The Japan Times - Politics

S. Korean president tours ASML inner sanctum on chip trip

South Korea's president became the first foreign leader to visit the highly secure "cleanroom" of Dutch tech giant ASML Tuesday, on a trip focused on forging a "chip alliance" between the two global semiconductor powerhouses.

Indonesia presidential candidates talk corruption, Papua in first debate

The three candidates vying to be Indonesia's next president clashed in their first debate on Tuesday over issues including corruption, human rights and separatist rebels in the world's third-largest democracy.

At UN climate talks, no consensus on what consensus is

The world's climate negotiators meeting in Dubai have spent sleepless nights in an elusive quest for consensus, but there is no consensus on what consensus means.

Embattled Harvard University president to stay after anti-Semitism row

Harvard University's president, under fire over testimony she gave about anti-Semitism on campus, will remain in her job after a meeting of the institution's governing body issued a statement backing her on Tuesday.

US consumer inflation slows in November but pressures remain

Consumer inflation in the United States edged down for a second straight month in November, government data showed Tuesday, in encouraging news for policymakers seeking to get prices under control.

Embattled Harvard University president to stay in post

Harvard University's president, under fire over testimony she gave about anti-Semitism on campus, will remain in her job after a meeting of the institution's governing body issued a statement backing her on Tuesday.

UK PM Sunak faces leadership test over Rwanda plan

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Tuesday seeks to avoid a humiliating defeat for his latest plans to send migrants to Rwanda that have split his ruling Conservative party.

Poland's Tusk calls for 'stronger' EU, Ukraine support

Donald Tusk on Tuesday urged firm support for war-torn Ukraine and called for a stronger EU, as the Polish premier-designate previewed his priorities ahead of lawmakers' vote on his proposed government.

Israel battles Hamas as UN labels Gaza 'hell on earth'

Israeli forces battled Hamas militants and bombed more targets in the devastated Gaza Strip on Tuesday as the UN General Assembly was due to vote on a new demand for a ceasefire.

Zelensky makes plea for US aid as Russia claims advances

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will press Tuesday for more US military aid to battle Russia, which said any funding would be a "fiasco" and claimed its forces were advancing on the front.

South Africa to build new nuclear plants: govt

South Africa, battling crippling power blackouts, plans to add 2,500 megawatts of new nuclear generation, the government announced Tuesday.

Fleeing Israel too, Ukrainian Jews seek refuge in Hungary

Rabbi Mendel Moscowitz from the northeastern city of Kharkiv never imagined his family would be forced to flee a second war after leaving Ukraine for Israel last year.

'From despair to hope': UN urges leaders to support refugees

As the number of refugees soars worldwide, the United Nations is appealing for countries to support displaced people at a global summit this week with the aim of showing that "change is possible".

Israel bombs Gaza after warning Hamas nears 'dissolution'

Israel pressed on with its bombing of Gaza on Tuesday after saying its campaign to destroy Hamas has left the Palestinian militant group on the "the verge of dissolution".

Biden and Zelensky: odd couple brought together by war

Things got off to a rough start between Joe Biden and Volodymyr Zelensky, two men who on the surface at least have little in common -- but since Russia invaded Ukraine they have become firm allies.

Final two members of BTS start mandatory military service

The last two members of K-pop superstars BTS to enlist for mandatory military service, Jimin and Jung Kook, were set to begin their training on Tuesday, South Korean media reported, resulting in the entire megagroup being on hiatus.

US stocks extend rally, yen retreats against dollar

Wall Street stocks rose Monday ahead of a deluge of key economic news, extending a rally while the yen retreated from a recent advance.

Zelensky says US delays in Ukraine aid fulfill Putin's 'dreams'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made an impassioned plea for continued US military support Monday in a Washington speech, warning that failure to help his country defeat Russian invasion is fulfilling the Kremlin's "dreams" of wrecking democracy in Europe.

Allies of Russian opposition leader Navalny say whereabouts unknown

Allies of the jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny said Monday that they had been unable to locate him for six days, and that he had likely been transferred to another facility.

Renaissance nudes spark crisis at French school

Teachers at a school outside Paris refused to work on Monday as the establishment grappled with a crisis sparked by the showing in class of a painting by a Renaissance master containing several nude women.

Zelensky says US delays in Ukraine aid fulfil Putin's 'dreams'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made an impassioned plea for continued US military support Monday in a Washington speech, warning that failure to help his country defeat Russian invasion is fulfilling the Kremlin's "dreams" of wrecking democracy in Europe.

'I'm destroyed': UN envoys confront cost of Israel-Hamas war

Aid trucks stalled at the Gaza border, hospitals treating missing limbs: UN Security Council envoys visiting Egypt on Monday encountered the fallout of the Israel-Hamas war, days after the United States vetoed a ceasefire resolution.

Hostages were drugged, abused in Gaza: Israeli doctor

Hostages hauled into Gaza during Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel were drugged to keep them docile in captivity and subjected to psychological and sexual abuse, a specialist said Monday.

Wilders gets until Feb to convince others to form Dutch govt

Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders has less than two months to win over potential coalition partners uneasy about his hardline anti-Islam and anti-European views, according to a much-anticipated report published Monday.

Gaza deaths pass 18,200 as battles rage

Heavy urban battles raged Monday in the bloodiest-ever war in Gaza, with more than 18,200 Palestinians and 104 Israeli soldiers reported dead amid a spiralling humanitarian crisis.

Menstrual periods an ordeal, health risk for Gaza women and girls

Women and girls getting their periods in Gaza face humiliating conditions and infections, forced to use diapers or scraps of cloth after more than two months of war.

Stocks struggle at key week for rate calls

Stock markets diverged on Monday ahead of a busy week for interest rate decisions from major central banks.

Polish parliament ousts right-wing populists in pro-EU turn

A proposed conservative government failed to win a majority in the Polish parliament, a widely expected outcome that paves the way for Donald Tusk's rival pro-EU alliance to form the next administration after eight years of right-wing populist rule.

Not all Arab states backing Saudi Arabia in COP28 talks

Saudi Arabia, the staunchest opponent of phasing out fossil fuels at COP28, may dominate the Arab bloc at the UN climate talks in Dubai. But it is far from the only voice.

Zelensky arrives in US to plead for continued Ukraine war aid

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was set Monday to make a last-ditch plea for US aid before it runs out this year, with Republicans arguing that the United States should no longer provide open-ended backing to Ukraine's battle against Russian invasion.

France says downing of drones in Red Sea 'legitimate defence'

A French frigate that shot down two drones in the Red Sea was acting in self-defence after coming under attack from the unmanned aerial vehicles, the foreign ministry in Paris said on Monday.

UK's Sunak faces key test over Rwanda migrant policy vote

UK leader Rishi Sunak faces the riskiest week of his premiership, with lawmakers gathering Monday to decide whether to back his flagship policy to send asylum seekers to Rwanda.

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