Bangkok – A Thai man suspected of killing a former Cambodian opposition lawmaker in Bangkok confessed to the crime Saturday in a livestream video. Wearing a white T-shirt under a bulletproof vest, Ekkalak Paenoi told police and media, “I confess that I did wrong”, after being charged with premeditated murder and unauthorized gun ownership. “If I dared to do it, I dare to admit to it,” he added. Source link
MEXICO CITY – Nissan’s Oliver Rowland claimed his first Formula E victory of the season in Mexico City on Saturday in a thrilling second round of the all-electric championship. Starting from fourth, Rowland put in an outstanding performance to secure the Japanese manufacturer’s 20th win. “This one was tough, but I have no regrets. It was very emotional for me. You put in a lot of work and this is a once-in-a-lifetime win and in front of this crowd. It was really special,” Rowland said at a news conference. Defending champion Pascal Wehrlein returned to the podium after a dispiriting crash in the season opener at Sao Paulo last month, finishing third behind Porsche teammate Antonio Felix da Costa in second. “I’m not thinking about what happened in Brazil,” said Wehrlein. “Every race is different and we have to do our best every time.” The race turned after a yellow flag with just five laps to go. Rowland seized the opportunity to go on the attack, overtaking Andretti’s Jake Dennis to take the lead. Dennis finished fourth after a thrilling battle with the Porsche drivers on a cloudy Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez circuit. The next round will be in Jeddah on Feb. 14. Source link
With pledges to deepen security and economic cooperation, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba wrapped up a four-day visit to Malaysia and Indonesia on Saturday designed to shore up ties with Southeast Asia as China expands its regional clout and Donald Trump prepares to return to the White House. During Ishiba’s first overseas trip aside from international conferences, the prime minister met with Malaysian leader Anwar Ibrahim and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, both of whom agreed to work more closely with Japan — not only in the more traditional economic, investment and energy arenas, but also on security matters. Experts said Ishiba’s decision to prioritize Malaysia — this year’s chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), an organization critical to Tokyo’s regional interests — and Indonesia — the region’s largest country and economy — was no coincidence. Source link
Blue Origin LLC’s new flagship rocket is poised to blast off for the first time in a crucial test of the Jeff Bezos-backed firm’s ability to challenge SpaceX’s ironclad grip on the launch market. New Glenn, originally intended to launch as early as 2020, is set to lift off as soon as Monday out of Cape Canaveral, Florida, during a three-hour launch window that begins at 1 a.m. local time. That reflects a one-day delay due to sea conditions, according to a post on X. The mission aims to put a Blue Origin test satellite into orbit and then land the rocket’s lower portion on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. Source link
A U.S.-made wartime bomb that unexpectedly detonated at Miyazaki Airport in October 2024 likely contained a timed detonator designed to delay the fuse’s activation, according to a Defense Ministry investigation. Experts have identified the bomb as one of the explosives dropped by U.S. forces during World War II. The bombs employed chemical reactions to activate their fuses and were intended to temporarily disable bases used by the Imperial Japanese military for suicide attack missions. Ahead of next summer’s 80th anniversary of the end of the war, the blast serves as a sobering reminder of the lingering legacy of wartime U.S. air raids on Japan. Source link
Beijing – For female esports players in China, mastering the game is just the first hurdle to carving out a space for themselves in the male-dominated field. To compete, casually but especially professionally, they must also overcome vicious trolls, gender norms, familial expectations and limited opportunities. China has become one of the world’s largest markets for esports. Its teams participate in the top tier of international competitions, despite state media once dubbing video games “spiritual opium.” Source link
Japanese snack manufacturers are trying to keep things fresh for loyal fans of their long-selling products, including through related merchandise and events. Despite the risk that drastic revamps of such products will disappoint fans, an official at a major maker said, “We still need to keep creating a buzz.” In March, Meiji released 3,500 units of wireless earbuds that resemble its iconic Kinoko no Yama chocolate snack, which has been around since 1975. Despite the not-so-cheap price tag of ¥29,800, the limited-edition product sold out within about 10 minutes of its release. Source link
Jakarta – This year’s ordinary session of parliament, which begins Jan. 24, is expected to be filled with trials and tribulations for Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. As the Ishiba administration will have to go into the parliamentary session leading a minority government, he is hoping that his latest trip to Southeast Asia and his possible visit to the United States in the near future will give his administration a boost. But Ishiba will have his plate full with domestic affairs, raising questions about whether he will have enough time to focus on diplomacy. Source link
C.J. Stroud passed for 282 yards and a touchdown, Joe Mixon rushed for 106 yards and a score, and Eric Murray returned an interception for a touchdown as the host Houston Texans routed the Los Angeles Chargers 32-12 in an AFC wild-card game on Saturday. Houston advanced to the divisional round for the second straight season. In other AFC action, the Baltimore Ravens used a potent rushing attack to run over the Pittsburgh Steelers in a 28-14 win. After throwing just three interceptions in 504 passing attempts during the regular season, Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert was picked off four times on Saturday in Houston. Herbert was 14-for-32 for 242 yards and a touchdown. Source link
Seoul – South Korea’s suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol will not attend the first hearing of his impeachment trial this week because of safety concerns, his lawyer said on Sunday. Yoon has been holed up in the presidential residence and protected by an elite guard force since being suspended and impeached last month, following a short-lived declaration of martial law that plunged the country into political chaos. He has refused to meet prosecutors and investigators and his presidential guard unit thwarted an attempt to arrest him following a tense, hours-long standoff earlier this month. Source link