South Korea’s likely next leader wants warmer ties with China, North Korea

Lee Jae-myung says he would support President Donald Trump’s efforts to restart talks with North Korea — and even consider nominating him for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Source: Washington Post

Sweet romance: Japanese boys start buying into gift giving on Valentine’s Day

Women are traditionally expected to buy chocolates for male colleagues on Valentine’s Day but teenage boys are shunning the one-sided custom

It has been several years since Japanese women first …

Source: The Guardian

Hamas official says the militant group will release three hostages on Saturday

Hamas will free three hostages — Sagui Dekel-Chen, Sasha Alexander Troufanov and Iair Horn — on Saturday, a spokesperson for the militant group said Friday.

Source: NBC News

Revealed: fugitive Dutch drug lord has been in Sierra Leone for at least two years

Sources place Johannes Leijdekkers in west African country since at least December 2022

One of Europe’s most-wanted drug lords has been living in Sierra Leone for at least two years, …

Source: The Guardian

Latest Israeli hostages to be freed named amid uncertainty over truce

Iair Horn, Sasha Troufanov and Sagui Dekel-Chen due to be exchanged for 369 Palestinian prisoners

• Israel Gaza war: latest news updates

Palestinian militant groups have named the three hostages they …

Source: The Guardian

Amazon accused by Italy of evading €1.2bn in VAT payments

Tech giant hit by total claim worth €3bn amid investigation over sale of goods from non-EU countries including China

Source: Financial Times

Ukraine end game: What each side wants from a peace deal

Donald Trump's phone call with Putin has shocked both Ukraine's president Zelensky and allies alike, but is it enough to start peace talks?

Source: BBC

Mexico takes aim at U.S. gunmakers if cartels deemed terrorist groups

Claudia Sheinbaum said the U.S. Justice Department itself has recognized that "74% of the weapons" used by criminal groups in Mexico come from north of the border.

Source: CBS News

Jihadist motivation in Munich attack, prosecutors say

The Afghan suspect admits driving into a crowd, injuring 36 people including a two-year-old, police say.

Source: BBC

Has the protection of human rights gone out of fashion?

Rights groups are decrying violations as they play out for all the world to see.

Source: Al Jazeera

Transgender references removed from Stonewall monument website

On the National Park Service website, the acronym LGBTQ+ has been shortened to LGB, standing for lesbian, gay and bisexual.

Source: BBC

Modi hails US-India 'mega partnership' in Trump meeting

Trump and Modi, who share warm personal ties, met in the shadow of trade tensions complicating US-India relations.

Source: BBC