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January 27, 2025
 

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Italy's Jannik Sinner celebrates with the Australian Open trophy after winning a straight-sets final over Alexander Zverev on Sunday in Melbourne.
TENNIS
Jan 26, 2025
Clinical Sinner surges past Zverev to retain Australian Open title
The 23-year-old Italian came through a tense final between the two highest-ranked players 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-3.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko visits a polling station during the presidential election in Minsk on Sunday.
WORLD / Politics
Jan 26, 2025
Belarusians vote in election to extend Lukashenko's 30-year rule
Lukashenko — a 70-year-old former collective farm boss — has been in power in reclusive, Moscow-allied Belarus since 1994.
Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (pictured on poster) attend a rally on a road near the Constitutional Court in Seoul on Thursday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Jan 26, 2025
South Korean president indicted as 'ringleader of an insurrection'
The formal indictment with detention means impeached leader Yoon Suk Yeol will now be kept behind bars until his trial, which must happen within six months.
Stuffed toys of Custom-kun, an official mascot character of Japanese customs, and a birthday cake made by a customs official depicting the character
JAPAN
Jan 26, 2025
Japan customs character goods to go on sale
The Finance Ministry hopes that selling character goods such as stuffed toys and stationery will make customs more familiar to people.
Hoshoryu dispatches Oho in a playoff to clinch the Emperor's Cup on the final day of the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament on Sunday in Tokyo.
SUMO / Basho reports
Jan 26, 2025
Hoshoryu overcomes rank-and-file wrestlers to put yokozuna promotion in sight
Despite the best efforts of Kinbozan and Oho, it was ozeki Hoshoryu that eventually emerged victorious in the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament.
Tomin First no Kai adviser Hirotada Ototake speaks during an interview in Tokyo on Wednesday.
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 26, 2025
Tomin First adviser Hirotada Ototake keen to use social media
"Through social media outreach, we want to become an option for unaffiliated voters who have not decided for whom to vote" in the June 22 race, said Ototake.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance (left) swears in Pete Hegseth (center) as U.S. secretary of defense during a ceremony in Washington on Saturday.
WORLD / Politics
Jan 26, 2025
New U.S. defense chief pledges to work with allies in message to Pentagon
Pete Hegseth appeared to try and dispel concerns in allied capitals that the U.S. could again see a more transactional approach to foreign policy under President Donald Trump.
Jeffrey Andrews (L), a social worker, and Uzma Naveed (R), an outreach coordinator, speak to "John" (C) at the Christian Action Center for Refugees in Hong Kong on Saturday.
ASIA PACIFIC
Jan 26, 2025
U.S.-bound refugees in Hong Kong despair as Trump halts arrivals
Many asylum seekers in Hong Kong — some waiting years — now fear being sent back to square one.
Displaced Palestinians who left the southern Gaza Strip run for cover from Israeli fire Friday northwest of Nuseirat in the central part of the strip at the nearest point possible to the Israeli-controlled Netzarim corridor, where they set up tents hoping to return to the north.
WORLD / Politics
Jan 26, 2025
Trump floats plan to 'clean out' Gaza and move Palestinians to Egypt and Jordan
U.S. President Donald Trump has floated a plan where Egypt and Jordan would take Palestinians from the territory in a bid to create Middle East peace.
A Nagano Prefectural Police official speaks during a news conference in the city of Nagano on Sunday following the arrest of a suspect in a deadly stabbing days earlier.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jan 26, 2025
Police arrest suspect in deadly Nagano stabbings
The suspect, a man in his 40s, is believed to have fatally stabbed one person and injured two others in front of Nagano Station days earlier.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un observes a test of what state-run media said was a strategic cruise missile at an undisclosed location in this image released Sunday.
ASIA PACIFIC
Jan 26, 2025
North Korea tests 'strategic' cruise missiles as it lashes out at U.S. and South Korea
The test of the weapons, believed to be nuclear-capable, were the first since U.S. President Donald Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration.
Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama prepares to shoot during his team's loss to the Pacers at Bercy Arena in Paris on Saturday
BASKETBALL / NBA
Jan 26, 2025
Wembanyama's Spurs fall to Pacers in Paris homecoming
Wembanyama connected on seven of his 16 shots from the field to score 20 points in a losing cause.
The production line at Tanmiah Food’s chicken processing plant in Shaqra, Saudi Arabia
BUSINESS
Jan 26, 2025
Chickens hatch across the Saudi desert in kingdom’s pivot from oil
The kingdom imports about 80% of what it eats, triggering worries about shortages in a time of rising geopolitical tensions.
Released Israeli hostage Liri Albag, a soldier who was seized from her army base in southern Israel during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Hamas, gestures to make a heart shape in an Israeli military helicopter transporting her and other hostages, released as part of a ceasefire and a hostages-prisoners swap deal between Hamas and Israel, to the Beilinson Schneider medical complex in Petah Tikva, Israel, on Saturday.
WORLD
Jan 26, 2025
Fragile Gaza truce enters second week
A last-minute dispute blocked the expected return of hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians to the Gaza Strip's devastated north.
The U.S. head office of TikTok in Culver City, California
BUSINESS / Tech
Jan 26, 2025
White House in talks to have Oracle and U.S. investors take over TikTok
Under the deal, ByteDance would retain a stake in the company, but data collection and software updates would be overseen by Oracle.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks after being sworn in during a ceremony in Washington on Saturday.
WORLD
Jan 26, 2025
Pete Hegseth vote portends glide path for other Trump nominees
Trump's success in pushing through his Pentagon chief nomination despite private doubts among lawmakers amounted to a fresh testament to his hold over the GOP.
Liverpool's Cody Gakpo scores his side's fourth goal during the club's win over Ipswich Town on Saturday.
SOCCER
Jan 26, 2025
Liverpool and Arsenal both win as Nottingham Forest thrashed by Bournemouth
Liverpool cruised to a 4-1 win over Ipswich Town while Arsenal overcame the loss of defender Myles Lewis-Skelly to a harsh straight red card to beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0.
Ayumi Matsuki, a priestess at Yoshiwara Shrine, shows off some "o-mamori" charms. She says visitors to the shrine have increased since the NHK drama “Unbound” began airing this month.
JAPAN / History / Longform
Jan 26, 2025
Tracing Tsutaya Juzaburo, Edo’s media maverick
Discover the hometown of the Yoshiwara publisher who helped shape Japan’s artistic legacy and inspired NHK’s latest period drama.
Giant salt blocks posted on Mercari by the town of Higashiura, Aichi Prefecture
JAPAN
Jan 26, 2025
Giant rock salt posted on Mercari by Aichi town finally sold at ¥420,000
The blocks attracted a lot of media attention when the town first posted them on the app in April of last year.
U.S. President Donald Trump attends an event about the economy at the Circa Resort and Casino in Las Vegas on Saturday.
WORLD / Politics / FOCUS
Jan 26, 2025
Trump’s frenzied debut delights base as thornier decisions await
The honeymoon is hardly assured to last, with the U.S. president so far avoiding drastic steps that would tempt backlash from his party, Wall Street or both.
Taeko Oshioka, a member of the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo) looks for visitors to sign a petition to call on the Japanese government to sign and ratify the Treaty of the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, in front of the preserved Atomic Bomb Dome in the city of Hiroshima last October.
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 26, 2025
Japan rules out participating in nuke ban treaty meeting as observer
Instead, the country is considering sending lawmakers from the ruling bloc to the meeting, officials have said.
The P4 laboratory at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in Wuhan, China, in April 2020
WORLD
Jan 26, 2025
CIA now favors China lab leak theory to explain COVID’s origins
A new analysis that began under the Biden administration is released by the C.I.A.’s new director, John Ratcliffe, who wants the agency to get “off the sidelines” in the debate.
U.S. President Donald Trump boards Air Force One upon departure from Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas on Saturday.
WORLD / Politics
Jan 26, 2025
Trump's firing of independent watchdog officials draws criticism
Donald Trump's late-night firing of inspectors general was called illegal by Democrats and others and drew concern from at least one fellow Republican.
Japan and South Korea were stable U.S. allies. Not anymore.
Supporters of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol protest in Seoul on Tuesday. The previous leaders of the U.S. and Japan, along with Yoon, focused on strengthening alliances and regional stability through cooperation whereas newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump’s approach to foreign policy may prioritize transactional relationships.
Police arrest suspect in deadly Nagano stabbings
A Nagano Prefectural Police official speaks during a news conference in the city of Nagano on Sunday following the arrest of a suspect in a deadly stabbing days earlier.
Seoul court rejects second request to extend Yoon detention
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol attends a hearing for his impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court in Seoul on Thursday.
Suspect says woman found dead on remote Tokyo island killed herself
The beach on Izu-Oshima island where Shizuka Takase's remains were found in October of last year.
Sparkling Keys stuns Sabalenka to claim maiden Grand Slam title
Madison Keys celebrates with the trophy after winning the Australian Open title on Saturday in Melbourne.
Japan’s love affair with Dragon Quest spreads worldwide
Upon the release of Dragon Quest VII in 2000, hundreds of customers lined up outside stores in Tokyo to secure a copy of the new game. With a remake of a 1988 title, the rest of the world is understanding why Japanese gamers love the series so much.
Why tatami is going from the floor to the dining table
At several high-end restaurants in Tokyo, tatami is becoming a part of the dining experience — not underfoot but as a tabletop place mat for phones.
Where to begin when it comes to Japanese wine
Musashi Winery is known for its 'shōkōshi' wines.
What are the real issues behind the Fuji TV scandal?
Fuji Television's poor handling of sexual misconduct allegations against celebrity Masahiro Nakai has led to an exodus of sponsors from the broadcaster.
The cartoon chaos of ‘Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi’ was ahead of its time
Animated series “Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi” premiered on Cartoon Network on Nov. 29, 2004, and ran for three seasons. The show is based on real-life J-pop band Puffy.

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One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
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Ayumi Matsuki, a priestess at Yoshiwara Shrine, shows off some "o-mamori" charms. She says visitors to the shrine have increased since the NHK drama “Unbound” began airing this month.
Tracing Tsutaya Juzaburo, Edo’s media maverick
By Alex K.T. Martin