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

The retrial of disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein on a rape charge on which a jury was previously deadlocked started Tuesday, although he will remain imprisoned for other offenses regardless of the verdict.

Washington's top diplomat urged Israel and Lebanon to seize a "historic opportunity" for peace as direct talks between the two opened on Tuesday despite objections from Hezbollah, which announced fresh attacks on Israel just as negotiations got underway.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni received a sharp rebuke from US President Donald Trump and suspended a defence agreement with Israel on Tuesday, signalling a shift in her foreign relations.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Tuesday for Israel and Lebanon to seize a "historic opportunity" for peace as the first direct talks in decades between the two countries got underway in Washington.

The Trump administration wants Kevin Warsh in place as the new US central bank chair "as soon as possible," with the existing Fed chief's term coming soon to an end, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Tuesday.

Washington's top diplomat urged Israel and Lebanon to seize a "historic opportunity" for peace as direct talks between the two opened on Tuesday despite objections from Hezbollah, which announced fresh attacks on Israel just as negotiations got underway.

The father of tech billionaire Elon Musk is working on a project to provide refugee status in Russia for South African farmers, he told AFP on Tuesday, in a project similar to one by the US government.

Stock markets climbed and oil prices tumbled Tuesday on rekindled hopes for a deal to end the Middle East war and reopen the key Strait of Hormuz to end disruptions that have sent energy prices soaring.

Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany said Tuesday his side need to be ready to "push through the pain barrier" to make it past Real Madrid and qualify for the Champions League semi-finals.

European Central Bank chief Christine Lagarde said Tuesday she would not leave her post early as the global economy faces a severe storm, insisting: "This captain is not going to leave the ship."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov criticised efforts he said were aimed at "containing" Russia and China on Tuesday during a visit to Beijing, where he also discussed with his Chinese counterpart plans for a meeting "within the year" between Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping.

The United States and Israel may have obstructed the path towards a future Iran-built nuclear bomb by severely damaging the Islamic republic's nuclear and ballistic capabilities in recent attacks.

Mikel Arteta has challenged Arsenal to play with "pure fire" as they look to bounce back from a series of damaging defeats in Wednesday's Champions League clash against Sporting Lisbon.

The Czech culture minister angered the opposition and media freedom watchdogs with a plan presented Tuesday to fund public media from the state budget instead of fees paid by citizens.

Large banks reported higher profits Tuesday, pointing to resilience among US businesses and customers despite higher oil prices from the Middle East war.

The IMF cut its 2026 global growth projection Tuesday, warning that the world economy could be "thrown off course" by war in the Middle East -- as the conflict roils commodity markets and sparks higher prices.

Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola said "this is the right moment for me to step away", as the Premier League club announced Tuesday he would leave when his contract expires at the end of the season.

Prosecutors Tuesday called for the three suspected robbers of a priceless gold Romanian helmet from the fifth century BC to face lengthy jail sentences, as their trial opened in the Netherlands.

American businesswoman Michele Kang, already the Lyon men's club president, minority shareholder and owner of the women's side, is preparing for a potential full takeover of the Ligue 1 club, a statement from their current owner said on Tuesday.

Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola will leave the club at the end of this season, the Premier League side announced Tuesday.

Amazon said Tuesday that it had signed a deal to buy the US telecoms satellite group Globalstar to expand its own space-based internet network and compete with Elon Musk's Starlink.

Economic growth across the eurozone will slow to an estimated 1.1 percent this year as higher energy prices weigh on manufacturing, the International Monetary Fund said Tuesday.

Pope Leo XIV arrived Tuesday in the Algerian city of Annaba, the birthplace of Christian theologian Saint Augustine, on day two of a historic trip marred by two suicide attacks.

Declan Rice left Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta with another injury worry on the eve of their Champions League quarter-final second leg against Sporting Lisbon after missing the club's open training session Tuesday.

The leaders of Ukraine and Germany on Tuesday announced a strategic partnership centred on defence as Europe seeks to learn from Ukrainian battlefield expertise, especially in drone warfare.

At least two ships sailing from Iranian ports crossed the Hormuz Strait on Monday despite a US military blockade, maritime tracking data indicated Tuesday.

France's interior minister is seeking to block US rapper Kanye West from performing in the southern city of Marseille in June due to his antisemitic remarks, a source close to the minister told AFP on Tuesday.

An ex-student opened fire at his former high school Tuesday in Turkey, wounding 16 people including students before killing himself in a showdown with police, officials said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov criticised efforts he said were aimed at "containing" Russia and China, Moscow's state media said on Tuesday during his visit to Beijing.

Stock markets climbed and oil prices retreated Tuesday on rekindled hopes for a deal to end the Middle East war and reopen the key Strait of Hormuz to end disruptions that have sent energy prices soaring.

France and Britain will co-host a video conference Friday of countries ready to contribute to a "purely defensive mission" to secure the Strait of Hormuz, the French president's office said.

For a decade, Benin's new president Romuald Wadagni has been the behind-the-scenes architect of sweeping economic reforms that have led to one of the strongest growth rates in west Africa.