​ Japan’s PM tells Deep Purple: ‘You are my god’. 29 minutes ago. Čia Maja Deivis. Aplinkosaugos agentūra. Deep Purple, the British rock band, encountered a devoted longtime fan in Tokyo on Friday—none other than Japan’s prime minister. “You are my god,” declared Sanae Takaichi, a passionate hard rock fan, to drummer Ian Paice with a beaming smile as she presented him with autographed drumsticks made in Japan. An enthusiastic drummer herself, Takaichi performed in a Deep Purple cover band during her youth, having fallen for the group in elementary school. “Nowadays, when I argue with my husband, I play drums to ‘Burn’ and put a curse on him,” the 65-year-old conservative politician shared with the band during their visit to her office in Tokyo. The musicians connected with Japan’s inaugural female prime minister while touring the nation where they cut their iconic 1972 live album *Made in Japan*—widely hailed as one of rock’s all-time greatest records. “I can’t believe Deep Purple is here,” Takaichi remarked, grinning as she welcomed them. Through a translator, she added, “I hold the utmost admiration for how you keep shaping rock history by tackling fresh challenges and producing mesmerizing music even now.” She expressed hope that the tour would “delight and energize fans nationwide” while fostering cultural ties between Japan and the UK. Paice noted that Japan is always a joy to visit, describing the encounter as an “extra treat.” Reuters. In an Instagram post, the band wrote: “A lifelong fan of hard rock and heavy metal, Takaichi has frequently cited Deep Purple as one of her favorite bands. She even told the group that she bought their Machine Head album back in grade school.” Established in England in 1968, Deep Purple earned fame as part of the “unholy trinity” of British heavy metal bands, along with Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin. Their most iconic hit, Smoke on the Water, appeared on the 1971 album Machine Head. Takaichi performed on keyboards in a Deep Purple tribute band before switching to drums at university—afterward, she often carried multiple pairs of drumsticks because she frequently snapped them in energetic shows. The visit offered a much-needed break for the prime minister, who has grappled with worsening relations with China, soaring inflation, and a faltering economy since taking office in October. Meet Japan’s drum-playing, Thatcher-admiring first female prime minister. China is striking Japan in its most vulnerable spot. Will PM Takaichi yield? Asia. Japan. Music.  

​ Fans of ex-baseball star Ichiro Suzuki were startled when a statue of him cracked during its unveiling outside the Seattle Mariners’ stadium on Friday. As the blue tarp was pulled away, a cracking sound rang out and the bronze figure beneath seemed to shrink in height. The statue, depicting Suzuki with a broken bat, was unveiled outside T-Mobile Park. Suzuki, 52, stood before his likeness, pointing skeptically at the bat before bursting into laughter. The moment came a year after he earned near-unanimous induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame following an 18-year MLB career in the United States. After moving from Japan, he spent 12 seasons with the Mariners, later playing for the New York Yankees and the Miami Marlins, and then returning to the Mariners for his last two seasons. Mariners CEO John Stanton, who helped with the bat-breaking tug, praised Suzuki’s meticulous preparation and play and told the crowd he was certainly worthy of this everlasting recognition. The statue shows the right fielder in his signature pose, wearing his 2001 rookie-season uniform. Suzuki said sculptor Lou Cella had asked him to wear the uniform for a photoshoot to help in creating the statue, adding, “I was happy that I was still able to fit into that uniform.”  

​ Melania Trump’s speech brings Epstein scandal back into the spotlight. Six hours ago. Nada Tawfik, correspondent for New York. When Melania Trump approached the White House podium on Thursday—mere days after President Donald Trump had delivered his national address on Iran from the same spot—nothing hinted at the stunning spectacle about to unfold. Curiosity was in the air, sure, but no one anticipated it would become essential viewing. Even officials closest to the administration received no advance notice of the topic. Surrounded by US flags, her opening sentence stunned the audience. The lies associating me with the disgraced Jeffrey Epstein must stop today. With those words, the Epstein crisis that had troubled the president was once again thrust into the spotlight, courtesy of his wife. US cable networks instantly shifted from their Iran coverage due to the unfolding drama’s severity. The first lady has consistently kept a low profile, carefully choosing her limited public appearances. She lacks her husband’s flair for the dramatic—or his urge to shock and awe the press. Reading from a prepared statement, she said she never had a relationship with Epstein or Maxwell, was not introduced to her husband by Epstein, and was unaware of Epstein’s crimes.  

​ Eric Swalwell, a candidate for California governor, rejects claims of sexual assault. Six hours ago. Max Matza. Images from Getty. Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell, a top contender for California’s next governor, has rejected claims of sexual misconduct by ex-staffers. “These allegations are false and timed just before an election against the leading gubernatorial candidate,” he stated, following accusations from several women spanning sexual harassment to rape. His rivals—and some backers, such as House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries—have urged him to drop out. Democrats will select their nominee in a June 2 primary. The winner, poised to become the next governor in the heavily Democratic state, will advance to the November 3 general election. The initial allegation against Swalwell surfaced publicly on Friday in the San Francisco Chronicle. A former staffer informed the paper that, soon after her hiring in his Castro Valley district office, Swalwell started making improper remarks, such as soliciting sex from her and sending sexual texts. The unnamed woman also claimed that in September 2019, she awoke naked in the congressman’s hotel room with scant memory of the previous night’s events. Five years on, after leaving his staff, she encountered him for drinks at a gala. She stated that she struggled to remember specifics from that night but remembered shoving him away and saying “no.” She also mentioned waking up with evidence of sexual trauma on her body. Her account was reportedly backed by text messages she sent to friends at the time and by her ex-boyfriend, who informed the newspaper that he had urged her to report the incident to police. Later that Friday, CNN released allegations from four women who had worked for him, also accusing him of sexual misconduct. Swalwell’s lawyers had reportedly sent cease-and-desist letters to two of the accusers the previous day, per the broadcaster. Several prominent California Democrats, including Sen. Adam Schiff and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, called on Swalwell to withdraw from the race that Friday evening. Pelosi stated, “This extremely sensitive matter must be appropriately investigated with full transparency and accountability. As I discussed with Congressman Swalwell, it is clear that is best done outside of a gubernatorial campaign.” Swalwell strongly rejected the allegations in his Friday statement. “For nearly 20 years, I have served the public—as a prosecutor and a congressman—and have always protected women.”  

​ The Artemis II mission proved a resounding success. Here comes the difficult part. Eight hours prior. Pallab Ghosh, el corresponsal de ciencia. Esta es la primera vez que lo encuentro. Getty Images via NASA. NASA’s Artemis II mission successfully carried four astronauts around the far side of the Moon and returned them safely to Earth. The Orion spacecraft excelled, and the images captured by the astronauts have excited a new generation about the prospects of space exploration. But does this mean the children captivated by the mission will be able to live and work on the Moon during their lifetimes? Maybe even travel to Mars, as the Artemis program promises? It might seem rude to admit, but looping the Moon was relatively easy.