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U.S. President-elect Donald Trump (left) and his wife, Melania (right), pose for a photo with Akie Abe, the widow of assassinated former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, on Sunday in this image posted on Melania Trump's X social media account.
JAPAN / Politics
Dec 16, 2024

Akie Abe, widow of slain prime minister, meets with Trump

Her meeting has raised some eyebrows for coming before that of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who was unable to meet Trump last month despite numerous requests.
A thermal power plant at an undisclosed location in Ukraine that was damaged during a missile attack amid Russia's invasion
COMMENTARY / World / The Year Ahead
Dec 27, 2024

When Russia fights the wrong enemy

The longer the war in Ukraine continues, the weaker Russia will become, leading many to wonder when it will decide to staunch its losses.
Indian billionaire Gautam Adani attends the 51st Gems and Jewellery Awards in Jaipur, India, on Nov. 30.
BUSINESS / Companies
Dec 16, 2024

Extradition of India's Gautam Adani seems unlikely, experts say

Adani Group has called the allegations against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani "baseless" and vowed to seek "all possible legal recourse."
Ghazi Mohammed al-Mohammed, a former detainee in a Damascus prison, poses for a picture with his mother at their home in Sarmada, in the northern Syrian Idlib province, on Saturday.
WORLD
Dec 16, 2024

Bashar Assad's prisoner #3006 tells his story

When Syrian military intelligence officers detained Ghazi Mohammed al-Mohammed, they told him to forget his name and who he was.
The secretaries-general of the Liberal Democratic Party, Komeito and the Democratic Party for the People have agreed to start raising the minimum taxable income level next year.
JAPAN / Politics
Dec 16, 2024

DPP tax chief hints at termination of talks with Japan's ruling bloc

The DPP would have to consider axing the talks if the ruling coalition sticks to its proposal of raising the threshold to ¥1.23 million, Motohisa Furukawa said.
Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako speak with winners of the Praemium Imperiale at the Imperial Palace on Nov. 20. The imperial couple will attend a memorial ceremony to mark the 30th anniversary of the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake in January.
JAPAN
Dec 16, 2024

Emperor and empress to attend Hanshin Quake Memorial on anniversary

The imperial couple will be briefed by Hyogo Gov. Motohiko Saito on the reconstruction situation and visit the Hyogo Prefectural Hyogo-no-Tsu Museum.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump embraces SoftBank chief Masayoshi Son at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, on Monday.
BUSINESS / Companies
Dec 17, 2024

SoftBank pledges $100 billion U.S. investment at Trump event

SoftBank chief Masayoshi Son’s announcement this time marks the highest-profile commitment by a company to expand investment in the U.S. since Trump’s election win.
A screen shot from YouTube user @lagelda shows the simplicity of going viral in Japan in 2024: A cat dancing to EDM in front of a green screen.
LIFE / Digital / Japan Pulse
Dec 17, 2024

Curiosity didn’t kill the meme: Why cats still rule Japanese YouTube

Cat memes continued to thrive and evolve in 2024. In Japan, they're not just for jokes — they’re for storytelling, venting and a little therapy.
Adriano gestures during his friendly farewell match at Rio de Janeiro's Maracana Stadium on Sunday.
SOCCER
Dec 17, 2024

Brazil's fallen 'Emperor' Adriano bids farewell to soccer

After the 2006 World Cup, he gradually lost his place in the national team and club soccer, plagued by weight and alcohol issues.
Nippon Life Insurance Chairperson Yoshinobu Tsutsui is set to become the next head of the Japan Business Federation, or Keidanren, in May next year.
BUSINESS
Dec 17, 2024

Nippon Life chair to become head of Japan's main business lobby

Yoshinobu Tsutsui is set to be the first chairperson of the Japan Business Federation, or Keidanren, from the financial industry.
A train passes over downtown Kuala Lumpur
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 26, 2024

ASEAN's second renaissance is now

The bloc’s economies, despite varying political landscapes, rank among the world’s most dynamic.
The scene of an explosion where Russian chemical weapons chief Igor Kirillov and his assistant were killed in Moscow on Tuesday.
WORLD / Politics
Dec 18, 2024

Ukraine kills Russian chemical weapons chief Igor Kirillov in Moscow

The lieutenant general was killed outside an apartment building when a bomb hidden in an electric scooter went off.
A flyer created by the Metropolitan Police Department to warn people about <i>yami baito</i>, or "dark" part-time jobs
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Dec 17, 2024

Japan to let investigators go undercover to crack down on yami baito

Until now, undercover operations have been allowed only for drug- and gun-related criminal investigations.
Just over a year ago, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and U.S. President Joe Biden celebrated their historic summit at Camp David, but Yoon's controversial policies and martial law attempt have undermined that progress.
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 17, 2024

Yoon's impeachment widens East Asia fault lines

leadership changes in Seoul, Tokyo and Washington add to the instability, raising concerns about the future of this critical alliance.
The plenary session of the House of Representatives, which passed the three political reform bills, in parliament on Tuesday
JAPAN
Dec 17, 2024

Japan enacts ¥13.9 trillion extra budget for fiscal 2024

The economic policy package aims to finance measures against inflation and disaster relief.
The crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant in Okuma, Fukushima Prefecture
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Dec 18, 2024

Government not liable for nuclear evacuations, Osaka High Court rules

Only the operator of the tsunami-stricken Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant is liable to pay compensation to 92 plaintiffs evacuated following the 2011 accident.
Protesters hold placards reading "Arrest Insurrectionist Yoon Suk Yeol!" during a demonstration near the presidential residence in Seoul on Tuesday.
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 18, 2024

Yoon’s martial law order divides South Korea and may alter foreign policy direction

South Korea’s vibrant civil society also fuels a divided citizenry, evident in protests for and against Yoon’s declaration.
Investigators gather by a body at a blast scene after an explosion killed the commander of Russian armed forces' chemical, biological and radiation defense troops and his assistant, in Moscow on Tuesday.
WORLD / Crime & Legal
Dec 18, 2024

Russia detains suspect in killing of chemical weapons chief Igor Kirillov

Russia said the suspect, a Uzbekistan national, had been recruited by Ukrainian security services to carry out the assassination.
A new — and severe — case of bird flu in the United States has raised alarms, with California declaring an emergency to ramp up its response.
WORLD / Science & Health
Dec 19, 2024

First severe bird flu case in U.S. sparks alarm

The new case brings the total number of infections in the United States during the current 2024 outbreak to 61.
Max Fried pitches for the Braves in San Diego on Oct. 2. The free-agent hurler signed with the Yankees this offseason.
BASEBALL / MLB
Dec 19, 2024

Max Fried excited to become part of Yankees' winning tradition

The 30-year-old lefty received a $20 million signing bonus as part of a deal that will pay him an average of $27.5 million per season until 2032.
A visitor takes pictures near models of military equipment and a giant screen displaying Chinese leader Xi Jinping, at an exhibition at the Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution in Beijing in October 2022.
ASIA PACIFIC
Dec 19, 2024

Graft scandals disrupt China military modernization, Pentagon report says

At least 15 high-ranking Chinese military officers and defense industry executives were removed between July and December 2023, the report says.
Lewis Hamilton greets fans during a farewell event with Mercedes in Kuala Lumpur, on Dec. 10.
MORE SPORTS / Auto Racing
Dec 19, 2024

Ferrari boss noncommittal about when Lewis Hamilton will make debut

Ferrari fans are eager for a first glimpse of the seven-time world champion driving for their team since his move from Mercedes.
Inter Milan "ultras" merchandise is displayed outside San Siro Stadium in Milan before a Champions League match on Nov. 26.
SOCCER
Dec 19, 2024

Italy combats spread of mafia among soccer fan groups across country

Ultra groups at Inter and AC Milan, two of the biggest names in Italian soccer, have allegedly been infiltrated by the mafia.
Alice Weidel, co-leader of the Alternative for Germany, speaks during a vote of confidence at the Bundestag in Berlin on Monday.
WORLD / Politics
Dec 19, 2024

Scholz’s far-right rival puts Germany’s EU exit on the ballot

Alternative for Germany co-leader Alice Weidel says the bloc’s "socialist policy making” has "destroyed the market mechanism in Europe.”
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks during a news conference at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Monday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Dec 19, 2024

India's Modi faces test of resilience in 2025 after year of setbacks

Having secured a third term, the prime minister faces a slowing economy with his political standing decidedly weakened.
Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s “Evil Does Not Exist,” released in Japanese theaters in April, sharply dramatizes the clash between rural and urban values. The film won five awards at the 2023 Venice Film Festival, including the second-place Silver Lion prize.
CULTURE / Film / 2024 in Review
Dec 20, 2024

A year of Oscar wins and a quiet push for diversity

International collaborations and indie risk-takers steered the film industry in a fresh direction in 2024.
Supporters of then-President Donald Trump clash with police while storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
COMMENTARY / World / The Year Ahead
Dec 29, 2024

Will the guardrails of U.S. democracy hold?

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump continues to express admiration for authoritarian leaders like Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In Joe Biden’s four years as president, the U.S. outperformed virtually every other advanced economy in terms of output, employment and productivity growth.
COMMENTARY / World / The Year Ahead
Dec 29, 2024

An economic requiem for the Biden administration

Now that the outgoing U.S. president’s term is about to expire, an elegy is in order for his administration's economic achievements, failures and missed opportunities.
Japan's traditional New Year cuisine has a long history, though modern developments have led to slight changes in the way things work.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Dec 22, 2024

A brief history of ‘osechi ryōri,' Japan's edible tradition for the new year

In addition to wordplay, color and shape often determine the reason why certain foods are part of Japan’s New Year holiday menu.
U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries speaks to members of the news media along with U.S. House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark and House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar on Capitol Hill in Washington on Thursday.
WORLD / Politics
Dec 20, 2024

Trump-backed spending deal fails in U.S. House as shutdown approaches

Government funding is due to expire at midnight on Friday.

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