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

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.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday visited Germany, his country's biggest military backer, which is increasingly seeking to tap UKraines battlefield expertise.

England captain Ben Stokes has dismissed suggestions of a collapse in his relationship with coach Brendon McCullum, although he says the way they work together will "look a little bit different" this season.

China's President Xi Jinping warned against a return to the "law of the jungle" in international relations and called for closer economic ties with Spain as he met Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Tuesday, according to Chinese state media.

Wisden has criticised Indian political interference in global cricket administration, labelling the current situation "increasingly Orwellian".

Lebanese and Israeli representatives were set to meet Tuesday in Washington for their first direct talks in decades, but Hezbollah's opposition to the US-mediated negotiations signalled little prospect of an agreement to stop fighting.

Sony Pictures Entertainment kicked off CinemaCon on Monday with a sneak peek of "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" and a new installment of "Jumanji".

Washington's decision to blockade Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz is sending tremors through global energy markets, raising fears of a fresh oil shock by threatening supplies to Asia.

As the clock ticked down to US President Donald Trump's deadline to destroy Iran's civilisation last week, hope emerged from an unlikely corner, with Pakistan's prime minister first seeking -- and within hours securing -- a two-week ceasefire between the warring sides.

Three men went on trial Tuesday over the theft of a priceless gold Romanian helmet from a Dutch museum, a brazen heist that sparked shockwaves in Romania and the art world.

Botswana has signed energy and mining exploration agreements with Oman as it seeks to deepen economic ties with the sultanate, the presidency said.

The founder of Chinese property giant Evergrande has pleaded guilty to charges of fraud and bribery, a court said on Tuesday, the latest blow for what was once the country's leading developer.

Pope Leo XIV is expected in the Algerian city of Annaba on Tuesday, where he will walk in the footsteps of influential Christian theologian Saint Augustine on day two of a historic trip to the north African country.

The United States said "the ball is in the Iranian court" on ending the Mideast war, as diplomats accelerated efforts on Tuesday towards a new round of peace talks after weekend negotiations failed to produce a deal.

Lebanese and Israeli representatives are scheduled to meet in Washington Tuesday for US-mediated talks on ending the war in Lebanon, but the prospects of an agreement appear slim.

Prince Harry and wife Meghan arrived in Australia on Tuesday for their first visit down under since their headline-dominating rift with Britain's royal family.

Bayern Munich veteran Manuel Neuer is saddling up for Wednesday's Real Madrid quarter-final second leg at home in what could be his final season before riding off into the sunset.

Benjamin Thomas is an Olympic cycling champion who has ridden the Tour de France and won a Giro d'Italia stage, but nothing had prepared him for the "awful" cobbles of Paris-Roubaix.

Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem urged Lebanon to cancel a planned meeting with Israel in Washington on Tuesday, reiterating his group's rejection of direct negotiations with its foe.

Electric vehicle sales have jumped in Southeast Asia as cost-conscious buyers have poured into dealerships looking to dodge the fuel price spikes driven by the Middle East war.

China's economic growth likely picked up in the first three months of the year, according to analysts surveyed by AFP, boosted by exports now impacted by the Middle East war, while domestic demand remains weak.

The Canterbury Crusaders said Tuesday that their cavalry of mascot knights and horses, beloved by spectators, had been retired after 30 years because of next week's move to their new stadium in Christchurch.

Stocks rose and oil fell Tuesday on hopes for a deal to end the Middle East war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, with Donald Trump saying Tehran had called to seek an agreement even as a US naval blockade around Iran's ports began.

Prime Minister Mark Carney's party secured a majority in Canada's parliament on Monday after two by-election wins, boosting his Liberals as they work to bolster a country shaken by threats from the United States.

US President Donald Trump has feuded with Pope Leo XIV over the Iran war -- setting off an unholy row that could have serious political implications for the Republican leader at home.

Peruvians waited Monday to see who will face conservative Keiko Fujimori in a presidential runoff, after a chaotic first round of voting that sparked criminal proceedings against top election officials.