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July 24, 2026
 

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MIDDLE EAST

While the administration of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has been cautious about deploying the Self-Defense Forces to conflict zones, renewed fighting could increase pressure for Japan to support post-conflict efforts, including humanitarian aid, demining and monitoring operations.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Politics
Jul 24, 2026
What the renewed 51³Ô¹ÏÍø means for Japan
The uncertain trajectory of the U.S. war with Iran will complicate the work of officials now shaping the administration of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi¡¯s future defense policies.
Washington and Riyadh have for years been discussing a nuclear cooperation deal that would give Saudi Arabia access to U.S. technology and American companies a chance to win big contracts for Saudi atomic energy facilities.
WORLD / Politics
Jul 23, 2026
Why is U.S.-Saudi nuclear pact causing alarm in Washington and Middle East?
Worries about security, weapons proliferation and political complications in a tinderbox region have been central concerns.
Iranian drones are displayed in an undisclosed location in Iran, in this handout image obtained on Jan. 13, 2025.U.S. officials have acknowledged that Russia has ?provided targeting ?and other support for Iran in its drone strikes on U.S. targets in the Persian Gulf region.
WORLD / Politics
Jul 23, 2026
Iran strikes on CIA facilities prompt questions about possible Russian role
While Russian assistance for Iran is longstanding, specific targeting of sensitive ?CIA sites would indicate Moscow is willing to go further in disrupting U.S. operations.
U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia in the White House in Washington on Nov. 18, 2025. An agreement with the Saudis could help American firms gain a foothold in the region.
WORLD / Politics
Jul 23, 2026
Trump signs nuclear sharing deal with Saudi Arabia in policy shift
The policy shift has alarmed nuclear nonproliferation experts and some members of Congress, who fear it could allow Saudi Arabia to turn uranium into weapons-grade material.
University students walk over depictions of the U.S., Israeli, and U.K. flags while marching in a demonstration to show their support for the Houthi movement amid escalating tensions with Saudi Arabia, at the Sanaa University campus in Yemen's Houthi-held capital Sanaa on Wednesday.
WORLD
Jul 23, 2026
Houthis say they attacked tankers in Red Sea, widening war
The Red Sea has emerged as a vital workaround for crude exports, particularly from Saudi Arabia, amid disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Houthi security force members stand guard as supporters rally against the Saudi-led coalition's restrictions on Houthi-controlled areas, which the group describes as a blockade, in Sanaa, Yemen, on Friday.
WORLD / ANALYSIS
Jul 22, 2026
Houthi Red Sea threat would challenge a stretched U.S. military
The possible entry of the Houthis into ?the conflict is another example of how the war continues to evolve, worsening a political headache for the U.S. president.
A displaced Palestinian woman washes clothes on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea in Gaza City on July 14.
WORLD / Society
Jul 22, 2026
In Gaza, a mother¡¯s hunt for water lays bare a worsening health crisis
Gaza is facing an unprecedented collapse of its water and sanitation systems, warn aid agencies, U.N. officials and Palestinian ?health authorities.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at the Gulf Cooperation Council, in front of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in May 2025.
WORLD
Jul 22, 2026
Trump to seek OK for Saudi nuclear pact that lacks safeguards, sources say
Saudi Arabia¡¯s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has long said if Iran developed a nuclear weapon, Saudi Arabia ?would ?too, fueling concern among arms control advocates.
Britain's Prime Minister Andy Burnham during a Cabinet meeting in Downing Street in London on Tuesday
WORLD / Politics
Jul 22, 2026
Burnham approves use of U.K. bases for some U.S. strikes on Iran
Prime Minister Andy Burnham will continue the previous government¡¯s policy when it comes to approving U.K. bases for what are called defensive U.S. strikes, sources said.
A container ship bound for the Strait of Malacca enters the Singapore Strait, near Asia's southern most point in Johor, Malaysia.
WORLD
Jul 22, 2026
Hormuz, Malacca and other key straits spawn tensions throughout history
As Iran tightens its grip on the Strait of Hormuz, its Yemeni allies, the Houthi rebels, want to disrupt shipping in the Red Sea.
Armed Yemeni supporters of the Iran-backed Houthi movement brandish their weapons during a protest against what the group says are restrictions imposed by the Saudi-led coalition on Houthi-controled areas of Yemen, in Sanaa on July 17.
WORLD
Jul 22, 2026
Tankers with Saudi crude turn back as Houthis open new front in U.S.-51³Ô¹ÏÍø
The Houthis, who control much of Yemen including the coast at the mouth of the Red ?Sea, announced ?a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia on Monday.
Armed Yemeni supporters of the Iran-backed Houthi movement hold portraits of Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi during a protest against what the group says are restrictions imposed by the Saudi-led coalition on Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, in Sanaa on July 17.
WORLD / Politics
Jul 21, 2026
How a Houthi blockade in the Red Sea tightens Iran¡¯s grip on global energy supply
Yemen sits on the southern gateway to the Red Sea, and closing that would open up a new front in the energy crisis and Iran¡¯s overarching conflict with the U.S.
Southeast Asian foreign ministers pose for a photo with representatives from the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights representatives during the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay, Philippines, on Monday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Jul 21, 2026
Myanmar¡¯s future and Middle East fighting hang over ASEAN talks
Talks over Myanmar ¡ª a member state formally excluded from summits since its military junta seized power in 2021 and triggered a bloody civil war ¡ª could ratchet up tension.
Vessels in the Strait of Hormuz near the beach of Bandar Abbas, Iran, on May 22. Southern Iran, which borders the strait, has been a major target of U.S. attacks.
WORLD / FOCUS
Jul 21, 2026
U.S. attacks deepen hardship, not dissent, in Iran¡¯s restive south
Bordering the Strait of Hormuz, southern Iran has been a major target of U.S. attacks on ports, energy facilities and transport infrastructure.
American forces boarded a ship in the Gulf of Oman on July 16 as part of the renewed blockade of Iran's ports that began earlier this week, the U.S. military said.
WORLD
Jul 21, 2026
Trump vows Iran will pay for deaths as mediators push truce
Earlier, Iran said mediators were in touch with proposals on how to ease hostilities after more than a week of worsening clashes.
Armed Yemeni supporters of the Iran-backed Houthi movement brandish their weapons during a protest against what the group says are restrictions imposed by the Saudi-led coalition on Houthi-controled areas of Yemen, in Sanaa on July 17.
WORLD / Politics
Jul 21, 2026
Houthis announce Saudi naval blockade, threatening new front in U.S.-51³Ô¹ÏÍø
The escalation comes after one of the deadliest periods in the war for U.S. troops.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters in the Oval Office on July 14.
WORLD / Politics / FOCUS
Jul 20, 2026
Trump is silent so far on Iran strategy as U.S. death toll rises
Both Iran and the U.S. have largely abandoned the tentative peace deal the U.S. president had touted.
A heavily damaged bridge hit by a U.S. strike is pictured along the road connecting Roudan and Bandar Abbas in southern Iran on Saturday
WORLD
Jul 19, 2026
U.S. strikes Iran to ¡®punish¡¯ it for attack that killed two troops
The U.S. and Iran have intensified attacks since an interim ceasefire deal signed a month ago fell apart in recent weeks, raising the possibility of a return to all-out war.
Andy Burnham gestures after being confirmed as the Labour Party's new leader and the country's next prime minister, during a meeting in central London on Friday.
WORLD / Politics / FOCUS
Jul 19, 2026
Burnham likely to steer steady ship on U.K. foreign policy
One difference could be a tougher line on Israel.
This screen shot taken from video released on Thursday shows a missile being launched from an undisclosed location toward U.S. targets in Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain.
WORLD
Jul 18, 2026
Iran says tankers exploded from Hormuz mines as U.S. strikes continue
U.S. forces reported striking Iran for the seventh consecutive night with attacks designed to ¡°continue degrading Iranian military capabilities.¡±
Japan scientists identify clusters of protein believed to trigger Alzheimer¡¯s disease
A team of researchers said they found a ¡°seed¡± that accelerates the amyloid beta accumulation process in the brain, naming it ¡°Peak 1 amyloid beta,¡± as seen in a mouse's brain.
Indian brothers make manga debut in Japan
Two Indian brothers made their manga debut in Japan with "Kung Fu Kung Fool" ¡ª an action-comedy series that follows the adventures of a notorious thief and a young boy.
Japan weighs regulating Pokemon cards amid trading mania
A Pokemon event is held in Jakarta on July 11
Low-income families in Japan cut food and air conditioning during summer break
Yumiko Watanabe, the chairperson of nonprofit Kidsdoor, explains the results of a survey in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward on July 1.
Iran strikes on CIA facilities prompt questions about possible Russian role
Iranian drones are displayed in an undisclosed location in Iran, in this handout image obtained on Jan. 13, 2025.U.S. officials have acknowledged that Russia has ?provided targeting ?and other support for Iran in its drone strikes on U.S. targets in the Persian Gulf region.
The sci-fi sensibilities of electronic trio Black Boboi
Black Boboi was formed in 2018 when solo artists Julia Shortreed, Utena Kobayashi and Ermhoi came together under Kobayashi¡¯s newly founded label, Bindividual.
A perfect storm: Kaze Fujii fans flock to Fuji Rock
Okayama-born singer-songwriter Kaze Fujii has carved out a distinctive place in Japanese pop since his major-label debut in 2019.
Can Japanese comedy get laughs in English? Yoshimoto Kogyo lets the jokes rip
Wes-P has millions of followers and his viral clips made him recognizable out of Japan.
The 180-day locals: Life on Japan¡¯s digital nomad visa
Christopher Flinn works remotely from Tokyo earlier this month. Japan issued 646 digital nomad visas in 2025, but tourism officials are hoping to increase that figure in the coming years, with Japan's relatively cheap cost of living and the weak yen seen as potential draws for young professionals.
Japan reveals hint of new defense spending target in fiscal blueprint
The Self-Defense Forces' Type 16 mobile combat vehicle fires during a joint live-fire drill with U.S. Marines as part of the annual Resolute Dragon exercises in Yufu, Oita Prefecture, on June 28.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo¡¯s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo¡¯s ¡®stadium of desire¡¯

Longform

For many people, utility poles and power lines have become such a familiar part of Japan¡¯s landscape that they often go unnoticed.
Why Japan¡¯s utility poles won¡¯t be disappearing anytime soon
By Alex K.T. Martin

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