Phil Foden commits future to Manchester city with new four-year contract

North Korea’s economy expanded by more than three percent in 2025 for the third consecutive year, according to new estimates released by South Korea’s central bank. The report suggests that stronger economic and military cooperation with Russia played a major role in boosting growth despite North Korea’s continued international isolation. The Bank of Korea, which has published annual estimates of North Korea’s economy since 1991 because Pyongyang does not release official economic data, estimated that the country’s real gross domestic product grew by 3.5 percent last year. The report valued North Korea’s economy at approximately 38.26 trillion won, or about 26.6 billion dollars. According to Bank of Korea officials, expanded cooperation with Russia was one of the main reasons for the improvement. Analysts have said North Korea has strengthened ties with Moscow by supplying troops and military equipment for Russia’s war in Ukraine. In return, Pyongyang is believed to have received financial assistance, food supplies, energy resources and military technology. A Bank of Korea official said increased weapons exports to Russia supported growth in North Korea’s manufacturing sector. The official also noted that a rise in Russian tourists and improved transport links between the two countries contributed to stronger performance in construction and service industries. The report estimated that North Korea’s exports increased by 30 percent during 2025, reaching around 470 million dollars. Among the leading export products were prepared feathers and wigs, along with toys and sporting goods. Although the report did not identify all exported items, officials said stronger overseas sales contributed significantly to economic growth. The latest figures were released as reports continued to highlight growing military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang. Ukraine’s military intelligence, quoted by the Kyiv Independent, claimed that more than 7,000 North Korean troops were killed or wounded while fighting alongside Russian forces during military operations in Russia’s Kursk region between 2024 and 2025. Neither Russia nor North Korea has independently confirmed those figures. Separately, the Ukrainian human rights organisation Truth Hounds said Russia and North Korea are close to completing their first road bridge connecting the two countries. The group said such a link could strengthen military and economic cooperation by allowing easier movement of personnel, equipment and supplies across the border. The Bank of Korea also reported a significant increase in North Korea’s gross national income, which measures the total income earned by a country’s residents. The estimate showed GNI rising by 9.4 percent to 48.5 trillion won, or approximately 33.8 billion dollars. Officials said the increase was supported by higher foreign currency earnings, including income linked to North Korean personnel sent to Russia. Despite the recent growth, North Korea’s economy remains extremely small compared with its southern neighbour. According to the Bank of Korea, North Korea’s gross national income is still less than two percent of South Korea’s economy, highlighting the large economic gap that continues to separate the two countries. The latest estimates suggest that while North Korea remains under international sanctions and largely isolated from global markets, its expanding partnership with Russia is providing new sources of economic activity that have helped sustain growth for a third straight year.

The United Nations has appealed directly to international donors not to reduce financial support for women’s programmes in Afghanistan, warning that aid cuts will worsen an already severe humanitarian and human rights crisis. Speaking to reporters in Geneva, Susan Ferguson, the UN Women special representative in Afghanistan, revealed that more than 50% of 74 surveyed women’s organisations expect to suspend operations or close within the next year due to extreme funding shortfalls. She highlighted that the UN’s $1.7 billion humanitarian appeal for the country remains only 25% funded, while nearly three-quarters of local women’s groups saw their budgets slashed in 2025. The UN reports that the Taliban has issued over 100 discriminatory decrees restricting education, employment, healthcare access, and freedom of movement. Surveys indicate that over half of Afghan women now leave their homes only once or twice a month, with 70% rating their mental health as bad or very bad. While a coalition of 56 nations, including Britain, France, the US, Japan, and the UAE, issued a joint statement calling on the Taliban to lift these restrictions, key regional neighbours and global powers including Pakistan, Iran, Russia, China, and India did not sign, underlining continued international division over how to engage with Kabul.

WASHINGTON: Former US Marine Robert Gilman has been released by Russian authorities after spending almost four years in detention and has returned to the United States, according to US media reports. Gilman was arrested in Moscow in 2022 following allegations that he assaulted a Russian police officer. He was subsequently convicted and remained in Russian custody for several years. His release was reportedly approved on humanitarian grounds after concerns were raised about his health. Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to pardon Gilman, paving the way for his return to the United States. US President Donald Trump welcomed the development and said his administration had worked to secure Gilman’s freedom through direct discussions with the Russian leadership. Trump described the release as a humanitarian decision and said the case had been discussed with Putin. He also indicated that Moscow did not seek the release of a Russian detainee in return for freeing the former US serviceman. The development comes amid continuing tensions between Washington and Moscow, with the detention of American citizens in Russia remaining a sensitive issue between the two countries. Gilman’s case had drawn attention in the United States because of the length of his imprisonment and concerns surrounding his health. His release now brings an end to nearly four years of detention in Russia. The former Marine is expected to reunite with his family after returning to the United States. Further details about the circumstances of his release and the pardon were not immediately disclosed. The case highlights the role of diplomatic engagement in resolving individual detention cases between the two countries, particularly at a time when broader US-Russia relations remain strained.