World News: Erdogan rival arrested days before becoming presidential candidate

This is the World Now, bringing you the latest stories from around the globe.

Turkiye is seeing widespread protests following the arrest of Istanbul Mayor and potential presidential candidate Ekrem Imamoglu.

On Wednesday local time, Turkiye authorities detained Imamoglu on charges of corruption and alleged links to terrorist organizations.

The arrest comes just days before the Republican People's Party primaries, where Imamoglu, a prominent opposition figure against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was anticipated to be nominated as the presidential candidate for the 2028 elections.

Imamoglu's party has denounced the detention as a "coup," arguing that it is politically motivated to undermine the opposition.

In response to the arrest, thousands of citizens have taken to the streets in Istanbul and Ankara to protest what they see as a violation of democratic processes.

The Turkiye government has refuted allegations linking Imamoglu's detention to President Erdogan.

In Africa, the presidents of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda have addressed the escalating conflict in eastern DRC, in their first in-person encounter since hostilities resurged in the region earlier this year.

President Felix Tshisekedi of the DRC and President Paul Kagame of Rwanda met in Qatar on Tuesday, facilitated by Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

The leaders jointly called for an "immediate and unconditional ceasefire" in eastern DRC, to stop the ongoing violence that has resulted in thousands of deaths and the displacement of millions.

The conflict intensified in January when the M23 rebel group, reportedly backed by Rwanda, captured key cities in the mineral-rich eastern region of the DRC.

The DRC government accuses Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebels, while Rwanda denies the claim, asserting its forces act in self-defense.

In Germany, the outgoing government has approved approximately 3.3 billion U.S. dollars in additional military aid for Ukraine.

The decision, announced by the Finance Ministry on Wednesday local time, follows a recent fiscal policy overhaul that allows increased borrowing to support defense initiatives.

The aid package includes 2.8 billion dollars allocated for immediate military assistance, supplemented by reimbursements from the European Peace Facility.

Germany also plans to commit an additional 8.9 billion dollars between 2026 and 2029 to bolster Ukraine's defense capabilities.

In other news, German automaker Mercedes-Benz is integrating AI-powered humanoid robots into its manufacturing processes at the Digital Factory Campus in Berlin.

According to reports on Tuesday, the automaker is testing the 175 centimeters Apollo robot, in collaboration with U.S.-based robotics firm Apptronik, to handle tasks such as transporting components and conducting quality inspections.

Unlike traditional factory robots, Apollo isn't fixed and can move around.

The aim is to enhance efficiency by automating repetitive and physically demanding activities,

and allowing human workers to focus on more complex tasks.

Choi Chi-hee, Arirang News.