International News
Kim Jong Un Tests New Battle Tank with Daughter—Is She the Next Leader?
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made headlines again as he publicly tested a newly developed battle tank alongside his teenage daughter, Kim Ju Ae, in a large-scale military exercise.
The event, reported on Friday, has intensified speculation that Ju Ae is being groomed as North Korea’s future leader.
State media released photos showing Kim atop the moving tank in his signature leather jacket, while Ju Ae’s head popped out of a hatch, smiling during the exercises at Pyongyang Training Base No. 60.
ALSO READ: How North Korea Executes Citizens for Watching Foreign Films – UN
The drills featured armored units firing anti-tank missiles, with supporting teams engaging simulated enemy drones and helicopters to clear paths for infantry and tanks.
According to the Korean Central News Agency, the new tank boasts enhanced mobility, firepower, and defensive systems capable of countering missiles and drones.
Kim reportedly expressed satisfaction, praising the “bravery and pluck” of his troops as the tanks charged forward.
The drill comes amid heightened tensions in the region, following recent missile tests by North Korea and ongoing springtime military exercises involving South Korea and the United States.
Ju Ae’s increasing presence in high-profile military events has sparked global attention.
Since her public debut in 2022 during a ballistic missile launch, she has been seen at weapons tests, live-fire exercises, and even firing a pistol herself, all while displaying a mix of luxury fashion and her father’s signature style.
South Korean intelligence has previously suggested that Ju Ae is a designated successor, making her one of the most closely watched young figures in global politics.
The Kim family’s “Paektu bloodline” continues to dominate North Korea’s political landscape, with Ju Ae’s growing visibility signaling a potential continuation of the dynasty.
International News
Ferrari’s First Electric Car Makes History With Record $40m Auction Sale
Ferrari’s first fully electric car, the Luce, has made automotive history after a bespoke version of the vehicle sold for a record $40 million at a charity auction in California.
The tailor-made Ferrari Luce “Chassis 0” was sold during Monterey Car Week on Saturday, becoming the most expensive new car ever sold at auction, according to collector car auction company RM Sotheby’s.
The winning bid was 36 times the car’s original estimate of $1.1 million.
SEE MORE: Police Arrest Man For Driving Fake Ferrari In Italy
Ferrari USA celebrated the landmark sale in an Instagram post, saying, “The bids kept climbing. Then, history was made,” while describing the transaction as a new record for the highest-priced new car ever sold at auction.
The sale comes months after Ferrari unveiled the Luce in May. The electric model features a distinctive bubble-like design that differs significantly from the Italian automaker’s traditional angular styling and has received mixed reactions from some Ferrari enthusiasts.
Ferrari previously described the Luce as “a different sort of Ferrari for a different sort of Ferrari client.”
The Luce is powered by four electric motors, with one motor driving each of its four wheels.
The exclusive “Chassis 0” features a pearl-like semi-gloss finish with a personalised pigment that produces changing reflections ranging from green to violet when struck by light.
Its interior is equally distinctive, featuring Perla Le Mans metallic leather and black design elements against a predominantly white background.
Ferrari said proceeds from the record-breaking auction will go to The Ferrari Foundation to support educational initiatives.
Following the auction, the vehicle will return to Maranello, northern Italy, where it was built, before being delivered to the unnamed winning bidder in the first quarter of 2027.
Meanwhile, deliveries of the regular Ferrari Luce, priced at about €550,000 ($640,000), are expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026.
International News
Trump Threatens to Bomb Oman Over Iran Deal
US President Donald Trump has threatened to bomb Oman if the country obstructs efforts to reach a deal with Iran over the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump made the threat on Monday during an interview with Fox News journalist Trey Yingst, amid ongoing discussions between Oman and Iran concerning control and navigation through the strategic waterway.
SEE MORE: Trump Decrees Lower Petrol Prices
“If Oman gets in the way, we’ll bomb the shit out of them,” Trump told Yingst, referring to the talks between Oman and Iran while the United States pursues its own discussions with Tehran.
Iranian and Omani officials have been negotiating for weeks over future maritime navigation arrangements through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s foreign ministry said on Monday that both sides were working towards a joint declaration.
The Strait of Hormuz has become a major flashpoint amid the ongoing Middle East conflict. Iran effectively restricted traffic through the waterway at the beginning of the war on February 28, while Trump has repeatedly insisted that the strategic route should be under US control.
On Friday, Trump said he could even declare the Strait of Hormuz part of US territory. Iran rejected the position, insisting that the crucial waterway would “remain Iranian.”
Before the outbreak of the US-Israeli war against Iran, the Strait of Hormuz was regarded as an open international waterway. The route is critical to global energy supplies and carries significant volumes of oil and other commodities.
Iran has used its control over the strait as leverage against US-led efforts to weaken its military capabilities and force Tehran to abandon its controversial nuclear programme.
Trump also called on Iran to surrender, saying Tehran should “put up the white flag of surrender.”
Despite the growing tensions and the political pressure surrounding the conflict ahead of the November midterm elections in the United States, Trump said he was not in a hurry to reach a deal.
He further disclosed that his administration maintains a direct back-channel with officials of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.
“They’re good poker players, but they’re dying,” Trump was quoted as saying.
International News
Petro Warns Colombia Is Heading Toward Civil War After Alleged Election Fraud
Colombia’s outgoing President, Gustavo Petro, has warned that the country could descend into civil war following what he described as widespread fraud in the recent presidential election.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Petro claimed that the June presidential runoff was tainted by “algorithmic, systemic electoral fraud” involving a massive number of votes, insisting the results were manipulated against his political ally, Ivan Cepeda.
SEE MORE: Osun Election: Gunmen Invade PVC Centre, Cart Away Voter Cards
“We are facing fraud and an undoubtedly profound institutional problem, namely the inauguration of an illegitimate president,” Petro said.
The outgoing leader alleged that “foreign money and foreign companies with the capacity to manipulate algorithms” interfered in Colombia’s electoral process, accusing external actors of influencing the outcome of the election.
Petro’s remarks come just days before president-elect Abelardo de la Espriella is due to be sworn into office on Friday in the southwestern city of Cali, a departure from the longstanding tradition of holding presidential inaugurations before Congress in the capital, Bogota.
The Colombian leader also claimed that De la Espriella, who received the endorsement of United States President Donald Trump before the election, plans to extradite him to the United States on what he described as false charges.
Warning of the potential consequences, Petro said, “It’s crystal clear what a civil war in Colombia could look like,” arguing that public resistance to the incoming administration’s actions could trigger widespread unrest.
The political crisis has deepened further after the left-wing bloc in Congress, led by Cepeda, announced it would boycott De la Espriella’s inauguration and called for nationwide mobilization against the president-elect.
Observers have also raised concerns that Colombia could witness a return to violent street protests similar to those experienced between 2019 and 2021, which left dozens dead.
Despite having no prior political experience, De la Espriella has pledged to boost private investment, shrink the size of government by 40 percent, and intensify military operations against guerrilla groups and drug cartels as the country battles its worst surge in violence in a decade.
His inauguration is scheduled for Friday amid heightened political tensions and growing uncertainty over Colombia’s future.





