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U.S. President-elect Donald Trump managed to win the support of over 72 million Americans despite his history of trying to overturn elections, a lack of policy expertise and his authoritarian rhetoric.
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 7, 2024

A Donald Trump victory: How did it come to this?

How did a convicted felon, who sought to overturn a presidential election that he decisively lost just four years ago, win the votes of more than 72 million Americans?
Onlookers watch a broadcast of Republican candidate Donald Trump addressing his election night watch party, in Times Square, New York, on Wednesday. Trump has been elected the 47th president of the United States, pulling off a stunning political comeback in one of the most polarized contests for the White House in U.S. history.
JAPAN / Politics / ANALYSIS
Nov 7, 2024

U.S. allies and partners gird for return of ‘transactional’ Trump

Trump is expected to raise his demands at every turn, a scenario that could very well play out with Japan, especially if Tokyo remains mired in political turmoil.
According to his team, Donald Trump will fill key jobs in the "days and weeks ahead."
WORLD / Politics
Nov 8, 2024

A look at the top contenders to staff Trump's government

Susie Wiles, his election campaign chief, became Donald Trump's first appointment when she was unveiled as his chief-of-staff, as widely expected.
Then-U.S. President Donald Trump listens as Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a joint press conference at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki, in July 2018.
WORLD / Politics
Nov 8, 2024

Zelenskyy and Putin vie for edge with Trump ahead of Ukraine pivot

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that a swift end to hostilities could force his country into a defeat.
Lawmakers and strategists looking for someone to blame for Tuesday's wipeout have so far been more likely to target U.S. President Joe Biden.
WORLD / Politics
Nov 8, 2024

Defeat to Trump prompts Democratic soul-searching

The election night disaster has proved to be a Rorschach test, with rival factions each offering reasons for the defeat informed by their particular brand of politics.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has aligned with Russia to bolster his nuclear weapons capabilities and gain military support, including sending troops to aid Russia. That partnership could provide Pyongyang with valuable combat experience while modernizing its military assets.
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 8, 2024

Trump will walk into a new North Korean headache

Traditional methods of containment have not worked effectively and Trump’s past efforts to engage with Kim have failed to curb his nuclear ambitions.
People demonstrate in Sydney in March 2021 in response to the treatment of women in politics as part of the Women's March 4 Justice, a series of protest events.
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 8, 2024

Entrenched sexism is very Australian. Let’s uproot it

Australia, despite its progressive history on women’s rights and high levels of female education, is slipping in global gender gap rankings.
U.S. President Joe Biden announces a preliminary agreement with Intel for a major CHIPS and Science Act award, during a visit to the Intel Ocotillo Campus, in Chandler, Arizona, in March.
BUSINESS / Tech / FOCUS
Nov 9, 2024

Trump’s win sets off race to complete chip subsidy deals

The Biden administration is aiming to shore up one of its signature initiatives before President-elect Donald Trump enters the White House.
Dutch Police officers patrol on Dam Square in Amsterdam on Saturday.
WORLD / Society
Nov 10, 2024

The attacks on Israeli football fans in Amsterdam were unlike usual hooliganism

Supporters of Israeli team Maccabi Tel Aviv were targeted for beatings in the early hours of Friday following a match with Amsterdam's Ajax.
Prime Minister of Mauritius and candidate for the Militant Socialist Movement (MSM) Pravind Jugnauth (C) is surrounded by supporters during a campaign rally in Mahebourg on Oct. 20.
WORLD / Politics
Nov 10, 2024

Dynasties battle to lead Mauritius with democracy out of favor

Members of just three families have led the Indian Ocean archipelago since it gained independence from Britain in 1968.
Nobuyuki Baba, leader of opposition party Nippon Ishin no Kai, speaks to reporters on Sunday.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 10, 2024

Nippon Ishin chief refuses to cooperate with Ishiba government

Nobuyuki Baba said that Nippon Ishin cannot work with Ishiba's LDP cabinet until issues of politics and money are resolved.
The Allied Occupation of Japan after World War II brought an end to the country’s brothels, which resulted in the Prostitution Prevention Law of 1956.
JAPAN / History / The Living Past
Oct 19, 2024

Edo Japan's morals pose a debate for the modern age

Can we judge what’s right or wrong across centuries? Edo’s morals of sacrifice and duty distinctly clash with our own modern ethics.
Through a de facto partial suspension of democracy, French President Emmanuel Macron has kept the far right out of power and restored stability. Similar measures may prove necessary elsewhere.
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 11, 2024

Saving democracy from Itself

Macron’s actions may seem undemocratic, but they were necessary to maintain stability and block the rise of the far-right.
Matt Groening (right), creator of the show "The Simpsons," attends the premiere of the "The Simpsons Movie" along with characters from the series in Springfield, Vermont, in July 2007.
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 11, 2024

‘The Simpsons’ has become a parody of itself. That’s a good thing.

With the "The Simpsons" viewership down to just 10% of its peak, the show is often in the news for controversies rather than content.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba votes to elect the prime minister at the Lower House in Tokyo on Monday.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 11, 2024

Ishiba holds on to PM role as tricky parliamentary session looms

Ishiba was forced into a runoff after no candidate for prime minister was able to secure a simple majority in the first round of voting.
Japanese exporters could be hit by higher U.S. tariffs.
BUSINESS / Economy
Nov 11, 2024

Trump tariffs could have a significant impact on Japanese exports

The U.S. president-elect has promised 10% to 20% duties on all goods coming into the United States.
Nigeriens gather in a street to protest against the U.S. military presence, in Niamey, Niger, on April 13.
WORLD / Politics
Nov 12, 2024

Trump inherits waning U.S. strength in Africa

Biden made sweeping political promises to Africa that he has yet to keep, including visiting during his presidency, which ends in January.
Sri Lanka's President and National People's Power party leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake addresses his party supporters during the last day of campaigning for the 17th Parliamentary Election in Piliyandala suburb in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Monday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Nov 12, 2024

Sri Lanka's new president faces first parliament test

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake seeks to expand his three parliamentary seats to a house majority in elections on Thursday.
The Lower House plenary session on Monday
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 13, 2024

Ishiba in for a bumpy ride as CDP takes Budget Committee post

In a rare move, the Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, Komeito, conceded the Budget Committee post to the opposition.
The Democrats focused on issues like racial and gender inequality and overlooked the economic and social struggles of the working class, allowing Donald Trump to tap into this resentment.
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 12, 2024

Voters to elites: Ignore the working class at your own peril

The redistribution of respect saw those who climbed the academic ladder celebrated with accolades, while those who didn’t were rendered invisible.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and other Cabinet members and lawmakers attend a session of the Lower House of parliament in Tokyo on Monday.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Nov 13, 2024

Trump return leaves Japan’s leader with no time to snooze

The prime minister drew headlines for a moment after he was caught napping in parliament during proceedings for his own nomination as Japanese leader.
Then-U.S. President Donald Trump meets with NATO leaders at a plenary session of their summit in Watford, England, in December 2019. 
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 13, 2024

Living in Trump’s world

Europe’s response to Trump’s return will require creativity, resilience and an unshakable commitment to defending its own interests.
Hackers infiltrated the networks of multiple U.S. telecommunications companies to steal customer call records and compromise the communications belonging to a "limited number” of people in government and politics, officials said.
WORLD
Nov 14, 2024

U.S. accuses China of vast cyberespionage against telecoms

The hackers infiltrated the networks of multiple telecommunications companies to steal customer call records and compromise communications.
Aomori-based writer JJ Carter presented on tabletop gaming as creative inspiration for building characters and narratives.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives
Nov 18, 2024

In Fukushima, a weekend of prose, poetry and translation

The latest edition of the Japan Writers Conference was a friendly forum for anglophone writers to connect and converse.
Kenyan climate scientist Joyce Kimutai during the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku on Friday.
ENVIRONMENT / Climate change
Nov 16, 2024

World not listening to us, laments Kenyan climate scientist at COP29

"If the world was listening to science, maybe we wouldn't be doing these COPs," the 36-year-old Kenyan climate scientist said.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who has both vowed a strong military and to end or avoid wars, has promised "peace through strength" in announcements of several key nominees to serve in his administration.
WORLD / Politics / FOCUS
Nov 17, 2024

Trump revives 'peace through strength,' but his meaning is up for debate

Whether the U.S. president-elect is pursuing a strategy or just relying on a catchphrase is a matter of dispute.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban (L) poses with Donald Trump in Palm Beach, Florida, on July 11.
WORLD / Politics
Nov 17, 2024

Trump’s friends in Europe welcome return of a kindred spirit

Some expect him to be less critical of their manipulation of democratic institutions, as well as their pushback on minority rights and non-Christian immigrants.
Though he didn't win the recent gubernatorial election in Tokyo, the 96-year-old Dr. Nakamats' run was seen as inspirational in Japan's aging society.
JAPAN / Society
Nov 18, 2024

For Dr. Nakamats, aging is just experience in action

Always trying to solve the problems of modern life, the perennial candidate refuses to bow to societal expectations of age.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (right) and First Lady Rosangela da Silva attend the Independence Day military parade in Brasilia, Brazil, on Sept. 7, 2023.
WORLD / Politics
Nov 18, 2024

Lula’s wife curses out Elon Musk on eve of Brazil’s G20

Brazil's first lady took aim at the billionaire owner of the X platform at an event while talking about the need to regulate social media networks and combat fake news.
The Bluesky social network has soared to one of the top positions in social network downloads in app stores in the past week since the U.S. election. The company reported a recent gain of 700,000 new users joining the social media platform, an alternative to X.
BUSINESS / Tech
Nov 18, 2024

How Bluesky, alternative to X and Facebook, is handling explosive growth

Bluesky’s meteoric growth underscores its role as a decentralized alternative to traditional social networks, prioritizing user control and developer creativity.

Longform

An illustration features the Japanese signs for "ganbare" (good luck) and the Deaflympics, which will be held between Nov. 15 and 26.
A century of Deaf sport finds its moment in Tokyo