Japan's ruling party, led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, is projected to secure a decisive victory in Sunday's snap election, according to exit polls, while in other international developments, police clashed with protesters in Milan, Italy, and the chief executive of The Washington Post resigned following mass layoffs. Additionally, Russia identified three suspects in the shooting of a high-profile military general, and Thailand held an early election.
In Japan, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), under Prime Minister Takaichi, is expected to win a majority, with projections indicating they will secure 274 of 328 seats. This potential success marks a stark contrast to the party's recent history, where it lost its parliamentary majority due to corruption scandals and rising costs under her two predecessors. The election was called just four months after Takaichi became the LDP leader.
Meanwhile, in Italy, six people were arrested after police clashed with protesters in Milan during the first day of the Winter Olympic Games. Thousands took to the streets on Saturday to protest against the Games and issues such as the cost of living. Some protesters reportedly released fireworks and threw stones at police, who responded with water cannons. The clashes occurred a week after over 100 police officers were injured in another protest.
In Moscow, Russia announced it had identified three suspects involved in the shooting of Lt. Gen. Vladimir Alexeyev. The man said to have carried out the attack, Lyubomir Korba, a Ukrainian-born Russian citizen, was named as one of the suspects. According to Russia's Investigations Committee, Korba arrived in Moscow in late December "on assignment from Ukrainian intelligence services to commit a terrorist attack." Kyiv has denied involvement. The shooting took place in a residential block of flats in the north-western outskirts of Moscow.
Across the globe, in Thailand, polls closed in an early election that pitted reformists against conservatives. The election was called after several coalition governments collapsed, leading to three prime ministers in as many years. The election saw the People's Party, advocating for change, go up against conservatives led by incumbent PM Anutin Charnavirakul. Most polls predicted a close race.
Finally, The Washington Post announced that its chief executive, Will Lewis, was stepping down. The resignation came days after the newspaper oversaw mass layoffs, including cutting a third of its workforce and scaling back its coverage of sports and international news. Lewis stated in a message to staff that it was the right time to leave, and "difficult decisions" had been made to ensure the paper's future. The decision was condemned by many journalists.
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