Border tensions cost South Korean frontier counties $22 mil. in tourism, damage

North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui has called for efforts to further strengthen bilateral ties and traditional friendship with China in a congratulatory message to her Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, Pyongyang's state media reported Friday. Choe sent the message to Wang on Thursday marking the 77th anniversary of China's founding, praising the country's achievements over the past seven decades, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). Choe said North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Chinese President Xi Jinping reaffirmed their "steadfast will" to build a better future for their peoples together during their summit talks in Pyongyang in June. The minister also expressed a commitment to working together to fully implement important agreements reached by the leaders and further develop bilateral friendly relations to a "higher stage." Earlier, Kim sent a congratulatory message to Xi on the anniversary and expressed his willingness to further develop relations and safeguard their common interests, the KCNA reported Thursday.

The South Korean and Ukrainian foreign ministers have been discussing how Kyiv should respond to South Korea's demand for an apology over the disclosure of the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) to Seoul, a senior government official here said Friday. The South Korean government demanded an official explanation and apology over Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's recent disclosure of the transfer and a statement from his office denying that there had been an agreement to keep the matter confidential. "One thing I want to make clear is that there was an agreement from the outset to keep the matter confidential to protect the soldiers and their families, who remain in North Korea. There is no question about that," the foreign ministry official well-versed in the issue said during a meeting with reporters. Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and his Ukrainian counterpart, Andrii Sybiha, "have been in close communication on potential responses from Ukraine, including the tone and content of the message and the manner in which it would be announced," he said. The official added

Unification Minister Chung Dong-young on Friday proposed to North Korea talks to address issues along the border, amid heightened inter-Korean tensions over last week's mine blast inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). Chung made the remark after the South's military blamed North Korea for the Sept. 21 land mine explosion on the South's side of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) separating the two Koreas. The incident left three South Korean soldiers injured, two of them critically. Earlier this week, the South Korean military demanded an apology and responsible measures from the North over the blast. Pyongyang has categorically denied its involvement, accusing Seoul of fabricating its investigation result to pin the blame on the regime. "The root cause of this incident ultimately lies in the issue of the ceasefire line, the MDL line," Chung told reporters upon arriving for work. He cut short his trip to Europe and returned Thursday to handle the fallout from the land mine blast. "I, as unification minister, propose to the North: We should meet now and communicate. We should at least star

He is due to appear in court

Three men have been charged after two women were allegedly attacked in separate home invasions in Sydney's south-west.

The gripping crime drama now available in full on BBC iPlayer, and it has a rare, perfect critic score on Rotten Tomatoes

A California woman, 75, was identified and arrested after she killed a 9-month-old Pitbull puppy by running it over with her minivan last month.

On Thursday, a liquidator was appointed for Fetch Business Solutions, which trades as Maverick Campers.

The President has threatened that a post-midterm election escalation against Tehran remains a viable option.

A Baltimore artist, 76, succumbed to her injuries and died after she and her husband were attacked in a robbery Tuesday morning while they were out having breakfast.

Aidan Hamilton, 18, and Robert Strang, 20, were found dead on September 21 after police received separate reports that they were unresponsive and possibly overdosing.