Man’s 18-year sentence upheld for 2017 Japan highway road rage deaths

A Japanese high court upheld Monday a sentence of 18 years in prison for a man convicted of a 2017 road rage incident that killed a couple and injured their two children and caused an outcry that led to tougher punishment of dangerous driving.

The Tokyo High Court rejected the…[Read more]

Nikkei ends at all-time high for 2nd day in a row

The Nikkei stock index closed at an all-time high Monday for the second consecutive trading day, as buying momentum was supported by expectations for robust corporate performance.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average ended up 135.03 points, or 0.35 percent, from Thursday at 39,233.71. The broader…[Read more]

Noto earthquake hypothermia deaths spark public awareness drive

Exposure to extreme cold temperatures caught many elderly people unawares in the wake of the Noto Peninsula earthquake that struck on New Year’s Day, and their experiences have led medical experts to warn against the dangers of developing hypothermia — even inside the…[Read more]

Japan Moon lander survives lunar night

Japan’s Moon lander has survived the harsh lunar night, the sunless and freezing equivalent to two Earth weeks.

“Last night, a command was sent to #SLIM and a response received,” national space agency Jaxa said on X.

The craft was put into sleep mode after an awkward landing in January left its solar…[Read more]

How does Germany compare to other EU countries?

If Germany passes the cannabis bill, it would join the growing ranks of European countries that have either legalized the drug or decriminalized its usage.

The Netherlands is, perhaps, the best-known example of a cannabis-tolerant country due to the proliferation of coffee shops since the…[Read more]

Germany’s Bundestag votes for cannabis legalization

New legislation put forward by Germany’s ruling coalition will allow limited possession and cultivation of the drug. The conservative Christian Democratic Union opposed the government’s proposal

Bundestag votes in favor of legalizing cannabis consumption
German lawmakers have approved the…[Read more]

Namibia, Gaza and German hypocrisy on genocide

On January 12, Germany said it will intervene on Israel’s behalf in the genocide case brought against it by South Africa at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over its war on Gaza.

“The German government firmly and explicitly rejects the accusation of genocide that has now been made aga…[Read more]

German lawyers sue Scholz, alleging complicity in Gaza ‘genocide’

Berlin, Germany – A group of lawyers is filing a criminal complaint with the German federal prosecutor against senior German politicians, including Chancellor Olaf Scholz, accusing them of “aiding and abetting” the genocide they say is being committed by Israel in Gaza.

Th…[Read more]

Germany hopes to boost military and deterrence

German politicians and some sections of the media have reacted to Donald Trump’s latest remarks about NATO by demanding that Germany radically boost its defense spending and even consider breaking its taboo on nuclear weapons.

Speaking at a campaign rally in South Carolina on Saturday, the former US…[Read more]

Singer Isaak to represent Germany at Eurovision 2024

German singer Isaak Guderian will represent the country at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024.

The annual cultural extravaganza, watched by millions of people, will be held inMalmö, Sweden, this year, after Swedish singer Loreen won the contest last year.

Isaak beat eight others
Isaak beat out…[Read more]

Germany: Hamburg begins issuing Visa cash cards for refugees

Hamburg has become the first German state to introduce payment cards for asylum seekers. The cards will initially be issued to new arrivals in initial reception facilities, the city’s social welfare authority announced Thursday.

This is a pilot project for the nationwide introduction…[Read more]

Unusually warm weather in northern Japan puts damper on winter events

Unseasonably warm weather in northern parts of Japan have caused iconic winter sights to melt away this week, causing ice deposits on trees to no longer appear so monster-like, and snow huts to be capped with blue sheets.

While Hokkaido and the northeastern Japan regions will…[Read more]

Japan to boost child allowances to tackle falling birthrate

The Cabinet on Friday approved a bill to expand the coverage of monthly child allowances to high school-age children as Prime Minister Fumio Kishida aims to stem the sharp drop in Japan’s birthrate.

Under the plan, the existing income limit for households receiving the benefits will be…[Read more]

Japan announces successful launch of next-generation H3 rocket

Japan’s space agency announced the successful launch of its new flagship rocket on Saturday, making it third time lucky for the H3 after years of delays and two previous failed attempts.

The H3 rocket, billed as flexible and cost-effective by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency…[Read more]

Japan’s ‘Moon Sniper’ wakes up and shares new images of the lunar surface

Japan’s “Moon Sniper” robotic explorer is back in action after a power issue forced the spacecraft to shut down hours after landing on the moon 10 days ago, the country’s space agency said Monday.

The explorer executed a precise landing just after 10:20 a.m. ET on January…[Read more]

Japanese castle town invites travelers to live a day in the life of a feudal lord

The careful placement of the traditional “kabuto” helmet and the adjustment of the cord chin strap complete the transformation.

Simon Celestine arrived at Odawara castle as a tourist from France but he is now lord of one of the most impressive feudal-era for…[Read more]

German upper house approves bill easing citizenship rules

German lawmakers have passed a bill that makes the process of obtaining citizenship easier, and moved to simplify repatriations.

The naturalisation reform, approved by the upper house of parliament on Friday, allows people to become German citizens while keeping their original…[Read more]

German bank braces for wave of bad loans in ‘greatest real estate crisis since the financial crisis’

Deutsche Pfandbriefbank, or PBB, a German lender focused on real estate, has set aside more money for bad debts as it braces for what it says is the worst decline in commercial property values in 15 years.

PBB increased its provisions for los…[Read more]

Europe’s growth engine is sputtering. Can Germany’s economy be revived?

The world’s fourth-largest economy has got off to a bumpy start this year. A strike by Lufthansa ground crew on Wednesday was just the latest industrial action to cause travel chaos in recent weeks, after train drivers walked off the job in January over a wage dispute and f…[Read more]

German firm BASF to pull out of Xinjiang after Uyghur abuse claims

The German chemicals producer BASF has said it will withdraw from its two joint ventures in Xinjiang, after media reports about alleged human rights abuses relating to its partner company, which BASF’s CEO said crossed a red line.

In a statement on Friday, BASF said that while “…[Read more]