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Xinhua Headlines: Xinhua's top 10 world news events in 2023

(231230) -- BEIJING, Dec. 30, 2023 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Alireza Bigdeli (Front) and Saudi Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Consular Affairs Ali Al-Yousef (C) attend a ribbon cutting at the opening ceremony of the Iranian embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on June 6, 2023. Top 10 world news events in 2023 3. Saudi-Iran deal brokered by China spurs reconciliation wave in the Middle East With China's mediation, Saudi Arabia and Iran reached a groundbreaking agreement in Beijing on March 10 to resume diplomatic relations that had been severed for seven years. In April, the two countries formally resumed diplomatic ties. The two countries shook hands and made peace, catalysing reconciliation among many countries in the Middle East. In the following months, Syria has rejoined the Arab League, and Egypt and Türkiye have restored ambassador-level diplomatic relations. Additionally, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, and other countries have taken steps towards normalizing thei

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Russian, Iranian, Syrian, Turkish defense ministers discuss Syrian security

STORY: Russian, Iranian, Syrian, Turkish defense ministers discuss Syrian security DATELINE: April 27, 2023 LENGTH: 00:00:37 LOCATION: Moscow CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. various of quadripartite talks (Courtesy of TASS) STORYLINE: Defense ministers of Russia, Iran, Syria and Türkiye held quadripartite talks in Moscow on Tuesday to explore measures aimed at strengthening security in Syria and normalizing Syrian-Turkish relations. The participants paid special attention to the issues of countering all manifestations of terrorist threats and the fight against all extremist groups in Syria, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement. Following the talks, the parties reaffirmed their desire to preserve the territorial integrity of Syria as well as the need to intensify efforts for the speedy return of Syrian refugees to their homeland, the statement read. The heads of defense departments considered the dialogue held in the four-party format as constructive and agreed to continue it in a bid to furt

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Iranians mark Quds Day in support of Palestinians

STORY: Iranians mark Quds Day in support of Palestinians DATELINE: April 15, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:58 LOCATION: Tehran CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of demonstrations in Tehran STORYLINE: Millions of people across Iran on Friday marked the annual International Quds Day with demonstrations held to express solidarity with the Palestinian people and condemn Israel's occupation. Participants of the rallies across Iranian cities chanted slogans in support of the Palestinian people and their cause while denouncing Israel's "atrocities and crimes" against them. Marchers of the rallies held in Tehran, the Iranian capital, issued a statement condemning recent Israeli raids on the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East Jerusalem, and criticizing the "silence and inaction" of international human rights bodies to "Israel's crimes." In an address to reporters on the sidelines of the rallies, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said that Israel's "normalizing ties with (some) regional countries has not contribute

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Japan, N. Korea to address history issue on 1st day of talks

ULAN BATOR, Mongolia - Song Il Ho (C), North Korea's ambassador in charge of normalization talks with Japan, speaks during the first day of the two-day talks at the Mongolian state guesthouse in Ulan Bator on Sept. 5. The talks are aimed at resolving thorny issues preventing the two countries from normalizing diplomatic relations.

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Japan, N. Korea to address history issue on 1st day of talks

ULAN BATOR, Mongolia - Yoshiki Mine (C), Japan's ambassador in charge of normalization talks with North Korea, speaks on the first day of the two-day talks at the Mongolian state guesthouse in Ulan Bator on Sept. 5. The talks are aimed at resolving thorny issues preventing the two countries from normalizing diplomatic relations.

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Cuban envoy in Japan eyes strengthening bilateral ties

TOKYO, Japan - Cuban Ambassador to Japan Marcos Rodriguez speaks in an interview at his embassy in Tokyo on Dec. 22, 2014, expressing hopes to strengthen economic and trade ties with Japan following Washington's sudden policy shift toward normalizing relations with Havana.

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Cuban dissidents' kin wary over U.S. policy shift

HAVANA, Cuba - A group of women dressed in white, including the wives of detained dissidents, protest at a square in Havana, Cuba, on Dec. 21, 2014, demanding the activists' release. Many are wary that human rights issues in Cuba will be put on the backburner as a result of Washington's sudden policy shift toward normalizing relations with Havana.

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U.S.-made classic car in Cuba

HAVANA, Cuba - A U.S.-made classic car runs in Old Havana, Cuba, on Dec. 21, 2014. The United States and Cuba recently agreed to start talks on normalizing bilateral ties that have been severed since 1961.

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U.S.-made classic car in Cuba

HAVANA, Cuba - A U.S.-made classic car runs past the former parliament building in Havana, Cuba, on Dec. 21, 2014. The United States and Cuba recently agreed to start talks on normalizing bilateral ties that have been severed since 1961.

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U.S.-Cuba rapprochement mood growing in Havana

HAVANA, Cuba - An event to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the publication of Cuban social magazine "Temas" is held at a downtown hotel in Havana with some 20 U.S. officials included among about the 150 attendees on Dec. 19, 2014, mirroring the Dec. 17 announcement of the start of talks on normalizing bilateral ties severed in 1961.

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N. Korean envoy heads back home after talks with Japan

BEIJING, China - Song Il Ho, North Korea's ambassador in charge of normalizing diplomatic ties with Japan, arrives at Beijing international airport in China on July 3, 2014, after talks with Japanese delegates at the North Korean Embassy in the Chinese capital.

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N. Korean envoy heads back home after talks with Japan

BEIJING, China - Song Il Ho, North Korea's ambassador in charge of normalizing diplomatic ties with Japan, is surrounded by reporters at Beijing international airport in China on July 3, 2014, after talks with Japanese delegates at the North Korean Embassy in the Chinese capital.

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Japan-N. Korea talks

BEIJING, China - Junichi Ihara (2nd from L), the head of Asian affairs at the Japanese Foreign Ministry, and Song Il Ho (3rd from R), the North Korean ambassador in charge of normalizing diplomatic ties with Tokyo, hold talks at the North Korean Embassy in Beijing on July 1, 2014. Japan and North Korea discussed the specifics of a major deal struck in May, under which Pyongyang promised to investigate its past abductions of Japanese nationals.

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Japan-N. Korea talks

BEIJING, China - Junichi Ihara (R), the head of Asian affairs at the Japanese Foreign Ministry, and Song Il Ho (C), the North Korean ambassador in charge of normalizing diplomatic ties with Tokyo, head for their meeting at the North Korean Embassy in Beijing on July 1, 2014. Japan and North Korea discussed the specifics of a major deal struck in May, under which Pyongyang promised to investigate its past abductions of Japanese nationals.

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Japan-N. Korea talks

BEIJING, China - Junichi Ihara (R), the head of Asian affairs at the Japanese Foreign Ministry, shakes hands with Song Il Ho, the North Korean ambassador in charge of normalizing diplomatic ties with Tokyo, ahead of their talks at the North Korean Embassy in Beijing on July 1, 2014. Japan and North Korea discussed the specifics of a major deal struck in May, under which Pyongyang promised to investigate its past abductions of Japanese nationals.

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Japan-N. Korea talks

BEIJING, China - Junichi Ihara (R), the head of Asian affairs at the Japanese Foreign Ministry, and Song Il Ho, the North Korean ambassador in charge of normalizing diplomatic ties with Tokyo, head for their meeting at the North Korean Embassy in Beijing on July 1, 2014. Japan and North Korea discussed the specifics of a major deal struck in May, under which Pyongyang promised to investigate its past abductions of Japanese nationals.

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Japan-N. Korea talks

BEIJING, China - Junichi Ihara (R), the head of Asian affairs at the Japanese Foreign Ministry, and Song Il Ho, the North Korean ambassador in charge of normalizing diplomatic ties with Tokyo, head for their meeting at the North Korean Embassy in Beijing on July 1, 2014. Japan and North Korea discussed the specifics of a major deal struck in May, under which Pyongyang promised to investigate its past abductions of Japanese nationals.

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CORRECTED N. Korean envoy ready to visit Japan

TOKYO, Japan - CORRECTING DATE PHOTO WAS TAKEN Song Il Ho, North Korea's ambassador for talks on normalizing ties with Japan. Photo taken on May 23, 2014.

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N. Korean envoy

BEIJING, China - Song Il Ho, North Korea's ambassador for talks on normalizing ties with Japan, speaks with reporters at Beijing International Airport on April 1, 2014, after attending a two-day meeting with Japanese diplomats through the previous day in the Chinese capital.

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N. Korean envoy

BEIJING, China - Song Il Ho, North Korea's ambassador for talks on normalizing ties with Japan, speaks with reporters at Beijing International Airport on April 1, 2014, after attending a two-day meeting with Japanese diplomats through the previous day in the Chinese capital.

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Japan-N. Korea talks

BEIJING, China - Junichi Ihara (2nd from L), director general of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau at the Japanese Foreign Ministry, holds the second day of talks with Song Il Ho (R front), North Korea's ambassador for talks on normalizing ties with Japan, at the Japanese Embassy in Beijing on March 31, 2014. (Pool photo by Kyodo News)

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Japan-N. Korea talks

BEIJING, China - Combined photo shows Junichi Ihara (L), director general of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau at the Japanese Foreign Ministry, and Song Il Ho, North Korea's ambassador for talks on normalizing ties with Japan, during a meeting at the Japanese Embassy in Beijing on March 31, 2014. (Pool photo by Kyodo News)

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2 Koreas begin talks on joint industrial zone

SEOUL, South Korea - Photo taken in Seoul on Aug. 14, 2013, shows South Korea's Kim Ki Woong (C) heading for a seventh round of talks with North Korean officials in a joint industrial zone in the North's border city of Kaesong. North and South Korea began working-level talks later in the day on normalizing operations at the industrial zone that have remained suspended for nearly four months.

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S. Korea proposes talks with N. Korea

SEOUL, South Korea - South Korea's Unification Ministry spokesman Kim Hyung Seok speaks at the ministry in Seoul on April 25, 2013. Kim said South Korea gave North Korea an April 26 deadline to respond to its proposal for talks on normalizing operations at a joint industrial zone in North Korea's border town of Kaesong, which were suspended by Pyongyang earlier in the month.

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Kawashima promoted to emperor's top aide

TOKYO, Japan - File photos of Yutaka Kawashima (L), who was named as grand chamberlain at the Imperial House Agency on June 15, and Koichi Haraguchi (R), who was appointed the same day to take over Kawashima's post as head of court ceremonies at the agency. Kawashima, 65, a former vice foreign minister, replaces Makoto Watanabe, who retired the same day. Haraguchi, 66, was a former Japanese negotiator for normalizing ties with North Korea.

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Working group unlikely to resolve abduction issue, expert says

WASHINGTON, United States - Scott Snyder, a senior associate at the Asia Foundation in Washington, speaks to Kyodo News in an interview in Washington. He says the working group focusing on normalizing relations between Japan and North Korea probably cannot resolve the issue of the abductions of Japanese citizens by North Korea.

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N. Korea negotiator warns of partially foregoing denuke steps

BEIJING, China - Song Il Ho, North Korea's representative to talks with Japan on normalizing diplomatic ties in Hanoi, leaves Beijing International Airport for Pyongyang on March 10. Song did not comment to reporters.

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Japan, N. Korea meet in Hanoi

HANOI, Vietnam - Koichi Haraguchi, the Japanese representative to the two-day discussions on normalizing diplomatic relations with North Korea in Hanoi, responds to questions from reporters after a dinner on March 6 with N. Korean diplomats ahead of the start of the discussions on March 7.

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Japan, N. Korea agree to discuss abduction issue

HANOI, Vietnam - A limousine carrying the chief North Korean negotiator Song Il Ho leaves the Japanese Embassy in Hanoi on March 6 where Song and his Japanese counterpart Koichi Haraguchi held talks and agreed on the timetable of their two-day discussions from March 7 aimed at normalizing diplomatic relations.

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Japan, N. Korea agree to discuss abduction issue on 1st day

HANOI, Vietnam - Chief Japanese negotiator Koichi Haraguchi speaks to reporters at his hotel in Hanoi on March 6, after attending a meeting with North Korean diplomats where they agreed on the timetable of their two-day discussions from March 7 aimed at normalizing diplomatic relations.

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N. Korea's chief nuke negotiator arrives in New York

NEW YORK, United States - Kim Kye Gwan, chief North Korean nuclear negotiator, arrive at his hotel in New York on March 2 to attend a working group meeting with U.S. officials next week on normalizing U.S.-North Korea ties.

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N. Korean negotiator arrives in Beijing ahead of talks with Japan

BEIJING, China - Song Il Ho, North Korea's ambassador in charge of negotiations with Japan on normalizing diplomatic relations, arrives at Beijing airport on March 3 on his way to Hanoi for a working group meeting with Japan next week.

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Japan, N. Korea to hold talks March 7-8 on normalizing ties

TOKYO, Japan - Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki speaks about the working-group talks on normalization between Japan and North Korea at a news conference at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on Feb. 28. Shiozaki said the talks will be held in Hanoi on March 7 and 8.

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N. Korean official urges new Japan leader to implement declaration

PYONGYANG, North Korea - Jong Thae Hwa, a former North Korean top negotiator in bilateral normalization talks with Japan, speaks in a recent interview with Kyodo News in Pyongyang. Jong said that North Korea urges the successor to Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to implement a 2002 bilateral declaration committing the countries to work toward normalizing ties.

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Japan, N. Korea make little progress but promise to meet again

BEIJING, China - Koichi Haraguchi, Japanese ambassador in charge of normalization talks with North Korea, speaks at a press conference at the end of five days of talks in Beijing on Feb. 8. Japan and North Korea made little headway over problems preventing them from normalizing diplomatic ties, but agreed to continue talking under a three-track format.

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Japan, N. Korea discuss abductions on 2nd day of talks

BEIJING, China - Kim Chol Ho (2nd from R), vice director of the North Korean Foreign Ministry's Asian Affairs Department, and members of his delegation attend a panel meeting with Japan at a Beijing hotel on Feb. 5 to discuss ways to resolve a dispute over the past abductions of Japanese nationals by North Korean agents. The two countries began a new three-track discussion on Feb. 4 aimed at solving problems preventing the two countries from normalizing diplomatic relations.

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Japan, N. Korea discuss abductions on 2nd day of talks

BEIJING, China - Kunio Umeda (3rd from R), head of the Japanese delegation to the abduction panel, and other delegation members attend a meeting with North Korea at a Beijing hotel on Feb. 5 to discuss ways to solve a dispute over the past abductions of Japanese nationals by N. Korean agents. The two countries began a new three-track discussion on Feb. 4 aimed at solving problems preventing the two countries from normalizing diplomatic relations.

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Japan, N. Korea hold 3-track talks in Beijing

BEIJING, China - Chief Japanese delegate Koichi Haraguchi fields questions from reporters at a Beijing hotel on Feb. 4 after Japan and North Korea ended the first day of their talks to try to resolve complex problems preventing them from normalizing diplomatic relations.

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Japan-N. Korea 3-track talks get under way in Beijing

BEIJING, China - North Korean delegate Song Il Ho (2nd from R) and members of his North Korean delegation attend talks with Japan in Beijing on Feb. 4 under a new three-track format to try to solve complex problems preventing the countries from normalizing diplomatic relations.

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Japan-N. Korea 3-track talks get under way in Beijing

BEIJING, China - Chief Japanese delegate Koichi Haraguchi (L) and chief North Korean delegate Song Il Ho (R) lead their delegations in bilateral talks at a Beijing hotel on Feb. 4 under a new three-track format to try to solve complex problems preventing the countries from normalizing diplomatic relations.

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Japan-N. Korea 3-track talks get under way in Beijing

BEIJING, China - Chief Japanese delegate Koichi Haraguchi (2nd from L) and members of his Japanese delegation attend talks with North Korea in Beijing on Feb. 4 under a new three-track format to try to solve complex problems preventing the countries from normalizing diplomatic relations.

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Japan, N. Korea agree on 3-group negotiation format

BEIJING, China - Chief Japanese delegate Akitaka Saiki fields questions from reporters at a Beijing hotel on Dec. 25 after talks with North Korea. He said Japan and N. Korea agreed to set up three working groups to address outstanding issues that have stalled negotiations on normalizing diplomatic relations, if possible in late January.

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Japan, N. Korea agree on 3-group negotiation format

BEIJING, China - North Korea's chief delegate Song Il Ho leaves the Japanese Embassy in Beijing on Dec. 25 after winding up talks with Japan. Japan and N. Korea agreed to set up three working groups to address outstanding issues that have stalled negotiations on normalizing diplomatic relations, if possible in late January.

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Japan, N. Korea begin 2nd day of talks in Beijing

BEIJING, China - Chief Japanese delegate Akitaka Saiki responds to questions from reporters at a Beijing hotel on Dec. 25 before Japan and North Korea began a second day of talks with the focus on whether they can agree on setting up three working groups to address outstanding issues that have stalled negotiations on normalizing diplomatic relations.

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Japan, N. Korea hold 2-day talks in Beijing

BEIJING, China - A car carrying the North Korean delegation arrives at the Japanese Embassy in Beijing on Dec. 24 for a meeting with Japan which is expected to focus on the format for future negotiations over issues that are preventing the two countries from normalizing diplomatic ties.

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Japan, N. Korea hold 2-day talks in Beijing

BEIJING, China - Chief Japanese delegate Akitaka Saiki arrives at Beijing's international airport on Dec. 24 for a two-day meeting with North Korea which is expected to focus on the format for future negotiations over issues that are preventing the two countries from normalizing diplomatic ties.

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Abductee's brother against normalizing Japan-N. Korea ties

FUKUOKA, Japan - Teruaki Masumoto, brother of one of the Japanese nationals North Korea abducted and now says is dead, speaks in Fukuoka on Dec. 5. ''Is it acceptable for Japan to normalize diplomatic ties with a country like North Korea that is under the regime of Kim Jong Il?'' Masumoto asked in an address at Kyushu University.

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Masayoshi Ohira

Bureaucrat-turned politician who was prime minister between Dec. 7, 1978 and June 12, 1980. Born on March 12, 1910 in Kagawa Prefecture, Ohira joined the Finance Ministry in 1936. He was elected to the House of Representative in 1952. As foreign minister, Ohira was instrumental in normalizing diplomatic relations between Japan and China in 1972. He became prime minister in December 1978 but suddenly died in June 1980 during the campaign for general elections. Photo was taken on March 15, 1978.

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Japan, N. Korea end 1st session of normalization talks

BEIJING, China - Japanese Ambassador Kojiro Takano (L) and North Korean Ambassador Jong Thae Hwa leave the Japanese Embassy in Beijing on Oct. 30 after ending the first session of a new round of talks on normalizing diplomatic relations. Japanese and North Korean negotiators met for three hours in the morning and will resume talks later in the day after a break for lunch.

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S. Korea's Kim supports Japan-N. Korean talks

SEOUL, South Korea - South Korean President Kim Dae Jung (R) meets with Hiromu Nonaka (3rd from L), who represents Japan's ruling coalition as secretary general of the Liberal Democratic Party, at the presidential Blue House on Sept. 18. Two others in attendance are Tetsuzo Fuyushiba (2nd from L), secretary general of the New Komeito party, and Takeshi Noda (Far L), secretary general of the New Conservative Party. Kim said that direct talks between Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori and North Korean leader Kim Jong Il are necessary to break the ice in negotiations on normalizing ties between the two nations, and that he is willing to support them.