Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe assassinated in Nara ...

Tokyo (CNN) Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe died on Friday after being shot while giving a campaign speech on a street in central Japan.

The assassination of the former world leader in broad daylight has shocked a nation not used to gun violence and prompted an outpouring of support and condolences from the international community.

Abe died from excessive bleeding and was pronounced dead at 5:03 p.m. local time, doctors at the Nara Medical University hospital said during a press conference on Friday. The doctors said the bullet that killed the former Japanese leader was "deep enough to reach his heart" and a team of 20 medical professionals were unable to stop the bleeding.

Abe went into cardiopulmonary arrest at the site of the shooting and was rushed to hospital in a state of cardiac arrest at 12:20 p.m. local time, doctors said. During surgery, doctors discovered a bullet wound to his neck and a large wound on his heart.

The suspect, Tetsuya Yamagami, who was detained at the scene, has admitted to shooting Abe, according to Nara Nishi police.

Abe, 67, was the former Liberal Democratic Party leader and Japan's longest-serving prime minister, holding office from 2006 to 2007 and again from 2012 to 2020, before resigning due to health reasons. Since stepping down, he remained in the public eye and regularly appeared in the media to discuss current affairs.

Photos: Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe speaks moments before being shot in front of Yamato-Saidaiji Station in Nara, Japan, on July 8. Hide Caption 1 of 16 Photos: Japan's former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, center, lies on the ground having been shot in Nara, Japan, on July 8. Hide Caption 2 of 16 Photos: Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is taken on a stretcher to a helicopter after being shot in front of Yamato-Saidaiji Station in Nara, Japan, on July 8. Hide Caption 3 of 16 Photos: Akie Abe, center, wife of former Japanese prime minster Shinzo Abe, arrives by train in Nara before heading to the Nara Medical University Hospital in Kashihara, Nara Prefecture, where her husband was transferred after being shot during an election campaign in Nara on July 8. Hide Caption 4 of 16 Photos: Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks to the media about the former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at his office in Tokyo, Japan, on July 8. Hide Caption 5 of 16 Photos: Pedestrians are silhouetted against a large public video screen showing an image of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe in the Akihabara district of Tokyo on July 8, after he was shot and killed in the city of Nara Hide Caption 6 of 16 Photos: Head of University Hospital Kimihiko Kichikawa, center left, and professor of emergency medicine, Hidetada Fukushima, center right, hold a press conference in Kashihara, Nara Prefecture, where former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe was confirmed dead after he was shot at a campaign event in the city of Nara on July 8. Hide Caption 7 of 16 Photos: Extra edition newspapers about Japan's former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe being shot while campaigning in Nara, Japan, are being distributed to people on a street on July 8, in Tokyo. Hide Caption 8 of 16 Photos: A man lays flowers at the site where Japan's former prime minister Shinzo Abe was shot in Nara City, Japan, on July 8. Hide Caption 9 of 16 Photos: Media crews gather in an area near Yamato-Saidaiji Station in Nara, Japan, on July 8, after former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was shot. Hide Caption 10 of 16 Photos: An aerial photo shows a man believed to be former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on a stretcher at Nara Medical University Hospital in Kashihara, Nara Prefecture, Japan, on July 8. Hide Caption 11 of 16 Photos: An ambulance carrying Japanese former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe leaves for an emergency hospital near Yamato-Saidaiji Station in Nara Prefecture on July 8. Hide Caption 12 of 16 Photos: Security police tackle a suspect who is believed to be involved in the shooting in front of Yamato-Saidaiji Station in Nara, Japan, on July 8. What appears to be a handmade gun lies on the ground near as a security officer seizes the suspect. Hide Caption 13 of 16 Photos: A television screen in Tokyo's Yurakucho area on July 8 shows the news that former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been shot Hide Caption 14 of 16 Photos: The scene on the ground in Nara, Japan, near the location where former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was shot on July 8. Hide Caption 15 of 16 Photos: A photo taken from a Kyodo News helicopter in Nara, Japan, on July 8, shows an area near the location where former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was shot from behind earlier in the day. Hide Caption 16 of 16

At the time of the shooting, Abe was delivering a speech in support of LDP candidates in Nara city ahead of the upcoming Upper House elections scheduled for Sunday.

Video aired by the public broadcaster captured the moments before the shooting, showing Abe speaking to a small crowd in front of Yamatosaidaiji railway station. In subsequent videos, two shots can be heard and smoke can be seen in the air.

Photos of the scene show people gathered around the former leader as he lay in the street, with what appeared to be blood stains on his white shirt.

He was rushed to hospital via helicopter, where medics began frantic efforts to keep him alive. He was believed to have been shot twice, in the chest and neck, NHK reported, citing police.

An official from the Nara City Fire Department told CNN earlier on Friday that Abe was in a state of cardiopulmonary arrest, a term used to describe the sudden loss of heart function and breathing.

Yamagami, who appeared to have used a homemade weapon in the attack, was arrested and charged with attempted murder, according to NHK.

He was held for questioning at Nara Nishi police station, NHK reported.

During a press conference Friday, Nara Nishi police said the 41-year-old suspect, who is unemployed, holds hatred towards a certain group to which he thought Abe was related.

Police raided the suspect's apartment at 5:17 p.m. local time, where they confiscated several handmade pistol-like items, police said.

Yamagami is being investigated as a suspect in a murder case, to which 90 investigators have been assigned, the police added.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida paid his "deepest condolences" to former leader Abe, saying he "was a personal friend, with whom (he) spent a lot of time."

Kishida said he had a "great respect for the legacy (Abe) left behind" and would continue election campaigning on Saturday, adding that a free and fair election must be defended at all costs.

News of the shooting and Abe's subsequent death horrified leaders around the world, many of whom had worked with Abe during his long tenure.

US President Joe Biden said he was "stunned, outraged, and deeply saddened," adding that he had worked closely with Abe and that his killing was "a tragedy for Japan and all who knew him."

"While there are many details that we do not yet know, we know that violent attacks are never acceptable and that gun violence always leaves a deep scar on the communities that are affected by it. The United States stands with Japan in this moment of grief," Biden said in a statement.

"Abe was one of Australia's closest friends on the world stage," Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wrote on Twitter, adding that Abe was "a leader in the Indo-Pacific, championing a vision of a free and open region."

Abe's legacy includes a major Asia-Pacific trade partnership, known as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, and the Quad , Albanese added, saying both were shaped by his diplomatic leadership.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India would hold a day of national mourning on Saturday. Abe was "a towering global statesman, an outstanding leader, and a remarkable administrator," said Modi, adding that his relationship with Abe "goes back many years."

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called Abe's death "profoundly disturbing in and of itself, it's also such a strong personal loss for so many people." He added that the former prime minister "was an extraordinary partner" to the United States who brought the relationship between the two countries "to new heights" during his time in office.

European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called Abe "a wonderful person, great democrat and champion of the multilateral world order" in a tweet on Friday.

"I mourn with his family, his friends and all the people of Japan. This brutal and cowardly murder of Shinzo Abe shocks the whole world," she said.

After Abe was shot but before his death was confirmed, China's Foreign Ministry sent its condolences to Abe's family. "We are following the developments, and we hope former Prime Minister Abe will be out of danger and recover soon. We certainly would like to send our regards to his family," ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a news conference on Friday afternoon.

Japan's low gun crime

Abe's assassination has shocked Japan, which has one of the lowest rates of gun crime in the world due to its extremely strict gun control laws.

In 2018, Japan reported nine deaths from firearms, compared with 39,740 that year in the United States.

Under Japan's firearms laws, the only guns permitted for sale are shotguns and air rifles -- handguns are outlawed. But getting them is a long and complicated process.

Nancy Snow, Japan director of the International Security Industrial Council, told CNN that Friday's shooting will change the country "forever."

"It's not only rare, but it's really culturally unfathomable," Snow said. "The Japanese people can't imagine having a gun culture like we have in the United States. This is a speechless moment. I really feel at a loss for words. I pray for the best for the former prime minister."

Shinzo Abe of Japan dies after campaign speech shooting

Shinzo Abe, Japan's longest-serving prime minister, died at the age of 67 Friday after being shot during a campaign speech in western Japan. It was a shocking attack in a country that has some of the strictest gun control laws in the world.

Abe was shot from behind minutes after he started his speech Friday in the city of Nara . He collapsed bleeding and was airlifted to a nearby hospital in Nara, although he was not breathing and his heart had stopped, the Associated Press reported. He was later pronounced dead after receiving massive blood transfusions, officials said.

Police arrested a male suspect, identified as 41-year-old Tetsuya Yamagami, at the scene of the shooting in Nara, according to Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno .

The Japanese broadcaster NHK reported that Yamagami worked for the Maritime Self-Defense Force for three years until around 2005. He said he wanted to kill Abe because he had complaints about him unrelated to politics, according to NHK.

In Washington, President Joe Biden said he was "stunned, outraged, and deeply saddened" by Abe's assassination.

"This is a tragedy for Japan and for all who knew him," Biden said in a statement early Friday. He called Abe "a champion of the alliance between our nations and the friendship between our people."

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NHK aired footage showing Abe collapsed on the street, with several security guards running toward him, He was bleeding and holding his chest. Two apparent gun shots are audible in the video.

The video also shows security guards tackling the apparent gunman to the ground. pavement.A double-barreled device that appeared to be a handmade gun was seen on the ground, according to the Associated Press.

Abe was making a campaign speech ahead of Sunday’s parliamentary elections.

Japan has some of the strictest gun laws in the world. Prospective owners must undergo formal instruction as well as written, mental, and drug tests and a rigorous background check.

Abe first became Japanese prime minister in 2006, when he was 52, making him the youngest leader to hold the post at the time. But he resigned a year later after his Liberal Democratic Party lost control of the legislature and amid his own health issues; he suffered from ulcerative colitis.

Abe was elected to lead the party again in 2012, elevating him to prime minister a second time in December of that year. He led the country until August 2020, announcing his resignation when his illness resurfaced.

During his second stint as prime minister, Abe worked to revitalize the nation and get its economy out of its deflationary doldrums with his "Abenomics" formula, which combined fiscal stimulus, monetary easing and structural reforms.

His ultra-nationalism riled the Koreas and China, and his push to normalize Japan’s defense posture angered many Japanese. Abe failed to achieve his cherished goal of formally rewriting the U.S.-drafted pacifist constitution due to public opposition.

Following his resignation, Abe remained an influential political figure in his Liberal Democratic Party.

'NEW RULES FOR THE 21ST CENTURY ECONOMY':Biden rolls out alternative to traditional trade pact in Indo-Pacific, aim is countering China

Former President Donald Trump said it was "absolutely devastating news." He said on his social media app, Truth Social, that Abe "was a true friend of mine and, much more importantly, America. This is a tremendous blow to the wonderful people of Japan, who loved and admired him so much. We are all praying for Shinzo and his beautiful family!"

Rahm Emanuel, the U.S. ambassador to Japan, said "we are all saddened and shocked" by the shooting.

"Abe-san has been an outstanding leader of Japan and unwavering ally of the U.S. The U.S. Government and American people are praying for the well-being of Abe-san, his family, & people of Japan," he wrote in a tweet.

Contributing: Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY; The Associated Press

Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in critical condition ...

Tokyo (CNN) Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is in critical condition and fighting for his life after being shot in the street in broad daylight while making a campaign speech in the central city of Nara, in an attack that has shocked the nation.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said in a press conference on Friday that Abe is receiving emergency treatment at the Nara Medical University hospital, where medical staff are fighting to save him.

"This is not a forgivable act," Kishida said. "We will comprehend the situation and take appropriate measures."

Abe's younger brother, Japan's Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi told reporters Abe was receiving a blood transfusion.Shortly afterward, Abe's wife arrived at the hospital to be with her husband, Japan's public broadcaster NHK reported.

An official from the Nara City Fire Department earlier confirmed to CNN that Abe was in a state of cardiopulmonary arrest, a term used to describe the sudden loss of heart function and breathing.

An aerial photo shows a man believed to be former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the stretcher at Nara Medical University Hospital in Kashihara, Nara Prefecture on July 8.

Abe is the former Liberal Democratic Party leader and Japan's longest-serving prime minister, holding office from 2006 to 2007 and again from 2012 to 2020, before resigning due to health reasons. Since stepping down, he has remained in the public eye and regularly appears in the media to discuss current affairs.

was rushed to hospital via helicopter in the aftermath of the shooting. According to police, he was believed to have been shot twice, in the chest and neck, Abewas rushed to hospital via helicopter in the aftermath of the shooting. According to police, he was believed to have been shot twice, in the chest and neck, NHK reported

A suspect, identified as Tetsuya Yamagami, a local man in his 40s, was arrested and charged with attempted murder, according to NHK. It appears the suspect used a handmade gun in the attack, though the motive remains unclear. He is being held for questioning at Nara Nishi police station, NHK reported.

Photos from the scene show the weapon on the ground, wrapped in black material.

CNN has not yet been able to independently verify these reports.

Video aired on NHK and images from the scene show police wrestling a man to the ground near where the former Prime Minister was standing. Another video aired by NHK shows smoke in the air.

What appears to be a homemade weapon on the ground near where a security officer seized a suspect believed to have shot former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in front of Yamatosaidaiji Station on July 8, in Nara, Japan.

Prime Minister Kishida, who was on a tour of duty, rushed back to his office and government ministers in various parts of the country had been urged to return to Tokyo immediately, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said.

"Such barbaric behavior is unacceptable for any reason and we firmly condemn it. The government will take all possible measures to deal with the situation," Matsuno said.

How events unfolded

Abe was making a speech in support of LDP candidates ahead of the upcoming Upper House elections scheduled for Sunday. He was due to head to Kyoto and Saitama prefecture, near the capital Tokyo.

Video aired by NHK captured the moments leading up to the shooting and show Abe speaking to a small crowd in the street in front of Yamatosaidaiji Station in Nara. In subsequent video two shots can be heard.

In this aerial image, former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is on a stretcher to a helicopter after being shot in front of Yamatosaidaiji Station on July 8.

The former Prime Minister was conscious and responsive while being transported following the shooting, police sources told NHK.

Images show Abe being carried on a stretcher to a helicopter.

Outpouring of global concern

World leaders sent well wishes and messages of condolence in the wake of the shooting.

The United States Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emmanuel said in a tweet early Friday, "We are all saddened and shocked by the shooting of former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo."

"Abe-san has been an outstanding leader of Japan and unwavering ally of the US The US Government and American people are praying for the well-being of Abe-san, his family, & people of Japan."

Photos: Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe speaks moments before being shot in front of Yamato-Saidaiji Station in Nara, Japan, on July 8. Hide Caption 1 of 16 Photos: Japan's former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, center, lies on the ground having been shot in Nara, Japan, on July 8. Hide Caption 2 of 16 Photos: Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is taken on a stretcher to a helicopter after being shot in front of Yamato-Saidaiji Station in Nara, Japan, on July 8. Hide Caption 3 of 16 Photos: Akie Abe, center, wife of former Japanese prime minster Shinzo Abe, arrives by train in Nara before heading to the Nara Medical University Hospital in Kashihara, Nara Prefecture, where her husband was transferred after being shot during an election campaign in Nara on July 8. Hide Caption 4 of 16 Photos: Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks to the media about the former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at his office in Tokyo, Japan, on July 8. Hide Caption 5 of 16 Photos: Pedestrians are silhouetted against a large public video screen showing an image of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe in the Akihabara district of Tokyo on July 8, after he was shot and killed in the city of Nara Hide Caption 6 of 16 Photos: Head of University Hospital Kimihiko Kichikawa, center left, and professor of emergency medicine, Hidetada Fukushima, center right, hold a press conference in Kashihara, Nara Prefecture, where former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe was confirmed dead after he was shot at a campaign event in the city of Nara on July 8. Hide Caption 7 of 16 Photos: Extra edition newspapers about Japan's former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe being shot while campaigning in Nara, Japan, are being distributed to people on a street on July 8, in Tokyo. Hide Caption 8 of 16 Photos: A man lays flowers at the site where Japan's former prime minister Shinzo Abe was shot in Nara City, Japan, on July 8. Hide Caption 9 of 16 Photos: Media crews gather in an area near Yamato-Saidaiji Station in Nara, Japan, on July 8, after former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was shot. Hide Caption 10 of 16 Photos: An aerial photo shows a man believed to be former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on a stretcher at Nara Medical University Hospital in Kashihara, Nara Prefecture, Japan, on July 8. Hide Caption 11 of 16 Photos: An ambulance carrying Japanese former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe leaves for an emergency hospital near Yamato-Saidaiji Station in Nara Prefecture on July 8. Hide Caption 12 of 16 Photos: Security police tackle a suspect who is believed to be involved in the shooting in front of Yamato-Saidaiji Station in Nara, Japan, on July 8. What appears to be a handmade gun lies on the ground near as a security officer seizes the suspect. Hide Caption 13 of 16 Photos: A television screen in Tokyo's Yurakucho area on July 8 shows the news that former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been shot Hide Caption 14 of 16 Photos: The scene on the ground in Nara, Japan, near the location where former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was shot on July 8. Hide Caption 15 of 16 Photos: A photo taken from a Kyodo News helicopter in Nara, Japan, on July 8, shows an area near the location where former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was shot from behind earlier in the day. Hide Caption 16 of 16

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he is "utterly appalled and saddened to hear about the despicable attack on Shinzo Abe," while Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was "deeply distressed by the attack on my dear friend."

Among those sharing messages of support and concern were US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and Mexico's Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard.

Japan's low gun crime

Abe's shooting has shocked Japan, which has one of the lowest rates of gun crime in the world due to its extremely strict gun control laws.

In 2018, Japan only reported nine deaths from firearms, compared with 39,740 that year in the United States, according to data compiled by the Sydney School of Public Health at the University of Sydney.

Under Japan's firearms laws, the only guns permitted for sale are shotguns and air rifles -- handguns are outlawed. But getting them is a long and complicated process.

Nancy Snow, Japan director of the International Security Industrial Council, told CNN that Friday's shooting will change the country "forever."

"It's not only rare, but it's really culturally unfathomable," Snow said. "The Japanese people can't imagine having a gun culture like we have in the United States. This is a speechless moment. I really feel at a loss for words. I pray for the best for the former prime minister."

Who was Shinzo Abe, the former Japanese Prime Minister? | CNN

Tokyo (CNN) Japan's former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has died after being shot during a campaign speech Friday in Nara. He was 67.

Abe was pronounced dead by doctors at the Nara Medical University hospital in central Japan at 5:03 p.m. local time. He was admitted into hospital in a state of cardiac arrest and medical staff were unable to stop the excessive bleeding, doctors said during a press conference on Friday.

Abe served two separate terms as Japanese leader for the right-leaning LDP -- the first from 2006 to 2007, then again from 2012 until 2020. His second stint was the longest consecutive term for a Japanese head of government.

Abe will be remembered for boosting defense spending and pushing through the most dramatic shift in Japanese military policy in 70 years. In 2015, his government passed a reinterpretation of Japan's postwar, pacifist constitution, allowing Japanese troops to engage in overseas combat -- with conditions -- for the first time since World War II.

Abe argued the change was needed to respond to a more challenging security environment, a nod to a more assertive China and frequent missile tests in North Korea.

During his term, Abe sought to improve relations with Beijing and held a historic phone call with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in 2018. At the same time, he tried to counter Chinese expansion in the region by uniting Pacific allies.

After leaving office, Abe remained head of the largest faction of the ruling LDP and remained influential within the party. He has continued to campaign for a stronger security policy and last year angered China by calling for a greater commitment from allies to defend democracy in Taiwan. In response, Beijing summoned Japan's ambassador and accused Abe of openly challenging China's sovereignty.

Abe bows to applause from lawmakers of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party after winning the party's presidential election on Sept. 20, 2006.

Abe was born on September 21, 1954, in Tokyo, to a prominent political family. Both his grandfather and great uncle served as prime minister, and his father was a former secretary general of the LDP.

He studied politics at Tokyo's Seiki University and the University of Southern California, but initially entered business, taking a position with Kobe Steel in 1979. Three years later, he became an assistant to the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Abe was first elected to Japan's House of Representatives in 1993, at age 38. He held a number of cabinet positions throughout the 2000s, and in 2003 became secretary general of the LDP. Four years later, he was named the party's president and became prime minister of Japan.

His first term was marred by controversies and worsening health, and he stepped down as party leader and prime minister in 2007. The end of Abe's first term opened a revolving door in which five different men held the prime minister post in five years until his re-election in 2012. He stepped down in 2020 citing ill health.

Diplomatic record

Abe was a prominent figure on the world stage. He cultivated strong ties with Washington -- Tokyo's traditional ally -- and attempted to build a personal relationship with former United States President Donald Trump, traveling to New York to meet the newly elected Republican President while former President Barack Obama was still in office.

During that "unofficial" meeting in 2016, Trump's first with any world leader, Abe hailed the US-Japan alliance and said he wanted to "build trust" with the new President. He strongly supported Trump's initial hard line on North Korea, which matched Abe's own hawkish tendencies.

Abe escorts then President Donald Trump during a welcome ceremony at Akasaka Palace, Nov. 6, 2017.

But as Washington's relationship with Pyongyang tipped toward diplomacy, with both Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in holding historic summits with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Abe appeared to be sidelined.

No meeting was scheduled between Abe and Kim, and in September 2019, the Japanese leader said he was still "determined" to meet him. Abe wanted to normalize relations with North Korea and ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula, but his first priority was to bring some closure for the families of Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea in the 1970s and 80s.

During his tenure, Japan's relations with South Korea soured. The two countries were engaged in a major dispute in which trade and military intelligence deals were scrapped, partly due to the legacy of World War II and Japan's brutal colonization of the Korean Peninsula.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe celebrating in Buenos Aires after Tokyo was chosen as the host city for the 2020 Summer Olympics in September 2013.

Olympic 'Super Mario' success and setback

Abe came to office during a time of economic turmoil and soon set about rebooting Japan's economy after decades of stagnation. Soon after he was re-elected prime minister in 2012, he launched a grand experiment popularly known as "Abenomics."

It included three so-called arrows -- massive monetary stimulus, increased government spending, and structural reforms.

Abe's allies praised the plan for reviving the country's economy and boosting consumer and investor confidence. But after a strong start, it faltered and in 2015 Abe fired "three new arrows" designed to boost gross domestic product. Any hopes they might eventually hit their mark were dashed when Covid-19 swept through the country in 2020, tipping Japan into recession.

One of Abe's major domestic achievements was securing the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Abe delighted video game fans around the world when he famously dressed as Japanese icon Super Mario during the closing ceremony for the Rio Games in 2016, to introduce Tokyo as the next host city.

Shinzo Abe, dressed as Super Mario, holds a red ball during the closing ceremony of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

In an instantly meme-able segment, Abe, wearing an oversized red cap, was shown emerging from a green pipe, as the sounds of the Super Mario video game echoed around the Maracanã stadium.

But the success of the much anticipated Tokyo Games was ultimately undone by the Covid-19 pandemic, which forced the competition to be postponed to 2021.

An initial unwillingness to delay the Games was partly credited for Japan's slow response to the coronavirus pandemic, which hit the country early in 2020. Abe declared a state of emergency months after the first cases were detected. His administration was also criticized for the low rate of testing, and an early lack of specialist medical equipment to treat the rising number of patients.

More successful was Abe's handling of the abdication of Emperor Akihito, the first Japanese monarch to step down in two centuries. He was succeeded by his son, Emperor Naruhito, in October 2019, starting the Reiwa era.

"Like the flowers of the plum tree blooming proudly in spring after the cold winter, we wish the Japanese people to bloom like individual flowers with the (promise of the) future. With such a wish for Japan, we decided upon 'Reiwa'," Abe said on announcing the new era.

Abe is survived by his wife Akie Abe, née Matsuzaki, who he married in 1987. The couple did not have children.

Ex-Japanese PM Abe shot and killed, a look at Boris Johnson's exit ...

On today's episode of the 5 Things podcast: Ex-Japanese Prime Minister Abe shot and killed

The apparent assassination happened during a campaign speech. Plus, international correspondent Kim Hjelmgaard tells us what exactly happened surrounding British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's resignation, former White House counsel Pat Cipollone will testify to the Jan. 6 committee, money reporter Bailey Schulz gives a gas price update and U.S. hiring may be slowing down.

Podcasts:True crime, in-depth interviews and more USA TODAY podcasts right here.

Hit play on the player above to hear the podcast and follow along with the transcript below.This transcript was automatically generated, and then edited for clarity in its current form. There may be some differences between the audio and the text.

Taylor Wilson:

Good morning. I'm Taylor Wilson and this is 5 Things you need to know Friday, the 8th of July, 2022. Today, a former Japanese prime minister is killed. Plus what's next in Britain following a political shake up and more.

Here are some of the top headlines:

The first funerals for victims of the Highland Park shooting are set for today. They come as some severely injured victims hold onto life. One of them, 8 year old Cooper Roberts, is in critical but stable condition after being shot in the chest. Basketball star Brittney Griner pleaded guilty yesterday to drug possession charges. Her trial in Russian court continues in a case that could see her receive up to 10 years in prison. And James Caan has died. The legendary actor known for his work in The Godfather and other iconic films was 82.

Taylor Wilson:

Shinzo Abe, Japan's former prime minister as recently as 2020, has died after being shot and killed during a campaign speech. Japan's NHK Television earlier reported his death. Abe was shot from behind minutes after he started his speech in Nara earlier today. A local fire department official said Abe went into cardiac and pulmonary arrest after being shot, and his heart stopped while being airlifted to a hospital where he was later pronounced dead. Police arrested a 41 year old male suspect on suspicion of attempted murder at the scene of the shooting. Abe came into office as Japan's prime minister for a second time in December of 2012. He was the country's longest serving leader before stepping down due to health issues in 2020.

♦

As we talked about on yesterday's 5 Things, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced he would resign.

Boris Johnson:

It is clearly now the will of the parliamentary Conservative Party, that there should be a new leader of that party and therefore, a new prime minister. And, of course, I'm immensely proud of the achievements of this government. And in the last few days, I've tried to persuade my colleagues that it would be eccentric to change governments when we're delivering so much. But as we've seen at Westminster, the herd instinct is powerful. When the herd moves, it moves. And my friends in politics, no one is remotely indispensable.

Taylor Wilson:

The move ends an unprecedented political crisis in the UK. 5 Things Producer, P.J. Elliott spoke with International Correspondent Kim Hjelmgaard about why Johnson stepped down and what's next for Britain.

Kim Hjelmgaard:

It's kind of accumulation of things that have gone on for weeks if not months. There's a series of sort of sleaze scandals involving allegations against some of his junior ministers that he claimed not to know about or he claimed at various times to know about, then not know about, then know about. He's kind of been a divisive figure in the UK ever since he was elected three years ago. A lot of people were dissatisfied that he was this huge champion of Brexit and didn't feel that it was maybe the best thing for the country. Although his Conservative Party members were broadly behind Brexit, there was still many who were not sort of happy about the way he conducted that business.

His poll numbers have been falling for a while. And there's concern that maybe he's not the best person to lead the country into the next general election, whenever that was going to be, sometime in the next couple years. And he's just kind of pissed off a lot of his own lawmakers over a long period of time because he's constantly kind of rewritten the rules of sort of how you behave in the British parliament. He's kind of ignored lots of traditions. He's just not of the typical mold of a British prime minister. But I think the series of scandals over the last number of weeks really were the straw that broke the camel's back so to speak, to use that phrase.

P.J. Elliott:

So what's next for the UK? When does this go into effect and who's going to take over?

Kim Hjelmgaard:

So Boris Johnson, he gave his little speech and said that he was effectively going to stay kind of a caretaker prime minister for the next couple of months while his Conservative Party decides who is going to be the next leader. Because many Americans may not know this, but in the UK you actually elect a party you don't elect a specific individual. So what that means is that any point in time really, the ruling party can swap out a leader, a prime minister and internally select a new one. So that's the process it seems like they're going to kick off over the next couple of weeks and the Conservative Party members will come up with a list of candidates, some of which will be put forward, others which will be volunteering themselves. And they'll kind of like whittle it down over the rest of the summer to two who will then be sort of the formal two candidates. They'll have a number of public debates, probably focus more substantially on policy than they have been in recent times. There'll be a lot about the inflation, which has just kind of gone gangbusters, not just in the UK but around the world, the war in Ukraine, stuff like that.

But essentially they they're going to have an internal selection process that will play out between now and September, October, something like that. And at that point there'll be two candidates and they will internally sort of vote on those and one of them will emerge.

Taylor Wilson:

For more click the link in today's episode description.

♦

Former White House Counsel Pat Cipollone will testify today to the house committee investigating the January 6th capital attack. Committee members, including Vice Chair, Liz Cheney, had repeatedly called for his testimony to clarify what former President Donald Trump was doing before and during the capital insurrection. Cipollone urged Trump not to join the mob marching to the capital after his speech on January 6th, 2021, because of the risk he could be charged with every crime imaginable, according to former Trump aide, Cassidy Hutchinson, who testified last month.

Cassidy Hutchinson:

Mr. Cipollone said something to the effect of, "Please, make sure we don't go up to the Capitol, Cassidy. Keep in touch with me. We're going to get charged with every crime imaginable if we make that movement happen."

Rep. Liz Cheney:

And do you remember which crimes Mr. Cipollone was concerned with?

Cassidy Hutchinson:

In the days leading up to the 6th we had conversations about potentially obstructing justice or defrauding the electoral account.

Taylor Wilson:

Cipollone also threatened to resign when Trump threatened to replace Acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen with Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Clark, who was more willing to pursue claims of election fraud.

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Crude oil prices are down, but what does that mean for gas prices at the pump? Money reporter Bailey Schulz tells us what experts are saying.

Bailey Schulz:

So what we're seeing with crude oil prices, which really does affect the price that drivers see at the pump, is that prices have been dropping earlier this week, where on Tuesday and Wednesday prices fell mostly just because investors are getting a little nervous about concerns about a possible recession, where if that does come around, if that does happen, that could really curb demand for gas. That would just really kind of limit spending power for drivers and consumers in general. And so that has been the concern, and that's really what we saw drive this dip in crude oil prices.

I should add that it's hard to say how long the sort of dip will last. We're currently, as I'm speaking, where its prices for the US benchmark are back above a $100 a barrel already, so a very volatile time in the market and for gas prices. So it's very hard to say just how long this dip will last and just what sort of effects we will see at the pump from this. The expert I spoke to said that a recession at this point is not set in stone. We still have to wait and see exactly what will happen, but a lot people at this point are thinking that one is likely.

So what would that mean for consumers is that this would really just limit spending power, where the one quote I have is that people are going to have to tie in their belts with spending. So that would be something that would affect drivers, where people might go out and travel less, might buy less gas and so that is something that we saw affect crude oil prices this week.

It's very hard at this point to say exactly what will happen with prices at the pump, where we are still at pretty high levels. Experts told me they expect to see a bit of relief because of this dip with the price of crude oil on the market, but very hard to say how long that sort of dip will last. We've already seen prices trading above $100 once again on Thursday. And then there are a number of other factors that could make prices rise again, where hurricane season could cause refineries to shut down, which would affect prices. There could be more geopolitical challenges with Russia and Ukraine, and so a lot of different things could impact prices at the pump down the line. And it's just very hard to know exactly what we will be seeing with prices at the pump down the road.

Taylor Wilson:

Well, after going on a hiring spree, it appears US retailers are starting to slow down their recruiting. The country's top employer, Walmart, said it recently over hired because of a COVID related staffing shortage. And in April, Amazon said it, too, decided it had an excess of warehouse workers. The national job market overall is still strong, but the AP reports that economists surveyed by data provider FactSet expect the labor department's June jobs report out today to show employers added 275,000 jobs down from 390,000 in May. As for the unemployment rate, it's expected to have remained at 3.6% just above the half century low that came before the pandemic.

Thanks for listening to 5 Things. You can find us every morning right here, wherever you're listening right now. Thanks to P.J. Elliott for his great work on the show, and I'm back tomorrow with more of 5 Things from USA TODAY.

Shinzo Abe shooting: how common is gun crime in Japan? | The ...

Japan’s former prime minister Shinzo Abe has died after being shot while campaigning in the southern city of Nara. He was airlifted to hospital in a critical condition but died soon afterwards from his injuries.

Prime minister Fumio Kishida described the attack on the 67-year-old Abe – who was Japan’s longest-serving PM – as “barbaric and malicious”, a sentiment that has been echoed by world leaders who have expressed their shock at the incident. Abe’s brother, the current defence minister Nobuo Kishi, described the shooting as a sacrilege against democracy.

A 41-year-old male suspect was arrested at the scene and is now in police custody. He is thought to be Tetsuya Yamagami and a resident of the city, with no known occupation. Images from the scene suggest that the assailant used an improvised or homemade weapon.

Extremely low gun crime rate

The murder of “one of Japan’s most influential modern leaders” – as the Financial Times described Abe – has sent shockwaves across the country, which has one of the lowest rates of gun crime in the world.

Last year, there were just ten instances of shooting in the island nation of more than 125.5 million people, according to the National Police Agency.

A major factor behind this is the country’s extremely strict gun control laws. Handguns are outlawed and the only guns permitted for sale are shotguns and air rifles that require “strenuous effort – and lots of patience” to get hold of, said CNN.

To buy a gun in Japan, “potential buyers must attend an all-day class, pass a written test and a shooting-range test with an accuracy of at least 95%”, added the US news site. On top of this, they must undergo extensive mental health, drug and background checks, the latter “including a review of their criminal record, personal debt, involvement in organised crime and relationships with family and friends”.

Few gun-owning civilians

The result is that the level of gun ownership among Japanese civilians is one of the world’s lowest. According to Bloomberg and GunPolicy.org, the estimated total number of guns held by civilians in Japan was 310,400 in 2019, or 0.25 per 100 people – “the lowest level among the G-7 countries”.

Photos: Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe

Stefan Boness/Visum/Redux Then-Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe addresses the media during a news conference in 2014. In pictures: Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe

Stefan Boness/Visum/Redux Then-Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe addresses the media during a news conference in 2014.

Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was assassinated Friday while giving a campaign speech on a street in Nara, Japan.

Abe, 67, was Japan's longest-serving prime minister, holding office from 2006 to 2007 and again from 2012 to 2020 before resigning due to health reasons. Since stepping down, he remained in the public eye and regularly appeared in the media to discuss current affairs.

At the time of the shooting, Abe was delivering a speech in support of candidates in the Liberal Democratic Party. He was rushed to hospital via helicopter, but he died from excessive bleeding, doctors said.

A suspect, a local man in his 40s identified as Tetsuya Yamagami, was arrested and charged with attempted murder, according to Japanese broadcaster NHK.

Poll ranks top 10 news stories of 2012

USATODAY

NEW YORK (AP) — The horrific massacre of 26 children and staff at a Connecticut elementary school, along with other mass shootings, was the top news story of 2012, narrowly edging out the U.S. election, according to The Associated Press' annual poll of U.S. editors and news directors.

The results followed a rare decision by the AP to re-conduct the voting. The initial round of balloting had ended Dec. 13, a day before the shootings in Newtown, with the election ranked No. 1, followed by Superstorm Sandy. The original entry for mass shootings, focused on the rampage at an Aurora, Colo., movie theater, placed sixth in that voting.

In the new poll, updated to account for Newtown, the mass shootings received 68 first-place votes out of 173 ballots cast for the top 10 stories, compared to 65 first-place votes for the election — one of the closest results since the AP launched the poll in 1936. On a scale of points ranging from 10 for first place to one for 10th place, the shootings tallied 1448 points, compared to 1417 for the election. The second balloting ran Dec. 17-19.

Superstorm Sandy was third, far ahead of the next group of stories.

"After we completed our poll the news agenda was reshaped, tragically, by the Newtown shootings," said Michael Oreskes, AP's senior managing editor for U.S. news. "To chronicle that we conducted the poll again before releasing both results."

The U.S.-focused slant of the top stories this year contrasted with last year's voting, when the killing of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan was No. 1, followed by Japan's earthquake/tsunami disaster, and the Arab Spring uprisings that rocked North Africa and the Middle East.

Here are 2012's top 10 stories, in order:

1. MASS SHOOTINGS:

Armed with a high-powered rifle, 20-year-old Adam Lanza forced his way into Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., and shot dead 20 children — all ages 6 and 7 — and six staff members in the second-worst school massacre in U.S. history. Sadly, it was only one of several mass shootings, including the killing of 12 people at a movie theater in Aurora, Colo. After the Newtown tragedy, President Barack Obama and many others, including some staunch gun-rights supporters, said it was time to find ways to rein in gun violence.

2. U.S. ELECTION:

Mitt Romney outcampaigned an eclectic field of Republican rivals, and bested Obama in their opening head-to-head debate. But on Election Day, thanks in part to a vigorous get-out-the-vote operation, Obama won a second term with a large lead in electoral votes and a solid advantage in popular votes. The GOP hung on to its majority in the House, but lost two seats to remain a minority in the Senate despite early-campaign projections of gains there.

3. SUPERSTORM SANDY:

As a prelude, the storm named Sandy killed more than 70 people in the Caribbean. Then its high winds and high waters slammed into more than 800 miles of the eastern U.S. seaboard, killing at least 125 more people, and causing damage calculated at well over $60 billion — the second-costliest storm in U.S. history after 2005's Hurricane Katrina. New York and New Jersey were the worst hit, with several hundred thousand homes and businesses damaged or destroyed.

4. OBAMACARE:

By a 5-4 margin, the Supreme Court upheld the core elements of Obama's much-debated health care overhaul, which even he embraced as "Obamacare." To widespread surprise, the decisive vote came from John Roberts, the generally conservative-leaning chief justice appointed by Republican George W. Bush. Romney, as GOP presidential nominee, vowed to repeal the law if he won, but Obama's victory ensured the plan would proceed, with complex ramifications for insurers, employers, health-care providers and state governments.

5. LIBYA:

Even amid yearlong turmoil in Libya, it was a jarring incident — a Sept. 11 assault in Benghazi, widely blamed on a group with suspected links to al-Qaeda, that killed U.S. Ambassador Chris Stephens and three other Americans. The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, later bowed out of consideration to be the next secretary of state because of her assertions in TV interviews that a spontaneous demonstration over an anti-Muslim video triggered the attack.

6. PENN STATE:

It was a daunting year for Penn State and its storied football program. In January, longtime coach Joe Paterno died, his legacy tarnished by the sex-abuse scandal involving his former assistant, Jerry Sandusky. In June, after a wrenching trial, Sandusky was convicted of sexually abusing 10 boys, and was later sentenced to 30 to 60 years in prison. In July, the NCAA imposed severe sanctions, including $60 million in fines, a four-year postseason ban on football and a reduction in football scholarships.

7. U.S. ECONOMY:

By many measures, the economy was on a welcome upswing. The unemployment rate dipped to a four-year-low of 7.7 percent, stock markets rose, builders broke ground on more homes, and November was the best sales month in nearly five years for U.S. automakers. But overshadowing the good news was deep anxiety about the economic consequences if Obama and the Democrats failed to reach a tax-and-spending deal with the Republicans.

8. FISCAL CLIFF:

Obama and Republican House Speaker John Boehner engaged in high-stakes negotiations over a deal to avert the so-called "fiscal cliff" that would trigger automatic tax hikes and spending cuts. The leaders narrowed some differences on Social Security and tax rates for the wealthy, but faced intense pressure from their bases to resist certain compromises.

9. GAY MARRIAGE:

For supporters of same-sex marriage, it was a year of milestones. Obama, after a drawn-out process of "evolving," said in May he supported the right of gay couples to wed. On Election Day, Maine, Maryland and Washington became the first states to legalize gay marriage via popular vote. And on Dec. 7 the Supreme Court agreed to hear two cases that could further expand same-sex marriage rights.

10. SYRIA:

What began in 2011 as an outbreak of peaceful protests escalated into full-scale civil war pitting the beleaguered regime of Bashar Assad against a disparate but increasingly potent rebel opposition. The overall death toll climbed past 40,000, as the rebels made inroads toward Assad's bastion of Damascus. The U.S. and many other nations were supporting the opposition, albeit wary of outcomes that might help Islamic extremists gain power in the region.

Falling just short of the Top 10 was the resignation of David Petraeus as CIA director because of an affair he conducted with his biographer, Paula Broadwell.

The choices of the news professionals voting in the AP poll mirrored the news stories most closely followed by the public during the year, according to the Pew Research Center's News Interest Index. The index ranked Obama's re-election as the most intently followed story, with the Newtown shooting second and Superstorm Sandy third.

Several voters in the AP poll added a comment with their ballot, including Carol Hanner, managing editor of the Winston-Salem Journal in North Carolina.

"I believe climate change is being chronically underestimated by the media and by citizens," she wrote.

The AP, like many other news organizations, traditionally releases its year-end polls and rankings before the actual end of the year. In the case of 2004's top story poll, that meant the final list did not include the cataclysmic Indian Ocean tsunami that occurred on Dec. 26.

In 2009, AP's sports department amended its top-stories ballot part way through the voting to account for revelations about golfer Tiger Woods' marital infidelities. That ended out finishing fifth, far behind the top-ranked entry about Major League Baseball's steroid scandal.

Gun violence deaths reached record level in 2020, report says

The number of people dying from gun violence in the USA reached a record high in 2020: an average of 124 people dead every day, a new report from Johns Hopkins University found.

The analysis of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data from the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions showed there were 45,222 gun deaths in the USA in 2020, a 15% increase from 2019. Gun homicides rose by 35%.

Tony Rodham: Hillary Clinton's brother dies

Hillary Clinton's youngest brother,Tony Rodham, who drew headlines for taking advantage of his Clinton connections in dubious business ventures ranging from mining to electric cars to importing hazelnuts, has died.

The former secretary of state and first lady said on Twitter that Rodham died Friday night. The cause of death was not announced.

"It’s hard to find words, my mind is flooded with memories of him today," she wrote. "When he walked into a room he’d light it up with laughter. He was kind, generous, & a wonderful husband to Megan & father to Zach, Simon, & Fiona. We’ll miss him very much."

Rodham was born in 1954 and raised in the Chicago suburbs with his siblings, Hillary and Hugh Rodham.

He worked a variety of jobs, including stints as a prison guard, insurance salesman, repo man and private detective.

He also worked on the Democratic National Committee, helped on his sister’s political campaigns and previously married Nicole Boxer, the daughter of former U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer.

Rodham had numerous financial difficulties, including failed businesses, a string of shaky investment projects as well as nagging child support payments.

In 2000, as the Clinton administration was coming to a close, Rodham successfully lobbied his brother-in-law, the president, to override the objections of the Justice Department and pardon a Tennessee couple convicted of bank fraud, according to The New York Times.

A congressional investigation later found that Edgar Allen Gregory, Jr. and his wife, Vonna Jo, who were in the carnival business, had paid him almost $250,000 as a "consultant" in their bid to get a pardon.

In 2010, former President Bill Clinton helped Rodham, then short of cash, get a job raising investments in GreenTech Automotive, an electric car company then owned by Terry McAuliffe, an old Clinton friend and later governor of Virginia, the Times reported in 2015.

“I was complaining to my brother-in-law I didn’t have any money. And he asked McAuliffe to give me a job,” Rodham said at a court proceedings involving unpaid legal bills to his lawyer in a child support case, the newspaper said.

He also drew scrutiny as co-chairman of Haiti's recovery commission, following the devastating 2010 earthquake, for allegedly seeking a multimillion dollar deal to rebuild homes in the ravaged country with funding from the Clinton Foundation.

In court proceedings in an unrelated lawsuit, Rodham explained how someone in Haiti had “donated” 10,000 acres of land to him. In court testimony, he said he had pressed Clinton for helping in breaking through red tape to get funding for the rebuilding project.

“I deal through the Clinton Foundation. That gets me in touch with the Haitian officials,” Rodham said, according to a transcript of his testimony, the Times reported. “I hound my brother-in-law, because it’s his fund that we’re going to get our money from. And he can’t do it until the Haitian government does it."

The Clinton Foundation said in a statement at the time that it was not aware of Rodham’s Haiti project, which never materialized, and had no involvement in it, the newspaper says. Likewise, Clinton’s office said at the time he had no involvement in the scheme.

In another venture, Rodham sought to export hazelnuts from the Republic of Georgia, where he was linked to a rival to then Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze, a close Clinton ally. The incident prompted a National Security Council official to intervene to defuse a potential diplomatic embarrassment, according to The Washington Post..

Rodham is survived by wife Megan Madden and his three children: Zachary, Simon and Fiona.

.


Anti-oil climate activists glued to "Last Supper" painting copy in UK

Associated Press

LONDON– Climate change protesters targeted a copy of Leonardo da Vinci's "The Last Supper" at London's Royal Academy of Arts on Tuesday, gluing themselves to the painting's frame and spray-painting "No New Oil" next to it.

The protest, organized by supporters of the campaign group Just Stop Oil, came a day after two activists from the group were arrested after gluing themselves to the frame of John Constable's "The Hay Wain" in London's National Gallery.

On Tuesday, five activists entered the Royal Academy and attached a hand each to the frame of "The Last Supper," a full-size copy of da Vinci's famous 15th-century work.

The Metropolitan Police said three men and two women were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage. The Royal Academy said that the gallery room was closed to the public and that police were "called upon the protesters' request."

Just Stop Oil, which wants the government to stop giving out licenses for new oil and gas projects, has staged a series of attention-grabbing protests over the past week.

On Monday, two activists were arrested after they covered Constable's 1821 "The Hay Wain" with large sheets of paper depicting "an apocalyptic vision of the future." They then each stuck a hand on the frame of the oil painting and protested as security staff ushered out tourists and a group of schoolchildren.

The National Gallery said that painting's frame "suffered minor damage" and "there was also some disruption to the surface of the varnish on the painting," but both were repaired and the painting was rehung.

Activists from the group also disrupted the British Grand Prix on Sunday when they sat down on the racetrack during a halt in the Formula One race in Silverstone, southern England.

Police said six people were charged with conspiracy to cause public nuisance.

Natural gas projects are 'green' or 'sustainable,' EU parliament says ...

(CNN) European Union lawmakers voted Wednesday in favor of calling natural gas and nuclear power "green" or "sustainable" sources of energy, backing a proposal from European Commission , the EU's executive arm, that has spurred criticism from scientists and environmental advocates.

The new rules, if accepted by member states, could unlock billions of dollars of private investment and state subsidies for natural gas and nuclear projects.

The rules will go into effect in 2023, unless 20 of the union's 27 member states reject them, which is unlikely. Most member states — including heavyweights such as Germany and France — backed at least one of the two energy sources.

The European Commission has argued that natural gas — a fossil fuel primarily made of methane, a significant contributor to the climate crisis — plays a key role in transitioning to renewable energy, angering climate activists and some lawmakers. Natural gas typically emits less carbon dixoide than coal , but critics argue more focus should be place on boosting renewable energy, and that supporting new gas projects will only prolong the life of the fossil fuel.

Bas Eickhout, a Green lawmaker from the Netherlands who sits in the European Parliament, recently said he had "never seen such a strategic mistake by the Commission," and calling natural gas "sustainable" contradicts the European Union's pleas to the rest of the world to rapidly decarbonize their economies.

"We are undermining the entire credibility of our Green Deal," he previously told CNN, referring to the EU's centerpiece climate legislation. "And on the gas side, I really I don't see it. I fail to see the added value."

JUST WATCHED This Wyoming town wants a nuclear reactor nearby. Here's why. Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH This Wyoming town wants a nuclear reactor nearby. Here's why. 04:46

While the proposal came months before Russia's invasion of Ukraine, it gained momentum after the EU responded to the war by banning Russian energy sources such as coal and oil, which European countries have been highly dependent on.

The EU has vowed to cut planet-heating emissions by 55% from 1990 levels by 2030 and become a net-zero-emissions economy by 2050. Net zero is where emissions are dramatically reduced, and any that remain are offset, whether using natural methods like tree planting or technology to "capture" emissions. The effectiveness of such technology is currently limited.

But climate and energy advocates say Wednesday's decision will instead hinder Europe's green transition.

"This will delay a desperately needed real sustainable transition and deepen our dependency on Russian fuels," Greta Thunberg, the Swedish climate activist, tweeted in response to the vote . "The hypocrisy is striking, but unfortunately not surprising."

Environmental groups are expected to challenge the new rules in court. Already, groups such as Greenpeace and the World Wildlife Federation have said they plan to sue the EU over the policy.

"Gas and nuclear are not green, and labeling them as such is blatant greenwashing. This harms the climate, and future generations," Ester Asin, director at WWF European Policy Office, said in a statement. "We've lost this battle, but we won't give up the fight. [We] will explore all potential avenues for further action to stop this greenwashing and protect the credibility of the whole EU Taxonomy - and calls on Member States and MEPs to do the same."

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Ten Things You Need to Know Today: 5 July 2022 | The Week UK

Brewery boss discusses bullying claims

The CEO of a brewery company who was accused by hundreds of employees of bullying and misconduct has said he is seeing a specialist in order to explore whether he has autism. James Watt was accused by BrewDog staff of abusing his power in an open letter published last year and was described in The Sunday Times in April as a “cold-eyed” person who struggled to “express empathy or read social cues”. In an interview with Steven Bartlett on the Diary of a CEO podcast, Watt said he had been “too intense and demanding” and added: “I might have some kind of light-level autism in the mix.”