Japan Lowers Voting Age from 20 to 18

June 17, 2015 1:07 PM EDT Japan has officially lowered its voting age from 20 to 18. The change could add 2.4 million people to the country’s existing pool of 104 million eligible voters, the Wall Street Journal reports. The country last changed its voting age in 1945, the year Japanese women gained the right to vote, when it lowered the requirement from 25 to 20. Across the world, 90% of nations have a voting age of 18, though Japan’s voters are not particularly active: less than a third of 20-somethings voted in last year’s general election. [Read More]

Jews: Education for Survival | TIME

At a time when assimilation, intermarriage and secularism are eroding U.S. Judaism, religious education has become a major Jewish tool for survival. The Jewish school system in the U.S.—Hebrew-or Yiddish-language day schools, plus afternoon and Sunday schools that teach only religion—is now a $100 million operation with 700,000 students and 17,000 teachers. “Jewish education is coming into its own,” says Morton Siegel, education director of the Conservative United Synagogue of America. [Read More]

John Wayne (Actor) - On This Day

Full Name: Marion Robert Morrison Profession: Actor Biography: An actor who became an American icon famous for his rugged masculinity and his demeanor, including his distinctive calm voice, walk, and height. Star of the Green Berets, True Grit and many more movies Wayne dominated the box office for three decades. Born: May 26, 1907 Birthplace: Winterset, Iowa, USA Generation: Greatest Generation Chinese Zodiac: Goat/Sheep Star Sign: Gemini Died: June 11, 1979 (aged 72) [Read More]

Katy Perry Dressed Up as in a Cheeto Costume for Halloween 2014: Photo

October 31, 2014 10:50 AM EDT Last night in L.A., Hollywood elite gathered for Kate Hudson’s annual Halloween party. But among the A-listers presumably dressed up like sexy kittens or sexy lemurs or whatever, one celeb forged her own path. That celeb was Katy Perry, who attended the party dressed as a Cheeto. A giant, sad Cheeto. Of the Flamin’ Hot variety. Thank you so much for doing this, Katy Perry. [Read More]

Kevin Wildes Named Executive Producer of ABCs New GMA Hour

Kevin Wildes, a sports-TV executive who has been serving as vice president of original content at ESPN, will take the reins of ABC’s new hour of “GMA Day,” ABC’s new effort to bring its “Good Morning America” franchise to the afternoon. [Read More]

Kunle Afoloyan's 'Anikulapo' tops list of most watched movies on Netflix Naija of 2022

The 2022 Nigerian epic fantasy film surpassed huge international projects like 'RRR' and 'Adam Project' to secure the top spot; a huge feat considering both movies were released in March while the Nigerian movie came out towards the end of the year. However, this is hardly surprising considering that the Netflix original debuted to rave reviews and quickly became the most watched non-English film globally with a total of 8,730,000 global views within a few weeks. [Read More]

Lessons From 10 Rounds of IVF to Get Pregnant

On December 13, 2013, I took a pregnancy test knowing I wasn’t pregnant. I had started spotting two days prior, a common sign that the embryo didn’t implant. But this time was different. This was my 10th round of in vitro fertilization. Many people ask me how I was able to withstand so many rounds of IVF. Those who haven’t done it want to know for financial reasons — Are you loaded? [Read More]

Milestones | TIME

DIED Three-time Olympic bobsledding star Steven Holcomb, at 37. In 2010, Holcomb drove his four-man team to a win at the Winter Olympics, ending the U.S.’s 62-year gold-medal drought for that event. • Anne Morrissy Merick, trailblazing journalist who fought for the rights of female reporters to cover the Vietnam War from the front line, at 83. As a college student, Morrissy Merick was the first female reporter allowed in the Yale Bowl press box. [Read More]

My Hellish Youth in Sexual Conversion Therapy and How I Got Out

Would I truly go to heaven, despite being gay? This question haunted me growing up. My earliest and most influential childhood memory is being 4 years old and “accepting Jesus into my heart.” Did I truly know what that meant—or was I looking for love from my parents? I was raised in a strict, fundamentalist Christian household in Los Angeles, where homosexuality was referred to as “an abomination to God, worthy of eternal damnation in hell. [Read More]

Prostitute in Google Exec's Death Pleads Not Guilty

July 16, 2014 12:38 PM EDT A prostitute accused of causing the death of a Google executive by heroin overdose pleaded not guilty to charges of manslaughter, great bodily injury and heroin possession on Wednesday, according to the Associated Press. Prosecutors said they will review the case and may bring more serious charges against Alix Tichelman, 26. A defense attorney said Tichelman had no reason to kill the executive. Google executive Forrest Hayes was found dead on his yacht in November after Tichelman allegedly shot him up with heroin and left him unconscious. [Read More]