KAKAMMPI News

Relations between the two countries have evolved considerably over the last half century. It is in China's interest to have a stable and prosperous Southeast Asia, says Asian Studies professor James Chin of the University of Tasmania.

Kuala Lumpur International Airport saw up to 4,500 migrant workers arriving on May 27, about four to nine times the usual number. KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) is seeing four to nine times more migrant worker arrivals as employers rush to bring them in before a Friday (May 31) deadline. Videos circulating on social media show throngs of migrant workers in the gate area of the airport’s two terminals, some of them sitting and lying on the floor. Malaysia’s Immigration Department said in a statement on Thursday that since May 22, 2,500 migrant workers have arrived each day, with this figure increasing to between 4,000 and 4,500 on Monday. This is compared to the usual 500 to 1,000 daily arrivals of these migrant workers prior, the department said. It also warned that it expects the number to increase until Friday, based on information received from airlines that had added more flights into the country “to meet demands”. The influx of these mig...

There is not a single district or street in Kharkiv that hasn’t suffered from this regular cruelty. Russia added strikes with guided aerial bombs. Russian aviation comes close to our state border and launches these bombs straight on the city – it is a weapon of indiscriminate destruction. And anyone in any city of the world – from São Paulo to Harbin takes this the same way – as terror. Just like all other Russian strikes on hundreds of other of our cities and villages. Some of them, once booming with life, are now burnt to ashes, peopleless. A burnt-out emptiness is the most horrible consequence of war… A war that we didn’t want in Ukraine, that we haven’t provoked, and in which Ukraine is defending itself from Russian attempts to seize our resources and territories and destroy our national identity. And the world sees it. Behind me are the books burnt down by Russian missiles. It was one of the largest publishing houses in Ukraine. People got injured here. Unfortunately, there are pe...

There were more than a thousand attendees at the Tourism Summit 2024 last Monday, majority of them MSMEs. They came to learn about the business opportunities in tourism and the challenges that might await them. President Marcos sent his message of encouragement to the tourism MSMEs and congratulated the recipients of this year’s Inspiring Tourism Entrepreneurs Awards. “You are serving our country well with your exceptional work,” he said, adding that “you are also showing us what it takes to give the Philippines that edge over other destinations.” The President also echoed the call for stronger partnerships between the government and the private sector, something that has become a theme for all of Go Negosyo’s activities over the last few years. He called on the private sector and government “to endeavor to bring the rewards of a thriving tourism industry directly to the Filipino people.” I am glad that more of our big brothers in the private sector are allocating their resources ...

MANILA: The Philippine economy grew slightly less than expected in the first three months of the year, data showed Thursday, owing to persistent inflation and a widespread drought. The 5.7 percent expansion in January-March was well down from the 6.4 percent posted in the same period last year earlier but a slight improvement on the previous three months, national statistician Dennis Mapa told reporters. The reading was also below the median analysts’ forecast of 5.9 percent, which Ser Percival Reyes of the Ateneo Center for Economic Research and Development told AFP was “quite disappointing”. “Actually this was anticipated by the government, inflation and the extreme heat, but the economic effects came out to be extreme,” Reyes said. Large areas of the country were hit by an El Nino-induced drought during the period, ravaging farms, before it was hit by extreme heat in the past two months. The agriculture sector grew 0.4 percent, a sharp slowdown from the 2.2 percent growth logged in...

There are pivotal moments in the life of a nation, where some individuals may not prioritize their homeland, and others may be misled, betraying their country and sowing discord. Both forget that the homeland is our refuge and security; without it, we’re like aimless feathers drifting in the wind. Protecting the homeland is a shared responsibility among all its people, whether leaders or citizens, each playing a crucial role in safeguarding the nation. Leaders’ efforts alone are futile if the people are indifferent, and vice versa. Kuwait will endure as long as the Sun rises from the East. It’s our cherished land, from which we ask for little but carry the weight of alienation and shield ourselves from the agony of loss, scarcity and indignity. Kuwait, my homeland, may you remain safe and glorious. To our youth: Believe in our homeland, for it is our everything. Do not let those who incite discord shake your confidence in Kuwait or fracture our unity. Regardless of how much corruptio...

KUWAIT: The Kuwaiti woman has played a substantial role in Kuwait’s progress and prosperity, motivated by her dedication to the homeland, said Deputy Foreign Minister Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah on Thursday. She plays a pivotal role at the level of the national economy, said the Deputy Foreign Minister during the inauguration of a forum organized by Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, themed “Kuwait has its own women.” The forum marking Kuwaiti Women’s Day was attended by diplomats. The forum constitutes an opportunity to shed light on the Kuwaiti woman’s distinguished role and her contributions to the establishment and progress of the homeland at the economic, political, social, and cultural levels, he said. The Deputy Foreign Minister said organizing the forum in coordination between the foreign department and the KPC mirrored Kuwait’s substantial concern for female citizens, namely their major role in the oil sector. This concern is in line with national policies dating back t...

KUWAIT: Minister of Social Affairs, Family and Childhood, and Minister of Youth Dr Amthal Al-Huwailah granted four women in the Supreme Council for Family Affairs authority of judicial enforcement on Thursday. In commemoration of Kuwaiti Women’s Day, a statement from the ministry of social affairs was issued, in which Dr Huwailah praised the capability and achievements of Kuwaiti women across all fields. Huwailah’s decision comes in accordance with article 16/2020 of the constitution, which protects women from domestic violence. Reem Al-Azmi, Secretary General of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs, praised the decision to grant the authority to the four women, making the majority of members with authority to protect victims of domestic violence women. Dr Huwailah earlier said Kuwaiti women have an important role in society, making significant efforts in various fields. The occasion of Kuwaiti Women’s Day, which falls on May 16, represented a historic milestone for Kuwaiti women ...

Arab Summit calls for UN peacekeepers in Palestine • Leaders congratulate Amir MANAMA: Representative of HH the Amir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, urged the international community and UN Security Council to force the Zionist occupation to immediately stop its military operations in Gaza Strip. Addressing the Arab Summit in Manama, HH the Prime Minister strongly condemned the Zionist occupation forces’ assault on Rafah which would have consequences on civilians who lack safe havens. He called for providing international protection for the Palestinian people, swift delivery of humanitarian aid and stopping expansion of the war in the region, and underlined the important role of UNRWA. HH the Prime Minister rejected calls for the forced displacement of the people of Gaza and thus having neighboring countries bear the humanitarian impacts, which are in violation of international humanitarian principles. HH the ...

UNITED STATES — Glacier National Park's ice fortress is crumbling. The giant trees of Sequoia National Park are ablaze. And even the tenacious cacti of Saguaro National Park are struggling to endure a decades-long drought. Since their creation, national parks have embodied the pioneering spirit of America in their vast expanses and breathtaking landscapes. But today, the climate crisis imperils the very symbols of many parks, leaving them facing a future where their names could be cruel ironies. Deep within Montana's Glacier National Park, the once majestic Grinnell Glacier is now greatly diminished. After a grueling trek, visitors are met with a stunning sight: a serene lake of pale blue water, nestled among towering peaks. But as beautiful as it is, the very presence of this lake is testament to the ravages of a fast-warming planet. Just a few decades ago, this landscape was entirely frozen. Now the glacier itself is relegated to a small hollow, sheltered from the Sun,...

The Russian Foreign Ministry on Thursday said it is expelling Britain's military attache from Moscow as a retaliatory measure. The ministry summoned a representative of the British Embassy on Thursday to protest against the expulsion of the Russian attache from London last week, the ministry said. It said the British military attache must leave Russia within a week. Russia's retaliatory measures are not limited to the expulsion of the British diplomat; Moscow will inform London about further steps, the ministry said.

The Israel Embassy celebrated the lives of the five Filipinos who died during the October 7 Hamas attacks during their nation's Memorial Day commemoration on Tuesday. In a statement on Wednesday, Israel said Overseas Filipino Workers Angelyn Aguirre, Loreta Alacre, Grace Cabrera, Paul Vincent Castelvi, and Filipino-Israeli soldier Sergeant Cydrick Garin were included among the Jewish state’s fallen soldiers and civilians for this year’s Yom HaZikaron (Memorial Day). The ceremony included prayers and a moment of silence offered to the fallen Filipinos, who were among the 760 fallen soldiers, 834 civilians and 68 foreign nationals who died in 2023. This year’s ceremony also marked the first commemoration of Israel's Memorial and Independence Days in the midst of the ongoing war against the militant Palestinian group Hamas. “Today is an opportunity to recognize OFWs in Israel. Most of them are still in our country, and they feel at home and loyal to their employers. Aside from...

A total of 60 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from Israel arrived on Thursday afternoon at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 in Pasay City, according to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW). With this, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and DMW have assisted in bringing home 879 Filipinos from Israel as tensions in the Middle East have dragged on for over seven months. "This is the largest batch of returning OFWs to come home to the Philippines, availing of the government's voluntary repatriation program in the wake of the hostilities that erupted in October last year between Israel and Hamas, the militant Palestinian group," said the DMW. One OFW was unable to board the flight back to Manila after she felt ill. The Philippine Embassy and Migrant Workers Office—Abu Dhabi officers have brought her to the hospital for treatment and observation. She is expected to continue her journey home when medical authorities declare her fi...

LISBON, Portugal - Iran on Thursday freed seven of the 25 crew on a Portuguese-flagged ship seized in the Gulf on April 13, Portugal's foreign ministry said. Five Indians, a Filipino and an Estonian from the MSC Aries "have been freed today", the ministry said in a statement. Another Indian crew member had already been released. Portugal welcomed the action but demanded the "immediate release" of the remaining 17 crew and the MSC Aries, which was seized near the Strait of Hormuz amid mounting tensions between Iran and Israel. Iran said the container ship had Israeli links when it was taken, in parallel to Iranian forces launching a mass drone attack against Israel. That unprecedented attack followed a deadly Israeli strike against an Iranian diplomatic building in Damascus in which seven Iranian military officers were killed. Iran accused the ship's owners of having links to Israel. "It is certain that this ship belongs to the Zionist regime,"...

An OFW did not tell his son that he was going home as he wanted to stage a surprise, but his plan turned out to be tearful yet full of joy. In the report of JP Soriano for "Pusuan Na Yan'' on "Saksi," Christian Balbuena is partially hidden in a video as he was wearing a mask and listening to his son was animatedly telling a story. He suddenly announced, "Aalis na na tayo? Aalis na tayo?" His son turned as he recognized the voice and then later, his father revealed himself. His son called out, "Daddy!" began to cry as he hugged his father tightly. Christian was expecting to have a last laugh when he sprung his surprise. But he ended up crying with his son. Sacristan Balbuena, 7 years old, did not know that his father was going home. "Miss ko na ikaw," Sacristan told his father. — BAP, GMA Integrated News

The House of Representatives has approved a bill allowing online voter registration and expanded voting mechanisms for Filipino overseas voters, on second reading via voice vote. House Bill 10178 or the Overseas Electronic Registration and Voting Act expands the registration and voting methods available to overseas Filipino voters by including online registration and voting through available technology as the Commission on Elections (Comelec) may deem appropriate. “This is to provide greater ease and encourage our Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and Overseas Filipinos (OFs) to exercise their right of suffrage, with due regard to protecting their privacy and the sanctity of their ballots,” said OFW party-list lawmaker Marissa Magsino, the principal author of the measure. In her sponsorship speech, Magsino said that there tends to be low voter turnout among overseas voters due to considerable physical distance between the overseas voters’ workplaces or residences and the embassies w...

NEW YORK - After receiving the Individual of the Year Award for Special Education in Inclusive Practices from the Governor’s Council on Disabilities and Special Education in Alaska, once again, Special Education Teacher Dale Aller Ebcas is recognized as the 2024 Educator of the Year in the State of Alaska. Originally from Cagayan de Oro City and now in his fourth year of teaching in Alaska, Ebcas has earned respect for his dedication to teaching and his commitment to inclusivity, particularly his dedication to teaching kids with different exceptionalities. Ebcas is the School District's Unified Sports Coordinator and Coach for basketball, bowling, and badminton at his school. His leadership in these roles emphasizes inclusivity, integrating students with and without disabilities, and fostering a sense of teamwork and community. His advocacy efforts are crucial in promoting inclusive educational practices throughout the district. The State of Alaska Department of Education Commi...

LONDON: Kuwait Embassy in London hosted, and patronized, late Saturday an international charity event as part of the 125th anniversary of the Kuwait-British partnership. Mayor of Kensington Councilor Preety Hudd, and her deputy Dori Schmetterling, Kuwait Ambassador to the United Kingdom Bader Al-Awadhi, attended the ceremony, in addition to Ambassadors and representatives of number of countries, including Mexico, Kenya, Tajikistan, Magnolia, Maldives, Pakistan, Morocco, and Algeria. On the occasion, Ambassador Al-Awadhi expressed his pride and happiness of hosting and patronizing such sublime charitable, humanitarian, and cultural event. In a speech delivered before the guests, Kuwait Ambassador stressed the importance of spreading the principles of understanding and dialogue between the countries of the world, considering culture as one of the important bridges promote human values worldwide. On her part, mayor of Kensington Councilor Preety Hudd praised such gesture form the Kuwait...

LONDON: Kuwait Embassy in London hosted, and patronized, late Saturday an international charity event as part of the 125th anniversary of the Kuwait-British partnership. Mayor of Kensington Councilor Preety Hudd, and her deputy Dori Schmetterling, Kuwait Ambassador to the United Kingdom Bader Al-Awadhi, attended the ceremony, in addition to Ambassadors and representatives of number of countries, including Mexico, Kenya, Tajikistan, Magnolia, Maldives, Pakistan, Morocco, and Algeria. On the occasion, Ambassador Al-Awadhi expressed his pride and happiness of hosting and patronizing such sublime charitable, humanitarian, and cultural event. In a speech delivered before the guests, Kuwait Ambassador stressed the importance of spreading the principles of understanding and dialogue between the countries of the world, considering culture as one of the important bridges promote human values worldwide. On her part, mayor of Kensington Councilor Preety Hudd praised such gesture form the Kuwait...

Azzah Al-Ghamdi Kuwait is considered one of the first countries to guarantee freedom to all residents, whether citizens or expatriates. This is explicitly stated in the Kuwaiti constitution in articles 35 and 36, which guarantee freedom of expression, belief and practice of religious rituals for expatriates residing in the country. The constitution explicitly stipulates individual freedoms while regulating them by laws. The penal laws that regulate these freedoms were launched accordingly. Kuwait is often seen as a country without prisoners of conscience or political prisoners. However, this is due to a misunderstanding of the laws. While the constitution guarantees freedom of opinion in article 36, it also specifies that it be regulated by law. The state security law delineates certain opinions as state security crimes, which are distinct from freedom of opinion. These laws are public and everyone can familiarize themselves with them to avoid confusion. Criticism of government offi...

Amir honors UN Chief • Guterres demands immediate truce • Gaza martyrs top 35,000 KUWAIT/GAZA: A conference of international donors in Kuwait on Sunday pledged over $2 billion to aid the devastated Gaza Strip over seven months into the Zionist war in the besieged Palestinian territory. The conference, organized by the International Islamic Charitable Organization (IICO) and the UN’s humanitarian coordination agency OCHA, said the funds would be dispersed over two years, with the possibility of extension, in efforts to support life-saving humanitarian interventions in Gaza. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had urged an immediate halt to the Zionist-Hamas war in Gaza, the return of captives and a “surge” in humanitarian aid to the besieged territory, in remarks played at the opening of the conference. “But a ceasefire will only be the start,” Guterres said. “It will be a long road back from the devastation and trauma of this war.” Zionist strikes continued in Gaza on Sunday, wher...

han. EyePress News/Reuters Hong Kong CNN — A Chinese citizen journalist who has been behind bars for four years over her reporting on the initial Covid-19 outbreak in Wuhan is due to be released Monday after serving her sentence, according to supporters and a court verdict. Zhang Zhan, a former lawyer, was one of the few independent Chinese journalists reporting in Wuhan after the metropolis of 11 million people went into a complete lockdown, offering a rare, unfiltered glimpse into the reality on the ground as Chinese authorities imposed tight censorship on media coverage. She was detained in May 2020 and sentenced months later to four years in prison for “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” – a charge commonly used by the Chinese government to target dissidents and human rights activists. Zhang is due to finish her sentence on Monday, according to the court verdict on her case obtained and published by human rights groups. In the lead-up to her expected release on Monday, s...

China is sending a “huge force” allegedly to seal off Scarborough Shoal ahead of the Philippines’ civilian mission to the area, a United States maritime expert said on Monday. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), former US Air Force official and ex-Defence Attaché Ray Powell said this will be the “largest blockade” in Scarborough Shoal he has seen. “China is sending a huge force to blockade Scarborough Shoal ahead of the Atin Ito civilian convoy setting sail from the Philippines Tuesday. By this time tomorrow at least four coast guard and 26 large maritime militia ships on blockade (not counting 'dark' vessels),” he said. “This will be by far the largest blockade I'll have ever tracked at Scarborough. China seems determined to aggressively enforce its claim over the shoal, of which it seized control from the Philippines in 2012 as summarized by AsiaMTI,” he added. 'Safe forecast' Sought for comment in an interview on Dobol B TV, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) sp...

RAFAH, Palestinian Territories — Israel on Saturday hit parts of Gaza including Rafah where it expanded an evacuation order, as the UN warned an outright invasion of the crowded city risked an "epic" disaster. AFP journalists, medics and witnesses reported strikes across the coastal territory, where the UN says humanitarian relief is blocked after Israeli troops defied international opposition and entered eastern Rafah this week. That effectively shut a key aid crossing and suspending traffic through another. At least 21 people were killed during strikes in central Gaza and taken to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah city, a hospital statement said. Bodies covered in white dust lay on the ground in a courtyard of the facility. A man in a baseball cap leaned over one body bag, clasping a dust-covered hand that protruded. The feet of another corpse poked from under a blanket bearing the picture of a large teddy bear. In Rafah, witnesses reported intense air strikes...

RAFAH, Palestinian Territories — Israel struck Gaza on Sunday and troops battled militants in several areas of the Hamas-run territory, where the health ministry said the death toll in the war had exceeded 35,000 people. More than seven months into the Israel-Hamas war, UN chief Antonio Guterres urged "an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages and an immediate surge in humanitarian aid" into the besieged Gaza Strip. "But a ceasefire will only be the start," Guterres told a donor conference in Kuwait, where countries pledged over $2 billion to aid the devastated Palestinian territory. As Egyptian, Qatari and American mediation efforts towards a truce appeared to stall, US President Joe Biden said Saturday a ceasefire could be achieved "tomorrow" if Hamas released the hostages held in Gaza since the October 7 attack that sparked the conflict. The militant group on Sunday called Biden's statement a "setback...

UNITED NATIONS, United States — The UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly Friday to grant the Palestinians additional rights in the global body and backed their drive for full membership, which is blocked by the United States. Israel's UN ambassador Gilad Erdan reacted angrily to the largely symbolic vote, while Palestinian ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour said it was historic. With the war in Gaza raging, the Palestinians in April relaunched a request dating back to 2011 to become full members of the United Nations, where their current status is that of a "nonmember observer state." To succeed, the initiative needed a UN Security Council green light and then a two-thirds majority vote in the General Assembly. But the United States -- one of five veto-holding members on the Security Council and Israel's closest ally -- blocked it on April 18. Before Friday's vote, Palestinian ambassador Mansour said "I have stood hundreds of times before at this pod...

RAFAH, Palestinian Territories — Israel struck Gaza on Sunday and troops were battling militants in several areas of the Palestinian territory after an Israeli evacuation order sent hundreds of thousands of Palestinians fleeing from Rafah. More than seven months into the Israel-Hamas war, UN chief Antonio Guterres urged "an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages and an immediate surge in humanitarian aid" into the besieged Gaza Strip. "But a ceasefire will only be the start," Guterres told a donor conference in Kuwait. "It will be a long road back from the devastation and trauma of this war." As Egyptian, Qatari and US mediation efforts towards a truce appeared to stall, US President Joe Biden said on Saturday a ceasefire could be achieved "tomorrow" if Hamas released the hostages held in Gaza since the October 7 attack that sparked the war. AFP correspondents, witnesses and medics said Israeli air strikes...

WASHINGTON, United States — The United States and China promised Friday to work together on reduction of methane, the second most abundant greenhouse gas, after talks between the climate envoys of the world's two largest emitters. Chinese climate envoy Liu Zhenmin and White House climate advisor John Podesta met for the first time since the departure of their predecessors, whose unusually close relationship helped bring consensus at last year's COP28 summit in Dubai. In the two days of talks this week in Washington, the pair looked for ways of "promoting a successful COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan," the next climate summit which takes place in November, the US State Department said in a statement. Ahead of the Dubai summit, China promised a broad plan to tackle methane, of which it is the world's largest emitter -- an especially touchy political issue as methane comes mostly from its coal mining. The two countries said they would co-host an event in Baku, the secon...

PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil — Emergency workers continued search and rescue operations in flood-stricken southern Brazil on Saturday despite a new burst of torrential rains, as the death toll continued to climb. Heavy rains in the state of Rio Grande do Sul last week caused rivers to overflow, leaving 136 people dead, 756 injured and affecting nearly two million people, the Civil Defense agency said. Some 125 people are still missing, while more than 410,000 have been forced to flee their homes due to the disaster, which United Nations experts and the Brazilian government link to climate change and the El Nino weather phenomenon. More than 92,000 homes were damaged or destroyed by the floods, according to the National Confederation of Municipalities. Heavy rains resumed Friday in the regional capital of Porto Alegre as well as other already badly hit areas, and authorities were instructing local residents not to return to the flooded areas. The region expects "isolated showers and s...

MEDINA, United States — US President Joe Biden said Saturday that a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war was possible as soon as "tomorrow" if the militant group released its hostages. "There would be a ceasefire tomorrow if Hamas would release the hostages," Biden said at a fundraiser outside Seattle, at the home of a former Microsoft executive, after avoiding the topic at three similar events on Friday. "Israel said it's up to Hamas, if they wanted to do it, we could end it tomorrow. And the ceasefire would begin tomorrow," Biden told the crowd of about 100 people. The president raised the issue after warning Israel on Wednesday that he would stop supplying artillery shells and other weapons if its forces attack the city of Rafah, in southern Gaza, as he deplored the fact that civilians had been killed by the dropping of US bombs. "If they go into Rafah, I'm not supplying the weapons that have been used... to deal with the cities," Bid...

WASHINGTON, United States — Experts have long warned about the threat posed by artificial intelligence going rogue — but a new research paper suggests it's already happening. Current AI systems, designed to be honest, have developed a troubling skill for deception, from tricking human players in online games of world conquest to hiring humans to solve "prove-you're-not-a-robot" tests, a team of scientists argue in the journal Patterns on Friday. And while such examples might appear trivial, the underlying issues they expose could soon carry serious real-world consequences, said first author Peter Park, a postdoctoral fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology specializing in AI existential safety. "These dangerous capabilities tend to only be discovered after the fact," Park told AFP, while "our ability to train for honest tendencies rather than deceptive tendencies is very low." Unlike traditional software, deep-learning AI systems ar...

AFP / Mahmud Hams WASHINGTON, United States — The chief of the United Nations' food program has warned of a "full-blown famine" in northern Gaza and reiterated calls for a ceasefire in Israel's war against Hamas. "There is famine, full-blown famine in the north and it's moving its way south," Cindy McCain, executive director of the World Food Program, said in an interview excerpt published Friday. "What we are asking for and what we've continually asked for is a ceasefire and the ability to have unfettered access to get in safe... into Gaza -- various ports, various gate crossings," McCain continued. The World Food Program is one of the many humanitarian groups trying to get aid into Gaza. The World Health Organization said Friday that the availability of food in the Gaza Strip has very slightly improved, though the risk of famine continues in the besieged Palestinian territory, which is home to 2.4 million people. Israel has repeatedl...

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol held a rare press conference Thursday, admitting "shortcomings" after his party's recent electoral defeat, and laying out policies on issues from the country's low birthrate to Russia's war in Ukraine. The press conference was the president's first in nearly two years, and comes after his party suffered a drubbing in legislative elections last month. On Ukraine, Yoon vowed to keep strong ties with Kyiv while maintaining a smooth relationship with Russia, ruling out direct weapons shipments and telling reporters that it was his "firm stance" not to send lethal arms to countries at war. On South Korea's birthrate, one of the world's lowest, he unveiled plans to create a ministry to tackle the issue, which he described as "a national emergency". His party's defeat in the April 10 parliamentary elections prompted calls for Yoon to change his policy direction and leadershi...