Why Japan is a fitting stage for surfing's Olympic debut
CBSN
ON THE SHONAN COAST, Japan — In summer, the action gets going at four in the morning. Men and women in black wetsuits begin to appear, lugging their boards on foot or tucked into special bike racks.
Before the rest of the country wakes up, Kugenuma beach is already a sea of surfers, perhaps the most popular slice of seashore in the country. Japan's island geography means a beach is rarely far away. So while Hawaii is the undisputed birthplace and global mecca of modern surfing, Japan has nurtured a fanatic wave-rider culture all its own — in many respects, a fitting stage for the Olympic debut of one of the world's oldest sports. Surfing is making its debut at the games on Sunday.Noumea — France's president held a flurry of meetings with local representatives in the restive Pacific territory of New Caledonia on Thursday, urging calm after deadly rioting, and vowing thousands of military reinforcements will stay in place to quell what he called an "unprecedented insurrection."
Kathmandu — Nepali climber Phunjo Lama on Thursday reached Mount Everest's summit in 14 hours and 31 minutes, smashing the record for the world's fastest ascent of the mountain by a woman. Climbers usually take days to reach the top of the 29,032-foot mountain, spending nights on its different camps to rest and acclimatize.
New Delhi — Indian justice officials have changed course amid outrage over the bail terms set for a teenager accused of killing two people while driving a Porsche at high speed while drunk and without a license. The 17-year-old son of a wealthy businessman had been ordered to write a 300-word essay and work with the local traffic police for 15 days to be granted bail — a decision that was made within 15 hours of his arrest.
Zurich — A woman jogger was killed by a naked man who was screaming and attacking people in a lakeside park in Switzerland, police said Wednesday. The attack happened Tuesday evening in Mannedorf on Lake Zurich, around 12 miles southeast of Switzerland's biggest city, the Zurich cantonal police said.
Norway, Ireland and Spain said Wednesday they are recognizing a Palestinian state in a historic move that drew condemnation from Israel and jubilation from the Palestinians. Israel immediately ordered back its ambassadors from Norway and Ireland and appeared ready to do the same with its ambassador to Spain.