Japanese Emperor Akihito has started a day of ceremonies in the Imperial Palace as he prepares to step down from the throne on Tuesday.
It'll make him the first monarch to abdicate in more than 200 years.
His son, Crown Prince Naruhito, will ascend the Chrysanthemum throne the next day.
Akihito had expressed a desire to abdicate in 2016 due to his age and declining health.
Xi, Putin hail ties in video call as Ukraine war nears anniversary
China's President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin both hailed their ties during a video call on Wednesday held in the run-up to the fourth anniversary of Moscow's war in Ukraine.
Israeli strikes kill 21 in Gaza, health officials say
Israeli tank shelling and airstrikes killed 21 Palestinians including six children in Gaza on Wednesday, health officials said, the latest violence to undermine a truce in the enclave.
Nestle widens infant formula recall after France lowers toxin level
Nestle widened an infant formula recall to include a batch of Guigoz after France lowered the maximum threshold for the cereulide toxin, contradicting analyst expectations that no further withdrawals would be needed from the Swiss group.
UN Chief warns two-state solution slipping away amid West Bank expansion
The UN Secretary General António Guterres has warned prospects for peace between Israelis and Palestinians are increasingly fragile, urging urgent international action to prevent the collapse of a two-state solution.
Dubai has unveiled a long-term plan to create a more balanced and integrated urban environment as part of efforts to enhance quality of life and wellbeing.
The second round of trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine and the United States has begun in Abu Dhabi, as diplomatic efforts continue to advance the political process towards resolving the crisis.
UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has held a series of high‑level meetings on the sidelines of the World Governments Summit in Dubai.
