05/20/2016    DUTERTE SET TO TAKE POWER
Tough-talking politician Rodrigo Duterte emerged Tuesday as the winner of the Philippines' presidential election. The incendiary mayor of the southern city of Davao rode a wave of popular support to win by a large margin. His pledge to eliminate crime resonated with ordinary people many of whom seem to be fed up with "politics as usual."(Rodrigo Duterte)"The promotion of the welfare of the people first, before anything."In the heated campaign, the 71-year-old emerged as front-runner on the back of a pledge to eradicate crime and corruption. After becoming mayor in 1988, the former prosecutor dramatically improved security in the city by expanding police powers. But his no-nonsense approach and comments about "extrajudicial killing of criminals" has prompted strong criticism from human rights groups in a country with a history of brutal dictatorship. 
05/23/2016  TRADING HOUSES EYE CUBA
The United States has recently restored diplomatic ties with Cuba and has been taking steps to lift its sanctions. Now, Japanese businesses also want a part of the action. They are keen to re-enter a market they exited in the 1980s, when Cuba's fiscal situation deteriorated.Leading Japanese trading house Mitsubishi Corporation has filed an application with Cuban authorities to open a local office. The company plans to study upgrading the country's infrastructure and importing coffee beans.Another trading house, Marubeni, is planning to export Japanese vehicles and industrial machinery. The firm left the country more than two decades ago. Now, executives say they will ask Cuban officials for permission to resume operations.Officials at the Japan External Trade Organization say they are planning a study tour this month for Japanese firms seeking to explore opportunities in the Caribbean nation. 
05/24/2016  ROUSSEFF TO FACE IMPEACHMENT TRIAL
Brazil's Senate has voted to impeach the country's president and suspend her from office. Dilma Rousseff is accused of involvement in manipulating government accounts.Following a marathon of speeches, 55 senators voted in favor of impeachment and 22 voted against. Since last December, the Brazilian parliament has been debating whether the president should face a trial. Rousseff will remain suspended for up to 180 days. Vice President Michel Temer became the interim president immediately after the vote.Rousseff addressed her supporters and condemned the impeachment. Rousseff said the crisis is a decisive moment for Brazil's democracy and future as a nation. She said she'll fight with all legal tools available to exercise her mandate until the end of her term. Observers expect the trial to overlap the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in August. There is growing concern over how this may adversely affect the Games. 
05/24/2016  WAKE FOR STAGE DIRECTOR NINAGAWA
A wake was held on Sunday for renowned Japanese theater and film director Yukio Ninagawa.About 1,500 people, including film and stage actors, came out to pay their respects. Ninagawa was active worldwide. He directed a wide range of plays from classics to modern dramas by using his own interpretations and original directing methods.(Anne Suzuki / Actress)"I can't thank him enough. If I had not met him, I could not have become the person and actress I am now."A photograph taken by his daughter and photographer, Mika Ninagawa, was placed on the altar.(Mika Ninagawa)"Before he passed away, all he was saying was 'Thank you.' I'm very sad, but I think every moment of his life was wonderful."Ninagawa died on Thursday. He was 80 years old. 
05/26/2016  SOURCES: CHINA LIMITS TRAVELERS TO TAIWAN
Sources in China's tourism industry say China is restricting the number of its outbound travelers to Taiwan. The move follows the election of a Taiwanese president from the Democratic Progressive Party, which Beijing sees as favoring independence.The sources told NHK that authorities instructed travel agents around February to cut down on the available applications for permits to visit Taiwan. Taiwan issues the permits, but China can limit the people allowed to visit by controlling the number of applications that travel agencies handle.Last year, more than four million Chinese visitors to Taiwan spent over five billion dollars at tourism-related businesses. Taiwanese media have reported that over the May Day holidays, visitors from the mainland plunged by 30 percent from the year before. 
05/27/2016  DISPOSING OF WWII SHELL
Part of a southern Japanese prefecture was shut down because of the discovery of a military shell. Okinawa is still dealing with the aftermath of a battle fought 71 years ago. The area still has many unexploded munitions from the Battle of Okinawa at the end of World War II.Bomb disposal experts of Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force removed one artillery shell from Urasoe City on Sunday. The 50-centimeter long, 35-kilogram shell was found in March on a construction site. Experts believe it was fired from a U.S. warship during the battle. About 200 households near the site were forced to evacuate. A one-kilometer stretch of highway was closed.Okinawa prefectural officials estimate there are 2,000 tons of munitions still buried there. They say it will take about 70 years to defuse and dispose of them. 
05/30/2016  S. KOREAN ANTI-CORRUPTION LAW
South Korean officials are taking final steps to bring a new anti-corruption law into effect, but skeptics say it could hurt the economy by weighing on personal spending.Officials want to ban extravagant gifts and entertainment. Some say lavish spending encourages bribery and other forms of corruption. The law would cover spending on public servants, people working in the media and private school employees. It would set a cap of about 42 dollars per gift, and about 25 dollars for entertainment. People who spend or receive more than those amounts would be subject to criminal punishment.Some say the ceilings are unrealistically low. Others say consumers might slash spending on gifts for major holidays. The Chosun Ilbo newspaper carried a critical article. It says the law could reduce sales of popular gifts and damage domestic industries including livestock and fisheries. 
05/31/2016  INDIA SWELTERS UNDER RECORD HIGHS
India is in the grip of one of its worst ever heat waves. In the western state of Rajasthan, the temperature in recent days rose to a sweltering 51 degrees Celsius, breaking a 60-year-old record.Indian meteorological officials say Thursday marked the hottest day in the city of Phalodi in Rajasthan's desert region. The previous high was 50.6 degrees Celsius recorded in 1956.Weather officials expect temperatures of 47 degrees Celsius or higher through Sunday in Rajasthan, the adjacent state of Gujarat, and the central state of Madhya Pradesh. About 300 people have died of heat stroke and dehydration in the country this year. Authorities are warning people to avoid going outside during the daytime and to stay hydrated. 
06/01/2016  POLL SHOWS TRUMP WITH NARROW LEAD
A political website in the U.S. says its latest poll indicates that presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has pulled ahead of Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton. The figures are an average of recent major public opinion poll results.The RealClearPolitics poll indicates that 43.4 percent of respondents favor Trump, compared to 43.2 percent supporting Clinton. It's the first time Trump has come out on top in the site's polls.The latest ABC News/Washington Post poll suggests that 46 percent of respondents support Trump, while 44 percent support Clinton. ABC News also said the current race appears to be a battle between the two most unpopular nominees in the poll's history.Observers say Clinton may be losing ground to Trump because of her ongoing primary battle with Senator Bernie Sanders. Despite her huge lead, Clinton has been unable to attract enough support to clinch the Democratic nomination. 
06/02/2016  UNMANNED BUSES, TAXIS PLANNED FOR 2020
The race is on to develop driverless vehicles, including buses and taxis. Japanese government officials say they are going to give the green light to public transport operators aiming to go driverless by the year 2020 — that's the year Tokyo hosts the Olympic Games.The officials say operators will be obliged to take full responsibility in the event of accidents. The companies will need to have systems that monitor their unmanned vehicles remotely and stop them when problems arise.The officials plan to amend the Road Traffic Law and study other measures. They will also call on would-be operators to start test runs on roads in special zones designated by the government.