https://english.alahednews.com.lb/nicons/rsslogo.png https://english.alahednews.com.lb/ Alahednews https://english.alahednews.com.lb/ Alahednews Japan PM Calls Early Election Amid Strong Approval Takaichi tells senior figures in ruling LDP she plans to dissolve lower house on 23 January https://english.alahednews.com.lb/85117/551 Thailand Crane Collapse Kills 22, Hits Train Crane collapse on Bangkok–Ubon train kills 22, injures 80, halts rescue https://english.alahednews.com.lb/85035/551 ICJ Opens Hearings in Genocide Case Over Myanmar’s Treatment of Rohingya The case marks the first time in more than a decade that the ICJ has fully taken up a genocide trial. https://english.alahednews.com.lb/84983/551 Japan PM Weighs Snap Election in Coming Weeks Takaichi’s coalition regained a lower-house majority in November but remained a minority in the upper house. https://english.alahednews.com.lb/84953/551 Mountain of Garbage Kills 4 in Philippines So far, 12 people have been rescued alive and hospitalized. https://english.alahednews.com.lb/84945/551 India Moves to Lift Curbs on Chinese Companies Modi and Xi’s talks spark a new era as India eases curbs on Chinese companies. https://english.alahednews.com.lb/84908/551 Bangladesh Probe Finds Hundreds Likely Killed In Enforced Disappearances At least 287 victims are now presumed dead, according to the commission’s final report submitted to the government on Sunday. https://english.alahednews.com.lb/84844/551 Thailand Releases Cambodian POWs Under Ceasefire Agreement The move is supposed to ease tensions after months of deadly border clashes between the two countries. https://english.alahednews.com.lb/84778/551 Bangladesh Mourns Khaleda Zia, Pioneering Prime Minister at 80 The BNP said its chairperson and former prime minister passed away at around 6:00 a.m. https://english.alahednews.com.lb/84723/551 Thailand, Cambodia Call Ceasefire After Deadly 20-Day Clash Thailand and Cambodia fought for three weeks, displacing over 500,000; both sides have now declared an end to hostilities. https://english.alahednews.com.lb/84680/551 Malaysia: Former PM Found Guilty of Abuse of Power Malaysian and US investigators say at least $4.5bn was stolen from 1Malaysia Development Berhad. https://english.alahednews.com.lb/84650/551 Japan Approves Record Defense Budget amid Escalating China Tensions Tokyo’s postwar constitution forbids it from using force as a means of settling international disputes. https://english.alahednews.com.lb/84641/551 Japan’s PM Plans First US Visit amid Rising Tensions with China Tokyo had initially proposed holding the US visit in January. https://english.alahednews.com.lb/84620/551 Taiwan Leader Promises Transparency After Fatal Taipei Metro Attack The attack occurred when a man set off smoke bombs inside Taipei’s main metro station before carrying out a stabbing attack. https://english.alahednews.com.lb/84538/551 Japan: No-Nukes Policy  Japan hosts the largest overseas concentration of US military forces. https://english.alahednews.com.lb/84507/551 Australia’s Hate Laws Spark Alarm Among Pro-Palestine Groups Australia’s new hate-speech laws spark fears of targeting pro-Palestine activism. https://english.alahednews.com.lb/84486/551 Bondi Beach Shooting: 15 Dead at Jewish Festival in Sydney The attack occurred as crowds assembled at Bondi Beach for Chanukah by the Sea. https://english.alahednews.com.lb/84399/551 Thailand-Cambodia Clashes Persist Despite Trump’s Ceasefire Claim Trump announced the agreement after calls with Thai PM and Cambodian PM https://english.alahednews.com.lb/84384/551 Report: US-Funded Network Linked to September Coup Unrest in Nepal Violent clashes known as the Gen Z protests forced Nepal’s prime minister to resign in September. https://english.alahednews.com.lb/84372/551 Thailand Assures US It Wants Peaceful Ties with Cambodia Thailand and the US have intensified diplomacy to ease rising border tensions with Cambodia after a Trump-brokered truce collapsed. https://english.alahednews.com.lb/84357/551 Australia Enforces Landmark Ban Blocking Children Under 16 From Social Media Users under 16 will not be able to create or keep such accounts as of Wednesday. https://english.alahednews.com.lb/84304/551 Japan Rejects EU Plan to Use Frozen Russian Assets for Ukraine Funding The bloc wants to use Moscow’s funds immobilized in the West to cover Ukraine’s budget deficit. https://english.alahednews.com.lb/84302/551 Border Fighting Between Thailand, Cambodia Turns Deadly Each side has blamed the other for renewed clashes, which have derailed a ceasefire brokered by Donald Trump https://english.alahednews.com.lb/84296/551 Japan Summons Chinese Ambassador Over Alleged Radar Lock Incident Beijing firmly rejected the accusation, calling Japan’s claims misleading, provocative, and intended to inflame regional tensions. https://english.alahednews.com.lb/84274/551 Thai and Cambodian Forces Trade Accusations as Border Fighting Flares Again The neighbors have accused each other of violating a US-brokered ceasefire. https://english.alahednews.com.lb/84266/551