Features
Army of fake fans online boosts China’s global messaging
China’s ruling Communist Party has opened a new front in its long, ambitious war to shape global public opinion: Western social media. Liu Xiaoming, who recently stepped down as China’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, is one of the party’s most successful foot soldiers on this evolving online battlefield. He… Read
Matcha latte sweets are rich enough to satisfy any matcha-holic
The combination of powdered green tea and milk is a matcha made in heaven. The mellow and creamy taste of milk is the perfect accompaniment to bitter, fragrant matcha, which is why the matcha latte has become such a popular beverage. So much so that this modern day creation has… Read
This gadget lets you enjoy flowing noodles solo
If you watch a lot of TV dramas or anime, or even if you’ve just played a lot of "Animal Crossing: New Horizons," you’ll be familiar with nagashi somen or flowing noodles. It’s a summer tradition where bamboo chutes are set up in a winding pathway so that water can run down them, whereupon… Read
How can we stop the next pandemic? Here's what a WHO panel recommends
A new transparent global system should be set up for probing disease outbreaks, empowering the World Health Organization to deploy investigators at short-notice and reveal findings, a COVID-19 pandemic review panel said on Wednesday. The WHO should have declared the new coronavirus outbreak in China an international emergency earlier than… Read
Popular manga 'Jujutsu Kaisen' draws fans to Gifu temple
The booming popularity of the manga series "Jujutsu Kaisen" has made a temple in central Japan the latest magnet for fans eager to visit a site associated with their favorite cursed spirit. Senkoji temple in Takayama, Gifu Prefecture, deifies Ryomen Sukuna, one of the key antagonists in the series about… Read
France joins race for COVID-weary tourists
France on Tuesday joined the race to woo tourists on the move again after a year of having their wings clipped by COVID-19, launching a multi-million-euro campaign targeted mainly at Europeans. The world's top tourism destination in 2019 is hoping to save its standing among tourists keen to roam the… Read
All-in-one home izakaya grill and sake heater turns your table into a Japanese pub
Izakaya, or Japanese pubs, are home to a wide variety of tasty snacks and drinks, but for many one of their chief allures can be summed up in the word senbero. The word is a portmanteau of the Japanese words sen-en (1,000 yen) and bero bero (drunk), and essentially means… Read
We try a new way of using mayonnaise from a Japanese recipe
For those living in Japan or well-acquainted with Japanese cuisine, it may not be surprising to find out that Japan ranks 11th among countries that consume the most mayonnaise. Besides the usual egg salad and potato salad recipes, Japanese enjoy mayo in a variety of ways. As a flavorful sauce for fried… Read
Ibuprofen does not worsen COVID symptoms: study
Taking anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen does not increase the risk of developing a severe form of COVID-19 or of dying from it, according to a new study, the largest so far on this class of medicines. At the start of the coronavirus pandemic there was concern over the potential effects… Read
Inside Arizona's election audit, GOP fraud fantasies live on
On the floor of Veterans Memorial Coliseum, where Sir Charles Barkley once dunked basketballs and Hulk Hogan wrestled King Kong Bundy, 46 tables are arrayed in neat rows, each with a Lazy Susan in the middle. Seated at the tables are several dozen people, mostly Republicans, who spend hours watching… Read
