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New World Map
UN’s new world map faces criticism – Japan demands changes

Japan is protesting the new world map approved by the UN General Assembly last week, *The Guardian* reports. On the map, the Kuril Islands archipelago appears as Russian territory, a depiction Japan wants the UN to correct.

The status of the Kuril Islands has long been a point of contention. After the Soviet Union seized the archipelago in 1945, the Japanese population there was expelled. Today, all the islands fall under Russian jurisdiction, TT reports. At the same time, Japan maintains that several of the islands belong to its territory.

The aim of the new map is to depict countries' proportions more realistically. The African continent has been drawn larger while North America and Europe have shrunk—a change the US has criticized.

Ukraine abstained from the UN vote because the map depicts the occupied Crimean Peninsula in a different color than the rest of Ukraine.

Trump’s USA  The U.S. midterm elections
Republicans divided on Trump’s successor: "Think about that later"

When Vice President JD Vance took the stage at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas, he was interrupted by supporters chanting "JD 48"—a slogan referring to Vance as the 48th U.S. President.

"We have to get the job done this November before we think about what happens next," Vance said, smiling broadly at the crowd.

However, Vance is far from the only favorite, the AP reports. Republicans spoken to by the news agency in the corridors of the Dallas arena have put forward several names as potential successors to Donald Trump—including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Texas Senator Ted Cruz, and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. IT manager Rochelle Brooks believes it is far too early to declare support for a candidate in the 2028 presidential election.

"But if I had to name someone right now, I would say Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. What he has done in Florida is a roadmap for what we need to do in the rest of the US," she says.

Political situation in Germany
Tough negotiations await the AfD after election victory

Following its success in the Saxony-Anhalt state election, the German far-right party AfD has now begun the work of advancing its policies in the state. The party garnered nearly 44 percent of the vote, but its 39 out of 82 seats were not enough to secure an outright majority in the parliament.

Local AfD leader Ulrich Siegmund says that talks are underway "to see if there is any common ground that could secure a stable majority."

The AfD is attempting to woo politicians from other parties while simultaneously negotiating with the left-wing populist BSW. The BSW, which won five seats, is open to cooperation but is setting tough conditions in the negotiations, according to Reuters.

 Algeria severs ties with the United Arab Emirates

Algeria severed diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates on Thursday, Reuters reports.

The country justified the decision by citing a series of "provocative or hostile" actions taken by the UAE, though it provided no further details.

The Emirati Foreign Ministry stated on Thursday that it remains "firmly committed" to maintaining ties.

Algeria will now, among other measures, close its airspace to aircraft registered in the United Arab Emirates, the Algerian TV channel Ennahar reports.

The two countries have taken differing stances on several issues, including the conflict over Western Sahara. The United Arab Emirates supports Morocco's claim to sovereignty over the territory, while Algeria supports groups striving for independence.

Israeli strike in Lebanon registered as a tremor

Israel states that its military has destroyed tunnels built by the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement in Lebanon.

The strike registered as a tremor with a magnitude of 4.1.

The Israeli operation took place at the strategically important Ali al-Taher ridge. A tunnel system built over two decades was destroyed, according to a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz.

According to Israel, facilities both underground and above ground were completely destroyed.

The scale of the explosion was measured by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). A reporter from the news agency AFP witnessed strong ground shaking accompanying the explosions, and the Israeli military released a video showing a fireball rising from the blast site.

The incident was confirmed by Lebanon's state news agency, NNA.