Paris, France | AFP | South Korean giant Samsung said Wednesday it will set up its third-biggest research centre for artificial intelligence in France. The announcement was made by Samsung Electronics president and chief strategy officer, Young Sohn, during a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris. At the same …
Read More »Toyota suspends self-driving car tests after Uber death
Tokyo, Japan | AFP | Japanese automaker Toyota said Thursday it was suspending tests of its self-driving cars so staff could “emotionally process” after an autonomous Uber car killed a pedestrian in an accident. Ride-sharing giant Uber has already suspended use of self-driving cars after one of its vehicles struck …
Read More »Japan condom makers hope for 2020 Olympic lift
Tokyo, Japan | AFP | Japanese condom makers are ramping up preparations ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, seeing a golden opportunity to showcase their world-record ultra-thin products. For years, hundreds of thousands of condoms have been distributed for free to competitors at Olympic Games in a bid to encourage …
Read More »Japanese ‘baby factory’ man wins custody of 13 kids
Bangkok, Thailand | AFP | A Bangkok court on Tuesday granted a Japanese man “sole parent” rights to 13 children he fathered through Thai surrogate mothers, a ruling that paves the way for him to take custody of the group. Mitsutoki Shigeta caused a “baby factory” scandal in 2014 after …
Read More »In Kenya, anti-poaching dogs are wildlife’s best friends
Maasai Mara, Kenya | AFP | Five-month-old bloodhound Shakaria gambols through the long savannah grasses of Kenya’s Maasai Mara reserve, her playful mood swiftly turning to keen determination as she is ordered to track a human scent. Straining at the leash, she pulls her handler along an invisible scent path …
Read More »US to unveil ‘toughest sanctions ever’ on N. Korea: Pence
Tokyo, Japan | AFP | Washington will soon unveil its “toughest and most aggressive sanctions” ever against North Korea, US Vice President Mike Pence said Wednesday after talks with Japan’s prime minister in Tokyo. He also warned that North Korea, which will participate in this month’s Winter Olympics as part …
Read More »Nissan to invest $9.5 billion in China to drive sales
Beijing, China | AFP | Japanese automaker Nissan Motor and its Chinese joint venture partner announced on Monday a $9.5 billion investment plan in China to increase annual sales by one million vehicles and boost electric car production. Dongfeng Motor Company is the latest Sino-foreign car company to splash out …
Read More »Top US health official resigns in conflict of interest
Washington, United States | AFP | The top US public health official resigned Wednesday due to financial conflicts of interest, a day after US media reported she bought tobacco stocks while heading the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A statement from the US Department of Health and Human …
Read More »Two climbers die in fall on S.Africa’s Table Mountain
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | Two climbers were killed abseiling on Cape Town’s Table Mountain on New Year’s Day, with hundreds of tourists stranded on the summit for hours during the rescue effort, South African officials said Tuesday. The victims were one Japanese man, whose wife survived, and a …
Read More »Self-healing glass: a cracking discovery from Japan
Tokyo, Japan | AFP | A Japanese researcher has developed — by accident– a new type of glass that can be repaired simply by pressing it back together after it cracks. The discovery opens the way for super-durable glass that could triple the lifespan of everyday products like car windows, …
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