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Tennis star Naomi Osaka announced her pregnancy Wednesday, explaining why she withdrew from the Australian Open a few days prior. She told fans that this year will be one "full of lessons" and that she hopes to see everyone at next year's Australian Open. 1 by the WTA, Osaka won both the Australian and U.S. opens twice from 2018 to 2021. She made headlines in May 2021 when she announced she would not compete at the French Open, citing anxiety over post-match news conferences. Despite the tumultuous year, Osaka finished the 2021 season remaining ranked No.

☆ Naomi Osaka announces she is expecting her first child
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Jan 11 (Reuters) - Four times Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka said on Wednesday that she is expecting her first child, days after withdrawing from the Australian Open. The 25-year-old said this week that she was pulling out of the year's first Grand Slam after not competing on the WTA Tour since the Pan Pacific Open in September. loadingAug 30, 2022; Flushing, NY, USA; Naomi Osaka of Japan hits to Danielle Collins of the United States on day two of the 2022 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. But she said on Wednesday that she would return to competition and expected to be at the Australian Open in 2024. Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York Editing by Toby DavisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Asia-Pacific shares set to open higher ahead of U.S. inflation report
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( Lee Ying Shan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Pedestrians by the retail stores at Pitt Street Mall in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, on Monday, Dec. 26, 2022. Asia-Pacific shares are set to trade higher as investors look ahead to the U.S. consumer price index, which would set the Federal Reserve's trajectory in its attempt to tackle inflation after raising rates seven times in 2022. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.7% ahead of the release of its inflation print for November. Both are higher compared to the Nikkei 225's last close at 26,175.56. Overnight on Wall Street, major stock indexes closed higher as investors continued building on the new year's early rally.

☆ Asia-Pacific markets set to trade mixed after Nasdaq extends gains backed by technology
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Jihye Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

People pass along Ameyoko shopping street as they do end of year shopping on December 30, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. Asia-Pacific markets were set to trade mixed after the Nasdaq Composite extended gains for a second day on Wall Street. Technology stocks helped the index skirt losses Monday as traders added to bets that inflation may be easing. The Nasdaq was the only major index to end the day up, boosted by a nearly 6% rally in Tesla . The Nikkei futures contract in Chicago was at 26,220 while its counterpart in Osaka was at 26,190 against the Nikkei 225's last close at 25,973.85.

Naomi Osaka withdrew from the Australian Open on Saturday just over a week until the tournament begins. "It’s an honor to be able to play at the Toray Pan Pacific Open in front of the amazing fans here in Japan," Osaka said. Formerly ranked No.1 by the WTA, Osaka has won both the Australian and U.S. opens twice between 2018 to 2021. Osaka made headlines in May 2021 when she announced she would not compete at the French Open, citing anxiety over post-match press conferences. “I would never trivialize mental health or use the term lightly,” Osaka said at the time.

☆ Former champion Osaka withdraws from Australian Open
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Jan 8 (Reuters) - Two-times champion Naomi Osaka has pulled out of the Australian Open, organisers of the year's first Grand Slam which begins on Jan. 16 said on Sunday without elaborating on the reason, as a cloud hung over one of the sport's brightest stars. The Japanese former world number one's name was on the entry list for the Australian Open, but Osaka was not scheduled to play in warm-up tournaments in Adelaide and Hobart, raising doubts about her participation in the hardcourt major. "Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from the Australian Open. We will miss her at #AO2023," the Australian Open tweeted. Her withdrawal marks a double blow for Australian Open organisers a day after American seven-times Grand Slam champion Venus Williams was ruled out due to injury.

☆ Japan to tighten COVID border controls for travellers from China
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Kantaro Komiya | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TOKYO, Jan 4 (Reuters) - Japan will toughen from Sunday its COVID-19 border control measures for travellers from China, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said, in response to a surge of infections among such visitors. Additional measures will require negative coronavirus tests before passengers board direct flights from China, Kishida said on Wednesday, stepping up measures adopted on Dec. 30. Japan will continue to ask airlines to limit additional flights from China, he told a nationally televised New Year news conference. "Necessary restrictions are still put in place as we are taking all possible measures to prevent infections," Kishida added. Most European Union nations favour pre-departure testing for travellers from China, the European Commission said on Tuesday.

☆ Asia-Pacific markets set to trade mixed as investors look ahead to Fed minutes
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Lee Ying Shan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A woman walks at the Bund in front of the financial district of Pudong in Shanghai, China. The Nikkei futures contract in Chicago was at 25,800 while its counterpart in Osaka was at 25,790. Both are lower compared to the Nikkei 225 's last close at 26,094.50. Asia-Pacific shares are poised to trade mixed as investors look ahead to the Federal Reserve's meeting minutes for December, watching for signs of more interest rate hikes. In the day, investors look ahead to the release of the U.S. Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, better known as JOLTS, as well as the minutes of the Fed's latest policy meeting set to come out in the afternoon stateside.

☆ Here's a list of places imposing rules on travelers from China as Covid surges
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-01 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Authorities around the world are imposing or considering curbs on travelers from China as Covid-19 cases in the country surge following its relaxation of "zero-Covid" rules. Places imposing curbsUnited StatesThe United States will impose mandatory Covid-19 tests on travelers from China beginning on Jan. 5. IndiaThe country has mandated a Covid-19 negative test report for travelers arriving from China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea and Thailand, the health minister said. Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty ImagesJapan will require a negative Covid-19 test upon arrival for travelers from mainland China. South KoreaSouth Korea will require travelers from China to provide negative Covid test results before departure, South Korea's News1 news agency reported on Friday.

☆ Asia-Pacific markets set to trade higher after Wall Street rebounds
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( Jihye Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Stocks in the Asia-Pacific are set to trade higher after Wall Street rebounded overnight, recovering most losses from the previous session. The S&P/ASX 200 in Australia rose 0.67%, carrying on the sentiment from the U.S. session. The Nikkei futures contract in Chicago was at 26,240 while its counterpart in Osaka was at 26,210 – higher than the Nikkei 225's last close at 26,093.67.

☆ Asia-Pacific markets set to fall, taking lead from Wall Street's losses
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Lee Ying Shan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Crimson clouds light up the skyline of Victoria Harbour on July 14, 2022 in Hong Kong, China. Asia-Pacific markets are set to fall, taking the lead from Wall Street's losses overnight as investors looked to the year ahead. The Nikkei futures contract in Chicago was at 26,095 while its counterpart in Osaka stood at 26,030 – both lower compared to the Nikkei 225's last close at 26,340.50. Hong Kong's further easing of Covid restrictions takes into effect today, with stocks related to re-opening being closely watched. South Korea's industrial production for November grew 0.4% after seeing four consecutive months of declines.

☆ Hong Kong asks Japan to drop airport restrictions with 60,000 travellers affected
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Japan, which is a top travel destination for Hong Kong people, said it would limit flights from Hong Kong, Macau and mainland China to Tokyo's two airports, plus Osaka and Nagoya from Friday. "It is understood that around 250 outbound flights of Hong Kong airlines will be affected between December 30, 2022 and the end of January 2023, affecting around 60,000 passengers," the government said in a statement late on Wednesday. "We think that Hong Kong people should be allowed to use not just these four airports," Lee said. Flights of Hong Kong airlines can still carry passengers back to Hong Kong from various airports in Japan, the government said, to "ensure the smooth return of Hong Kong people from Japan and to minimise the impact to Hong Kong travellers caused by the incident." Hong Kong Airlines and Peach Aviation announced they would cancel some flight routes because of the rules.

☆ Asia markets set to trade lower; China says it will end quarantine for inbound travelers
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( Jihye Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

SHANGHAI, CHINA - JUNE 08: Aerial view of skyscrapers standing at the Lujiazui Financial District at sunrise on June 8, 2022 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Zhang Zhuoming/VCG via Getty Images)Asia-Pacific markets are set to fall as China officially announced overnight it will end quarantine for inbound travelers — symbolizing an end to its zero-Covid policy that it's held for nearly three years. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.63%. The Nikkei futures contract in Chicago was at 26,400 while its counterpart in Osaka was at 26,370 – lower against the Nikkei 225's last close at 26,405.87.

☆ Asia markets set to rise after Wall Street saw boost from consumer confidence reading
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Lee Ying Shan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

A customer looks at packages of vegetables at an E-Mart Inc. store in Seoul, South Korea, on Tuesday, Aug, 30, 2022. Asia-Pacific shares are set to trade higher, carrying on the optimism on Wall Street as stocks saw a boost from upbeat earnings and a strong consumer confidence reading. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 was up 0.69% in its first hour of trade. The Nikkei futures contract in Chicago was at 26,585 while its counterpart in Osaka was at 26,410 – both are higher than the Nikkei 225's last close at 26,387.72. The Japanese yen weakened slightly 0.11% to stand at 132.32 against the U.S. dollar.

☆ Tom Brady's NFT company, Autograph, has laid off dozens of people after severing ties with board member Sam Bankman-Fried
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( Ben Bergman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Tom Brady cofounded Autograph at the height of the NFT sports boom. Disgraced FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried joined the board of the company last year. Insider has learned the company has laid off dozens of employee and cut ties with Bankman-Fried. Autograph, the buzzy NFT platform cofounded by NFL star Tom Brady, has laid off dozens of staffers after separately severing ties with former board member Sam Bankman-Fried, the disgraced founder of FTX, Insider has learned. Bankman-Fried joined the board of directors last year several months after Brady and his then wife, Gisele Bundchen, invested in FTX.

☆ Asia-Pacific shares poised to drop as investors look ahead to Fed meeting, U.S. inflation this week
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Lee Ying Shan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Pedestrians cross a street in front of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, operated by Japan Exchange Group, in Tokyo, Japan. Shares in the Asia-Pacific are set to decline Monday as investors look ahead to a Fed meeting and U.S. inflation data this week. In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 was down 0.59%. The Nikkei futures contract in Chicago was at 27,730 while its counterpart in Osaka was at 27,750. That's lower compared against the Nikkei 225's last close at 27,901.01.

☆ Asia-Pacific shares poised to rise ahead of China inflation data
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Lee Ying Shan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

The Chinese flag floats before the skyscrapers of multinational corporations on February 23, 2018 in Shanghai, China. Shares in the Asia-Pacific are set to rise ahead of China inflation data for November. In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 inched up 0.32%. The Nikkei futures contract in Chicago was 27,695 while its counterpart in Osaka was at 27,680. That's higher than the Nikkei 225's last close at 27,574.43

Three people close to FTX and Bankman-Fried told CNBC that the former CEO lobbied aggressively for a partnership with 11-time Grammy Award winner Taylor Swift. Bankman-Fried's commitment to getting the Swift deal done despite the deteriorating business environment fit a pattern of ignoring his lieutenants and going it alone, a half-dozen former company insiders and business partners said. The Financial Times reported earlier that FTX held talks with Swift about a potential sponsorship. Part of the Swift deal would have included the production by the singer of a collection of non-fungible tokens (NFTs), or digital items that can rise and fall in value. Beyond that, there was a lack of clarity over what Swift would be doing for the company, sources said.

☆ Asia markets set for mixed session ahead of private survey results on China's services activity
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Abigail Ng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Citizens dine at a restaurant on December 1, 2022 in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province of China. Shares in the Asia-Pacific were poised to trade mixed on Monday ahead of the results of the Caixin Purchasing Managers' Index, a private survey on China's services activity. The Nikkei futures contract in Chicago was at 27,635 while its counterpart in Osaka was at 27,700. That compared against the Nikkei 225's last close at 27,777.90. In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.31%.

☆ Singapore and New York are the most expensive cities to live in, EIU says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Charmaine Jacob | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

New York City, along with Singapore, is the most expensive city to live in, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit. Alexander Spatari | Moment | Getty ImagesSingapore has once again been ranked as the most expensive city to live in, sharing the top spot with New York City this year, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). San Francisco — which did not make the top 10 last year — is now the eighth most expensive city to live in. Japan's Osaka is the 43rd most expensive city to live in, a big drop from its 10th position in 2021. Japan's Osaka is the 43rd most expensive city to live in, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit.

☆ Japan court upholds ban on same-sex marriage but voices rights concern
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

TOKYO — A Tokyo court upheld a ban on same-sex marriage on Wednesday but said a lack of legal protection for same-sex families violated their human rights, a comment welcomed by plaintiffs as a partial victory for LGBTQ couples. Japan is the only nation in the Group of 7 that does not allow same-sex marriage, and its constitution defines marriage as based on the mutual consent of both sexes. Although Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s governing party has revealed no plans yet to review the matter or propose changes, several senior members support same-sex marriage. In Wednesday’s ruling, the Tokyo district court said the ban was constitutional, but added that the absence of a legal system to protect same-sex families infringed their human rights. The decision came a day after the U.S. Senate passed a same-sex marriage protection bill and Singapore lifted a ban on gay sex but limited the prospects for legalizing same-sex marriage.

☆ England take unbeaten record against African teams into Senegal clash
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Mark Gleeson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

DOHA, Dec 1 (Reuters) - England will take an unbeaten record against African opposition into Sunday’s World Cup last-16 clash against Senegal – the first meeting between the two countries. It will be England’s 21st clash against an African team, the last coming in March against Senegal’s regional rivals Ivory Coast, who a second-string England easily beat 3-0 at Wembley. Morocco were England's first African opponents at a World Cup in 1986 when a 0-0 draw at Monterrey proved a breakthrough result for African football. England beat Egypt at the 1990 World Cup in Cagliari and Tunisia twice in the 1998 and 2018 editions. If any England players need advice on scoring against an African team ahead of Sunday's clash they need look no further than their manager Gareth Southgate.

☆ Japan court rules same-sex marriage ban is constitutional, but activists see a silver lining
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

A Tokyo court ruled on Wednesday that a ban on same-sex marriage was constitutional but said the lack of legal protection for same-sex families violated their human rights, which plaintiffs welcomed as a step toward aligning Japan with other G7 nations. Japan is the only G7 nation that does not allow same-sex marriage, and its constitution defines marriage as based on “the mutual consent of both sexes. The ruling party of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has disclosed no plans yet to review the matter or propose legislation, though several senior members support same-sex marriage. Wednesday’s ruling by the Tokyo district court said that while the ban was constitutional, the absence of a legal system to protect same-sex families is an infringement of their human rights. The decision came a day after the US Senate passed a same-sex marriage protection bill and Singapore lifted a ban on gay sex but limited the prospects for legalizing same-sex marriage.

☆ Hoping to beat the tourist crowd on your trip to Japan? That ship has sailed
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Abigail Ng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

I thought I managed to beat the tourist crowds on my recent trip to Japan. Visitors gather on a terrace near the Kiyomizu-dera to watch the sunset and autumn leaves in Kyoto, Japan. In the months before those rules were lifted on Oct. 11, there were fewer traffic jams and queues, said Aw. Tokudaw's Aw said bookings with her company remain strong for the year-end period, at around 85% of pre-Covid levels. Travel, however, told CNBC Travel that its customers from Singapore have made bookings all the way through to April.

☆ Asia-Pacific markets set to trade mixed; U.S. markets closed for Thanksgiving
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( Jihye Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Shares in the Asia-Pacific are set for a mixed open as investors await economic data from the region, including Tokyo's consumer price index and Singapore's final gross domestic product readings. Markets in the U.S. were closed for the Thanksgiving holiday and will close early on Friday. In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 in Australia rose 0.15%. The Nikkei futures contract in Chicago was at 28,370 while its counterpart in Osaka was at 28,380 – slightly lower than the Nikkei 225's last close at 28,383.09.

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