Japan

[ad_1] The Tokaido Shinkansen marked its 60th anniversary on Tuesday, with a commemorative ceremony at Tokyo Station by Central Japan Railway (JR Tokai) to send off the first train of the day.Nine officials, including JR Tokai President Shunsuke Niwa and Stationmaster Katsuyuki Wachi, were in attendance, as crowds of train enthusiasts watched the 6:00 a.m. departure of the Nozomi No. 1 bound for Hakata Station in Fukuoka Prefecture.Speaking at the […]

[ad_1] Shigeru Ishiba was chosen by the powerful Lower House to be Japan's new leader on Tuesday. But he will get no honeymoon period, as he looks to unite a divided Liberal Democratic Party in advance of an Oct. 27 general election amid internal strife over his looming Cabinet picks and party leadership appointees.Ishiba was set to unveil his Cabinet later Tuesday after choosing senior party leaders a day earlier. […]

[ad_1] Beirut – The Israeli army said Tuesday that troops had started "ground raids" in villages in southern Lebanon, after militant group Hezbollah said it had targeted "enemy soldiers" at the countries' border.A Lebanese security official said Israel had also conducted at least six strikes on south Beirut, while Syrian state media reported deadly strikes around its capital, Damascus.Despite international calls for de-escalation, Israel has vowed to keep fighting Iran-backed […]

[ad_1] LONDON – Global investors are preparing to stake bets on China again in a major sentiment shift sparked by Beijing's drive to reverse its economic slowdown and revive long-term interest in its stock market.It is early days and few money managers expect a Chinese growth boom anytime soon. But government moves to entice more cash into equities and jolt consumer spending have boosted the appeal of still-low Chinese company […]

[ad_1] MANILA – Registration gets underway in the Philippines on Tuesday for one of the world's biggest midterm elections, headlined by what could be a bitter proxy battle between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and fiery predecessor Rodrigo Duterte.The May 2025 election will be a litmus test of Marcos' popularity and a chance for him to consolidate power and groom a successor, which the influential Duterte family has signaled it is […]

[ad_1] Basketball Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo has died at the age of 58 from brain cancer, the NBA said on Monday.Beloved by fans, the Congolese center was selected as an NBA All-Star eight times, using his tremendous, 218-centimeter frame to become one of the league's most fearsome shot-blockers and earn defensive player of the year honors four times."Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life. On the court, he was […]

[ad_1] Pete Rose, the all-time MLB leader in hits and games played and an embattled figure who was banned for life for betting on baseball, died Monday, ESPN reported. He was 83. ESPN baseball commentator Eduardo Perez broke the news while appearing on "SportsCenter," saying he had confirmed the news with Rose's son. The engine of the "Big Red Machine" for a combined 19 years with the Cincinnati Reds, Rose […]

[ad_1] Tokai, Ibaraki Pref. – Former Mayor Tatsuya Murakami, who dealt with a nuclear accident as chief of Ibaraki Prefecture's Tokai village in 1999, has criticized the central government over its lack of preparations for such a disaster."The central government only thinks about nuclear energy use under the assumption that accidents do not happen. It doesn't put efforts in deciding what to do if an accident occurs," said Murakami, 81, […]

[ad_1] When an Iranian consulate building was destroyed in Syria in April, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed to punish Israel. What followed was a huge yet telegraphed assault and no all-out war.Three months later, the military chief of Iran-backed Hezbollah and Hamas’ political head were killed within hours of each other. The wider regional conflict seen by some as imminent didn’t end up erupting.Israel’s assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan […]