PHOTO: Top tea tradition
A tea leaf-picking event to mark the 88th day since the first day of spring was held in Nishio, Aichi prefecture, on May 1, with festive kimono-clad women handpicking green tea leaves. Read more
News
Netflix hits 40 million users for ad-supported plan
The jump comes at a time when streaming companies are facing stiff competition and introducing bundles with their rivals to retain subscribers. Read more
Washi-making techniques evolve in a small town
Kawakami Gozen, the goddess of paper, continues to inspire craftspeople in the Goka area of Echizen, Fukui prefecture, where the streets are lined with papermaking workshops. Read more
Japan turning to seagrass in climate battle
On a recent Saturday, some 100 volunteers gathered on a popular beach in the Japanese port city of Yokohama, wading in the shallows to plant strands of light green eelgrass on the seabed. Read more
Taylor Swift’s ‘Tortured Poets’ posts a huge 2nd week on the chart
In its second week of release, Taylor Swift’s latest blockbuster album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” holds at No. 1 on the Billboard album chart, nearly doubling the rest of the Top 5 combined. Read more
How bad are ultraprocessed foods, really?
But many questions remain. What are ultraprocessed foods, exactly? And how strong is the evidence that they’re harmful? We asked experts to answer these and other questions. Read more
‘The Fall Guy’ fizzles with $28.5M in ticket sales
The Fall Guy” cost Universal at least $200 million to make and market and was released in 4,002 theaters in the United States and Canada. It collected an additional $37 million overseas. Read more
Watch the Eta Aquarid meteor shower reach its peak
The latest observable meteor shower will be the Eta Aquarids, known for its fast fireballs, which occur as Earth passes through the rubble left by Halley’s Comet. Read more
New libraries boost withering downtown areas
Local governments are turning more and more to public libraries as they try to revive the hollowed-out downtowns of regional cities. Read more
Don't miss out on what's happening!
Stay in touch with top news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It's FREE!
By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser's and Google's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA.
A strong U.S. dollar weighs on the world
Every major currency in the world has fallen against the U.S. dollar this year, an unusually broad shift with the potential for serious consequences across the global economy. Read more
Taylor Swift’s ‘Tortured Poets’ breaks records with blockbuster debut
“The Tortured Poets Department,” Swift’s 11th studio album, opened at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart with historic numbers, including huge results in streaming and vinyl sales. Read more
Analysis: Echoing their client, Trump’s lawyers pursue an absolutist defense
Trump’s legal strategy mirrors his political talking points as his lawyers portray the case as an unjust assault on the former president’s character. Read more
Japan creating its own version of the CDC
The Japanese government has decided to establish its own version of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention next April as part of efforts to improve the mitigation of infectious diseases. Read more
Hot spring inns offer office space to remote workers
Working remotely from tourist resorts and other vacation destinations is attracting attention, and efforts are growing to turn hot spring inns into offices. Read more
Taylor Swift has given fans a lot. Is it finally too much?
For some, the constant deluge that has peaked in the past year is starting to add up to a new (and previously unthinkable) feeling: Taylor Swift fatigue. Read more
Roman Gabriel, first Filipino-American quarterback in NFL, dies at 83
Gabriel, who played at North Carolina State, was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989. Read more
Long-lost first USS Enterprise model from ‘Star Trek’ goes home
Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, CEO of Roddenberry Entertainment, said he’s thrilled to have the model that had graced the desk of his father, who died in 1991 at age 70. Read more
New, ultra-hot pepper makes for a sweet and versatile syrup
A collaboration between industry, government and academic partners has led to a syrup featuring a new variety of pepper developed in the city of Kawasaki. Read more
PHOTO: Japan’s Legoland blossoms with 880,000-brick cherry tree
A giant cherry blossom tree made of hundreds of thousands of Lego bricks is attracting visitors to the Legoland Japan Resort theme park in Minato ward, Nagoya. Read more
‘Spiciest town in Japan’ makes most of reputation
Lively versions of beer and karinto, a deep-fried flour and brown sugar snack, both made using habanero and other extremely spicy chiles, hit the shelves at Michi-no-Eki Hirata, a roadside rest area in Hirata, Fukushima prefecture, in January. Read more
Hugh Grant settles suit alleging illegal snooping by The Sun
Hugh Grant says he received “an enormous sum of money” to settle a lawsuit accusing the publisher of The Sun tabloid of unlawfully tapping his phone, bugging his car and breaking into his home to snoop on him. Read more
Having trouble finding what you need? Try using our search feature.
Subscriber Favorites
Maui dad who flew to Los Angeles to find missing daughter dies near airport
Macy’s discovers employee hid millions in delivery expenses
Man, 58, seriously injured in alleged attack in Kapiolani area
GOP senator sees many questions for Tulsi Gabbard
Prosecutors seek to drop federal criminal cases against Trump
More Entertainment
‘Wicked’ and ‘Gladiator II’ brings in $270.2M at global box office
Kendrick Lamar releases surprise album, ‘GNX’
Disney’s ‘Moana 2’ premiere honors Hawaiian culture
One Direction stars join mourners at Liam Payne’s funeral
New Choy cookbook full of show’s recipes
