The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency is looking to speed up its access to breakthrough technologies in an effort to better compete with China. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/10/world/politics/cia-tech-race-china/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #politics #cybersecurity #hacking #china #us #cia
Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates condemned Israel's move to widen its powers in the West Bank, a step critics said went in the direction of annexing occupied land. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/10/world/politics/arab-states-israel-west-bank/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #politics #saudiarabia #jordan #uae #middleeast #israel #gaza #israelhamaswar #palestinians
American politicians claim the next election is the most important of our lifetime, fueling "The-End-Is-Near-ism" and "Armageddon politics." https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/02/09/world/every-election-not-an-existential-threat/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #worldnews #donaldtrump #democrats #republicans #democracy #voting
A fast-moving measles outbreak in South Carolina highlights how declining vaccination rates, permissive state laws and weakened federal vaccine oversight are creating larger, harder-to-control outbreaks across the U.S. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/02/09/world/us-measles-milestone-is-everyones-problem/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #worldnews #robertfkennedyjr #donaldtrump #medicine #vaccinations #health #measles #covid19 #cdc #us #southcarolina #donaldtrump
Trump’s record of reversals, hostility to institutional constraints and indifference to sacrifice convinces adversaries and allies alike that U.S. commitments will not hold. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/02/09/world/trump-kills-american-deterrence/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #worldnews #donaldtrump #usdefense #tariffs #ukraine #china #indopacific #taiwan #elbridgecolby #cia #xijinping #nato #afghanistan #denmark #greenland #vladimirputin #russia
Center-left Portuguese presidential candidate Antonio Jose Seguro has scored a convincing win over far-right rival Andre Ventura in a run-off vote held after days of devastating storms. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/09/world/politics/center-left-seguro-portugal-president/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #politics #antoniojoseseguro #portugal #europe #andreventura
Thirteen party members or local leaders across four states in Venezuela reported fractures in the ruling socialist party in the weeks after U.S. forces captured President Nicolas Maduro. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/09/world/politics/distrust-socialist-party-venezuela/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #politics #venezuela #southamerica #nicolasmaduro
Keir Starmer’s future is in the balance after a crisis over the appointment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to Washington claimed the U.K. prime minister’s closest aide. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/09/world/politics/starmer-uk-aide-quits/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #politics #keirstarmer #petermandelson #uk #morganmcsweeney #jeffreyepstein #labour
A Ukrainian-born Russian citizen has been extradited to Moscow from Dubai on suspicion of gravely injuring one of Russia's most senior military intelligence officers, Russian officials said on Sunday. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/08/world/russia-general-shooting-suspect/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #russia #ukraine #russiaukrainewar #gru #fsb #vladimiralexeyev
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Sunday ruled out Tehran ever giving up uranium enrichment in its negotiations with Washington, insisting it will not be intimidated by the threat of war with the United States. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/08/world/politics/iran-us-enrich-uranium/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #politics #iran #us #nuclearweapons #middleeast #donaldtrump
A senior Hamas leader said Sunday that the Palestinian Islamist movement would not surrender its weapons nor accept foreign intervention in Gaza, pushing back against U.S. and Israeli demands. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/08/world/politics/hamas-disarmament-foreign-rule/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #politics #middleeast #israel #gaza #israelhamaswar #palestinians #hamas #us
A Catholic community wedded to tradition is preparing to defy Pope Leo XIV by ordaining new bishops without his approval, raising the specter of a new schism within the Church. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/08/world/society/catholic-traditionalists-vatican/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #society #popeleoxiv #vatican
The Davydenkos are among many in Ukraine who say they will never leave their land, a sentiment fueling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s push against maximalist Russian demands in ongoing peace talks. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/08/world/society/kyiv-family-pets-russia-cold/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #society #ukraine #russia #russiaukrainewar
The U.S. wants Moscow and Kyiv to end their war before summer arrives, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/08/world/politics/us-russia-ukraine-summer-zelenskyy/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #politics #ukraine #russia #russiaukrainewar #vladimirputin #volodymyrzelenskyy #us
An 18-month-old girl detained for weeks by U.S. immigration authorities was returned to custody and denied medication after being hospitalized with a life-threatening respiratory illness, a lawsuit filed in Texas claims. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/08/world/crime-legal/toddler-ice-custody-medication-lawsuit/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #crimelegal #us #donaldtrump #republicans #ice #immigration #children
The answer for a new world order is not to defend institutions that have lost their effectiveness and legitimacy; it is to create something better, starting with AI, where we can build from the ground up. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/02/08/world/a-new-world-order/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #worldnews #artificialintelligence #unitednations #donaldtrump
Starmer faces a political crisis over his decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as U.S. ambassador despite knowing his ties to Jeffrey Epstein, undermining public trust and leaving him vulnerable within his Labour Party. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/02/06/world/starmer-facing-final-curtain/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #worldnews #keirstarmer #petermandelson #jeffreyepstein #labourparty #edmiliband #wesstreeting #tories
A detention center in rural Texas has become a harsh symbol of President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown, with disease breaking out among the throng of people held. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/08/world/bugs-sickness-immigrants-texas/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #us #donaldtrump #republicans #immigration #texas #ice
Protesters in Milan threw firecrackers, smoke bombs and bottles at police after breaking away from the main body of a demonstration in the Olympic host city on Saturday. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/08/world/police-protesters-olympic-milan/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #milan #italy #winterolympics
Discontent over Keir Starmer’s handling of revelations about former U.S. ambassador’s friendship with pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein has members of the Labour Party contemplating a change of leader. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/08/world/politics/labour-figures-replace-starmer/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #politics #keirstarmer #uk #edmiliband #labour #shabanamahmood #angelarayner #wesstreeting #andyburnham