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U.S. President Joe Biden and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in July 2022
WORLD / Politics
Jul 30, 2023

Biden presses ahead with effort to broker Israeli-Saudi rapprochement

The fact that U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan returned to Jeddah so soon after his last visit suggests prospects for an accord.
Pedestrians passing anti-tank obstacles in Odesa, Ukraine, on Thursday
WORLD
Jul 30, 2023

U.S. pressures Russia war smugglers after army’s run on chips

A chip ban is aimed at curbing Russia’s production of drones and precision missiles that rely on components that are largely manufactured in Taiwan.
An apartment building construction site in Sumida Ward, Tokyo, on July 19. Officials at Daito Trust Construction, which oversees the building project, say heatstroke dangers are a top concern given their aging workforce.
ENVIRONMENT / Climate change / OUR PLANET
Jul 30, 2023

In Japan, extreme heat and an aging population are a deadly mix

Heat waves combined with high humidity are weighing particularly heavily on the nation’s 36 million people age 65 and over, who are at much greater risk of severe illness and death.
The Hamaoka nuclear power station in the city of Omaezaki, Shizuoka Prefecture, is one of the areas that could be at risk if there is a major earthquake in the Nankai Trough.
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 18, 2023

Time for a Nankai Trough earthquake warning system

Edited A total of 707 municipal governments in 29 prefectures are considered at risk of major quakes in this region. The at-risk population is nearly 60 million.
As artificial intelligence grows more sophisticated, transparency has taken a back seat and could harm its quality and safety.
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 30, 2023

Secretive chatbot developers are making a big mistake

Before we can ponder existential threats of the new technology, Silicon Valley must be forced to disclose more about how their tools are created.
Bradley Fighting Vehicles on Jan. 25 at the Transportation Core Dock in North Charleston, South Carolina, ahead of shipment as part of a U.S. military aid package to Ukraine.
COMMENTARY / World / Geoeconomic Briefing
Aug 8, 2023

Is China going unchecked while the West supports Ukraine?

Some have criticized Washington's efforts to help Kyiv as having a negative impact on its ability to deter a possible contingency from Beijing.
The Cushing storage hub in Oklahoma. Crude oil stock declines have been geographically uneven so far, with inventory falls in the United States and Europe offset by increases in China and Japan.
BUSINESS
Jul 31, 2023

Oil inventory drops set stage for higher prices

Oil inventories now play a bigger role in determining prices than the U.S. dollar because sanctions on Russia have sped up trading in other currencies.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jul 31, 2023

Tokyo ‘Joker’ train attacker sentenced to 23-year prison term

The Tokyo District Court ruled that Kyota Hattori stabbed a 72-year-old man and intended to murder 12 passengers by lighting a fire.
Director Dean Johnson wanted to strip back the staging of “Once – In Concert” in a way that honored the film. The production had a limited run at the London Palladium earlier this year and Johnson notes the Tokyu Orb Theater has a similar set up.
CULTURE / Stage
Jul 31, 2023

'Once' speaks the universal languages of music and love

Award-winning Irish theatrical production brings its dry wit and catchy songs to Tokyo for a midsummer musical experience.
Tesla Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk gets in a Tesla car as he leaves a hotel in Beijing in May.
WORLD / Science & Health
Aug 1, 2023

Elon Musk’s unmatched power in the stars

The tech billionaire has become the dominant power in satellite internet technology. The ways he is wielding that influence are raising global alarms.
Tanks containing water from the disabled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant are seen at the plant in the town of Okuma, Fukushima Prefecture, in March.
JAPAN / Politics
Aug 1, 2023

Japan and China clash in Vienna over Fukushima water plan

China told a meeting for the 2026 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty review conference that the international community is concerned about the plan.
Foreign entertainers are now permitted to work in event venues with a capacity of more than 100 people — including standing-only establishments — that sell food and drinks.
JAPAN / Society
Aug 1, 2023

Japan loosens requirements for entertainer visas

Entertainers earning more than ¥500,000 or more per day are now able to stay for up to 30 days, an increase from 15 days.
Former U.S. President and 2024 presidential hopeful Donald Trump arrives to speak at an event in West Palm Beach, Florida, on July 15.
WORLD / Politics
Aug 2, 2023

Indictment could push Trump closer to 2024 Republican nomination

The former U.S. president has made the indictments a central plank of his campaign platform, portraying himself as the target of a biased justice system.
Facebook owner Meta Platforms has started the process of ending news availability in Canada.
BUSINESS / Tech
Aug 2, 2023

Meta starts blocking news in Canada

Google has said it is considering a similar move amid an ongoing global debate as more governments try to make tech firms pay for news content.
JAPAN
Aug 2, 2023

LDP lawmaker cautioned by party executive over France visit photo

The photo, in which Rui Matsukawa mimics the shape of the Eiffel Tower in front of the landmark, has already been deleted after drawing strong criticism.
Tiger Woods will join five other players on the PGA Tour's policy board.
MORE SPORTS / Golf
Aug 2, 2023

Tiger Woods joins PGA Tour's policy board as player director

The move is part of new governance and transparency measures announced by the Tour that promises to give players more say in future decisions.
JAPAN / Society
Aug 2, 2023

Sushi chain drops suit against teen over prank video

“The customer has admitted his responsibility and we have reached a settlement with reasonable details that are acceptable to us,” a spokesperson said.
More than 30 samples of drugs made by Synokem, including generic abortion pills, have failed quality tests conducted by Indian regulators and public health researchers since 2018.
BUSINESS
Aug 3, 2023

Global abortion pill provider buys from maker with poor quality record

More than 30 samples of drugs made by Delhi-based Synokem Pharmaceuticals have failed quality tests conducted by Indian regulators.
Beijing's Ministry of State Security said China should create a system that makes it 'normal' for regular people to participate in counter-espionage.
WORLD
Aug 3, 2023

U.S. raises concerns over China's counter-espionage push

Washington worries that foreign companies in China could be punished for regular business activities.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump, a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, arrives at Reagan National Airport in Washington en route to his arraignment in federal court on Thursday.
WORLD
Aug 4, 2023

Trump pleads not guilty to charges of obstructing election

After the hearing, the former U.S. president briefly addressed reporters at the Washington airport, calling it a "very sad day for America.”
JAPAN
Aug 4, 2023

Seiichi Morimura, 90, who exposed Japan's wartime atrocities, dies

In a book, he detailed gruesome biological experiments on people at a secret Imperial Army site in occupied China before and during World War II.
Four Italian Air Force F-35 fighter jets are lined up next to an Air Self-Defense Force F-15 fighter shortly after arriving at Komatsu Air Base in Ishikawa Prefecture on Friday evening in this image posted to the base's official X social media account.
JAPAN
Aug 4, 2023

Japan and Italy to elevate ties with first joint fighter drills

The drills highlight how Rome and Tokyo are expanding defense and security ties as their strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific converge.
Hitachi CEO Keiji Kojima. The company’s metamorphosis belies the argument that the bastions of Japan Inc. are set forever in their ways.
BUSINESS / Companies
Aug 4, 2023

Hitachi reinvents itself in sign of hope for Japan

The old-school conglomerate revamped its governance, shrank its empire to focus on growth and evolved into a more global enterprise.
Yuzuru Hanyu attends a photo session in Tokyo in September 2022.
MORE SPORTS / Figure skating
Aug 5, 2023

Figure skating icon Yuzuru Hanyu announces marriage

Hanyu, who did not reveal the identity of his partner, said he will continue to skate to show the best version of himself.
Ater Jimmie Husen
LIFE / Food & Drink
Aug 6, 2023

On plates, Sweden and Japan are a natural pair

Swedish and Japanese cuisine are not natural allies, but diners in Japan don’t seem to care when they taste this unique fusion for themselves.
A maritime drone shows the silhouette of a Russian naval ship near the port of Novorossiysk in this screenshot obtained from social media video released on Friday.
WORLD
Aug 5, 2023

Ukraine drone attack damages Russian tanker in Kerch Strait

The latest attack came a day after Ukraine said it had carried out a seaborne-drone strike on a Russian navy ship at a naval base in southern Russia.
Spain and Cavaliers point guard Ricky Rubio missed much of the 2022-23 NBA season due to an ACL injury.
BASKETBALL / NBA
Aug 6, 2023

Cavs' Ricky Rubio steps away from basketball, cites mental health

The 32-year-old has been in the public eye since he became a household name in Spain at 15, thanks to his flashy style of play.
Japanese lawmaker Masatoshi Akimoto visits a high-speed rail project site in Ahmedabad, India, in May 2018.
JAPAN
Aug 6, 2023

Scandal-tainted Japanese lawmaker sought money to buy horse

Japanese lawmaker Masatoshi Akimoto is suspected of receiving ¥30 million from the president of a company between 2021 and this year.
Junon used to be too timid to come out from his blanket. Now he loves to get a little attention.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / ADOPT ME!
Aug 7, 2023

A dog, two cats and more are looking for new places to chill

A dog named Loquat and two cats named Junon and Whiskey are hoping to find new human friends to get to know.
A participant operates the "Flappy Bird," a self-made flying machine, during an event in Hong Kong in May 2014. Vietnam first caught the attention of global gamers in 2013 after Hanoi developer Dong Nguyen created, Flappy Bird, a simple but addictive game app.
BUSINESS / Tech
Aug 7, 2023

A decade after Flappy Bird, Vietnam becomes gaming powerhouse

Moving beyond outsourced software and sneaker factories, Hanoi views mobile games as a crucial part of its emerging tech sector.

Longform

Atsuyoshi Koike, the president and CEO of Rapidus, says there is a “sense of urgency” when it comes to Japan’s efforts in manufacturing semiconductors. “We have to make sure we are successful,” he says.
Atsuyoshi Koike’s big game: Fourth down and 2 nanometers to go