WORLD

Tokyo, Oct 28 (IANS) A man charged for assassinating former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2022 pleaded guilty on Tuesday, in his first court hearing since the fatal shooting that shocked the nation and drew attention to Unification Church and its connection to political leaders, local media reported.During the hearing at the Nara District Court, Tetsuya Yamagami said, "It is true. There is no doubt that I did it." Yamagami (45) is accused of killing Abe with a handmade firearm during an election stump speech in Japan's Nara on July 8, 2022.The defence has insisted that the personality and behaviour of the accused were shaped by an upbringing marked by religious abuse. The defence counsel has insisted that Yamagami's mother, a follower of the Unification Church, donated 100 mil...

Gyeongju (South Korea), Oct 28 (IANS) World leaders and delegations from participating countries began arriving on Tuesday in South Korea's southeastern city Gyeongju for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, just three days ahead of the gathering.Security has been heightened to the strongest level across the city to ensure the safety of the delegates, especially around the Bomun Tourist Complex, where the summit will be held and many leaders will be staying.Most state leaders and delegations will arrive through Gimhae International Airport in the southeastern port city of Busan and travel to Gyeongju in motorcades to attend the gathering, government officials said.The President of Peru and delegates from Taiwan were scheduled to arrive Tuesday afternoon, while those from Ne...

Minsk, Oct 28 (IANS) India and Belarus held eighth round of Foreign Office Consultations in Minsk, discussing the entire gamut of bilateral relations, including political, economic, cultural, tourism, education and consular matters.According to a statement released by Belarus' Ministry of Foreign Affairs, both sides discussed several issues related to bilateral relations, including the development of political dialogue, increasing mutual trade and manufacturing cooperation, expanding the legal framework, bilateral interaction within international organisations, cooperation with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), and BRICS, besides promoting the establishment of direct bilateral contacts in humanitarian areas."The parties noted the significant ...

Istanbul, Oct 28 (IANS) At least 19 people were injured after a 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck Turkey's western province of Balikesir late Monday, authorities announced on Tuesday.Health Minister Kemal Memisoglu said on X that the injuries primarily resulted from panic and people jumping from high elevations. He said that 15 of the wounded remain in hospitals for treatment.Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya stated that a total of 504 reports had been received by emergency call centers, including 25 concerning building damage. "Each report is being assessed individually," he added.According to Yerlikaya, three unused buildings and a shop were demolished, and no casualties were reported, Xinhua news agency reported.As field inspections continue, authorities are warning the public not to ente...

Seoul, Oct 28 (IANS) US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth will visit the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas and also meet with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung during his visit to the Asian country next week, a senior US defence official said Tuesday.Hegseth is set to kick off a two-day visit to South Korea next Monday in his first trip to the Asian country since taking office early this year. Korea is the last leg of his Asia swing that includes stops in Japan, Malaysia and Vietnam.Upon arrival in Korea, the secretary, along with Seoul's Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back, plans to visit the Joint Security Area (JSA) inside the DMZ and have a chance to meet Korean and American troops stationed at the DMZ, the official said during a briefing to the press traveling with Hegset...

Dhaka, Oct 28 (IANS) At least one person was killed and 15 others were injured in Chittagong early on Tuesday after a gunfight erupted between two factions of the youth wing of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).The deceased was identified as a 22-year-old Md. Sajjad, a member of BNP's student wing Chhatra Dal.Speaking to Bangladesh's Bengali daily Prothom Alo, Baklia Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Ikhtiyar Uddin stated that the violence reportedly broke out on early Tuesday following a dispute over the tearing of a banner.He confirmed that one person was killed in the shooting and several others were injured, adding that a drive is underway to arrest those responsible.Citing party sources, Prothom Alo reported that the gunfire took place between Emdadul Haque Badsha, the former...

Kabul, Oct 28 (IANS) The latest round of talks between delegations of Pakistan and Afghanistan in Istanbul ended without any outcome with mediators citing several differences as the reasons that hindered any agreement on security concerns, local media reported on Tuesday.The talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan, held for three consecutive days, ended without any breakthrough despite regional mediation efforts. Mediators admitted that the positions of two nations remained far apart as there were differences between two sides in expectations and priorities. These differences stopped officials of two nations from making any progress during the discussions, Afghanistan's leading news agency Khaama Press reported, citing a Geo News report. The lack of coordination between two nations has s...

Tokyo, Oct 28 (IANS) Indian Naval Ship (INS) Sahyadri, an indigenously built Shivalik-class Guided Missile Stealth Frigate, arrived at Japan's Sasebo on Tuesday. Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force welcomed INS Sahyadri upon arrival, Indian Embassy in Japan said in a statement on Tuesday.INS Sahyadri commanded by Captain Rajat Kumar is participating in Japan-India Maritime Exercise- JAIMEX 25.In a post on X, Indian Embassy in Japan stated, "INS Sahyadri arrived at Sasebo to a warm welcome ceremony by JMSDF Sasebo District. Sahyadri commanded by Capt Rajat Kumar is participating in Japan-India Maritime Exercise- JAIMEX 25."Commissioned in 2012, INS Sahyadri is a testament to India's growing pursuit of indigenous defence technology and the nation's vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ (Self-Reli...

Tokyo, Oct 28 (IANS) Emphasising that the bilateral relationship between Japan and the United States has now become "the greatest alliance in the world", Japan's new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Tuesday pledged to build with visiting US President Donald Trump a "new golden era" of partnership between the two countries.Trump and Takaichi met in Tokyo on Monday for the Japan-US Summit meeting during which they finalised the signing of various agreements to bolster cooperation in the fields of defence and economy.It also included a 'United States-Japan Framework For Securing the Supply of Critical Minerals and Rare Earths through Mining and Processing' which intends to support the supply of raw and processed critical minerals and rare earthscrucial to the domestic industries of the Uni...

Gyeongju, Oct 28 (IANS) Senior officials from Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) member economies are working to reach common ground on ways to boost trade and reduce barriers, among other initiatives, as they move to finalise a road map on Tuesday for key agenda items ahead of the leaders' summit.The Concluding Senior Official's Meeting (CSOM) wrapped up two days of discussions on ways to advance APEC initiatives for growth and cooperation on its last day of the meeting, Tuesday, according to the organising committee.Its recommendations will be delivered to the ministerial meeting, set for Wednesday, before being finalised at the leaders' summit, set for Friday and Saturday, Yonhap News Agency reported.As this year's APEC chair, South Korea aims to build consensus with its fellow ...