Ishiba on the counteroffensive in parliament’s final rush

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is gradually mounting a counteroffensive as the parliamentary session comes to a close, energized by a recent bump in popularity and weakening momentum for a no-confidence motion among opposition parties.
This week, Ishiba used two opportunities — a debate wit…[Read more]

Japan Moves to Grant Science Council Autonomy

The Diet has passed legislation to establish the Science Council of Japan as an independent corporation, separating it from direct government control.

Under the revised Science Council of Japan Act, which cleared the House of Councillors, the Science Council will operate as an independent corporate…[Read more]

Japan protests to China after ‘dangerous’ moves by warplanes over Pacific

Japan said J-15 warplanes operating from two Chinese aircraft carriers in the Pacific carried out risky manouvres around patrol planes.

Japan has protested to Beijing over what was described as Chinese fighter jets’ “near-miss” manoeuvres near Japanese maritime patrol pl…[Read more]

Eurostar vows to run direct trains from UK to Germany and Switzerland

Cross-Channel rail operator, which is trying to fend off rivals for its London depot space, regards early 2030s as feasible

Eurostar has vowed to run direct trains from the UK to Germany and Switzerland, as it attempts to fend off potential competitors eyeing its London depot…[Read more]

Germany granted citizenship to a record number of people in 2024, led by Syrians

Germany granted citizenship to a record 291,955 people last year, a 46% increase from 2023, with Syrians making up the largest group, according to data released by the Federal Statistics Office on Tuesday.
Reforms in the citizenship law contributed to the jump, the…[Read more]

Germany: Court to rule on press freedom for banned magazine

The right-wing extremist magazine Compact was outlawed in 2024, but it’s available on newsstands again after winning an appeal. Now, Germany’s Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig will have the final word.

In 2024, then Interior Minister Nancy Faeser banned Compact magazine. She…[Read more]

Erdoğan discusses global issues with Hungary’s Orban, Bulgarian counterpart

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Saturday discussed bilateral relations as well as regional and global issues in separate phone calls with his Bulgarian counterpart Rumen Radev and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

In his call with Radev, Erdoğan noted that ef…[Read more]

Without Türkiye, European security faces ‘great threat’: Official

Without Türkiye’s involvement, the European Union is facing a “great threat” to its security, according to a top Turkish official.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA) at the Black Sea and Balkans Security Forum 2025, Deputy Defense Minister Suay Alpay underscored that Türkiye’s g…[Read more]

Erdoğan vows ‘terror-free Türkiye,’ rallies youth for national unity

In a charged address at the 4th Türkiye Youth Summit hosted by the Türkiye Youth NGOs Platform (TGSP), President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan painted a bold vision of a nation free from terror and division, urging young people to lead the march toward unity and peace across the country…[Read more]

Israeli attack near aid delivery point kills 30 in Rafah

An Israeli attack near an aid distribution point run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) killed at least 30 people in Rafah, Palestinian news agency WAFA and Hamas-affiliated media said on Sunday.
There was no immediate comment from Israel on the reported attack, which WAFA said…[Read more]

Japan PM Ishiba mulls Trump trade meeting before G7, says Yomiuri newspaper

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is considering visiting Washington to meet President Donald Trump before a mid-month summit of the Group of Seven nations as he seeks a trade deal, the Yomiuri newspaper reported on Sunday.
Japanese officials see signs of progress on…[Read more]

Japan Overhauls Prison System for First Time in a Century

Japan has officially abolished both penal servitude and imprisonment without labor, replacing them with a newly introduced ‘custodial sentence’ system. This marks the first major reform of the country’s penal code since it was established in 1907.

Under the new system, inmates will be…[Read more]

Japan frets over fighter rollout target and weighs stopgap options, sources say

Japan has growing doubts that its next-generation fighter project with Britain and Italy will meet a 2035 rollout target, potentially forcing Tokyo to plug air defense gaps with new U.S. F-35 stealth planes or upgrades to aging jets, two sources said.
The joint Global…[Read more]

Merz says Israeli actions in Gaza ‘no longer justified’

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the fight against “Hamas terrorism” does not justify the suffering of civilians in Gaza. He no longer “understands what Israel is trying to achieve.” DW has more.

German Chancellor Merz says ‘no longer understands’ Israel’s goal in Gaza

German…[Read more]

Israel allows trickle of aid into Gaza but Palestinians demand more

Flour and limited food aid began trickling into Gaza on Thursday after Israel allowed a small number of trucks through but Palestinian officials warned the deliveries fall far short of meeting urgent needs after an 11-week blockade.

Israel said it allowed 100 trucks also…[Read more]

MGK reaffirms fight against terror, highlights regional stability

Türkiye’s National Security Council (MGK) convened Thursday under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, with the nation’s counterterrorism efforts and escalating regional tensions topping the agenda.

In a written statement following the May 22 meeting, the counc…[Read more]

Türkiye to begin supplying Syria with gas in ‘very short time’

Türkiye will begin supplying Syria, which has suffered from severe power shortages, with gas in “a very short time,” Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said on Thursday, during a visit to Damascus.

The minister met his Syrian counterpart and was also hosted b…[Read more]

Israeli attacks kill nearly 400 in Gaza during Trump’s Gulf tour

While U.S. President Donald Trump toured the Middle East from May 13 to 16, Israeli attacks killed approximately 400 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

According to the Ministry, 78 people died in the three days preceding Trump’s visit t…[Read more]

Prosecutors seek 2,000-year term over Turkish hotel fire that killed 78

Prosecutors are seeking lengthy prison terms for 32 suspects over a devastating fire that tore through a luxury ski resort hotel in northern Türkiye, killing 78 people, according to media reports citing an indictment released Saturday.

The blaze engulfed the Grand Kartal…[Read more]

Türkiye discovers 75 bcm natural gas reserve in Black Sea

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Saturday announced Türkiye has discovered a new natural gas reserve of 75 billion cubic meters (bcm) in the Black Sea.

“We have discovered a new natural gas reserve of 75 billion cubic meters in the field. With this amount, we will be able to meet the re…[Read more]