German economy shrinks as household spending falls

Household spending dropped by 0.3%, driving the Germany economy into contraction in the three months to September.

The German economy shrank slightly by 0.1% in the three months to September, reversing the same level of growth seen in the previous quarter, according to the country’s statistics…[Read more]

German rail union warns of fresh strikes after talks fail

Germany’s train drivers’ union GDL on Friday announced further strike action after the breakdown of talks with national rail operator Deutsche Bahn.

The two sides have been trying to agree on a deal on working hours, with GDL wanting hours cut from 38 to 35 per week without affecting…[Read more]

Erdogan in tense talks in Germany as divisions over Gaza war deepen

Turkey’s president stresses need for ceasefire, while Germany’s Scholz backs Israel’s right to defend itself.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was on a brief and tense visit to Germany amid deep differences between the two NATO allies over the war in Gaza.

Erdogan has c…[Read more]

Palestine, world powers welcome Gaza cease-fire, swap deal

Major world powers, including U.S., U.K. and China, as well as the Palestinian president, have all welcomed the humanitarian truce and temporary cease-fire in Gaza.

“President Abbas and the leadership welcome the humanitarian truce agreement,” Hussein al-Sheikh, secretary-general of the…[Read more]

Nigeria and Germany sign $500 mln renewable energy and gas deal

ABUJA, Nov 21 (Reuters) – Nigerian and German companies on Tuesday signed two accords in Berlin that include a $500 million renewable energy pact and a gas export deal, further strengthening economic ties between the two nations, a presidential spokesperson said.

Union Bank of…[Read more]

Why Germany can’t square a €60 billion circle

As Germany’s divided coalition government grapples with how to plug a €60 billion hole in the federal budget following a bombshell ruling by the country’s top court, more financial trouble may be looming.

A ruling by the constitutional court last week is already forcing German leaders to reevaluat…[Read more]

Germany and Italy agree on joint ‘action plan’ including energy, technology, climate protection

BERLIN (AP) — Germany and Italy agreed Wednesday to work closer together in the fields of energy, technology, climate protection, security and cultural cooperation among other issues.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian Premier Giorgia Melon…[Read more]

Germany freezes new spending as budget crisis deepens

Germany’s finance ministry has imposed a spending freeze on all federal ministries, deepening a budget crisis that has rocked the ruling coalition since a bombshell ruling by the country’s top court last week.

The finance ministry decision, which halts most new spending authorizations, f…[Read more]

Japan to ban cannabinoid HHCH from Dec 2 after gummies make many ill

A Japanese health ministry panel on Tuesday decided to ban HHCH, a synthetic cannabinoid, from Dec 2 after many people who consumed gummies containing the compound had to go to the hospital.

The panel will add hexahydrocannabihexol to the list of illicit drugs in Japan,…[Read more]

Toshiba shareholders OK stock consolidation; set for December delisting

Toshiba Corp’s shareholders approved a consolidation of the company’s shares at an extraordinary meeting Wednesday, paving the way for its delisting from the Tokyo Stock Exchange on Dec 20 and marking the end of its 74-year history as a public company.

The move will allow a…[Read more]

Fast-Rising Number of Japanese Detained in China is an International Issue

A Japanese man in his fifties who was detained in China in the summer of 2019 on espionage charges was recently sentenced to twelve years in prison by a court in Hunan Province. Furthermore, earlier in 2023, a Japanese executive with Astellas Pharma, a major pharmaceutical…[Read more]

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]