51³Ô¹ÏÍø

author

 
Menu
Search
 
July 24, 2026
 

Home Delivery
Subscribe for more access

Meta

John Irish
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks at a news conference in the White House in Washington on Tuesday.
WORLD / Politics
May 6, 2026
Rubio calls Hormuz resolution a test for U.N., urges against vetoes
Russia and China vetoed a previous U.S.-backed Bahraini resolution that appeared to open a path to legitimize U.S. military action against Iran.
A residential building damaged during a March 4 strike in Tehran on April 14
WORLD / Politics
Apr 20, 2026
Allies fear a rushed U.S.-Iran framework deal could backfire, leaving technical deadlock
Mistrust and different negotiating styles raise the risk of a fragile framework neither side can sustain politically, diplomats with past experience dealing with Tehran said.
A U.S. Boeing E-3 Sentry airborne warning and control aircraft is seen damaged following an Iranian strike on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia in this picture obtained from social media released on March 29.
WORLD / Politics
Apr 7, 2026
Russian satellite imagery used by Iran to target U.S. forces, Ukraine reports
Military bases and headquarters were targeted by Iranian ballistic missiles and drones within days of being surveyed by Russian satellites, the assessment says.
U.S. President Donald Trump holds a bilateral meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte in Davos, Switzerland, in January. As recently as February, Rutte had dismissed the idea of Europe defending itself without the U.S. as a "silly thought."
WORLD / Politics / ANALYSIS
Apr 3, 2026
Trump¡¯s anger over Iran thrusts NATO into fresh crisis
Angered that European countries have not sent their navies to open the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. President Donald Trump declared he is considering withdrawing from the alliance.
French President Emmanuel Macron chairs a video conference of G7 leaders in Paris on March 11 to discuss the impact on the world economy of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.
WORLD / Politics
Mar 26, 2026
G7 chief envoys meet amid deepening conflicts and erratic U.S. policy shifts
Allies and adversaries alike have spent the past year scrambling to respond to abrupt moves by Washington.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz addresses delegates during a session at the Bundestag in Berlin on Wednesday.
WORLD / Politics
Mar 19, 2026
¡®Not our war¡¯: Europe says no to Trump
European leaders have rejected direct involvement in U.S.-Israeli military operations against Iran, wary of getting sucked into an unpredictable conflict.
About a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas normally passes through the Strait of Hormuz, where traffic has dropped by 97% since the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran began on Feb. 28, according to United Nations data.
BUSINESS / Economy / EXPLAINER
Mar 14, 2026
Why is it so easy for Iran to shut the Strait of Hormuz?
About a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas normally passes through the strait, where traffic has dropped by 97% since the Iran conflict began.
French President Emmanuel Macron (center) meets the crew of the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle deployed in the Mediterranean Sea following Iranian drone strikes on Cyprus, on Monday.
WORLD
Mar 10, 2026
France to deploy almost a dozen warships and mull Hormuz mission, Macron says
European states have been largely sidelined as the conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran has escalated, and they are grappling with how to defend their interests.
Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy soldiers wave Chinese flags next to a model of a military vehicle carrying anti-ship missiles during an event ahead of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the country's navy, in Qingdao, China, in April 2019.
WORLD
Feb 25, 2026
Iran nears deal to buy supersonic anti-ship missiles from China
A deployment of the CM-302 missiles would significantly enhance Iran¡¯s strike capabilities and pose a threat to U.S. naval forces in the region, experts said.
People walk past an anti-U.S. billboard in Tehran on Jan. 26.
WORLD / Politics / ANALYSIS
Feb 21, 2026
U.S. and Iran slide toward conflict as military buildup eclipses talks
Two Israeli officials said they believe the gaps between Washington and ?Tehran are unbridgeable and that the chances of a near-term military escalation are high.
A Danish soldier stands at a checkpoint in the harbor of Nuuk, Greenland, on Jan. 26.
WORLD
Feb 16, 2026
Europe aims to rely less on U.S. defense after Trump¡¯s Greenland push
In another sign of the nervousness surrounding U.S. security commitments, Merz ?said he had ?begun talks with Macron about a European nuclear deterrence.
A Ukrainian soldier shoots during training at an undisclosed location in the country's Zaporizhzhia region on Jan. 30.
WORLD
Feb 7, 2026
U.S. aims for March peace deal in Ukraine followed by quick elections
Sources say that timeline is likely to slip given a lack of agreement between Russia and Ukraine on the key issue of territory.
Members of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps salute during a military parade in Tehran in September 2019. The European Union has designated the Guard a terrorist organization.
WORLD / Politics
Jan 30, 2026
EU designates Iran¡¯s Revolutionary Guard a terrorist organization in policy shift
A brutal crackdown on a nationwide protest movement in Iran earlier this month, killing thousands, increased momentum ?for the move.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte during a bilateral meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday
WORLD / FOCUS
Jan 23, 2026
¡®Trump whisperer¡¯ Rutte steers NATO around Greenland crisis
The NATO chief¡¯s strategy with Donald Trump is not subtle ¡ª?it is built on lavishing praise on the U.S. president even as other European leaders grow increasingly critical.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (left), French President Emmanuel Macron (center) and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at a news conference upon the signing of the declaration on deploying post-ceasefire force in Ukraine during the Coalition of the Willing summit on security guarantees for Ukraine in Paris on Tuesday.
WORLD / Politics
Jan 7, 2026
U.S. backs security guarantees for Ukraine at summit of Kyiv¡¯s allies in Paris
Talks to bring the almost four-year ?war to an ?end have accelerated since November.
Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during his annual end-of-year news conference, in Moscow on Friday.
WORLD / Politics
Dec 20, 2025
U.S. intelligence indicates Putin¡¯s war aims in Ukraine are unchanged
The reports present a starkly different picture from that painted by U.S. President Donald Trump and his Ukraine peace negotiators.
A model of a Future Combat Air System (SCAF), a European aircraft developed by France, Germany and Spain is displayed during the 54th International Paris Airshow at Le Bourget Airport near Paris on June 19, 2023.
WORLD / Politics
Nov 26, 2025
France and Germany step up pressure on arms firms to resolve fighter impasse
The Future Combat Air System (FCAS) has been mired in disputes between Airbus and France¡¯s Dassault Aviation.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks during a joint press conference with Greece¡¯s prime minister following their meeting in Athens, on Sunday.
WORLD / Politics
Nov 17, 2025
Zelenskyy in France to seal air-defense and warplane deals
The Ukrainian president is in Paris for talks with Emmanuel Macron as heavy Russian drone and missile attacks on Ukraine have increased in recent weeks.
An Iranian woman walks in front of a billboard depicting slain Lebanese Hezbollah leaders Hassan Nasrallah (center), his successor Hashem Safieddine (right) and the late Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, in Tehran on Sunday.
WORLD / Politics
Sep 29, 2025
Iran¡¯s clerical leaders face existential crisis amid nuclear deadlock
The United Nations reimposed sanctions on Iran on Saturday.
A banner stating, "If they commit any acts of evil, they will definitely get a harder blow back," is displayed in Tehran in April.
WORLD / Politics / ANALYSIS
Sep 28, 2025
¡®Snapback¡¯ sends West back to the drawing board on Iran¡¯s nuclear program
Despite a last-minute rush of diplomatic activity at the U.N., Iran has done little to stop the sanctions from going back into effect.
Japan scientists identify clusters of protein believed to trigger Alzheimer¡¯s disease
A team of researchers said they found a ¡°seed¡± that accelerates the amyloid beta accumulation process in the brain, naming it ¡°Peak 1 amyloid beta,¡± as seen in a mouse's brain.
Indian brothers make manga debut in Japan
Two Indian brothers made their manga debut in Japan with "Kung Fu Kung Fool" ¡ª an action-comedy series that follows the adventures of a notorious thief and a young boy.
Japan weighs regulating Pokemon cards amid trading mania
A Pokemon event is held in Jakarta on July 11
Low-income families in Japan cut food and air conditioning during summer break
Yumiko Watanabe, the chairperson of nonprofit Kidsdoor, explains the results of a survey in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward on July 1.
Iran strikes on CIA facilities prompt questions about possible Russian role
Iranian drones are displayed in an undisclosed location in Iran, in this handout image obtained on Jan. 13, 2025.U.S. officials have acknowledged that Russia has ?provided targeting ?and other support for Iran in its drone strikes on U.S. targets in the Persian Gulf region.
The sci-fi sensibilities of electronic trio Black Boboi
Black Boboi was formed in 2018 when solo artists Julia Shortreed, Utena Kobayashi and Ermhoi came together under Kobayashi¡¯s newly founded label, Bindividual.
A perfect storm: Kaze Fujii fans flock to Fuji Rock
Okayama-born singer-songwriter Kaze Fujii has carved out a distinctive place in Japanese pop since his major-label debut in 2019.
Can Japanese comedy get laughs in English? Yoshimoto Kogyo lets the jokes rip
Wes-P has millions of followers and his viral clips made him recognizable out of Japan.
The 180-day locals: Life on Japan¡¯s digital nomad visa
Christopher Flinn works remotely from Tokyo earlier this month. Japan issued 646 digital nomad visas in 2025, but tourism officials are hoping to increase that figure in the coming years, with Japan's relatively cheap cost of living and the weak yen seen as potential draws for young professionals.
Japan reveals hint of new defense spending target in fiscal blueprint
The Self-Defense Forces' Type 16 mobile combat vehicle fires during a joint live-fire drill with U.S. Marines as part of the annual Resolute Dragon exercises in Yufu, Oita Prefecture, on June 28.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo¡¯s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo¡¯s ¡®stadium of desire¡¯

Longform

For many people, utility poles and power lines have become such a familiar part of Japan¡¯s landscape that they often go unnoticed.
Why Japan¡¯s utility poles won¡¯t be disappearing anytime soon
By Alex K.T. Martin

SUSTAINABLE 51³Ô¹ÏÍø

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTS note

SUPPLEMENTS BINDER