World

Oct. 20 (UPI) — One month before the U.N. climate summit in Belém, Brazil, organizers face a serious accommodation shortage. The Amazonian city, which will temporarily serve as the nation’s capital during the event, lacks enough rooms for the thousands of visitors expected, threatening the participation of many delegations.

Amid a COP30 already marked by tensions over climate financing and carbon-reduction commitments, a new complication has emerged: hotel prices have soared, forcing Brazil’s government to organize cruise ships and makeshift lodging to meet demand.

The situation risks making COP30 one of the least inclusive in history, as many groups — including small nations, civil society organizations and media outlets — may lack the means to participate in one of the year’s most important climate meetings.

The 30th Conference of the Parties of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, or COP30, is to will bring together nearly 200 countries and dozens of organizations to negotiate actions to address the climate crisis.

The summit will take place in the heart of the Brazilian Amazon from Nov. 10 to 21, and aims to set new emission-reduction and climate-finance commitments through 2035 under the Paris Agreement.

It will be the first time the conference is held in the Amazon rainforest, a region vital to regulating the global climate.

The Brazilian government has pledged that no delegation will be left without lodging and has launched an official platform to coordinate reservations in hotels, private homes and vessels converted into floating hotels.

However, environmental groups and local media say prices remain out of reach for many delegations and that oversight is insufficient to prevent speculation. In some cases, rates have increased tenfold compared with previous years, even for modest accommodations.

The shortage of tourist infrastructure in Belém is also creating additional logistical challenges, including limited transportation, strained basic services and delays in key projects, such as the so-called “Leaders’ Village,” where heads of state will stay.

Diplomatic expectations for COP30 are especially high, as the summit will mark the start of a new cycle of climate commitments. Countries will be required to present updated proposals with targets extending through 2035.

However, the process is moving slowly and lacks ambition. Several major economies — including China, India and some G20 members — have yet to submit draft plans or have indicated they intend to maintain goals similar to those set in 2020, with few adjustments.

A preparatory ministerial meeting for COP30, held in Brasília last week, brought together representatives from more than 70 countries to coordinate positions and lay the groundwork for the summit.

During the sessions, ministers agreed that the conference should focus on the effective implementation of the Paris Agreement rather than issuing new political statements.

However, the meeting exposed persistent divisions on key issues, particularly climate financing. The draft of the so-called “Baku-Belém Roadmap,” which calls for mobilizing $1.3 trillion annually by 2035, drew criticism for lacking detail and verifiable mechanisms.

There were also disagreements over indicators to measure progress on adaptation and on the level of ambition for new national targets. The meeting kept dialogue open, but many core issues remain unresolved and will be the subject of direct negotiations in Belém under strong diplomatic pressure.

Oct. 20 (UPI) — Police in Nigeria broke up several protests calling for a separatist leader who has been detained for more than four years to be freed and cleared of terrorism-related charges on which he has been held.

Protesters demanding the release of Nnamdi Kanu, who is the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) separatist party, had tear gas fired at them by police in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, according to reports.

Witnesses said they saw police officers block major roads in Abuja and fire multiple rounds of tear gas at protesters who had gathered near the Transcorps Hilton Hotel in order to break up the protest.

Ahead of Monday’s protest, Nigeria Police Force spokesperson Benjamin Hundeyin announced a nationwide security alert urging the protesters to avoid inciting violence, carrying weapons or engaging in other illegal acts.

“The Nigeria Police Force reaffirms its commitment to upholding the rule of law and maintaining public peace in accordance with constitutional provisions,” Hundeyin said in a statement.

“All groups, whether in support of or opposed to the ongoing agitation for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, are expected to comply strictly with the provisions of the court order” authorizing the protest, he said.

Kanu has been held since 2021 on charges of terrorism, which followed Nigeria outlawing the IPOB, whose goal is to establish a separate state of Biafra for the Igbo people.

In 2022, Kanu was discharged and acquitted but the ruling was overturned in 2022 and he has remained jailed ever since.

Monday’s protest was organized by Omoyele Sowore, who publishes the Saraha Reporters news website and has long sought Kanu’s release.

Sowore reported on X that at least 13 people had been arrested and detained during the initial protest, which was relocated to the nearby federal capital territory police command “where the police responded by attacking us right in front of the command.”

Among those arrested during the protest were members of Kanu’s family and his lawyers, Sowore said.

SEOUL, Oct. 20 (UPI) — South Korea’s special prosecutor has launched an internal probe after investigators found a confidential roster of law enforcement officers inside a Unification Church office during a recent raid — a discovery that has intensified a widening corruption case linking religion, politics and the state.

The list, first reported by The JoongAng Ilbo newspaper, contained the names and assignments of police officers temporarily working at the Special Prosecutor’s Office. Such documents are normally restricted even within the agency.

Officials said they are investigating whether a retired police officer, identified only by the initial A, leaked the file to church officials.

An special prosecutor’s spokesperson said the office is “verifying how the document was obtained and whether any ongoing investigations were affected.” If confirmed, prosecutors say, the breach would mark one of the most serious leaks of investigative information in years, potentially allowing suspects to anticipate raids or destroy evidence.

Indictments for embezzlement, political-fund violations

The leak inquiry comes just days after prosecutors indicted Unification Church leader Hak Ja Han and two senior aides, Jung Wonju and Yoon Young-ho, on charges of embezzlement and illegal political donations.

According to charging documents filed Oct. 10, Han and Jung allegedly diverted money from church accounts earmarked for missionary work to finance luxury purchases and covert political activity.

Between May and August 2022, about 500 million won (about $380,000) was allegedly used to buy designer jewelry and handbags for Han, disguised through falsified expense reports. One transaction dated May 9, 2022, shows Jung instructing a finance officer to spend 42 million won on jewelry “for Hak Ja Han.”

Another section of the indictment cites roughly 900 million won ($700,000) moved from the “2027 Project Support Fund” into accounts controlled by Jung without approval from the church’s finance board. Prosecutors believe the funds were used for non-religious or political purposes, violating internal rules.

Donations to ruling party before 2022 election

Investigators also allege that the Unification Church, directed by Yoon Young-ho, its former secretary-general, channeled money to all 17 provincial branches of the ruling People Power Party around the time of the 2022 presidential election.

According to the special prosecutor’s findings, Yoon called regional leaders to a meeting in early March 2022 and instructed them to distribute “missionary support funds.” Roughly 2.1 billion won ($1.5 million) was withdrawn from church accounts, and 144 million won (about $105,000) was later delivered through split donations made under individual members’ names.

Prosecutors say the arrangement violated the Political Funds Act, which bars corporate or religious entities from contributing to political organizations.

A special prosecutor’s official, speaking on condition of anonymity because the investigation is continuing, said the case “shows signs of coordinated funding activity at a national level.”

Church denial

In a written statement, the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification — the church’s official name — denied wrongdoing, asserting that “all expenditures were legitimate and related to global missionary work.” Han’s defense team said she would cooperate fully while seeking to have the charges dismissed as “politically motivated.”

Han was indicted under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes and the Political Funds Act. Jung was indicted without detention. Their first hearings are expected later this month at the Seoul Central District Court.

Broader implications for institutions, trust

The twin controversies — alleged embezzlement and the suspected leak of a classified roster — have raised alarm over the integrity of state institutions, as well as the political reach of major religious movements.

Legal commentators in Korean media have warned that, if verified, the leak could amount to obstruction of justice or a violation of the Public Official Information Protection Act, both of which carry heavy prison terms.

Local editorial writers have described it as a test of transparency — whether the rule of law can withstand influence from powerful organizations that straddle the line between religious authority and political power.

The Special Prosecutor’s Office said it has strengthened internal data-security protocols and restricted access to sensitive records.

Oct. 20 (UPI) — U.S. President Donald Trump insisted that a fragile cease-fire between Israel and Hamas remained in place after Israel carried out a series of deadly strikes in the south of the Palestinian enclave and the sides traded blame for clashes.

Speaking aboard Air Force One on Sunday evening Trump said the agreement would hold and that “rebels” that he did not identify were responsible for alleged violations, not, Hamas.

“Either way, it’s going to be handled properly. It’s going to be handled toughly, but properly,” Trump added.

The Israeli military said it struck dozens of targets through Sunday evening in retaliation for Hamas’ alleged “anti-tank missile and gunfire” that killed two soldiers in Rafah. Sources from hospitals in Gaza told the BBC that at least 44 people had been killed. Aid deliveries were suspended.

Hamas denied all knowledge of the attack in Rafah and reiterated its commitment to the cease-fire. It accused Israel of violations, warning that the attacks were jeopardizing the truce.

Israel Defense Forces announced late Sunday that the operation was over and that it was resuming “enforcement of the cease-fire” and would permit aid to begin to flow again Monday, but warned that any violation of it would be met with a “firm response.”

This was the worst setback since the deal came into force Oct. 10 came as Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and son-in-law Jared Kushner were due to arrive in Israel on Monday to shore up the cease-fire and move the process forward. They were due to be joined by Vice President JD Vance on Tuesday.

The three were expected to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top Israeli officials.

Before departing the United States, Kushner told CBS News that while the truce was fragile, he believed Hamas was acting in good faith to stick to the agreement and was “seriously looking for the bodies” of the 16 Israeli hostages it had promised to return but had yet to do so.

Vance also sought to explain the violence, saying some turbulence was normal in the early stages of any cease-fire. His schedule also includes meetings with hostage families and a visit to a humanitarian facility in Gaza.

“Hamas is going to fire on Israel. Israel’s going to have to respond, of course. There are going to be moments where you have people within Gaza that you’re [not] quite sure what they’re actually doing. But we think it has the best chance for sustainable peace,” he said.

Hamas, which has been struggling to recover the bodies of 28 hostages it agreed to hand back to Israel as part of the cease-fire deal, said Monday it had found the remains of a 13th hostage. Further details were as yet unavailable.

The destination has been named the best city in the world for food and among 30 top foodie favourites across the globe

When it comes to culinary delights, most people’s minds wander to Italy’s pasta, Japan’s sushi or Mexico’s tacos. However, a recent study by TasteAtlas has revealed the top foodie destinations around the globe.

The team analysed nearly half a million ratings from 17,073 cities on its database. Interestingly, many of the top-rated locations are just a short hop from the UK, with the majority of the top 10 situated in Europe.

Naples clinched the top spot, thanks to its world-renowned dishes such as pizza, lasagna and macaroni, reports the Express.

But Naples wasn’t the only Italian city to make the cut. Milan bagged second place, with its famous risotto and panettone, not to mention the iconic Campari cocktail that originated there.

Italy continued its gastronomic dominance with Bologna securing third place, known for its spaghetti bolognese, ragu and tortellini.

Despite the Italian-heavy list, other global cities made the top 10, including Paris, Vienna and Mumbai.

Unfortunately, the UK didn’t make it into the top 30, along with Hong Kong, Barcelona, Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok, and Amsterdam.

Here are the top 30 best cities for food:

1. Naples
2. Milan
3. Bologna
4. Florence
5. Mumbai
6. Rome
7. Paris
8. Vienna
9. Turin
10. Osaka
11. Madrid
12. New York
13. Genoa
14. Nice
15. Lima
16. Jakarta
17. Kyoto
18. Gaziantep
19. Ferrara
20. New Orleans
21. Catania
22. Singapore
23. Venice
24. Istanbul
25. Tokyo
26. San Francisco
27. Lisbon
28. Guadalajara
29. Chicago
30. Philadelphia

SEOUL, Oct. 20 (UPI) — Fewer South Koreans than ever say their country should reunify with North Korea, according to a new survey released Monday, reflecting a growing acceptance of permanent division and deepening public indifference toward the North.

Just 49% of South Koreans said unification is necessary, the survey by the government-funded Korea Institute for National Unification found. The figure represents a drop of 3.8% from last year and marks the lowest level since the Seoul-based think tank began its annual poll in 2014.

It is the first time support has fallen below a majority, representing what researchers called a “structural shift” in how South Koreans view the decades-old goal of national reunification.

“These results suggest that perceptions of the necessity of unification have entered a phase of structural change, rather than short-term fluctuation,” the report’s executive summary said. “The decline appears to reflect the compounded effects of North Korea’s hostile ‘two-states’ claim, the continued suspension of inter-Korean relations and domestic political dynamics.”

KINU noted that the decline cuts across all age groups but is most pronounced among younger generations, many of whom see North Korea as a separate state rather than part of a divided homeland.

Some 63.2% of respondents said unification was not needed if the two Koreas could maintain peaceful coexistence, the highest level recorded since the question was introduced nine years ago. At the same time, 47% agreed that “it is better to stay divided as we are now,” reflecting what KINU described as a normalization of both peaceful and “hostile” coexistence.

“The rising preference for hostile coexistence does not indicate a desire for conflict but rather a psychological inclination to maintain the status quo in the face of uncertain change,” the report said.

The survey also found indifference toward North Korea at a record high, with 68% of respondents saying they had little or no interest in the North, up sharply from about 51% in 2015. The trend has persisted regardless of political ideology or shifts in inter-Korean ties, KINU said.

South Koreans still favor limited engagement, however. Nearly 70% backed sports and cultural exchanges with the North, and 54% supported continued economic cooperation even during political tensions. Support for another inter-Korean summit remained high at 69%, including a majority of conservatives.

Support for humanitarian aid took a negative turn this year, with 39.5% against compared to 36.8% in favor — a shift that KINU linked to perceptions that North Korea’s economic conditions have improved amid strengthening ties with Russia and China.

The administration of South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has made efforts to rehabilitate relations between the two Koreas since he took office in June, with conciliatory gestures such as removing propaganda loudspeakers from border areas.

Last week, Seoul resumed an excavation project for the remains of soldiers killed in the Korean War at a battle site near the inter-Korean border, in what the military called “a practical measure to transform the DMZ into a zone of peace.”

Pyongyang, however, continues to reject Seoul’s diplomatic gestures while advancing its nuclear weapons program.

The 2025 KINU survey was conducted July 10 to Aug. 13 through face-to-face interviews with 1,000 adults.

Oct. 20 (UPI) — Bolivia is poised to elect Rodrigo Paz, a right-leaning centrist senator, as president on Sunday, besting former conservative president Jorge Quiroga in an election runoff.

According to preliminary results from the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, Paz, 58, of the Christian Democratic Party, won with 54.6% of the more than 6.5 million people in the country who cast ballots on Sunday.

Paz is the son of former President Jaime Paz Zamora, who served from 1989 to 1993.

Paz was elected after coming out on top of the mid-August presidential election — a surprise rise to the top of a heap of candidates as National Unit Front party’s Samuel Doria Medina was expected to be the winner at the time.

Sunday’s runoff was the result of neither Paz nor Quiroga, 65, winning the presidency outright in that August contest.

With both Paz and Quiroga being conservatives, their victories in the runoff ensured a right-leaning president would lead the country for the first time since 2006, when Bolivia elected union organizer Evo Morales as its first Indigenous president, who served until his resignation amid protests over voting irregularities in 2019.

“Here we were, here we are and here we will continue to be,” Quiroga said in a statement on Facebook as the election results became clear. “THANK YOU! Together we will keep working for a Free Bolivia.”

Paz won on a campaign to establish a market-based economy with the motto of “Capitalism for All.”

Quiroga had similarly championed a market-based economic system during his campaign, which emphasized private property rights for citizens.

The election comes as the South American country faces an economic crisis, with voters’ shunning of the leftist Movement Towards Socialism seen as a repudiation of the party.

“I congratulate the President-elect of Bolivia, Rodrigo Paz, for his victory in the elections and the entire Bolivian people for their democratic participation at the ballot boxes,” Chilean President Gabriel Boric Font said in a statement.

“From Chile, we reaffirm our commitment to strengthening cooperation and joint work between brother countries for the benefit of our peoples.”

U.S. Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., said Bolivia, with the election of Paz, “has turned the page & defeated socialism.”

“From the U.S. Congress, I wish your administration great success as you restore freedom, prosperity & democratic values to Bolivia,” he said on X.

England rallied to secure their semifinal spot at the World Cup while India’s defeat jeopardises their last-four chances.

England dug in for a four-run victory over India to clinch a semifinal spot at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup on Sunday, leaving the tournament co-hosts in a five-way contest for the remaining place in the final four.

Chasing a winning target of 289, India stumbled from a position of strength to fall just short as they were restricted to 284-5 in their 50 overs.

India were on course for victory for much of their innings – Smriti Mandhana top-scored with 88, while skipper Harmanpreet Kaur hit a run-a-ball 70.

England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt picked up 2-47 and left-arm spinner Linsey Smith bowled a tight spell of 1-40 in 10 overs, including the key wicket of Mandhana, to apply the brakes on the home team and help pull off a stunning win.

It was India’s third straight loss – following defeats to Australia and South Africa – and stunned the home crowd at Holkar Stadium.

This was after England opted to bat first and posted 288-8, with Heather Knight contributing 109 off 91 balls.

England joined defending champions Australia and South Africa in the semifinals with a fourth win in five games. The four-time champions next play Australia on Wednesday at the same venue.

India are still fourth with four points from five games and need a massive turnaround in form against New Zealand on Thursday and Bangladesh on Sunday in their remaining two group games.

“Smriti’s dismissal was the turning point,” Kaur said. “We had sufficient batting to finish the game, but I don’t know how things went the other way. Credit to England – they kept bowling well and kept getting wickets.”

Co-hosts Sri Lanka take on Bangladesh in Navi Mumbai on Monday.

India come close

The chase did not get off to the best start. Pratika Rawal was caught behind for six, while Charlie Dean trapped Harleen Deol leg before wicket for 24.

Mandhana and Kaur then combined at 42-2, and the pair added 125 runs off 122 balls for the third wicket, with India seemingly cruising on a batting-friendly surface.

Kaur reached her half-century off 54 balls, while Mandhana was content with playing an anchoring role. She reached her second consecutive fifty off 60 balls.

Sciver-Brunt got the breakthrough to dismiss Kaur, but India were still favourites to win.

Deepti Sharma hit 50 off 57, and put on 67 off 66 with Mandhana.

India needed 62 off the last 60 deliveries, but momentum swung when Mandhana went for a big shot against Smith in the 42nd over and was caught on the boundary.

India slipped from 234-3 to 262-6 in 33 deliveries with Sharma out caught off Sophie Ecclestone (1-58) in the 47th over.

England piled on the pressure as Amanjot Kaur (18 not out) and Sneh Rana (10 not out) were unable to finish off the chase.

Knight shines

Knight scored her third ODI hundred to lead England’s innings.

England made a good start with openers Tammy Beaumont (22) and Amy Jones putting on 73 runs. Jones scored 56 off 68 balls.

Off-spinner Sharma accounted for both openers before Knight took over the innings, including a 113-run third-wicket stand with Sciver-Brunt (38 off 49).

“I got myself in and put down the accelerator. It felt like we needed 300 on that pitch, but it was frustrating to not get there in the end,” Knight said. “I was desperate to put in a statement performance for my 300th [international game] and I am pleased to do that.”

Knight reached her century off 86 balls, including 14 fours and a six. She was run out in the 45th over as England slipped towards the end, conceding five wickets for 31 runs across 5.1 overs.

Sharma returned figures of 4-51 in 10 overs and followed up with a half-century, but it was not enough on the day.

Oct. 18 (UPI) — Bolivia’s presidential runoff election on Sunday is the nation’s first and excludes a socialist candidate after voters narrowed the field to two conservative candidates on Friday.

Christian Democratic Party candidate Sen. Rodrigo Paz Pereira secured 32% of the popular vote to lead all candidates, while former President Jorge “Tuto” Quiroga secured the second-most with 27% of votes to set up Sunday’s runoff, according to Americas Quarterly.

Paz is a centrist candidate and the son of former Bolivian President Jaime Paz Zamora, who led the nation from 1989 to 1993.

Quiroga, 67, was serving as Bolivia’s vice president when he ascended to the presidency for one year, from Aug. 7, 2001, to Aug. 6, 2002, following the resignation of President Hugo Banzer due to a cancer diagnosis.

He was elected vice president in 1997 at age 37, which made him the nation’s youngest person to hold that office.

Quiroga was defeated in three prior campaigns to be elected president, but many now view him as the favorite.

His platform includes establishing a free market economic system rooted in capitalism and that supports private property rights for citizens.

He also wants to transfer government ownership of the nation’s ample natural resources, especially natural gas, iron and lithium, to private citizens and entities.

Paz, 58, also wants to establish a market-based economy and made “Capitalism for All” his campaign’s motto.

The lack of a socialist candidate in the presidential runoff is viewed as a public rebuke of the Movimiento al Socialismo (Movement Towards Socialism) Party, which has controlled Bolivia’s politics over the past two decades.

Bolivia has been one of South America’s leading socialist states over the past 20 years, but the nation is mired in an economic collapse that many attribute to government mismanagement of natural resources, according to The Telegraph.

MAS presidential candidate Eduardo del Castillo received only 3% of the vote during the first round of voting.

The MAS party also is about to lose its majorities in both houses of the Bolivian Legislature amid recent controversies.

They include an arrest warrant for former MAS Party member and former President Evo Morales being issued due to an alleged statutory rape.

Oct. 19 (UPI) — A group of thieves broke into the Louvre Museum on Sunday morning and stole priceless jewels before fleeing on motorcycles, the famed institution confirmed to UPI.

A representative for the Louvre said that several people broke in through a window in the Apollo Gallery, which houses many of France’s royal jewels, around 9:30 a.m. local time after the museum had already opened its doors to the public.

Inside, the thieves stole jewelry from their display cases. French media later reported that they made off with seven jewels owned by Napoleon Bonaparte and his wife, Empress Joséphine de Beauharnais.

“An investigation has begun, and a detailed list of the stolen items is being compiled,” museum officials said in a statement. “Beyond their market value, these items have inestimable heritage and historical value.”

After the theft, the museum was evacuated “without incident” and no injuries were reported among the public, museum staff or law enforcement, the representative said.

The museum shared on social media that it would be closed Sunday for “exceptional reasons.”

“At the Louvre Museum this morning to commend the exemplary commitment of the staff mobilized following the theft,” Culture Minister Rachida Dati shared on social media after visiting the site.

“Respect for their responsiveness and professionalism. Together with President Emmanuel Macron, we extend our sincere thanks to them.”

Dati told French TV channel TF1 on Sunday that one of the jewels was later found and that the entire heist lasted only four minutes. She called the thieves “professionals.”

French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said Sunday that “everything is being done” to find the thieves.

“The mobilization of investigators will be total, under the authority of the Parquet de Paris,” Nuñez said. The Parquet de Paris is the public prosecution office in the French capital. “Attacking the Louvre is attacking our history and our heritage.”

The news comes just days after the Louvre announced that two 18th-century snuff boxes that were stolen during a violent armed robbery in 2024 while they were on loan to the Cognacq-Jay Museum have been found and returned.

Lisa Tertsch claimed the world triathlon title for the first time as Great Britain’s Beth Potter had to settle for third place in the overall standings.

Tertsch won gold in the World Triathlon Championship finals in Wollongong, Australia, with a time of one hour 56 minutes 50 seconds.

The 26-year-old German finished 14 seconds clear of Italy’s Bianca Seregni, with France’s Emma Lombardi a further 12 seconds back.

Tertsch collected 1,250 points for winning the event, which took her overall tally to 3886.26 as she leapfrogged defending champion Cassandre Beaugrand (3577.04) of France and Potter (3313.18) into top spot.

Olympic bronze medal winner Potter was bidding to win the title for a second time, following victory in 2023, but could only finish 16th in the final event.

The 33-year-old Scot was joint leader with Beaugrand before the event began but Tertsch, who had been fourth, produced a superb performance to seal victory.

Beaugrand lost ground early in the 10km run, in hot and blustery conditions, while Potter failed to keep pace with the leading pack – which allowed Tertsch to cash in as she excelled on a steep course.

In the men’s event, Australian Matt Hauser capped a dominant season as he won gold in a time of 1:42:42 to clinch his first world title success.

Hauser finished with 4,250 points, comfortably clear of Brazil’s Miguel Hidalgo and Portugal’s Vasco Vilaca.

Oct. 17 (UPI) — Chinese President Xi Jinping has expelled nine of his top military generals from the People’s Liberation Army for what China says is corruption, including the country’s number two general.

Gen. He Weidong, one of the two vice-chairs of the Central Military Commission, was fired by Xi. He was the third in command of the PLA and a member of the Chinese politburo.

“The removal of He Weidong is one of the biggest shake-ups within the PLA in decades,” said Lyle Morris, an expert on the Chinese military at the Asia Society Policy Institute, the Financial Times reported. “He was on a fast track to become the next senior vice-chair of the [Central Military Commission], possibly replacing Zhang Youxia, and skipped a grade when he was elevated to the CMC during the 20th Party Congress.”

Another high-ranking official removed in the purge is Miao Hua, the army’s top political officer. He had been suspended in November 2024.

A statement from Xi said those removed are suspected of “grave official misconduct, involving exceptionally large sums of money. The nature of their offenses is extremely serious, and the impact is profoundly detrimental,” Newsweek reported.

Eight of the nine removed were members of the Central Committee, which is scheduled to meet next week to discuss the coming five-year development plan.

When Xi took over the party in 2012, he launched a sweeping corruption probe, and more than 4 million members have been investigated. The campaign accelerated in 2023 as it began focusing on the military and procurement.

Though the crackdown is popular in China, it has also allowed Xi to expel his rivals, Newsweek reported.

Oct. 17 (UPI) — The United States delayed the adoption of an international requirement for commercial cargo ships to reduce their greenhouse emissions or be subject to fines that is widely supported globally.

Using threats of sanctions and tariffs, and backed by Saudi Arabia and Russia, the Trump administration forced representatives of more than 100 countries to table the International Maritime Organization’s Net-zero Framework, which would have set a mandatory marine fuel standard.

The draft framework, agreed to in April and aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from cargo ships to net-zero by 2050, would have gone into effect in 2027 for all ocean going ships weighing more than 5,000 tons, according to the IMO.

President Donald Trump has referred to nearly all efforts to reduce human impacts on the environment as a “green scam.”

In an Oct. 10 statement meant to put “IMO members on notice,” Trump’s secretaries of state, energy and transportation said that the United States would employ a series of penalties “against nations that sponsor this European-led neocolonial export of global climate regulations.”

“President Trump has made it clear that the United States will not accept any international environmental agreement that unduly or unfairly burdens the United States or harms the interests of the American people,” Secs. Marco Rubio, Chris Wright and Sean Duffy said in the statement.

The new regulation would have gone into effect in 2027 after a standard for ships to reduce their annual gas fuel intensity — the amount of greenhouse gases released for each unit of energy a ship uses — and economic measures and penalties were established at meetings planned for 2026.

The IMO plan was widely supported — Britain, Canada, the European Union, Japan and China were all in favor — and was expected to pass by most of the roughly 100 countries represented at Friday’s meeting.

Although a handful of countries were not in favor of delaying talks about the regulation for a year, the United States persuaded several countries, including China, to join it, Russia and Saudi Arabia to push off negotiations on the deal.

“We are disappointed that member states have not been able to agree [on] a way forward at this meeting,” International Chamber of Shipping secretary-general Thomas Kazakos told reporters.

“Industry needs clarity to be able to make investments,” he said, reiterating the already known overall support the shipping industry reportedly has for the global standard.

Two-time Paralympic champion Stephen Bate secured a golden finish to his 12-year career by winning the men’s tandem individual pursuit title at the Para-cycling Track World Championships in Rio de Janeiro.

Bate and pilot Christopher Latham achieved victory by catching Italian rivals Lorenzo Bernard and pilot Paolo Toto in an impressive display.

It ensured Bate ended his career as a five-time world champion across road and track events, and a five-time Paralympic medallist.

It was in Rio nine years ago where he and then-pilot Adam Duggleby achieved a golden Paralympic double in the individual pursuit and road time trial events.

Partnered by Latham on his return to the Brazilian capital, with whom he won individual pursuit silver at his final Paralympic Games in Paris last summer, Bate signed off in style on another hugely successful day for the British team.

That was one of three gold medals won by the British team on Saturday, as 21-year-old Archie Atkinson regained the men’s C4 10km scratch race title.

Elizabeth Jordan and pilot Dannielle Khan also triumphed, retaining their women’s B 1km time trial title.

Finlay Graham made it three medals in as many days as he clinched silver in the men’s C3 elimination race.

There was also silver for Kadeena Cox in the women’s C4 Sprint Race.

Those successes took GB’s tally to seven golds, five silver and five bronze medals overall.

Oct. 17 (UPI) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and President Donald Trump began discussing Ukraine‘s defense against Russia Friday afternoon at the White House.

The two presidents are meeting to discuss a possible allocation of long-range Tomahawk missiles and other weapons to help Ukraine in its defense against Russia, according to NBC News.

Trump also is expected to discuss his Thursday phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin while meeting with Zelensky.

The White House visit is Zelensky’s third since Trump became president in January and is the first to discuss the possible deployment of weaponry capable of striking deep inside Russia and targeting that nation’s energy infrastructure, The HIll reported.

Trump and Putin agreed to a tentative summit in Budapest, Hungary, sometime in the near future.

Zelensky said Moscow was “rushing” to resume negotiations after Trump suggested Monday that he was thinking of sending the ball into Russia’s court by threatening to send Ukraine the missiles unless the war was brought to a conclusion.

“We hope that the momentum of curbing terror and war, which worked in the Middle East, will help end the Russian war against Ukraine,” Zelensky wrote in a post on X.

“Putin is definitely not braver than Hamas or any other terrorist. The language of force and justice will definitely work against Russia as well. We already see that Moscow is rushing to resume dialogue, just hearing about ‘Tomahawks,'” he added.

However, Trump appeared to back away from the Tomahawk issue following a call with Putin on Thursday, saying he had concerns about running down U.S. stocks.

“We need them too … so I don’t know what we can do about that,” Trump said.

The lunchtime Oval Office meeting comes a day after Trump hailed “great progress” made during a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Delegations from both sides were due to meet next week to prepare for a summit between the two leaders in Hungary.

The contact, the first direct communication with Putin since August, was initiated by Moscow, two days after Trump said he was considering supplying Kyiv with Tomahawk missiles.

The missiles have a 1,500-mile range, which would enable Ukraine to strike Moscow and St. Petersburg.

On Thursday, Zelensky met with representatives of U.S. defense and energy companies, including Raytheon, which makes the Tomahawks, and Lockheed Martin.

He said they discussed ramping up the supply of air defense systems, the Patriot missile system in particular, Raytheon’s production capacity, cooperation to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense and long-range capabilities, and the prospects for Ukrainian-American joint production.

Ukraine’s energy resilience was the main topic of discussion with the energy firms in the face of an increasing Russian tactical focus on hitting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure as winter approaches.

“Now, as Russia is betting on terror against our energy sector and carrying out daily strikes, we are working to ensure Ukraine’s resilience,” Zelensky said.

Oct. 17 (UPI) — King Charles III plans to visit Pope Leo XIV next week in the Vatican as the first reigning English monarch since 1534 to pray in a service with the pontiff.

Charles, along with his wife, Queen Camilla, will visit the Vatican on Wednesday and Thursday. They will appear with the pope during a service on Thursday at the Sistine Chapel, where a special seat has been created for Charles.

The chapel was dedicated on Aug. 15, 1483. Michelangelo painted the ceiling from 1508 to 1512.

Henry VIII split from the Vatican 22 years later.

Buckingham Palace on Sept. 26 announced the state visit to the Holy See for late October in the church’s 25th Jubilee Year to “celebrate the ecumenical work by the Church of England and the Catholic Church, reflecting the Jubilee year’s theme of walking together as ‘Pilgrims of Hope.'”

The royal couple had a private meeting with Pope Francis on April 9 in celebration of their 20th wedding anniversary. It took place at Casa Santa Marta hospital in Rome, 12 days before he died.

In 1961, Queen Elizabeth II was the first British monarch since the Reformation to visit the Holy See. Queen Elizabeth died on Sept. 8, 2022, and Charles became king.

“It marks a historic moment in the journey of reconciliation between our Churches,” Archbishop Flavio Pace said in a Vatican press briefing Friday. “It celebrates how far we’ve come — and offers hope for the future.”

This gathering will bring together members of the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England, of which the king is the supreme governor.

“This will be the first state visit, since the Reformation, where the pope and the monarch will pray together in an ecumenical service in the Sistine Chapel, and the first time the monarch will have attended a service in St. Paul’s Outside the Walls, a church with an historic connection to the English crown,” a Buckingham spokesman told the Guardian.

They also will visit the adjacent Benedictine Abbey. This church, which contains the tomb of St. Paul, had been associated with the English monarchy dating to medieval and Anglo-Saxon rulers who helped with the upkeep.

King Charles will also be honored with the title of Royal Confrater, “recognizing the long-standing ties between the British Crown and the Benedictine abbey attached to the basilica,” Vatican News said.

During the service with the pope, there will be a hymn by Saint Ambrose of Milan sung in an English translation by Saint John Henry Newman, who was canonized in 2019. King Charles attended that event.

Music will be provided by the Sistine Chapel Choir, alongside choristers from the Chapel Royal at St. James’ Palace and the Choir of St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.

The king and queen will also meet Vatican officials.

The Vatican said the “two central themes of the Royal visit are Christian unity and care for the planet.”

The Roman Catholic Church has approximately 1.4 billion members with 20.4% in Europe, including 6.2 million baptized Roman Catholics in England and Wales, and 676,000 in Scotland.

The Church of England is the largest Christian denomination in Britain with 13.3 million followers. The church originated in the break from the Vatican and features Protestantism and Roman Catholicism.

As Pratika moved up through the age groups, she caught the attention of former India player Deepti Dhyani, who became her coach.

“I saw her play a few drives and realised she had the capabilities. Most state-level players have talent; the challenge is transforming it for professional cricket. That’s where we as coaches step in,” Deepti says.

“She stood out because whenever you asked her to work on something, she would tick every box, even if you weren’t watching.”

Deepti also emphasised fitness, something Pratika had embraced since childhood.

“We often think gym work means building bulky muscles, but it’s really about staying injury-free. Thankfully, Pratika understood that well and worked on her fitness seriously,” says Deepti.

Even as cricket became her focus, Pratika didn’t neglect her studies. She pursued a degree in psychology, which helped her understand the mental side of the game.

“She was in ninth standard when she got interested in psychology, so she decided to study it in college,” says her father.

“In cricket, psychology plays a major role. When you’re batting, trying to read what a bowler is thinking or why they’ve set a certain field, it helps you dissect situations better. It’s been really useful for her.”

It’s that out-of-the-box thinking which gives Pratika a useful skill off the field: she can solve a Rubik’s cube.

“It has an algorithm to it,” Pratika said, in a social media video. “The centre pieces don’t move, so you need to move everything around those.”

Easy, or so Pratika makes it seem.

Oct. 17 (UPI) — Prince Andrew, facing scrutiny of his ties to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, on Friday said he will relinquish his royal titles, including Duke of York, and end his membership of the Order of Garter.

Andrew, who made the announcement after meeting with his brother, King Charles III, will only retain the title of prince, which is required because he was born the son of a queen, Elizabeth II.

Andrew, 65, remains eighth in line to the throne. His other siblings are Princess Anne and Prince Edward.

The last time a duke title was taken away was more than 100 years ago, historian Anthony Seldon told BBC News TV. In 1919, Prince Charles Edward, who was one of Queen Victoria‘s grandsons, lost the title of Duke of Albany for fighting on the German side during World War I.

“In discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family,” Prince Andrew said in a statement released by Buckingham Palace. “I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first. I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life.”

In 2019, he was stripped of his military titles and positions on several charities.

Andrew has denied accusations against him by Virginia Giuffre in a 2015 lawsuit, and has never been arrested in connection with the abuse allegations. They reached an undisclosed out-of-court settlement in 2022.

“With His Majesty’s agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me,” Andrew said on Friday. “As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me.”

Other members of the royal family were consulted during the discussions, including William, the Prince of Wales, and son of Charles, CNN reported.

“Things are simply not going away,” Robert Hardman, who has written a biography of KingCharles, told the BBC.

“Nothing really has changed constitutionally. What has changed is that he’s not going to use these titles.”

Andrew’s former wife, Sarah, the Duchess of York, will be known as “Sarah Ferguson.”

Their daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, will not be affected by the decision.

Andrew will no longer attend any royal family’s Christmas events, a source told CNN, but will continue to reside at the Royal Lodge in Windsor in a private tenancy agreement.

Giuffre, who died on April 25 by suicide at 41, alleged Epstein trafficked her and forced her to have sex with friends in 2001, including Andrew. She said Andrew was aware she was underage at 17.

Giuffre also said Andrew sexually abused her on Epstein’s private island in the U.S. Virgin Islands, his mansion in Manhattan and at his former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell’s home in London.

The Guardian this week published extracts from the memoir of Giuffre. She claimed the prince “believed that having sex with me was his birthright.”

Andrew also faced scrutiny of his links to an alleged Chinese spy, Yang Tengbo.

A tribunal hearing in December upheld an earlier decision to bar Yang from the British. It was revealed Yang was authorized to act on Andrew’s behalf during business meetings with potential Chinese investors in Britain.

Beth Potter says she has felt less pressure this year as she seeks to clinch a second world triathlon title on Sunday.

The British Olympic bronze medallist is joint leader with defending champion Cassandre Beaugrand of France before the final event in Australia.

Potter admitted the build-up to the 2024 Paris Olympics and event itself took its toll.

“I was going in as one of the favourites to win Olympic gold and there was a lot of pressure and expectation on that one day,” said the Scottish triathlete, 33.

“It was really hard and I felt like I could never really get into my groove last year.

“I struggled when I got off the bike to feel like myself running and it was really frustrating as there was no reason for it, because it wasn’t like that in training.

“It just shows how much pressure I put on myself that year to come away with a medal. I don’t think I’ve ever dug as deep as I did in that Olympic race to get that medal and it meant so much to me to just get the bronze.”

She won the World Triathlon Championship Series from Beaugrand in 2023 before roles were reversed last year.

Potter has tried a new coaching set-up this year and spent nearly a month at altitude in the Swiss alpine resort of St Moritz.

“I just never found any part of my running easy last year and that was the one thing I always relied on to get myself out of trouble in races. It took me longer than I thought to recover off the back of that Olympic race,” she said.

“Even just to enjoy doing triathlons again, it took me a good few months of off-season and getting back into the new season to actually think I wanted to be on the start line and race, and enjoy it. That was quite hard for me as it’s my job, my livelihood.

“It’s taken me a bit of time at the start of the year to get to grips with some new training and part of it was mentally getting over the toll last year took on my mind and body. I’m really enjoying the new training methods and trying something a little different. It’s the lowest risk year to try something.”

Potter is tied with Olympic champion Beaugrand on 2,925 points but insists Sunday’s finale in Wollangong is “not a two-horse-race.

There is a gap of more than 200 points to the chasing pack led by Jeanne Lehair, ahead of Lisa Tertsch and Leonie Periault, with 1,250 points on offer to the winner in Australia.

The Scot will be cheered on by several family members – including two aunts who live nearby – as she takes on the 1.5km swim, 40km bike ride and 10km run.

Two days ago, Shohei Ohtani rolled into Dodger Stadium as a man on a mission.

After struggling for the previous couple weeks — mired in a postseason slump that had raised questions about everything from his out-of-sync swing mechanics to the physical toll of his two-way duties — the soon-to-be four-time MVP decided it was time to change something up.

Over the previous seven games, going back to the start of the National League Division Series, the $700-million man had looked nothing like himself. Ohtani had two hits in 25 at-bats. He’d recorded 12 strikeouts and plenty more puzzling swing decisions. And he seemed, in the estimation of some around the team, unusually perturbed as public criticisms of his play started to mount.

So, during the team’s off-day workout Wednesday at Dodger Stadium, ahead of Game 3 of the NL Championship Series, Ohtani informed the club’s hitting coaches he wanted to take batting practice on the field.

It was a change from his normal routine — and signaled his growing urgency to get back on track.

“If this was a regular-season situation and you’re looking at an expanse of small sample — eight, nine games, whatever it might be — he probably wouldn’t be out on the field,” manager Dave Roberts said later.

But “with the urgency [of] the postseason,” the manager continued, Ohtani “wanted to make an adjustment on his own.”

Whatever Ohtani found that day, evidently (and resoundingly) clicked. He led off Game 3 with a triple. He entered Game 4 looking more comfortable with his swing. And then, in one of the incredible individual displays ever witnessed in playoff history, he lifted the Dodgers straight into the World Series.

In a 5-1 defeat of the Milwaukee Brewers that completed an NLCS sweep and gave the Dodgers their 26th pennant in franchise history, Ohtani hit three home runs as a hitter, and struck out 10 batters over six-plus scoreless innings as a pitcher.

Shohei Ohtani pitches during Game 4 of the NLCS against the Brewers. Ohtani struck out 10 over six scoreless innings for the Dodgers.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

He made his previously disappointing playoffs a suddenly forgotten memory, earning NLCS MVP honors and to the astonished amazement of all 52,883 in attendance.

And he delivered the kind of game the baseball world dreamed about when the two-way phenom first arrived from Japan, fulfilling the prophecy that accompanied him as a near-mythical prospect eight years earlier.

Back then, Ohtani’s 100-mph fastball and wicked off-speed repertoire had tantalized evaluators. His majestic left-handed swing had tortured pitchers in his home country.

Not since Babe Ruth had the sport seen anything like him.

There were some early growing pains (and injuries) during his transition to the majors. But over the last five years, he blossomed in the game’s definitive face.

A look at the three home runs Shohei Ohtani hit in Game 4 of the NLCS on Friday.

All that had been missing, in a resume chock full of MVPs and All-Star selections and unthinkable records even “The Great Bambino” never produced, was a signature performance in October. A game in which he dominated on the mound, thrilled at the plate, and single-handedly transformed a game on the sport’s biggest stage.

During that Wednesday workout this week, Ohtani got himself ready for one, stepping into the cage during his on-field batting practice — as his walk-up song played through the stadium speakers and teammates gathered near the dugout in curious anticipation — and swatting one home run after another, including one that soared to the roof of the right-field pavilion.

On Friday, in an almost unimaginable showcase of his unprecedented talents, he managed to do exactly the same thing.

After stranding a leadoff walk in the top of the first with three-straight strikeouts, Ohtani switched from pitcher to hitter and unleashed a hellacious swing. Brewers starter José Quintana left him an inside slurve. Ohtani turned it into the first leadoff home run ever by a pitcher (in the regular season or playoffs). The ball traveled 446 feet. It landed high up the right-field stands.

Three more scoreless innings of pitching work later, Ohtani came back to the plate and hit his second home run of the night even farther. In a swing almost identical to his titanic BP drive two days prior, he launched a ball that darn near clipped the pavilion roof again, a 469-foot moonshot that landed in the concourse above the seats in right.

Somehow, there was still plenty more to come.

With the Dodgers up 4-0 at that point, Ohtani then did his best work as a pitcher, following up two strikeouts that stranded a leadoff double in the fourth — and had him excitedly fist-pumping off the mound — with two more in both the fifth and the sixth.

His fastball was humming up to triple-digits. His sweeper and cutter were keeping the Brewers off balance. His splitter wasn’t touched once any of the five times they tried to swing at it.

Shohei Ohtani runs the bases after hitting his third home run of the game against the Brewers in Game 4 of the NLCS at Dodger Stadium on Friday night.

(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

Anything he did immediately became magic.

Ohtani’s loudest roar came in the bottom of the seventh, after his pitching start had ended on a walk and a single led off the top half of the inning.

For the third time, he flung his bat at a pitch over the plate. He sent a fly ball sailing deep in a mild autumn night. He rounded the bases as landed beyond the center field fence.

Three home runs. Six immaculate innings. A tour de force that sent the Dodgers to the World Series.

All of it, just two days removed from Ohtani being seemingly at his lowest.

All of it, when the baseball world was most closely watching.

Dodgers players and coaches celebrate after sweeping the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLCS at Dodger Stadium on Friday night.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)