France reports over 40 cryptocurrency kidnappings so far this year
WorldNANTERRE, France -- France has seen more than forty cases of kidnappings or hostage takings linked to cryptocurrencies since January, a worrying surge since last year as criminals seek to extort digital currency investors for ransom, authorities said Thursday.
The butler did it: Elysee worker sentenced for stealing presidential porcelain
WorldA Paris court on Thursday handed a former silverware keeper at France's presidential palace a two-year sentence for stealing hundreds of thousands of euros worth of luxury items between 2023 and 2025.
'AI shamans' tell the fortunes of curious South Koreans
WorldThe sound of tinkling bells drifts through an alley in central Seoul, an unmistakable sign that a shaman is near -- although in this case the mystic is a robot powered by artificial intelligence.
Eight people killed in helicopter crash in Indonesia's West Kalimantan, authorities say
WorldAll eight people on board a helicopter were killed when it crashed in Indonesia's West Kalimantan province, authorities said on Friday as search teams tried to retrieve the bodies and wreckage.
Lawsuit filed against Messi after failing to play friendly in Miami
WorldLionel Messi is facing a lawsuit from a Miami-based event promoter that alleges the soccer star breached a contract by failing to play in an exhibition match last year, according to court records filed on March 31.
IMF warns of Asia's vulnerability to war-induced energy shock
WorldWASHINGTON -- Asia is more vulnerable to an energy shock than other regions because of its heavy reliance on Middle East fuel, an International Monetary Fund executive said, warning of an acute hit to growth if a prolonged war triggers supply shortages.
Escaped wolf in South Korea recaptured, returned to zoo
WorldSEOUL -- A wolf that escaped from a South Korean zoo was recaptured on Friday, authorities said, after he caused a school closure, a huge nine-day search and a government gaffe over an AI-generated image.
Foreign visitors to Japan hit record high for March
WorldTOKYO -- The estimated number of foreign visitors to Japan in March rose 3.5 pct from a year earlier to 3,618,900, marking a record high for the month, the Japan National Tourism Organization said Wednesday.
Ex-teacher who founded child porn sharing group gets 30 months
WorldNAGOYA -- A Japanese district court sentenced a 42-year-old former elementary school teacher in the central prefecture of Aichi to 30 months in prison on Thursday for sharing child pornography through a social media group chat he created.
Can Japan stop national stadium from becoming white elephant?
WorldTOKYO -- More than four years after the Tokyo Summer Olympics and Paralympics in 2021, efforts are underway to rescue the new Japan National Stadium from its potential fate of becoming a white elephant.
