News Headlines - 05 December 2018
▽Former presidents, world leaders to attend George H.W. Bush's funeral - CNNPolitics
Former President George H.W. Bush will be honored with a state funeral on Wednesday, an official gathering that will include current and former presidents and world leaders to mark the life of the 41st President.
The White House said both President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump will attend Wednesday's service at Washington National Cathedral.
▽Powerful 7.5 quake off New Caledonia triggers tsunami but no damage - Channel NewsAsia
A powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck near New Caledonia on Wednesday (Dec 5), triggering a tsunami alert and emergency evacuations across a swathe of the South Pacific, but there were no reports of serious damage or injuries.
Toyota Motor Corp. on Wednesday launched a sensor-based device that is designed to prevent crashes caused by the misapplication of pedals in older types of its Prius and Aqua series of vehicles that do not have an automatic braking system... The new safety feature detects objects within a range of 3 meters and issues an alert if the driver mistakenly hits the gas pedal instead of the brake, according to the automaker.
The new system also slows down the car if it reaches over 5 kilometers per hour in reverse.
▽Takeda shareholders approve Shire acquisition - Nikkei Asian Review
Takeda Pharmaceutical's planned $58.3 billion acquisition of Irish drugmaker Shire passed the final major hurdle on Wednesday as shareholders approved issuing new stock to finance more than half of the purchase.
The deal will lift the Japanese drugmaker into the top 10 globally by revenue as it combats fierce competition.
Takeda announced that at least 88% of shareholders voted in favor of the proposal, well above the two-thirds needed for approval. The institutional investors that represent around 66% of the company's shares generally supported the deal.
▽Former marathon runner gets suspended sentence for shoplifting - Japan Today
Former world championships marathon runner Yumiko Hara has been sentenced to one year in prison, suspended for four years with supervision, for shoplifting food, with the court citing an eating disorder she is suffering from even after her retirement... The Maebashi District Court acknowledged that her bulimia, which makes her crave food, affected her ability to discern and control her behavior. But the court also concluded she was mentally competent to be held responsible.
