Commodities

Tata Steel's decision to reject the union proposal for Port Talbot has sent shockwaves through the steel industry and the local community. The company's commitment to greener steel production through an electric arc furnace, while commendable for its environmental impact, has cast a shadow over the future of thousands of workers.

MPs are raising concerns about the UK government's preparedness for post-Brexit border control checks, which are due to begin next week. They are particularly worried about the reported scaling back of the initial plans, which they see as a sixth delay to the long-awaited introduction of these checks.

Scientists warn that global warming is causing a significant decline in drift ice, a winter spectacle in Japan's northern seas near the town of Rausu in the Shiretoko Peninsula. Studies by Hokkaido University researchers reveal a 30% reduction in ice thickness over 30 years in the Sea of Okhotsk, with predictions that the diminishing ice could eventually lead to no ice floes reaching Hokkaido's coast in the future.

Katsu Tsunoda, currently serving as senior managing director and driving content generation reforms, will take the helm as president and CEO of The Asahi Shimbun Company. His focus will be on executing operational strategies and transforming the company's business structure to enhance growth potential.

The Lower House of Japan's National Diet has shelved plans to lift the ban on tablet computers in plenary sessions due to concerns about the potential impact on the "authority" of proceedings. Despite arguments for digitalization, the House will continue to rely on paper-based procedures for the time being.