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Flag-bearers Tahani Alqahtani and Husein Alireza of Saudi Arabia lead their contingent during the athletes parade at the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics in July 2021.
OLYMPICS
May 21, 2024

Ambitious Saudis look to homegrown talent for future Olympic success

Saudi Arabia will need more than the 33 athletes it sent to the Tokyo Olympics if it wants to host the Summer Games.
Al-Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo after a Saudi Pro League match against Al-Hilal in Riyadh on Friday
SOCCER
May 22, 2024

Ronaldo to play in sixth European Championship

Ronaldo, who has scored in every Euros since his first appearance in 2004, has netted 14 goals in the finals.
Yokohama's forward Ryo Miyaichi (front) jumps for a header with Ain's Guinean midfielder Abdoul Karim Traore (behind) during the AFC Champions League final first-leg football match at Nissan Stadium in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, on May 11.
SOCCER / J. League
May 24, 2024

Ryo Miyaichi focused as Marinos set sights on Asian Champions League crown

Marinos are seeking to become the fourth Japanese winner in the last seven seasons of the championship.
Al Ain celebrates after defeating Marinos in the Asian Champions League final in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates, on Saturday.
SOCCER
May 26, 2024

Al Ain routs Marinos to capture Asian Champions League crown

Al Ain won the Asian Champions League for the second time.
Marinos coach Harry Kewell directs his players during the second leg of the Asian Champions League final against Al Ain in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates on Saturday.
SOCCER
May 26, 2024

Marinos coach Harry Kewell says club will use ACL final loss as motivation

"We as a club, we will lick our wounds," Kewell said. "We'll come back stronger. Especially the next time around."
Real Madrid players celebrate with the trophy after winning the Champions League final over Borussia Dortmund on Saturday in London.
SOCCER
Jun 2, 2024

Real Madrid defies Dortmund to win 15th Champions League

Real Madrid has now won its last nine European Cup finals and has won the competition six times in the last 11 seasons.
Real Madrid fans crowd Cibeles square in Madrid on Sunday to celebrate their team's 15th Champions League trophy, a day after the side beat Borussia Dortmund in London.
SOCCER
Jun 3, 2024

Tens of thousands paint Madrid white after Real's Champions League win

Since Saturday afternoon, white jerseys could be spotted in almost every corner of the city.
New coach of Turkish club Fenerbahce Jose Mourinho (center) waves to supporters at the Sukru Saracoglu Stadium in Istanbul on Sunday.
SOCCER
Jun 3, 2024

Mourinho unveiled as new Fenerbahce manager

Mourinho, 61, has been out of a job since he was sacked by Serie A side AS Roma in January.
Kazuto Takesako will open his Prizefighter campaign against British boxer Mark Dickinson in Osaka on July 15.
MORE SPORTS / Boxing
Jun 3, 2024

$1 million purse on offer at revived Prizefighter event in Osaka

Eight fighters will get their first chance to punch their way to a big payday in Osaka on July 15.
Fans cheer after Japan's men's volleyball team qualified for the Paris Olympics on Oct. 7 at Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo.
MORE SPORTS / Volleyball
Jun 4, 2024

Japanese volleyball’s fastest growing fan base — female superfans

More than 80% of the fans at men’s domestic competitions are said to be women in their 20s, 30s and 40s.
France star Kylian Mbappe during a news conference in Longeville-les-Metz on Tuesday ahead of the national team's friendly against Luxembourg.
SOCCER
Jun 5, 2024

Mbappe arrival ignites Madrid fans and press

The official announcement of the 15-time Champions League winners' latest star signing on Monday was a seismic event in Madrid.
Simone Biles, seen after winning the U.S. championship on Sunday, brought greater awareness to the subject of mental health during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
OLYMPICS
Jun 6, 2024

Olympic organizers committed to protecting athletes' mental health in Paris

Research suggests that elite athletes suffer from mental health disorders in around the same proportions as the general population, experts say.
Cristiano Ronaldo will be appearing in his 11th major tournament at Euro 2024.
SOCCER
Jun 7, 2024

Portugal putting faith in Cristiano Ronaldo at Euro 2024

Roberto Martinez has given Cristiano Ronaldo his full backing since taking over as Portugal coach.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his wife, Akshata Murty, attend a British-organized ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day on Thursday in Ver-sur-Mer, France.
WORLD / Politics
Jun 7, 2024

U.K.'s Sunak apologizes for skipping main D-Day event

Political opponents accused Sunak of "a total dereliction of duty" by skipping a major international ceremony.
Indonesian gymnast Rifda Irfanaluthfi practices at the gymnastics training center in Jakarta on May 16.
OLYMPICS / Gymnastics
Jun 8, 2024

Indonesia's first Olympic gymnast encourages others to 'dream higher'

Rifda Irfanaluthfi's feat is even more impressive considering Indonesia does not yet have a national training center for gymnastics
People wait for the start of the Sumidagawa Fireworks Festival in Tokyo last year, marking the return of the event after pandemic-era cancellations.
LIFE / Lifestyle
Jun 9, 2024

Start circling the dates for fireworks season now

When you think of a Japanese summer, inevitably you'll think of fireworks. The displays have been a part of the culture for centuries.
South Korea's Son Heung-min (right) fights for the ball with China's Yang Zexiang during a World Cup qualifying match on Tuesday in Seoul.
SOCCER / World cup
Jun 12, 2024

China keeps World Cup qualifying hopes alive despite South Korea defeat

Japan, meanwhile, cruised past Syria as it completed its dominance of Group B.
Dads in Japan tend to fall in one of two categories: "amatō," a person fond of sweets, or "karatō," a person fond of alcohol.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jun 14, 2024

Dads like sweets, but some like sweet words even more

Looking for a gift for Father's Day? It's said that Japanese dads fall into one of two categories: They like sweets or they like sake.
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag celebrates with the trophy after his club won the FA Cup over Manchester City on May 25.
SOCCER
Jun 12, 2024

Manchester United manager Ten Hag to stay at Old Trafford

The decision comes after an end-of-season review by the club's board for the 2023-24 campaign, which finished on a high with a shock FA Cup final win.
Police officers patrol on the Trocadero square in front of the Olympic rings displayed on the first floor of the Eiffel Tower ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic games in Paris on June 7.
WORLD
Jun 13, 2024

Paris Olympics crowd scans fuel AI surveillance fears

Campaigners worry AI surveillance could become the new normal.
Hiroki Ito will be making the move from Stuttgart to Bayern Munich next season.
SOCCER
Jun 14, 2024

Bayern Munich signs Japan defender Hiroki Ito until 2028

Ito, 25, is a surprise signing for Bayern and the club's first major arrival of the transfer window.
Midfielder Nicolo Barella celebrates scoring the team's second goal during Italy's win over Albania on Saturday.
SOCCER
Jun 16, 2024

Italy begins Euro 2024 title defense with win as Spain starts in style

Italy, whose line-up at kickoff featured only five players who started the 2020 final against England, now moves on to a heavyweight showdown with Spain on Thursday.
England's Jude Bellingham celebrates after scoring against Serbia during their Group C match at Euro 2024 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, on Sunday.
SOCCER
Jun 17, 2024

Jude Bellingham helps England get off to winning start at Euro 2024

England has been hyped as one of the tournament favorites, as Gareth Southgate aims to finally steer a richly talented generation to glory
France forward Kylian Mbappe receives medical treatment during the Euro 2024 Group D match between Austria and France in Duesseldorf on Monday.
SOCCER
Jun 18, 2024

France edge Austria in Euro 2024 opener as Mbappe gets broken nose

Sources close to Mbappe confirmed he had broken his nose in an accidental clash with Kevin Danso.
Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes (left) fights for the ball against Czech Republic midfielder Antonin Barak during their Euro 2024 group stage clash on Tuesday in Leipzig, Germany.
SOCCER
Jun 19, 2024

Ronaldo's Portugal scrapes out Euro 2024 opening win

Earlier in the group's other clash, Turkey bested Georgia 3-1 in a pulsating match in Dortmund.
The River Seine near the Eiffel Tower in Paris as a heat wave hits France in August 2022.
OLYMPICS
Jun 19, 2024

New report warns of heat danger at Paris Olympics

The report said conditions in Paris could be worse than the last Games in Tokyo in 2021.
Water is sprayed over the stage at a Taylor Swift concert in Rio de Janeiro in November 2023.
ENVIRONMENT / Climate change
Jun 19, 2024

On a warming planet, outdoor concerts need a new safety playbook

Climate change is ushering in more extreme weather worldwide, and with it, greater risks for outdoor events.
Midfielder Ilkay Gundogan celebrates scoring his team's second goal during host Germany's group-stage win over Hungary on Wednesday in Stuttgart.
SOCCER
Jun 20, 2024

Hosts Germany through to last 16 of Euros as Scotland earns draw

Germany followed up its 5-1 demolition of Scotland in the tournament's opening game by seeing off the Hungarians in Stuttgart.
Spain defender Marc Cucurella (right) fights for the ball with Italy forward Federico Chiesa during a Euro 2024 group stage match in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, on Thursday.
SOCCER
Jun 21, 2024

Spain beats Italy to reach Euro 2024 knockouts; England thwarted by Denmark

A second win in as many matches for Spain is enough for the team to secure top spot in Group B with a game to spare.
England head coach Gareth Southgate speaks with forward Harry Kane as he comes off during the team's draw against Denmark on Thursday in Frankfurt.
SOCCER
Jun 21, 2024

England is feeling Euro pressure after drab Denmark draw

Southgate's side arrived in Germany as the bookmakers' leading contender to win the tournament, but so far it hasn't met those expectations.

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