In controversial shift, Japan aims to open door wider for foreign blue-collar workers
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s cabinet approved draft legislation on Friday to open the door to more overseas blue-collar workers in sectors grappling with labor shortages, a controversial policy shift in immigration-shy Japan.
Japanese maker of train in deadly Taiwan crash finds design flaw
The Japanese manufacturer of a train that derailed in Taiwan killing 18 people said it had discovered a design flaw that failed to alert the central control system that an automatic safety feature had been turned off.
Turkey-U.S. start joint Syria patrols but Turkey strikes at Kurds
Turkish and U.S. troops began joint patrols in northern Syria on Thursday aimed at averting clashes between Turkey and Washington’s Kurdish allies, but Turkey pressed on with a new threatened offensive nearby to crush the Kurds.
Saudi-led coalition says attacked airbase, missile sites in Sanaa airport
The Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen attacked Sanaa International Airport and an adjoining airbase which were being used by Houthi insurgents to launch drone and ballistic missile attacks, the coalition spokesman told al-Ekhbaria TV on Friday.
Scandals, jail sink Peru’s Fujimori dynasty again
Peru’s Fujimori family has been here before.
Pakistan Islamists block roads to protest acquittal of Christian
Pakistan’s ultra-Islamist party blocked roads in major cities for a third day on Friday in protest against the acquittal of a Christian woman on death row for blasphemy allegations.
U.S. Energy Secretary Perry to visit Ukraine and Poland
U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry will visit Ukraine, Poland and other eastern European countries next week as the Trump administration seeks to offer them alternatives to buying coal and gas from Russia.
Pompeo says ‘handful more weeks’ before U.S. responds to Khashoggi killing
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Thursday it would be a “handful more weeks” before the United States had enough evidence to impose sanctions in response to the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
Saudi Arabia hosts rare visit of U.S. evangelical Christian figures
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held a rare meeting with American evangelical Christians on Thursday, as the ultra-conservative Muslim kingdom seeks to open up more to the world and repair an image of religious intolerance.
Jordan ministers resign over Dead Sea flood deaths
Jordan’s education and tourism ministers resigned on Thursday after an investigation into the deaths of 21 people, mainly school children who were swept away in flash floods on a school outing in the Dead Sea region, state media said.
