Search - 2020

 
 
England boss Gareth Southgate attends a training session on Monday.
SOCCER
Jul 5, 2024

Gareth Southgate under pressure for Euros showdown with Swiss

The Three Lions have stumbled their way through to the last eight, winning just one of their four games within 90 minutes.
Fencer Misaki Emura (left) and breaker Shigekix, whose real name is Shigeyuki Nakarai, during a send-off ceremony in Tokyo on Friday
OLYMPICS
Jul 5, 2024

Japanese athletes get rousing send-off ahead of Paris Olympics

Three years after hosting the Tokyo Olympics, Japan is preparing to send almost 400 athletes to the Games in the French capital.
Starting from September, foreign employees on a work visa must abide by a new points-based system to keep working in Singapore.
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 5, 2024

Singapore is making life tougher for global talent

The city-state could lose its position as a global business hub if it keeps tightening the rules for overseas employees in a political bid to appease local residents.
London's financial district in August 2023
BUSINESS
Jul 5, 2024

Labour win brings few hopes — or fears — to London's financial district

The Labour Party has assiduously courted the City of London, mindful that their plans for boosting economic growth will need a big dose of private capital.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivers the first speech of his premiership outside No. 10 Downing St. in London on Friday, following his Labour Party's win in the general election.
WORLD
Jul 6, 2024

New U.K. PM Keir Starmer speaks to world leaders and names top team

Starmer named Rachel Reeves the U.K.'s first female finance minister and appointed David Lammy as foreign secretary, among other Cabinet choices.
An unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile is launched during an operational test at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California in August 2017. Surging costs for the U.S. Air Force's new Sentinel ICBM may further embolden arms control advocacy groups who argue that the Sentinel should be scrapped in favor of extending the life of Minuteman III missiles.
WORLD / Politics
Jul 6, 2024

Cost of U.S. Sentinel ICBM swells again to $214 million per missile

The program is now expected to cost taxpayers $141 billion, or 81% more than forecast four years ago.
U.S. President Joe Biden waves as he boards Air Force One prior to departure from Dane County Regional Airport in Madison, Wisconsin, o Friday.
WORLD / Politics / FOCUS
Jul 6, 2024

Biden allies abroad think it’s untenable for him to stay on

Some officials are now saying that Biden should step aside for someone with a better shot at beating rival Donald Trump.
"Shogun" features Hiroyuki Sanada as the warlord Toranaga. The series is generating major buzz ahead of the announcement of Emmy nominations on July 17.
CULTURE / TV & Streaming
Jul 6, 2024

All hail the era of Japan-themed prestige TV

With shows like "Shogun" and "Tokyo Vice" vying for Emmy nominations this month, it's safe to say the streamers are having a bit of a "Japan moment."
International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan speaks during an interview at The Hague, in the Netherlands, in February.
WORLD / Politics / FOCUS
Jul 6, 2024

ICC prosecutor opted for warrants over visit to Gaza

The sudden cancellation of a planned visit to the Gaza Strip, Jerusalem and Ramallah has angered Washington and London.
Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike celebrates her win on Sunday evening. Koike has become the fifth governor in Tokyo’s history to secure a third term in office.
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 7, 2024

Koike secures third term as Tokyo governor

Dark horse Shinji Ishimaru, the former mayor of the city of Akitakata in Hiroshima Prefecture, came in second behind Koike, with Renho in third.
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks during a campaign event in Madison, Wisconsin, on Friday.
WORLD / Politics
Jul 7, 2024

As Biden digs in, more supporters look to push him out

Interviews with dozens of Democrats illustrated an imminent clash between a defiant president and those who question his ability to win.
Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands celebrates as she wins gold in the women's 10,000 meters at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
OLYMPICS
Jul 7, 2024

Sifan Hassan: From 'shy' refugee to Olympic champion

At the delayed Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Hassan became the first athlete ever to win medals in the 1,500, 5,000, and 10,000.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (left) and Russian President Vladimir Putin attend a meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on Sept. 16, 2022. This was the two leaders’ last meeting.
WORLD / Politics
Jul 8, 2024

Putin to host Modi after hailing ‘best in history’ ties with China

Diplomats say the Indian prime minister’s visit is meant to send a signal that both sides remain close despite Moscow’s deepening embrace of New Delhi’s rival, Beijing.
Boeing 737 MAX aircraft are assembled at the company’s plant in Renton, Washington, on June 25.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jul 8, 2024

Boeing to plead guilty to fraud in U.S. probe of fatal 737 MAX crashes

Boeing will plead guilty to lying to the FAA about a software feature on the MAX, which saved money by reducing pilot training requirements.
Lee Yi-yang, former vice president of Taiwan's Examination Yuan, is expected to be named as the next de facto ambassador to Japan.
JAPAN
Jul 8, 2024

Taiwan to name Lee as de facto ambassador to Japan

Lee worked as a news reporter and Taipei City Council member before becoming a DPP secretary-general and interior minister under Chen's administration.
Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike speaks to reporters in Tokyo on Monday.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Jul 8, 2024

Koike eases to victory but Ishimaru's performance signals shift in Tokyo

Koike saw off a tougher challenge than in previous votes, with Ishimaru pointing to a path forward for lesser-known candidates.
Pichamon Yeophantong from the U.N. Human Rights Council's Working Group on Business and Human Rights is interviewed in Tokyo last week.
JAPAN / Society
Jul 9, 2024

U.N. expert urges Japan to tackle structural discrimination

Structural discrimination that stems from harmful norms are "something that needs to be dismantled as soon as possible," Pichamon Yeophantong said.
England players celebrate after defeating Switzerland in the Euro 2024 quarterfinals, in Dusseldorf, Germany, on Saturday.
SOCCER
Jul 9, 2024

'Grinding' England hope for spark against Netherlands in Euros semi

Former England striker Alan Shearer called the team "rotten" after staggering past Slovakia.
Visitors at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on June 12
WORLD / Politics
Jul 9, 2024

Xi’s efforts to reach to young Americans stumble with scripted moments

Beijing is making its largest outreach yet to U.S. students, but for some, a "curated" atmosphere leaves questions over what's not on show.
Omoide Yokocho in Shinjuku, Tokyo. According to data recently published by Mercer, Tokyo fell 30 places from 2023 and is now the 49th most expensive city in the world, just ahead of Houston.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jul 9, 2024

Tokyo is cheaper to live in than San Juan, according to global survey

The capital fell a full 30 places from 2023. It was No. 3 in 2020 and No. 1 as recently as 2012.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump shake hands during a bilateral meeting at the Group of 20 leaders summit in Osaka in June 2019.
WORLD / Politics
Jul 10, 2024

U.S. intelligence official indicates Russia prefers Trump as election victor

The U.S. has not seen Russia shift on its preference from previous U.S. presidential elections on who it prefers to win this year.
A truck drives along India's Tezpur-Tawang highway, which runs to the Chinese border, in the northeastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. Plans for the hydropower stations in the state are expected to be announced in the 2024/2025 federal budget that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government will unveil on July 23.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Jul 10, 2024

India races to build power plants in region claimed by China, sources say

The construction of 12 hydropower stations in the northeastern Himalayan state of Arunachal Pradesh could raise tensions with Beijing that lays claims to the region.
Tokyo police have arrested a 27-year-old woman for posting online personal information of a professional baseball player along with violent messages.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jul 10, 2024

Ex-Nippon Life staffer arrested over leak of Giants player's information

The suspect, Satomi Amano, has denied the charges, claiming she doesn't remember her actions due to having made “so many posts.”
Dolphins Arena in Nagoya. While the new IG Arena will almost certainly provide a more enjoyable experience for fans, the hope is that action on the raised ring will retain the heat that Dolphins Arena has long been famous for.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Jul 10, 2024

A farewell to a Nagoya sumo arena known for heat — inside and outside the ring

The upcoming Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament will be the last to be held at Dolphins Arena, which has been the scene of numerous memorable moments over the years.
A general view of the Belmarsh prison in London on May 20
WORLD / Politics
Jul 10, 2024

U.K.'s overflowing prisons present PM Starmer with early crisis

The U.K. prison population has doubled over 30 years despite falling crime rates, and is projected to exceed 100,000 by 2026.
Politicians pay their respects to former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday in the city of Nagato, Yamaguchi Prefecture.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Jul 11, 2024

Two years after Abe’s death, LDP's conservatives still lack direction

The absence of a figure who is able to embody conservative ideals and marshal widespread consensus within the party has weighed heavily on conservatives.
U.S. President Joe Biden attends a NATO event to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the alliance in Washington on Tuesday.
WORLD / Politics
Jul 12, 2024

Why Joe won't go: Behind Biden's rejection of calls to leave the race

The reasons U.S. President Joe Biden won't step down range from the deeply personal to party politics.
Located in Yokohama's chic Minato Mirai neighborhood, the Kahala Hotel & Resort opened in 2020 but still has the feeling of a newly launched accommodation.
LIFE / Travel
Jul 13, 2024

The paradox of a five-star Hawaiian-themed hotel in Yokohama

What manner of overseas tourist would come all the way to Japan just to stay at a Hawaiian-themed hotel?
A down jacket that uses recycled feathers. An Environment Ministry survey has shown that around 60% of newly supplied clothing in Japan is expected to be discarded without being reused.
JAPAN / Society
Jul 12, 2024

Japan aims to recycle 50,000 metric tons of discarded clothing

Large amounts of clothes are being thrown away as a result of massive production amid the spread of fast fashion.
Masayoshi Son, chairman and chief executive officer of SoftBank Group, speaks during a news conference in Tokyo in June.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jul 12, 2024

SoftBank buys struggling U.K. chip startup Graphcore in AI race

The deal marks Softbank's second acquisition of a U.K. semiconductor firm, following its 2016 purchase of Cambridge-based Arm Holdings.

Longform

A small shrine perched atop rocks braves the waves hitting the shoreline during a storm in Shimoda, Shizuoka Prefecture. The area is under threat of a possible 31-meter-high tsunami if an earthquake strikes the nearby Nankai Trough.
If the 'Big One' hits, this city could face a 31-meter-high tsunami