A 300-mile Walk Along Japan's Ancient Pilgrimage Routes
Arriving in Tokyo at age nineteen, this is what I felt: excitement, terror, disbelief, salvation. How could it be that I was here? A cityscape I knew only post-apocalyptically from a bootleg copy of that now-cult-classic animated film Akira. Now I was in it, the landscape of that film. Those first steps I took outside the borders of our town felt like kicking myself in the nuts over and over. Each step, another smack. Because in each step I felt so clearly our deficits. Holy smokes, were we running on fumes. Everyone I met in the great city seemed so much better prepared—for life, love, sanity. The city of Tokyo itself, too, its clockwork precision, maintained at an unfathomable scale, broke my mind. Unlike our town, there were no guns, no drugs, few homeless. I felt a peace I never knew was possible amid so much movement. It put the few other cities I had seen to shame. Packed trains crisscrossed above and below, filled with purpose-driven women and men buttoned up with a consistent formality that didn't exist back home. A whole army of resolve on the move, dressed for the part. Entire blocks rose in chunks of concrete and glass again and again and again from the bay to the horizon, their buildings separated by just a hair's breadth. Cars deftly negotiated alleys barely their width. Not a scrap of garbage anywhere. Little kids walked to school in shorts year-round, families bathed together, confusing food lurked around every corner. That first year I fell madly in love—with the promise of the cityscape, alcohol, language. But more than any of that, I fell in love with long walks, of being subtly changed by the lives I heard behind open windows. That very first shot in Akira—the one after the boom, the anonymous alley with the blinking rectangular sign—that image was seared into my mind and I spent countless nights looking for it (still looking for it now, a quarter of a century later). I had my heart broken more times than I could count, and drank myself into the pavement just as often. When all you feel are deficiencies, accepting love from a person or even a place is like trying to fart yourself to the moon. So I kept my feet and body moving. Spent weeks hitchhiking from coast to coast, drinking, waking up on the floors of homes I had no memory of arriving at. Was given rides by lonely folks commuting on their own, with their own myriad deficits. They bought me donuts, they drove me to cafés on the side of the highway, they smoked slowly without saying a thing, they stared at their cigarettes and rolled the ash off in plastic ashtrays. I helped push a tractor-trailer up a snowy road just outside Hiroshima, nearly dying in the process. And that was just the first six months.
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Jetstar Asia closure: Some customers confused, frustrated by poor communication; Les Miserables The Arena Spectacular coming to Singapore 2026 – how to get your tickets: Singapore live news
The Jetstar Asia closure has left some customers confused and frustrated over conflicting information, or a lack thereof. The Singapore-based airlines, operated by Qantas Group, announced on Wednesday (11 June) morning that it would be ceasing operations from 31 July. They added that Jetstar Asia flights would be operating with a "progressively reduced schedule". For a customer identified as Daniel, he told CNA that he didn't realise the schedule would be "progressively reduced" prior to its closure. Les Miserables The Arena Spectacular is coming to the Sands Theatre in Singapore in March 2026. The record-breaking concert tour is an expanded version of the Les Miserables The Staged Concert, and features an extraordinary and exciting new design specifically created for larger venues with a cast and orchestra of over 65. There are couple pre-sales going on, including two for UOB cardmembers, so here's how to get your tickets. Read more in our live blog below, including the latest local and international news and updates. Pop sensation Sabrina Carpenter has surprised fans with the announcement of her seventh studio album, Man's Best Friend, set for release on 29 August, 2025. Carpenter shared the news on Instagram on Wednesday (11 June) along with a photo of her on hands and knees in a black mini dress and black heels. Meanwhile, a man, which is cut out of the photo, is grabbing a her hair. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sabrina Carpenter (@sabrinacarpenter) Man's Best Friend follows the success of her previous album Short n' Sweet – and the hit song Espresso – which earned her a Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album earlier this year. The lead single, Manchild, dropped on 5 June, showcasing Carpenter's signature blend of synth-pop and introspective lyrics. For more on Sabrina Carpenter's new album, read here. 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The record-breaking concert tour is an expanded version of the Les Miserables The Staged Concert, and features an extraordinary and exciting new design specifically created for larger venues with a cast and orchestra of over 65. UOB cardmembers will have priority pre-sales with a 20 per cent discount. The first starts on Monday (23 June) at 10am, exclusively on Klook. The second will be on Tuesday (24 June) at 10am, and will be available through Marina Bay Sands Ticketing, SISTIC and Klook. Non-UOB cardmembers can sign up for the waitlist now to gain access to the waitlist pre-sale that will start on Tuesday (24 June) 10am. There will be a 15 per cent discount during this pre-sale. The public sale will start on Thursday (26 June) at 12pm, and will be available through Marina Bay Sands Ticketing, SISTIC and Klook. There will be a 10 per cent early bird discount. The concert tour just wrapped up its Australia dates and have now moved to Asia. 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The police were alerted at 10.35am to the accident on Lorong 1 Geylang towards Upper Boon Keng Road. The woman was unconscious and brought to Tan Tock Seng Hospital by the Singapore Civil Defence Force where she died. The 68-year-old male driver has been arrested for careless driving causing death, said the police on 11 June. For more on the accident near Kallang MRT, read here. More than 55,000 Palestinians have died in the Israel-Hamas conflict, according to Gaza health authorities. Local hospitals said that at least 21 people were killed on their way to provide aid at distribution centres. The cause of death for victims near the site are unclear, but the Israeli army said on Wednesday that it fired warning shots at "suspects" that posed a threat to troops. The numbers by the Gaza Health Ministry doesn't distinguish between civilians and combatants, and they said that women and children make up more than half the 55,000 dead. The war, which erupted on 7 Oct 2023 after a surprise Hamas attack, continues unabated despite international calls for a ceasefire. Israel's military maintains that operations are targeting militants, and blamed them for hiding among civilians. For more on the Israel-Hamas war death toll, read here. Trade talks between the US and China aimed at cooling tensions have ended in a deal, said US President Donald Trump. He shared that China will supply US companies with magnets and rare earth metals while the US will walk back its threats to revoke visas of Chinese students. "Our deal with China is done, subject to final approval from President Xi and me," wrote Trump on Truth Social. The talks were held over two days in London, starting from Monday (9 June) to address the conflicts that had emerged since the truce between both parties started in May. Details about the new agreement with China are limited, with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt saying that Trump is reviewing it. "But what the president heard, he liked," she added. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who was testifying before Congress on Wednesday, said the talks were more narrowly focused and a comprehensive deal will require more time to flesh out. For more on the US-China trade deal, read here. Taiwan was struck by an earthquake on Wednesday (11 June) evening, with the quake hitting seconds after cell phone alarms went off at 7.01pm. The quake about 71 kilometres south of Hualien City. According to the United States Geological Survey, the quake had a magnitude of 5.9 and was detected at a depth of 31.1 kilometres. Taiwan's Central Weather Administration gave the magnitude as 6.4. However, such differences are common considering the differences in sensitivity and detector locations. Buildings in Taipei shook for about a minute, and there were no immediate reports of damage. A firefighter in Chenggong told AFP that when the quake hit, "the computer screen and fan shook heavily". He added, "It was much stronger than previous quakes. I immediately thought about running outside." For more on the Taiwan earthquake, read here. The Jetstar Asia closure has left some customers confused and frustrated over conflicting information, or a lack thereof. The Singapore-based airlines, operated by Qantas Group, announced on Wednesday (11 June) morning that it would be ceasing operations from 31 July. They added that Jetstar Asia flights would be operating with a "progressively reduced schedule". For a customer identified as Daniel, he told CNA that he didn't realise the schedule would be "progressively reduced" prior to its closure. Hence, he thought his two planned trips in July – one to Bangkok, another to Okinawa - would not be affected. On Wednesday morning, though, he received an email confirming that his trip to Bangkok was cancelled, so he made plans to book another flight. Daniel said the email also included his "specific booking reference". Yet, when his friend called the Jetstar Asia's hotline, they were told the flight was still going ahead as planned. He now feels uncertain about his flight to Okinawa and it's not clear which flights would be cut from Jetstar Asia's schedule before it closes. 'I'm wondering, when would they tell me about it? Or how late would they tell me about it?' For more on how customers are affected by the Jetstar Asia closure, read here. Pop sensation Sabrina Carpenter has surprised fans with the announcement of her seventh studio album, Man's Best Friend, set for release on 29 August, 2025. Carpenter shared the news on Instagram on Wednesday (11 June) along with a photo of her on hands and knees in a black mini dress and black heels. Meanwhile, a man, which is cut out of the photo, is grabbing a her hair. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sabrina Carpenter (@sabrinacarpenter) Man's Best Friend follows the success of her previous album Short n' Sweet – and the hit song Espresso – which earned her a Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album earlier this year. The lead single, Manchild, dropped on 5 June, showcasing Carpenter's signature blend of synth-pop and introspective lyrics. For more on Sabrina Carpenter's new album, read here. A Singaporean woman was sentenced to six months' jail in Taiwan for stalking and harassing Golden Melody Award-winning singer Olivia Tsao Ya-wen. Cassandra Low, a woman in her 30s, was identified in a court judgment by the New Taipei District Court. The court found her guilty of endangering Tsao's personal safety, stalking and harassing her, and also publicly insulting the singer. It was reported that Low was a long-time admirer of Tsao and both parties have exchanged personal e-mails and messages over Facebook and Instagram since November 2023. However, the relationship soured after Tsao blocked Low on social media, with the latter issuing threats. In one Facebook post, Low wrote, "I can be very aggressive. The more stubborn she is... don't blame me for whatever I do to her parents." For more on the Olivia Tsao stalking incident, read here. Les Miserables The Arena Spectacular is coming to the Sands Theatre in Singapore in March 2026. The record-breaking concert tour is an expanded version of the Les Miserables The Staged Concert, and features an extraordinary and exciting new design specifically created for larger venues with a cast and orchestra of over 65. UOB cardmembers will have priority pre-sales with a 20 per cent discount. The first starts on Monday (23 June) at 10am, exclusively on Klook. The second will be on Tuesday (24 June) at 10am, and will be available through Marina Bay Sands Ticketing, SISTIC and Klook. Non-UOB cardmembers can sign up for the waitlist now to gain access to the waitlist pre-sale that will start on Tuesday (24 June) 10am. There will be a 15 per cent discount during this pre-sale. The public sale will start on Thursday (26 June) at 12pm, and will be available through Marina Bay Sands Ticketing, SISTIC and Klook. There will be a 10 per cent early bird discount. The concert tour just wrapped up its Australia dates and have now moved to Asia. It opens in Taiwan on Thursday (12 June), with its next stops being Japan and China. Cast details for the Singapore leg of the concert tour have yet to be confirmed or revealed. An Australian man was arrested after he allegedly shoplifted twice in the transit area of Changi Airport Terminal 1. On 11 June, the police said in a statement that they were alerted to a case of shop theft at a duty-free Shilla Cosmetics and Perfumes store at about 11.30pm. Investigations revealed that a man allegedly took a display bottle of facial product, valued at $466, and left without paying. Officers from the Airport Police Division identified the man and he was arrested on 1 June. Police also believe that the man is involved in another case of shop theft, also at Shilla Cosmetics and Perfumes, that occurred on 27 May. For more on the man's alleged shop theft spree, read here. An 85-year-old woman died after an accident involving a Comfort taxi near Kallang MRT on 10 June. The police were alerted at 10.35am to the accident on Lorong 1 Geylang towards Upper Boon Keng Road. The woman was unconscious and brought to Tan Tock Seng Hospital by the Singapore Civil Defence Force where she died. The 68-year-old male driver has been arrested for careless driving causing death, said the police on 11 June. For more on the accident near Kallang MRT, read here. More than 55,000 Palestinians have died in the Israel-Hamas conflict, according to Gaza health authorities. Local hospitals said that at least 21 people were killed on their way to provide aid at distribution centres. The cause of death for victims near the site are unclear, but the Israeli army said on Wednesday that it fired warning shots at "suspects" that posed a threat to troops. The numbers by the Gaza Health Ministry doesn't distinguish between civilians and combatants, and they said that women and children make up more than half the 55,000 dead. The war, which erupted on 7 Oct 2023 after a surprise Hamas attack, continues unabated despite international calls for a ceasefire. Israel's military maintains that operations are targeting militants, and blamed them for hiding among civilians. For more on the Israel-Hamas war death toll, read here. Trade talks between the US and China aimed at cooling tensions have ended in a deal, said US President Donald Trump. He shared that China will supply US companies with magnets and rare earth metals while the US will walk back its threats to revoke visas of Chinese students. "Our deal with China is done, subject to final approval from President Xi and me," wrote Trump on Truth Social. The talks were held over two days in London, starting from Monday (9 June) to address the conflicts that had emerged since the truce between both parties started in May. Details about the new agreement with China are limited, with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt saying that Trump is reviewing it. "But what the president heard, he liked," she added. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who was testifying before Congress on Wednesday, said the talks were more narrowly focused and a comprehensive deal will require more time to flesh out. For more on the US-China trade deal, read here. Taiwan was struck by an earthquake on Wednesday (11 June) evening, with the quake hitting seconds after cell phone alarms went off at 7.01pm. The quake about 71 kilometres south of Hualien City. According to the United States Geological Survey, the quake had a magnitude of 5.9 and was detected at a depth of 31.1 kilometres. Taiwan's Central Weather Administration gave the magnitude as 6.4. However, such differences are common considering the differences in sensitivity and detector locations. Buildings in Taipei shook for about a minute, and there were no immediate reports of damage. A firefighter in Chenggong told AFP that when the quake hit, "the computer screen and fan shook heavily". He added, "It was much stronger than previous quakes. I immediately thought about running outside." For more on the Taiwan earthquake, read here. The Jetstar Asia closure has left some customers confused and frustrated over conflicting information, or a lack thereof. The Singapore-based airlines, operated by Qantas Group, announced on Wednesday (11 June) morning that it would be ceasing operations from 31 July. They added that Jetstar Asia flights would be operating with a "progressively reduced schedule". For a customer identified as Daniel, he told CNA that he didn't realise the schedule would be "progressively reduced" prior to its closure. Hence, he thought his two planned trips in July – one to Bangkok, another to Okinawa - would not be affected. On Wednesday morning, though, he received an email confirming that his trip to Bangkok was cancelled, so he made plans to book another flight. Daniel said the email also included his "specific booking reference". Yet, when his friend called the Jetstar Asia's hotline, they were told the flight was still going ahead as planned. He now feels uncertain about his flight to Okinawa and it's not clear which flights would be cut from Jetstar Asia's schedule before it closes. 'I'm wondering, when would they tell me about it? Or how late would they tell me about it?' For more on how customers are affected by the Jetstar Asia closure, read here.
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Pekin Ibrahim avoids working with actress wife Mona Allen
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Who won BBC's Race Across the World 2025 and claimed the £20,000 prize?
Mother and son Caroline and Tom have won series five of the BBC's Race Across The World (in 2025). Caroline, 60, and 21-year-old Tom became the first mother-and-son team to win the BBC reality series after reaching the final checkpoint in Kanniyakumari (the southernmost tip of mainland India) to claim the £20,000 prize. Four teams in the 14,100km (8,761-mile) race successfully crossed Asia, the world's largest continent, to make it to the finish line. "Congratulations. You have successfully reached the finish line" ✍️🏆 Here are your #RaceAcrossTheWorld 2025 Winners! 👏 — Race Across The World (@RATW_official) June 11, 2025 Sisters Elizabeth and Letitia came second, just 19 minutes behind the winners, with teenage couple Fin and Sioned third. Brothers Brian and Melvyn arrived in fourth place, three hours and five minutes behind Caroline and Tom. On Wednesday's (June 11) episode, teams had to make it to Vattakottai Fort where the final sign-in book was waiting. After turning the page to discover they were the first team to make it to the landmark, Caroline and Tom hugged, overcome with emotion. Writing their names in the book, Tom said: 'That's a really good feeling, I'm lost for words, I can't believe it. 'Fifty-one days racing through countries I never thought I'd go to. 'I never thought we'd come this far, I never thought we'd achieve so much and I've never been prouder of my mum – she got me through it.' Carloline and Tom were crowned winners of Race Across the World 2025 on Wednesday (June 11) night's episode. (Image: Studio Lambert/BBC) Reflecting on the pair's win, Tom said Race Across the World was 'the best experience of my life'. Caroline added: 'We've learnt so much, we've enjoyed it and to actually win it as well as to have the experience is the best thing that could have happened to us.' The contestants traversed areas of China, Nepal and India, covering more than 14,000km over 51 days. Despite the remaining teams making it to the final checkpoint and Caroline and Tom being crowned the winners, there is still one more Race Across the World episode to air in 2025. The teams will reunite for a special episode airing at 9pm next Wednesday (June 18) on BBC One, where they will reflect on the race and the impact it has had on their lives. What a race. Thank you to our incredible racers and to you at home for following them on this amazing journey, we've loved every moment 🙌 Wondering what they're all up to now? Join us next Wednesday at 9pm for The Reunion! #RaceAcrossTheWorld — Race Across The World (@RATW_official) June 11, 2025 All eight episodes of Race Across The World 2025 are available to watch on BBC iPlayer. Applications are already open for Race Across the World 2026 on the 'Shows, Tours and Take Part' section of the BBC website. You must be older than 18 (at the time of submitting your application) to apply. The BBC said: "This experience is open to all, whether you're a seasoned traveller or total novice. "We want to hear what undertaking a trip like this would mean to you, and with a cash prize at stake, to what lengths you would go to win. RECOMMENDED READING: 'Beloved' Race Across The World star dies after car crash as family pay tribute What prize do the winners of Race Across The World take home? "Maybe you're looking to change something in your life? Or are keen to share the journey with someone special like a family member, best friend, or someone you've lost touch with. "You may even have a very personal reason for wanting to travel at this time in your life or want to explore a particular part of the world. "We are looking for teams of two to apply and all applicants must be over the age of 18 on the date of submitting their application."
