Court confirms German intelligence surveillance of ‘extremist’ AfD

A German court has ruled that domestic security services can continue to treat the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) as a potentially “extremist” party.

The ruling, delivered on Monday, means that intelligence services retain the right to keep the party under surveil…[Read more]

The statistics behind Leverkusen’s historic unbeaten Bundesliga title win

Bayer Leverkusen sealed a historic unbeaten Bundesliga season as they lifted the title with a 2-1 win against Augsburg on Saturday.

Here are the numbers behind the remarkable run of manager Xabi Alonso’s team in the 2023-24 season:

0: Bayer Leverkusen did not lose onc…[Read more]

Saudi crown prince seeks soft power in game hub Japan

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visits Japan this week, where he will hold talks on energy while hunting more opportunities in gaming as he seeks to improve Saudi Arabia’s image.

The reputed “Call of Duty” fan has launched a multi-billion-dollar push into the gaming sector — from tiny…[Read more]

Japanese foreign minister retracts controversial childbirth remark

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa on Sunday retracted her remarks the previous day about the importance of women giving birth, saying her choice of words was liable to cause misunderstanding.

In a campaign speech in support of a Shizuoka gubernatorial election candidate…[Read more]

Locals in central Japan near Mount Fuji count on UFO craze for tourism

Local residents in Yamanashi Prefecture, at the foot of Mount Fuji, are striving to make their city Kofu a tourist magnet with extraterrestrial help from an alien.

Next year marks the 50th anniversary of an incident in which two elementary school children claimed to have…[Read more]

Rat parts found in sliced white bread in Japan, sparking recall

A major Japanese food supplier has recalled more than 100,000 packs of a popular brand of sliced white bread after rat parts were found inside some loaves.

The latest scare adds to a raft of food safety scandals plaguing Asia’s second biggest economy, which has a longstanding r…[Read more]

Japan enacts revised law for swift removal of defamatory online posts

Japan’s parliament on Friday enacted an amended law aimed at facilitating the swift removal of defamatory content on social media platforms like Facebook and X with more transparency.

The revised provider liability limitation law mandates the operators of such platforms to set…[Read more]

Germany: Jewish and Muslim communities search for solidarity

Six months of Israeli retaliation in Gaza for the October 7 Hamas terror attacks have put Jewish-Muslim relations in particular peril. Germany’s hypersensitivity to antisemitism adds an extra layer of difficulty.

Violence in the Middle East brings with it a tragic predictability. For…[Read more]

Germany: COVID rule ‘armed resistance’ group to face trial

The Landgericht Koblenz court in western Germany announced on Friday that it had accepted the charges against the trio.

They are accused of forming a group they called “Paladin” that allegedly planned to offer armed resistance to COVID-related “lockdowns” and other restrictions in…[Read more]

Germany: Former Russian consulate targeted by protesters

Russia’s Foreign Ministry said on Friday that it would lodge an official complaint with the German government after six people threatened to take over a building that once served as a Russian consulate in the eastern city of Leipzig.

It said two staff members from the Russian Embassy had…[Read more]

Gaza updates: Germany joins US in hint at Israel arms pause

Germany’s defense minister, visiting the US, said he could “understand” President Biden mooting potential Israeli weapon exports changes. Netanyahu said the country would use its “fingernails” if necessary.

UN General Assembly backs Palestinian bid for membership in symbolic vote
The…[Read more]

Boeing 737: Plane skids off runway in Senegal, tyre bursts in Turkey

Two Boeing 737 passenger planes have been involved in accidents in Senegal and Turkey on takeoff and landing, raising further questions about the aircraft manufacturer’s safety record.

In Senegal, a chartered Air Senegal Boeing B737-300 plane skidded off a runway before t…[Read more]

Turkey says it is not easing Israel export ban

Israeli claims of Ankara easing its trade ban with Israel are “absolutely fictional and have nothing to do with reality,” Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat said on Thursday, as Ankara introduced a three-month reprieve for companies with existing export deals to Israel.
Israel’s foreign minister said…[Read more]

Officials tout dialogue, will to enhance Türkiye-US economic ties

Officials underscored on Thursday the determination of Türkiye and the United States to enhance and deepen their economic ties, highlighting the significance of dialogue between the two NATO partners despite disagreements on a range of issues.

“In the economic field, the g…[Read more]

Turkish charity president, artist Haluk Levent challenges Netanyahu at UN

Rock star Haluk Levent, the president of the independent aid organization AHBAP, spoke out against Israel’s attacks on Gaza, addressing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, “How can you justify the killing of more than 10,000 children?” at a United Nations Civil Society…[Read more]

Japan’s ‘Moon Sniper’ keeps baffling experts by waking up. It has shared images from its latest lunar ‘day’

Japan’s “Moon Sniper” lander has defied the odds for a third time, surviving yet another long, frigid lunar night despite not being designed to endure such harsh conditions, according to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.

Temper…[Read more]

Toyota posts record ¥4.94 tril net profit

Toyota said Wednesday that it achieved a record net profit of 4.94 trillion yen in the year to March on revenues of 45.1 trillion yen, which was also an all-time high.

But the world’s largest automaker by sales warned net income would fall 27.8 percent this financial year to 3.57 trillion yen because of…[Read more]

Environment minister apologizes for interruption of Minamata victims’ remarks

Japan’s environment minister apologized Wednesday after his officials interrupted remarks by some victims of the Minamata mercury-poisoning disease by muting their microphones at a meeting in Kumamoto Prefecture last week.

“It is regrettable that the microphones were…[Read more]

Japan, Philippines agree to work for early conclusion of defense pact

The Japanese and Philippine defense ministers have agreed to work toward the early conclusion of a reciprocal access agreement to boost security cooperation and facilitate joint drills, amid concern over China’s increasingly assertive actions in regional waters.

During their…[Read more]

‘Monster’ Inoue, Nery prepare for Tokyo Dome world title fight

Japan’s undisputed super-bantamweight world champion Naoya “Monster” Inoue and Mexican challenger Luis Nery both made weight Sunday for their title showdown at the 45,000-plus seater Tokyo Dome.

Boxing returns to the famous venue on Monday for the first time since 42-1 underdog James…[Read more]