Le Journal
North Korean blame game: what’s behind Kim Jong-un’s public sacking of vice-minister
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s public dismissal of a vice-minister during an inspection tour of a major industrial zone reflects growing anxiety within the leadership as Pyongyang prepares for a pivotal ruling party congress amid persistent economic strain, according to analysts. By firing the official on the spot, Kim appears to be signalling zero tolerance for delays and mismanagement while reinforcing his authority ahead of the 9th Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea to be held early...
Philippines eyes ‘game changer’ for maritime defence with French shipbuilding boost
Malaysia’s new expat salary rules dubbed ‘ridiculous’, stoking fears of talent drain
Japan’s Okinawa loses longevity crown as slow living makes way for faster, shorter future
A generation ago, the people of Okinawa in Japan were recognised as among the longest-lived in the world, fortunate residents of one of just five “blue zones” around the planet where a combination of healthy diet, lifestyle and positive attitude enabled them to live to a ripe old age. Today, that longevity has been turned on its head. Life expectancy for both Okinawan men and women is expected to tumble again when the results of a new study, conducted every five years, are released in the coming...
Will Iran’s instability force China to rethink its Middle East strategy?
China wants chips, US needs power: divergent AI growth paths emerge amid bubble concerns
New details of China’s H-6J maritime strike bomber: more vision, more range, more roles
‘Not a gym’: Thai temple warns tourists not to do yoga, climb ancient rocks at place of worship
A jungle temple in Thailand hailed as a “hidden gem” has urged tourists to stop “inappropriate behaviour” after they were spotted doing gymnastics and wearing revealing clothing at the site. The Wat Pha Lat temple, nestled on a mountain above Chiang Mai in the country’s north, is a popular tourist spot. It also serves as a peaceful place for monks to meditate. On January 15, the temple published a post on its social media account, which has 11,000 followers, urging its visitors to stop...
Global memory chip crunch to persist even as Samsung, SK Hynix, Micron boost production
China could widen curbs on Japan’s imports, rare earths if tensions worsen: Morgan Stanley
Japan’s 1-party era faces ‘unprecedented’ threat from new centrist alliance
Train derails near Barcelona, killing driver, just days after deadly Spain crash
A commuter train derailed on Tuesday after a containment wall fell on the track due to heavy rain near the Spanish city of Barcelona, killing the driver and seriously injuring four passengers, a fire brigade official said. The accident occurred just two days after a high-speed train collision and derailment near Adamuz in the southern Cordoba province that killed 42 people. Claudi Gallardo, inspector at the Catalonia regional fire department, said in televised comments from the site of the...