World

After a long and bitter process that lasted more than a year, Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed to back Stockholm's application to NATO. Why did he change his mind?

"There are clear vulnerabilities in the way social media platforms are designed and governed at present which allows such content to rise to the surface," said Jennie King, head of climate research & policy at the Institute of Strategic Dialogue (ISD), a global think tank researching extremism and disinformation.

The UN Human Rights Council says hate speech is on the rise worldwide. The body held an urgent debate on Quran burnings and religious hatred at Pakistan's request.

The situation arose when Russia vetoed a nine-month extension and failed to gain support for an alternative six-month plan. The UN-brokered lifeline expired Monday.

The Nord Stream 2 pipeline was damaged in a series of explosions in September, a prosecutor in Sweden said, adding explosives remains were found on the damaged pipeline.

Brussels says the bloc's trade with New Zealand could now grow by 80%. In a first for an EU trade pact, there is a section that commits both sides to targets to tackle climate change.

Khejri trees are sacred among the Bishnoi people from India's Rajasthan state. Nearly 300 years ago, the Bishnoi sacrificed hundreds of lives to protect their sacred "tree of life." The trees are again under threat.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has told some 80 countries that the drug fentanyl is likely to spread further than the US. Washington at least partly blames China, which did not attend the meeting.

NATO's 31 members are meeting in Lithuania's capital for a summit where they will discuss a new financial commitment to the Alliance.

urkey finally says yes to Sweden joining NATO, but what does it get in return? Also in the news: we look at episodes of climate catastrophe across the world.

Australia is set to deploy surveillance aircraft to Germany to guide and protect an external support hub for Ukraine. Canberra also agreed a deal to export Australian-made German combat vehicles back to Germany.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed to forward to parliament Sweden's bid to join the NATO military alliance, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said.