Briefly

JAPAN

Steepest population decline recorded

Japan's population declined in all of its 47 prefectures for the first time in a record drop, while its number of foreign residents hit a new high, reaching almost 3 million people, according to government data released on Wednesday. The population of Japanese nationals fell by about 800,000 people, or 0.65 percent, to 122.4 million in 2022 from the previous year, falling for a 14th straight year, according to data from the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry. Japan's population has shrunk steadily due to a declining birthrate since peaking in 2008.

CANADA

Cabinet reshuffled as Trudeau eyes election

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a major cabinet overhaul on Wednesday with the stated goal of strengthening his economic team ahead of upcoming legislative elections. Weakened in the polls, the man who has led a minority Liberal government since 2021 changed more than two-thirds of his political inner circle, with seven new recruits joining the cabinet and around 20 ministers reassigned to new roles. The shake-up comes as Trudeau renews his focus on the economy as a way to counter inflation and tackle the country's housing crisis.

UNITED STATES

Many hurt as NY crane collapses into street

A towering construction crane caught fire high above the west side of Manhattan on Wednesday morning, causing its long arm to snap off, smash against a nearby building, and plummet to the street as people ran for their lives on the sidewalk below. Several people suffered minor injuries in the collapse, but no one died, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said. The crane was operating 45 stories up when its engine compartment caught fire, authorities said. Nine civilians experienced minor injuries in the collapse or its aftermath, media reported.

SENEGAL

'Overcrowded' bus crashes, killing 24

Twenty-four people, including four children, died on Wednesday when a bus crashed in northern Senegal, the interior minister announced in a news conference on Wednesday afternoon at the accident site. Antoine Felix Abdoulaye Diome said 54 people were injured in the accident, which happened at 7:40 am. The bus had been coming from a town in the north of the country and was "overcrowded" with 76 people on board, despite having a 60-person capacity, the minister said.

Agencies - Xinhua