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☆ Japanese restaurants say they’re not charging tourists more – they’re just charging locals less
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-25 | by ( Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Tokyo CNN —Kudos to you if you can speak perfect Japanese and order food at a neighborhood sushi bar in Tokyo. But overtourism – fueled by a combination of pent-up post-Covid demands (aka “revenge travel”) and the weak local currency – has recently prompted restaurants in the country to consider the merits of differential pricing. This year, spurred by a weak yen that has fallen to its lowest level against the dollar in decades, the tourists are back - in big numbers. “Some people say, ‘We don’t do this in our country.’ But think about how bad Japanese people’s English skills are. As the less-expensive resident prices are often written in the local language, foreign tourists may not even know they paid more.

Persons: –, ”, Shogo Yonemitsu, ” Yonemitsu, Elisa Chan, Tamatebako, Rinka Tonsho, CNN Yonemitsu, isn’t, That’s, CNN Shuji Miyake, Phoebe Lee Organizations: Tokyo CNN, Mount Fuji, UNESCO, Chinese University of Hong, CNN Locations: Tokyo, Japan, Shibuya, Mount, Hokkaido, Himeji, In Venice, Tokyo’s Tsukiji

☆ China economy and employment: People who used to work for major tech giants are now doing manual labor
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-20 | by ( Chris Lau | Hassan Tayir | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Li, 27, is part of a growing base of Chinese workers swapping high-pressure office jobs for flexible blue-collar work. But these firms are slowly losing their appeal as China’s economy faces headwinds including a property crisis, declining foreign investment and slumping consumption. The trend to move from professional to manual jobs comes amid surging demand for blue-collar workers, according to Chinese recruitment platform Zhaopin. And blue-collar workers’ pay has also gone up, attracting more people to jobs they might have previously avoided. Pressure of another kindBut some wonder if blue-collar work is truly the stress-free refuge people like Li and Wang imagine it to be.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN — Leon Li, ”, Li, “, Alice Wang, Wang, –, Larry Hu, Zhang Yuxiao, David Goodman, commenter Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, CNN, National Bureau of Statistics, Workers, NBS, University of Sydney’s China Studies Centre Locations: China, Hong Kong, Hangzhou, Chengdu, –, Macquarie, Shanghai

However, Russia and Belarus are exceptions due to the invasion of Ukraine,” a Hiroshima city government spokesperson told CNN. Envoys from Russia and Belarus haven’t attended since Hiroshima excluded them in 2022 following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in February that year. Russia used Belarus as one of the launch pads for its assault and later moved some of its tactical nuclear weapons there. “As a city of international peace, Hiroshima city needs to invite all nations, regardless of whether they are at war or not,” said Kunihiko Sakuma, president of Hiroshima Hidankyo, an atomic bomb survivors’ advocacy group. Hiroshima authorities said they only send invitations to countries with embassies in Japan and have never invited Palestinian representatives to the ceremony.

Persons: haven’t, Israel, ”, Hiroshima’s, Belarus haven’t, Tetsuji Kumada, Khan Younis, Mohammed Salem, Fumio Kishida, Volodymyr Zelensky, Naoya Azuma, Kunihiko Sakuma, Yoko Kamikawa, Junko Ogura Organizations: Tokyo CNN —, CNN, “, ”, European Union, Hiroshima’s, Russia, Hamas, Reuters, AP Japan, Kyodo, ” Kyodo, Mission of Locations: Tokyo CNN — Hiroshima, Gaza, Hiroshima, Israel, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, ”, “ Russia, Nagasaki, Palestine, Japan, Israeli, Al, Khan, Reuters Japanese, Hiroshima Peace, Kyiv, Tokyo, Mission of Palestine

☆ Selina Cheng: Hong Kong journalist says she was fired by WSJ after taking top post at union under attack by Beijing
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-18 | by ( Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Hong Kong CNN —A Wall Street Journal reporter in Hong Kong said she was fired after being elected to lead a press union that has come under attack by Beijing amid a national security crackdown. Selina Cheng, who was elected chair of the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) on June 22, said in a statement posted Wednesday on X that she had been terminated from her job covering China’s car sector earlier in the day. Both Hong Kong officials and Beijing state media have accused it of siding with protesters during the anti-government demonstrations in 2019, a charge the association has denied. But critics have increasingly bemoaned the territory’s shrinking press freedoms since Beijing imposed a national security on Hong Kong after the 2019 protests. “The Wall Street Journal has been and continues to be a fierce and vocal advocate for press freedom in Hong Kong and around the world,” he said.

Persons: Selina Cheng, ” Cheng, “, ”, Hong Kong’s, Cheng, Gordon Fairclough, Emma Tucker, Evan Gershkovich Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Hong Kong Journalists Association, Hong, CNN, The, CIA Locations: China, Hong Kong, Beijing, London, Singapore, Russia

☆ Japan: One in 10 young people say they have been groped in public, survey finds
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-16 | by ( Chris Lau | Yumi Asada | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Tokyo CNN —One in 10 young people in Japan – the vast majority women – have been groped on trains and in other public places, a government survey has found, highlighting an often unreported crime that has long plagued the country despite official efforts to fight it. Women accounted for nearly 90% of those who said they were assaulted, according to the survey released this month. “For some reason, I cry more now when I remember it than when it happened,” they told the survey. But some survey respondents urged authorities to do more. “We need to continue to educate people that molestation is a serious crime,” a Japanese government spokesperson told CNN, adding that public groping should always be reported.

Persons: –, “, ”, chikan, groped, Jeffrey Hall, Hall, haven’t Organizations: Tokyo CNN, CNN, Kanda University of International Studies Locations: Japan, Tokyo, Chiba

☆ Manhunt launched after human remains found in second British city
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-12 | by ( Maija-Liisa Ehlinge | Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —British police have found human remains in a west London apartment which they believe are connected to body parts found earlier this week in another city, officers said Friday. Authorities are now on the hunt for a Colombian man thought to be linked to the case. Officers said their priority is to find Yostin Andres Mosquera, a 24-year-old Colombian national, naming him for the first time. They released a photo of Mosquera clad in a black Adidas baseball cap, black jeans, a black jacket, black trainers with thick white soles, with a black backpack. Kyle Clifford, 26, was found by officers in Enfield, north London, on Wednesday following an extensive manhunt, and arrested on Thursday in connection with the killing.

Persons: Yostin Andres Mosquera, Mosquera, ”, Andy Valentine, Vicks Hayward, Carol Hunt, John Hunt, Hannah Hunt, Louise Hunt, Kyle Clifford Organizations: CNN, British, Authorities, The Metropolitan Police, Colombian, Adidas, Police, Somerset Police, Metropolitan Police, Metropolitan Police Authorities, ” Police, coastguard, Avon and Somerset Police Locations: London, Colombian, Clifton, Bristol, Avon, Britain, Enfield

“Julian plans to swim in the ocean every day. He plans to sleep in a real bed, he plans to taste real food, and he plans to enjoy his freedom.”Stella Assange wed the WikiLeaks founder while he was incarcerated at London’s Belmarsh prison in 2022 and they have two children together. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange kisses his wife, Stella Assange, as he arrives in Canberra, Australia, June 26, 2024. “But they were very excited when they found out that daddy was coming home,” Stella Assange said. Stella Assange, wife of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, speaks as lawyers Barry Pollack and Jennifer Robinson look on during a press conference at East Hotel in Canberra, Australia on June 26, 2024.

Persons: Julian Assange, Stella Assange, ”, “ Julian, ” Stella Assange, Edgar Su, Assange, “, Barry Pollack, Jennifer Robinson, Lisa Maree Williams Organizations: CNN, WikiLeaks, Justice Department, East Hotel Locations: United States, Canberra, Australia, Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, Iraq, Afghanistan

☆ Japanese pufferfish: Cup Noodles serves up notoriously poisonous pufferfish
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-25 | by ( Chris Lau | Rinka Tonsho | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Tokyo CNN —Pufferfish is regarded as a luxury in Japan and a meal featuring the potentially poisonous delicacy can easily cost up to 20,000 yen ($125) at high-end restaurants. But now, adventurous foodies in Japan can get a taste of “fugu” for a fraction of the price, from a Cup Noodle. Japanese instant noodle giant Nissin Foods released the new pufferfish flavor on Monday, expanding its massive lineup. “In recent years … ramen shops specializing in fugu ramen have been popping up, grabbing the hearts of many ramen fans,” it said. An elderly couple in Malaysia died last year after eating pufferfish, prompting an appeal from their daughter for stricter regulations.

Persons: Pufferfish, Nissin, Momofuku Ando Organizations: Tokyo CNN, CNN, Western Australia’s Department of Fisheries, Chefs Locations: Japan, Colombia, Gamagori city, Japan’s, Aichi, Philippines, Malaysia

☆ Relentless deadly rains lash southern China as flooding threatens millions
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-21 | by ( Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Hong Kong CNN —Tens of thousands of people across southern China have been evacuated, with many more potentially at risk, as deadly torrential rains continue to lash the region, causing flash flooding and mudslides. Villager walks on muddy streets as torrential rains cause flooding on June 19, 2024 in Meizhou, Guangdong Province of China. Villagers clean rubbish as torrential rains cause flooding on June 19, 2024 in Meizhou, Guangdong Province of China. Aerial view of an area affected by torrential rains on June 18, 2024 in Sishui Town, Pingyuan County, Meizhou City, Guangdong Province of China. Villagers stand in the water as torrential rains cause flooding on June 19, 2024 in Meizhou, Guangdong Province of China.

Persons: John Ricky, Lian Zhicheng, Xi Jinping, Stringer Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Villager, Getty Locations: Hong Kong, China, Meizhou, Guangdong Province of China, Guangdong, Fujian, Sishui Town, Pingyuan County, Meizhou City, Guangxi, Guilin, China's Guangxi, AFP

☆ Vigilante Hong Kong cabbies went undercover to ensnare illegal Uber drivers. It backfired
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-08 | by ( Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

They are vigilante taxi drivers taking direct action, having become increasingly frustrated about Hong Kong authorities’ failure to regulate the ride-hailing platform. Noemi Cassanelli/CNNA Uber app is seen on a mobile phone in Hong Kong, China, on May 24, 2024. Patrick Tam, secretary general of the Hong Kong Taxi & Public Light Bus Association, acknowledged the complaints against some unruly taxi drivers, and said he supported the police going after them. “We just want fair treatment.”So far, Hong Kong police have said they had not arrested any Uber drivers ensnared in the amateur sting operations. And CUHK’s Chan said that, after years of ambiguity, Hong Kong is already playing catch-up.

Persons: Ka Chun, “, Uber, Noemi Cassanelli, CNN Uber, ”, Oliver Chan, Hong, John Lee, Lau, tim, ” Jason Chan, Mo, “ Uber, Patrick Tam, CNN Estyn Chung, CUHK’s Chan Organizations: CNN, Hong, Chinese University of Hong, Taxi, Pictures, hackney, CNN Taxis, HK, Hong Kong Taxi, Light Bus Association, Uber Taxi, Uber Locations: Hong Kong, China, Central, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Jordan, Singapore

The Hong Kong and Beijing governments have repeatedly denied the national security law is suppressing freedoms, arguing it has ended chaos and “restored stability” to the city. Since the national security law came into effect in 2020, civil groups have disbanded, and independent media outlets have been shut down. They are the first defendants to be acquitted in a national security law trial in Hong Kong. But that strategy is in doubt after another local national security law enacted earlier this year curtailed access to reduced sentences for guilty pleas. “It’s absolutely clear that the national security law reduced the independence and the autonomy of the judiciary.

Persons: Hong Kong’s, Hong, Gwyneth Ho, Leung Kwok, ”, Lawrence Lau, Lee Yu, –, “, Joshua Wong, Benny Tai, Claudia Mo, Eric Lai, John Burns, Hong Kong Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Beijing, British, Hong, Hong Kong’s Legislative, Georgetown Center, Asian Law, Communist Party, city’s, University of Hong Locations: Hong Kong, Hong, Beijing, Hong Kong’s, China, University of Hong Kong

☆ Live updates: Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, Rafah strike, rockets fired on Tel Aviv
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-27 | by ( Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Palestinians at the scene of an Israeli attack in Rafah, Gaza, on May 27. Ali Jadallah/Anadolu/Getty ImagesQatar said Israel’s strike on a Rafah displacement camp could “hinder” ongoing negotiations aiming for the release of hostages and reaching a ceasefire in Gaza. Talks to resume: Negotiations between Israel and Hamas for a ceasefire-and-hostage-swap deal are set to resume in Cairo on Tuesday, according to an Egyptian official. Talks between Israel and Hamas have stalled for months, with both parties failing to reach an agreement over differences on key demands. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed strong opposition to the demands made by Hamas.

Persons: Ali Jadallah, Israel’s, ” Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu Organizations: Getty, Qatar, CNN, Hamas Locations: Rafah, Gaza, Anadolu, Qatari, Israel, Cairo

☆ Live updates: Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, ICJ ruling, Rafah invasion looms
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-24 | by ( Chris Lau | Sana Noor Haq | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

European Union flags fly outside the European Commission building in Brussels, Belgium, on April 12. They add: “It was precisely to avert such a grim world order that our grandparents, witnesses of the horrors of World War II, created Europe. The calls come in the same week that three European countries – Ireland, Spain and Norway - announced plans to formally recognize a Palestinian state. Although Norway is not an EU member, the plans do have the potential to exert greater pressure on the countries’ western allies to take a tougher stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict. But the move is not a coordinated European effort and the bloc has long struggled to speak with one voice.

Persons: Kenzo Tribouillard, “, ” Organizations: European Commission, Getty, European, EU Locations: Brussels, Belgium, AFP, Gaza, Israel, Europe, Ireland, Spain, Norway, Palestinian

☆ Matthew Trickett: British man accused of spying for Hong Kong’s intelligence services found dead in park
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Sharon Braithwaite | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

London CNN —A man charged by British police for allegedly spying for Hong Kong’s intelligence services, has been found dead in a park outside of London. Trickett had appeared alongside two other suspects at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on May 13, charged with national security offences. “Trickett was on court bail, awaiting court proceedings, which required him to register at a police station regularly,” the police said. Relations between Hong Kong and its former colonial ruler Britain have soured in recent years following mass pro-democracy protests in the Chinese city in 2019 and 2020. The British government has criticized Hong Kong’s Beijing-backed crackdown on almost all opposition in the years following the protests, while Hong Kong authorities have bristled at Britain providing a safe haven for pro-democracy leaders sought by the Hong Kong police.

Persons: Hong, Matthew Trickett, Trickett, “ Trickett, Trickett’s, John Lee, Hong Kong’s, Louisa Cieciora, Lee, Lucas Lilieholm, Chris Lau, Jerome Taylor Organizations: London CNN, British, London . Police, Thames, ’, The Times, Embassy, Hong, Hong Kong, Police, Hong Kong Economic, Trade Office, Economic, Trade Locations: London, Maidenhead , Berkshire, Sunday, Westminster, Hong Kong, Britain, Hong Kong’s Beijing

☆ Live updates: Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, Benny Gantz ultimatum, Netanyahu government in turmoil
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Rescue teams' vehicles are seen near the site of the incident of the helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in Varzaghan in northwestern Iran, on May 19. It has also brought a decades-long shadow war between Iran and Israel out into the open. But the proxy war continues with Iran-backed militias such as Hamas and Hezbollah continuing to fight Israel’s forces. The powers of Iran's president are ultimately dwarfed by those of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who is the final arbiter of domestic and foreign affairs in the Islamic Republic. That means Iran's clerical establishment, headed by Khamenei, must now find a new leader they can throw their support behind against a backdrop of intense regional insecurity and domestic discontent.

Persons: Ebrahim Raisi, Azin, Israel —, Israel, Mahsa, Raisi, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, —, Mohammad Mokhbar —, Khamenei Organizations: Moj News Agency, Hamas, Revolutionary Guards, United Locations: Varzaghan, Iran, Gaza, Israel, Damascus, Iranian, Isfahan, United Nations, Islamic Republic

CNN —Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he wants to work with countries like China with “influence on Russia” as his country faces a renewed Moscow offensive, urging Beijing to attend peace talks next month. Ahead of expected peace talks in Switzerland next month, Xi has called for negotiations that take both sides’ positions into account. Engaging global players like China is crucial because “they have influence on Russia, and the more such countries we have on our side… the more Russia will have to move and [more countries] to reckon with,” Zelensky said. Zelensky said he would like to see China at the international talks in Switzerland next month, aimed at paving the way for a peace process in Ukraine. Russia has not been represented at any of the four rounds of closed-door international peace talks that have taken place so far, and will not be at this one.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, Russia ”, Zelensky, Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin’s, Russia’s, Xi, ” Zelensky, Viola Amherd, Vladimir Putin, Sergei Bobylov, Switzerland Wang Shihting, Emmanuel Macron, Emmanuel Organizations: CNN, Beijing, AFP, Reuters, of, Getty, French Locations: China, Russia, Moscow, Beijing, Switzerland, Zelensky, Ukraine, Tiananmen, Saudi Arabia, Europe, Paris

☆ Russian forces use border-town captives as ‘human shields,’ Ukrainian officials say
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Mariya Knight | Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Vovchansk, in the northern Kharkiv region, has faced an onslaught, with Russian forces claiming to control surrounding villages, forcing civilians to flee. The details came a day after Ukraine’s Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said Russians are taking civilians captive in northern Vovchansk. Russia has not commented on its troops using civilians as human shields or targeting those trying to evacuate. Russian forces launched airstrikes on Kharkiv Friday, killing at least three people and injuring 28, mayor Ihor Terekhov said in a Telegram post. He also said there may be several waves of Russian attacks on the region, and emphasized the need for Patriot missile systems to push Russian troops out of Kharkiv.

Persons: Serhii Bolvinov, ” Bolvinov, Bolvinov, Ihor Klymenko, ” Klymenko, Ihor Terekhov, Oleh Syniehubov, Volodymyr Zelensky, Zelensky Organizations: CNN, Russian, Kharkiv, police, Suspilne, Ukraine’s, ” Police, Russian Defense Ministry, AFP, Patriot, The United States Locations: Vovchansk, Moscow, Ukraine, Kharkiv, Ukrainian, Russian, Russia

☆ A-League: Soccer players in Australia charged over alleged transnational betting plot
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Chris Lau | Angus Watson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Sydney CNN —Three players from Australia’s top soccer league have been arrested and charged over an alleged betting scam, accused of deliberately getting yellow cards and giving away penalties at the behest of a South American criminal. A senior A-League player allegedly took instructions from the mastermind and arranged the infractions with teammates in designated games last year, according to New South Wales Police. Investigators have not disclosed the players’ team, but said they are attached to a club in Sydney’s south-west. Nor did they find evidence that players from other teams may have been complicit, he said. He said the bets were placed offshore, predominantly in South America, with no trace that betting has come from Australia.

Persons: Michael Fitzgerald, ”, Peter Faux Organizations: Sydney CNN —, League, New South Wales Police, Junior, ”, Macarthur FC, NSW Police Locations: American, New, Sydney’s, Sydney, Macarthur, South America, Australia

☆ Australia’s ‘world’s oldest’ loong: Vandals target the Chinese parade dragon in an Australian museum
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Australian police are seeking two people for allegedly vandalizing a century-old Chinese parade dragon and other valuable artefacts at a museum in a small town known for its historic links to China. The vandalism took place last week at the Golden Dragon Museum in Bendigo, about 100 miles northwest of Melbourne, according to the police and head of the museum. Golden Dragon MuseumBendigo, currently a city of some 100,000 people, has had Chinese residents for more than a century. To this day, a large dragon parade is held every Easter to raise money for a local hospital. The Golden Dragon Museum was opened in 1991 “to document, interpret and preserve the Chinese heritage in Australia” according to the museum’s website.

Persons: Toyota Prado, ”, Loong, “ Loong, Dai, “, Hugo Leschen, Sun Loong, Leschen, Yi Organizations: CNN, Australian, Dragon Museum, . Victoria Police, Toyota, “ Investigators, Golden Dragon Museum Bendigo, Miners, Bendigo Tourism, Dragon, Yi Yuan, Nine, Chinese Community Council of Australia Locations: China, Bendigo, Melbourne, Australia, Victoria, Yi Yuan Chinese

Hong Kong CNN —Hong Kong’s leader responded on Tuesday after three people were charged by British police for allegedly spying on behalf of the city’s intelligence services. Relations between Hong Kong and its former colonial ruler Britain have soured in recent years following mass pro-democracy protests in the Chinese city in 2019 and 2020. The British government has criticized Hong Kong’s Beijing-backed crackdown on almost all opposition in the years following the protests, while Hong Kong authorities have bristled at Britain providing a safe haven for pro-democracy leaders sought by the Hong Kong police. Hong Kong leader Lee noted in his Tuesday news conference that one of the men charged was the office manager of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in London but did not directly address a question over whether it was involved in surveillance of Hong Kong dissidents in the UK. Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee is speaking at a press conference on April 30, 2024.

Persons: Hong, Chi Leung, Peter, Wai, Matthew Trickett, Chung Biu Yuen, Hong Kong’s, John Lee, ” Lee, Chi Leung Wai, Yui Mok, Jonathan Brady, Yuen, Louisa Cieciora, Lee, Vernon Yuen, ”, Dominic Murphy Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, British, Hong, city’s Metropolitan Police, Hong Kong, Embassy, Westminster Magistrates, Administrative, Police, Hong Kong Economic, Trade Office, . Hong, Economic, Trade, Metropolitan Police, UK National Security, Crown Prosecution Service, Command, Met Police Locations: Hong Kong, Westminster, London, city’s, Britain, Hong Kong’s Beijing, . Hong Kong, England

☆ Live updates: Israel-Hamas war, Rafah invasion looms, new Gaza aid crossing opens
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-13 | by ( Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: 1 min

Palestinians leave the Jabalya Refugee Camp with their belongings in Gaza, on May 12. Dawoud Abo Alkas/Anadolu/Getty ImagesIsrael is battling Hamas across Gaza, including in the Jabalya refugee camp in the north. Israel, which previously said it controlled Jabalya, said it is trying to stop Hamas regrouping there. Video captured heavy gunfire, Israeli tanks and the sound of drones in the area on Sunday. The Israeli military said it was continuing "precise operations" in eastern Rafah and near the Rafah crossing, ahead of a planned full-scale invasion.

Persons: Dawoud Abo Organizations: Dawoud Abo Alkas, Getty, Israel, Gaza's Health Ministry Locations: Gaza, Anadolu, Israel, Rafah

Bill Nye the CNNThe massive solar storm could present “a real danger,” especially with the modern world relying so much on electricity, according to Bill Nye the Science Guy, a science educator and engineer. In comparison to tonight's event, Nye drew comparisons with another incident in 1859, known as the Carrington Event, when telegraph communications were severely affected. “The other thing, everybody, that is a real danger to our technological society, different from 1859, is how much we depend on electricity and our electronics and so on,” Nye said. "None of us really in the developed world could go very long without electricity." He noted that there are systems in place to minimize the impact, but “stuff might go wrong,” stressing that not all transformers are equipped to withstand such a solar event.

Persons: Bill Nye, Science Guy, Nye, ” Nye Organizations: CNN, Science

☆ Japan aging: Women’s participation in ‘naked festival’ a sign of how aging is forcing changes to male-centric traditions
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-10 | by ( Himari Semans | Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Tokyo/Hong Kong CNN —With a history spanning more than 1,200 years, “hadaka matsuri,” or the naked festival, is Japanese masculinity on full display. Some women in Japan still battle deep-rooted cultural expectations that require them to take the role of “shufu,” or housewife, experts say. But in the naked festival, women have recently found hope. Men strip naked — except for a delicate piece of crotch-covering white loincloth — to take part in the naked festival at Konomiya Shrine on February 22, 2024. Women — donning happi, a traditional festive coat — are responsible for carrying a bamboo offering during the naked festival at Konomiya Shrine on February 22, 2024.

Persons: —, Saudi Arabia —, “, Christopher Gallagher, ”, we’ve, ” Haruhiko, Atsuko Tamakoshi, Chris Gallagher, Enyukai, Ayaka Suzuki, Mitsuko Tottori, Yoko Kamikawa, Fumio, Kaori Katada, Hiyori Kon, Sumo, won’t Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Economic, Japan, Reuters, Mikiko, Hosei University, pre, CNN, ”, Ministry of Health, ” Eto, Organization for Economic Cooperation, Development, Japan Airlines, Netflix, Little Locations: Tokyo, Hong Kong, Japan, jostle, Germany, Britain, United States, India, Saudi Arabia, Konomiya Shrine, Konomiya

☆ Pasco Japan: Rat parts found in sliced white bread, sparking recall
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Chris Lau | Himari Semans | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Tokyo CNN —A major Japanese food supplier has recalled more than 100,000 packs of a popular brand of sliced white bread after rat parts were found inside some loaves. They were found in a batch of white “chojuku” bread — or super fermented bread, known for its extra chewy texture — manufactured by a factory based in western Tokyo prefecture, according to the company. White bread is a staple for many Japanese people when they feel like a Western-style meal, or “yoshoku,” as an alternative to traditional Japanese food. Founded in 1920, Pasco is a major supplier of baked goods that employs more than 3,700 staff at 12 factories across the country. The 15-second commercial, released months ago, features a family excitingly declaring their love of good toast as breakfast, accompanied by a voice-over saying: “We put nothing unnecessary in it.”“⁠I love chojuku bread.

Persons: Warabeya Nichiyo, ” Organizations: Tokyo CNN, Pasco Shikishima Corporation, CNN, Kobayashi Pharmaceutical, Warabeya, Reuters Locations: Pasco, “, Tokyo, Japan, Saitama

☆ Super-aged Japan now has 9 million vacant homes. And that’s a problem
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Chris Lau | Mayumi Maruyama | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

“This is a symptom of Japan’s population decline,” said Jeffrey Hall, a lecturer at Kanda University of International Studies in Chiba. “It’s not really a problem of building too many houses” but “a problem of not having enough people,” he said. According to figures compiled by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, 14% of all residential properties in Japan are vacant. “When an earthquake or a tsunami occurs, there is a possibility that vacant houses will block evacuation routes as they break down and get destroyed,” he said. In other rural areas with a high concentration of vacant houses, akiya have stalled development, the professor said.

Persons: ”, Jeffrey Hall, “ It’s, don’t, Akio Kon, it’s, “ They’re, Buddhika Weerasinghe, Yuki Akiyama, Akiyama, ” Akiyama Organizations: CNN, Kanda University of International Studies, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Kanda University, “, Bloomberg, Getty, Ministry, Internal Affairs, Communications, Tokyo City University, Homes Locations: Japan, New York City, Tokyo, Kyoto, Chiba, Kanda, Yato, Yokosuka City, Kanagawa prefecture, Tambasasayama, Noto, Ishikawa, Europe, West, “

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