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A burned palm tree droops in Lahaina on Maui, Hawaii, on Friday, two days after the historic town was devastated by wildfire.
WORLD / Society
Aug 14, 2023

How climate change turned lush Hawaii into a tinderbox

The devastation on Maui happened in a state defined by its lush vegetation, a far cry from the dry landscape normally associated with fire threats.
SoftBank, which currently owns 75% of Arm, is in talks to acquire the 25% stake in the firm it does not directly own from Vision Fund 1, according to sources.
BUSINESS
Aug 14, 2023

SoftBank in talks to buy Vision Fund's 25% stake in Arm

The move would potentially deliver a win for investors who have waited years for strong returns.
Owen Farrell will now be available for England's World Cup warmup fixtures against Ireland on Saturday and Fiji on Aug. 26.
MORE SPORTS / Rugby
Aug 16, 2023

England captain Owen Farrell cleared for RWC after red card rescinded

The skipper was facing a potential six-week ban that would have ruled him out of the start of next month's tournament in France.
The Internal Revenue Service headquarters in Washington. A conservative group's charge that a liberal network is abusing its tax-exempt status mirrors similar allegations made against a right-wing activist.
BUSINESS
Aug 16, 2023

U.S. ‘dark money’ donor groups trade accusations of tax evasion

Though the allegations by both sides are partisan, legal experts say the concerns they raise have been taken seriously by the IRS in the past.
Residential buildings under construction at Tahoe Group's Cathay Courtyard development in Shanghai
BUSINESS / Economy
Aug 17, 2023

China’s housing slump is much worse than official data shows

Industry insiders and economists say China’s official home-price indexes are likely understating the depth of the downturn.
Kurara Okuno first encountered mermaiding in 2020, not long before she jumped into the deep end of the aquatic subculture.
LIFE / Lifestyle
Aug 19, 2023

Move over Ariel: Meet Japan’s professional merpeople

While mermaiding is still a niche activity in Japan, it is possible to slip on a tail and dive in.
Vehicles leave Yellowknife on the only highway in or out of the city after a state of emergency was declared due to the proximity of a wildfire, in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada, on Wednesday.
WORLD
Aug 18, 2023

Canada crews battle wildfires as all Yellowknife residents evacuate

Officials say the fire is now 15 kilometers northwest of the city and could reach the outskirts over the weekend if there is no rain.
At the inaugural World Lambrusco Day held this June, the sparkling wine took center stage beneath the Eiffel Tower.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Aug 20, 2023

Passe or sparkling, Lambrusco can get you through a Tokyo summer

Fizzy, fruity and tantalizingly affordable, the sparkling red wine from Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region is a convivial antidote to the summertime blues.
A women-only passenger train in Tokyo
JAPAN / Explainer
Aug 18, 2023

DJ Soda incident spotlights prevalence of groping in Japan

The groping of the South Korean DJ at a festival spurred online conversations about the issue, with a term translating as "groping country" trending on X.
England captain Owen Farrell runs during training in Bagshot, England, on July 31.
MORE SPORTS / Rugby
Aug 18, 2023

World Rugby decision puts Owen Farrell's World Cup status in doubt

World Rugby said it appealing the decision to overturn the red card Farrell was given for tackle during England's game against Wales.
A jade pig from the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) at the shop of jade trader Lee in Taipei. Taiwan's jade trading sector is flagging post-COVID.
ASIA PACIFIC
Aug 19, 2023

Taiwan's antique jade dealers see trade losing luster

With the global economy in tatters, buyers are more cautious about taking a chance on expensive items, especially with the market awash with counterfeits.
Manchester Crown Court, the venue for the trial of Lucy Letby, who was found guilty of murdering seven newborn babies and trying to kill another six.
WORLD / Crime & Legal
Aug 19, 2023

'I am evil': British nurse guilty of murdering seven newborn babies

Lucy Letby, 33, was convicted of killing five baby boys and two baby girls and attacking other newborns.
JAPAN / History
Aug 21, 2023

Colorized photos of 1923 Tokyo quake to be displayed

The photos of the 1923 disaster will be displayed as part of an exhibition set to start at the National Museum of Nature and Science in Tokyo on Sept. 1.
The Bank of Japan headquarters in Tokyo
BUSINESS
Aug 21, 2023

BOJ adjustments show strain as record bond buying continues

Doubling the effective cap on benchmark yields in December and again last month has yet to significantly reduce the central bank's purchases.
A couple enjoy the sunset in Seoul. The proportion of people getting married has declined worldwide, but it has plummeted especially far in South Korea.
ASIA PACIFIC / Society
Aug 21, 2023

Seeking love, with help from the city government

Singles are signing up for city-hosted blind-dating events in South Korea, but some point to their inability to address real issues with family planning.
North Korea's new Chollima-1 rocket is launched in Cholsan County, North Korea, on May 31 in this image taken from video.
JAPAN
Aug 22, 2023

North Korea to launch satellite between Thursday and Aug. 31

Japan has indefinitely extended an order issued to destroy any North Korean ballistic missile, rocket or debris that threatens the country's territory.
The initial public offering for Arm Holdings is set to be the biggest in the United States this year.
BUSINESS / Markets
Aug 22, 2023

SoftBank’s planned IPO for Arm set to be biggest of 2023

Arm didn’t disclose proposed terms for the share sale in the document, but it’s expected to seek a valuation of $60 billion to $70 billion.
Shinobu Yamanaka, a mom of three sons and director of a day care facility in Konan, Kochi Prefecture, serves up to eight "members" six days a week.
JAPAN / Science & Health / FOCUS
Aug 22, 2023

Kochi dementia care center aims to set new paradigm in Japan

A new generation of people with Alzheimer’s in Japan are trying to change not only dementia care but also social attitudes toward patients.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Aug 23, 2023

A closer look at sumo's 'hot hand' after Hokutofuji's Nagoya run

Hokutofuji’s career best 12-win outing in July not only came out of the blue, but was his first winning record of any kind since the previous September.
The HMAS Canberra sails to the main harbor in Colombo, Sri Lanka, in March 2019. The vessel participated in a bilateral exercise between Australia's navy and the Maritime Self-Defense Force on the way to the Philippines, an Australian defense spokesperson said Wednesday.
JAPAN
Aug 24, 2023

Australian navy holds exercise with MSDF en route to Philippines

There was no indication of a hotly anticipated trilateral drill in the South China Sea that had been expected the same day.
Investors stand in front of an electronic board showing stock information on the first trading day after the weeklong Lunar New Year holiday at a brokerage house in Shanghai.
BUSINESS / Economy / FOCUS
Aug 26, 2023

China’s market rescue is failing as Xi holds back on stimulus

China’s regulators face a losing battle convincing global funds to invest in the nation’s stocks without stronger stimulus packages.
Since Waifu began, inclusivity goals have become more common in clubs across Tokyo.
CULTURE / Music
Aug 26, 2023

Queer clubbing moves beyond Ni-chome

Those looking for a safe space to party don't have to stick to one neighborhood in the capital.
A billboard promoting contract army service in front of the Private Military Company Wagner Center in St. Petersburg on Saturday.
WORLD / Politics
Aug 27, 2023

Kremlin eyes how to bring private military group under its control

The organization’s military prowess, experienced operators and ties to African governments may be too valuable to lose.
Members of the Philippines, Japan, South Korea, and U.S. armed forces carry national flags during the opening ceremony of joint military exercises in Taguig, Philippines, in October 2022.
COMMENTARY / Japan / Geoeconomic Briefing
Aug 27, 2023

How Japan can make the most of its latest diplomatic tool

Japan recently decided to establish a policy of Official Security Assistance. But how can it ensure its success?
A Chinese coast guard ship (top) shadows a Philippine re-supply vessel on Tuesday in the disputed South China Sea.
ASIA PACIFIC
Aug 27, 2023

Chinese aggression in South China Sea must be challenged, U.S. Navy official says

Vice Adm. Karl Thomas assured the Philippines of U.S. backing in the face of "shared challenges" in the region.
Former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally in Erie, Pennsylvania, on July 29.
WORLD / Politics
Aug 29, 2023

Donald Trump faces up to six trials during 2024 primary season

The four criminal indictments pose the greatest threat to the former U.S. president because they all carry potential prison terms.
Then Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and U.S. President Donald Trump meet during their final debate ahead of the 2020 election, in Nashville, Tennessee, in October of that year.
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 29, 2023

Trump vs. Biden: Do American voters want either?

Confidence among the American public in their leaders and in their political system continues to erode.
Kanji Matoba offers a prayer in front of a touch screen displaying a portrait of his late wife, at a columbarium in Sendai.
JAPAN / Society
Sep 4, 2023

New types of graves and services reflect changes in tradition

The COVID-19 pandemic made such services as grave visiting in place of families or ones using virtual reality technology take root.
A farmer tries to beat out a fire in abandoned farming land amid a drought in Anamaduwa, Sri Lanka.
ASIA PACIFIC / Society
Aug 30, 2023

Drought deals second blow as Sri Lanka struggles back from crisis

The southwest monsoon farmers rely on for the summer harvest was scant this year because of the El Nino weather pattern
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow on Monday.
WORLD / Politics
Aug 30, 2023

Putin’s China visit marks renewed assurance, expert says

The Russian president's plan to travel to China demonstrates a confidence that his authority is stronger than ever after the death of Yevgeny Prigozhin.

Longform

Mount Fuji is considered one of Japan's most iconic symbols and is a major draw for tourists. It's still a mountain, though, and potential hikers need to properly prepare for any climb.
What it takes to save lives on Mount Fuji