Tokyo, 6 April, /AJMEDIA
Zelenskyy accuses Russia of worst war crimes since WWII
NEW YORK – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russian forces invading Ukraine of committing “the most terrible war crimes” since World War II and demanded Moscow’s accountability for cruel acts by its soldiers as he spoke via video Tuesday at a U.N. Security Council session on the military aggression now in its second month.
“The Russian military searched for and purposefully killed anyone who served our country,” Zelenskyy said through a translator. “They killed entire families, adults and children. And they tried to burn the bodies.”
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U.S., U.K., Australia to expand AUKUS cooperation to hypersonics
WASHINGTON – The United States, Britain and Australia said Tuesday they will work together on the development of hypersonic weapons and electronic warfare capabilities, expanding the efforts of the three-way security partnership focusing on the Indo-Pacific region.
In making the fresh announcement on the AUKUS partnership, U.S. President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson also reaffirmed their commitment to a “free and open Indo-Pacific” and an international system that respects human rights and the rule of law, saying the group’s importance “has only grown” amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
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U.S. slaps sanctions on most prominent Russia marketplace on dark web
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Treasury Department on Tuesday sanctioned the most prominent Russian marketplace on the dark web and a cryptocurrency exchange known to be mainly operating in Moscow and St. Petersburg in a bid to foil Russian attempts to evade already imposed financial restrictions following the invasion of Ukraine.
“The global threat of cybercrime and ransomware that originates in Russia, and the ability of criminal leaders to operate there with impunity, is deeply concerning to the United States,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a press release.
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Honda, GM to jointly develop affordable EV models, sales from 2027
TOKYO – Honda Motor Co. and General Motors Co. said Tuesday they will expand their tie-up to include joint development of a series of affordable electric vehicles, starting sales in North America from 2027.
The new EVs will be powered by next-generation lithium-ion batteries, with the expected sales price to be below $30,000 per vehicle. Several models, including a compact crossover, are being considered.
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Fisheries group conveys to PM opposition to Fukushima water release
TOKYO – A major fisheries group in Japan told Prime Minister Fumio Kishida Tuesday it remains firmly opposed to the planned discharge of treated water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea due to concern over negative impact on the industry.
“I told (Kishida) our position to oppose (the discharge) remains exactly the same,” Hiroshi Kishi, head of the national fisheries cooperatives, told reporters after visiting the prime minister’s office.
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Over 4,000 people apply to be astronauts with Japan’s space agency
TOKYO – The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency said Tuesday a record 4,127 people applied to become astronauts for the agency as it opened recruitment for the first time in 13 years with an eye on sending people to the International Space Station and on U.S.-led lunar exploration missions.
The all-time-high number comes as the agency for the first time dropped the requirement that candidates have a university education. The change was made in the hope of recruiting people with a wide range of experience.
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Japan, Turkey agree on close coordination over Ukraine crisis
TOKYO – Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed Tuesday to work closely in defending the international order following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Kishida told Erdogan during their roughly 25-minute phone talks that he highly appreciates Turkey’s consistent stance to protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine as Ankara has been stepping up mediation efforts over the war, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said.
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U.S. deficit shrinks 0.1% in Feb. with record-high exports, import
WASHINGTON – The U.S. deficit in trade of goods and services shrank 0.1 percent in February from the previous month to $89.19 billion, with both exports and imports hitting record-highs, the Commerce Department said Tuesday.
U.S. exports grew 1.8 percent to $228.63 billion and imports also rose 1.3 percent to $317.81 billion.
