Showing 1 - 10 of 135
'Artists of steel': Japanese swords forge new fanbase
AFP, Published on 11/02/2026
» MISATO, SAITAMA (JAPAN) - Sparks illuminate the soot-covered studio of Japanese swordsmith Akihira Kawasaki as his apprentice hammers red-hot steel, showcasing a millennium-old craft now enjoying a resurgence in popularity.
South Korea court sentences ex-PM to 23-year jail term
Reuters, Published on 21/01/2026
» SEOUL — A South Korean court on Wednesday sentenced former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo to 23 years in jail for charges including engaging in a key action of insurrection concerning ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of martial law in December 2024.
Upstart gangsters shake Japan's yakuza
AFP, Published on 19/12/2025
» TOKYO - When Takanori Kuzuoka began climbing the criminal career ladder, he didn't fancy joining Japan's old-school yakuza, with their tattoos, rigid hierarchy and codes of honour.
Alleged Kirk killer had 'leftist' beliefs, Utah governor says
AFP, Published on 15/09/2025
» WASHINGTON - The man arrested over conservative influencer Charlie Kirk's assassination was romantically involved with a transgender roommate and had "leftist ideology," Utah's governor said Sunday, confirming details likely to inflame the contentious national debate over the killing.
Thais and Cambodians refuse to quit homes on clash frontier
AFP, Published on 28/07/2025
» SURIN (THAILAND) - Under the drumbeat of artillery fire near Thailand's border with Cambodia, farmer Samuan Niratpai refuses to abandon his buffalo herd -- stubbornly risking his life to tend his livestock.
Restaurants latest target of Hong Kong security law
Reuters, Published on 10/06/2025
» HONG KONG - Hong Kong will toughen screening of restaurants, caterers and other food and entertainment businesses for potential violations of national security, the Chinese city’s leader said on Tuesday.
Pope Leo condemns 'exclusionary mindset' in Pentecost address
AFP, Published on 08/06/2025
» VATICAN CITY - Pope Leo XIV exhorted the faithful on Sunday to reject an "exclusionary mindset" he said had led to nationalism around the world.
Vietnam scraps two-child limit as birth rate declines
AFP, Published on 04/06/2025
» HANOI — Vietnam's communist government has scrapped its long-standing policy of limiting families to two children, state media said Wednesday, as the country battles to reverse a declining birth rate.
Pregnancy of Hongkonger, 58, sparks hope for older women and fears over risks
South China Morning Post, Published on 11/05/2025
» The pregnancy of a 58-year-old woman in Hong Kong has sparked hopes for older women seeking to have children but also raised concerns about the risks of giving birth later in life.
Harvard sees $2.2bn in funding frozen after defying Trump
AFP, Published on 15/04/2025
» NEW YORK - Elite US university Harvard was hit with a $2.2 billion freeze in federal funding Monday after rejecting a list of sweeping demands that the White House said was intended to crack down on campus anti-Semitism.