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July 24, 2026
 

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Rosa Prince
Britain¡¯s patchwork of age limits for adult rights and responsibilities highlights the difficulty of defining maturity, with the voting age debate testing whether 16-year-olds are ready for such civic responsibility.
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 20, 2026
British teens have yet another reason for pity
One recent survey found only 48% of 16- and 17-year-olds felt getting the vote at their age was a ¡°good idea.¡±
Britain¡¯s King Charles III inspects a guard of honor during a ceremony at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh on June 23.
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 6, 2026
King Charles just got a lot more treasure
Charles¡¯ mother Queen Elizabeth II began paying tax only after a public outcry at the government¡¯s decision to pay for expensive repairs to Windsor Castle after a fire in 1992.
Labour candidate Andy Burnham celebrates victory in the Makerfield by-election at a rally in Ashton-in-Makerfield, England, on Friday.
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 24, 2026
Good luck, Andy Burnham. You¡¯ll need it.
There are many reasons Burnham may struggle to do much better than Starmer leading a country that, since the Brexit referendum has come to be described as almost ungovernable.
Britain's Reform U.K. Party Leader Nigel Farage waves to supporters after winning his first seat in parliament in Clacton-on-Sea, England, in July 2024.
COMMENTARY / World
May 1, 2026
Can Farage¡¯s Reform conquer England? One town may hold the answer.
Polls suggest Reform is easily on course to take control of the county council. That would be a stunning result in what has long been the Tories¡¯ heartland.
Newspapers featuring coverage of the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, on suspicion of misconduct related to his ties with the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, are displayed at a newsagent in Egham near Windsor, England, on Feb. 20.
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 21, 2026
King Charles buries his brother over Epstein. America dithers.
Why has the British establishment, not known historically for its alacrity, acted more swiftly than its U.S. counterpart to try to cut out the Epstein cancer.
Wes Streeting's record and abilities are being scrutinized, with some Labour lawmakers questioning whether he has what it takes to be a better prime minister than Starmer, despite his engaging character and communication skills.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 30, 2026
Is Streeting, a slick Eastender, Britain¡¯s next prime minister?
Labour MPs ¡ª fearful about Nigel Farage¡¯s populist Reform U.K. winning the next general election ¡ª need a plan B. They must hope Wes Streeting can step up in.
British anti-immigration activist Tommy Robinson arrives at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London on Oct. 13, where he was on trial charged with an offense under the Terrorism Act. The court later found him not guilty.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 19, 2026
So what does it mean to be properly English?
There¡¯s nothing wrong in anybody taking pride in being English, of course, but as Orwell said, there¡¯s something very un-English in shouting about it.
The BBC faces a potential $5 billion lawsuit from Donald Trump over a misleading Jan. 6 documentary clip, but legal action is risky, costly, and could threaten the broadcaster¡¯s survival despite its apology.
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 18, 2025
The BBC is gambling with its own destruction over Trump scandal
The Beeb is too important and Trump¡¯s rancor too extreme and unpredictable to pursue chancy legal warfare.
Britain's Prince Andrew leaves Westminster Cathedral with King Charles in September. The prince's ongoing scandals, including his alleged association with Jeffrey Epstein, and the monarchy¡¯s dysfunctional hereditary system raise deeper questions about the relevance of the royal family in modern society.
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 24, 2025
Prince Andrew¡¯s ugly Epstein saga makes a strong ¡®no kings¡¯ case
The prince has insisted he had no memory of meeting Giuffre, despite paying her a reported ?12 million ($16 million) three years ago to stop her civil claim against him.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Tory leader Kemi Badenoch are both nonbelievers. That¡¯s a rare shared trait in the country¡¯s political history.
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 25, 2025
How much does faith influence British politics?
For the first time in British political history, both the nation¡¯s premier and the official leader of the opposition have shared such an attitude toward God.
Britain's King Charles inspects a guard of honor in Edinburgh, Scotland, last July. The rising cost of the British monarchy, marked by increased taxpayer funding and limited transparency, is prompting questions about whether the public is getting fair value for supporting the royals.
COMMENTARY / World
May 21, 2025
A king¡¯s ransom: The eye-watering cost of Charles III
Brits should be told how much their royals¡¯ extravagant lifestyles are?costing them.
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged troops for a Ukraine peacekeeping force, but Britain and its military lack the resources to deliver.
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 19, 2025
Starmer offers Ukraine a defense check it can¡¯t cash
Under Starmer¡¯s leadership, there has been no sign that the U.K. is ready to expand its armed forces to the numbers that could sustain such a campaign.
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.
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.
Summer has arrived in Japan and so have hot sleepless nights
Amid the heat and humidity in Japan, a good night¡¯s sleep is growing increasingly elusive without the heavy use of air conditioning.
Maya Ongaku¡¯s DIY dream is getting bigger
The members of Maya Ongaku ¡ª (from left) Tsutomu Sonoda, Shoei Ikeda and Ryota Takano ¡ª grew up on the Shonan Coast south of Tokyo and have been friends since their school days.

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

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