South Korea’s presidential election campaigns kick off

Mongolia's former prime minister declared victory Thursday in a Covid-hit presidential election, as voters turned out in historically low numbers for the third election in two years. In the country's grasslands, some react with joy, while others are less appreciative of the results.

Gym-goers work out in Seoul, where Covid restrictions have been brought in that include banning upbeat songs during group exercises and applying a speed limit on treadmills in a bid to slow the spread of Covid-19.

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Days before the upcoming presidential elections taking place in Zambia on Thursday, incumbent leader Edgar Lungu inaugurated a new terminal at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport. The sprawling new Chinese-funded and built expansion is a centerpiece to Lungu’s re-election bid, which pits him against veteran Hakainde Hichilema, who is running for a sixth time. With the same two candidates running as in 2016, it's likely to be a close race.

A veteran opposition leader and former businessman, President-elect Hakainde Hichilema is now faced with turning around Zambia's debt-laden economy.

Lusaka residents react on the streets of the capital after Zambian business tycoon and veteran opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema scored a landslide victory in bitterly-contested presidential elections.

As the US and other countries withdraw development staff and aid, China's regional rivals are watching whether Beijing can extend its sphere of influence by building ties with a new Taliban regime in Afghanistan.

Chilean senate head and centre-left candidate, Yasna Provoste, meets with supporters in Santiago as the countdown to the presidential election in November begins. A handful of other rallies were also held in the capital.

South Korea's ministry of defence releases footage of a successful a submarine ballistic missile launch, making the country the seventh in the world with the advanced technology and raising the prospect of a regional arms race. The test, supervised by President Moon Jae-in, comes hours after nuclear-armed North Korea fired two ballistic missiles into the sea, according to the South's military, and as China's foreign minister visited Seoul.

Pyongyang last cut off the hotline in August after joint US-South Korea military drills. The move comes amid a series of weapons tests by the North.

South Korea has launched its first domestically developed space rocket but failed to put its dummy payload into orbit, a setback in the country's attempts to join the ranks of advanced space-faring nations.

Nearly 70 years after the conflict ended in stalemate, Seoul is pushing hard for a declaration that will formally end the Korean War. But Washington is reluctant to reward the regime in Pyongyang.