Autos, Crime & justice, Policy & regulation
454 storiesJapan defense minister to meet Okinawa governor over arrested U.S. Marine
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said on Oct. 6 that he will meet Okinawa Governor Genta Kojya on Oct. 7 to discuss measures to prevent a repeat of incidents involving U.S. military personnel, after a Marine based at Futenma was arrested o…
US Marine arrested in Naha hotel killing; Japan protests, Okinawa governor speaks out
A 20-year-old US Marine was arrested on suspicion of robbery-murder after a 39-year-old woman was found dead at a hotel in Naha, Okinawa Prefecture, and Japanese officials protested to the US side. Foreign Ministry Senior Deputy Minister Ta…
Okinawa governor protests to US commander over Marine held in Naha killing
Okinawa Governor Koja Genta summoned the top US commander in Okinawa, Lt. Gen. Benjamin T. Watson, and other US and Japanese officials to the prefectural office on Oct. 5 and protested over the killing of a woman at a Naha hotel for which a…
Defense ministry to pursue cut, abolition of alternative service for arts, sports
South Korea’s Defense Ministry said on Oct 6 that it plans to ultimately pursue a reduction and abolition of supplementary military service, including arts and sports personnel, and to reflect it in the defense reform basic plan. Spokespers…
Lawyers for ex-Olympian David Hearn seek watchdog inquiry into Reflecting Pool case
Lawyers for former Olympic canoeist David Hearn asked the inspectors general of the Justice and Interior departments on Tuesday to investigate what they call a flawed investigation and prosecution over damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflect…
Okinawa police send US Marine to prosecutors over Naha hotel robbery-murder
Okinawa prefectural police arrested US Marine lance corporal Devin Jacob Ballard, 20, of Futenma base, on suspicion of robbing and killing a 39-year-old woman at a hotel in Naha, and sent him to the Naha district prosecutors’ office on Oct …
Netherlands proposes civilian reserve of 150,000 for emergencies
The Netherlands has proposed creating a civilian reserve for crises, with RTL reporting a target of 150,000 reservists for emergency situations, according to TASS. The reported roles include drivers, security guards and mechanics. RBC repor…
Christa Pike conscious and speaking after failed Tennessee execution, lawyers say
Christa Pike, 50, is conscious and speaking and receiving critical medical care nearly a week after Tennessee's attempt to execute her with the drug pentobarbital failed, her attorneys said Tuesday. They said her prognosis remains unclear, …
Trump signs order allowing tax-free red-dyed diesel on highways
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday temporarily allowing off-road red-dyed diesel to be used for highway driving and deferring the federal excise tax on that fuel through the end of 2026 without interest or penalties.…
US military in Okinawa restricts troops after Marine's arrest in killing
The U.S. military in Okinawa is pausing all operations for two days and restricting troops from leaving their bases after a Marine was arrested on suspicion of killing a local woman. Okinawa prefectural police arrested Lance Cpl. Devin Jaco…
Police: bar owner held over girlfriend’s body in Miyagi; staged messages suspected
Police in Tokyo have arrested a 36-year-old bar owner on suspicion of abandoning the body of his 25-year-old girlfriend in mountains in Kurihara, Miyagi Prefecture, on 28 September. Investigators believe he used her smartphone to send messa…
Two arrested, others sought after fight among about 10 foreigners in Pyeongtaek
Police in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, arrested two men in their 20s — a Russian national and a Kyrgyz national — after a fight involving about 10 foreigners late on Oct 3, and are tracing others who fled. Reports differ on whether the fi…
Serving Seoul police officer arrested over AI-generated sexual exploitation videos
A senior constable in the traffic division of Seoul’s Dongdaemun Police Station was arrested last month on charges of possessing, producing and distributing sexual exploitation material and false videos, including AI-generated images of acq…
Couple in their 60s found dead in Naju house; police seek suspect
A couple in their 60s were found dead at a house in Naju, in the Jeonnam-Gwangju region, according to police reports carried by several South Korean outlets on Oct 6. Local reports described the bodies as bound and said police believe the c…
Okinawa US forces order 48-hour pause and overnight curfew after Marine arrest
The top US commander in Okinawa, Lt. Gen. Watson, issued an emergency statement ordering a 48-hour “training period” for US military-related personnel in the prefecture from noon on 7 October to noon on 9 October, with off-base outings and …
Asian Games gold row widens as parties in South Korea seek exemption review
South Korea beat Japan 1-0 on October 3 to win a fourth consecutive Asian Games men's football gold, a result that exempts most of the squad from military service. A locker-room photo of Park Seung-su in a discharge hat, captain Lee Ki-hyuk…
Trump approves firing squad for Fort Hood shooter, first since WWII
US President Donald Trump has approved a firing-squad execution for Nidal Malik Hasan, convicted in the 2009 Fort Hood shooting that killed 13 people and wounded 32. The Pentagon said Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth recommended the method an…
US Marine in Okinawa arrested on suspicion of robbery-murder at Naha hotel
Okinawa prefectural police arrested US Marine Pfc. Devin Jacob Ballard, 20, of the Futenma base, on suspicion of robbing and killing a woman at a hotel in Naha, where she was found dead around 04:30 on Oct 3. Police said the suspect denies …
South Korea's Lee orders CPTPP talks restarted from the beginning amid farm concerns
President Lee Jae-myung instructed at a cabinet meeting on Oct 6 that the government should not fix a conclusion on joining the CPTPP and should “restart dialogue from the beginning,” saying the pact's strategic value is cited alongside ver…
California couple charged with child abuse in surrogacy case involving 21 children
Guojun Xuan, 66, and Silvia Zhang, 39, were arrested Tuesday at their Arcadia, California, home and charged with child abuse, conspiracy to commit child abuse, accessory after the fact and dissuading a witness, Los Angeles County District A…