1. Aonishiki became the first sumo wrestler from Ukraine to win a grand tournament after he defeated Yokozuna Grand Champion Hoshoryu in a playoff on Sunday. Aonishiki beat Ozeki Kotozakura on the final day of the November Grand Sumo Tournament. He then faced off against Hoshoryu, as both had 12 wins and three losses. He won the match with a rear throw down. The 21-year-old, whose real name is Danylo Yavhusishyn, was promoted to the third-highest rank of Sekiwake for the Kyushu tournament. He rose to the position at a record pace, just after this 13th tournament.
2. The United States and Ukraine say they have drafted an “updated and refined” framework for a potential peace agreement, following high-level talks on Sunday. In a joint statement released after the meeting, both sides said they reaffirmed that any deal must “fully uphold Ukraine’s sovereignty and deliver a sustainable and just peace.”
3. The annual Tori-no-ichi festival got underway at Ootori Shrine in Tokyo’s Asakusa district on Monday, drawing crowds of business owners and tourists looking to buy a traditional “lucky rake.” The Tori-no-ichi festival dates back to the Edo period, which spanned the 17th to 19th centuries, and is held across Japan each November on the tori—or rooster – days determined by the zodiac and lunar calendar. The Asakusa event is one of the largest in the country, with lines of stalls selling ornate bamboo rakes called “kumade.”