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North Korea prepares to restart propaganda loudspeakers as ties sour with South | North Korea | The Guardian

Kim Yo-jong, sister of Kim Jong-un, issues warning after inspecting border fortifications against backdrop of rising tensions
Kim Yo-jong, sister of Kim Jong-un, issues warning after inspecting border fortifications against backdrop of rising tensions Propaganda loudspeakers aimed at South Korea will be ready to restart within days along the e…
The statement, carried by the state news agency KCNA on Thursday, came a day after she said the loudspeakers would be in operation along the whole border from some time in October.

theguardian.com23d ago

World

Trump administration seeks Supreme Court approval to build Big Bend wall | Courts News | Al Jazeera

US federal judge blocked wall’s construction on Texas-Mexico border amid an ongoing legal battle.
The Trump administration has asked the Supreme Court to allow it to resume plans to build a border wall through the Big Bend region of West Texas, as part of its anti-immigration policy to strengthen security on the bor…
The Justice Department filed an emergency request on Wednesday asking the court to lift a federal judge’s injunction in a lower court that has halted construction while a lawsuit against the project, brought by an envir…

aljazeera.com23d ago

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Bukang-i is back: shark returns to canal in South Korea hours after being coaxed out to sea | South Korea | The Guardian

Famous shark has attracted more than 1.6m visitors since first getting trapped in the canal in September. On Thursday a new attempt was underway to free it
On Thursday a new attempt was underway to free it A shark that became a viral sensation after getting stuck in a South Korean canal for a month has returned just hours after being coaxed out to sea.
Nicknamed Bukang-i by fans, the 3.5-metre-long (9.8-foot) female dusky shark was first spotted in the waterway on 18 September.

theguardian.com23d ago

World

Inaccessible by Design: AIIB’s Complaint Mechanism – The Diplomat

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank has yet to approve a single complaint involving its projects for dispute resolution or compliance review.
On September 28, the first day of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)’s annual meeting in Doha, 108 Indigenous people from Lombok, Indonesia, filed a complaint with the bank’s grievance body, the Project-aff…
They said the AIIB-financed Mandalika Urban and Tourism Infrastructure Project forced them from their homes, took their farming land, cost them their livelihoods, and ignored their right to be consulted.

thediplomat.com23d ago

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Ukraine war briefing: New peace proposals lack ‘substance’, says Kremlin after Witkoff-Putin meeting in Russia | Ukraine | The Guardian

US envoy Witkoff presented Putin with proposals drafted by Zelenskyy and European leaders in Oslo earlier this week. What we know on day 1,702
What we know on day 1,702 The Kremlin has criticised new peace proposals to end the war after US envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg on Wednesday.
Commenting on the meeting, which followed talks with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders in Norway, the Kremlin warned there was little “substance” in the Ukrainian and European proposals.

theguardian.com23d ago

World

Why the China-US Naval Encounter at Sabina Shoal Is Different – The Diplomat

It’s a new kind of close encounter. Will it become a new normal?
The Independence-class littoral combat ship USS Charleston approaches the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (not pictured) for a fueling-at-sea, Nov.
naval vessel of “undermining regional stability” by entering waters near Sabina Shoal in the Spratly Islands.

thediplomat.com23d ago

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Qatar, France call for opening of Hormuz and Gaza ceasefire implementation | News | Al Jazeera

Qatari and French leaders stress need to restore freedom of navigation in Strait of Hormuz.
Qatar and France have called for freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and the implementation of the so-called ceasefire in Gaza, after the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, met French President Em…
A joint statement on Wednesday said the two leaders stressed the importance of restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz “without constraints or fees”.

aljazeera.com23d ago

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Putin orders release of jailed American as he meets Trump envoy for Ukraine talks | Russia | The Guardian

Russia unilaterally frees Stephen Hubbard after US request while Steve Witkoff praises Putin as a ‘humanitarian’
Russia unilaterally frees Stephen Hubbard after US request while Steve Witkoff praises Putin as a ‘humanitarian’ US politics live – latest updates Vladimir Putin ordered the release of an American from a Russian jail as…
Trump had previously asked Putin to free Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old former teacher who had spent more than four years in Russian jails on charges of fighting as a mercenary for Ukraine .

theguardian.com23d ago

World

Colombian president purges National Museum of works promoting ‘communism’ | Arts and Culture News | Al Jazeera

Far-right President Abelardo de la Espriella says he will wage a ‘counterrevolution’ against cultural institutions.
Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella has announced he is spearheading a cultural “counterrevolution” that includes removing dozens of exhibits from the National Museum, drawing protests and comparisons to United…
De la Espriella, a conservative Trump ally , said last week that he wants to prevent cultural institutions from being taken over by what he calls “atheist social communism”.

aljazeera.com23d ago

World

New Zealand’s Climate Report Tests Its Pacific Leadership – The Diplomat

Wellington’s latest environmental assessment highlights the growing economic risks of climate change, raising questions about whether government policy can keep pace.
New Zealand’s latest climate assessment presents a challenge that extends beyond environmental protection, raising questions about whether the country can translate growing evidence of climate change into policies that…
Published October 7, “ Our Atmosphere and Climate 2026 ” documents rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns and mounting pressure on infrastructure, ecosystems and communities.

thediplomat.com23d ago

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George W Bush’s brother backs Democrat James Talarico in Texas Senate race | US Midterm Elections 2026 News | Al Jazeera

Neil Bush says that he voted for Democrat James Talarico due to reservations about Republican candidate Ken Paxton.
Neil Bush, brother of former Republican President George W Bush, has said that he voted for the Democratic candidate James Talarico in a crucial race for the United States Senate.
In a social media post on Tuesday, Bush said he voted for Talarico due to concerns about the Republican candidate, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton .

aljazeera.com23d ago

World

What Congo's New Rebel Alliance Means for the Country's Conflict

The highlights this week: A new rebel alliance in eastern Congo threatens to drag the rest of the country into war, Mauritius experiences its worst riots in decades, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi outlines…
The highlights this week: A new rebel alliance in eastern Congo threatens to drag the rest of the country into war, Mauritius experiences its worst riots in decades, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi outlines…
A new development in the decades-long conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo threatens to draw the rest of the country into a wider war.

foreignpolicy.com23d ago

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China’s AI Industry Brings Both Gains and Challenges for Its Fragile Economy – The Diplomat

China’s exports are surging, driven by AI-related technologies. National security-driven export bans could change that.
China is attracting global interest and achieving record-breaking export growth as a trailblazer in the field of artificial intelligence (AI).
However, the sector’s growing importance for China’s economy is a double-edged sword.

thediplomat.com23d ago

World

World leaders warn of security flaws found in PHP programming language | Cybersecurity News | Al Jazeera

AI was used to pinpoint two vulnerabilities in the PHP language, used by about 70 percent of websites.
Authorities in Europe, Asia and other continents have temporarily taken some government websites offline to protect against newly discovered security vulnerabilities in a programming language used to power the vast majo…
On Wednesday, vulnerabilities in the PHP programming language prompted a rare public warning from the United States National Security Agency (NSA), which advised taking websites offline if they could not be updated imme…

aljazeera.com23d ago

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Iran war updates: Middle East on edge as threat of new US attack grows | US-Israel war on Iran News | Al Jazeera

US President Donald Trump denies Iran negotiations, says situation will resolve ‘fairly soon’.
Skip links Skip to Content Live Sign up Navigation menu News Show more news sections Middle East Africa Asia US & Canada Latin America Europe Asia Pacific Explained Sport Opinion Video Interactives More Show more sectio…
Al Jazeera Originals News Live updates Live updates, Iran war live: Trump denies Iran talks, says situation will resolve soon Former professional boxer Evander Holyfield looks on as US President Donald Trump speaks to j…

aljazeera.com24d ago

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US accuses Canada of election interference ahead of midterms | Donald Trump News | Al Jazeera

Washington cites Canadian tariffs, political meetings and anti-Trump ads as evidence of attempted election interference.
The United States has accused Canadian politicians of trying to influence its midterm elections, pointing to Canada’s efforts to push back against President Donald Trump’s tariff campaign.
In a fact sheet released on Wednesday, the US embassy accused Canada of being dismissive of its allegations of election interference.

aljazeera.com24d ago

World

What happened during Witkoff and Kushner’s latest meeting with Putin | Vladimir Putin News | Al Jazeera

The latest round of negotiations comes amid growing concerns in Kyiv the US is backing away from its support of Ukraine.
United States special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have wrapped up their latest meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin with the release of a retired American teacher from Russian custody.
On Wednesday, Witkoff visited with Putin at the Constantine Palace in Saint Petersburg, while Kushner attended virtually.

aljazeera.com24d ago

World

The China-US Quantum Computing Contest – The Diplomat

Insights from Matt Kinsella.
The Diplomat author Mercy Kuo regularly engages subject-matter experts, policy practitioners, and strategic thinkers across the globe for their diverse insights into U.S.
This conversation with Matt Kinsella – the CEO of Infleqtion, a leading U.S.

thediplomat.com24d ago

World

Pope Leo needs no further treatment after cancer surgery, doctors say | Health News | Al Jazeera

The 71-year-old leader of the Catholic Church has had the lower lobe of his right lung removed in surgery.
Pope Leo XIV needs no further treatment for lung cancer after confirming the disease had not spread following recent surgery, the Vatican announced in a statement from doctors.
“A subsequent oncological evaluation has confirmed that no further therapy is required,” the pope’s lead surgeon, Stefano Margaritora, and his personal physician, Luigi Carbone, said Wednesday.

aljazeera.com24d ago

World

Nigeria’s first Ebola case matches DR Congo strain, health officials say | Ebola News | Al Jazeera

The Bundibugyo strain outbreak is the DR Congo’s deadliest ever and has now reached West Africa for the first time.
Nigerian health officials say test results have confirmed the country’s first case of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which is behind a major outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), marking the disease’s…
The case involves a woman who travelled from Uganda to the capital, Abuja, on October 3, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) said.

aljazeera.com24d ago

World

Macron accuses Trump and other foreign leaders of ‘stupid comments’ about France unrest | France | The Guardian

Leaders criticised for spreading misleading information as France prepares for further protests this weekend
Leaders criticised for spreading misleading information as France prepares for further protests this weekend Emmanuel Macron has accused Donald Trump and other foreign leaders of making “stupid comments” about France’s…
Speaking during a visit to Qatar, the French president did not name names but said “manipulation of information” after Saturday’s riots had led to “comments that are as unacceptable as they are stupid, from many people,…

theguardian.com24d ago

World

‘Cut the umbilical cord’: Bougainville’s bid to break away from Papua New Guinea faces reckoning | Bougainville | The Guardian

MPs in PNG to decide on ratifying a 2019 referendum in which Bougainvilleans voted overwhelmingly in favour of independence
MPs in PNG to decide on ratifying a 2019 referendum in which Bougainvilleans voted overwhelmingly in favour of independence For decades, the distant island of Bougainville has fought for secession from Papua New Guinea…
This week, that long-running aspiration faces further challenge, with PNG’s parliament slated to debate the ratification of Bougainville’s 2019 UN-sanctioned referendum, in which nearly 98% of Bougainvilleans voted for…

theguardian.com24d ago

World

The Indian Government’s Job Statistics Are Misleading – The Diplomat

Behind the surge in EPFO numbers lies an uncomfortable question: is Delhi measuring new jobs or merely recording existing workers differently?
The Indian government claims that the formal job market in the country is booming.
It cites as proof payroll data from the Employees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO).

thediplomat.com24d ago

World

Is China Getting Involved in the Japan-Russia Territorial Dispute? – The Diplomat

Amid deepening China-Russia ties, a Chinese delegation visited one of the disputed Southern Kuril Islands.
According to information released by the government of Russia’s Sakhalin Oblast on October 13, a delegation from China’s Heilongjiang Province, including government officials and entrepreneurs, recently visited Iturup I…
The island is part of the Southern Kuril Islands, known as the Northern Territories in Japan, which are currently under Russian de facto control, though Japan claims sovereignty over them.

thediplomat.com24d ago

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