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July 12, 2026
 

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Samy Adghirni
Vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, on June 18
BUSINESS / Economy
Jul 4, 2026
European nations now believe some Hormuz fees are inevitable
Privately, some Gulf Arab officials hold the same view, sources said, though this is not necessarily the formal position of their governments.
An F/A-18E Super Hornet taxis the flight deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln in support of Operation Epic Fury on March 2.
WORLD / Politics
Apr 15, 2026
U.S. allies are steering clear of naval mission in Strait of Hormuz
President Donald Trump insists U.S. allies are ready to help him in the Strait of Hormuz. They’re not even close.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Hungary's Viktor Orban during an election campaign rally in Budapest on April 7
WORLD / Politics / FOCUS
Apr 15, 2026
Trump seen as a risk by Europe’s far right after Orban loss
At a critical time for the nationalist movement in Europe, parties are struggling to land on a clear policy of how to deal with the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.
French President Emmanuel Macron at The Elysee Presidential Palace in Paris on Wednesday. Macron is urging European countries to prioritize local resources in strategic sectors such as chemicals, chips and tech.
BUSINESS / Economy
Feb 12, 2026
Macron on collision course with Germany over ‘buy European’
The French president urged European countries to prioritize local resources but German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned that such an approach could be too narrow.
Sebastien Lecornu, France's then-Minister of Armed Forces, leaves the Elysee presidential palace in Paris after a weekly Cabinet meeting on March 5. French President Emmanuel Macron has named Lecornu France’s new prime minister.
WORLD / Politics
Sep 10, 2025
Macron appoints ally Lecornu as France’s new prime minister
Lecornu, who previously served as defense minister, will become the country’s fifth prime minister in two years.
Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant in 2019. The U.K., Germany and France on Thursday triggered a 30-day "snapback” process that would lead to a resumption of sanctions originally lifted as part of a 2015 deal.
WORLD / Politics
Aug 29, 2025
European powers pull trigger to slap Iran with U.N. sanctions
The move will likely raise tensions between Tehran and the West amid a standoff over Iran’s atomic activities following Israeli and U.S. airstrikes on nuclear sites in June.
Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas (right) meets then-French Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron, now France's president, in the West Bank city of Ramallah in 2015.
WORLD / Politics
Jul 25, 2025
France to recognize Palestinian state in September, Macron says
The French president’s announcement prompted a harsh response from Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.
Protesters gather in the streets of western Ukrainian city of Lviv on Wednesday following President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s decision to hobble anti-corruption authorities.
WORLD / Politics
Jul 24, 2025
Zelenskyy risks Ukraine EU bid as protests over graft office grow
EU leaders regarded the about-face on more than decade of rule-of-law efforts as a major setback for Ukraine’s bid on Western integration.
French President Emmanuel Macron underlined a permanent and organized threat from Russia that he said Europe must dissuade to ensure peace, in Paris on Sunday.
WORLD / Politics
Jul 14, 2025
France’s Macron raises defense budget and says Europe under threat
The French leader said he will double the annual defense budget from when he took office in 2017 to €64 billion by 2027, instead of 2029 as previously planned.
Palestinians move humanitarian aid collected from a distribution center in the Netzarim Corridor, central Gaza Strip, on May 29.
WORLD / Politics
Jun 4, 2025
Israel’s Gaza push spurs Europe leaders to turn on Netanyahu
The condemnation is symbolic of the shift in Europe and of Israel’s increasing isolation.
U.S. President Donald Trump's abrupt U-turn on his tariff measures has been met with a mix of relief and bewilderment.
BUSINESS / Economy
Apr 11, 2025
U.S. allies greet Trump’s tariff U-turn with relief and defiance
As governments try to divine what would convince Trump to grant permanent waivers, his new willingness to reverse course inserts another layer of uncertainty.
French President Emmanuel Macron addresses the nation in Paris on Wednesday, in this screen grab taken from a video.
WORLD / Politics
Mar 6, 2025
France to open talks to extend nuclear shield for Europe, Macron says
The French president’s remarks come as the EU rushes to counter the threat of Russian aggression after the withdrawal of the U.S.’ commitment to European security.
National Rally leader Marine Le Pen delivers a speech during a meeting in Etrepagny, central France, on Sunday.
WORLD / Politics
Dec 16, 2024
Le Pen takedown of Barnier holds lessons for next French PM
There is no placating the leader of the far-right National Rally, the largest party in the French National Assembly.
French President Emmanuel Macron will aim to avoid a new legislative election for more than two years, according to an official close to him.
WORLD / Politics
Dec 11, 2024
Macron aims to deter French far right with bid to avoid vote
The French president is piecing together a coalition of moderates that he hopes will last until 2027, when his term ends.
French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron attend the inaugural Mass at the reopened Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris on Sunday.
WORLD / Politics
Dec 9, 2024
Pressure mounts on Macron to name a new French prime minister
France’s political system is in disarray after Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally joined a left-wing coalition to topple the government.
French President Emmanuel Macron vows to stay on as leader during a televised broadcast from the Elysee Palace in Paris on Thursday.
WORLD / Politics
Dec 6, 2024
Macron vows to serve remainder of term as French president
“The mandate you gave me democratically is for five years and I will exercise it fully,” the French president said in a televised speech.
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.
China’s demand for Soviet-style apartments shows limits to revival
Apartments built during a Soviet Union-inspired construction drive in the 1970s and 1980s tend to suffer from poor insulation and outdated plumbing, but they are seeing a revival in interest due to their attractive locations.
Japanese scientists identify neural mechanism that may explain why we dislike people
The aggressive mouse (left) used in the experiment and a mouse defending itself
Japanese payment processor’s collapse hits banks and restaurants
Zentoshin served around 200,000 shops, many of which rely on early payments to maintain cash flow, raising concerns over their financial stability following the disruption.
Over 70% of accommodations in Japan say they are understaffed amid tourism influx
The number of foreign visitors to Japan reached a high of 42.68 million in 2025.
Lenders seek $700 million after Japanese payments firm’s collapse
The financial failure of Osaka-based Zentoshin has left 63 creditors with claims totaling ¥115.16 billion, according to Tokyo Shoko Research.
Japan’s largest exhibition of women photographers rights a wrong in cultural history
Miwa Yanagi’s “Elevator Girl House” series skewers the superficiality of gender roles through staged images.
Over 70% of accommodations in Japan say they are understaffed amid tourism influx
The number of foreign visitors to Japan reached a high of 42.68 million in 2025.
‘Princess Mononoke’ comes alive in Super Kabuki staging
The “Princess Mononoke” adaptation was created under Shochiku’s Super Kabuki initiative, a modern form of kabuki with more technology in staging and open to pop culture collaborations.
The beating heart inside ‘Human Vapor’
Different forms of love and connection form the emotional backbone of Netflix’s “Human Vapor,” says actor Shun Oguri, who plays troubled detective Kenji Okamoto.
Japan bets on character IP to drive global growth
Born on social media platforms in 2022, Opanchu Usagi has become a major hit, especially among Generation Z.

Podcast

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

Longform

The Terasaka Rice Terraces are seen with Mount Buko in the background.
What Yokoze can teach Japan about rural revival
By Alex K.T. Martin

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