Paris – After South Africa edged England to set up a historic Rugby World Cup final against New Zealand, Jacques Nienaber’s coaching staff and players were left with plenty to think about ahead of the battle for a record fourth title. The Springboks’ poor start against England almost cost them before they rallied to win 16-15 on Saturday. The defending …
Washington – The Biden administration has advised Israel to delay a ground invasion of the Gaza Strip, hoping to buy time for hostage negotiations and to allow more humanitarian aid to reach Palestinians in the sealed-off enclave, according to several U.S. officials. U.S. officials also want more time to prepare for attacks on U.S. interests in the region from Iran-backed …
Late one evening this month, two Ukrainian commandos eased onto a side street in Kyiv in a battered SUV. Back from a dangerous nighttime assault on Russian positions in the Crimean peninsula, they slipped into a sparsely furnished apartment where they sat at desks, weary and a little disheveled, and described their latest operation in matter-of-fact fashion.
WASHINGTON – They call it Q-Day: the day when a quantum computer, one more powerful than any yet built, could shatter the world of privacy and security as we know it. It would happen through a bravura act of mathematics: the separation of some very large numbers, hundreds of digits long, into their prime factors. That might sound like a …
MEXICO/LONDON/JOHANNESBURG – Voice actor Armando Plata does not recall promoting a shopping mall in Bogota, narrating a porn movie or advertizing a big bank. Yet his voice comes over loud and clear: schmoozing, sighing and selling with neither permission nor payment. It was the mild, robotic twang — rather than worry over any memory lapse — that alerted Plata to …
As widely expected, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida zeroed in on the economy and his government’s resolve to “seize the flow of change” in a policy address to the plenary session of parliament Monday. “‘The economy, the economy, the economy.’ I will focus my attention on the economy more than anything else,” Kishida said in opening remarks that recalled “It’s the …
Fukuoka – The SoftBank Hawks are determined to reclaim the Pacific League pennant and the mantle of Japan’s premier baseball club, new manager Hiroki Kokubo said Monday at his introductory news conference. A former star slugger for the Fukuoka-based Hawks, the 52-year-old Kokubo has been promoted from managing their farm team. He succeeds Hiroshi Fujimoto at the helm of the …
Edinburgh – Japan forwards Daizen Maeda and Kyogo Furuhashi found the net, while countryman Tomoki Iwata fired his first Celtic goal as the reigning Scottish champions cruised to a 4-1 win away to Hearts on Sunday. The one-sided victory after the international break gave Brendan Rodgers’ side a seven-point lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership over arch rivals …
MANILA/Beijing – Manila said Monday that Chinese vessels “intentionally hit” Philippine boats at the weekend, escalating a diplomatic row over two collisions in the South China Sea. The countries have traded blame over Sunday’s incidents near Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands, with both sides filing diplomatic protests and releasing videos to support their accusations. The two collisions happened …
Victor Wembanyama will launch his bid to lead the San Antonio Spurs back to prominence, while the defending champion Denver Nuggets will be hoping to start a dynasty as the NBA season tips off on Tuesday. After a hectic offseason that saw a slew of coaching changes and blockbuster trades, the NBA’s marathon 82-game season begins with a doubleheader featuring …