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☆ Asia’s 50 best restaurants for 2024 revealed
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-27 | by ( Karla Cripps | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —After losing the number one spot to Bangkok in 2023, Tokyo has reclaimed its crown as the city with the top eatery in the region at the annual Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards, which were announced in Seoul, South Korea on Tuesday evening. The list – part of the global “World’s 50 Best” brand – is compiled by the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy, which is made up of more than 300 food critics, writers, chefs and restaurateurs, all selected for their knowledge of Asia’s restaurant scene. Though Singapore didn’t have any restaurants in the top five, nine of its venues made the top 50 list – more than any other city. Courtesy The World's 50 BestThe “Asia’s Best Female Chef” award went to Pichaya ‘Pam’ Soontornyanakij, owner of Bangkok restaurant Potong, which came in at 17 on this year’s list. Mineko Kato of restaurant Faro in Tokyo won the Asia’s Best Pastry Chef award and Kevin Lu of Logy, in Taipei, was voted Asia’s Best Sommelier.

Persons: Daniel Calvert, Calvert, “, ”, Sézanne, I’ve, we’d, Gaggan, Seroja, Gaggan Anand, Thitid “, Sühring, Le Du –, Ton, Bangkok –, Odette, Pichaya, Pam ’ Soontornyanakij, Ton’s Nusara, Mineko Kato, Kevin Lu, Logy, Sung Anh, Mosu, Danny Yip, Hong, Le, Fu, Hui, Samrub, Villa, Ling Long, Ando, Les Amis, Baan, Goh, Anan, Tam’s Organizations: CNN, Marunouchi, Restaurants Academy, Hospitality, Toyo, Meta, Studio, Bund Locations: Bangkok, Tokyo, Seoul, South Korea, Japan, France’s Champagne, Maronouchi, Asia, ”, Kolkata, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thai, ” Singapore, Faro, Taipei, Nusara, Suhring, Osaka, Odette, Sorn, Le Du, Potong, Shanghai, Logy, Masque, Mumbai, Manila, Delhi, Seroja, Taichung, Taiwan, Mume, Wakayama, Lolla, Avartana, Chennai, India, Fukuoka, Jakarta, Kyoto, Anan Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City, Macao

☆ Biden to raise concern over Nippon Steel's deal for U.S. Steel: Reuters
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

This picture taken on Feb. 16, 2024 shows a logo of Nippon Steel Corp. at the company's Kyushu manufacturing base in Kitakyushu city of Fukuoka Prefecture. U.S. President Joe Biden plans to express concern over Nippon Steel's proposed $14.9 billion purchase of U.S. Steel, a person familiar with the matter said on Wednesday, pushing the U.S. company's stock nearly 13% lower on bets the deal could face greater political opposition. U.S. President Joe Biden plans to express concern over Nippon Steel's proposed $14.9 billion purchase of U.S. Steel, a person familiar with the matter said on Wednesday, pushing the U.S. company's stock nearly 13% lower on bets the deal could face greater political opposition. In December, Nippon Steel clinched a deal to buy the 122-year-old iconic U.S. steelmaker for a hefty premium, betting that U.S. Steel would benefit from the spending and tax incentives in Biden's infrastructure bill. The White House declined to comment on Wednesday, but a person familiar with the matter said Biden would issue a statement about the planned acquisition before Kishida arrives for his state visit.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Fumio Kishida, Donald Trump, Kishida Organizations: Nippon Steel Corp, Nippon Steel's, U.S . Steel, U.S, Japanese, Nippon Steel, Steel, Democratic, Republican U.S Locations: Kyushu, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture . U.S

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — The United States held off Hungary 8-7 on Friday to capture the women’s water polo title for the fifth time in the last six championships and eighth time overall. Rachel Fattal scored three goals and goalkeeper Ashleigh Johnson made 10 saves to lead the Americans, who are three-time reigning Olympic champions. The U.S. bounced back from a quarterfinal loss at last year’s world championships in Fukuoka. Rallying from an 8-5 deficit in the final quarter, Hungary came up just short of its first women’s world title since 2005. ___Photos You Should See View All 33 Images

Persons: Rachel Fattal, Ashleigh Johnson Organizations: Olympic, U.S, Greece Locations: DOHA, Qatar, United States, Hungary, Fukuoka, Spain

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Marrit Steenbergen won gold for the Netherlands in the women's 100-meter freestyle Friday at the World Aquatics Championships. “The back half is my specialty,” said Steenbergen, who also was part of the winning Dutch team in the 4x100 freestyle relay. World record-holder Sarah Sjöström of Sweden is at the championships but withdrew from the 100 free before the preliminaries. The Americans, who are three-time reigning Olympic champions, bounced back from a quarterfinal loss at last year’s world championships in Fukuoka. Hungary came up just short of its first women's world title since 2005.

Persons: Marrit Steenbergen, Siobhán Haughey, Hong Kong, Steenbergen, “, ”, Haughey, Jack, Kate Douglass, ” Haughey, Australia's Mollie O'Callaghan, Sarah Sjöström, Rachel Fattal, Ashleigh Johnson, ___ Organizations: Paris, Dutch, Doha, United, Olympic, Greece Locations: DOHA, Qatar, Netherlands, Hong, Fukuoka, Australia, Sweden, United States, Hungary, Fukuoka . Hungary, Spain

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Siobhán Haughey of Hong Kong captured her first long-course world title, winning the women's 200-meter freestyle Wednesday at the World Aquatics Championships. Haughey, a three-time champion at the short-course worlds, finally touched first in the big pool after years of close calls. She was the Olympic silver medalist in both the 100 and 200 free at the Tokyo Games, in addition to a runner-up finish in the 100 free at last summer's world championships in Fukuoka. Also, Haughey finished fourth in the 200 free — just off the podium — at both the 2019 and 2023 worlds. “I really wanted to win this one,” said Wiffen, the short-course world record holder in the 800 free.

Persons: — Siobhán Haughey, Hong, Haughey, “, Ireland’s Daniel Wiffen, ”, Wiffen, Mollie O'Callaghan, Ariarne Titmus, Zealand's Erika Fairweather, Brianna Throssell, Elijah Winnington of, Italy's Gregorio Paltrinieri —, Iffland, Molly Carlson, Jessica Macauley, Kaylea Arnett, France's Gary Hunt, ___ Organizations: Tokyo Games, Paris Olympics, Doha, Australia, Doha Old Locations: DOHA, Qatar, Hong Kong, Fukuoka, “ Paris, Paris, Elijah Winnington of Australia, Doha, Doha Old Port, Canada

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — With some of America's biggest stars deciding to stay home, Claire Curzan and Hunter Armstrong claimed the spotlight at the World Aquatics Championships on Tuesday. Curzan won gold in the women's 100-meter backstroke at the Aspire Dome, while Armstrong followed just a few minutes later with a victory in the men's 100 back. The 19-year-old Curzan, who competes at the University of Virginia, claimed the first individual world title of her burgeoning career. After settling for bronze in the 100 back at the last two world championships, the Ohio native now has a gold. Hobson, part of a scaled-back team for these world championships, gave himself a big boost with the Paris Olympics just five months away.

Persons: Claire Curzan, Hunter Armstrong, Curzan, Armstrong, Simona Quadarella, Italy romped, Hwang Sun, Kaylee McKeown, Regan Smith, Iona Anderson, Canada's Ingrid Wilm, ” Curzan, ” Armstrong, “, Spain’s Hugo Gonzalez, Gonzalez, Ryan Murphy, Quadarella, Katie Ledecky, Ledecky, Li Bingjie, Isabel Gose, Hwang, Luke Hobson, Danas Rapsys, Hobson, ”, Kim Woo Organizations: University of Virginia, Paris, Cal, Doha, Ledecky, Olympic, Paris Olympics, University of Texas Locations: DOHA, Qatar, U.S, Doha, Italy, South Korea, Fukuoka, Ohio, Paris, Quadarella, China, Germany, Nevada

☆ Pan Zhanle: Chinese teenager breaks 100m freestyle world record at World Championships
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-12 | by ( Andrew Mcnicol | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —China’s 19-year-old swimming phenom, Pan Zhanle, recorded the fastest 100 meters in history on Sunday as he smashed the men’s freestyle world record and established himself as the pacesetter ahead of the forthcoming Paris Olympics. “Breaking the world record just came naturally. Chinese men's 4x100 meter freestyle world championship gold medallists Wang Haoyu, Zhang Zhanshuo, Ji Xinjie and Pan Zhanle. Ian MacNicol/Getty ImagesPan is the first Chinese male to hold the world record in the event. The two other Chinese world record holders in history are Zhang Lin, whose 800m freestyle swim from 2009 still stands, while controversial compatriot Sun Yang has held the 1,500m freestyle since 2012.

Persons: CNN —, Pan Zhanle, Pan, David Popovici, –, “, ” Pan, Wang Haoyu, Zhang Zhanshuo, Ji Xinjie, Zhanle, Ian MacNicol, Zhang, Qin Haiyan, Zhang Lin, Sun Yang Organizations: CNN Locations: Paris, Doha, Romanian, Zhejiang, Fukuoka, Japan, China, Italy

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Chen Yiwen and Chang Yani of China captured their third straight diving world title in women’s synchronized 3-meter springboard on Wednesday. At the Hamad Aquatic Centre, the synchronized silver went to Australia's Anabelle Smith and Maddison Keeney in 300.45. Chang has now won four synchronized 3-meter world titles, also taking the 2017 championship while partnered with Shi Tingmao. The 30-year-old now has three world championships over her illustrious career, along with gold and silver medals at the Olympics. It was the 16th world medal for Cunha, who has reached the podium in eight straight championships going back to 2011.

Persons: — Chen Yiwen, Chang Yani, Sharon van Rouwendaal, Logan Fontaine of France, Australia's Anabelle Smith, Maddison Keeney, Britain's Scarlett Mew Jensen, Yasmin Harper, Krysta Palmer, Alison Gibson, Chen, Chang, Budapest . Chang, Shi Tingmao, Van Rouwendaal, Chelsea Gubecka, Brazil's Ana Marcela Cunha, Cunha, Fontaine, Marc, Antoine Olivier, Italy’s Domenico Acerenza, Hungary's Kristóf, Italy's Gregorio Paltrinieri, ___ Organizations: Doha Old Port, Hamad Aquatic Centre, Olympics, Chelsea, France Locations: DOHA, Qatar, China, Doha, Netherlands, Fukuoka, Budapest ., Perth, Australia

“What we’ve seen with the Taylor Swift tour is something that we’ve not really seen before,” said Richard Clarke, an analyst at investment firm Bernstein. Taylor Swift performs at the Staples Center in Los Angeles in 2015. From Taylor Swift On her birthday in 2019, Swift shared this photo of herself as a child. From Taylor Swift A 13-year-old Swift sings the National Anthem before an NBA game in Philadelphia in 2002. John Mabangalo/Pool/Getty Images Swift performs during a sold-out show at New York's Madison Square Garden in 2009.

Persons: Tokyo CNN —, Taylor, Travis Kelce, Taylor Swift, we’ve, ”, Richard Clarke, Bernstein, “ It’s, TikTok she’d, curating, Kane Ishiyone, Swift, –, Ishiyone, Richard A, Brooks, Clarke, “, that’s, Christopher Polk, Scott, Andrea Swift, Jesse D, Tim McGraw, Kevin Winter, John Mabangalo, Chad Batka, Bryan Bedder, Larry Busacca, Miley Cyrus, Lucas Till, Hannah Montana, Sam Emerson, Everett, Jonas, Frank Masi, I'm, West, Beyoncé, Jeff Kravitz, Lucy Nicholson, Christopher Morris, Josh Haner, Kevin Mazur, James Taylor, Charles Sykes, Matt Sayles, Mark J, Terrill, Invision, Jimmy Fallon, Douglas Gorenstein, Nicholas Harvey, Kanye West, Kim Kardashian, Laraine Newman, Bill Hader, Taran Killam, Kristen Wiig, Keenan Thompson, Fred Armisen, Kerry Washington, Betty White, Bradley Cooper, Dana Edelson, Andrea, Ethan Miller, Tim Boyles, Selena Gomez, Jordan Strauss, Mike Coppola, John Shearer, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Brandon Urie, Katy Perry, Republic Records Jack Antonoff, Aaron Dessner, Will Heath, Seth Wenig, Terence Rushin, David Eulitt, Mitsumasa Etou, Akazawa, haven’t, It’s, Michele Bullock Organizations: Tokyo CNN, People, Kansas City Chiefs, Taylor, Getty, Super Bowl, Chicago Bears, dateline, Vegas, Staples Center, NBA, of Country, Garden, New York Times, New York's Rockefeller Center, Walt Disney Co, Kanye, Madison, MTV, NBC, ACM, Academy of Country, New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, Universal Pictures, Coachella, Republic Records, New York University, Arrowhead, Chiefs, NET, Tokyo City University, Fuji, Tokyo, Reserve Bank of Australia, Reuters Locations: Tokyo, Las Vegas, Philippines, Fukuoka, Japan, Germany, Austria, Netherlands, Shibuya, AFP, Asia, Washington, Las Vagas, Los Angeles, West Reading , Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, New York, Auburn Hills , Michigan, Newark , New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Frankfurt, London, Arlington , Texas, Tampa, Chicago, Atlanta, Kansas City , Missouri, Asia Pacific, Singapore, Australia, East Coast

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Twins Wang Liuyi and Wang Qianyi teamed up to capture another gold medal for China in artistic swimming at the World Aquatics Championships on Monday. The 27-year-old sisters won the women's duet technical routine with a score of 266.0484 points. The country's only other medal in artistic swimming was Shortman's solo free bronze at last summer's championships in Fukuoka. Photos You Should See View All 45 ImagesThe Wangs were back on top in duet technical after a disappointing fourth-place showing at Fukuoka. Artistic swimming is split into 11 medal-winning opportunities at the world championships.

Persons: Wang Liuyi, Wang Qianyi, Kate Shortman, Isabelle Thorpe, Spain's Alisa Ozhogina Ozhogin, Iris Tio Casa, Italy's Linda Cerruti, Lucrezia Ruggiero, ___ Organizations: —, China Locations: DOHA, Qatar, Doha, Fukuoka, Budapest, Japan

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — With China sitting out the first two diving events, other nations got a chance to shine on Day 1 of the World Aquatics Championships. Australia's Alysha Koloi won the women's 1-meter springboard, while the British squad led by Olympic gold medalist Tom Daley claimed gold in the mixed team. At last year's world championships in Fukuoka, China won 12 of 13 events and captured 19 medals in all. Daley, who won a gold medal in the 10-meter synchro at the Tokyo Olympics, claimed his first international title since taking a year-long break from the sport. The other members of the Australian bronze medal team were Li Shixin, Maddison Keeney and Nikita Hains.

Persons: Australia's Alysha Koloi, Tom Daley, Grace Reid, Egypt's Maha Amer, Amer, Daley, Scarlett Mew Jensen, Daniel Goodfellow, Andrea Spendolini Sirieix, Gabriela Agundez Garcia, Randal Willars Valdez, Jahir Ocampo Marroquin, Aranza Vazquez Montano, Cassiel Rousseau, Rousseau, Li Shixin, Maddison Keeney, Nikita Hains, ___ Organizations: China, British, Olympic, Tokyo, Paris Games Locations: DOHA, Qatar, China, Doha, Paris, Fukuoka, Cairo, U.S, Arkansas, Florida, Australia

☆ Last letters from Japan’s young kamikaze pilots offer rare WWII insights
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-15 | by ( Brad Lendon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

But these are some of the real faces of the kamikaze that line the walls of the Kanoya Air Base museum and the Chiran Peace Museum, both located on Japan’s Kyushu island. Three women look at photos of Japanese kamikaze pilots, who gave their lives in WWII suicide attacks against US forces, hanging on a wall at the Chiran Peace Museum. A re-creation of a bunker where kamikaze pilots spent their last night before their missions on the grounds of the Chiran Peace Museum. Brad Lendon/CNNAlso among the pictures on the walls of the Chiran museum is one of an American, Capt. Kenta Torihama, great-grandson of Tome Torihama, a confidant of the kamikaze pilots, outside his restaurant near the Chiran Peace Museum.

Persons: It’s, David Guttenfelder, Yasuo Tanaka, Torao Kato, “, –, Yoshio Itsui, Itsui, ” Itsui, ‘, ”, Brad Lendon, Masaji, ” Takano, Adm, Takijiro, General Yoshisugu Saito, Shigeaki, Tome Torihama, Kenta Torihama, it’s, Saigo Takamori, Saigo Organizations: Japan CNN, Kanoya Air Base, Self, Defense Force, Young Boy Pilots, CNN, US Army, Pacific, Visitors, Kanoya, Base, US Navy, Heritage Command, US Defense Department, Atomic Heritage Foundation Locations: Kagoshima, Japan, Kyushu, Chiran, Hawaii, Europe, Okinawa, Imperial, East, Southeast Asia, Saipan, American, Taiwan, Philippines, Kagoshima prefecture, Kagoshima city, Fukuoka

☆ The secret history of Japan’s best sweets
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Many of Japan’s present-day favorite wagashi – sweets – have their origins on Kyushu. Castella (kasutera in Japanese) also makes an appearance in another popular Japanese sweet, dorayaki. Here, the castella cake is thinner and made into a pancake with a layer of sweet red bean paste inside. Europe meets Japan, Japan meets EuropeAnother European sweet that got the Japanese treatment is macarons. For him, it’s a way of honoring Japan’s small producers, in addition to introducing these flavors to the hotel’s guests.

Persons: Joyi Chang, It’s, ”, Michele Abbatemarco, there’s, Margaret, Emperor, –, Miyamoto Shoko, it’s Organizations: CNN, Japan CNN Locations: Kyushu, Japan, Macao, Nagasaki, Portuguese, Japan’s, Portugal, Fukusaya, Fukuoka, Fukusaya’s, Hakata Station, Europe, Otemachi, Saga City, Tokyo, Spain, Netherlands, England

GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — For the first time in 11 years, Katie Ledecky has lost a 400-meter freestyle race in an American pool. Canadian teenager Summer McIntosh took the title at the U.S. Open championships in Greensboro, North Carolina, on Thursday, beating Ledecky by nearly 3 seconds. McIntosh took the title in a meet record of 3 minutes, 59.42 seconds, while Ledecky touched next in 4:02.38. Ledecky’s last loss in the 400 free in her home country was at the 2012 U.S. Olympic trials, when she placed third at age 15. Ledecky took gold in the event at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.

Persons: Katie Ledecky, Summer McIntosh, McIntosh, Ledecky, Ledecky’s, Australia's Ariarne, ___ Organizations: U.S, Olympic, Janeiro Games Locations: GREENSBORO, N.C, Greensboro , North Carolina, Ledecky, Fukuoka, Japan

☆ They gave up city life to buy an abandoned $10,000 house in Japan and renovate it. They say they'll never take on a project like that again.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Amanda Goh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Gilles Beaufils and his wife gave up city life in Tokyo to renovate an abandoned house in rural Japan. AdvertisementAdvertisementAfter three decades of working in Tokyo, Gilles Beaufils decided he needed a change of scenery. Gilles Beaufils/Base Camp ImariThe akiya is just over 1,800 square feet and is located right in the middle of the village. Gilles Beaufils/Base Camp ImariOnce the pandemic restrictions started to ease, travelers started coming back to Japan in troves, he said. Gilles Beaufils/Base Camp Imari"They don't show you the moist, they don't show you the termites, they don't show you these kinds of things in the photos," he added.

Persons: Gilles Beaufils, they'll, —, Frenchman, Beaufils, I've, — Beaufils, Makoto Watanabe, Imari, it's, Amanda Goh Organizations: Service Locations: Tokyo, Japan, Kyushu, Okawachiyama, Saga Prefecture, Fukuoka, Kumamoto, Nagasaki, Saga, troves, Itoshima, agoh@insider.com

☆ World’s best cities for street food and cocktails
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-28 | by ( Maureen O'Hare | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Get the latest news in aviation, food and drink, where to stay and other travel developments. CNN —In our latest roundup of travel news: great cities for world-class cocktails, Japanese street food and Michelin-starred fine dining, plus father-son and grandmother-granddaughter aviation teams taking to the skies. Bars, street food and fine diningWhere do you go to find the world’s best bar? And for Asian street food, one Japanese city has more open-air food stalls than the rest of the country combined. See an emperor penguin hatchVideo Ad Feedback See emperor penguin hatch at SeaWorld in 'once in a decade' event 00:48 - Source: CNNThis emperor penguin chick is the first to hatch at SeaWorld San Diego in over 10 years.

Persons: it’s, speakeasy Paradiso, Japan’s, Hannah Heck, Cynthia Heck, Ruben Flowers, Ruben, Little Ruben, Gray, Tranquebar Organizations: CNN, Michelin, speakeasy, Southwest Airlines, Travel, Brussels Airport, Google, SeaWorld San, Staff, Comedy Locations: Barcelona, Fukuoka, Georgia’s, Atlanta, California, France, South Carolina, Brussels, Japan, Tokyo, SeaWorld, SeaWorld San Diego, Coromandel Coast, Danish, India, Redonda, Caribbean

☆ First Australian named for Paris Games shrugs off Seine pollution concerns
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Organisers were forced to cancel the Open Water Swimming World Cup in Paris in August after heavy rain caused the Seine's water quality to dip below minimum health standards, leaving Gubecka and other swimmers unable to compete. Swimming legs of test events for triathlon and Para triathlon were also scrapped in August over water quality concerns. "They really are considering their options and are going to try to make sure we have the best experience possible next year." Paris has been working on clean-up efforts to make the Seine swimmable again, as it was during the 1900 Paris Olympics. Bathing in the Seine has been banned since 1923, though officials have long promised to restore water quality to safe levels.

Persons: Australia's Chelsea Gubecka, Issei Kato, Chelsea Gubecka, Ian Ransom, Robert Birsel Organizations: Chelsea, Paris Olympics, Brisbane, Australia's, Games, Thomson Locations: Fukuoka, Japan, Seine, Paris, Brisbane, Melbourne

☆ Fukuoka: The Japanese city that dominates street food
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Fukuoka, Japan’s sixth largest city by population, has more open-air food stalls than the rest of the country combined. These stalls are called yatais, and they’re an indelible part of what makes Fukuoka’s food scene so special. A vendor prepares local Hakata-style pork broth ramen at a Fukuoka yatai. Hemis/Alamy Stock Photo“Yatai is the best place to make friends,” says Nick Szasz, a Canadian-born longtime resident of Japan who runs the English-language website Fukuoka Now. Though the city has always been dotted with these food carts, Takashima’s administration set up a committee to regulate them and make sure they’d remain a vital part of the city.

Persons: Yatais, oden, ”, Nick Szasz, Szasz, it’s, Sōichirō Takashima, –, Fukuoka’s, Kensuke Kubota –, London’s Zuma, Japan –, Yatai Keiji, yatais Organizations: CNN, Fukuoka Locations: Japan’s, Fukuoka, Sapporo, Hakata, Canadian, Japan, Kyushu, AsiaDreamPhoto

☆ Australia’s Kaylee McKeown makes swimming history as she breaks 50m backstroke world record
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-21 | by ( Ben Morse | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Australia’s Kaylee McKeown broke the women’s 50m backstroke world record on Friday to become the first person to simultaneously hold the 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke world records. The world record is the 22-year-old’s third of the year and completes a hat trick of backstroke records for McKeown. David Balogh/Getty ImagesMcKeown is the first Australian to hold the 50m backstroke world record since Sophie Edington set it in 2008. It makes up for some disappointment for McKeown after she missed out on the 50m backstroke world record by just 0.04 seconds last week in Athens. World Aquatics first started keeping track of 50m world records in 1997.

Persons: Australia’s Kaylee McKeown, McKeown, China’s Liu Xiang, “, ” McKeown, David Balogh, Sophie Edington Organizations: CNN, Olympic, Olympics Locations: Budapest, Hungary, Athens, Fukuoka, Japan, Paris

CNN —Japan’s flag carrier had to make last minute changes to deal with excess weight – not from baggage, but from a group of passengers who just so happened to be sumo wrestlers. The sumo wrestlers weighed an average of 120 kilograms (264 pounds) each – far more than the 70 kilogram (154 pounds) average passenger – an airline spokesperson told CNN, raising concerns over fuel capacity on the smaller aircraft that services flights within Japan. But it was still a tight squeeze on the way back from the sumo festival. We had great support, although we are a little tired,” a representative for the Gunma wrestlers said in the TV Asahi report. There are no weight restrictions or classes in sumo wrestling, but the ancient Japanese sport has been dominated by bulkier athletes.

Persons: CNN —, Amami Oshima, “, ” Organizations: CNN, Japan Airlines, JAL, Haneda Airport, Itami Airport, ITM, TV Asahi, Asahi, bulkier, Travelers, Korean Air, Air Locations: Amami, Tokyo, Osaka, Japan, Haneda, Fukuoka, Gunma, “, Zealand, Auckland, New York

☆ Olympic champion Titmus has surgery to remove benign tumours
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Sept 15 (Reuters) - Australia's world and Olympic swimming champion Ariarne Titmus said on Friday she was recovering from surgery to remove benign tumours from an ovary. The 200 and 400m freestyle Olympic gold medallist and 400m freestyle world record holder told followers on Instagram she would be taking some weeks to rest after the operation. "I feel blessed that I found these tumours before they got even bigger and started to have real implications on my health," she added. She said in June she could bow out of her swimming career at next year's Paris Olympics if she lost the motivation to continue. Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London, editing by Christian RadnedgeOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Ariarne Titmus, I’ve, Titmus, Katie Ledecky, Alan Baldwin, Christian Radnedge Organizations: Tokyo Games, Olympics, Thomson Locations: Fukuoka, Japan, London

Tokyo CNN —Police in Japan have implemented an unusual strategy in order to prevent drunk driving: encouraging people to consume alcohol and then letting them loose on a driving course. Instructors rode in each car during the initiative, which took place inside the driving school, a police spokesperson told CNN. “We hope that more drivers will realize how dangerous drunk driving is,” said the police spokesperson. Alcohol consumption in Japan waned during the pandemic, with restrictions hitting the business of bars and other places selling drinks. In a post on its website in 2021, it called excessive alcohol consumption a “major social problem” that persisted despite the recent slowdown in consumption.

Persons: ” Organizations: Tokyo CNN — Police, Chikushino Police Department, Chikushino Automobile, CNN, Organisation for Economic Co, Development, Ministry Locations: Japan, Fukuoka, Chikushino City

☆ In Japan’s ‘Gateway to Asia’: Street Food, Night Life and a Thriving Arts Scene
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( Erik Augustin Palm | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

There’s a soothing hum to laid-back Fukuoka, the largest city on the Japanese island of Kyushu. It’s hard to miss on a weekend afternoon as you stroll down Meiji-dori Avenue, the city’s wide downtown spine, passing places like the Kabuki theater Hakata-za and the Fukuoka Asian Art Museum. Eventually, you’ll reach the slow-flowing Naka River, whose banks are lined with the traditional open-air food stalls known as yatai, a signature attraction in this culinary and arts haven. They come for the city’s lauded cuisine, its casual atmosphere, vibrant arts and nightlife scenes and temperate climate. Here are some places that visitors might want to include on their itineraries.

Persons: dori Organizations: Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, you’ll Locations: Fukuoka, Kyushu, China, Korea, Pacific, Asia

CNN —She might recently have surpassed the legendary Michael Phelps for the most career individual world swimming titles, but Katie Ledecky says the thrill of winning remains as powerful as ever. Ledecky eclipsed Phelps’ tally of 15 world swimming titles at the 2023 World Aquatic Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, in July. It was so much fun to represent Team USA at the international level again,” Ledecky told CNN’s The Source with Kaitlan Collins. For this reason, overtaking such a great of the sport was something that Ledecky hadn’t spent any time contemplating. “Michael [Phelps] is someone that I’ve known for a long time now and to break that record was cool.

Persons: Michael Phelps, Katie Ledecky, Ledecky, Phelps ’, ” Ledecky, Kaitlan Collins, “ I’ve, Clive Rose, Phelps, Ledecky hadn’t, “ Michael, “ I’m, “ It’s, Manan Vatsyayana, “, Oli Scarff, Simone Biles, I’ve Organizations: CNN, Team USA, University of Florida, University of Stanford, Getty Locations: Fukuoka, Japan, Paris, AFP, Stanford

☆ Why we should build cities that are kind to nature
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Nadia Leigh-Hewitson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

For Call to Earth Day 2023, we will focus on the vital link between urban areas and wilderness, and shed light on the impact cities have on distant natural spaces. Here, we explore how our cities can be part of the great tapestry of habitats on Earth. The feral flock is thought to represent around 10% of the remaining population, showing how cities can be safe spaces for wildlife. Letting animals moveThrough the sprawl of cities, animals increasingly encounter challenges in navigating their once-open territories. By blending the urban and natural worlds, these buildings can become a crucial part of the solution to create greener cities for future generations.

Persons: Noemi Cassanelli, ” Organizations: CNN, Park, Getty, International Locations: Varanasi, Hong Kong, Banff, Fukuoka, Japan

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