NORTH MACEDONIA: The conservative coalition that emerged victorious in Wednesday’s parliamentary elections was left searching for a governing partner today, having fallen three short of a parliamentary majority.

The Your Macedonia coalition, led by VMRO-DPMNE party chief Hristijan Mickoski, won just over 43 per cent of the votes, giving it 58 of the country’s 120 parliamentary seats.

Conservative Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova became the country’s first elected female president.

HUNGARY: Chinese President Xi Jinping received a ceremonial welcome in Budapest today ahead of a day of talks with government officials that are expected to result in further Chinese investments.

Hungarian President Tamas Sulyok received Mr Xi in an opulent courtyard of Budapest's Buda Castle.

Numerous Chinese and Hungarian officials attended the ceremony, including Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Hungary’s long-serving far-right leader, who has pursued deeper ties with Beijing while distancing himself from the European Union.

SOUTH KOREA: President Yoon Suk Yeol dismissed calls for independent investigations into allegations against his wife Kim Keon Hee today.

The opposition has stepped up its demand for a probe into Ms Kim over various scandals, such as her alleged involvement in a stock price manipulation scheme and the release of spy camera footage showing her receiving a luxury bag from a Korean-American pastor.

Mr Yoon apologised for what he called “my wife’s unwise behaviour” in accepting the Christian Dior bag but refused to elaborate.

SWEDEN: Thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators protested in Malmo today against Israel’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest.

Protesters waving Palestinian flags packed the town square before a planned march through the city for a rally in a park several miles from the Eurovision venue.

Chanting “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!” and “Israel is a terror state,” the demonstrators set off smoke flares in the Palestinian colours during a noisy, peaceful rally to criticise Israel and call for a ceasefire.