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Smoke rises from Jabal al-Rihan in Lebanon amid ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces on Saturday.
WORLD
Sep 22, 2024

Israeli jets pound Lebanon after deadly Beirut strike

For nearly a year, Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon have traded fire with Israel in support of Hamas, whose Oct. 7 attack on Israel triggered war in Gaza.
A woman passes an "akichi" (vacant lot) in Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo. The capital is littered with such small lots in part because of Japan's aging and shrinking population.
JAPAN / Society / Longform
Sep 21, 2024

Dealing with rising land vacancies as Japan shrinks

"Akichi," or vacant plots of land, are nothing new to the urban landscape. As the population decreases, however, the challenge is how to handle their steady increase.
A stranded car is seen on a mud-covered road following heavy rain in the city of Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, on Sunday.
JAPAN
Sep 22, 2024

Six dead and six more missing after 'unprecedented' rains in quake-hit Ishikawa

Authorities called for continued vigilance due to the risk of landslides and flooding in rivers and low-lying areas.
A closure order on the door to the Ramallah Al Jazeera office in the West Bank after the Israeli raid on Sunday
WORLD / Politics
Sep 22, 2024

Israel forces raid Al Jazeera TV in West Bank and order 45-day closure

The Israeli parliament passed a law in early April allowing the banning of foreign media broadcasts deemed harmful to state security.
Kishida thanked Khurelsukh at the meeting Sunday for Mongolia's cooperation over the issue of North Korea's abductions of Japanese nationals decades ago.
JAPAN / Politics
Sep 23, 2024

Japan and Mongolia leaders affirm defense equipment accord

The pact is designed to allow the two countries to export defense equipment and technologies to each other and to ensure their appropriate management after the transfers.
Intel has been working on an expensive plan to remake itself and bring in new products, technology and outside customers under Chief Executive Officer Pat Gelsinger.
BUSINESS / Tech
Sep 23, 2024

Apollo to offer multibillion-dollar investment in Intel

The development comes as San Diego-based Qualcomm floats a friendly takeover of Intel, raising the prospect of one of the biggest-ever M&A deals.
The powertrain of a Mercedes-Benz EQS 450 4Matic SUV. A Mercedes-Benz electric vehicle burst into flames in the South Korean city of Incheon in July, fueling public fear over the safety of battery-powered cars in recent months.
BUSINESS / Companies
Sep 23, 2024

A Mercedes-Benz fire could cloud South Korea’s EV shift, or give it a boost

Seoul's push for battery-supplier transparency and parking lot safety could pave the way for a more resilient environment for EVs in the future.
Chevrolet Silverado 1500s and GMC Sierra 1500s make their way through an assembly line at the General Motors assembly plant in Fort Wayne, Indiana, on April 9.
BUSINESS
Sep 24, 2024

Biden administration proposes ban of Chinese and Russian car parts

The proposed ban is aimed at the sale and import of Chinese- and Russian-made hardware and software for connected vehicles.
Volunteers distribute food bags to people  in Rishon LeZion in central Israel on Aug. 21.
WORLD
Sep 24, 2024

Israeli economy struggles under weight of Gaza war

Mass protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's controversial judicial reforms had already weakened Israel's economy prior to the Hamas attack on October 7.
EV cars are pictured inside BYD's first electric vehicle (EV) factory in Southeast Asia, a fast-growing regional EV market where it has become the dominant player, in Rayong, Thailand, on July 4.
BUSINESS / Tech
Sep 25, 2024

Biden's car-tech ban is a powerful new weapon against Chinese EVs

The ban on Chinese hardware and software, announced by the U.S. Commerce Department, is the Biden administration's latest salvo.
Official Kinoko no Yama earphones by Meiji (right) next to a counterfeit product
BUSINESS / Companies
Sep 25, 2024

Meiji blocks import of counterfeit Kinoko no Yama earphones

The original mushroom-shaped wireless earphones, a quirky iteration of the famous sweet treat, debuted in March on a limited run and quickly sold out.
Economic security minister Sanae Takaichi, a candidate in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s presidential election, speaks during a debate in Tokyo on Sept. 14.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Sep 25, 2024

Does Sanae Takaichi have a real shot at becoming Japan's first female leader?

After failing to win the party presidency in 2021, Takaichi is trying her luck once again — and this time her chances of winning seem better than before.
Flowers are laid in front of a Japanese school in Shenzhen last Friday. A Japanese boy who was on his way to the school was fatally stabbed last week.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Sep 25, 2024

Expat safety seen as a must for Japanese firms to keep doing business in China

Business leaders have underlined the duty of a host country to foreign firms in the wake of a fatal stabbing of a Japanese schoolboy in Shenzhen.
Set in a village in the Swiss Alps, Vincenzo Bellini’s opera “La Sonnambula” centers on an orphan named Amina who is unknowingly frightening the locals with her nightly sleepwalking, and they believe there is a ghost among them.
CULTURE / Stage
Sep 26, 2024

'La Sonnambula' offers a modern take on a dubious happy ending

Director Barbara Lluch scrutinizes gender expectations and patriarchal societies that thrive on polarizing views in her production of Vincenzo Bellini’s opera.
A cloud of smoke erupts during Israeli airstrikes on a village south of Tyre in southern Lebanon on Wednesday.
WORLD
Sep 26, 2024

Hezbollah's tunnels and flexible command weather Israel's deadly blows

Hezbollah is the most powerful faction in Tehran's "Axis of Resistance" of allied irregular forces across the Middle East.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams listens to a reporter during an event at City Hall in New York on Sept. 16.
WORLD / Crime & Legal
Sep 26, 2024

New York City mayor indicted following corruption probe

The largest U.S. city has been in a state of political upheaval for the past month.
Naomi Osaka hits a return against Lucia Bronzetti during the first round of the China Open in Beijing on Wednesday.
TENNIS
Sep 26, 2024

Naomi Osaka wants 'no regrets' after teaming with Serena Williams' former coach

Osaka said she "felt like I needed a change" and described Patrick Mouratoglou, who is best known as Williams' long time former coach, as "a big persona."
Russia's President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting of the Security Council on the subject of nuclear deterrence in Moscow on Wednesday.
WORLD / Politics
Sep 26, 2024

Putin issues nuclear warning to the West over Ukraine striking Russia

The decision to change Russia's nuclear doctrine is the Kremlin's answer to deliberations about giving Ukraine permission to fire into Russia.
The Jeep Avenger fully electric compact utility car debuted in Japan on Thursday.
BUSINESS / Companies
Sep 26, 2024

Jeep’s compact EV debuts in Japan as imported EVs take the lead

In Japan, gasoline and hybrid gas-electric cars remain the dominant powertrains of choice for local consumers.
“A Whisper in the Eye of the Storm,” by Canadian artists Caitlind R. C. Brown and Wayne Garrett is an outdoor installation of around 14,000 recycled lenses of varied prescriptions.
CULTURE / Art
Sep 27, 2024

Weather makes for an unpredictable artist at Nagano art festival

Fram Kitagawa’s Northern Alps Art Festival embraces its inconvenient location and the natural elements.
Eric Adams, mayor of New York, exits a weekly news conference at City Hall in New York in 2023.
WORLD / Crime & Legal
Sep 27, 2024

NYC mayor was corrupt for years, U.S. claims in scathing case

The indictment calls into question the political future of New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who is in charge of running the biggest U.S. city.
Laidback and friendly, Ice-T is a calm presence befitting his cool name.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / ADOPT ME!
Sep 30, 2024

Noto earthquake survivor Ice-T is in need of a new home

A big cat with a beautiful coat of ginger and white, Ice-T’s soothing purr is sure to warm your heart.
The tech platforms contributing to social instability should financially support independent journalism as a way to combat misinformation and promote a healthier society.
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 27, 2024

How independent journalism can save society from the effects of Big Tech

Independent journalism is critical in verifying facts, exposing corruption, addressing societal issues and contrasting it all with the negative impacts of Big Tech.
Musician Koshi Inaba is the latest artist to be featured on national broadcaster NHK’s Tiny Desk Concerts Japan. Based on a series from America’s National Public Radio, Japan’s version has spotlighted acts that you likely wouldn’t see stateside, like veteran rockers Kirinji and upstart pop artist yama.
CULTURE / Music
Sep 28, 2024

NHK furthers global reach with Tiny Desk Concerts Japan

Musician Koshi Inaba delivered a rollicking set for the stripped-down music series that brings cherry-picked Japanese acts you likely wouldn’t see stateside to new ears.
Having grown up in North Carolina, where people are chatty and friendly, Duane Levi says Kansai and Osaka in particular had a similar vibe.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Sep 27, 2024

Duane Levi: 'Once you are able to create something that has sustainability … you’re going to get help and support.'

Unable to get a job in PA and recording, Duane Levi forged his own path in the Japanese music scene and has introduced many artists to the market here.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump, shake hands during a meeting on Friday in New York.
WORLD / Politics / ANALYSIS
Sep 28, 2024

On trip to U.S., Zelenskyy finds Ukraine’s fortunes tied to the election

A whirlwind week of top-level meetings failed to alleviate concerns in Kyiv that a Trump presidency could lead to a dramatic shift in American policy.
An Israeli soldier holds a weapon amid the an ongoing ground operation against the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas in the Gaza Strip on Sept. 13.
WORLD
Sep 28, 2024

Israel likely to have enough weapons for multiple conflicts

Experts believe Israel could outlast adversaries in offensives on at least two fronts simultaneously.
Debris from damaged houses and docks are pictured after Tropical Depression Helene hit Keaton Beach, Florida, on Friday.
WORLD
Sep 28, 2024

Dozens dead as Helene cuts destructive path through southeastern U.S.

The storm swamped neighborhoods, triggered mudslides, threatened dams and left more than 3.5 million homes and businesses without power.
Masayoshi Fujita moved to a quiet mountain village in Hyogo Prefecture after 13 years of living in Berlin, the hub of uber cool. His homecoming inspired his latest album, “Migratory.”
CULTURE / Music
Sep 29, 2024

Masayoshi Fujita’s ‘Migratory’ is an ode to nature and nurture

The musician’s new environmental music album, created after his return to Japan after 13 years in Berlin, represents more than a physical homecoming.
The “Fragment Shadow” exhibition by Shunichi Kasahara and Satoru Higa, in which people’s shadows were digitally re-created and manipulated.
JAPAN / Science & Health / OUR PLANET
Sep 29, 2024

Researchers in Japan look to art to mold the scientific process

From astrobiology to cybernetics, scientists are trying to use art not just for public outreach, but to shape research itself.

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