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US President Donald Trump has said this year’s Nobel Peace Prize winner, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, told him she was accepting the award “in honor” of him, after he was overlooked for the prestigious recognition. “The person who actually got the Nobel Prize called me and said, ‘I’m accepting this in honor of you because you really deserved it.’ he said. “I didn’t say, ‘Then give it to me,’” he added, drawing chuckles from his advisers. “I think she might have. She was very nice.” He also suggested the award might have been given for 2024 achievements, adding, “You could also say it was given out for ’24, and I was running for office in ’24.” US President Donald Trump was passed over for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize on Friday, despite strong backing from Republican allies, several world leaders, and his own vocal campaigning for the honor. The Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the prize to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, who had been nominated last year by a group that included then-Sen. Machado dedicated her award to Trump and the Venezuelan people, expressing gratitude for the US president’s support. Her campaign manager Magalli Meda confirmed that Trump congratulated her by phone on Friday. Earlier in the day, the White House had expressed sharper criticism. Communications Director Steven Cheung accused the Nobel Committee of putting “politics over peace” for overlooking Trump’s role in brokering the Gaza ceasefire deal this week. Machado’s opposition to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro aligns closely with Trump’s stance. Secretary of State Rubio praised her as “the personification of resilience, tenacity, and patriotism.” Trump, who has long sought the Nobel honor, has repeatedly claimed credit for helping end global conflicts. However, several of his nominations came after the February 2025 deadline, according to his supporters. Republican Rep. Claudia Tenney confirmed she nominated Trump in December for his role in the Abraham Accords, which normalized Israel’s relations with several Arab nations. Nobel Committee Chair Jørgen Watne Frydnes said campaigns for particular candidates are common. “We receive thousands and thousands of letters every year,” he noted. “We base only our decision on the work and the will of Alfred Nobel.” Three sitting US presidents — Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, and Barack Obama — have previously received the Nobel Peace Prize. Jimmy Carter and Al Gore were later recipients. Trump, contrasting himself with Obama, remarked Thursday, “They gave it to Obama for doing absolutely nothing but destroying our country.” Trump often cites his efforts to “end seven wars,” though many of the conflicts he refers to involved diplomatic tensions rather than formal wars. While the Gaza ceasefire deal took effect Friday, questions remain over Hamas’ disarmament and Gaza’s governance, and little progress has been made in ending the Russia-Ukraine war. Domestically, Trump’s presidency remains divisive as he advances mass deportation plans and uses government powers against political rivals. Internationally, he has engaged in trade disputes, declared cartels as combatants, and ordered strikes on suspected drug boats in the Caribbean. The Nobel nomination list is confidential, but Trump’s critics say many nominations announced publicly are attempts by allies to flatter him. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who nominated Trump for the prize earlier this year, reposted the White House response on social media, writing, “The Nobel Committee talks about peace. President @realDonaldTrump makes it happen.” Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko also defended Trump, calling it “sheer stupidity” not to award him the prize. Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking in Tajikistan, declined to judge but praised the Gaza ceasefire and criticized the committee’s past decisions. Trump responded online: “Thank you to President Putin!” Among others who nominated Trump after this year’s deadline were Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Pakistan’s government, citing his efforts to promote regional peace. Source: AP

A powerful explosion at an explosives manufacturing plant in rural Tennessee on Friday left 18 people missing and presumed dead, according to local authorities. The blast destroyed the facility and left behind a scene of devastation, including mangled debris and burned-out vehicles. Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis described the aftermath at Accurate Energetic Systems — a company that develops and supplies explosives to the military — as total destruction. “There’s nothing left,” Davis said, calling it one of the most devastating incidents he has witnessed. Personally affected, Davis said he knows three of the families impacted. While confirming fatalities, he did not provide an exact number and referred to the missing as “souls” out of respect for the families. Initially, 19 people were reported missing, but the count was later revised to 18 after one individual was found safe at home. The explosion occurred around 7:45 a.m., and aerial footage revealed smoke rising from the site, with debris spread across a half-mile radius. The force of the blast was felt up to 15 miles away. Accurate Energetic Systems operates an eight-building complex in a wooded area near Bucksnort, roughly 60 miles southwest of Nashville. It is still unclear how many workers were on-site at the time of the explosion. The cause of the blast remains unknown. Emergency responders were initially prevented from entering the site due to ongoing smaller explosions. By the afternoon, officials confirmed the area was secured and no longer posed further risk. In a social media post, the company expressed sympathy for those affected and thanked emergency responders for their efforts. Public records show that the company holds multiple contracts with the U.S. Army and Navy, supplying a range of military-grade explosives, including C4 and landmines. Nearby residents reported feeling the explosion, with some capturing the sound on home security footage. Gentry Stover, who lives close to the site, said he was jolted awake, thinking his house had collapsed. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee acknowledged the incident on social media, urging prayers for the affected families. State Representative Jody Barrett expressed concern about the economic impact, as the plant is a significant local employer. That evening, community members gathered for a candlelight vigil, singing “Amazing Grace” and praying for the missing and their loved ones. The U.S. has a history of tragic industrial accidents, such as the 1907 Monongah mine disaster and others that led to the creation of OSHA in the 1970s. In 2019, Accurate Energetic Systems was fined for safety violations, and in 2014, a separate ammunition facility in the same area experienced a deadly explosion that killed one and injured several others.

Russian drone and missile attacks early Friday wounded at least 20 people in Kyiv, damaged residential buildings, and caused widespread blackouts across Ukraine, authorities said. In separate strikes in the southeast, a child was killed. In Kyiv, rescue teams pulled more than 20 residents from a 17-story apartment building after flames engulfed the sixth and seventh floors. Five people were hospitalized, while others received first aid on site. Resident Tetiana Lemishevska described the attack: “The strike hit — it blew out the windows, and the glass flew almost all the way to the door. The fire spread quickly to other floors.” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the strikes targeted civilian and energy infrastructure ahead of winter, while Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko called it “one of the largest concentrated strikes” on Ukraine’s energy grid. Ukrenergo reported outages in Kyiv and regions including Sumy, Kharkiv, Poltava, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Cherkasy. Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 465 strike and decoy drones along with 32 missiles; air defenses intercepted 405 drones and 15 missiles. In Zaporizhzhia, a 7-year-old boy was killed, and a hydroelectric plant was taken offline as a precaution.

Turkey has lifted its two-year flight ban on Sulaymaniyah International Airport in Iraq’s semiautonomous Kurdish region, a restriction imposed in 2023 over concerns about alleged Kurdish militant activity, officials said Friday. The decision followed a meeting in Ankara between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Kurdish Region President Nechirvan Barzani, where both leaders discussed bilateral relations, regional developments, and cooperation opportunities. Turkey had cited the presence of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), designated a terrorist group by Turkey, the U.S., and the EU, as the reason for halting flights due to safety concerns. Earlier this year, the PKK agreed to disband and renounce armed conflict as part of a new peace initiative with Turkey, marked by a symbolic disarmament ceremony near Sulaymaniyah in July. The Kurdistan Region Presidency welcomed the move, calling it a sign of strong ties and deepening cooperation. Turkish Airlines confirmed it would resume flights, with spokesperson Yahya Ustun saying the airline is “delighted to soon reconnect our Sulaymaniyah route with the skies once again.” The announcement coincided with Iraq’s Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein visiting Ankara to discuss water disputes and broader cooperation with Turkey.

Violent clashes broke out in Pakistan’s eastern city of Lahore on Friday after police tried to stop thousands of Islamist protesters from marching to the capital, Islamabad, to stage a pro-Palestinian rally outside the U.S. Embassy, officials said. The confrontation, which began Thursday, escalated when police baton-charged and fired tear gas at members of the hardline Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) party. Protesters hurled stones in response, while TLP claimed two of its supporters were killed and 50 others injured. Addressing worshippers, TLP chief Saad Rizvi vowed to lead the march himself, declaring, “Arrest is not a problem, bullets are not a problem — martyrdom is our destiny.” Authorities closed schools and universities across Lahore and suspended mobile internet in Islamabad and Rawalpindi to prevent the rally. Roads to the capital were blocked with shipping containers, causing severe disruptions. The unrest followed a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel, brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump, as Pakistan’s government struggled to contain the growing demonstrations.

Taiwan will accelerate the building of a “Taiwan Shield” or “T-Dome” air defense system in the face of the military threat from China, its leader said Friday. President Lai Ching-te also pledged to raise defense spending to more than 3% of GDP and to reach 5% by 2030. GDP, or gross domestic product, is a measure of the size of the overall economy. “The increase in defense spending has a purpose,” he said in an address to an outdoor crowd on Taiwan National Day. “It is a clear necessity to counter enemy threats and a driving force for developing our defense industries.” Taiwan is a self-governing island off China’s east coast that the Chinese government claims as part of its territory and says must come under its rule. The United States, while not recognizing Taiwan as a country, supplies its government with military equipment for its defense and opposes any use of military force by China to settle its dispute with Taiwan. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Friday criticized U.S. arms sales to Taiwan and military ties between Washington and Taipei. “The Lai Ching-te authorities’ attempt to seek independence through military means and resist reunification with force will only drag Taiwan into a perilous situation of military conflict,” said spokesperson Guo Jiakun. Lai called Taiwan a “beacon of democracy” in Asia, drawing a distinction with China’s one-party state. “Democratic Taiwan ... will strive to maintain the status quo, protect peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, and promote regional prosperity and development,” he said from a large stage set up in front of the early 20th-century presidential office building. Most of his speech focused on economic issues, including Taiwan's response to the high tariffs that President Donald Trump has imposed on exports to the United States this year. The government has launched a 93 billion New Taiwan dollar ($3 billion) plan to help companies, workers and those in farming and fishing who are affected by the tariffs. “We will also actively engage in reciprocal tariff negotiations with the U.S. to secure a reasonable rate,” Lai said. Without mentioning Trump, he said America's tariffs have added to the challenges already facing the world — namely the Russia-Ukraine war, the turmoil in the Middle East, and China’s continued military expansion. The Chinese military regularly sends fighter jets and warships into the skies and waters off Taiwan and has staged major military exercises in the area in recent years. Lai said his government would establish a rigorous defense system with high-level detection and effective interception capabilities. His use of the phrase “T-Dome,” short for Taiwan Dome, was an apparent reference to the Iron Dome system that Israel has developed. It was not immediately clear if the “T-Dome” referred to a new defense system or if it was a new name for existing initiatives. A Defense Ministry spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for clarification. Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said in a report this week that it is training soldiers to shoot down drones and looking to procure anti-drone weapons systems in response to China’s expanding development and use of military drones. Trump has pressured Taiwan to increase military spending to 10% of its GDP, an expectation reiterated on Tuesday by the nominee to be the Pentagon’s senior official for the Indo-Pacific region. The “T-Dome” allows Taiwan to signal to the U.S. that it is increasing its defense spending rapidly, while keeping its military buildup defensive in nature, said Wen-Ti Sung, a fellow with the Atlantic Council. “Lai clearly heard U.S. calls for Taiwan to increase its defense spending, which is why Lai spelled out very specific defense-budget-as-share-of-GDP targets and a specific timeline,” Sung added. Taiwan, home to 23 million people, operates independently but has not declared formal independence, which would risk provoking a Chinese military response. China and Taiwan have been governed separately since 1949, when a civil war brought the Communist Party to power in Beijing. Defeated Nationalist Party forces fled to Taiwan, where they set up their own government. Taiwan's Oct. 10 national day marks the anniversary of a 1911 uprising in China that led to the fall of its last imperial dynasty. It comes nine days after China's national day on Oct. 1, when communist revolutionary leader Mao Zedong declared the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949.

Opposition activist María Corina Machado of Venezuela won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday. The former opposition presidential candidate in Venezuela was lauded for being a “key, unifying figure in a political opposition that was once deeply divided — an opposition that found common ground in the demand for free elections and representative government,” said Jørgen Watne Frydnes, chair of the Norwegian Nobel committee. “In the past year, Miss Machado has been forced to live in hiding. Despite serious threats against her life, she has remained in the country, a choice that has inspired millions. When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognize courageous defenders of freedom who rise and resist.” Hungarian Author László Krasznahorkai awarded Nobel Prize in literature There had been persistent speculation ahead of the announcement about the possibility of the prize going to U.S. President Donald Trump, fueled in part by the president himself, amplified by this week’s approval of his plan for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Experts say the committee typically focuses on the durability of peace, the promotion of international fraternity and the quiet work of institutions that strengthen those goals. Last year's award went to Nihon Hidankyo, a grassroots movement of Japanese atomic bombing survivors who have worked for decades to maintain a taboo around the use of nuclear weapons. As Nobel week peaks, eyes turn to Literature, Peace, and Economic prizes The peace prize is the only one of the annual Nobel prizes to be awarded in Oslo, Norway. Four of the other prizes have already been awarded in the Swedish capital, Stockholm this week — in medicine on Monday, physics on Tuesday, chemistry on Wednesday and literature on Thursday. The winner of the prize in economics will be announced on Monday. Nobel Prize in chemistry awarded for CO₂ capture and desert water breakthrough

Hungarian novelist László Krasznahorkai, known for his darkly humorous and surreal depictions of human despair, has won the 2025 Nobel Prize in literature for what judges called his “epic, absurdist and grotesque” body of work that upholds “the power of art amid apocalyptic terror.” The 71-year-old author — whose novels often unfold in a single, marathon sentence — is the first Hungarian to win the Nobel Prize in literature since Imre Kertesz in 2002. “I am calm and very nervous,” Krasznahorkai told Radio Sweden after learning of the award, which carries a prize of over $1 million. “This is the first day in my life when I got a Nobel Prize. I don't know what's coming in the future.” A master of “apocalyptic” fictionOften described as the “contemporary master of the Apocalypse” by the late Susan Sontag, Krasznahorkai’s fiction blends bleakness with dark humor, echoing literary giants like Franz Kafka and Samuel Beckett. Zsuzsanna Varga, a Hungarian literature scholar at the University of Glasgow, said his novels explore the “utter hopelessness” of existence while remaining “incredibly funny.” His debut novel Satantango (1985), which follows the last residents of a decaying collective farm, established his distinctive, relentless prose style — so dense, Varga joked, “it’s the Hotel California of literature: once you get in, you can never leave.” Nobel Prize in chemistry awarded for CO₂ capture and desert water breakthrough Krasznahorkai’s other major works include The Melancholy of Resistance — a surreal story involving a circus and a giant stuffed whale — and Baron Wenckheim’s Homecoming, which earned him the 2019 U.S. National Book Award for Translated Literature. His 2021 book Herscht 07769, written as letters to Angela Merkel, runs nearly 400 pages with a single full stop. Several of his novels, including Satantango and The Melancholy of Resistance, were adapted into films by acclaimed Hungarian director Béla Tarr. From the periphery to the Nobel stageBorn in Gyula, near Hungary’s Romanian border, Krasznahorkai studied law before turning to literature. His cult status emerged in the 1980s, when Hungarian writers were viewed as cultural icons during the waning days of Communism. “He writes about life on the periphery and the techniques of power,” said János Szegő, his editor at Magvető Publishing. “All the populist tendencies of our time — from barbarism to mass manipulation — are present in his novels.” Krasznahorkai has been an outspoken critic of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s government and its stance on Ukraine. Earlier this year, he told Svenska Dagbladet that “there is no hope left in Hungary today,” blaming both politics and society. Despite his criticism, Orbán congratulated him in a Facebook post, calling him “the pride of Hungary” and “the first Nobel Prize winner from Gyula.” “A life of permanent correction”Krasznahorkai said his literary journey was never planned. “I wanted at first to write only one book,” he said. “Then I reread Satantango and found it wasn’t perfect. So I wrote another to correct it — and another to correct that. My life is a permanent correction.” The Nobel Prize in Literature has now been awarded 117 times to 121 laureates. Last year’s winner was South Korean author Han Kang, and in 2023, Norwegian writer Jon Fosse received the honor. The Nobel Peace Prize will be announced Friday, followed by the economics prize on Monday. Nobel awards are presented each year on December 10, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death. Each Nobel carries a reward of 11 million Swedish kronor (about $1.2 million), along with an 18-carat gold medal and diploma. Source: AP 

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Global Fintech Fest 2025 in Mumbai and described Mumbai as the "City of Energy, the City of Enterprise, and the City of Endless Possibilities." He specially welcomed his 'friend', Prime Minister Keir Starmer of the UK, and expressed gratitude for his presence at the Global Fintech Festival, acknowledging the time he took to attend the event. Recalling that five years ago, when the Global Fintech Festival was launched, the world was battling a global pandemic, the Prime Minister highlighted that today, the festival has evolved into a global platform for financial innovation and cooperation. He noted that this year, the United Kingdom is participating as a partner country, and emphasized that the partnership between two major democracies will further strengthen the global financial landscape. Modi remarked on the vibrant atmosphere, energy, and dynamism at the venue, calling it remarkable. He stated that this reflects global trust in India’s economy and growth. The Prime Minister congratulated Kris Gopalakrishnan, all organizers, and participants for the successful conduct of the event, according to Press Information Bureau of India.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Keir Starmer met in Mumbai on Thursday to strengthen cooperation in trade, defense, and technology, and to advance a landmark trade deal between the two nations. The meeting marked Starmer’s first official visit to India since taking office in July 2024. His two-day trip comes as New Delhi intensifies efforts to attract global investment for its rapidly growing economy. Modi said the discussions focused on expanding collaboration in digital infrastructure, defense, education, and critical minerals while building on the trade agreement signed during his visit to London in July. The two sides also sealed a new defense pact under which the UK will supply missiles, launchers, and electric engines for Indian naval ships, according to the British defense ministry. Calling India and the UK “natural partners,” Modi said the strengthened ties represent “stability in an uncertain world.” He added that the relationship is now “a crucial foundation for global stability and economic progress.” Modi also announced a new military training cooperation framework and confirmed that nine UK universities will open campuses in India. Starmer, who led a 125-member delegation of business, education, and cultural representatives, said his visit aims to “double down on the potential of the trade deal” to create growth and jobs in both countries. “We are creating a new, modern partnership focusing on the future,” he said. The trade deal, expected to be implemented within a year, will cut tariffs on key products — including Scotch whisky, English gin, and Indian food exports — and could boost bilateral trade by $34 billion while increasing UK exports to India by nearly 60%, according to the British government. The two leaders also exchanged views on regional and global issues, including Indo-Pacific stability, the war in Ukraine, and the situation in Gaza. Starmer welcomed the first phase of a peace plan between Israel and Hamas, saying it brought “profound relief” for hostages, families, and civilians after two years of conflict.