The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
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Paralympics: Muraoka wins sitting super-G for 2nd gold in Beijing
BEIJING - Japan's Momoka Muraoka went two for two at the Beijing Paralympics on Sunday when she added the women's sitting super-G Alpine skiing gold to the downhill she won a day earlier.
The 25-year-old once again finished just ahead of Anna-Lena Forster, with the German taking her second straight silver. Zhang Wenjing of China won bronze.
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U.S. tells China "the world" is united against Russia invasion
WASHINGTON - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Saturday that "the world" is acting against Russia's invasion of Ukraine, indicating that Beijing should also be part of the response.
"The world is acting in unison to repudiate and respond to the Russian aggression, ensuring that Moscow will pay a high price," Blinken was quoted as saying during a phone call, according to the U.S. State Department.
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North Korea says it conducted test for reconnaissance satellite on March 5
BEIJING - North Korea's latest launch was conducted to develop a reconnaissance satellite, state-run media reported Sunday, a day after what was described by neighboring countries as a ballistic missile launch toward the Sea of Japan.
Saturday's test indicated that North Korea is seeking to develop its weapons capabilities while the United States is focused on Russia's invasion of Ukraine, some foreign affairs experts said.
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Athletics: Kenya's Kipchoge wins Tokyo Marathon in race record time
TOKYO - Kenya's two-time defending Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge won the Tokyo Marathon on Sunday in a race record 2 hours, 2 minutes and 40 seconds, finishing roughly a minute outside his own world record.
The race was the first to allow local residents to apply for general entry since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Both the 2020 marathon and last year's event were limited to elite runners and invitees to contain the spread of COVID-19.
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China cuts 2022 GDP target to around 5.5% amid Ukraine crisis
BEIJING - China cut a gross domestic product growth target for 2022 to around 5.5 percent at the opening of an annual session of parliament on Saturday, amid mounting concern that Russia's aggression against Ukraine will put serious downward pressure on the global economy.
The economic growth goal was lower than the target of over 6.0 percent for last year, as the world's second-biggest economy has also shown signs of slowdown due largely to the prolonged COVID-19 outbreak and sluggishness with the real estate sector.
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FEATURE: Ukrainian musician appeals for peace from Japan
TOKYO - For Kateryna Gudzii, the Ukrainian traditional instrument she plays has been her way of sharing the culture and music of her homeland with Japan -- and this more than decade-long personal mission takes on a deeper meaning now Ukraine has been thrust into the global spotlight following Russia's invasion.
"When I perform, I do so with thoughts that the war would end and there will be peace in the world," said Gudzii, who is only one of two "bandura" players actively performing in Japan where she began living in 2006.
