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Samy Adghirni
U.S. President Joe Biden waves as he boards Air Force One prior to departure from Dane County Regional Airport in Madison, Wisconsin, o Friday.
WORLD / Politics / FOCUS
Jul 6, 2024
Biden allies abroad think it’s untenable for him to stay on
Some officials are now saying that Biden should step aside for someone with a better shot at beating rival Donald Trump.
Financial markets have tumbled since French President Emmanuel Macron dissolved the National Assembly a week ago, with about $210 billion wiped off the value of French stocks.
WORLD / Politics
Jun 17, 2024
France’s safeguards against the far right are starting to unravel
A radicalization of part of the French left and an alliance among groups ranging from the far-left to the moderates undermine the so-called republican front.
Marine Le Pen speaks during a European election campaign rally in Paris on June 2.
WORLD / Politics
Jun 17, 2024
France's Le Pen says she will work with Macron to appeal to moderates
Marine Le Pen is reaching out to mainstream voters as she aims to cement a majority in the next parliament.
French President Emmanuel Macron decided to trigger a parliamentary vote in an effort to regain the political initiative after his party was comprehensively beaten by Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally in Sunday’s European election.
WORLD / Politics
Jun 12, 2024
Macron’s election gamble triggers chaos and anger inside his party
In calling for an election just 20 days from the dissolution of parliament, he is dialing up the pressure not just on his opponents, but also his own people.
Dunkirk has revamped its seafront to create a modern promenade, new hotels have gone up and public transportation has been made free.
WORLD
Jun 5, 2024
Macron’s charms falter in Le Pen’s industrial heartland
The area around Dunkirk has suffered from the demise of industries such as steel and mining.
Maximilian Krah from German's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party
WORLD / Politics
May 23, 2024
Europe’s far right in disarray two weeks ahead of elections
Far-right groups hoped to form a large enough bloc in next month’s European elections to weaken climate regulations and propose tougher immigration measures.
French President Emmanuel Macron during an interview on the fringes of the Choose France summit in Versailles, France, on Monday
BUSINESS / Companies
May 14, 2024
Macron puts French banks in play with plan to transform Europe
Macron has been trying to persuade his EU partners to embrace reforms that he says would turn the bloc into a more united and powerful economic force.
Kites are flown over Rafah as smoke billows following Israeli bombardment on Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on Tuesday.
WORLD / Politics
Feb 21, 2024
Israel-Hamas war splits G20, risking paralysis at meeting
The group is so split on the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine that they may be forced to reduce the forum’s scope and avoid geopolitical issues.
Israeli soldiers organize armored personnel  near the border with Lebanon on Sunday.
WORLD / Politics
Oct 16, 2023
After Iran warning, Washington pushes to avert wider Israel war
The ramped-up moves come amid concerns that an invasion of the Gaza Strip by Israeli forces could prompt Iran to enter the conflict.
Fake oranges filled with captagon pills, intercepted by the customs and the anti-drug brigade at Beirut port, Lebanon, in 2021.
WORLD / Crime & Legal
Aug 18, 2023
‘Poor man’s cocaine’ costing $3 a pill threatens to proliferate
Selling for around $3 to $25 per tablet, experts say captagon is primarily produced and trafficked by groups tied to Syrian President Bashar Assad.
Nigerien security forces launch tear gas to disperse pro-junta demonstrators gathered outside the French embassy, in Niamey, the capital city of Niger, on Sunday.
WORLD / Politics
Aug 1, 2023
Macron’s Africa strategy in tatters as his bet on Niger unravels
France is struggling to convince nations in the Sahel region the presence of a former colonial power can bring results.
Japan Times
WORLD
May 22, 2023
G7 struggles to win over nations courted by China and Russia
Tangible progress was hard to see for the Group of Seven wealthy nations, even though some Western officials said the bloc was heading in the right direction compared with years past.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Apr 24, 2023
Macron’s push to get China’s help on Ukraine is unraveling fast
The Chinese Ambassador to France, Lu Shaye, said ex-Soviet states don’t have sovereign status, a statement that ignores internationally recognized borders in Eastern and Central Europe.
Japan Times
WORLD
Mar 27, 2023
Macron’s pension gambit sparks revolt, pushing France to the brink
The French president’s decision to ram through an increase in the retirement age has ignited labor unrest, destabilized his government, and risks paralysis for his remaining time in office.
Japan Times
WORLD
Mar 24, 2023
Macron challenged by new strikes as he digs in on pensions
Anger over raising the minimum retirement age to 64 from 62 shows no sign of receding more than two months after the start of a series of walkouts and marches across France.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics / ANALYSIS
Nov 20, 2022
Europe reasserts middle path on China, pushing back on Biden
The shift in sentiment amounts to a victory for Xi on just his second foray outside of China since the pandemic began.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Nov 6, 2022
France’s far right picks 27-year-old to succeed Marine Le Pen
The result was widely expected as Marine Le Pen has been progressively handing over duties to Bardella, who's served as deputy leader since 2019.
Japan Times
WORLD
Sep 21, 2022
How the U.N. became a bystander to the world’s biggest flashpoint
Interviews with several officials reveal a rising frustration with a body founded nearly 80 years ago that is increasingly powerless to shape global events.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Jun 21, 2022
Ukraine is poised to get backing of EU states on membership path
Discussions are going in the right direction and Ukraine's candidate status is on track to be approved, according to an EU official.
Japan Times
WORLD
May 13, 2022
Biden’s hopes for Iran deal fade just when world needs oil most
For Iran, $100 per barrel oil has mitigated the urgency to secure sanctions relief. Crude prices have almost doubled since talks began a year ago.

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Construction takes place on the Takanawa Gateway Convention Center in Tokyo, slated to open in 2025.
A boom for business tourism in Japan?