Top World News

Jun 28, 2025 - World

Thousands of fans gathered in Seoul on Saturday to celebrate the final "Squid Game" season, ending a global Netflix hit that is seen as a symbol of South Korea's cultural clout.The third and final season was released Friday, concluding the series that sees desperate people compete in deadly versions of traditional children's games for a massive cash prize.Director Hwang Dong-hyuk said he had "poured everything" into the series, which launched nearly four years ago."So while it's sentimental to see it end," he said, "there's also a sense of relief".Fans gathered near Seoul's Gyeongbokgung Palace, led by marchers dressed in the bright pink uniforms worn by the show's mysterious masked agents.They were followed by others carrying oversize toys from one of the games featured in the series, along with the show's flag.Park Sang-gyu, a fan who stayed up all night watching the final season, said the dystopian drama was "ultimately a story about people"."As you watch, you realise it's not just about the games -- it reflects many aspects of real life."The walls of the Seoul Metropolitan Library were lit up with key scenes, including Young-hee -- the giant motion-sensing animatronic doll featured in one of its brutal games.Lee Byung-hun, who played the masked Front Man overseeing the competition, said the show had become "something of a cultural phenomenon"."One that has drawn one of the boldest lines in the history of Korean content," he said. The first two seasons of the series are among Netflix's most-watched shows, and in 2022, Hwang and the show's leading actor, Lee Jung-jae, became the first Asian men to win Emmy Awards. The final season follows its hero Gi-hun, played by Lee, as he returns to the ultra-violent games to dismantle them from within after surviving the first round. Along with filmmaker Bong Joon-ho's Oscar-winning 2019 thriller "Parasite" and K-pop sensation BTS, "Squid Game" is considered one of the most powerful examples of South Korea's rise as a global cultural force.

Jun 28, 2025 - World

CNN conservative Scott Jennings saw his defense of Donald Trump's continuing Iran attack claims of "total obliteration" dismantled piece by piece by "Table for Five" host Abby Phillip on Saturday morning.After complaining about leaks that suggest the mission was far from the success the Trump administration is insisting upon, Jennings offered that the reports were designed to make Trump look bad."I mean, that's your opinion," host Phillip countered. "I think that's fine. But the reality is, when Trump says the Iran nuclear program has been eliminated, he basically said, 'It's done, it's it's ended.' There's a real legitimate question about whether that's a factual statement.""Just this week, he was asked, 'What are you going to do if Iran is able to enrich uranium again?' and he said, 'Well, we'll bomb them again.' Does that sound like a nuclear program that he thinks is completely gone? " she asked."So, I mean, clearly there is a factual question here about whether or not the threat has been eliminated," she added before pointing out, "Even Republican senators like Lindsey Graham have acknowledged and others the threat has not been eliminated and that is something that American people need to know and understand."You can watch below or at the link. - YouTube youtu.be

Jun 28, 2025 - World

Family dies in Swat River, with witnesses saying they waited to be rescued for more than an hourAt least 32 people have been killed in Pakistan in recent flash flooding caused by heavy rains, including a family of tourists who died after being swept away by flood waters while apparently awaiting rescue.Videos of the family stranded on a small piece of land as the raging Swat River in northern Pakistan swept them away were shared widely on social media, prompting anger towards the provincial government as witnesses said the family waited helplessly for more than an hour. Continue reading...

Jun 28, 2025 - World

Czech intelligence revealed Chinese diplomats allegedly planned staged incident during Hsiao Bi-khim’s 2024 visitTaiwan’s vice-president has said she will not be intimidated after reports by Czech intelligence that Chinese officials planned to stage a car collision when she was in Prague last year.Hsiao Bi-khim visited the Czech Republic in March 2024, in the first overseas visit by her and Taiwan’s president, Lai Ching-te, after winning the election in January. It was reported at the time that a Chinese diplomat had run a red light while following her car – under police escort – from the airport. Continue reading...

Jun 28, 2025 - World

Armenia has arrested a second prominent cleric on charges of plotting against the government, the latest escalation in a clampdown on outspoken critics of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.