Suicides in Japan fall below 20,000 for 1st time in 2025
WorldTOKYO -- The number of people who died by suicide in Japan in 2025 came to 19,097, standing below 20,000 for the first time since the statistics began in 1978, preliminary government data showed Thursday.
Japan police conduct 13 undercover probes into 'dark' jobs
WorldTOKYO -- Japanese police conducted 13 undercover investigations into so-called dark part-time jobs through last month, National Police Agency sources said Thursday.
China expects record 9.5 billion passenger trips during Lunar New Year
WorldBEIJING - China expects a record 9.50 billion passenger trips to be made during the 40-day spring festival holiday travel period, higher than the 9.02 billion domestic trips last year, a state planning official said on Thursday.
Pakistan becomes latest Asian country to introduce checks for deadly Nipah virus
WorldLAHORE/HANOI -- Authorities in Pakistan have ordered enhanced screening of people entering the country for signs of infections of the deadly Nipah virus after India confirmed two cases, adding to the number of Asian countries stepping up controls.
Toyota retains top auto crown in 2025 with record sales
WorldTOKYO - Toyota Motor sold a record 11.3 million vehicles globally in 2025, the company said on Thursday, retaining its crown as the world's top-selling automaker for a sixth consecutive year.
Samsung sees acute chip shortage persisting, warns of mobiles headwind after profit triples
WorldSEOUL -- Samsung Electronics forecast a worsening chip shortage this year driven by the AI boom, with strong memory demand benefiting its mainstay chip business but creating headwinds for its other units like smartphones and displays.
'One Battle After Another' leads BAFTA nominations, 'Sinners' also recognised
WorldLONDON - Action-packed dark comedy "One Battle After Another" led nominations for the BAFTA Film Awards on Tuesday, with vampire thriller and box office smash "Sinners" also widely recognised at Britain's top movie honours.
Amazon axes 16,000 jobs as it pushes AI and efficiency
WorldAmazon confirmed 16,000 corporate job cuts on Wednesday, completing a plan for around 30,000 since October, while leaving open the possibility of further reductions.
Plane crash in Colombia kills 15, including politician
WorldBOGOTA -- A plane crash in northeast Colombia on Wednesday killed all 15 people on board, including a local lawmaker, state-run airline Satena said.
Real Madrid and PSG miss automatic qualification on frenetic group-stage finale
WorldLONDON -- Real Madrid missed out on automatic qualification for the Champions League knockout rounds as they crumbled to a 4-2 defeat at Benfica on a frenetic final night of group-stage action across Europe on Wednesday.
