Slow tropical storm dumps heavy rain around Tokyo after causing floods

TOKYO — A slow-moving tropical storm had a far-reaching impact in much of Japan on Friday, dumping heavy rain around Tokyo and flooding roads and riverside areas in the south

Smartwatch insults Chinese as authorities struggle to tame AI

Washington — Technology analysts say a Chinese company’s smartwatch directs racist insults at Chinese people and challenges their historic inventions, showing the challenges authorities there face in trying to control content from artificial intellig[..]

Ukrainian defense minister visits Pentagon as Ukraine push into Russia continues

Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov visited the Pentagon on Friday to update the U

China uses media trips in soft power play to boost image

Beijing is sending international reporters to Chinese cities to showcase culture, technology and tourism

Family of missing Zimbabwean activist wants to know what happened to him

Harare, Zimbabwe — There is still no word on the fate of Zimbabwean journalist turned human rights activist Itai Dzamara, an outspoken government critic who disappeared nearly a decade ago, in March 2015

Zambia warns it will tighten cybersecurity laws

Lusaka, Zambia — Authorities in Zambia have announced measures to tighten enforcement of cybersecurity laws, saying the move is aimed at curbing online hate speech, propaganda, defamation and child abuse

Analysts welcome Nigeria's security pact with Niger

abuja, nigeria — Nigeria and neighboring Niger have signed an agreement to boost their security cooperation, despite tensions following a coup in Niger more than a year ago

Telegram boss' lawyer dismisses probe against Durov as absurd

PARIS — A lawyer for Telegram boss Pavel Durov, who is being investigated in France, said it was totally absurd to suggest the head of a social network was responsible for any criminal acts committed on the platform, French media said

Germany expels head of banned Muslim association

FRANKFURT, Germany — Germany has told the Iranian head of the recently banned Islamic Center Hamburg (IZH) that he is being expelled from the country and has two weeks to leave, authorities in Hamburg said on Thursday

Britain resumes bid for tougher police powers over street protests

LONDON — Britain has revived its attempt to give police wider powers to impose conditions on street protests, a decision that a civil rights group said showed a worrying disregard for the rule of law

Spanish YouTube chef gets life in prison for murder in Thailand

BANGKOK — A court in Thailand on Thursday found Daniel Sancho Bronchalo, a member of a famous Spanish acting family, guilty of premeditated murder and sentenced him to life in prison, in a lurid case that involved the victim being dismembered

Russian editor sentenced to 8 years for criticizing Ukraine campaign

Moscow — A Russian news editor in Siberia was sentenced to eight years in prison Friday for publishing critical material on Moscow's offensive in Ukraine, which has been accompanied in Russia by a massive crackdown on dissent

Ukraine, Russia trade attacks, leaving dozens dead or injured

Kyiv, Ukraine — A Russian bomb attack on the northeastern Ukraine city of Kharkiv on Friday hit a playground and a 12-story residential building

Lowest euro zone inflation in 3 years sets up ECB for cut

FRANKFURT/TALLINN — Inflation in the euro zone fell to its lowest level in three years in August, setting the stage for a further cut in the European Central Bank's interest rates next month despite an Olympics-driven surge in the price of services

US company helps Ukraine develop nuclear energy capabilities

Russian shelling has destroyed 50% of Ukraine's electricity generation capacity since late March, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy