US ramps up pressure on reluctant South Korean ally

A deadly attack on a school van in Pakistan's Swat Valley has sparked fears of a resurgence in Taliban activity in the region. Thousands have protested against the possible return of a militant presence to Swat.

Under a 2019 revision of the law, globally recognized K-pop stars were allowed to put off their service until 30. Military service is hugely controversial in South Korea where all able-bodied men aged between 18 and 28 must fulfil their duties as part of efforts to defend against nuclear-armed North Korea.

A viral post on Facebook claims to show a convoy of NATO military advisors destroyed by Russian missiles. While many users believe that the images represent actual fighting, they were actually taken from a war video game series called Arma 3. We tell you more in this edition of Truth or Fake.

A war between military junta and people Myanmar: Phil Robertson, Human Rights Watch

President Han Duck-soo said the government would carry out a "thorough investigation" as the casualty count continued to climb overnight. A 561-member task force will interview witnesses to the tragedy.

Police have set up a 475-member task force as the president and prime minister call for new safety measures to prevent a repeat of the tragedy.

Federal police in South Korea have raided local police departments as part of an investigation into alleged ineptitude. Police have already admitted mistakes in responding to the crowd surge that killed scores of people.

North Korea fired at least 23 missiles into the sea on Wednesday, including one that landed less than 60 km (40 miles) off South Korea's coast, which South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol described as "territorial encroachment" and Washington denounced as "reckless".

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said his country would be ready to host a German military brigade by 2026. He made the announcement after meeting with Germany's Annalena Baerbock.

Seoul has long walked a tightrope between China, its most important trading partner, and the US, its closest security ally.

An agreement among German government ministers looks to put an end to Germany's military presence in Mali. It follows similar decisions by allies, after a years-long operation that has made questionable progress.

Ghana, who lost their opening game to Portugal, are seeking their first points on Monday in a Group H match against South Korea, who kicked off with a 0-0 draw against Uruguay.