The Japan Times - Politics

White House blames Trump's bandaged hand on handshakes

The White House said Thursday the high volume of handshakes by President Donald Trump explains the adhesive bandages he has worn on the back of his right hand in recent days.

Dow, S&P 500 end at records despite AI fears

The Dow and S&P 500 finished at fresh records Thursday while a big drop in Oracle shares dragged the Nasdaq lower and revived worries over pricey artificial intelligence valuations.

Trump 'frustrated' with Kyiv, Moscow over talks on war

US President Donald Trump is "extremely frustrated" with Russia and Ukraine, his spokeswoman said on Thursday, as Kyiv said Washington was still pushing it to make major territorial concessions as part of its plan to end the nearly four-year war.

Fighting rages on Cambodia-Thailand border ahead of expected Trump call

Fighting raged Thursday along the border of Cambodia and Thailand, with explosions heard near centuries-old temples ahead of US President Donald Trump's planned phone call to the leaders of both nations.

US bringing seized tanker to port as Venezuela war fears build

An oil tanker seized by American forces off the Venezuelan coast will be brought to a port in the United States, the White House said Thursday, as fears mount of open conflict between the two countries.

IOC calls for full reintegration of Russians to youth competitions

The International Olympic Committee on Thursday urged sports bodies to fully reintegrate Russian and Belarusian athletes into junior competitions and allow them to compete with their national flag and anthem.

Trump 'frustrated' with Kyiv, Moscow over talks

US President Donald Trump is "extremely frustrated" with Russia and Ukraine, his spokeswoman said on Thursday, as Kyiv said Washington was still pushing it to make major territorial concessions as part of its plan to end the nearly four-year war.

US says tanker seizure targeted Venezuelan leader Maduro's 'regime'

The US seizure of an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela targeted leftist leader Nicolas Maduro's "regime," Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Thursday, as fears of open conflict mount in both Washington and Caracas.

Turnaround for Greece as Pierrakakis tapped to lead Eurogroup

Greece's finance minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis was elected Eurogroup chief on Thursday in a remarkable turnaround for a country that a decade ago was on the brink of crashing out of the euro.

US still pushing big territorial concessions from Ukraine: Zelensky

The United States is still pushing for Kyiv to make big territorial concessions to Russia to halt the war that started with Moscow's February 2022 invasion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday.

Nepal estimates millions in damages from September protests

Nepal on Thursday estimated that the country suffered losses of about $586 million in September's deadly anti-corruption protests that ousted the government.

Trump's mixed record on ending wars

US President Donald Trump insists he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for what he describes as his role in ending eight conflicts this year.

Steam - and uncertainty - rise from Serbia's shuttered refinery

Steam still rises from the chimneys of Serbia's only oil refinery as it slowly grinds to a halt under US sanctions, fuelling fears of job losses and uncertainty.

Bulgarian government resigns after mass anti-graft protests

Bulgaria's prime minister announced Thursday that his government was resigning after less than a year in office following a series of anti-corruption protests, making fresh elections likely.

US trade gap shrinks to narrowest since 2020 after tariff hikes

The US trade deficit narrowed unexpectedly in September to the smallest since 2020, delayed government data showed Thursday, with imports rising just slightly as President Donald Trump's new tariffs set in.

NATO chief says a joint plan to end Ukraine war would 'test' Putin

NATO chief Mark Rutte said Thursday that if the United States and Europeans could agree on a plan to end the war in Ukraine, this would be a "test" of whether Russia "really wants peace".

Nobel laureate Machado says US helped her leave Venezuela, vows return

Nobel Peace laureate Maria Corina Machado said on Thursday that the United States helped her get to Norway from hiding in Venezuela, expressing support for US military action against her country and vowing to return home.

Emotional Nobel laureate Machado describes reuniting with her children

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado on Thursday recounted her "extraordinary" reunion with her three children in Oslo, where she emerged from months in hiding after being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Thai, Cambodian border evacuees split over Trump mediation

Stranded Thai and Cambodian evacuees were split Thursday over the expected intervention of US President Donald Trump to end a decades-long border dispute that has turned their lives upside down.

Bulgarian government resigns after mass protests: PM

Bulgaria's prime minister announced Thursday that his government was resigning after less than a year in office following a series of anti-corruption protests.

Austrian parliament approves headscarf ban in schools

Austrian lawmakers on Thursday voted by a large majority in favour of a law banning headscarves in schools for girls under 14, a move rights groups and experts say is discriminatory and could deepen societal division.

Stocks diverge as AI fears cloud US rate cut

Stock markets diverged Thursday as optimism over the Federal Reserve's latest interest rate cut was dampened by disappointing earnings from software giant Oracle, which revived concerns over sky-high AI valuations.

Israel says Hamas 'will be disarmed' after group proposes weapons freeze

Israel said on Thursday Hamas "will be disarmed" as part of the US-sponsored peace plan for Gaza, after a top leader from the Palestinian Islamist movement suggested a weapons freeze.

Myanmar junta air strike on hospital kills 31, aid workers say

A Myanmar military air strike killed more than 30 people at a hospital, aid workers said Thursday, as the junta wages a withering offensive ahead of elections beginning this month.

General strike hits planes, trains and services in Portugal

Widespread disruption hit Portuguese air travel and trains, hospitals and schools Thursday as the unions called the biggest nationwide strike action for more than a decade against government labour reforms.

Out of hiding, Venezuela's Machado vows to return to end 'tyranny'

Nobel Peace laureate Maria Corina Machado will do her best to return to Venezuela to end the "tyranny" in the country, she said Thursday as she seized the spotlight in Oslo after nearly a year in hiding.

Myanmar junta air strike on hospital kills 31: aid worker

A Myanmar military air strike killed more than 30 people at a hospital, an aid worker said Thursday, as the junta wages a withering offensive ahead of elections beginning this month.

US, Japan hold joint air exercise after China-Russia patrols

Japan said Thursday it held a joint air exercise with the United States in a show of force, days after Chinese-Russian patrols in the region and following weeks of diplomatic feuding between Tokyo and Beijing.

Eurogroup elects new head as Russian frozen assets debate rages

Finance ministers from Europe's 20-country single currency area are to choose the next Eurogroup chief on Thursday, as the EU weighs a tough decision on using frozen Russian assets to aid Ukraine.

Fighting rages along Cambodia-Thailand border ahead of expected Trump call