Japan avalanche kills eight

Beijing's top diplomat Wang Yi has met with top Taliban leaders in Kabul for the first time since the fundamentalist group took power in August. Wang also visited India amid a controversy regarding Kashmir.

Elisabeth Borne has been appointed France's new prime minister. The former transport, ecology and labour minister faces numerous challenges, with the most pressing priority being helping French households with the soaring cost of living. She will also need to tackle the thorny issue of pension reform as well as steer the country through a major energy transition. Plus, Moscow residents display mixed feelings after US fast food giant McDonald's announces it's pulling out of Russia for good.

US President Joe Biden has launched a new trade deal with 12 Indo-Pacific nations. The plan provides a means for partner countries to deal with key issues including climate change, supply chain and digital trade.

Mohammed bin Salman is visiting Turkey for the first time since the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018. The trip comes as Turkey faces its worst economic crisis in decades.

The US president has penned a defense of his planned visit to Saudi Arabia for The Washington Post. His trip comes after pledging to make the country a "pariah" on the campaign trail.

The US president has penned a defense of his planned visit to Saudi Arabia for The Washington Post. His trip comes after pledging to make the country a "pariah" on the campaign trail.

During his campaign for the US presidency, Joe Biden described Saudi Arabia as a 'pariah state' in the aftermath of the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. But since taking office, Biden's language has changed. This week, he is making his first trip to the oil-rich kingdom as president, as global energy prices soar in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. To discuss the trip (which also includes Jordan and Israel), we talk to Middle East expert and former CIA officer Douglas London, who is adjunct associate professor at the Center for Security Studies at Georgetown University.

Egyptian leaders stressed their country's strong ties with Moscow during Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's visit, but urged a solution to the war in Ukraine.

The de facto Saudi leader is set to meet with the leaders of Greece and France. His trip comes less than two weeks after he met US President Joe Biden in Jeddah.

Two climbers who were buried in an avalanche and hit by a blizzard earlier this week in New Zealand survived harsh weather conditions by digging themselves out of the snow, building a cave and feeding on just muesli bars.

US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is in Seoul to meet with political leaders. Pelosi was said to have planned a visit to the demilitarized zone (DMZ) on the border with North Korea.

Traveling by night train is becoming increasingly popular, and new connections are added every year. DW reporter Lisa Stüve put it to the test and took the night train from Munich to Zagreb.