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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.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen easily survived two no-confidence votes on Thursday, as a clear majority of EU lawmakers rejected censure motions brought by far-right and far-left groups. In the first vote, 378 lawmakers opposed a far-right motion, while 179 supported it and 37 abstained. A separate motion from the far-left was rejected by 383 votes to 133, with 78 abstentions. This marks the third time in a year that von der Leyen has faced — and survived — no-confidence votes since starting her second five-year term as head of the EU’s executive body. She is the first European Commission president in over a decade to be subjected to such motions. The European Commission is responsible for proposing EU laws, enforcing their implementation, managing trade for the 27 member states, and overseeing competition policy. The nationalist Patriots for Europe group accused von der Leyen of letting migration “explode,” claiming it endangered Europe’s “identity and security.” They also alleged that her environmental policies harmed farmers and consumers. Meanwhile, The Left group blamed her for backing “detrimental trade deals” and for failing to “act against the Israeli government’s systemic violations of international law in Gaza.” Despite the criticism, von der Leyen was strongly supported by the main pro-European centrist blocs in the European Parliament, which hold a majority and dismissed the motions as political theatrics by extremist parties. Still, the votes have reignited criticism of von der Leyen and her center-right European People’s Party (EPP), the largest group in the chamber, with opponents accusing them of aligning too closely with right-wing forces to advance their political agenda.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday acknowledged for the first time that Russia’s air defenses were responsible for downing an Azerbaijani passenger jet in December, which killed 38 people. Speaking during a meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Dushanbe, Tajikistan — where both leaders are attending a summit of former Soviet nations — Putin described the incident as a “tragic mistake.” The Azerbaijan Airlines flight, traveling from Baku to Grozny, the capital of Russia’s Chechen Republic, crashed on December 25, 2024. According to Azerbaijani authorities, the aircraft was accidentally struck by Russian air defense fire and attempted an emergency landing in western Kazakhstan before crashing, killing 38 of the 67 people onboard. Putin offered an apology to Aliyev for the “tragic incident,” marking his first public acknowledgment of Russia’s role. Aliyev, however, criticized Moscow for initially attempting to “hush up” the matter.

Hungarian novelist László Krasznahorkai has been awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for his “visionary and powerful body of work” that, according to the Nobel Committee, “reaffirms the power of art in the midst of apocalyptic terror.” Krasznahorkai, 71, is known for his dense, philosophical novels often composed in sprawling single sentences. His debut novel Satantango, along with The Melancholy of Resistance, were adapted into critically acclaimed films by Hungarian director Béla Tarr. The Nobel judges lauded his distinctive literary style and outlook, saying his work reflects “an artistic gaze free from illusion, revealing the fragility of the social order while maintaining an unshaken belief in the transformative force of art.” Krasznahorkai has received numerous accolades throughout his career, including the 2015 Man Booker International Prize. The Booker jury highlighted his “extraordinarily long, elaborate sentences” whose tone ranges from “solemn to absurd, inquisitive to despairing.” He also received the 2019 U.S. National Book Award for Translated Literature for his novel Baron Wenckheim’s Homecoming. As Nobel week peaks, eyes turn to Literature, Peace, and Economic prizes He becomes the first Hungarian writer to win the Nobel in literature since Imre Kertész in 2002, joining a prestigious list of past laureates that includes literary giants such as Ernest Hemingway, Toni Morrison, and Kazuo Ishiguro. This marks the 117th time the Nobel Prize in Literature has been awarded, with 121 individual recipients to date. Last year, the honor went to South Korean writer Han Kang, recognized for works that “confront historical traumas and reveal the fragility of human life.” The literature prize is the fourth Nobel announced this week, following awards in medicine, physics, and chemistry. The Nobel Peace Prize will be revealed on Friday, while the final prize—the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences—will be announced on Monday. Nobel Prize in chemistry awarded for CO₂ capture and desert water breakthrough All Nobel awards are presented annually on December 10, commemorating the death anniversary of Alfred Nobel, the Swedish inventor of dynamite and founder of the Nobel Prizes. Winners receive 11 million Swedish kronor (approximately $1.2 million), along with an 18-carat gold medal and a Nobel diploma.