Tokyo's 'Cool Biz' campaign, allowing male employees to wear shorts in the office, aims to improve comfort and reduce electricity use. The initiative, championed by Governor Koike, has faced swift criticism.
Tokyo's 'Cool Biz' campaign, allowing male employees to wear shorts in the office, has faced swift backlash. The initiative aims to improve comfort and reduce electricity use amid rising fuel prices.
Beijing railway researchers propose a space-based train control system to prevent catastrophic failures like the 2011 Wenzhou crash. The system aims to make railways resilient to natural disasters but raises concerns about new digital vulnerabilities.
The Major Oak, a 1,000-year-old ancient tree in Sherwood Forest, England, has died after failing to produce leaves this year. Stressed by hot, dry summers and historical interventions, the tree's decline was likely hastened by climate change and human admiration. It will remain standing as a habitat for wildlife.
A 5,000-year-old solstice-aligned monument, potentially a prototype for Stonehenge, has been unearthed near the famous neolithic site in Wiltshire, UK. Carbon-dated to 3000BC, the structure featured two large wooden poles aligned with the midsummer sunrise and midwinter sunset.
The U.S. Forest Service has surpassed its hiring targets for wildland firefighters this summer, with 11,550 seasonal staff ready. This comes as Western states face historically dry conditions and fast-moving wildfires, raising concerns among state officials about the impact of recent federal staff downsizing.
Manchester United and Tottenham are pursuing Crysencio Summerville. Chelsea is interested in Diogo Costa and Andrea Cambiaso. Real Madrid's pursuit of Julian Alvarez is questioned, with Michael Olise as a top target. Other rumours involve Marcus Rashford, Luka Vuskovic, Said El Mala, and Charlie Gray.
Americans are bracing for record-high home cooling expenses this summer, with average household electricity costs projected to reach $792, a 10.5% increase from last year. Rising temperatures and electricity prices have driven summer cooling costs up nearly 40% since 2020, straining household budgets and leading one in six households to fall behind on utility payments.
French riot police, deployed under a UK-France deal, are authorised to use water cannon, CS gas, and batons against asylum seekers in northern France. The £660m deal aims to prevent small boat launches, but refugee charities condemn the potential use of water cannon as "sickening" and inhumane.
French riot police deployed in northern France under a £660m UK deal are authorised to use water cannon, CS gas, and batons against asylum seekers. Refugee charities have condemned the move as "sickening" and "inhumane".
Lionel Messi began his 2026 World Cup journey with a hat-trick against Algeria, bringing his career total to 16 goals and tying Miroslav Klose's record. Kylian Mbappé is close behind with 14 goals.
SGF 2026 showcased a variety of games, including the relaxing puzzle game D-Topia, the action-packed Resonant, the samurai epic Onimusha: Way of the Sword, and the detective-style Among Us Story: On Guard. D-Topia features customizable apartments and puzzle-solving, while Resonant focuses on melee combat and paranormal powers in a morphing Manhattan. Onimusha offers evolved combat with new monsters and demon arms, and Among Us Story adds narrative problem-solving to the familiar gameplay.
England coach Steve Borthwick plans to rest captain Maro Itoje for the summer Tests against South Africa, Fiji, and Argentina. This decision hinges on the availability of other second-row players, George Martin and Alex Coles, who must emerge unscathed from their weekend matches. Itoje's potential rest acknowledges his demanding year, including captaining the Lions and personal loss, and his extensive Test minutes over the past decade.
The St George's Cross flag, once a symbol of English national pride, now evokes mixed feelings due to its association with far-right groups and protests. While some see it as a unifying symbol for events like the World Cup, others find it intimidating and exclusionary, highlighting a complex debate about English identity.
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma and CCO Matt Booty informed staff of significant financial challenges, with plans to cut costs by potentially closing Ninja Theory, Double Fine, and Compulsion Games. This follows a memo citing over $20bn in investments yielding declining revenue and a "hardware component crisis."
Turkish writer Ece Temelkuran discusses her new book, "Nation of Strangers," exploring the political power of "home" and the concept of "unhomed" individuals. She shares her personal experience of exile from Turkey due to political threats, her decision to write in English, and her views on the rise of fascism and the left's failure to address emotional responses in politics.
A Hyderabad consumer court ordered summer camp organizers to refund fees with interest and pay compensation to three children due to unhygienic and unsafe conditions. The camp failed to provide promised AC accommodation, hygienic food, and medical facilities, leading to issues like contaminated water and denied communication.
Irish band Bleech 9:3 channels their experiences with addiction and recovery into raw, autofictional music. Frontman Barry Quinlan and guitarist Sam Duffy, both in Alcoholics Anonymous, share their journey from personal struggles to a burgeoning music career with major label interest and festival dates.
The Men's World Cup tournament, held across the US, Canada, and Mexico, is at risk from dangerously hot and humid conditions due to climate change. An NPR analysis indicates over a third of matches face these risks, with early games already causing heat-related hospitalizations and medical calls.
Three young German footballers, Linus Musielak, Noah Vasilev, and Flynn Meves, are playing for Salem City FC in USL League Two after securing scholarships to play college soccer in the USA. They chose to be near the German national team's training camp, seeing it as a unique opportunity for their careers and education.
Ireland faces a pivotal role as mediator in a major ideological dispute among EU member states over the future of the bloc's Emissions Trading System (ETS). The European Commission's review, due mid-July, will determine how the 20-year-old carbon pricing policy is reformed amidst industry pressure and differing national interests.
Julia Kerr's opera "Chronoplan," composed in the late 1920s and halted by Nazi Germany's rise, has been rediscovered and premiered nearly a century later. The work, found in archives, celebrates the life of Kerr, a gifted musician whose career ended with her family's escape from persecution.
UK pubs and restaurants are criticizing a temporary VAT cut on children's meals, calling it "laughable" and a "token gesture." One venue launched an expensive "kids" menu with snail salad to highlight the scheme's perceived inadequacy.
The Seoul International Garden Show has surpassed 5 million visitors in 48 days, 25 days faster than last year. The event, held until October 27th, is expected to boost the local economy and offers various summer-themed content including shaded gardens, rainy day gardens, night gardens, and outdoor movie screenings.
