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Britain's Prince Andrew leaves Westminster Cathedral with King Charles in September. The prince's ongoing scandals, including his alleged association with Jeffrey Epstein, and the monarchy’s dysfunctional hereditary system raise deeper questions about the relevance of the royal family in modern society.
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 24, 2025

Prince Andrew’s ugly Epstein saga makes a strong ‘no kings’ case

The prince has insisted he had no memory of meeting Giuffre, despite paying her a reported £12 million ($16 million) three years ago to stop her civil claim against him.
Sanae Takaichi’s selection as Japan’s first female prime minister marks a historic breakthrough for women in politics, but her leadership faces significant challenges from political fragility and critics, both at home and abroad.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Oct 26, 2025

Takaichi’s rise to power and the ‘glass cliff’

Her appointment could prove to be a “glass cliff” as she encounters hypercriticism and the inherent challenges of a shaky coalition.
Masayoshi Son’s SoftBank is turning to expensive hybrid bonds and other financing methods to fund its $30 billion investment in OpenAI, as it faces growing pressure from high debt, low cash flow and competition from AI giants like Nvidia.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Oct 26, 2025

SoftBank’s OpenAI ambition is far too grand for banks

On a stand-alone basis, as of the end of June, the company held more than twice as many bonds as bank loans.

Longform

The byzantine process for converting a foreign driver’s license into a Japanese one entails mountains of paperwork and significant stamina — unless you're a lucky license holder from a country or region where these requirements are waived.
Driving in Japan isn’t hard. Getting the license is.