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December 22, 2024
 

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Phil Stewart
Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks via video link at the Kremlin in Moscow last month.
WORLD / Politics
Nov 28, 2024
Nuclear attack unlikely despite Putin's warnings, U.S. intelligence says
The U.S. believes Russia will aim to match what it views as U.S. escalation, and that nuclear force is unlikely — though not out of the question.
A satellite image shows a suspected missile assembly building under construction, visible in the lower central part of the image, at the "February 11" plant near the city of Hamhung in North Korea.
ASIA PACIFIC
Nov 26, 2024
Satellite images may show North Korea expanding missile plant, researchers say
The plant in North Korea's second-largest city is the only one known to produce solid-fuel ballistic missiles Ukrainian officials say have been used by Russian forces.
Pete Hegseth, a veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and a Minnesota native, speaks at the Values Voter Summit in Washington in September 2009.
WORLD / Politics / FOCUS
Nov 16, 2024
How Trump's Pentagon pick Hegseth fell out of love with the U.S. military
Hegseth was flagged by a National Guard officer as a possible "insider threat" for having tattoos that suggested potential links to rightwing extremism.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump gestures as he meets with House Republicans on Capitol Hill in Washington on Wednesday.
WORLD / Politics
Nov 14, 2024
Trump's team drawing up list of Pentagon officers to fire, sources say
It is unclear if Donald Trump will endorse the firings, although in the past he has railed extensively against defense leaders who have criticized him.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump takes stage at an election night event in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Wednesday.
WORLD / Politics / FOCUS
Nov 11, 2024
How a Trump presidency could lead to a purge at the Pentagon
During his campaign for reelection, Donald Trump vowed to purge the military of so-called woke generals. Now the question is how far will he go?
Ukrainian F-16 fighter jets fly during ceremonies marking Ukraine's Air Forces Day at an undisclosed location in the country in August.
WORLD
Nov 9, 2024
Pentagon lifts ban on contractors fixing U.S.-supplied weapons in Ukraine
The contractors will help ensure equipment "can be rapidly repaired when damaged and be provided maintenance as needed," an official said.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin meets with South Korea's Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun during the U.S.-ROK Security Consultative Meeting at the Pentagon in Washington on Wednesday.
WORLD / Politics
Oct 31, 2024
North Korea troops could lengthen and broaden Ukraine war, U.S. warns
The move looks increasingly like a deployment to support Russia's combat operations in the Kursk region, the U.S. defense secretary said.
A Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system (THAAD) in Guam in 2023. A team of U.S. military personnel has reached Israel to prepare an advanced THAAD air defense system that the Biden administration is sending to thwart more attacks by Iran and its allies.
WORLD / Politics
Oct 21, 2024
THAAD anti-missile system is 'in place' in Israel, U.S. says
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the system is ready to be put into operation "very quickly."
U.S. President Joe Biden's letter on Sunday appeared to be the clearest ultimatum yet to the Israeli government since the conflict in the Gaza Strip began, outlining specific steps Israel must take within 30 days to improve the humanitarian situation in the territory.
WORLD / Politics
Oct 17, 2024
Biden offers both a carrot and a stick to Israel as his term nears an end
His sending of U.S. soldiers to Israel along with an advanced anti-missile system comes with a warning that it must improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
A Terminal High Altitude Area Defense interceptor is launched during a successful intercept test, in this undated handout photo.
WORLD / Politics
Oct 14, 2024
U.S. to send antimissile system and troops to Israel, Pentagon says
The move is meant 'to defend Israel,' U.S. President Joe Biden said.
U.S. Air Force General C.Q. Brown (left), the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is greeted upon arrival in Cairo on Sunday. Brown made a three-day trip to the Middle East last weekend that saw him fly into Israel just hours after Hezbollah launched hundreds of rockets and drones at Israel, and Israel's military struck Lebanon to thwart a larger attack.
WORLD / Politics
Aug 27, 2024
Risk of broader war eased 'somewhat' after Israel-Hezbollah exchange
Gen. C.Q. Brown, the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, cautions that Iran's militant allies in other locations continue to pose a risk.
U.S. soldiers are seen during the handover ceremony for Taji military base, from U.S.-led coalition troops to Iraqi security forces, in the base north of Baghdad in 2020.
WORLD
Jul 31, 2024
U.S. conducts strike in Iraq amid deepening regional tensions
Iraqi police and medical sources said the strike inside a base south of Baghdad killed four members of a group that contains several Iran-aligned armed militias.
An Israeli soldier walks next to a fire following attacks from Lebanon, amid ongoing crossborder hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, near Kiryat Shmona, northern Israel, on June 14.
WORLD / Politics
Jun 24, 2024
Israel moves in Lebanon could raise risk of broader war: U.S. general
Air Force Gen. C.Q. Brown, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, did not offer a prediction on Israel's next steps.
A Ukrainian serviceman prepares to fire a self-propelled howitzer toward Russian troops in May.
WORLD / Politics / ANALYSIS
Jun 1, 2024
Biden tip-toes deeper into Ukraine conflict with arms decision
Experts say the decision to relax some restrictions on Ukraine's use of U.S. weaponry inside Russia could help blunt Moscow's offensive.
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks during a campaign event in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Wednesday. According to four U.S. officials, Biden has quietly authorized Ukraine to use U.S.-supplied weapons against military targets inside Russia.
WORLD / Politics
May 31, 2024
Biden allows Ukraine limited use of U.S. arms to strike inside Russia
Revelation by U.S. officials marks a policy shift by Biden, who had refused to allow Ukraine to use U.S. weaponry for strikes inside Russia.
View of the apparent remains of a ballistic missile, as it lies in the desert near the Dead Sea, following a massive missile and drone attack by Iran on Israel, in southern Israel on April 21.
WORLD / Politics
May 22, 2024
After Israel defense, U.S. seeks to entice Gulf allies on missile shield
It's unclear whether Gulf allies have the same confidence the U.S. would rush to their defense, say experts.
The Pentagon building in Arlington, Virginia. Current and former U.S. officials say the Pentagon may have to revisit assumptions about military needs in the Middle East if the crisis deepens.
WORLD / Politics / ANALYSIS
Apr 20, 2024
U.S. military strategy tested as Iran-Israel warfare comes out of shadows
The tit-for-tat attacks have raised fears of an unpredictable regional war that the United States has sought to prevent.
A reported strike against Iran by Israel on Friday came against the backdrop of Iran's support for the Palestinian Hamas militant group, whose assault into Israel on Oct. 7 triggered Israel's invasion of Gaza.
WORLD
Apr 19, 2024
Tehran signals no retaliation against Israel after drones attack Iran
Iran's response appeared to be gauged toward averting a region-wide war.
A soldier stands in front of the grave sites of fallen soldiers in Kinmen, Taiwan, on Aug. 23, 2023. Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered his military to be ready to take Taiwan by 2027, though many analysts see that as an attempt to galvanize his military rather than a timeline for invasion.
ASIA PACIFIC
Feb 1, 2024
How Washington is preparing for a Chinese invasion of Taiwan
It is looking at a key vulnerability — military logistics — and is setting up hubs in the Indo-Pacific region to ensure supplies are readily available.
Families of Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip by Palestinian militants gather with supporters for a demonstration demanding an immediate deal as they block off a road near the Israeli Ministry of Defense in Tel Aviv on Monday.
WORLD / Politics
Jan 30, 2024
U.S. vows to act after drone strike, endangering Gaza hostage talks
An attack Sunday by Iran-backed militants was the first deadly strike against U.S. troops since the Israel-Hamas war began, and marks a major escalation.
Nippon Steel alleges undue White House influence on doomed deal review
U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the economy at the Brookings Institution in Washington on Dec. 10.
Record 78% of people in Japan feel anxious, government survey finds
The public opinion survey on people's lives, conducted by the Cabinet Office, found that 28.1% of respondents think that their standard of living is at a lower-middle level among the general public — the highest percentage to give that response in 35 years.
Police raided suspect's home to arrest him after fatal Kitakyushu stabbing
Broken window glass is seen at Masanori Hirabaru's house in Kitakyushu's Kokuraminami Ward.
Taiwan lawmakers brawl over bills that would 'damage democracy'
Lawmakers from the Democratic Progressive Party and opposition party Kuomintang brawl in parliament in Taipei on Friday.
Mother hopes for reunion with daughter ensnared by Tokyo host clubs
The Kabukicho district in Tokyo, where the daughter of a woman in her 60s fell deeply into the host club culture.
Casual workouts, cool living, ‘complete’ food: Japan’s health trends of 2024
In 2024, efficiency trumped effort among Japan's fitness-focused aspirants.
The mighty Mekong River's growing plastic problem
A group of elephant keepers in Chiang Saen, Thailand, remove plastic waste from the Ruak River, a tributary of the Mekong River, as a pair of Asian elephants bathe behind them.
Japanese officials inspect Yokota Air Base over PFAS concerns
The Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo in September 2019. An inspection of the base by Japanese government officials on Friday came amid public pressure to investigate suspected links between the use of PFAS-containing firefighting foam by the U.S. base and contamination of soil and groundwater in western Tokyo.
Crime numbers rise in Japan for second straight year
A police officer stands in front of the residence of a man alleged to have stabbed two junior high school students in Kitakyushu.
A year of Oscar wins and a quiet push for diversity
Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s “Evil Does Not Exist,” released in Japanese theaters in April, sharply dramatizes the clash between rural and urban values. The film won five awards at the 2023 Venice Film Festival, including the second-place Silver Lion prize.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

Yasuyuki Yoshida stirs a brew in a fermentation tank at his brewery in Hakusan.
The quake that shook Noto's sake brewing tradition
By Alex K.T. Martin

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