The Japan Times

Featured

Stolen Matisse works tied to infamous art thief in Brazil

Phone logs of a notorious art and rare-book thief in Brazil proved to be the key for police to recover eight stolen engravings by famed French painter Henri Matisse, after they were pilfered from a library exhibition in Sao Paulo last December.

Kennedy Center board votes to restore Trump name: reports

US President Donald Trump has sought to burnish his legacy by getting his name and image placed on everything, from limited edition passports to a Florida airport.

Last news

Marvel announces 'Black Panther III' at Comic-Con

Superhero movie fans will officially return to the world of Wakanda in "Black Panther III," the newest entry in the Marvel film franchise, the studio announced at Comic-Con on Saturday.

'The Odyssey': Christopher Nolan's latest cultural phenomenon

Christopher Nolan's star-studded adaptation of "The Odyssey" has quickly become his latest box office success, capturing audiences and generating conversation around the world.

'Star Trek' celebrates 60th anniversary at Comic-Con

"Star Trek" legend George Takei on Saturday headlined a 60th anniversary celebration of the groundbreaking sci-fi series at Comic-Con, which featured stars from across the Starship Enterprise's expanded universe of films and shows.

Teenager allegedly slain by singer D4vd had abortion, court told

The teenage girl allegedly killed and dismembered by American singer D4vd had an abortion after their sexual encounter, according to text messages revealed Friday in a Los Angeles court.

100-year-old Mel Brooks lands at Comic-Con for 'Spaceballs' sequel

From the far reaches of the galaxy, the team behind "Spaceballs: The New One," the sequel to comedy master Mel Brooks's "Star Wars" parody, landed at Comic-Con on Friday in San Diego.

Nazgul haunt the hall as 'Rings of Power' trailer airs at Comic-Con

The third season of "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" premiered its trailer Friday at San Diego Comic-Con.

Trump orders disclaimer signs outside museum of American history

US President Donald Trump issued an executive order Friday to install signage that warns visitors of inaccurate historical information inside The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in Washington.

Charli XCX pivots from hyperpop in post-Brat album

British megastar Charli XCX released her first album since the smash hit "Brat" on Friday, shaking things up with a moody, self-referential collection titled "Music, Fashion, Film".

Comic-Con kicks off with Marvel's return

Comic book fans will return to San Diego, California on Thursday for the latest Comic-Con, with many convention-goers buzzing about this year's return of Marvel.

Bollywood blast master keeps it real with fire and fury

From fireballs to gunfights, Bollywood special effects master Vishal Tyagi is going the old-fashioned way to create cinematic chaos in a way he says artificial intelligence simply cannot.

EU conditionally clears Paramount bid for Warner Bros.

The European Union on Wednesday gave the conditional green light for Paramount Skydance's $110 billion takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery.

Hitler's Austrian birthplace transformed into police station

Austria opened a new police station in Adolf Hitler's former house on Wednesday, in the hope of deterring today's ascendant far-right extremists from making the pilgrimage to the Nazi dictator's birthplace.

Danish fish fossil cliffs set to gain UNESCO status

Two Danish coastal cliffs where palaeontologists have uncovered 55-million-year-old fossils of prehistoric wildlife are likely to gain World Heritage status as UNESCO's committee meets in South Korea.

Sydney court dismisses defamation case against film star Rebel Wilson

A defamation case against Australian film star Rebel Wilson was dismissed by a Sydney court on Wednesday.

Decomposed body in singer D4vd's car was 'unrecognizable,' court hears

The body of a teenage girl found in the trunk of US singer D4vd's car had decomposed to the point it was "unrecognizable," a police detective testified in a Los Angeles court on Tuesday.

From bath to fish market: DJs play to revive Japan neighbourhoods

In a century-old Japanese public bath, a DJ works the decks while naked men bathe behind him and students film the scene.

A once wary Hollywood slowly warms to AI

Once wary of artificial intelligence, Hollywood is now striking up partnerships with AI start-ups and weaving the technology into productions more and more openly -- all while insisting the creative process itself will remain untouched.

Nearly 3,000-year-old human remains unearthed in El Salvador

Archaeologists in El Salvador exhumed human remains believed to be nearly 3,000 years old on Tuesday, the Ministry of Culture said.

Microsoft strikes deal for Mistral's AI computing power

Microsoft on Tuesday sought to reassure European users with a "multi-billion-dollar" deal to rent AI infrastructure from Mistral, hoisting the French developer into the lucrative business of renting compute capacity.

De Gaulle returns to unite the French -- at the cinema

A two-part biopic of French leader Charles de Gaulle has become a summer cinema hit in his homeland, delivering a strong dose of patriotism through one of the rare figures to unite the country.

Arrogance or pride? Argentina grapples with World Cup villain label

Critics blasted Argentina for dirty tactics and poor sportsmanship during their 1-0 loss to Spain, cementing the country's status as World Cup villain that grew throughout the tournament.

Scars of war linger on Syria's Saint Simeon monastery

Near the base of a column atop which Saint Simeon Stylites once perched, scattered stones lay bare the damage inflicted on the surrounding Byzantine monastery in northern Syria by war, looting and rampant illegal excavations.

Madonna, Shakira, Bieber and The Muppets light up World Cup half-time show

Musical headliners Madonna, Shakira, Justin Bieber, BTS and Coldplay were joined by Brazilian soccer icons and "Ted Lasso" actors in a spectacular first-ever World Cup final halftime show on Sunday.

Faith vs therapy: Inside the Philippine school for exorcists

Asia's only dedicated exorcism centre -- designed to train not only Philippine priests but clergy from across the region -- sits just off a busy thoroughfare in Metro Manila.

In a Lebanon museum, 'keys without homes' evoke destruction in south

Tears streamed down south Lebanon resident Fatima Hajj Ali's face as she stared at a host of keys hanging like windchimes from the ceiling of a Beirut museum -- each one symbolising a home, like her own, destroyed by Israel.

Influencer Andrew Tate and brother arrested in Miami

Radical social media influencer Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan were arrested Saturday in Miami, the US Marshals Service told AFP, as Britain seeks their extradition to face new charges of rape, sex trafficking and assault.

Horror film 'Obsession' is exploding cinema profit records

Low-cost horror movie "Obsession" from first-time director Curry Barker is on track to become one of the most profitable films of all time, with the cinema sensation piling up global revenues of more than $400 million.

Georgia capital to demolish unfinished landmark amid political feud

Authorities in the Georgian capital Tbilisi have approved the demolition of a half-finished futuristic cultural complex, rekindling a debate over one of the city's most divisive landmarks.

Fact Check: Trump's primetime speech rehashing election claims

US President Donald Trump resurrected long-debunked claims about fraud and foreign interference in the 2020 election, alleging in an address Thursday that China stole millions of voter files and suggesting Venezuela could manipulate American voting machines.

US limits stays of students, journalists

President Donald Trump's administration finalized rules Thursday that impose stricter limits on how long foreign students and journalists can stay in the United States, the latest bid to tighten legal immigration in the country.

Actor Sam Neill died of pneumonia, says agent

"Jurassic Park" star Sam Neill died of pneumonia, his agent said Thursday, in a message aimed at providing clarity to fans.

NY pauses new large data center projects for one year

New York will stop issuing permits for new large-scale data centers in the state for one year, according to an order signed by the governor on Tuesday.

The Japan Times - Culture (English)