World
High tackle directive demands cultural change
OITA, Japan (Reuters) – A brief exchange in Samoa’s game against Ireland on Friday perfectly encapsulated the internal struggle rugby is undergoing as officials seek to make the game safer in the face of some...
New Zealand’s Hansen glad Japan is on the other side of the draw
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s progress to the World Cup quarter-finals has not only enthralled the host nation but it has also made the heavyweights of the rugby world, including defending champions New Zealand, sit up and take notice. Impressed by Sunday’s 28-21 victory over Scotland at a raucous Yokohama Stadium, which propelled Japan to their...
Scotland in the slow lane as World Cup hopes dashed by Japan
TOKYO (Reuters) – Gregor Townsend had hoped Scotland’s up-tempo brand of rugby would carry them into the knockout stage of the World Cup but their campaign was undone by one side who slowed them to walking pace and another who actually played even faster. Scotland’s 28-21 loss to Japan at a heaving Yokohama Stadium on...
Japan typhoon death toll rises to 58 as hopes for missing fade
TOKYO (Reuters) – The death toll in the worst typhoon to hit Japan for decades climbed to 58 on Tuesday as rescuers slogged through mud and debris in an increasingly grim search for the missing and as thousands of homes remained without power or water. The storm hit a wide swathe of central and eastern...
Trio wins economics Nobel for science-based poverty fight
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – U.S.-based economists Abhijit Banerjee, Esther Duflo and Michael Kremer won the 2019 Nobel Economics Prize on Monday for work fighting poverty that has helped millions of children by favoring practical steps over theory. French-American Duflo becomes only the second woman to win the economics prize in its 50-year history, as well as...
Rule-breaking Booker judges honour Atwood, Evaristo with rare double prize
LONDON (Reuters) – Margaret Atwood’s “The Testaments” and Bernardine Evaristo’s “Girl, Woman, Other” jointly won the Booker Prize on Monday in a surprise double award in which the literary prize recognised its oldest and first black woman winners. The authors will split the 50,000 pounds ($62,800) annual prize, the judging panel said. The award honours...
Scrambling to limit damage, Trump tells Turkey to stop its Syria invasion
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday demanded Turkey stop its military incursion in Syria and imposed new sanctions on the NATO ally as Trump scrambled to limit the damage from his much-criticized decision to clear U.S. troops from Turkey’s path. Vice President Mike Pence said Trump had told Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan...
Recent history has no bearing on Ireland clash: New Zealand’s Hansen
TOKYO (Reuters) – New Zealand have lost twice to Ireland in their last three meetings but All Blacks coach Steve Hansen says all form goes out the window ahead of Saturday’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final in Tokyo. Ireland have fashioned an impressive record under New Zealander Joe Schmidt in the last six years, with the...
Scary to think how much Japan can grow, says captain Leitch
YOKOHAMA, Japan (Reuters) – Japan captain Michael Leitch said on Monday the potential for his side to grow is “scary” and that while the Rugby World Cup knockout stage will be a step into the unknown for the players they have the mental strength to deal with the pressure. Japan reached the World Cup quarter-finals...
Joker’ remains Box Office ruler with $55 million
LOS ANGELES, (Variety.com) – Joaquin Phoenix is king of the North American box office once again as “Joker” scores an easy victory in its second weekend with $55 million at 4,374 sites. “Joker” dominated a trio of new entries with animated comedy “The Addams Family” leading the rest of pack with $30.3 million at 4,007...
New Zealand PM Ardern steps up fight against extremist online content
WELLINGTON (Reuters) – New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced more funding and support on Monday to target violent extremist content online, just months after an alleged white supremacist livestreamed a massacre at two mosques in Christchurch. The attack on March 15 that killed 51 Muslim worshippers was livestreamed on Facebook, and the video was...
Hong Kong gears up for pro-democracy rally after latest weekend of unrest
HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong pro-democracy activists plan a rally on Monday evening after another weekend of unrest that saw protesters hurl petrol bombs and police reply with tear gas and rubber bullets, as violence in the Chinese-ruled city shows no signs of letting up. Activists said they planned to gather at Chater Garden...
Japan rescuers wade in muddy waters to find typhoon survivors
NAGANO, Japan (Reuters) – Rescue workers waded through muddy, waist-high waters on Monday searching for missing people after one of the worst typhoons to hit Japan in recent history, with rain forecast to resume later in the day. At least 31 people were killed in the typhoon that left vast sections of towns in central...
Flamengo win again to stay top in Brazil
CURITIBA (Reuters) – Bruno Henrique scored twice as Brazilian league leaders Flamengo extended their unbeaten run to 15 games with a 2-0 win over Athletico Paranaense on Sunday. The striker struck just before halftime and then again in the dying seconds to complete the win that kept the Rio club on top of Serie A...
‘It’s crazy’: American Gauff wins first WTA title at age 15
(Reuters) – American teenage sensation Coco Gauff became the youngest player to win a WTA title in 15 years as she beat former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in the Linz Open final on Sunday. The 15-year-old Gauff, who started the season ranked well outside the world’s top 600, beat Latvia’s Ostapenko 6-3 1-6 6-2...
Wales hold Croatia to keep Euro 2020 hopes alive
CARDIFF (Reuters) – Wales kept alive their flagging hopes of reaching Euro 2020 by holding Croatia to a 1-1 home draw after Gareth Bale cancelled out an early Nikola Vlasic opener for the visitors in a bruising Group E qualifier on Sunday. The result left Croatia top of the group on 14 points from seven...
Fresh off world record run, Kosgei thinks women can go even faster
CHICAGO (Reuters) – Like any true competitor, Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei does not plan to coast on her latest accomplishment — even if that happens to be running the fastest-ever women’s marathon. Hours after shattering Paula Radcliffe’s 16-year-old world record, running the Chicago Marathon in two hours, 14 minutes and four seconds, the 25-year-old said she...
14th October
Rugby: Bright future beckons for Uruguay after landmark World Cup
KUMAMOTO, Japan (Reuters) – The gap between the haves and have-nots in international rugby has proved difficult to bridge for most tier-two nations but Uruguay can hold hope that they are moving in the right direction after a landmark World Cup. The South Americans bowed out with a 35-13 loss to Six Nations champions Wales...
Japan roar into the quarters for first time to lift the nation
YOKOHAMA, Japan (Reuters) – Japan produced a scintillating display of attacking rugby to beat Scotland 28-21 and reach the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals for the first time on Sunday, lifting the nation still reeling from the deadly impact of Typhoon Hagibis. On an emotional and unforgettable night at the Yokohama Stadium, Kenki Fukuoka (2) Kotaro...
Scrappy Wales make hard work of Uruguay to reach quarters
KUMAMOTO, Japan (Reuters) – A scrappy Wales were made to work hard for victory against Uruguay but prevailed with a bonus point 35-13 win in Kumamoto on Sunday to top Pool D and set up a World Cup quarter-final with three-times finalists France. Wales clung to an eight-point lead with seven minutes left until a...
Tongans send Piutau off in style with win over United States
OSAKA (Reuters) – Tonga gave captain Siale Piutau the parting gift of a first victory of the Rugby World Cup with a 31-19 win over the United States on Sunday that left the Eagles pointless at the end of their campaign. Piutau, who was celebrating his 34th birthday in his 43rd and final test at...
Wallabies pass typhoon with ‘terrible’ karaoke
KUMAMOTO, Japan (Reuters) – As karaoke singers, Australia’s squad make fine rugby players, according to winger Reece Hodge, who would prefer to belt out the national anthem with his team mates during the World Cup quarter-finals. Hodge is available after serving a three-match ban for a high tackle against Fiji, having missed the defeat to...
Vunipola praying for those hit by Typhoon
(Reuters) – England prop Mako Vunipola said he is praying for those affected by Typhoon Hagibis – including members of his own family – as England continue their World Cup preparations in Miyazaki, around 870 km (540 miles) to the south-west of Tokyo. Four people died and 17 are missing after the most powerful typhoon...
Britain and EU say work remains to be done to reach Brexit deal
LONDON/BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Britain and the European Union said on Sunday a lot more work would be needed to secure an agreement on Britain’s departure form the bloc. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told his cabinet a last-minute deal was still possible as the two sides pressed on with intensive talks to try to avoid...
U.S. to pull last troops from north Syria; Syrian army to redeploy on border
WASHINGTON/BEIRUT (Reuters) – The United States said on Sunday it will withdraw its remaining 1,000 troops from northern Syria in the face of an expanding Turkish offensive while Syria’s army struck a deal with Kurdish forces to redeploy along its border with Turkey, both major victories for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The developments illustrate Washington’s...
Seven people killed, 15 missing after Japan typhoon: NHK
TOKYO (Reuters) – Seven people were killed and 15 were missing after the most powerful typhoon to hit Japan in decades paralyzed Tokyo, public broadcaster NHK said on Sunday, flooding rivers and leaving almost half a million homes without power.
Japan sends in thousands of troops after massive typhoon hammers Tokyo
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan sent tens of thousands of troops and rescue workers on Sunday to save stranded residents and fight floods caused by one of the worst typhoons to hit the country in recent history, which killed 18 people and briefly paralysed Tokyo. There were also 13 people missing, public broadcaster NHK said, as...
Hong Kong pro-democracy activists hoist ‘Lady Liberty’ statue above city to rally protests
HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong protesters scaled the city’s Lion Rock peak and hoisted a large statue they called “Lady Liberty” early on Sunday to rally anti-government activists ahead of more planned demonstrations in the Asian financial hub. The three-metre (9-feet) statue, wearing a gas mask, helmet and protective goggles, was carried up the...
Scientists endorse mass civil disobedience to force climate action
LONDON (Reuters) – More than 300 scientists have endorsed a civil disobedience campaign aimed at forcing governments to take rapid action to tackle climate change, warning that failure could inflict “incalculable human suffering.” In a joint declaration, climate scientists, physicists, biologists, engineers and others from at least 20 countries broke with the caution traditionally associated...
Warren campaign challenges Facebook ad policy with ‘false’ Zuckerberg ad
(Reuters) – U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren’s Democratic presidential campaign this week challenged Facebook’s policy that exempts politicians’ ads from fact-checking, by running ads on the social media platform containing the false claim that Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg endorsed President Donald Trump’s re-election bid. “Facebook changed their ads policy to allow politicians to run ads with...
