عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
World

First Passenger Train in Six Years Arrives in Pyongyang from China

A passenger train with cross-border service to North Korea's Pyongyang leaves Beijing Railway Station in Beijing, China March 12, 2026. REUTERS/Florence Lo
A passenger train with cross-border service to North Korea's Pyongyang leaves Beijing Railway Station in Beijing, China March 12, 2026. REUTERS/Florence Lo
TT
TT

First Passenger Train in Six Years Arrives in Pyongyang from China

A passenger train with cross-border service to North Korea's Pyongyang leaves Beijing Railway Station in Beijing, China March 12, 2026. REUTERS/Florence Lo
A passenger train with cross-border service to North Korea's Pyongyang leaves Beijing Railway Station in Beijing, China March 12, 2026. REUTERS/Florence Lo

A passenger train that departed from the northeastern Chinese city of Dandong arrived in the North Korean capital Pyongyang on Thursday, as rail service between the neighboring countries resumed after six years.

The train arrived at a railway station in central Pyongyang, state news agency Xinhua said, after reporters from South Korea's Yonhap reported seeing a train crossing the Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge over the Yalu River.

China and ⁠North Korea are "friendly neighbours" and a cross-border passenger train service facilitates people-to-people exchanges, a foreign ministry spokesperson told reporters on Thursday.

China also backs stronger communication between both sides to ease such exchanges, the spokesperson added.

The service was suspended when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out ⁠in 2020.

North Korea is largely closed ‌to foreign tourism, with ‌few exceptions, largely for Russian tour ​groups under restricted arrangements, say ‌travel agencies organizing trips to the country.

Most Viewed

 
 
World

Israel Says Struck Site it Claims Iran Used for Developing Nuclear Arms

This satellite image released on March 11, 2026 courtesy of Vantor shows a view of Taleghan 2 facility at the Parchin military complex, some 30 kms (20 miles) southeast of Tehran, Iran, on March 6, 2026. (Photo by Satellite image 2026 Vantor / AFP)
This satellite image released on March 11, 2026 courtesy of Vantor shows a view of Taleghan 2 facility at the Parchin military complex, some 30 kms (20 miles) southeast of Tehran, Iran, on March 6, 2026. (Photo by Satellite image 2026 Vantor / AFP)
TT
TT

Israel Says Struck Site it Claims Iran Used for Developing Nuclear Arms

This satellite image released on March 11, 2026 courtesy of Vantor shows a view of Taleghan 2 facility at the Parchin military complex, some 30 kms (20 miles) southeast of Tehran, Iran, on March 6, 2026. (Photo by Satellite image 2026 Vantor / AFP)
This satellite image released on March 11, 2026 courtesy of Vantor shows a view of Taleghan 2 facility at the Parchin military complex, some 30 kms (20 miles) southeast of Tehran, Iran, on March 6, 2026. (Photo by Satellite image 2026 Vantor / AFP)

Israel's military said Thursday that it had struck a site in Iran it claimed was being used to develop nuclear weapons.

"The Israeli Air Force, acting on precise IDF intelligence, struck an additional Iranian nuclear program site," the military said, claiming the "Taleghan compound was utilized by the regime to advance critical capabilities for developing nuclear weapons.”

The Taleghan compound likely refers to a facility in Parchin, southeast of Tehran, where US-based think tank the Institute for Science and International Security, which has been monitoring Iran's nuclear program, recently claimed Iran conducts covert military activities.

World

Scores killed and Missing after Landslides Sweep Ethiopia

Children gather at a market stall to collect goods in Chercher, Southern Tigray, on March 4, 2026. (Photo by Abel Gerezgiher / AFP)
Children gather at a market stall to collect goods in Chercher, Southern Tigray, on March 4, 2026. (Photo by Abel Gerezgiher / AFP)
TT
TT

Scores killed and Missing after Landslides Sweep Ethiopia

Children gather at a market stall to collect goods in Chercher, Southern Tigray, on March 4, 2026. (Photo by Abel Gerezgiher / AFP)
Children gather at a market stall to collect goods in Chercher, Southern Tigray, on March 4, 2026. (Photo by Abel Gerezgiher / AFP)

At least 50 people have died and 125 others are missing after landslides hit three districts in southern Ethiopia following a week of heavy rains, a local official said Thursday.

The landslides happened in Gamo Zone and affected the Gacho Baba District, Kamba District and Bonke District, according to Gamo Zone director of disaster response Mesfin Manuqa.

According to The Associated Press, Manuqa said that one person was pulled out of the mud alive during the rescue operation.

The Gacho Baba District communication chief, Abebe Agena, said most of those who died were found buried in the mud. It is not yet clear how many households were affected.

Tilahun Kebede, president of the South Ethiopia Regional State, expressed his sorrow over the disaster and urged residents to move to higher ground as rains continue.

“Given that it is the rainy season and these types of disasters could happen again, I am calling on communities living in the highlands and flood-prone areas to take the necessary precautions,” he said.

Mudslides and floods caused by heavy rainfall are common in Ethiopia, especially during the rainy season.

World

Kremlin Accuses Ukraine of 'Reckless' Strikes on Major Gas Pipeline

File photo: Pipes at the landfall facilities of the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline are pictured in Lubmin, Germany, March 8, 2022. (Reuters)
File photo: Pipes at the landfall facilities of the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline are pictured in Lubmin, Germany, March 8, 2022. (Reuters)
TT
TT

Kremlin Accuses Ukraine of 'Reckless' Strikes on Major Gas Pipeline

File photo: Pipes at the landfall facilities of the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline are pictured in Lubmin, Germany, March 8, 2022. (Reuters)
File photo: Pipes at the landfall facilities of the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline are pictured in Lubmin, Germany, March 8, 2022. (Reuters)

The Kremlin accused Ukraine on Thursday of targeting a major gas pipeline in southern Russia that leads to Türkiye with "reckless" drone strikes.

Ukraine has hit Russian energy targets throughout Moscow's four-year offensive, a war that has killed thousands and displaced millions.

"At night, there were renewed attempts to attack the Russkaya compressor station with drones," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, calling the pipeline an "international facility" that "ensures energy security for Türkiye".

"These are absolutely reckless actions by the Kyiv regime," Peskov said.

Russia's defense ministry said it had downed 10 Ukrainian-launched drones in the early hours of Thursday "above the gas compressor station that supplies gas to the TurkStream pipeline".

The station lies in Russia's southern Krasnodar region, which is regularly targeted by Ukrainian drone strikes.

State-owned Russian gas producer Gazprom earlier said that the Russkaya and Beregovaya stations were targeted.

It called them "critical energy infrastructure facilities ensuring the reliability of gas exports via the TurkStream and Blue Stream gas pipelines."

Russia has decimated much of Ukraine's energy infrastructure in more than four years of war.