Trump’s visit to Iraq prompts concerns about politicization of military
Justin McCurry in Tokyo
A day after President Trump’s surprise visit to American forces in Iraq and Germany, questions persisted about whether he had jeopardized the political neutrality of the U.S. military by leveling partisan attacks and signing red “Make America Great Again” hats for the troops.
The president’s behavior — out of step with that of his predecessors — highlighted the struggle Pentagon leaders face in navigating an avowedly apolitical military through a hyperpartisan era in U.S. politics, particularly under a commander in chief unafraid of breaking with established norms.
Car trundling down pavement highlights Japan's problem with old age and driving
Laughter on social media gives way to concern that 57,000 licensed drivers in country have some form of dementia
Justin McCurry in Tokyo
A viral video showing an older woman driving along a pavement in Japan – fortunately without incident – has highlighted the country’s struggle to halt a worrying rise in the number of accidents involving ageing drivers.
The clip has been viewed 6.8 million times and received 213,000 likes since it was posted on Twitter on Tuesday. It shows the woman as she drives her light silver hatchback along a wide pavement in the town of Nobeoka in Miyazaki prefecture, south-west Japan.
Saudi king demotes Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir in reshuffle
Former Finance Minister Ibrahim al-Assaf appointed to lead foreign ministry in first shake-up since Khashoggi killing.
Saudi Arabia's King Salman has appointed a new foreign minister as part of a major cabinet reshuffle, according to state media.
A royal decree on Wednesday demoted outgoing chief diplomat Adel al-Jubeir to the position of minister of state for foreign affairs and named Ibrahim al-Assaf as his replacement.
Thursday's shake-up is the first since the October 2 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the kingdom's consulate in the Turkish city of Istanbul by a Saudi hit squad.
Mary Robinson labelled a 'willing pawn' over visit with UAE princess
Former UN human rights chief posed with royal but critics say princess is held against her will
Mary Robinson, the former UN high commissioner for human rights, has come under fire for claiming that an Emirati princess campaigners say is being held against her will is “in the loving care of her family”.
The former Irish president made the comments after the 33-year-old’s family released pictures showing her in Dubai with Robinson, claiming they rebut allegations that she was taken home against her will.
Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed al-Maktoum, a daughter of Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, had not been heard from since she was seized from a yacht off the coast of India in March.
Yellow Vests ProtestsIf Macron Fails, Europe Fails
French President Emmanuel Macron has tried to calm protesters by raising the minimum wage, among other concessions. But if the yellow vests continue eroding his authority, it's not just France that will suffer. And Germany is partly at fault.
Famed German political sociologist Max Weber once argued that the two great drivers of revolutionary power were charisma and rationality. Charisma depends on enthusiasm, rationality on intellectualization. According to this blueprint, Emmanuel Macron would seemingly be the ideal revolutionary. He combines charisma and intellect like few others and believes in the need to change France, Europe and the world. The book about his campaign is called simply: "Révolution." Macron sees himself as a know-it-all in the best sense of the term, but precisely that is also his greatest weakness. Nowhere did Weber write that charisma and intellect magnify each other when combined. A glance at the trajectory of Macron's popularity in France might lead to the assumption that the two qualities cancel each other out. Can a charismatic leader be a know-it-all? Can a know-it-all have charisma?
Yasukuni protesters from Hong Kong to face trespassing charges
Two Hong Kong activists who were arrested by Japanese police for trespassing after staging a protest at the Yasukuni Shrine two weeks ago will be prosecuted in Japan in February, a local legislator said Thursday.
Democratic Party lawmaker Andrew Wan, who has been following the pair’s case, told reporters that the Japanese lawyer representing Kwok Siu-kit and Yim Man-wa confirmed that they have been formally charged for trespassing on private property and will appear in court in February.
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