International

TOKYO (Kyodo) — The Japanese government said Thursday it is "seriously concerned" about China's push, despite a growing international outcry, to impose a national security law that it is feared will suppress political activity in Hong Kong.

WASHINGTON (Xinhua) — Wearing masks remain controversial in the United States even though public health officials have continued to recommend the use of face coverings in public to curb the spread of COVID-19, which has so far killed over 100,000 Americans.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration may soon expel thousands of Chinese graduate students enrolled at U.S. universities and impose other sanctions against Chinese officials in the latest signs of tensions between Washington and Beijing that are raging over trade, the coronavirus pandemic, human rights and the status of Hong Kong.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Twitter has added a warning to one of President Donald J. Trump’s tweets about protests in Minneapolis, saying it violated the platform’s rules about “glorifying violence.”

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Protesters angered by the death of George Floyd, a handcuffed black man who died while in police custody, gained access to a Minneapolis police precinct on Thursday, the third straight night of violent protests spreading beyond the city.

BEIJING (Xinhua) — Some U.S. officials' attempts to sue China for causing the COVID-19 pandemic are outright violations of international law, according to an article carried by Wednesday's People's Daily.

Only about half of Americans say they would get a COVID-19 vaccine if the scientists working furiously to create one succeed, a number that’s surprisingly low considering the effort going into the global race for a vaccine.

TOKYO (Kyodo) — A 31-year-old Japanese man who attempted to import child abuse material into Australia in November has been sentenced to 16 months in prison, the country's border protection agency said Wednesday.

TOKYO (Kyodo) — As Japan continues to tackle the novel coronavirus pandemic, Crown Prince Fumihito and his family made 300 medical gowns by hand earlier this month and donated them for use by health care workers.

HONG KONG (AP) — Thousands of protesters shouted pro-democracy slogans and insults at police in Hong Kong on Wednesday as lawmakers debated a bill criminalizing abuse of the Chinese national anthem in the semi-autonomous city.