Seoul Gazette - News from Seoul, the Dongan District, Manan District, Buk District, Busanjin District, South Korea and the world

Pope Leo XIV was expected to pray for peace on Thursday in Cameroon's troubled northwest region, plagued by a near decade-long separatist insurgency that has killed thousands.

French conservative billionaire Vincent Bollore came under attack from dozens of authors on Thursday at one of his flagship publishing brands, as he continues to reshape the country's media landscape.

Football fans have expressed outrage at the exorbitant price of transit fares to get to World Cup matches, following reports that US transport authorities have jacked up prices just for this summer's tournament.

Spanish energy group Repsol said on Thursday it has reached an agreement with the Venezuelan government to regain control of its oil business in the country and sharply increase production over the coming years.

Paris Saint-Germain's dream of retaining the Champions League title remains alive and they could have yet another Ligue 1 crown all but wrapped up by the time they play the first leg of their semi-final tie in Europe.

US President Donald Trump said the leaders of Israel and Lebanon will speak on Thursday in what would be a historic first, but there was no confirmation from either side.

French oil and gas giant TotalEnergies said Thursday its production in the first quarter of the year was expected to have remained stable despite the Middle East war hitting its output in the region.

A massive Russian drone and missile barrage killed at least 16 people in cities across Ukraine, more than four years into the war with peace talks stalled, Ukrainian officials said on Thursday.

Turkey cracked down Thursday on social media posts praising two school shootings in two days which have left the country reeling, ordering dozens of arrests ahead of funerals for the victims, who were mostly children.

Britain's biggest supermarket chain Tesco warned Thursday that its profits could be impacted by the Mideast war lifting food costs, as it posted higher earnings for its last financial year.

British no-frills airline EasyJet on Thursday said it expects to post a deeper first-half loss compared with one year earlier after the Middle East war sent jet fuel prices soaring.

French luxury group Kering vowed Thursday to "reignite desirability" of its flagging Gucci label, once the jet set's most coveted brand, as it seeks to turn around its financial performance.

Rice farmers Siriporn and Amnat Taidee used to burn their paddy fields between plantings -- a common method of clearing crop residue partly blamed fortoxic smog that blankets much of Thailand every spring.

A law clamping down on protests following an antisemitic mass shooting at Australia's Bondi Beach was overturned by a court on Thursday, a written ruling showed.

Japanese stocks hit a record high as most equity markets rose Thursday on heightened optimism the United States and Iran will extend their ceasefire for further talks to end their war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Turkey will hold funerals for nine victims killed in a school shooting by a 14-year-old, an attack that has sent shockwaves across the country, with authorities saying the suspect had referenced a US mass killer in a WhatsApp profile image.

Taiwanese chip manufacturer TSMC said Thursday that net profit for January-March leaped to a fresh quarterly record, boosted by the race to develop artificial intelligence technology.

Funerals will be held on Thursday for nine people killed when a 14-year-old opened fire at a school in Turkey, sending shock waves across the country.

Authoritarian governments that reach across borders to persecute their own citizens did so at a greater rate last year, particularly in Southeast Asia and East Africa, a human rights group charged Thursday.

"Small island, big dreams" reads a poster for the football team of the Caribbean island of Curacao -- the smallest country ever, by population, to qualify for football's World Cup.

"Chat, who is the best candidate?": Six months out from Brazil's presidential election, AI chatbots are still answering such questions in defiance of new electoral rules banning them from giving voting tips.

Golden State star Stephen Curry scored the go-ahead three-pointer with 50 seconds left as the Warriors rallied to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 126-121 and stay alive in the NBA play-in on Wednesday.

Russian strikes killed at least 14 people in Ukraine, local authorities said Thursday, after Moscow rained missiles and drones on its neighbour in overnight attacks.

Could planes soon be stuck on the ground due to a lack of fuel? The risk of jet fuel shortages is growing each day the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, although it isn't certain when exactly supplies will run out.

Gian Piero Gasperini's tenure as Roma coach is already under threat as a feud with Claudio Ranieri dominates the lead up to Saturday's clash with Atalanta, which could be decisive to the capital club's hopes of reaching the Champions League.

The president of the Curacao football federation, Gilbert Martina, has told AFP that the tiny Caribbean country's road to the World Cup has been a "divine journey" which began at the start of the century.

The NBA fined Charlotte star LaMelo Ball $35,000 on Wednesday for "unnecessary and reckless contact" with Miami's Bam Adebayo during the Hornets' play-in win over the Heat.

The first images of late American film star Val Kilmer returning to the big screen courtesy of artificial intelligence were unveiled Wednesday in Las Vegas, in what will likely stir debate over the technology's role in Hollywood.

China's economy expanded more than expected in the first three months of the year, with official data Thursday indicating resilience in the face of a Middle East crisis that threatens to hit global growth.

The demise of a second Super Rugby team in just three years because of financial problems is a disappointment but also an "opportunity" and could make the competition stronger, coaches said Thursday.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino said Wednesday that Iran will "for sure" participate in the 2026 World Cup despite the Middle East war.

Police in London arrested two people on Wednesday over an attempted arson attack on a synagogue in the north of the city, amid an upsurge in antisemitic incidents in Britain.