From trade wars to soaring ticket prices, the 2026 World Cup is unlike any before it. Faisal Islam explores what this tournament reveals about our changing global economy.

Japanese stocks rebounded sharply on June 12th, with the Nikkei Stock Average closing back above the 66,000 level for the first time in a week as easing concerns over tensions in the Middle East and a strong rally in U.S. technology shares fueled broad buying of AI-related stocks. (News On Japan)

Japan captain Wataru Endo has withdrawn from the national team's World Cup squad due to injury and announced his retirement from international soccer, dealing a major blow ahead of Japan's Group F opener against the Netherlands on June 14th (June 15th Japan time), as the team continued preparations near Nashville, Tennessee, on June 11th. (News On Japan)

The BBC's Gary O'Donoghue looks at the US president's mixed messaging over the war and the questions it raises.

The BBC's Gary O'Donoghue looks at the US president's mixed messaging over the war and the questions it raises.

Elementary school students in Yokote, Akita Prefecture, played a spirited game of dodgeball in a rice field on June 12th as part of an annual event that also serves to prepare the paddy for planting. (News On Japan)

A star-studded opening ceremony featured artists from the World Cup's official soundtrack.

As bear sightings continue at an unusually high pace across Akita Prefecture, a veteran wildlife photographer who has spent nearly 30 years observing and photographing Asian black bears says the animals are appearing more frequently, moving closer to human settlements, and increasingly adapting their behavior to survive. (News On Japan)

Japan's H3 Rocket No. 6 lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture at 9:53 a.m. on June 12, marking the first launch in about six months since the failure of H3 Rocket No. 8 and a critical step toward the full resumption of operational flights. (News On Japan)

Nigeria is the latest African state to repatriate citizens following reports of xenophobic attacks.

Rights groups accuse the RSF paramilitary group of killing civilians in el-Obeid, a city on the civil war's front line.

Somali referee Omar Artan is appointed to take charge of the Uefa Super Cup match between Paris St-Germain and Aston Villa later this summer after being denied a spot at the World Cup.

The Blue Angels, the cheerleading squad of Joto High School's support and cheering club, are winning over audiences with their sparkling smiles and dynamic performances. (News On Japan)

A rare white orca has been filmed off the coast of Rausu in Hokkaido's Shiretoko region, marking its first reported sighting in about two years. (News On Japan)

A Tokyo-based company planning to open a new zoo using animals from North Safari Sapporo, which closed in 2025, has established a new company to take over the facility's animals and employees. (News On Japan)

Police have arrested a 19-year-old man on suspicion of murder after a 17-year-old high school student was found unconscious on a riverbank in Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture, and later pronounced dead. (News On Japan)

Restructuring is often associated with companies in financial trouble, but a growing number of profitable Japanese corporations are now encouraging employees to take early retirement as part of efforts to reshape their workforces for the future, creating both opportunities and significant risks for workers considering a second career. (News On Japan)

An El Niño event has officially started, say US scientists, raising fears of extreme weather and higher temperatures.

BBC Verify examines what we know about the drone boat and how the mission took place.

The US vice-president says the Israeli leader "aggressively asserts" his country's interests, but they do not always align with those of the US.