Australia returns ancient Chinese statue heads stolen from imperial tombs
Australia has returned two ancient stone statue heads to China, more than 30 years after they were taken from imperial tombs in central China....
A “Victory will be ours” banner was hung on the Russian Embassy in Seoul, ahead of the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It remains on display despite a request from the South Korean Foreign Ministry on Sunday (22 February) for its removal, sparking widespread criticism.
It reads “Победа будет за нами” ("Victory will be ours") and has been displayed in Seoul’s Jung-gu district since Sunday.
The 15-metre banner, set against a Russian tricolour backdrop, was described by local media as reminiscent of Soviet-era slogans and has been widely used in Russia in recent times.
South Korea's Foreign Ministry said it had requested the embassy to remove the banner and expressed its concerns. The Ministry described Russia’s public display of its stance on what South Korea views as an illegal war violating the United Nations Charter as unacceptable.
The embassy has reportedly not responded.
Officials also warned that displaying such messages on the embassy building could inflame public sentiment and harm bilateral relations, noting that Ukraine also maintains a diplomatic mission in Seoul.
Tensions between Russia and South Korea had risen after Russian Ambassador Georgy Zinoviev publicly praised North Korean troops’ role in the Ukraine war during a briefing with South Korean journalists on 11 February.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs described both the banner and the ambassador’s remarks as “clearly excessive”.
The Ministry noted that while the Vienna Convention prevents forcible removal of embassy property, such actions could inflame public sentiment and strain relations, particularly with the Ukrainian Embassy also in Seoul.
Last year, the Russian Embassy held a pro-war rally on the third anniversary of the invasion, and authorities are reportedly planning a similar rally on 24 February.
The Middle East conflict remains tense as diplomatic efforts continue alongside renewed Houthi attacks. Iran says it remains open to mediation, while the Saudi-led coalition says it intercepted a ballistic missile fired towards the kingdom.
Evacuations and the provision of humanitarian aid in the Russian-occupied southern Ukrainian town of Oleshky have begun, a senior Ukrainian official said on Friday. In a statement on Telegram, David Arakhamia said a six-day ceasefire was holding, and that more details would follow.
Rescuers searched the wreckage of two high-speed trains in central Spain on Thursday as the death toll rose to a provisional 74, making it the country's second fatal high-speed rail disaster this year.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia remains willing to rebuild relations with European countries but warned that any wider conflict on the continent would leave no winners, as he commented on recent diplomatic contacts with Nordic leaders and growing security concerns in the Baltic region.
Qatari mediators returned to Tehran on Friday as part of efforts to reach a deal between the U.S. and Iran, according to an official briefed on the talks.
China’s GJ-21 carrier-based stealth reconnaissance and strike drone has completed its first take-off and landing on board the Sichuan, the country’s first Type 076 amphibious assault ship, state media reported on 30 October.
A powerful El Niño is driving extreme weather worldwide, leaving millions facing drought, wildfires and destructive storms as governments scramble to respond to the growing crisis.
A high-speed train involved in Wednesday's deadly collision in Spain was travelling at between 160 and 200 kilometres per hour, far above the 40 km/h safety limit, according to a preliminary investigation published on Friday.
Evacuations and the provision of humanitarian aid in the Russian-occupied southern Ukrainian town of Oleshky have begun, a senior Ukrainian official said on Friday. In a statement on Telegram, David Arakhamia said a six-day ceasefire was holding, and that more details would follow.
Hackers have pulled off a staggering $6.3 billion cryptocurrency heist targeting Binance, shaking confidence in one of the world's biggest digital asset exchanges and sending crypto prices tumbling. U.S. analysts suspect North Korea was behind the attack.
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