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A Correctional Services vehicle arrives at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts ahead of the verdict hearing in Hong Kong on Thursday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
May 30, 2024

Fourteen Hong Kong democrats found guilty in landmark subversion trial

Critics say the trial could deal another blow to the city's rule of law and its reputation as a global financial hub.
Russian President Vladimir Putin warned the West that NATO members in Europe were playing with fire by proposing to let Kyiv use Western weapons to strike deep inside Russia, something he said could trigger a global conflict.
WORLD / Politics
May 30, 2024

Think tank close to Kremlin says Russia should consider a 'demonstrative' nuclear explosion

The idea was suggested as a way to cow the West into refusing to allow Ukraine to use its arms against targets inside Russia.
A taxi in which the driver was shot and injured late Wednesday night in Kawaguchi, Saitama Prefecture
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
May 30, 2024

Police hunt for man who shot cab driver in Saitama

The suspect, in his 50s or 60s, was wearing a black cap, glasses, a white mask, a black short-sleeved shirt and long pants when he shot the driver.
Chinese electric vehicles bound for shipment at the Port of Taicang in China
BUSINESS / Tech
May 30, 2024

EU seeks roadblocks for Chinese EVs without sparking trade war

Crucially, the bloc must strike a balance with its aim for more Europeans to drive EVs as it prepares to outlaw the sale of new fossil fuel-powered cars from 2035.
Farm minister Tetsushi Sakamoto stands as an amendment on Japan's farm policies clears parliament on Wednesday.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
May 30, 2024

Japan enacts revised 'constitution' for farm policies

The revised law newly underscores the necessity of ensuring food security at a time when supply chains are being destabilized.
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks during a campaign event in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Wednesday. According to four U.S. officials, Biden has quietly authorized Ukraine to use U.S.-supplied weapons against military targets inside Russia.
WORLD / Politics
May 31, 2024

Biden allows Ukraine limited use of U.S. arms to strike inside Russia

Revelation by U.S. officials marks a policy shift by Biden, who had refused to allow Ukraine to use U.S. weaponry for strikes inside Russia.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's government is implementing a tax cut of ¥40,000 per person from June to ensure income growth that outpaces inflation.
BUSINESS
May 31, 2024

Kishida government's much-touted tax cut to start in June

The prime minister has stressed that the tax cut is designed to ensure income growth that outpaces inflation.
A residential development under construction in Shanghai in February. Problems in the property sector have had a negative impact across broad areas of China's economy.
BUSINESS / Economy
May 31, 2024

China's factory activity unexpectedly dips as property pain persists

The disappointing number adds to a series of recent indicators showing the $18.6 trillion economy is struggling to get back on its feet.
Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun (center) arrives with his delegation for a bilateral meeting with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on the sidelines of the 21st Shangri-La Dialogue summit at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore on Friday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
May 31, 2024

U.S. and Chinese defense chiefs agree on importance of military talks

The meeting marked the first face-to-face talks by the U.S. and Chinese defense chiefs in 18 months.
Keidanren Chairman Masakazu Tokura speaks during an interview in Tokyo on May 23.
BUSINESS
May 31, 2024

Keidanren to propose policy on foreign workers

The association will draw up a medium-term vision of the economy and society called "Future Design 2040."
As mind-numbingly big as the clean-energy price tag may be, it’s actually a bargain compared with the potential economic destruction of unabated climate change.
COMMENTARY / World
May 31, 2024

$215 trillion to save the planet is a bargain

And as mind-numbingly big as $215 trillion may be, it’s actually a bargain compared with the potential economic destruction of unabated climate change.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivers a keynote address at the Shangri-La Dialogue security conference in Singapore on Friday night.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
May 31, 2024

Marcos lays out red line in South China Sea at security conference

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivered his clearest remarks yet on his red lines in the ongoing row with China over the disputed waterway.
A monitor showing the Nikkei 225 index and the yen exchange rate in Tokyo. The yen is expected to remain under pressure given the yawning gap between interest rates in Japan and the U.S.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jun 1, 2024

Japan spent record ¥9.8 trillion to prop up yen in past month

The record spending on intervention shows the government’s resolve to push back against speculators betting against the yen.
Pop project Kirinji was featured on the second episode of Tiny Desk Concerts Japan, an offshoot of NPR’s long-running web series that features artists performing stripped-down sets inside the cozy offices of the organization’s music department.
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Jun 1, 2024

The best-case scenario for Tiny Desk Concerts Japan

NHK's new project, an offshoot of NPR's web series that shows artists performing stripped-down sets, could become a place for the full spectrum of Japanese music to shine.
A Ukrainian serviceman prepares to fire a self-propelled howitzer toward Russian troops in May.
WORLD / Politics / ANALYSIS
Jun 1, 2024

Biden tip-toes deeper into Ukraine conflict with arms decision

Experts say the decision to relax some restrictions on Ukraine's use of U.S. weaponry inside Russia could help blunt Moscow's offensive.
Voters stand in line to cast their ballot at a polling station on the seventh and final phase of voting of India's general election, in Patna on Saturday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Jun 1, 2024

India’s long, bitter election fight heads toward finish line

The results won’t be declared until June 4, but Saturday will offer a clue as to whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on track for a third term.
South Korea's first openly gay legislator, Cha Hae-young
ASIA PACIFIC / Society
Jun 1, 2024

'We exist': South Korea's first LGBTQ councilor tackles inclusion

Cha Hae-young was elected to the Mapo district council on June 1, 2022 — the same day as Seoul's annual LGBTQ Pride march.
Benny Gantz has held a clear lead over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in opinion polls for months, but the latest surveys show a noticeable swing toward the prime minister.
WORLD / Politics
Jun 1, 2024

Israel's Gantz at crossroads over challenge to Netanyahu

The former general faces a reckoning over his revolt against Netanyahu, who has been gaining ground in opinion polls.
Defense Minister Minoru Kihara and his South Korean counterpart, Shin Won-sik, meet on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue security conference in Singapore on Saturday.
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 1, 2024

Japan and South Korea agree to prevent repeat of 2018 naval row

The move to shelve long-standing political differences is seen as a significant step toward restoring bilateral defense and security cooperation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks at a campaign rally on April 8. Exit polls revealed on June 1 indicated that the opposition was struggling to significantly cut into the sizable majority held by Modi's party.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Jun 2, 2024

Modi set for landslide election win in India, exit polls show

No prime minister since Jawaharlal Nehru — who ruled India for 17 years after independence — has managed to secure three consecutive terms in power.
Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe waves to fans prior to a match in Toulouse in August 2023.
SOCCER
Jun 2, 2024

Mbappe the next prize for Real Madrid, the kings of Europe

The 25-year-old forward has been unable to win the Champions League with Paris Saint-Germain in seven years at the French club.
Pedestrians holding umbrellas during a downpour in Tokyo in June 2023
JAPAN / Science & Health / OUR PLANET
Jun 2, 2024

The growing link between extreme rain and respiratory health in Japan

Researchers have found a strong association between respiratory mortality and severe downpours of the kind being made worse by climate change.
Bidet toilets are the norm in Japan, where more than 80% of homes have one. But their numbers are growing worldwide.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jun 2, 2024

Feeling flush: Japan's high-tech toilets go global

Sales are surging abroad and especially in the United States, led by A-list bidet fans such as Drake, the Kardashians and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
A Palestinian youth moves containers of water past destroyed buildings in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, on May 28.
WORLD / Politics
Jun 3, 2024

Israel pushes back against Gaza ceasefire Biden has outlined

Hamas said it welcomed any proposal "based on a permanent ceasefire" as well as "a total withdrawal from the Gaza Strip."
Nippon Steel's proposed acquisition of U.S. Steel would give it greater access to the profitable U.S. market and further its long-term financial goals.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jun 3, 2024

Nippon Steel's Mori hints at selling some assets to aid U.S. Steel deal

The firm's vice chairman plans to return to the United States this week for more talks over the proposed acquisition.
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol speaks during a trilateral summit with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Chinese Premier Li Qiang during their meeting at the Blue House in Seoul on May 27.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Jun 3, 2024

South Korea to explore vast oil and gas prospects off east coast, Yoon says

The 500 billion won ($363 million) drilling project is slated to begin towards the end of the year, aiming for results by mid-next year.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jun 3, 2024

KKR weighs entering private credit in Japan to challenge banks

In Japan, most direct lending has been done overseas, and the domestic loan market is dominated by major banks.
An earthquake-damaged area in Suzu, Ishikawa Prefecture, in May 2023. The Noto Peninsula has been experiencing an ongoing “seismic swarm” since late 2020.
ENVIRONMENT / Earth science / OUR PLANET
Jun 3, 2024

How rain and snow play a role in Noto’s ‘seismic swarm’

The seismic activity in the region is synchronized with changes in underground pressure, which is influenced by seasonal patterns of precipitation.
People walk with their luggage after a rainstorm hit Dubai, UAE, causing delays at Dubai International Airport on April 17.
BUSINESS / Tech
Jun 3, 2024

Airlines eye 'new frontier' of AI ahead of global summit

Aviation companies, long accustomed to thin profit margins, see AI as the newest way to boost productivity and gain a competitive edge.
Toyota Motor Chairman Akio Toyoda apologizes during a news conference in Tokyo on Monday.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jun 3, 2024

Japan's auto-testing scandal deepens, resulting in some shipment halts

Toyota and four other Japanese automakers have admitted to falsifying testing data and performing tests under inappropriate conditions, among other infractions.

Longform

Ichiro Suzuki, one of the most iconic players in NPB and MLB history, was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame with 99.7% of the vote.
With Hall of Fame induction, Ichiro makes himself heard loud and clear