The Japan Times - Politics (English)

Hamas frees 6 Israeli hostages in latest transfer under truce

Palestinian militants on Saturday freed six Israeli hostages, the last living captives to be released under the first phase of a fragile truce that is also expected to see Palestinian prisoners released.

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Hamas frees 5 Israeli hostages in latest transfer under truce

Palestinian militants on Saturday freed five Israeli hostages, among the last living captives to be released under the first phase of a fragile truce that is also expected to see Palestinian prisoners released.

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US urges backing of 'simple' resolution as Trump calls for Putin-Zelensky talks

The United States urged UN members to back its "simple, historic" resolution on the Ukraine war, which diplomatic sources said omits mention of Kyiv's territory occupied by Russia.

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Hamas frees 2 Israeli hostages in latest transfer under truce

Palestinian militants on Saturday freed two Israeli hostages, among the last live captives eligible for release under the first phase of a fragile truce that is also expected to see Palestinian prisoners released.

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Bibas family says mother's remains home, ahead of Gaza hostage-prisoner swap

The family of Israeli hostage Shiri Bibas confirmed on Saturday receipt of her remains, just ahead of the seventh hostage-prisoner exchange under a fragile Gaza ceasefire.

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New Zealand says Chinese naval vessel fires live rounds in new drill

A Chinese naval cruiser fired live rounds Saturday during a task force drill in the sea between Australia and New Zealand, government officials said, prompting an alert to commercial air traffic.

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Cook Islands strikes deal with China on seabed minerals

The Cook Islands said Saturday it has struck a five-year agreement with China to cooperate in exploring and researching the Pacific nation's seabed mineral riches.

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Bibas mother confirmed dead as Gaza hostage-prisoner swap set to go ahead

Israeli hostage Shiri Bibas's community confirmed her death Saturday after new remains were returned from Gaza, as the seventh hostage-prisoner exchange under a fragile Gaza ceasefire was set to go ahead.

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Gaza hostage-prisoner swap set to go ahead after row over bodies

The seventh hostage-prisoner exchange under a fragile Gaza ceasefire was set to go ahead on Saturday, despite an outpouring of grief and anger in Israel after Hamas returned the remains of two child hostages without their mother's.

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Australia says China has not explained naval live-fire warning

Australia said Saturday it has not received a satisfactory explanation from Beijing after Chinese warships off its east coast broadcast a "disconcerting" live-fire warning that forced commercial flights to change course.

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Arab leaders meet in Saudi Arabia to hash out Gaza plan

Arab leaders met in Riyadh on Friday to craft a plan for Gaza's post-war reconstruction to counter Donald Trump's proposal for the United States to take over the territory without its Palestinian residents.

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Australia says no live firing seen or heard from Chinese ships

Australia says it detected no live firing from Chinese naval ships off its east coast, despite the vessels broadcasting a warning that forced commercial flights to detour.

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US proposes Ukraine UN text omitting mention of occupied territory: diplomats

The United States proposed Friday a United Nations resolution on the Ukraine conflict that omitted any mention of Kyiv's territory occupied by Russia, diplomatic sources told AFP.

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Trump says Zelensky and Putin must 'get together'

US President Donald Trump said on Friday that Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky and Russia's Vladimir Putin will have to "get together" to end the war between Moscow and Kyiv.

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AP sues White House officials over denial of access

The Associated Press filed a lawsuit against three White House officials on Friday after the news agency was barred from some of US President Donald Trump's events.

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M23 pushes deeper in east DRC, UN urges Rwanda forces to leave

Rebels advanced on several fronts in DR Congo's volatile east Friday as the UN Security Council for the first time called on Rwanda to stop backing the M23 group and halt the bloodshed.

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LA mayor sacks fire chief over handling of deadly blazes

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass sacked the city's fire chief on Friday, blaming her for leadership failures in the handling of deadly blazes that tore through the California metropolis in January.

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Cognac on the rocks: industry seeks French govt help from Chinese tariffs

The French cognac industry said Friday it was losing 50 million euros ($50 million) per month since the imposition of antidumping duties by China and appealed for government help.

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Ex-Trump aide's 'Nazi ideology' salute sparks French party leader's protest

Accusations of an apparent Nazi salute by American conservative firebrand and Donald Trump ally Steve Bannon at a Washington convention led a French far-right leader to withdraw from the event on Friday.

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M23 advances deeper in east DRC as Congolese troops flee

M23 fighters on Friday advanced further on several fronts in DR Congo's volatile east as international pressure mounted on Rwanda to stop backing the armed group and halt the fighting.

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S.Africa wants 'inclusive' talks on ending Ukraine war, invites Zelensky

South Africa said Friday that talks to end Russia's nearly three-year war in Ukraine must involve all parties and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was expected on a state visit soon for discussions.

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US pushes Zelensky to sign Ukraine resources deal

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky faced pressure on Friday to sign a deal to hand the United States preferential access to Ukraine's mineral deposits following harsh criticism from US President Donald Trump.

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France far-right leader cancels US speech after 'Nazi gesture' by ex-Trump aide

France's far-right leader Jordan Bardella said Friday he had cancelled his speech at a right-wing meeting in Washington after a "gesture alluding to Nazi ideology" by conservative firebrand Steve Bannon.

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Tech, auto, medicines: who will pay Donald Trump's tariffs?

After steel and aluminium, US President Donald Trump has set his sights on slapping 25 percent tariffs on semiconductors, cars and pharmaceuticals.

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German far left in surprise comeback ahead of election

Germany's far-left Die Linke party has enjoyed a late poll surge ahead of Sunday's elections, boosted by a spirited anti-fascist speech by its new rising star that quickly went viral.

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Oscar setback, Trump cast shadow over queer film

This year might have been a highpoint for LGBTQ representation in film, but an ill-fated Oscar nomination combined with Donald Trump's backlash against trans people have left the queer cinema community disappointed and on the defensive.

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US-Ukraine resources deal still on table despite Trump-Zelensky spat, Kyiv says

Kyiv and Washington are engaged in talks over a deal to hand the United States preferential access to Ukraine's mineral deposits, a source in Kyiv told AFP on Friday -- despite a dramatic spat between leaders Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump.

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Argentina to observe two days national mourning for Bibas brothers

Argentina announced two days of national mourning on Thursday after the bodies of two Israeli Argentine children who had been taken hostage by Hamas were handed over by the group.

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Rubio defends Russia talks and criticism of Zelensky

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio pushed back against accusations that the Trump administration has given in to Russia even before talks on ending the Ukraine war begin, saying Washington first wants to see whether Moscow was "serious".

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Australia says China warned of 'live fire' drill off east coast

China warned Australia Friday of potential "live fire" naval drills in international waters off the eastern coast, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said, as commercial flights were told to steer clear of the area.

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Nepal community fights to save sacred forests from cable cars

They appear tranquil soaring above Himalayan forests, but a string of cable car projects in Nepal have sparked violent protests, with locals saying environmental protection should trump tourism development.

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Trump tariffs leave WTO adrift in eye of the storm

The World Trade Organization's entire mission is overseeing global trade, but US President Donald Trump's tariff offensive has left it adrift.

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