The Japan Times - Boulevard

Vance hails Pope Leo's AI encyclical as 'profound'

US Vice President JD Vance on Tuesday praised Pope Leo XIV's manifesto warning of the risks of artificial intelligence, calling it "profound" and a necessary act of moral leadership in a disruptive AI age.

Louvre heist to be turned into film

Last year's brazen robbery of the Louvre -- when thieves made off with jewellery worth some $100 million -- is set become a movie, a publisher said on Tuesday.

Video games turn to classic films to woo middle-aged millenials

Millenial gamers who grew up on 80s and 90s blockbusters are today being courted by the industry, with the latest James Bond offering hard on the heels of an Indiana Jones adventure and soon to be followed by "Jurassic Park".

Paris school aide tried for alleged sexual assault of preschoolers

A French school aide went on trial in Paris on Tuesday accused of sexually assaulting kindergarten pupils, in the first such public hearing since a flurry of allegations of abuse rocked the capital.

Pilgrims pray on Mount Arafat as hajj reaches peak

Huge numbers of Muslims prayed on Mount Arafat on Tuesday at the climax of the hajj pilgrimage, defying searing temperatures under the desert sun as they fulfilled a lifelong dream.

Saudi Arabia turns to drones to shield pilgrims from extreme heat

With temperatures hitting 45C in Mecca this week, Saudi health workers have increasingly relied on drones to supply a vast array of medical clinics treating heat-stressed pilgrims during the hajj.

Appeals court to review UK judge sparing teen rapists jail

An appeals court will review a British judge's decision to spare three teenagers jail after they were convicted of rape, the UK attorney general said Tuesday, following public outcry over the case.

Mango founder's son says accusation he killed his father 'unfounded'

Jonathan Andic, son of the founder of the Mango clothing empire, who has been arrested in Spain as part of an investigation into his father's 2024 death, has denied the accusation of murder.

Four dead after train hits school bus in Belgium

Four people, including two children, were killed when a train hit a school minibus carrying in northern Belgium on Tuesday, the country's deputy prime minister said.

IS-linked group set to return to Australia, minister says

A group of seven women and 12 children linked to Islamic State fighters are bound for Australia after years in Syria, the Australian interior minister said on Tuesday.

California chemical tank explosion threat 'eliminated,' official says

The threat of a toxic chemical tank explosion is off the table but some 50,000 evacuated residents need to remain in place, fire officials in California said Monday.

Philippines ends rescue operation for 12 missing in building collapse

Emergency officials said late on Monday they had ended a two-day rescue operation for at least 12 people believed buried in the debris of a collapsed building in the northern Philippines.

Pilgrims kick off hajj as Mideast peace deal hangs in the balance

Over 1.5 million Muslims began filling a vast tent city in the holy city of Mecca on Monday for an annual hajj pilgrimage carried out against the backdrop of hopes for an end to the war in the Middle East.

Cambodia's Hun Sen pardons detained opposition leader

Cambodia's acting head of state, former prime minister Hun Sen, pardoned opposition leader Kem Sokha on Monday from a sentence of almost three decades for treason.

Iranians find 'peace and safety' in Mecca during hajj

Being in Mecca has been nothing short of blissful for Hassan Qadiri, where participating in the festivities of the hajj pilgrimage is a welcome relief after weeks of devastating war back home in Iran.

Pilgrims kick off hajj as war's trajectory hangs in the balance

Over 1.5 million Muslims began filling a vast tent city in the holy city of Mecca on Monday for an annual hajj pilgrimage carried out against the backdrop of hopes for an end to the war in the Middle East.

Philippine construction collapse toll hits four, over dozen missing

The death toll rose to four Monday in the collapse of a building under construction near the Philippine capital, with more than a dozen people still believed missing, authorities said.

Philippine construction collapse toll hits three, 17 missing

The death toll rose to three Monday in the collapse of a building under construction near the Philippine capital, with 17 people still believed missing, authorities said.

Pope to release major artificial intelligence manifesto

Pope Leo XIV will release on Monday his long-awaited manifesto on artificial intelligence (AI), a bid to address ethical and social challenges as the technology rapidly develops worldwide.

Rescuers search for 20 missing after Philippine building collapse

Rescuers were racing on Sunday to free two workers pinned under a building that collapsed in the northern Philippines, killing a Malaysian man and leaving 20 people missing.

Bangladesh puts AI in driving seat to tackle terrible traffic

Bangladesh's densely populated capital, infamous for grinding gridlock, has launched its first AI-powered traffic enforcement system in a bid to bring order to one of the world's most congested cities.

China rescuers search for missing after mine blast kills 82

Emergency rescuers in northern China were undertaking a major operation on Sunday to find two people still missing after a gas explosion at a coal mine killed at least 82.

Security forces swarm White House after shots fired

Police and security forces swarmed the White House on Saturday evening after shots were fired in the area, authorities said.

Quiet Chinese county hit by deadly coal mine disaster

Coal miners in the sleepy Chinese county of Qinyuan sometimes dine at Zhang's skewer eatery, especially on payday, so a gas explosion that killed at least 82 of these workers left her feeling lost and sad.

Mungiu wins Cannes again with culture wars drama

Cristian Mungiu, who won the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday with "Fjord", is not a man who is afraid of taking on difficult issues.

Tens of thousands rally in Serbia demanding elections

Tens of thousands of demonstrators massed in central Belgrade Saturday to renew calls for early elections that grew out of the anti-corruption movement sparked by a deadly rail station disaster.

French court hands man 25-year term for torture, rape of ex-partner

A French court on Saturday sentenced a man to 25 years in prison for the aggravated rape and torture of his former partner, who chose to follow in Gisele Pelicot's footsteps by speaking publicly about her ordeal.

China authorities report 82 dead in coal mine blast, serious violations

A gas explosion at a coal mine in northern China has killed at least 82 people, authorities reported Saturday, revising an earlier death toll as they said preliminary findings showed the company involved had committed "serious" violations.

France bans Israeli security minister Ben Gvir from country

France announced on Saturday it has banned Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir from entry for mocking bound activists seized by Israeli soldiers on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla.

US jury finds Boeing not guilty in 737 MAX grounding lawsuit

A US jury found Friday that aerospace giant Boeing was not liable for lost revenue in a lawsuit involving its 737 MAX jets, which were grounded for 20 months following two deadly crashes in 2018 and 2019.

The Asian workers keeping Greenland in business

Marinel Garciano dislikes winter, and that's tough when it lasts nine months in Ilulissat, Greenland. But she has no regrets about leaving the Philippines to give her children opportunities.

Castro backers rally in front of US embassy in Havana

Thousands of protesters waving Cuban flags rallied in front of the American embassy in Havana on Friday, in a show of support for ex-president Raul Castro following his US indictment.

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