Two Republican governors, both rumored to be considering presidential runs, made trips to the Asia region to meet with foreign leaders during the week of April 23. The visits coincide with heightened U.S. efforts to counter Chinese influence, TIME reports. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis met with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida as part of a…

When will Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) officially announce his candidacy for the Republican 2024 presidential race? While the question has been batted around for months now, former President Trump continues to widen his lead in the primary polls. When asked about the latest polling numbers during his current trip to Japan, the governor responded…

The balance of power across the globe is shifting, thanks to aging populations in China and Japan and declining economic influence for longtime powerhouses like Germany. The door is wide open for advanced developing countries — India, Turkey, and Indonesia to name a few — to step up on the international stage, if they avoid…

A federal appeals court has ruled to preserve access to abortion pills, but tightened the rules on how the drug can be used. And officials claim North Korea has fired a weapon never used before in the country. These stories and more highlight the daily rundown for Thursday, April 13, 2023.  Court preserves abortion pill…

French President Emmanuel Macron is wrapping up a state visit he made to China in hopes of convincing President Xi Jinping to use his influence with Russia’s leader Vladimir Putin to end the conflict in Ukraine. Macron — who is facing stiff opposition at home over pension reforms — made little headway with his Chinese…

If Russia were to win the Ukraine War and push towards territory closer to Turkey, like in Moldova and Romania, Turkey would benefit from the security of being part of NATO. But Turkey, still reeling from massive earthquakes in February 2023, is a headache for NATO in many ways. Some Turkish companies and banks have…

For many decades, Japan’s military has taken a self-defense posture and limited its involvement in global conflicts. That stance changed late last year when it took the first step in developing first-strike capabilities. And in March 2023, Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida made a surprise trip to Ukraine to meet with Volodymyr Zelenskyy where he…

According to a report by Bain & Company, the Southeast Asian economy is forecasted to grow by 4-5% annually over the next ten years. Economists cite stable macroeconomics, a neutral political stance, and, unlike its demographically-challenged neighbors to the east (think China, Korea, and Japan), the region sports a young population. According to Straight Arrow…

New images released by Russia’s Defense Ministry shows a supersonic missile launching and successfully hitting a target in the Sea of Japan. Two of the medium-range missiles that were launched are capable of destroying a ship within 75 miles. Russia’s Defense Ministry said the missiles successfully hit a mock enemy sea target. Japan has responded…