When the world gets closer.

We help you see farther.

Sign up to our expressly international daily newsletter.

Already a subscriber? Log in .

You've reached your limit of one free article.

Get unlimited access to Worldcrunch

You can cancel anytime .

SUBSCRIBERS BENEFITS

Exclusive International news coverage

Ad-free experience NEW

Weekly digital Magazine NEW

9 daily & weekly Newsletters

Access to Worldcrunch archives

Free trial

30-days free access, then $2.90
per month.

Annual Access BEST VALUE

$19.90 per year, save $14.90 compared to monthly billing. save $14.90.

Subscribe to Worldcrunch
Japan

Powerful Earthquake Sways Tokyo Buildings

AFP, NHK (Japan)

Worldcrunch

TOKYO – A powerful earthquake shook Tokyo on Monday, with buildings swaying for 30 seconds, but few reports of injuries.

The magnitude 5.7 quake was centered in the mountain resort town of Nikko, about 140 kilometers northwest of Tokyo, reports the AFP . Earlier reports had put the quake at magnitude 6.2.

The quake struck at 4:23 p.m. local time, rocking Nikko, a popular resort known for its onsen (hot springs) as well as historical temples and shrines listed on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list. It is not known yet whether the earthquake damaged any of the temples.

National broadcaster NHK said there had been no abnormalities detected at nuclear power plants near the epicenter.

Magnitude 6.2 Intensity 5+ earthquake Feb-25 16:23 JST at Tochigi-ken Hokubu (36.9N/139.4E) Depth 10 km j.mp/138FIb2 #earthquake

— Japan Earthquake (@jEarthquake) February 25, 2013

— Hiroko Tabuchi (@HirokoTabuchi) February 25, 2013

Dishes, glasses broken at an inn in #Nikko after M6.3 quake hit Tochigi, but no guests injured. via @ nhk_shutoken

— Thoton Akimoto (@thoton) February 25, 2013

You've reached your limit of free articles.

To read the full story, start your free trial today.

Get unlimited access. Cancel anytime.

Exclusive coverage from the world's top sources, in English for the first time.

Insights from the widest range of perspectives, languages and countries.

Geopolitics

The Pope's Bronchitis Can't Hide What Truly Ails The Church — Or Whispers Of Succession

It is not only the health of the Pope that worries the Holy See. From the collapse of vocations to the conservative wind in the USA, there are many ills to face.

November 29, 2023: Pope Francis during his wednesday General Audience at the Vatican.

Evandro Inetti/ ZUMA
Gianluigi Nuzzi

ROME — "How am I? I'm fine... I'm still alive, you know? See, I'm not dead!"

With a dose of irony and sarcasm, Pope Francis addressed those who'd paid him a visit this past week as he battled a new lung inflammation, and the antibiotic cycles and extra rest he still must stick with on strict doctors' orders.

For the latest news & views from every corner of the world, Worldcrunch Today is the only truly international newsletter. Sign up here .

The Pope is dealing with a sensitive respiratory system; the distressed tracheo-bronchial tree can cause asthmatic reactions, with the breathlessness in his speech being the most obvious symptom. Tired eyes and dark circles mark his swollen face. A sense of unease and bewilderment pervades and only diminishes when the doctors restate their optimism about his general state of wellness.

"The pope's ailments? Nothing compared to the health of the Church ," quips a priest very close to the Holy Father. "The Church is much worse off, marked by chronic ailments and seasonal illnesses. "

Keep reading... Show less

The latest