Declining Japanese town getting attention through flowers
In the small, declining town of Asahi, one man for two decades has been planting vistas of flowers, hoping to attract visitors. Read more
News
Israel-Hamas war misinformation is everywhere. Here are the facts
In recent weeks, users have pushed false claims that “crisis actors” are staging scenes of carnage and that U.S. Marines are flooding in to fight on the ground in Gaza. Read more
Game from the past finds new players
At the Beigoma Shiryokan museum in Kawaguchi, a city known for its foundry industry, local elementary school students gather to play beigoma, a game using special spinning tops. Read more
Photogenic red sweet corn called a ‘jewel’ of social media
With its burgundy hue, the newly developed Yamato Rouge sweet corn has been all the rage on social media, and the company that developed it couldn’t be happier. Read more
‘The Legend of Zelda’ will be made into a live-action film
The move highlights Kyoto-based Nintendo’s strategy to leverage various aspects of its business, including theme parks, merchandising and movies, to boost machine and software sales, and vice versa. Read more
Behind Hamas’ bloody gambit to create a ‘permanent’ state of war
Hamas leaders have praised the Oct. 7 operation, with some hoping it will set off a sustained conflict that ends any pretense of coexistence among Israel, Gaza and the countries around them. Read more
What the Golden Gate is (finally) doing about suicides
In the decade beginning in 2011, bridge officials said, there were 335 confirmed suicides, or an average of 33.5 per year. In 2022, as the first nets were being strung, there were 22. Through October this year, as more nets have been added, there were 13. Read more
‘Beer balls’ tailor alcohol content to drinker’s preference
There are a variety of ways to enjoy beer these days. Unique beers continue to be created, such as those that allow drinkers to adjust alcohol content. Read more
Japan to independently measure its forests’ carbon absorption
Japan’s government plans to develop its own method of measuring the country’s plant resources, with the goal of accurately determining its carbon dioxide absorption levels. Read more
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PHOTO: A Golden Road
Worshippers admired the sun setting over the Genkai Sea and illuminating the approach to Miyajidake Shrine in Fukutsu, Fukuoka prefecture last month. Read more
Tokyo shop sees a big demand for tiny towels
Little gifts come in handy when paying someone a visit, and wrapping them in a small tenugui hand towel can add a playful — and traditionally Japanese — touch. Read more
Youngsters spread love of reading with furry friends
At a book club event Oct. 14, 10 children from Tokushima prefecture shared their favorite books with “reading dogs” at a prefectural library. Read more
Meta posts sharply higher profit in 3Q due to ad revenue
Meta, based in Menlo Park, Calif., said that it earned $11.58 billion, or $4.39 per share, in the July-September quarter. That’s up from $4.4 billion, or $1.64 per share, a year earlier. Revenue rose 23% to $34.15 billion from $27.71 billion. Read more
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s wax figure will get redo, museum says
On Sunday evening, Johnson himself weighed in, reposting an Instagram video in which comedian James Andre Jefferson Jr. jokes that the figure “looks like he works at H&R Block.” Read more
Gaza has long been a powder keg. Here’s a look at the region’s history
Here’s a look at the history of the Gaza Strip. Read more
Cosmetics designed for use in space
A leading cosmetics company has unveiled a new line of products that can be used in space, with plans to have them taken to the International Space Station next year. Read more
Whimsical designs breathe life into handmade paper balloons
Paper balloons are a regional specialty of Izumozaki in Niigata prefecture, where they have been produced for more than 100 years. Read more
Delta backtracks changes to its loyalty program after a revolt
Delta outlined the revisions in an email from CEO Ed Bastian to SkyMiles members on Wednesday. Read more
U.N. aid chief: 6 months of war in Sudan has killed 9K people
Sudan has been engulfed in chaos since mid-April, when simmering tensions between military chief Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan and the commander of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, exploded into open warfare. Read more
Beavers reintroduced to west London for 1st time in 400 years
Mayor Sadiq Khan participated in releasing a family of beavers into a wetland area in Ealing, a residential area of west London, on Wednesday. Read more
Gardening left to the goats
A community in Shimane prefecture unleashed a small herd of hungry goats to clean up weeds along an abandoned railway track. Read more
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