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France accuses Australia, U.S. of lying in escalating crisis
France on Saturday accused Australia and the United States of lying over a ruptured Australian contract to buy French submarines, saying a grave crisis was underway between the allies after Paris recalled its ambassadors. President Emmanuel Macron on Friday ordered back the ambassadors to Canberra and Washington in an unprecedented… Read
Former women's empowerment minister Noda to run for LDP leadership
Japan's former women's empowerment minister Seiko Noda announced her last-minute run for leadership of the ruling party on Thursday, the day before campaigning begins. The winner of the Sept 29 vote will become prime minister days later and lead the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) into a general election by late… Read
19-year-old woman arrested over theft of ¥13 mil watch on 'papa-katsu' date
Police in Tokyo have arrested a 19-year-old woman on suspicion of stealing a watch worth about 13 million yen from a 37-year-old company executive with whom she was having a papa katsu date. Papa katsu dating refers to young women who are paid by older, rich men to go out… Read
Woman chips tooth eating McDonald's burger containing metal
A woman chipped her tooth after biting into a hamburger containing a metal-like object at a McDonald's outlet in southwestern Japan earlier this week, McDonald's Holdings Co (Japan) said Friday. The 26-year-old woman came to an outlet in Fukuoka city at around 2 p.m. Tuesday and purchased a Rich Cheese… Read
Johnny Depp film sees Minamata pollution issue as cautionary tale
For Hollywood star Johnny Depp, the story of an act of industrial pollution that devastated the southwestern Japanese coastal community of Minamata over half a century ago is one that had to be told, not only for its victims but for current and future generations. The film "Minamata," which he… Read
Hundreds arrested, police injured at anti-lockdown protests in Australia
Several police officers were injured and hundreds of protesters were arrested in Australia's second-most-populous city Saturday in violent clashes at an anti-lockdown march. Officers used pepper spray and made over 200 arrests in Melbourne as several hundred attendees flouted stay-at-home orders and marched through an inner-city suburb. The illegal gathering… Read
Fate of California Gov Newsom hangs on recall vote
With Gov Gavin Newsom’s fate at stake, Californians on Tuesday cast the last of the ballots that will decide whether he continues to lead them or if the nation’s most populous state veers in a more conservative direction amid anger over his actions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Newsom, a Democrat… Read
Japan may start administering 3rd COVID vaccine shots by year-end
Japan may start administering third shots of coronavirus vaccines to people by the end of this year, the health ministry said Friday, as the nation looks to respond to the continued spread of the highly contagious Delta variant. Health experts on a government subcommittee agreed on the necessity of the… Read
Ruling party kicks off race to pick Suga's successor
The race is on for the next Japanese prime minister. Official election campaigning kicked off Friday for the new head of Japan’s governing Liberal Democratic Party, a role that typically signals the next national leader. Four candidates are competing in the Sept 29 vote to replace outgoing Prime Minister Yoshihide… Read
Dubious of Trump's sanity, U.S. general secretly called China: book
The Pentagon's top general was so worried in early January that president Donald Trump was out of control that he took secret action to prevent Trump from sparking a war with China, according to a new book. Joint Chiefs Chair General Mark Milley ordered aides to not act immediately on… Read
