Japan

Japan has slipped to the world's fourth-largest economy, as government data released Thursday showed it fell behind Germany's in 2023.

The numbers highlight how the Japanese economy has gradually lost its competitiveness and productivity while the population shrinks as Japanese people age and have fewer children, analysts say.

The wars in Ukraine and Gaza most likely mark the end of the system of global government instituted after World War II. However dysfunctional the UN Security Council was from the start, it had not been undermined to the level that it is today.

For the girls selected by Marina Maljkovi, it was important for Germany to win against Brazil, or for the host of the qualifying tournament not to triumph with a seven-point lead.
That's what happened, Germany defeated Brazil 73:71 in the last match of the qualifiers.

North Korea said on Monday it had developed a new control system for a multiple rocket launcher that would lead to a "qualitative change" in its defence capabilities.

Greece has an investment-friendly environment, Minister of National Economy and Finance Kostis Hatzidakis said in an interview with the Japanese news agency Kyodo, inviting investors from Japan to come to Greece.

DOHA - The Serbia men's national water polo team defeated the US 14-12 (2-3, 3-4, 6-1, 3-4) at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha on Friday to qualify for the quarter-finals and secure a berth at the Paris Olympics, where it will be defending back-to-back gold medals from Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo.

Turkish hoteliers are hopeful that tourism activity in 2024 will be as strong as it was last year or even better.

A painting created by the four members of the Beatles while on tour in Japan in 1966 has sold at auction for $1.7 million.

The painting, known as "Images of a Woman," was part of Christie's The Exceptional Sale and made nearly triple the high presale estimate of $600,000.

DOHA - Serbia beat Montenegro 14-6 (4-1, 2-2, 5-3, 3-0) at the water polo world championship in Doha on Wednesday.

Dusan Mandic led the scoring for Serbia with four goals while Djordje Vucinic, Viktor Rasovic and Strahinja Rasovic each scored a brace.

Earlier, US defeated Japan 18-5 in the other Group C match.

LONDON - Serbia will be seeded in the draw for the September 13-15 tennis Davis Cup World Group 1 playoffs, the International Tennis Federation announced on its website on Tuesday.

The draw ceremony is scheduled for February 8.

The other seeds are Croatia, Sweden, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Switzerland, Hungary, Portugal, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Israel and Colombia.