Michigan State basketball assistant Dwayne Stephens to take over at Western Michigan

Associated Press
Japan says it has asked the US to exclude it from 25% steel and aluminum tariffs
Japan 's government said Wednesday it asked the U.S. to exclude it from 25% steel and aluminum tariffs, a change from duty-free quotas that Tokyo was given previously. Japan made the request through its embassy in Washington after U.S. President Donald Trump removed the exceptions and exemptions from his 2018 tariffs on steel imports to a minimum of 25%, while hiking aluminum tariffs to 25% from 10%. “Japan will firmly take necessary steps as we fully examine details of the new measures and their possible impact on the Japanese economy,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters, suggesting that his country will lobby for an exemption in the coming weeks before the measures are due to take effect.
TODAY
Why is this year’s flu season so bad? Doctors weigh in on symptoms and prevention
Influenza is surging in the U.S., with doctor visits for flu symptoms at a 15-year high. Why is this flu season so bad? Doctors discuss flu trends and prevention.
Associated Press
UN rights office estimates up to 1,400 killed in crackdown on student-led protests in Bangladesh
The U.N. human rights office on Wednesday estimated that up to 1,400 people may have been killed in Bangladesh over six weeks last summer in a crackdown on student-led protests against the now-ousted former prime minister. In a new report, the Geneva-based office says security and intelligence services “systematically engaged” in rights violations that could amount to crimes against humanity and require further investigation. Citing “various credible sources,” the rights office says as many as 1,400 people may have been killed in the protests between July 1 and Aug. 15, and thousands more were injured, “the vast majority of whom were shot by Bangladesh’s security forces.”
Reuters
Greece elects former parliament speaker as new president
Greece's parliament elected its former speaker, Constantine Tassoulas, as the country's president on Wednesday, approving the conservative government's nominee for the largely ceremonial role. The decision to nominate him has angered protesters who rallied outside parliament last month seeking justice over a deadly 2023 train crash. Parliament is the only body that can investigate politicians under Greek law.
AFP
Nerves fray in Turkey textile sector as Syria refugees mull return
As excitement swept through the Syrian community after Bashar al-Assad's overthrow, businesses in Turkey that rely on them for labour began quickly crunching the numbers."If the Syrians leave, our labour costs will increase significantly, as well as our production costs," he told AFP. Turkey is the world's sixth-largest textile manufacturer and its industry is based in the southern regions that host most of its around 2.9 million Syrian migrants.
Reuters
Moonshot firm ispace upbeat as Trump keeps Artemis lunar missions with Japan
Tokyo-based moon exploration company ispace is heartened by signs the United States and Japan will remain on course for joint lunar missions, its CEO said on Wednesday, amid growing uncertainties in U.S. space policies under Trump 2.0. The view by ispace chief executive Takeshi Hakamada came after a meeting last weekend between U.S. President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba reaffirmed a "strong partnership" for future Artemis moon surface exploration. While the second Trump term's space priorities remain unclear, given the influence of SpaceX CEO Elon Musk who has a greater focus on Mars exploration, the sign of continuity in international programming could have reassured Artemis partners.
AFP
Trump's new defence chief to pressure allies on first NATO visit
New US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth arrived for his first meetings at NATO headquarters Wednesday looking to push European nations over support for Ukraine and ramping up military spending."Arrived at NATO HQ. Our commitment is clear: NATO must be a stronger, more lethal force -- not a diplomatic club," Hegseth wrote on X. "Time for allies to meet the moment."
Associated Press
Japan's SoftBank reports loss weeks after announcing AI investment with U.S. President Trump
Japanese technology company SoftBank Group Corp. reported a 369.2 billion yen ($2.4 billion) loss for the fiscal third quarter as it racked up red ink from its Vision Fund investments. The report comes barely a month after Masayoshi Son, the founder and chief executive, appeared with President Donald Trump in Washington, as well as with Sam Altman of OpenAI and Larry Ellison of Oracle, to announce an investment of up to $500 billion into an artificial intelligence project called Stargate.
AFP
UN says former Bangladesh govt behind possible 'crimes against humanity'
Bangladesh's former government was behind systematic attacks and killings of protesters as it tried to hold onto power last year, the UN said Wednesday, warning the abuses could amount to "crimes against humanity".These alleged crimes committed by the government, along with violent elements of her Awami League party and the Bangladeshi security and intelligence services, were part of "a widespread and systematic attack against protesters and other civilians," a UN report into the violence said.
CNN
Rainy forecast renews debris slide fears in Southern California as winter storms bring snow and ice to eastern US
Winter weather kicked into high gear in the United States and it’s not slowing down anytime soon.
TODAY
High-profile moms opt to go back to work right after giving birth: Is this a triumph, or trouble?
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu went back to work two weeks after having her third child, Mira. She has been fielding both criticism and praise.
AFP
Indonesia's Prabowo, Turkey's Erdogan agree to bolster ties
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan held talks Wednesday, signing a series of agreements to boost trade and defence ties between the Muslim-majority nations, including a joint venture to build drones.The leaders held their nations' first High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council meeting before the agreements were signed.
Reuters
Pope Francis, 88, tells weekly audience he still has bronchitis
Pope Francis said on Wednesday he was still suffering from a bout of bronchitis and asked an aide to read prepared remarks for a weekly general audience at the Vatican for the second time in two weeks. "Me, with my bronchitis, I cannot (read) still," the pope said. Francis, 88, has been pope since 2013 and has suffered from influenza and other health problems several times over the past two years.
AFP
Heineken shares pop on bubbly beer sales
Shares in Dutch brewer Heineken fizzed at the market open on Wednesday, as traders cheered better-than-expected beer sales despite a slight dip in overall turnover.Heineken sales figures overall registered a slight dip last year, mainly due to currency fluctuations.
Associated Press
Middle East latest: Israeli military says it struck 2 people in Gaza who were flying a drone
The Israeli military says it struck two people in the southern Gaza Strip who were flying a drone. It said Wednesday that the drone was observed entering Gaza from Israel after past attempts to use drones to smuggle in weapons. Gaza’s Health Ministry says a 44-year-old man was killed in an Israeli strike near the southern city of Rafah on Wednesday, without providing further details.
CNN
Trump wants China to play a role in peace in Ukraine. Is Xi Jinping willing to help?
As the war in Ukraine grinds toward its fourth year, US President Donald Trump has made clear which world leader he thinks can help America end the conflict: Vladimir Putin’s ally Xi Jinping.
AFP
Asian, European stocks rise as Powell rate warning taken in stride
Asian equities rose while London and Frankfurt hit fresh highs Wednesday as traders took in their stride a warning from Federal Reserve boss Jerome Powell that the US central bank was in no hurry to cut interest rates.London and Frankfurt extended gains at the open, having finished at a record high Tuesday.
CNN
More than 100 trapped fishermen rescued from ice floe in Russia’s Far East
More than 100 fishermen were rescued from a sheet of floating ice that drifted into waters off Russia’s remote Far East, authorities in the country said Wednesday.
Associated Press
Philippine investigators file criminal complaints against vice president over assassination threats
Philippine government investigators filed criminal complaints, including sedition, against Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday over her public threat to have the president assassinated if she herself was killed in an escalating political storm. National Bureau of Investigation Director Jaime Santiago said at a news conference that the complaints of inciting to sedition and grave threats against Duterte were filed at the Department of Justice, which would decide whether to dismiss the complaints outright or elevate them to court.
CBS News
Louisiana resuming executions after 15 years, advances nitrogen gas method
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry announced the state will resume executions after a 15-year hiatus, potentially using the experimental method nitrogen hypoxia.

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