The Japan Times - Politics

From Club Med to Beverly Hills: Assinie, the Ivorian Riviera

Locals in Assinie reminisce about the old days when the now-shuttered Club Med in southeastern Ivory Coast provided jobs aplenty.

Amazon poised to host toughest climate talks in years

An odor of oil hung over last year's UN climate conference in Baku, capital of fossil fuel-rich Azerbaijan.

Ex-jihadist Syrian president due at White House for landmark talks

Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa is to meet US President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday for unprecedented talks just days after Washington removed him from a terrorism blacklist.

Big lips and botox: In Trump's world, fashion and makeup get political

Long, blond, wavy hair, heavy makeup and cosmetic injections: like many women in Donald Trump's orbit, political consultant Melissa Rein Lively wears her support for the US president on her face.

US flights could 'slow to a trickle' as shutdown bites: transport secretary

Air travel in the United States could soon "slow to a trickle," authorities warned Sunday as thousands more flights were cancelled or delayed and passengers faced chaos triggered by the federal government shutdown.

'Killed on sight': Sudanese fleeing El-Fasher recall ethnic attacks

As he fled the Sudanese city of El-Fasher in terror, Hassan Osman said he saw ethnic attacks by paramilitary forces, with civilians targeted for their tribe and skin colour.

Israel receives remains believed to be officer killed in 2014 Gaza war

Israel said it had received on Sunday the remains of a hostage that Hamas said were those of Israeli officer Hadar Goldin, killed more than a decade ago in the 2014 Gaza war.

Ukraine scrambles for energy after Russian attacks

Ukraine was scrambling to turn lights and heating back on Sunday after Russian attacks targeting energy infrastructure, which had crippled some of the country's power generation.

Russia's Kaliningrad puts on brave face as isolation bites

Standing in the centre of rainy Kaliningrad, the isolated Russian exclave surrounded by NATO countries, Russian factory worker Alexander felt confident.

Syrian president arrives in US for landmark visit

Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa arrived in the United States on Saturday for a landmark official visit, his country's state news agency reported, a day after Washington removed him from a terrorism blacklist.

Ukraine scrambles for energy with power generation at 'zero'

Ukraine was scrambling to turn lights and heating back on Sunday after Russian attacks targeting energy infrastructure reduced the country's power generating capacity to "zero".

Bolivia's new president takes over, inherits economic mess

Rodrigo Paz, a pro-business conservative, took office Saturday as Bolivia's president, ending nearly 20 years of socialist rule and inheriting acute economic woes.

COP30: Indigenous peoples vital to humanity's future, Brazilian minister tells AFP

At COP30 in Belem, in Brazil's Amazon region, the country's Minister of Indigenous Peoples, Sonia Guajajara, hopes Indigenous peoples will play a leading role in the international climate conference that begins Monday.

Israel identifies latest hostage body, as families await five more

Israel identified on Saturday the latest hostage remains sent back from Gaza by Palestinian militants, leaving only five more bodies to be returned under the US-brokered truce that halted the two-year war.

Israel names latest hostage body, as families await five more

Israel identified on Saturday the latest hostage remains sent back from Gaza by Palestinian militants, leaving only five more bodies to be returned under the US-brokered truce that halted the two-year war.

Taliban govt says Pakistan ceasefire to hold, despite talks failing

Afghanistan's Taliban government said Saturday its ceasefire with Pakistan would remain even though their latest talks failed, blaming Islamabad's "irresponsible and uncooperative" approach.

Trump says no US officials to attend G20 in South Africa

President Donald Trump said no US officials would attend the G20 summit in South Africa, reviving debunked claims of white Afrikaners being systematically "killed and slaughtered" in the country.

Trump gives Hungary's Orban one-year Russia oil sanctions reprieve

US President Donald Trump handed Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban a one-year exemption from sanctions for buying Russian oil and gas after the close right-wing allies held a chummy White House meeting on Friday.

US accuses Iran in plot to kill Israeli ambassador in Mexico

The United States and Israel on Friday accused Iran of trying to kill the Israeli ambassador to Mexico, with Tehran rejecting the claim as a "big lie" and the Mexican government saying it was not aware.

Hungary's Orban wins Russian oil sanctions exemption from Trump

US President Donald Trump handed Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban an exemption from sanctions to keep buying Russian oil on Friday, as the right-wing allies held a chummy White House meeting.

Return of centuries-old manuscripts key to France-Mexico talks

The return of two centuries-old manuscripts from France to Mexico will headline talks during French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to the Latin American country on Friday -- a request expected to meet headwinds.

Brazil court mulls Bolsonaro appeal against jail term

Brazil's Supreme Court on Friday began weighing former president Jair Bolsonaro's appeal against a 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup, with two judges upholding the jail term.

Earth 'can no longer sustain' intensive fossil fuel use, Lula tells COP30

Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Friday said Earth cannot sustain humanity's dependence on fossil fuels and without confronting this reality the climate fight will be lost.

MSF warns of missing civilians in Sudan's El-Fasher

The medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) warned Wednesday that the fate of hundreds of thousands fleeing ethnically targeted violence from Sudan's western city of El-Fasher was unknown, a day after satellite images showed suspected mass graves.

UN warns 'intensified hostilities' ahead in Sudan despite RSF backing truce plan

The United Nations warned on Friday of "intensified hostilities" ahead in Sudan, despite paramilitary forces endorsing a truce proposal from mediators after more than two years of war with the regular army.

Tanzania charges more than 100 with treason over election protests

A Tanzanian court charged more than 100 people with treason Friday following election protests that turned violent, as rights groups condemned what they said was the killing of civilians.

Afghan-Pakistan peace talks push ahead after border clashes

Afghan and Pakistani negotiators were locked in crunch peace talks in Istanbul on Friday after deadly border fighting threatened a fragile truce.

Serbia fast-tracks army HQ demolition for Trump family hotel

Serbia's parliament on Friday moved to fast-track the demolition of the bombed-out Yugoslav Army headquarters in central Belgrade, the site of a proposed luxury hotel backed by Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Central Nigerian town rebuilds religious trust in shadow of Trump's threat

On a cool November morning, members of a local council in central Nigeria met religious leaders at the traditional ruler's palace to discuss religious harmony as US President Donald Trump revs up accusations of Christian persecution in Africa's most populous country.

Former jihadist Syrian leader makes unprecedented White House visit

President Ahmed al-Sharaa will become Syria's first leader to pay an official visit to the White House on Monday, a crowning achievement for the ex-jihadist who since taking power has ended his country's isolation.

No end to Sudan fighting despite RSF paramilitaries backing truce plan

An end to fighting in Sudan still seems far off despite the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, fighting the army for more than two years, endorsing a truce proposal.

US officials, NGOs cry foul as Washington snubs UN rights review

US officials and rights defenders gathered at the United Nations in Geneva on Friday to voice concerns over human rights under President Donald Trump's administration, and denounce Washington's decision to snub a review of its record.

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