SEOUL – In about a month, five members of BTS (Suga, RM, Jimin, V and Jungkook) will complete their military service. Members Jin and J-Hope began theirs earlier and returned to civilian life in 2024. BTS Army are excited about the reunion of all seven members and regularly post countdown trackers. I think we are at D-43, but don’t quote me on that. Their impending return reminded me of an interview I had with a major international non-Korean media outlet just before BTS entered the military. The reporter asked whether BTS members would be seen as more masculine after completing…
Author: Asia News Network
ISLAMABAD – Pakistan’s armed forces have taken down 25 Israeli-made Harop drones sent into the country by India since last night, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Thursday. A day earlier, Pakistan mourned the loss of 31 lives in overnight attacks by Indian forces on civilians, describing New Delhi’s actions as “terrorism” and accusing it of continuous ceasefire violations on the Line of Control (LoC). The Pakistan military termed the downing of five Indian fighter jets as a major victory — and it was seemingly acknowledged when Indian officials admitted that at least three of their aircraft had “crashed”…
MOSCOW – China and Russia issued a joint statement on Thursday on further deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era, agreeing to push forward the high-level development of bilateral ties, uphold a correct historical perspective on World War II and firmly defend international fairness and justice. The statement was jointly signed by President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin following their talks in Moscow. The two heads of state witnessed the exchange of more than 20 bilateral cooperation documents covering such areas as global strategic stability, upholding the authority of international law, biosecurity, investment protection,…
PARIS — World leaders welcomed the election Thursday of Robert Francis Prevost as the next leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics. Prevost, who took the papal name Leo XIV, is the first pope from the United States. Here are key reactions: ‘A Great Honor’: Trump “Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country,” said US President Donald Trump. “I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful…
NEW YORK — Two persimmon saplings, which were grown from the seeds of a tree that was exposed to the atomic bombing in Hiroshima, were planted at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on Monday to mark the 80th year since the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. “[The saplings are] a symbol of peace and resilience,” said U.N. Undersecretary General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu, who participated in the planting ceremony. Nakamitsu also stressed the need to reverse the current trend of building arms and increasing tensions. The saplings were grown from the seeds of a…
BEIJING/WASHINGTON – China and the United States are scheduled to hold official trade talks later this week, as Beijing reiterates its commitment to dialogue and cooperation while firmly safeguarding its legitimate interests in the face of escalating US-initiated trade tensions. Analysts said that mounting pressure from domestic stakeholders in the US may have pushed Washington back to the negotiating table. They also said that the international community is watching closely to see whether the upcoming talks can help stabilize the global economy and provide a turning point to ease trade tensions and address trade disputes between the world’s two largest…
VATICAN – Among the massive crowds of people waiting for the first round of smoke to emanate from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, several Filipino Catholic pilgrims were hoping for the Church to be led by a pope who is one of their own: Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle. Fr. Rey Matunog of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles said he believes that Cardinal Tagle possesses all the qualities needed to become the next pope. He led a group of 46 Filipino Americans from Southern California in an annual pilgrimage to Rome and Switzerland. Matunog shared that their group made a…
NEW DELHI – India and Pakistan are teetering on the edge of open conflict, after the Indian military struck deep within Pakistan in the early hours of May 7 in retaliation for a terrorist attack that killed 26 civilians in India-administered Kashmir in April. In the most expansive action ever taken on its neighbour, India rained air strikes on what military officials said were “terror camps” in territory as far away as 30km from the de facto border. Pakistan called this “an act of war”, saying that the 26 people who died included civilians and vowed to respond “at a…
A deranged man wielding what appeared to be a military-grade firearm was arrested in the early hours of Tuesday in Tak province. Hundreds of armed police and military officers equipped with firearms and tactical gear were deployed to track down the suspect, who was dressed in long trousers and a short-sleeved T-shirt, and carrying what resembled an assault rifle. The incident began around 2am when the suspect reportedly drove a black pickup truck into a petrol station and began acting violently. When police attempted to intervene, the man opened fire on a police vehicle, hitting it twice. Fortunately, no injuries…
SEOUL – Beneath Express Bus Terminal Station, a major transfer hub for Seoul Subway Lines 3, 7 and 9, a massive labyrinth of underground shops unfolds, rivaling the scale of a department store. Known as GOTO Mall, this 880-meter-long underground shopping center, which begins at Exit 8-1, houses around 630 stores and is recognized as one of Seoul’s three largest underground malls, alongside those at Gangnam and Jamsil Stations. The underground mall offers a wide selection of goods, from clothing and shoes to home decor items and flowers, making it a go-to destination for shoppers. Its vast selection and affordable…