Security in the Pacific Islands Region Gets New Priority in the US and G7

Global geopolitics surrounding the Pacific Islands is heating up once again. United States President Joe Biden hosted the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) leaders at the White House in September 2023. It was the second US-PIF Summit in Washington DC.

There, the leaders jointly…[Read more]

Israel kills 7 more Palestinians as West Bank death toll hits 255

At least seven Palestinians were killed Wednesday by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank, taking the death toll there since Oct. 7 to 225, according to the Health Ministry

A ministry statement said the bodies of six slain Palestinians were taken to Tulkarm Hospital in the…[Read more]

Turkey searches Black Sea for lost sailors following deadly storms

Turkey has launched a rescue mission to hunt for 11 missing sailors after deadly storms sank a cargo vessel, killing one.

The ship sank in the Black Sea amid a burst of stormy weather, killing at least one sailor and leaving the remaining 11 crew members missing, Turkey’s i…[Read more]

Turkey’s ‘Saturday mothers’ allowed to hold vigil for first time since 2018

Members of a group of relatives of victims of enforced disappearances in Turkey held a vigil in central Istanbul without police intervention for the first time since 2018.

Known as the “Saturday Mothers” (“Cumartesi Anneleri” in Turkish), the group has met every Saturda…[Read more]

Complicity unveiled: Israel’s Gaza attacks beyond political figures

In pivotal moments, the actions or inaction of influential domestic and international actors can shape the destiny of societies. The recent indiscriminate attacks by Israel on Gaza highlight the profound impact of such decisions on the course of history. Israel’s occupation of P…[Read more]

Tokyo’s busiest train line to be partially shut down this weekend as part of Shibuya renovations

here’s no more convenient way to get around downtown Tokyo than the Yamanote Line. Operated by East Japan Railway, the Yamanote is a loop line the encircles the center of the city, with trains leaving once every few minutes to carry passengers to the…[Read more]

Kishida invited by Biden for state visit in early 2024

apanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Thursday he has been invited by U.S. President Joe Biden to make a state visit early next year, an announcement made as the two countries step up cooperation bilaterally and trilaterally with South Korea in the face of increasing security challenges…[Read more]

China, Japan reaffirm strategic relationship in rare leader talks

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida committed to pursuing mutually-beneficial relations in their first face-to-face talks in a year, a sign that Asia’s two largest economies are looking to patch up strained ties.

The two leaders also discussed…[Read more]

Japan panel proposes child care plan covering 100% of income

In the hope of encouraging more fathers to take paternity leave, a health ministry panel on Monday proposed a plan to increase child care leave allowance so that it covers 100% of income — up from around 80% — if both parents each take 14 days of leave or more.
When working parents tak…[Read more]

Mass Production of Bio-Jet Fuel in Japan: Embracing the Challenge

Sanyu Plant Service is working to be the first in Japan to mass-produce bio-jet fuel, answering the aviation industry’s need for sustainable fuel alternatives.

n business for 75 years, Sanyu Plant Service (Sagamihara City, Kanagawa Prefecture) has established a reputation for…[Read more]

Turkey’s Erdogan calls Israel a ‘terror state’, criticises the West

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called Israel a “terror state”, stepping up his condemnation of the Israeli assault on the besieged Gaza Strip ahead of a sensitive visit to Germany.

Erdogan said on Wednesday that Israel’s military campaign against the Palestinian…[Read more]

Turkish charity Mavi Marmara to send aid flotilla to Gaza

The Mavi Marmara Freedom and Solidarity Association will launch another flotilla of ships carrying humanitarian aid into blockaded Gaza.

“As the Mavi Marmara Association, we are setting out again toward Gaza as a civil and independent movement in line with the decision we made with the…[Read more]

Anchovy in danger of extinction due to overfishing

Despite the abundance of anchovies, which have been caught in limited amounts in the Black Sea last year, experts are concerned about next year because of “excessive fishing.”

With the start of the fishing season in the Eastern Black Sea on Sept. 1, fishermen continue to cast their nets into the…[Read more]

Influencers on agenda over money laundering

Social media influencers have recently been in the spotlight over allegations of money laundering and tax evasion, following a series of investigations and arrests of high-profile figures.

Justice Ministry took action following the investigation of social media influencers Dilan Polat and Engin Polat,…[Read more]

Gaza war pushes tumultuous Israel-Turkey ties into ‘deep freezer’

Istanbul, Turkey – The mounting death toll in Gaza has seen Turkish politicians, especially President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, become increasingly direct in their criticism of Israel.

Erdogan recently said he had severed ties entirely with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netan…[Read more]

Türkiye, Egypt to arrange patient transfers out of besieged Gaza

Tukiye and Egypt will reportedly work to transfer injured Palestinians and cancer patients out of Gaza as Israeli attacks continue.

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca and his Egyptian counterpart Khaled Abdel Ghaffar met in Cairo on Wednesday to discuss medical aid supplies for Gaza…[Read more]

Emine Erdoğan calls on first ladies to be ‘voice of Gaza’

In a show of global solidarity for Palestinians, first ladies from different countries gathered in Istanbul Wednesday for a summit hosted by Emine Erdoğan, where the Turkish first lady called on all the first ladies in the world to be “a voice of Gaza,” and to stop Israeli attacks that…[Read more]