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US, South Korea begin naval drills after North's missile test
US, South Korea begin naval drills after North's missile test
World
by  AFP

South Korea and the United States began their first combined naval exercise near the peninsula in five years on Monday, a day after Pyongyang conducted a ballistic missile launch. The drills come a day after nuclear-armed Pyongyang conducted another ballistic missile launch, the latest in its record-breaking blitz of weapons tests this year.

Little cheer as Japan, China mark 50 years of ties
Little cheer as Japan, China mark 50 years of ties
World
by  AFP

Japan and China will mark 50 years of diplomatic relations this month with little public celebration, as increasing friction over territorial rivalries and military spending frays ties. That would represent a sea change in Japan, whose pacifist constitution still limits its military capacity, but a modest increase compared to decades of additional spending by Beijing.

Rihanna to headline Super Bowl halftime show
Rihanna to headline Super Bowl halftime show
World
by  AFP

Superstar Rihanna will headline the Super Bowl halftime show in February, the main event sponsor Apple Music announced Sunday. The halftime show has since 2019 been produced by Roc Nation, founded by New York rapper-turned-businessman Jay-Z. Apple Music announced in September that it would be the main sponsor of the event, ousting Pepsi and reportedly paying $50 million for the privilege.

Brazilian first lady, from the shadows to the front lines
Brazilian first lady, from the shadows to the front lines
World
by  AFP

Brazilian first lady Michelle Bolsonaro used to keep a low profile, but she has become a key agent for her husband's reelection bid, thanks to oratory worthy of an evangelical preacher. During her husband's swearing-in in 2019, Michelle Bolsonaro impressed Brazilians by giving a speech in sign language.

Rosangela da Silva hopes to be a different kind of Brazilian first lady
Rosangela da Silva hopes to be a different kind of Brazilian first lady
World
by  AFP

Rosangela da Silva, a sociologist and left-wing activist who married Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in May, has promised to give new meaning to being first lady if her husband wins Brazil's election. - Campaign song - "I want to give new meaning to the role of first lady, by focusing on topics that are priorities for women, such as food insecurity or domestic violence," she said last month.

Netflix and Disney poised to shake up TV ad world
Netflix and Disney poised to shake up TV ad world
Business and Economy
by  AFP

With the launch of cheaper, ad-supported subscriptions, Netflix and Disney+ are expected to bite into the revenue of traditional television channels as the streaming services look toward continued expansion. Netflix is expected to launch an ad-supported subscription tier in early November, about a month before rival Disney+ does the same, according to US media reports.

US warns Russia of 'castastrophic' consequences of nuclear strike
US warns Russia of 'castastrophic' consequences of nuclear strike
World
by  AFP

The United States has warned Russia privately of "catastrophic" consequences if it uses nuclear weapons as part of the Ukraine invasion, top US officials said. Jake Sullivan, President Joe Biden's national security advisor, said in a separate interview Sunday that the United States has warned Russia at "very high levels" of "catastrophic consequences" for using nuclear arms.