Japan's Takaichi retains key ministers in reshuffle

TOKYO (Reuters) -- Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Thursday retained key ministers in a Cabinet reshuffle that seeks to shore up political support to push through her flagship spending plans amid jittery financial markets. In her first reshuffle since taking office last October, Takaichi kept Satsuki Katayama as finance minister, a move that provides continuity in Japan's exchange-rate policy. Katayama played a key role in negotiating with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on a rare

2026-09-17 14:23:39:00

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen says she wants Canada to become the bloc's 1st associate member

STRASBOURG, France (AP) -- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed Wednesday making Canada the European Union's first associate member, a striking overture as US President Donald Trump's threats drive Ottawa closer to Europe. Speaking in Charlotte, North Carolina, Trump suggested that allowing Canada to become an associate EU member could be a "hostile act" and threatened to respond to the proposed move by imposing more tariffs on the bloc. Trump conditioned his threat on the

2026-09-17 13:24:37:00

House approves sweeping Russia sanctions bill, sending it to Trump

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The House on Wednesday passed a broad package of sanctions targeting Russian officials and key pillars of its economy as lawmakers look to deprive President Vladimir Putin of the financial resources needed to wage the war against Ukraine. The bill is named after the late Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who spent more than a year negotiating it. The measure was approved in a 262-159 vote and now heads to President Donald Trump to be signed into law. The legislation repre

2026-09-17 13:07:20:00

Federal Reserve hikes key rate for 1st time in 3 years, defying Trump demands for a cut

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Federal Reserve raised its benchmark interest rate Wednesday for the first time since 2023 in an effort to quell stubbornly high inflation, and the central bank signaled another rate hike could occur later this year. The quarter-point increase lifts the Fed's key rate to about 3.9 percent and, over time, could result in higher borrowing costs for mortgages, auto loans and credit cards. In a set of quarterly projections, the Fed also signaled its rate-setting committee coul

2026-09-17 12:08:07:00

Saudis seek allies' help as missile defenses run low in fight with Houthis, officials say

CAIRO (AP) -- Saudi Arabia is running low on missile interceptors and has turned to regional and Western allies for assistance as its standoff with Houthi rebels in Yemen drags on, two regional officials said Wednesday. The officials said the Saudis have asked France, Britain, Pakistan and Egypt to deploy air-defense support to the region to help defend against missiles and drones fired by Houthis and other Iran-backed groups . The outreach was initiated because Saudi Arabia's main ally and arms

2026-09-17 11:24:31:00

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte appears in court in The Hague

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) -- Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte made his first public appearance in over a year Wednesday as he attended a hearing at the International Criminal Court, where he's facing charges of crimes against humanity. Dressed a black suit and a crisp white shirt, the 81-year-old smiled and waved at supporters, following a pretrial hearing that focused largely on scheduling concerns ahead of the trial's official start, expected in November. The ex-leader is accused

2026-09-17 11:11:46:00

Grandma's Jewelry May Be Lost, But Her Love Isn't 할머니의 보석은 없어졌을지 모르지만 사랑은 아닙니다

Dear Annie: My 15-year-old daughter was given a piece of sentimental jewelry on the day of her grandmother's funeral. It had belonged to her grandmother, and the gesture was meant to be a beautiful way for my daughter to carry a piece of her with her. At the time, my daughter seemed touched. She wore it a few times, and I remember feeling comforted seeing it on her, as if this small object helped connect the generations during a very sad time. Now, only a few months later, I fear the jewelry has

2026-09-17 10:00:00:00

Goguma julgi bokkeum, sweet potato stems

Sweet potato stems are low in calories and packed with fiber. Stir-fried with savory, nutty perilla seed powder, they make a delicious and comforting homemade Korean side dish. Try this recipe from W Table. Main Ingredients: Seasoning Ingredients: Instructions: Peel the sweet potato stems after washing them. Add a little salt to boiling water and boil the stems for about 7-10 minutes. Drain them in a colander and rinse with cold water. (Blanching the stems briefly in boiling water makes them eas

2026-09-17 08:00:00:00

[Wang Son-taek] Missing questions in the AI debate

A remarkable debate has erupted in the United States over how fast artificial intelligence should advance. Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, warned recently that AI capabilities could soon advance faster than humans can understand or control them. He called on leading AI companies to “pace the frontier,” slowing capability development enough for safety measures to catch up. His proposal drew support from several prominent figures in the AI industry, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, xAI founder Elo

2026-09-17 05:30:00:00

[Lee Moon-won] Hair loss focus turns to prevention

Two people sat in the waiting room. One had visibly thinning hair. She looked like someone who had wrestled with the decision for a long time before finally coming in. The other still had a full head of hair. At first, I wondered why she had come at all. But as the consultation went on, it was the second woman I ended up talking with for far longer. “I think I already know what would happen to me if I lost my hair. I watched it happen to my mother. I believe I need to stop it before it starts —

2026-09-17 05:30:00:00