A: Hey there! Heard any fun news recently? 😃 B: Not much, just scrolling through feeds... Why? 🤨 A: So, Trump just greenlit the production of these tiny cars in the US! 🚗🇮🇱 B: Tiny cars? Like those we see in Japan or something? 🤔 A: Exactly! He said manufacturers can make them gasoline, electric or hybrid. It's like they've been waiting for this! 🎉 B: Hmm... I wonder if the Japanese cars we know so well will be included too. 💭 A: Well, he didn't specify, but he did mention those cute tiny cars you see in Japan and other places. 🤷‍♀️ B: That sounds interesting! Maybe it's good for US consumers who are feeling the pinch of prolonged inflation. 💸 A: Definitely! It seems like the Trump administration is trying to lower automobile costs with more affordable options before next year's midterm elections. 📅🗳️

A: Hey there! Guess what I stumbled upon? B: What's up, mate? What are you talking about? A: So, there's this old temple in Fujisawa, right? It's called Yugyoji and it's celebrating its 7-hundoth birthday! B: Seven hundos?! That's old, man! What's the big deal? A: Well, they put up this amazing light show to mark the occasion. When I was there yesterday, these LED lights started shining all over the main hall and the pathway! It looked awesome! B: Oh, wow! Sounds cool. Were there any other attractions? A: Yeah! They even lit up a ginkgo tree that's more than 20 meters tall. The leaves were glowing golden in the dark. Can you imagine? B: That sounds like something out of a fairy tale! I should definitely check it out before it ends. A: It's on till December 14th, between four thirty in the afternoon and eight o'clock. You gotta see it! B: Thanks for the tip, buddy! I'll make sure to swing by and check out this light show. Can't wait to experience that old temple magic!

A: Yo, John! What's up? 😊 B: Hey there, man! Just got home from work. How about you? 😁 A: You know what happened today in Hong Kong, right? 😮 B: Nope, didn't hear anything new... Tell me! 🤔 A: They held a Legislative Council election but the public interest was low because all candidates were pro-Beijing. Only 20 out of 90 seats were contested. And guess what? The electoral system has undergone Beijing-led reforms four years ago, so pro-democracy and anti-government individuals couldn't run! B: Wow, that's crazy... So people didn't really want to vote, huh? 😕 A: Yeah, unfortunately. The voter turnout was only 31.9%, close to the record low figure reported after the previous contest. John Lee, Hong Kong Chief Executive, mentioned the recent fire tragedy when he cast his ballot, saying every vote will support residents affected by it and help Hong Kong move forward. B: That's sad... But I heard they arrested four people who were urging people to boycott or spoil their ballots on social media. 😮 A: Exactly! They seem to be concerned about anti-election protests. 🤷‍♂️ B: Hopefully, things will get better for Hong Kong in the future. Let's hope for peace and democracy! 🤞🏼💙 A: Absolutely! Keep your spirits high, my friend. Let's catch up again soon! 😄 B: See you around, mate! Take care! 😊👋🏼

A: Hey there! Guess what happened today? B: No, what's up? A: It's been a year since that old regime of Assad collapsed in Syria! B: Really? How's it going now? A: Well, the interim government is dealing with some serious issues. The country's divided, and it got worse during the long civil war. B: I heard about that... it's pretty rough over there, huh? A: Yeah, their former leader Ahmed al-Sharaa is trying to rebuild things now. He's been meeting with world leaders like Trump and Putin to help Syria gain recognition again. B: That's cool... but the Syrian people are still divided, right? A: Exactly! And there have been lots of human rights issues too. Over 100,000 people who were held by the Assad regime during the conflict are missing. It's terrible. B: Wow... I can't imagine how tough that must be for them. A: Plus, there have been attacks on minority groups and their relationships with neighboring countries aren't great either. Turkey controls part of northern Syria, and Israel has troops at the border. B: That sounds like a real mess... I hope things get better soon.

A: Hey there! Guess what's going on? B: What's up? A: Security authorities in Hong Kong are getting more interested in foreign media reports about the fire at those high-rise apartments last month. B: Really? I didn't know that! A: Yeah, they called some bigwigs from foreign news organizations for a chat. They said it's because of that National Security Law thing they have. B: Oh, I remember that law... It's about anti-government stuff, right? A: Exactly! They think some media outlets are spreading false info and causing trouble. They said they will keep a close eye on the news coverage. B: Wow, that sounds serious. A: Yeah, it's rare for them to do this kind of thing. Maybe they're worried about the criticism they're getting over the fire... B: Makes sense. And it's happening during Hong Kong's election too, right? A: Yep! The voting started yesterday. I wonder if it has anything to do with that... B: Hmm, let's keep an eye on things and see what happens next!

A: Hey there! 🌞 B: Hi! What's up? 😃 A: Did you hear about the chat with Tedros, WHO's boss? 🤔 B: Nope, spill the beans! 🤯 A: He warned that another pandemic is coming. Not if, but when... Scary, huh? 😓 B: Whoa! We need to be ready then! What can we do? 🤔 A: Well, he said countries should work together more for future disease outbreaks through a treaty called the Pandemic Agreement. 🤔 B: So it's like an international pact against pandemics, right? 🤝 A: Exactly! He also mentioned that we all face the same enemy, no matter where we are. It doesn't care about maps or borders. 🌍 B: That's true. We should stick together like never before. 💪 A: Agreed! Unfortunately, he said some programs to fight diseases like HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis have been affected due to the US pulling out of the WHO. 😕 B: That's not good news. I hope they change their mind soon. 😔 A: Yeah, he said it's a loss for the world. But at the same time, he sees this as an opportunity to improve the WHO by finding new sources of funding and reducing staff. 💡 B: That sounds hopeful! I wonder what they'll do next... 🤔 A: Lastly, he mentioned something called "universal health coverage" or UHC. It means everyone should have access to quality healthcare without financial struggles. He thinks Japan can play a big role in making this happen globally. 🌐 B: Wow, that's a big responsibility! But I think we can do it if we work together! Let's stay safe and keep an eye on the news! 🙌

A: Hey there! Did you catch any news today? B: Nah, what's up? A: There was this cool thing happening! They opened Rainbow Bridge for cyclists! B: No way! That's awesome! Was it a big crowd? A: Yeah, around 6,000 people joined the event. It's usually off-limits for bikes, so this was quite special. B: Whoa, that must have been an amazing view! Did you hear about anyone famous joining? A: Yeah, there was a guy named Fujimoto Musashi. He won bronze in the men's road race at the Tokyo Deaflympics! B: That's cool! Who else went? A: Lots of regular folks like us! An 11-year-old kid said it was his second time, and he loved seeing the morning glow on the buildings. B: Nice! I bet they had a great time. Was it only one course or were there options? A: There were three different courses, from 8 to 37 kilometers long. All of them crossed Rainbow Bridge! B: Oh, cool! I wonder if they could see Mount Fuji from up there. A: Yeah, some said they did! One lady who's been four times said it was fun seeing the mountain while riding a bike instead of in a car. B: That sounds like an unforgettable experience! I hope we can do it next time they open it up again!

A: Hey there, any news from back home? B: Not much, just that our Defense Secretary Pete talked about US defense priorities. A: Oh, really? What did he say? B: Well, he wants to focus on deterring China and getting allies to share more of the defense burden. A: Deterring China? What does that mean exactly? B: I think it means making sure China doesn't get too powerful in the Indo-Pacific region. He said a balance of power is needed for peace, but not confrontation. A: Makes sense. But isn't he trying to weaken China? B: No, he said they're not trying to strangle China's growth. They just want to make sure the US and its allies are strong enough to balance China's power. A: Got it. And how does he plan to get more help from allies? B: He urged them to take on a larger share of defense spending, especially since free riding won't be tolerated anymore. A: I see. And what about NATO's defense spending? B: He commended NATO for spending five percent of GDP on defense and said he hopes other allies in the Indo-Pacific will follow suit in a few years using NATO's formula. A: Sounds like a tough job, but someone has to do it!

A: Hey there! Heard anything interesting lately? B: Nah, just the usual stuff. What's up? A: You know about that tragic fire in Hong Kong last month, right? Well, guess what's happening now? B: Uh, they're removing the condolence message board there? Is that right? A: Yep! They're taking it down on Sunday. Remember where it was? Park near the high-rise complex, right? It's been a place for people to express their sympathy after the fire. B: Oh wow, I can't believe it. So many messages demanding justice and criticizing the government response... A: Yeah, exactly! The volunteers running the location decided they had to remove it by Sunday. They wanted to avoid any content that might upset the authorities. B: That makes sense. Too bad some people are sad about it being taken down, ten days after the fire. A: Totally understandable. One woman in her 20s said the messages were a way for many Hong Kong people to show their support and help those affected by the disaster heal. B: Makes me feel a bit emotional just thinking about it... I hope they find peace soon.

A: Hey, Yuki-chan! Did you check out the news lately? B: Nope, not yet. What's up? A: Turns out China told their people not to visit Japan, and it looks like they haven't changed their minds yet. That means places like Osaka could be hit hard since they have a lot of Chinese tourists. B: Oh, really? I didn't know that! So, what's going on in Osaka now? A: Well, our friend Haruka went to the famous canal district, Dotonbori, and it seems that there are still a lot of tourists, but fewer Chinese ones compared to before. It used to be full of shady-looking folks and pushy salespeople, but now it's cleaner and has more Asian and European visitors. B: Interesting! What about the shops? Are they doing okay? A: Well, there are a lot of drugstores around because Japanese cosmetics are popular with Chinese tourists, but they're not selling as much now since there are fewer Chinese shoppers. There's also overcapacity in terms of stores, which could hurt their business in the long run. B: Wow, that sounds tough. What about the food places? Are people still going there? A: Yeah! Places like takoyaki and cheesecake shops are still packed with tourists from all over. It's just the shopping stores that seem to be affected more. Haruka felt like the consumerist touristy stores were getting less attention, though. B: That makes sense. So, it seems that Osaka is not empty, but there are definitely fewer Chinese tourists. Let's hope things get better soon!