Markets reshape daily life in North Korea but an uprising remains unlikely
Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Jan 03, 2026
North Korea's informal markets have become central to daily survival and are quietly changing how people relate to the state, yet analysts say the country still lacks the conditions needed for a popular uprising against the Kim regime. ... more
N.Korea's Kim stresses shared bloodshed in New Year message to Putin
Seoul (AFP) Dec 27, 2025
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un highlighted on Saturday how his nation and Russia had shared "blood, life and death" in the Ukraine war, as he sent President Vladimir Putin new year's greetings. ... more
South Korean President Lee to visit China next week
Seoul (AFP) Dec 30, 2025
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung will visit China from Sunday to meet counterpart Xi Jinping and deepen cooperation, Seoul and Beijing said. ... more

Ukraine diplomat in Beijing for talks; Russian attacks injure scores in southern Ukraine
Kyiv, Ukraine (AFP) Dec 18, 2025
A senior Ukrainian diplomat announced on Thursday he had arrived in Beijing, a close ally of Russia, where he was expected to hold talks with Chinese officials. ... more
Defence of Europe's eastern flank an 'immediate' priority: eight EU leaders
Helsinki (AFP) Dec 16, 2025
Defending Europe's eastern flank should be an "immediate" priority for the European Union in the face of the threat posed by Russia, eight EU leaders meeting in Helsinki said Tuesday. ... more
Trump signs $900 bn defense policy bill into law as Admin plans major DoD changes
Washington, United States (AFP) Dec 19, 2025
President Donald Trump signed a sweeping defense policy bill into law Thursday that signaled strong bipartisan support for Europe and defied the US leader's increasingly hostile posture toward NATO and America's closest allies. ... more

Pro-Iran camp reunites to form majority in Iraq parliament
Baghdad (AFP) Nov 17, 2025
Iraq's pro-Iran Coordination Framework alliance announced on Monday it had formed the majority bloc in the newly elected parliament, and said that it will nominate the next prime minister. ... more
Iraq tribal clashes kill eight: security official
Kut, Iraq (AFP) Nov 15, 2025
Tribal clashes over agricultural land in central Iraq have killed eight people and injured another nine, a security official in Wasit province told AFP on Saturday. ... more
What lies ahead in Iraq: the hard task of forming a government
Baghdad (AFP) Nov 13, 2025
Following Iraq's parliamentary election this week, the complex and often lengthy task of choosing the country's next leader is set to begin. ... more

Chinese man who documented alleged Uyghur camps risks removal from US
Washington, United States (AFP) Dec 15, 2025
A Chinese man who left his country after filming at sites of alleged human rights violations against Uyghurs now faces the risk of removal from the United States, his lawyer and mother told AFP. ... more
Pakistan's ex-spy chief to appeal 14-year term: lawyer
Islamabad, Pakistan (AFP) Dec 12, 2025
The former head of Pakistan's powerful spy agency will appeal a 14-year hard labour sentence on charges including abuse of power, his lawyer said Friday, decrying a "sham" military trial. ... more
'We chose it': PKK fighters cherish life in Iraq's mountains; PKK urges Turkey to free Ocalan to advance peace process
Qandil Mountains, Iraq (AFP) Dec 3, 2025
A Kurdish militant picks his way along a switchback road in Iraq's mountains before pulling over to alert his comrades in a nearby hidden bunker that they are about to have company. ... more