The Japan Times - Politics

Featured

Rat earns world record for sniffing landmines in Cambodia

A landmine-hunting rat in Cambodia has set a new world record by sniffing out more than 100 mines and pieces of unexploded ordnance, a charity said Friday.

EU announces 'new era' in relations with Central Asia

The EU announced a "new era" in ties with Central Asia on Friday at a major summit in Uzbekistan, as Brussels presses its influence in the region in the face of Russian and Chinese competition.

Last news

Israel expands ground offensive in Gaza City

Israel announced the launch of a new ground offensive in Gaza City on Friday, with rescuers saying military operations had killed at least 30 people across the Palestinian territory since dawn.

Israel kills Hamas commander in Lebanon strike

Israel killed a commander of Palestinian militant group Hamas on Friday in a pre-dawn strike in the Lebanese port city of Sidon that also killed his adult son and daughter.

India and Bangladesh leaders meet for first time since revolution

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Friday with the leader of neighbouring Bangladesh, the first such meeting since a revolution in Dhaka ousted New Delhi's long-term ally and soured relations.

Israel expands ground offensive in Gaza

The Israeli military announced the launch of a new ground offensive in Gaza City on Friday to expand the security zone it has established in the Palestinian territory.

Stocks extend global rout after Trump's shock tariff blitz

Equities widened losses in Asia and Europe on Friday, extending a global rout inflicted by Donald Trump's tariff blitz that has inflamed a trade war and ramped up recession and inflation fears.

China floats battle barges in Taiwan invasion plans

Vast new Chinese barges spotted off the country's south coast could be used to land heavy equipment and thousands of personnel in a possible invasion of Taiwan, defence experts say.

TikTok must find non-Chinese owner by Saturday to avert US ban

TikTok on Friday was hours from a deadline to find a non-Chinese owner or face a ban in the United States.

Trump tariffs to test resiliency of US consumers

In unveiling tariffs this week challenging the decades-old international trade order, President Donald Trump lambasted globalization as a raw deal for the United States that has devastated US manufacturing towns.

'Don't want to die': Lesotho HIV patients look to traditional medicine

In a sunlit shack on the outskirts of Lesotho's capital Maseru, 34-year-old Lieketseng Lucia Tjatji sits under a black cloth pegged to a tin wall and emblazoned with the head of a lion.

South Korea court ousts impeached president Yoon

South Korea's Constitutional Court on Friday unanimously upheld President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment over his disastrous martial law declaration, stripping him of office and triggering fresh elections after months of political turmoil.

Protest as quake-hit Myanmar junta chief joins Bangkok summit

Protesters displayed a banner calling Myanmar's junta chief a "murderer" as he joined a regional summit in Bangkok on Friday, a week after a huge earthquake killed thousands, leaving desperate survivors pleading for food and shelter.

Athletes frustrated as France mulls Muslim headscarf ban in sport

On the outskirts of Paris, 44-year-old French Muslim weightlifter Sylvie Eberena concentrates hard and pushes 80 kilos of bar and weights clean over her veiled head.

'Frightening': US restaurants, producers face tariff whiplash

From European wines to industrial tools, global tariffs launched by US President Donald Trump this week promise to sweep through the world's biggest economy, impacting everyone from restaurant owners to industrial manufacturers.

Trump purges national security team after meeting conspiracist

Donald Trump fired several US national security officials after a far-right conspiracy theorist questioned their loyalty in a White House meeting with the president, US media reported Thursday.

Trump says 'very close to a deal' on TikTok

President Donald Trump said his administration was "very close" to a deal to find a buyer for TikTok, which faces a US ban if not sold by its Chinese owner by the weekend.

Russian envoy seeks cooperation with US at landmark Washington talks

The most senior Russian official to visit Washington since the start of the Ukraine war said Thursday he had discussed potential cooperation with the United States in the Arctic and on rare earth metals but acknowledged that "disagreements" remain.

Oscar-winning Palestinian director speaks at UN on Israeli settlements

Palestinian director Basel Adra, who won an Oscar this year for co-directing a documentary on Israeli violence in the West Bank, sounded the alarm at the UN on Thursday, saying the situation was worsening despite the film's success.

Trump defiant as tariffs send world markets into panic

Wall Street led a global markets bloodbath Thursday as countries around the world reeled from President Donald Trump's trade war, while the White House insisted the US economy will emerge victorious.

Pentagon watchdog to probe defense chief over Signal chat row

The Pentagon inspector general's office will investigate Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's use of commercial messaging app Signal to discuss air strikes on Yemen, the watchdog said Thursday.

US tariffs could push up inflation, slow growth: Fed official

The trade uncertainty fueled by recent tariffs will likely raise the risks of higher inflation and slower growth, and pose challenges for Federal Reserve policy, a senior banking official said Thursday.

Mexico president welcomes being left off Trump's tariffs list

President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico, the United States' top trading partner, on Thursday welcomed her country's exclusion from the list of nations targeted in Donald Trump's latest round of import tariffs.

Myanmar junta chief arrives for summit as quake toll passes 3,000

The head of Myanmar's junta was due to discuss the response to his country's devastating earthquake at a regional summit in Bangkok on Friday after the death toll passed 3,000.

Rubio says US committed to NATO - but demands allies spend more

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told nervous NATO members on Thursday that Washington remained committed to the alliance, but said they must agree to massively ramp up their spending targets for defence.

Gaza heritage and destruction on display in Paris

A new exhibition opening in Paris on Friday showcases archaeological artifacts from Gaza, once a major commercial crossroads between Asia and Africa, whose heritage has been ravaged by Israel's ongoing onslaught.

Wall St leads rout as world reels from Trump tariffs

Wall Street led a global markets bloodbath Thursday as countries around the world reeled from President Donald Trump's trade war, while the White House insisted the US economy would emerge victorious.

Authors hold London protest against Meta for 'stealing' work to train AI

Around 100 authors on Thursday protested outside the London headquarters of Meta, accusing the US tech giant of "stealing" content to train its Artificial Intelligence models.

Civilians act to bring aid to Myanmar earthquake victims

A 21-year-old shopkeeper with little money of her own, Ei Hay Mar Hlaing has delivered more help to victims at the epicentre of Myanmar's devastating earthquake than most national or international aid organisations.

US trade gap narrows in February ahead of bulk of Trump tariffs

The US trade deficit narrowed in February, according to government data released Thursday that was collected before President Donald Trump launched his most recent salvo of punishing worldwide tariffs.

Stocks, dollar and oil sink as gold hits high on Trump tariffs

Stock markets and the dollar tumbled Thursday after President Donald Trump's latest tariffs salvo against countries worldwide, fanning a trade war that many fear will spark recession and ramp up inflation.

Trump says US to emerge 'stronger' as markets tumble over tariffs

President Donald Trump acknowledged the shock brought by his tariffs onslaught Thursday, but said the US economy would emerge "far stronger," even as world markets tumbled.

Syria accuses Israel of deadly destabilisation campaign

Syria accused Israel on Thursday of mounting a deadly destabilisation campaign after a wave of strikes on military targets, including an airport, and a ground incursion killed 13 people.

'Shocking': US tariffs worse than feared for Vietnamese exporters

At a garment factory in Ho Chi Minh City that exports T-shirts and underwear to the United States, staff were alarmed by "shocking" trade tariffs imposed on Vietnam that could severely impact their business.

The Japan Times - Politics (English)