Former Al-Qaeda Leader Makes Historic White House Visit... Why Trump Reached Out [Current Affairs Show]

■ Broadcast: The Asia Business Daily 'So Jongseop's Current Affairs Show'■ Host: Political Specialist So Jongseop■ Producer: PD Ma Yena■ Guest: Reporter Lee Hyunwoo Ahmed Alshara, the President of Syria and a former Al-Qaeda fighter, made a historic first visit to the White House. This marks the first time a Syrian president has visited the White House, and the fact that he is a former member of a terrorist organization has caused a major stir in American society. Right-wing groups, who form the core base of support for President Trump, strongly opposed the meeting, but Trump made a bold decision for what he described as a greater vision of Middle East peace.Controversy Over Al-Qaeda Background... Entire Meeting Held Behind Closed Doors President Alshara's past is at the center of controversy. Born into a wealthy Syrian family that emigrated to Saudi Arabia, he grew up in a secular environment among the intellectual class of the Middle East. However, the September 11 attacks in 2001 an

General

11.16 08:00

"This Kind of Travel? Surprisingly Fun... Visited a Place Full of Lies and Saw a Single Glove [Sunday Culture]"

When traveling to Japan, there are certain must-visit tourist destinations. For example, if you go to Fukuoka, you should experience an onsen tour, and if you visit Hokkaido, a snow scenery tour is considered a must for a successful trip. Recently, however, tours in Japan that you might never have thought to try in your lifetime are gaining popularity. These include tours of airport restricted areas that you have never seen before, or visits to bathhouses before they open to the public. This week, the Yomiuri Shimbun introduced some of these unique tours that appeal to enthusiasts. For instance, at a recycling plant on the Tokyo Ota Ward waterfront, there was a tour in September this year that allowed visitors to see the crane control room, which is normally off-limits to the public. Participants could watch as a giant magnetic crane sorted out metal from other recyclables. The artificial island where the plant is located is actually part of the Haneda Airport premises. Normally, civ

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11.16 07:30

[Global Focus] America's 'Monroe Doctrine 2.0'...Trump Turns Toward South America

"The 'Monroe Doctrine,' once considered a relic of 19th-century American diplomacy, has made a comeback." (The Wall Street Journal) The Donald Trump administration is escalating military operations throughout the Caribbean and South America under the banner of a "war on drugs," heightening regional tensions. While the stated justification is the crackdown on drug cartels, some analysts suggest these actions are in fact a "regime change operation" targeting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. In this context, there are growing observations that President Trump, since returning to office, is strengthening the so-called "Donroe Doctrine" to expand American influence across the Americas. US: "Drug-Carrying Vessels Must Be Destroyed to Be Stopped"On September 2 (local time), President Trump posted a roughly 30-second video of a US military operation on the social media platform Truth Social, stating, "This morning, under my orders, US forces attacked Trende Aragua (TdA) drug terrorists ide

General

11.16 07:00

"Outdated and Spendthrift"... Generation Z Avoids 'This' in Favor of Phones Over Wallets [World is Z Gold]

Editor's NoteGeneration Z (those born from the late 1990s to the early 2010s) is attracting attention as a generation that leads culture and trends in a rapidly changing era, setting new standards across society. In [World is Z Gold], we shed light on the lives and values of Generation Z around the world, examining how they are transforming society. An aversion to cash is becoming increasingly evident among Generation Z in the United States. Unlike older generations in the U.S., who still tend to use cash more frequently, younger people who grew up in a digital environment have made smartphone-based easy payment systems a part of daily life. More and more members of Generation Z perceive cash as an inefficient and inconvenient means of payment. It is expected that, in the future, not only in the United States but also in most countries, the main payment methods will shift from cash to cards and mobile payments."Generation Z Abandons Cash in Favor of Cards" Recently, the U.S. business m

General

11.16 07:00

"Your Taxes Are Wasted, Go Back to Your Country"... Mysterious Notes Found on Front Door

Controversy is growing after hate messages targeting foreigners were discovered at the home and on the vehicle of a Malaysian resident living in Yokohama, Japan. When the individual shared photos and expressed their feelings on social media, the issue of xenophobia and the rising anti-immigrant sentiment in Japanese society resurfaced. According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP) on the 15th, on November 11, Mr. A revealed on social media, "When I returned home after work, I found unidentified notes attached to my front door and car," and published photos of the incident. He introduced himself as an English teacher who settled in Yokohama last year. The notes in the photos contained phrases such as "Japan does not want immigrants" and "Japanese taxes are not for foreigners." There was also a message in English: "Go back to your country." The sender was identified as "Yokohama Conservative Group." Additional posters were attached near the house and beside the car, with slogans like

General

11.15 20:00

"Support Will Be Harder to Justify": Poland Warns Over Corruption Scandal Involving Zelensky Associate

The Polish government, which has been actively supporting Ukraine, recently warned that international aid could become more difficult in light of a corruption scandal involving a close associate of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk pointed out that this corruption case has become a significant obstacle, making it harder to rally solidarity for Ukraine. According to major foreign media outlets such as PAP News Agency on November 14 (local time), Prime Minister Tusk commented on the recent corruption scandal, saying, "When such facts come to light, it will become increasingly difficult to persuade partners to stand in solidarity with Ukraine." Prime Minister Tusk stated, "It seems that the Ukrainian government and the president are sincere about punishing those responsible, but the damage is already done. In any case, the consequences will be very serious," adding, "If such actions are tolerated, Ukraine will lose the war." Ukraine's anti-corruptio

General

11.15 19:33

Booked With Confidence, Then Told "Vacate Your Room" at Midnight... How Travelers Became Homeless Overnight

Global accommodation sharing platform Sonder has abruptly declared bankruptcy, causing chaos as guests around the world are being forced to vacate their rooms in the middle of the night. On November 13 (local time), the BBC reported that Sonder filed for bankruptcy in a US court on November 11, just after ending its partnership with Marriott Hotel Group, and has entered default proceedings for its global business. As the company initiated bankruptcy proceedings in all regions where it operated, all of its rooms have been closed. Sonder, a lodging sharing startup founded in Montreal, Canada, operated boutique hotels and serviced apartments in over 40 cities. After signing a partnership with Marriott in August last year and expanding its accommodation booking and operations earlier this year, it emerged as a rival to existing accommodation sharing companies such as Airbnb. However, Sonder faced financial difficulties due to its failure to integrate systems with Marriott and a decline in

General

11.15 19:03

"You Might Need a Suitcase for Korean Rice"... Japanese Rice Prices Hit Record High at 4,316 Yen per 5kg

Japanese rice prices have continued their sharp rise, reaching the highest levels since records began. Analysts attribute the deepening supply instability to a simultaneous decrease in production and an increase in consumption. According to Japanese media reports on the 15th, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries compiled sales data from approximately 1,000 supermarkets nationwide for the period of November 3 to 9. The average retail price of rice per 5 kilograms was found to be 4,316 yen (about 40,650 won). This figure represents a 1.9% increase from the previous week and marks the highest price since the statistics began in March 2022. The previous record was 4,285 yen in mid-May, just before the government released a large amount of reserve rice. The upward trend in Japanese rice prices has persisted for several years. Since 2021, production has failed to keep pace with demand, and last year, record-breaking heatwaves and droughts severely affected rice growth. There a

General

11.15 18:49

"After Breaking Off Engagement, Relied on AI: 'I Can't Get Pregnant Anyway'... Japanese Woman Marries AI"

Former Al-Qaeda Leader Makes Historic White House Visit... Why Trump Reached Out [Current Affairs Show]

"This Kind of Travel? Surprisingly Fun... Visited a Place Full of Lies and Saw a Single Glove [Sunday Culture]"

[Global Focus] America's 'Monroe Doctrine 2.0'...Trump Turns Toward South America

"Outdated and Spendthrift"... Generation Z Avoids 'This' in Favor of Phones Over Wallets [World is Z Gold]

"Your Taxes Are Wasted, Go Back to Your Country"... Mysterious Notes Found on Front Door

"Support Will Be Harder to Justify": Poland Warns Over Corruption Scandal Involving Zelensky Associate

Booked With Confidence, Then Told "Vacate Your Room" at Midnight... How Travelers Became Homeless Overnight

"You Might Need a Suitcase for Korean Rice"... Japanese Rice Prices Hit Record High at 4,316 Yen per 5kg

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