. military on Tuesday carried out a new strike in Yemen against four Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles, two U.S. officials told Reuters, the latest move against the Iran-aligned group over its targeting of Red Sea shipping. One of the officials said the missiles were struck because they were being prepared to target ships in the region. The U.S. strike...
What Trump’s Possible Return To White House Means For India, Others
When Estonia’s much-feted prime minister, Kaja Kallas, went to Washington in November, she didn’t just meet with White House officials. She also made sure to talk to key allies of Donald Trump. A month earlier, her foreign minister was in the heart of Trump country, thanking workers at a Lockheed Martin Corp. factory in Arkansas for their contribution to his...
UN appeals for $4.2 bn to support war-ravaged Ukraine, refugees
The United Nations and its partners on Monday appealed for a combined $4.2 billion from donors to support war-ravaged communities in Ukraine as well as Ukrainian refugees in 2024. Hundreds of thousands of children live in communities on the front lines of the war, terrified, traumatized and deprived of their basic needs,” said U.N. aid chief Martin Griffiths. That fact...
China Welcomes Island Nation’s Decision To Cut Ties With Taiwan
China said Monday it welcomed Nauru’s decision to cut ties with Taiwan, after the Pacific island nation announced it was severing relations with Taipei. “As a sovereign and independent nation, Nauru has announced… that it has severed its so-called ‘diplomatic relations’ with Taiwan and is willing to restore relations with China,” a spokesperson for Beijing’s foreign ministry said. “China appreciates...
Harvard University Sued By Jewish Students Over “Deep-Seated” Antisemitism
Harvard University was sued by Jewish students who claim the school has failed to punish campus antisemitism that soared after the Hamas attack on Israel and helped lead to the ouster of President Claudine Gay. Harvard administrators failed to enforce policies that should protect Jewish students from antisemitic speech and conduct, according to the lawsuit filed late Wednesday in Boston...
US and UK Launch Strikes Against Houthi Rebels In Yemen
The country’s deputy PM and defence minister, Richard Marles, has given the only real insight so far into Australia’s role. Speaking to media a short time ago, he said it had come “in the form of personnel in the operational headquarters”, but did not elaborate further. The air strikes were about ensuring freedom of navigation on the seas and maintaining...
Gabriel Attal becomes France’s youngest pm
Gabriel Attal, the 34-year-old French education minister, has been named the country’s new prime minister, a history-making appointment by President Emmanuel Macron as he looks to jumpstart his government’s flagging popularity. Attal will be France’s youngest-ever prime minister and the first openly gay man to serve in the post – making him one of the world’s most prominent and powerful...
Iraq Wants Quick Exit Of US Troops, Says PM Amid Gaza War Spillover
Iraq wants a quick and orderly negotiated exit of US-led military forces from its soil but has not set a deadline, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said, describing their presence as destabilising amid regional spillover from the Gaza war. Longstanding calls by mostly Shi’ite Muslim factions, many close to Iran, for the US-led coalition’s departure have gained steam after a...
“Our Mistake”: Boeing CEO On Alaska Airlines Mid-Air Door Blowout
Boeing Chief Executive Dave Calhoun took responsibility for a near-catastrophic Alaska Airlines incident Tuesday, vowing “complete transparency” as the aviation giant tries to pivot from its latest crisis. “We’re going to approach this number one acknowledging our mistake,” Dave Calhoun told employees at a safety meeting called after Friday’s emergency landing, which came after one of the plane’s panels blew...