News

Russia has reportedly deployed over 10,000 North Korean soldiers to the Ukraine conflict, with approximately 4,000 casualties recorded so far. Examining recovered personal belongings from the battlefield reveals the soldiers' complex emotions, ranging from extreme mental anguish and self-criticism to continued loyalty and hope.

China's annual NPC session kicked off this week, with Premier Li Qiang's speech highlighting rising risks due to ongoing trade tensions with the U.S. Meanwhile, local governments are rapidly integrating DeepSeek's AI model into their operations, prioritizing support for the tech company over concerns about safety, security, and necessity.

TV personality Dewi Sukarno, widow of Indonesia's first president, will run in Japan's Upper House election on an animal welfare platform, advocating for a ban on eating dog and cat meat. She plans to form a new political party called "12 Heiwa-to" (12 peace party) with entrepreneur Hiroshi Horiike, a prominent advocate for international bans on eating dogs and cats.

Haneda Airport is testing a touchless fingerprint authentication system for international visitors, aiming to improve entry procedures and security. This technology, developed by Panasonic Connect, utilizes a camera to capture fingerprints without physical contact, addressing accuracy issues and offering a more convenient experience.

A major bleaching event this summer killed 61.2% of corals off Amami-Oshima island, likely caused by high ocean temperatures due to a reduced number of typhoons approaching Japan. The research association remains optimistic about the corals' recovery, citing the resilience of deeper water corals and the absence of crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks.