Akihito Muranaka

Akihito Muranaka is a Senior Correspondent at The Eastern Herald covering geopolitics, international security, and investigative affairs across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, with reporting in English and Japanese.

Turkish cargo ship ablaze in Black Sea after drone attack near Novorossiysk, illustrating the drone warfare threat to regional energy infrastructure

Drone Crosses from Romania into Bulgaria, Explodes Near Trans-Balkan Pipeline Station

A drone from Romania exploded near Bulgaria's Trans-Balkan gas pipeline compressor station early Saturday, prompting PM Radev to demand that NATO and Bucharest address drone spillover from the Russian operation in Ukraine.

August 8, 2026

by Akihito Muranaka

Google AI Search interface showing Gemini-powered results and the potential for private document data exposure

Google’s AI Surfaced a Developer’s Private Game Character. Google Can’t Explain It.

Google's AI Search returned the name of an unreleased game character that existed only in a developer's private Google Doc. Google denies training on private Workspace files but has not explained how the character name reached a public AI response.

August 8, 2026

by Akihito Muranaka

Chart showing UN FAO global food price index rising to near three-year high in July 2026

Food Prices Hit Near Three-Year High as Wheat Surges on War and Heatwaves

Global food prices hit their highest level since January 2023 in July, driven by a 5.8

A Virgin Mary statue stands undamaged amid burned ruins of homes in Spokane's Balboa neighborhood after the Old Trails Fire August 2026

Aaron Farinacci, Who Killed His Father, Charged With Arson in Spokane’s Old Trails Fire

Aaron Farinacci, 37, is charged with first-degree arson in connection with Spokane's Old Trails Fire, which

Ma Xingrui, former Chinese Politburo member and Xinjiang party chief, stripped of Communist Party membership over family corruption

Ma Xingrui Expelled from China Politburo Over Family Corruption Under Xi Jinping

China expelled Politburo member Ma Xingrui over family corruption, the third removal under Xi Jinping's ongoing anti-graft drive. The former Xinjiang party chief and rocket programme head was found to have betrayed

July 15, 2026

Government and Politics·News

Gus the mounted Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton at Sotheby's New York ahead of record-breaking $50.1 million auction

T. rex ‘Gus’ Shatters Fossil Auction Record at $50.1 Million in New York

A 67-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex named Gus sold for $50.1 million at Sotheby’s New York, shattering the fossil auction record by more than $5 million and reigniting debate over private ownership of scientifically

July 15, 2026

News·Science

Norwegian chemical tanker Stolt Magnesium on fire following projectile strike off Oman

Norwegian Chemical Tanker Stolt Magnesium Hit by Projectile Off Oman’s Coast

Three commercial vessels were struck off Oman's coast on July 14, 2026, leaving six crew members injured and three missing. Norwegian chemical tanker Stolt Magnesium was the first hit, struck by an

July 15, 2026

Conflicts, Military and War·News

Warren Buffett speaks with CNBC about Berkshire Hathaway and the Gates Foundation

Warren Buffett Cuts Gates Foundation From $6 Billion Annual Gift Over Epstein Ties

Warren Buffett excluded the Gates Foundation from his $6 billion annual Berkshire donation on Tuesday for the first time in 20 years, distributing 12 million Class B shares to family foundations instead,

July 15, 2026

Business·Economy·News

Tadej Pogacar crosses the finish line at Le Lioran on Bastille Day to win Stage 10 of the 2026 Tour de France

Pogacar Wins Solo on Bastille Day to Extend Tour de France Lead to 3:36

Tadej Pogačar attacked on the Col de Pertus with 15 kilometres remaining to win Stage 10 solo on Bastille Day at Le Lioran, extending his Tour de France lead to three minutes

July 14, 2026

News·Sports

Emergency workers and evacuees during Typhoon Bavi flooding in northeast China

Typhoon Bavi Drives 365,000 From Homes in Northeast China as Floods Widen

Typhoon Bavi's remnants flooded northeast China on Tuesday, forcing 365,000 evacuations in Liaoning as 14 rivers breached warning levels. Shenyang and Fushun raised the highest flood alert while Jilin's Meihekou recorded over

July 14, 2026

Climate·News

China first-half 2026 foreign trade reaches record $3.75 trillion with high-tech exports surging

China’s First-Half Trade Hits Record $3.75 Trillion as High-Tech Exports Surge 39%

China's total merchandise trade reached a first-half record of 25.47 trillion yuan — $3.75 trillion — up 16.9 percent year-on-year, with high-tech exports jumping 39 percent and Belt and Road partners absorbing

July 14, 2026

Business·Economy·Markets·News

Seoul cityscape at night reflecting South Korea's growing role in global financial markets as Samsung explores a US ADR listing

Samsung Explores US ADR Listing as SK Hynix’s $28 Billion Nasdaq Debut Opens the Door

Samsung Electronics is in early talks with investment banks about a potential US ADR listing, following rival SK Hynix's record $28 billion Nasdaq debut. No exchange or timeline has been named, and

July 14, 2026

Business·Markets·News·Technology

Meta data center construction site at Richland Parish, Louisiana, part of the company's $50 billion AI infrastructure investment

Meta Expands Louisiana Data Center to 5 Gigawatts in $50 Billion AI Push

Meta is expanding its Louisiana data center to five gigawatts in a $50B AI infrastructure push that has already put $1.6 billion in contracts into the local economy. The Richland Parish campus

July 14, 2026

Artificial Intelligence·Business·News·Technology

Bitcoin price drops below $63,000 during Asian trading session leverage flush

Bitcoin Drops Below $63,000 as Iran Blockade Fee, Fed Warning, and AI Rotation Combine

Bitcoin fell to $62,300 in Monday's Asian session as Trump's 20-percent Strait of Hormuz cargo fee, a Fed rate hike signal from Governor Waller, and South Korea's Kospi crash drove $253 million

July 14, 2026

Crypto·Markets·News

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Akihito Muranaka

Drone Crosses from Romania into Bulgaria, Explodes Near Trans-Balkan Pipeline Station

Google’s AI Surfaced a Developer’s Private Game Character. Google Can’t Explain It.

Food Prices Hit Near Three-Year High as Wheat Surges on War and Heatwaves

Aaron Farinacci, Who Killed His Father, Charged With Arson in Spokane’s Old Trails Fire

Ma Xingrui Expelled from China Politburo Over Family Corruption Under Xi Jinping

T. rex ‘Gus’ Shatters Fossil Auction Record at $50.1 Million in New York

Norwegian Chemical Tanker Stolt Magnesium Hit by Projectile Off Oman’s Coast

Warren Buffett Cuts Gates Foundation From $6 Billion Annual Gift Over Epstein Ties

Pogacar Wins Solo on Bastille Day to Extend Tour de France Lead to 3:36

Typhoon Bavi Drives 365,000 From Homes in Northeast China as Floods Widen

China’s First-Half Trade Hits Record $3.75 Trillion as High-Tech Exports Surge 39%

Samsung Explores US ADR Listing as SK Hynix’s $28 Billion Nasdaq Debut Opens the Door

Meta Expands Louisiana Data Center to 5 Gigawatts in $50 Billion AI Push

Bitcoin Drops Below $63,000 as Iran Blockade Fee, Fed Warning, and AI Rotation Combine

Radical Islam is being appreciated by Indian authorities too

Bangladesh; India’s Biggest Ally or China’s Dragon Nest?

Ahmadis in Bangladesh face fresh threat of persecution

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Akihito Muranaka

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