Features
U.N. warns 'vampiric overconsumption' is draining world's water
The United Nations used its first conference on water security in almost half a century this week to exhort governments to better manage one of humanity's shared resources. A quarter of the world's population relies on unsafe drinking water while half lacks basic sanitation, the U.N. said. Meanwhile, nearly three… Read
Untie those stress knots with 3D Handy Massager 2
After a long day of working at your desk, you may inevitably feel a bit of soreness from sitting so long. While some have standing desks with walking pads to keep us somewhat active, the reality is that most of us spend the day planted in one corner of the… Read
Tokyo park lighting up with digital cherry blossom art display
Tokyo has numerous parks where you can appreciate the ephemeral beauty of cherry blossoms, and one of them is Shinjuku Gyoen. Located right in the heart of downtown, just a short walk from Shinjuku Station, it’s not only a popular natural oasis year-round, but also a top spot for cherry blossom… Read
Secession is here: States, cities and the wealthy are already withdrawing from America
Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican from Georgia, wants a “national divorce.” In her view, another Civil War is inevitable unless red and blue states form separate countries. She has plenty of company on the right, where a host of others – 52% of Trump voters, Donald Trump himself and… Read
What to know about new research on coffee and heart risks
Coffee lovers — and their doctors — have long wondered whether a jolt of java can affect the heart. New research finds that drinking caffeinated coffee did not significantly affect one kind of heart hiccup that can feel like a skipped beat. But it did signal a slight increase in… Read
Tokyo ramen restaurant bans customers from watching YouTube videos on their phones while eating
Tokyo’s Takadanobaba neighborhood is sometimes called a “ramen battlefield.” With Waseda University and several specialized schools located within the district, Takadanobaba is packed day and night with hungry students, which has resulted in one of Tokyo’s highest concentration of noodle joints and intense competition for customers. But there’s a battle of a different… Read
Ignoring experts, China's sudden zero-COVID exit cost lives
When China suddenly scrapped onerous zero-COVID measures in December, the country wasn’t ready for a massive onslaught of cases. Hospitals turned away ambulances, crematoriums burned bodies around the clock, and relatives hauled dead loved ones to warehouses for lack of storage space. Chinese state media claimed the decision to open… Read
Japanese fast food chain Mos Burger to release soy sea burger
Japanese burger chain Mos Burger have been on the meat-free train since back in 2015 when they started offering customers soy patties made from soy-based vegetable protein. They made headlines back in 2020, when they became the first fast food chain in Japan to offer a 100-percent vegan burger on their menu, and they’ve continued to… Read
China diplomatic offensive lays down new challenge for U.S.
Few expect Chinese President Xi Jinping's diplomacy to yield breakthroughs on the Ukraine war. But in Washington, there are fears Beijing may succeed elsewhere -- in winning credibility on the world stage. Xi pushed forward positions on Ukraine during two days of talks in Moscow, a week after China announced… Read
Upopoy Park and the National Ainu Museum provide insights into indigenous culture
The far north of Japan has been home to the Ainu people for centuries, if not millennia, although they were only recognized by the Japanese government as an indigenous people in 2008. While the Ainu have largely been supplanted by the majority Japanese (known to the Ainu people as wajin)… Read
