Top World News

Jun 28, 2025 - World

Crackdown on Pride is part of effort to curb democratic freedoms ahead of a hotly-contested election next yearTens of thousands of people have taken to the streets of Budapest in defiance of the Hungarian government’s ban on Pride, heeding a call by the city’s mayor to “come calmly and boldly to stand together for freedom, dignity and equal rights”.Jubilant crowds packed into the city’s streets on Saturday, waving Pride flags and signs that mocked the country’s prime minister, Viktor Orbán, as their peaceful procession inched forward at a snail’s pace. Continue reading...

Jun 28, 2025 - World

Paetongtarn Shinawatra has angered Thai nationalists, who accuse the Thai leader of kowtowing to CambodiaThousands of protesters have gathered in Bangkok to demand the resignation of Thailand’s prime minister over a leaked phone call with a former Cambodian leader.Paetongtarn Shinawatra has faced growing pressure over her handling of a border dispute with neighbouring Cambodia that flared in May when a Cambodian soldier was killed during a brief exchange of fire. Continue reading...

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

Authorities in Spain, Portugal, Greece and France issue extreme heat, wildfire and health warnings Authorities across Europe are on alert as the first heatwave of the summer pushes temperatures up to 42C (107.6F), as the fastest-warming continent continues to suffer the effects of the climate emergency.Spain’s state meteorological office, Aemet, issued a special heat warning on Friday, saying temperatures could reach 42C in some southern areas of the country over the coming days.Agence France-Presse and Associated Press contributed to this report Continue reading...

Jun 28, 2025 - World

A hard-right lawmaker has replaced Greece’s migration and asylum minister amid a political shake-up