For years, decades even, allegations swirled that R&B superstar R. Kelly was abusing young women and girls, with seeming impunity. They were mostly young Black women. And Black girls.  And that, say accusers and others who have called for him to face accountability, is part of what took the wheels of the criminal justice system so long to turn, finally leading to his conviction Monday in his sex trafficking trial. That it did at all, they say, is also due to the efforts of Black women

Japan's government announced Tuesday that the coronavirus state of emergency will end this week to help rejuvenate the economy as infections slow. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said the emergency will end Thursday and virus restrictions will be eased gradually "in order to resume daily lives despite the presence of the virus." He said the government will create more temporary COVID-19 treatment facilities and continue vaccinations to prepare for any future resurgence. Government offi

South Korea and China discussed joint efforts to stamp out illegal fishing by Chinese boats in the South's waters in their regular fisheries meeting on Tuesday, the foreign ministry said. At the meeting, Seoul called on Beijing to draw up "effective measures" to stem the illegal fishing, as it is a matter that "directly concerns the livelihoods of South Korean fishermen," the ministry said. The South proposed China step up its patrol of fishing boats at major ports, block t

As the days are shortening, the leaves are starting to change, people are pulling out their sweaters, and rookie boy band Ciipher is hoping to capture the mood of the season. The septet has returned with their second EP “Blind,” released Tuesday evening, a follow-up to their debut “I Like You” which dropped in March. The seven-member group said their title track, “Blind,” is a song about how a guy succeeds in confessing his love to his crush and how one cou

The worldwide excitement over Netflix’s “Squid Game” is not likely to cease any time soon as even the small details of the nine-part series are fanatically enjoyed by the global audience. The mystery sci-fi thriller has reached the top spot in countries in the Middle East and Southeast Asia, including Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Vietnam, Singapore and Thailand, according to the US-based streaming analytics firm FlixPatrol. The popularity of “Squid Game&rdq

DL Chemical, the world’s largest producer of polybutene, said Tuesday it will acquire Texas-based specialty chemical manufacturer Kraton for $1.6 billion to bolster its presence in the US and European markets. According to the subsidiary of South Korea’s DL Holdings, it will purchase the full stake of Kraton at $45.60 per share. DL will spend $2.5 billion in total, as it will also take over the US firm’s net debt of $900 million. The acquisition will allow DL Chemical to ma