Japan's 'leprosy island': The dark history of Nagashima
France 24 •

Japan's 'leprosy island': The dark history of Nagashima

In the 1930s, Japan found itself battling against the spread of leprosy. Faced with the infectious disease, which attacks the nerves and deforms the body, the authorities confined leprosy patients to sanatoriums – some of them on the island of Nagashima. Even after the first treatments appeared in the late 1940s, it would take until 1996 for the government to end the forced confinement of patients...

China adds US sanctions, drone curbs in trade tit-for-tat
SCMP •

China adds US sanctions, drone curbs in trade tit-for-tat

China announced new drone supply chain export controls and counter-sanctions against seven American firms in retaliation for US trade restrictions imposed last week targeting Chinese companies. Sales to United States entities of “drones, their key components and related technologies” will be subject to “strict case-by-case scrutiny”, the Ministry of Commerce said on Wednesday, with the measures ta...

Restaurants, pubs and theatres ban Meta’s ‘spy glasses’ over privacy fears
The Guardian •

Restaurants, pubs and theatres ban Meta’s ‘spy glasses’ over privacy fears

Meta says safeguards are in place to prevent surreptitious filming, but some UK venues now prohibit them from being worn at allWhen Meta used superstar Kylie Jenner to promote its sleek new line of “spy glasses”, the social media company hoped the devices would reach the same broad acceptance that tablets and smartwatches have found before them.But those plans have hit a snag in the UK, where venu...

Blue Note to bring world-famous jazz club to London
The Guardian •

Blue Note to bring world-famous jazz club to London

Grammy-winning pianist Robert Glasper will headline opening of club’s first UK venue in Covent Garden next monthThe world-famous New York jazz club Blue Note will open its first UK venue in London next month.Located in the basement of St Martins Lane hotel, Covent Garden, the club promises the best of British jazz alongside world-class international artists, with a programme featuring emerging and...

University of Greater Manchester ends contract of embattled vice-chancellor

University of Greater Manchester ends contract of embattled vice-chancellor

The Guardian •

George Holmes was suspended in 2025 over allegations involving financial mismanagement and other misconductThe University of Greater Manchester’s embattled vice-chancellor has had his contract terminated by the university’s governing body, ending a period of uncertainty over the university’s leadership.Sir George Holmes, who had led the university for two decades, was initially suspended last year...

Why the UK is doubling down on Asean ties amid European reset

Why the UK is doubling down on Asean ties amid European reset

SCMP •

Britain’s new Labour government is trying to reassure Southeast Asia that its push to rebuild ties with Europe will not come at the region’s expense, analysts have said, after Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband made an Asean meeting in Manila his first overseas stop. Appointed by Prime Minister Andy Burnham on July 20, Miliband attended the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Foreign Ministers’ Meet...

Bomb-disposal robot and drone with explosives discovered at Germany's Leipzig airport

Bomb-disposal robot and drone with explosives discovered at Germany's Leipzig airport

France 24 •

In Germany, a drone carrying an explosive device was discovered and defused on the tarmac at Leipzig Airport. A second flying object then struck a cargo plane, causing minor damage. Air traffic was suspended for two hours. A Russian connection is being suggested. The interior minister describes a new dimension of threat to Germany. Story by Morgan Ayre.

Los Angeles singer taught her rescue horse to play the guitar and harp

Los Angeles singer taught her rescue horse to play the guitar and harp

Times of India •

In a fascinating blend of music and animal companionship, a California singer-songwriter is working on a groundbreaking album alongside her rescue horse, Yupia. Using his nose and teeth, Yupia has mastered playing the guitar and harp, creating a partnership that has captivated millions online. The album promises a heartwarming fusion of Yupia's unique sounds and Khramov's vocal artistry, showcasin...

Scientists turn factory exhaust carbon dioxide into useful chemicals, study reveals

Scientists turn factory exhaust carbon dioxide into useful chemicals, study reveals

Times of India •

A team of scientists has pioneered an advanced system that converts carbon dioxide directly from factory emissions. This groundbreaking process sidesteps expensive gas separation and purification techniques. By utilizing specially formulated organic electrolytes, the system successfully facilitates the conversion of CO2 into carbon monoxide while minimizing unwanted reactions. This innovation pres...

Russian forces are now 20km away from Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk

Russian forces are now 20km away from Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk

France 24 •

Russian attacks on Kyiv and its surrounding region killed 17 people and wounded dozens, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Wednesday, as Ukraine’s depleted air defenses failed to stop any of Moscow’s incoming missiles overnight. Zelensky has reiterated to allies that Ukraine needs more air defences. The UN on Wednesday said July was the deadliest month for Ukrainian civilians since April 2022. Sto...

Hong Kong urged to boost public housing space and speed up flat allocation

Hong Kong urged to boost public housing space and speed up flat allocation

SCMP •

Hong Kong authorities should set targets in the city’s first five-year development plan to increase the average living space for public housing tenants and raise the minimum size of subsidised sale flats as supply grows, a concern group has urged. The Federation of Public Housing Estates also said on Thursday that the government should make clear it aims to reduce the average waiting time for publ...

DR Congo’s Ebola outbreak outpaces response as health workers strike over pay

DR Congo’s Ebola outbreak outpaces response as health workers strike over pay

France 24 •

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic ⁠of Congo is spreading faster than efforts to fight it, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Wednesday. Families said many frontline workers in Ituri province, the epicentre of the outbreak, have gone on strike over pay issues, worsening access to healthcare.

North Korea fires ‘unidentified projectile’: South Korea

North Korea fires ‘unidentified projectile’: South Korea

SCMP •

North Korea fired at least one “unidentified projectile” over the Sea of Japan on Thursday, Seoul’s military said, with Tokyo reporting it as a possible launch of a ballistic missile. The latest launch came a day after Pyongyang accused Japan of “transformation into a war state” as Tokyo beefs up its military stance in the Pacific. “North Korea fires unidentified projectile towards East Sea,” Sout...

North Korea fires unidentified projectile, South Korea says

North Korea fires unidentified projectile, South Korea says

SCMP •

North Korea fired an unidentified projectile on Thursday towards the sea ‌to the east of the Korean peninsula, South Korea’s military said. Japan’s government said Pyongyang had fired ⁠what could be a ballistic ‌missile. The launch follows a series of tests this ‌year, including short-range ballistic missiles, ⁠artillery ⁠rockets and other tactical weapons designed ‌to bolster the isolated state’s...

Philippine sailor on South China Sea outpost under investigation for drug use

Philippine sailor on South China Sea outpost under investigation for drug use

SCMP •

A Philippine Navy personnel who previously served aboard the BRP Sierra Madre, one of Manila’s most sensitive military outposts in the South China Sea, is under investigation over alleged illegal drug use, sources have told This Week in Asia. The 34-year-old sailor was also involved in resupply missions to and from the grounded warship, which has long served as an Armed Forces of the Philippines o...

‘Performative reductions’: Labor MPs and business groups urge Burke against sweeping immigration changes

‘Performative reductions’: Labor MPs and business groups urge Burke against sweeping immigration changes

The Guardian •

MPs say they are anxious for the government to avoid cuts to family and humanitarian visa categoriesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastMajor business groups have urged Labor to suspend its immigration changes and consult further with industry about how to get more skilled workers into the country, amid questions about looming Labor tweaks on permanent migration.With home af...

Reform to unveil controversial plan to fine firms and jail bosses who employ illegal workers – UK politics live

Reform to unveil controversial plan to fine firms and jail bosses who employ illegal workers – UK politics live

The Guardian •

Reform say employers would be held responsible even if they were unaware of the worker’s immigration statusHello and welcome to the UK politics live blog.Reform UK says it will fine firms 10% of their global revenues and imprison bosses who employ illegal migrant workers under the party’s latest plans to bring down immigration.Under a Reform government, Britain will have the harshest penalties in ...

‘This is not hijab’: Uniqlo Malaysia’s line leaves modest fashion fans hot under collar

‘This is not hijab’: Uniqlo Malaysia’s line leaves modest fashion fans hot under collar

SCMP •

Uniqlo’s new stand-alone hijab line for Malaysia was meant to expand the Japanese clothing giant’s reach in one of Southeast Asia’s most prominent modest-wear markets, but its initial marketing has been met with online controversy. Ahead of the exclusive launch next Monday, teaser images posted on Uniqlo Malaysia’s social media showing the scarves wrapped turban-like around the head, leaving parts...

Iran says a deal with Oman to reopen the strait of Hormuz is close to being finalised – Middle East crisis live

Iran says a deal with Oman to reopen the strait of Hormuz is close to being finalised – Middle East crisis live

The Guardian •

Under the proposed agreement Tehran would control inbound traffic according to reportsUnderstanding reached on coordinates for shipping route through Hormuz, Iran saysAn Israeli strike that killed Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil and injured her colleague Zeinab Faraj in April was a war crime, three rights organisations said on Thursday.Investigations from Human Rights Watch (HRW), Amnesty Internat...

北朝鮮から弾道ミサイルの可能性あるもの発射 EEZ外に落下か

NHK World •

防衛省関係者によりますと、北朝鮮から発射された弾道ミサイルの可能性があるものは、日本のEEZ=排他的経済水域の外側にすでに落下したとみられるということです。防衛省は日本への影響がないか情報の収集を進めています。