Japan oks bills for full coverage of childbirth costs
WorldTOKYO -- The Japanese government adopted at a cabinet meeting Friday bills aimed at introducing a system under which public health insurance will fully cover childbirth costs.
Japan eyes mass drone use for coastal defense
WorldTOKYO -- Amid an increasingly severe security environment, Japan's Defense Ministry plans to establish a coastal defense system using thousands of drones, while there are still many issues to overcome.
Nissan to launch robotaxi service with Uber
WorldTOKYO -- Nissan Motor Co. said Thursday it will launch a self-driving taxi service in Tokyo in partnership with U.S. ride-hailing service provider Uber Technologies Inc.
Scavenging ravens memorize vast tracts of wolf hunting grounds: study
WorldThe partnership between ravens and wolves goes back to Norse mythology -- Odin's birds scouted ahead and led prey to the god's canines, a relationship that provided food for all.
Caribbean islands seek $200 million for regional biodiversity push
WorldLONDON -- A group of Caribbean countries plan to raise $200 million for a joint bid to boost biodiversity, in a push for more influence on internationally financed environment projects to maximise their impact, Grenada's climate ambassador has told Reuters.
Kenya arrests man trying to smuggle over 2,000 live ants in his luggage
WorldA man was arrested with more than 2,200 live garden ants in his luggage at Nairobi's main airport this week amid a rise in cases of smuggling of the insects in Kenya.
Italian prosecutors seek trial for Amazon, four execs over alleged $1.4 billion tax evasion
WorldMILAN - Milan prosecutors have requested trial for Amazon's European unit and four of its managers over alleged tax evasion worth around 1.2 billion euros ($1.38 billion), two sources with direct knowledge of the matter said on Thursday.
One-fifth of Australian teens still use TikTok, SnapChat after social media ban
WorldSYDNEY -- One-fifth of Australian teenagers under 16 were still using social media two months after the country banned platforms from allowing minors, industry data showed, raising questions about the effectiveness of age-gating methods they are using.
Japan to release oil reserves Monday at earliest
WorldTOKYO -- Japan will release its oil reserves as early as Monday amid soaring crude oil prices, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Wednesday.
Patient dies, 2 critical after injections at hospital near Tokyo
WorldSAITAMA -- A male leukemia patient between 10 and 19 died and two other young male patients are unconscious after spinal injections of anticancer drugs at a hospital in the city of Saitama, near Tokyo, hospital officials have said.
