North Korean leader says past diplomacy only confirmed US hostility

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un says past negotiations with the United States only confirmed Washington’s “unchangeable” hostility toward his country and described his nuclear buildup as the only way to counter external threats. 

Dive into immersive, A-list quality theater experience in Tokyo

Immersive Fort Tokyo is a huge, indoor theme park that opened in March in a 323,000-square-foot shopping mall. Inside, visitors may lose themselves in a world of stories created by actors.

Saucy start: Promising American-style barbecue joint opens at New Sanno Hotel in Tokyo

Bravo Zulu Barbecue — or BZQ — at the New Sanno Hotel in Tokyo is a bold attempt to re-create American-style barbecue in central Tokyo.

Pacific Air Forces commander helps deliver modern training aircraft to Vietnam

Vietnam this week received the first of 12 military training aircraft scheduled for delivery through a U.S. program to strengthen partner nation militaries facing China.

Marine killed in Okinawa motorcycle crash was a motor vehicle operator from Texas

Lance Cpl. Avery Wayne Leverette, 21, of the III Marine Expeditionary Force Support Battalion at Camp Hansen, died in the five-vehicle crash, III MEF spokesman Capt. Pawel Puczko announced in a news release Thursday. 

Austin addresses China, UFOs and women in combat during Laos visit

On one of his last trips to Asia as Defense Secretary, Lloyd Austin expressed regret that China chose not to meet with Southeast Asian defense ministers this week in Laos. At the same press conference, he also talked briefly in praise of women’s contributions in the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Pakistan court grants bail to ex-prime minister Imran Khan

A Pakistani court granted bail to former Prime Minister Imran Khan in a case where he is accused of hiding income but he won’t be freed from jail as he is under arrest in other cases.

Putin plans first India visit since his war in Ukraine began

Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to visit India for the first time since he ordered the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, a further sign of that U.S.-led efforts to isolate him on the world stage are failing.

Suicide car bomb kills 12 troops at a security post in northwestern Pakistan

A breakaway faction of the Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. Pakistan has witnessed a steady increase in violence from militant groups in its northwest and southwest in recent years.

Hong Kong ex-publisher Jimmy Lai testifies he didn’t ask Pence, Pompeo to take action against city

Former Hong Kong publisher Jimmy Lai is testifying at his landmark national security trial. He is accused of colluding with foreign forces to endanger national security. Authorities have used a Beijing-imposed national security law to prosecute many of Hong Kong’s leading activists, including Lai.

Japan says it will watch China’s military activity after Beijing admits violating Japanese airspace

Japanese officials say they are closely watching to see if China keeps its promise to prevent further violations of Japan’s airspace after explaining that an incursion by a Chinese military aircraft nearly three months ago was unintentional and caused by turbulence.

Air Force base reports lasers aimed at aircraft above Okinawa

Japanese police are investigating reports from the 18th Wing that laser pointers were aimed at two of its aircraft in the air on Tuesday.

Marine motorcyclist killed, another injured in 5-vehicle collision on Okinawa

One Marine motorcyclist died and another was injured Tuesday in a multivehicle crash in northern Okinawa, according to Japanese police and the Marine Corps.

US approves $6 billion sale of F-15K upgrades and support to South Korea

The State Department approved the sale of possible upgrades to South Korea’s F-15K Slam Eagle fighter aircraft.

Ukrainian envoy sounds alarm over North Korea’s growing military role in Russia

Ukrainian Ambassador to Japan Sergiy Korsunsky warned about North Korea’s growing military role in Russia, saying Kim Jong Un’s troops are learning battlefield lessons that will pose a challenge for the United States and its Asian allies.

North Korea sent more conventional weapons to Russia, South Korea says

North Korea recently supplied additional artillery systems to Russia to support its war efforts against Ukraine, while some of the thousands of North Korean troops deployed in Russia have begun engaging in combat, South Korea’s spy agency told lawmakers Wednesday.

‘Rosie the Riveter’ Lucille MacDonald dies at age 98 in Hawaii

Lucille “Cille” MacDonald, who this spring was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for her “Rosie the Riveter” work as a ship welder during World War II, died last week in Hawaii. She was 98.

Pentagon says most UFO sightings are explainable — but not all

The Pentagon office investigating UFO sightings attributes most reports of unusual aerial phenomena to birds, balloons or drones but acknowledges some cases are unexplainable — at least for now.

‘We must be ready’: INDOPACOM chief sounds alarm on China’s interest in invading Taiwan

The U.S. has witnessed in recent months a historic amount of large military exercises conducted by China, Adm. Samuel Paparo, the commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, said Tuesday as he sounded the alarm about a potential invasion of Taiwan.