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A 28-YEAR-old man died in Japan after choking on a rice ball at a speed-eating contest, an event organiser said yesterday.
The man, whose name was withheld, died on 16 November in hospital three days after choking, said the local farmer’s cooperative that sponsored the event in the western city of Hikone.
Contestants competed to see how fast they could eat five “onigiri” balls of locally grown steamed rice, a popular Japanese comfort food.
The man shoved his fifth rice ball into his mouth before he collapsed and was rushed to a local hospital where he later died, the organiser said.
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The contest was composed of three sets of five contestants each.
“We had the first and the second sets finished and were watching the third group when this happened,” said the official at the cooperative, who declined to be named.
Eating contests are popular events at various regional fairs held in Japan to promote local produce and culture, as in other countries where choking deaths have been reported.
Japan’s best known competitive eater is Takeru Kobayashi, who won fame as champion of an annual hot dog eating contest in New York.
After news of the latest death was reported, New York-based Kobayashi tweeted warnings about amateurs trying to eat too much too fast.
Biden is weak, his henchmen think taking on Putin with mind games over the Ukraine will improve his image. The Russians have no intention of invading, just flexing their muscles over NATOs continuing encroachment towards its own territory.
This whole invasion conspiracy is a hoax to make Biden more appealing to Trump followers.
@Blind Faith: Naturally, we are all just speculating here but I think you’re spot on.
@Anna Carr: He hasn’t got dementia, he’s just to old for the demands of the job.
@Blind Faith: Well if it isn’t the old ‘Dead cat strategy’ – the real news they are burying is the US stealing $5 billion from Afghanistans (frozen) reserves. Not content with bombing them into the stoneages, killing hundreds of thousands of innocent people, then leaving >90% in poverty – they are strangling them with sanctions and stealing their national wealth. This is the level of genocidal psychopathy which our ‘free press’ never report on – but yeah China/Russia bad! https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/2/11/us-biden-to-split-frozen-afghan-funds-between-9-11-families
@Blind Faith: I pray you’re correct. I hope there is no war. But I believe Russia will invade, hoping for a Chechnya type outcome where they can install a strong pro Russian henchman. I think the west haven’t a stomach for a fight. As it turns out worst thing Ukraine ever did was surrender their nuclear weapons.
@Richard O Connor:. Russia is waiting for the other side to arm up to make it a fair fight? They have absolutely no interest in invading that basket case of a cesspit, which would result in Russia’s destruction. The hysteria cannot be kept up indefinitely.
Ah here, this is every feckin day now… Did he not see the press conference with Putin and Macron?? Ukraine is downplaying any invasion and telling its people theres ni need to panic. France is thrashing out dialogue with Russia to diffuse and de-escalate the situation and the US is shouting from the hills war is inevitable. Wtf like?
@Mjhint: The opposition? Isn’t this “the opposition” since 2014? How many oppositions are needed? Probably as many as it takes until it suits the narrative in the west.
@Colin Conlan: Poroshenko 2014-2019 was not good. He may have been “pro European” (anti Russian) but did not do what was asked from west. Business man, maybe understood too well what Ukraine is on the world scene. So it was replaced with a TV comedian, in hope this one will be more… “docile”. In fact the Trump scandal with Ukraine uncovered the fact US thought new president is now the pocket. Well, the comedian is not there either.
Ukraine’s life is meant to be same as Finland (and Sweden?), on international politic scene. Anything else will be treason.
@Mjhint: But like Putin stated, should Ukraine join NATO and decide to take back Crimea by force from Russia and trigger NATOs article 5, Then you have people from all across Europe been drawn into a war with Russia which they have no desire to be in. Putin may be a corrùpt individual but his speeches have a lot of merit to them if we’re to sit on the fence and be unbias.
@Billy Davies: very true the reason putin doesn’t want them in NATO is down to crimea and he fears at some stage in the future when Russia is weaker the Ukrainians will seek to regain crimea and rightly so. That would put Putin back in his box.
@Mjhint: I,m quite sure the U.S. would react the same as Russia when Foreign military forces gather at their border. It’s the Cuban missile crisis in reverse.
@Kieran Woods: That’s what was said of the Soviets and look how that turned out. Putin is in a precarious position at home. He will eventually be revealed to the Russians what he’s up to and that’s when he will be removed most likely by force.
@Billy Davies: the problem is that the USA do not want a resolution that keeps Europe buying natural gas from Russia. If France and Germany and Russia and the Ukraine can reach another agreement such as Minsk 2 and gas continues to flow and the new pipeline is opened then the USA looses. It must therefore wind up the heat in the hope that something breaks so they can call for sanctions to close the gas pipelines. At the end of the day I would be more suspicious of a USA false flag event than a Russian one. When will people wake up and realise that this is not about the freedom of Ukraine but about who supplies natural gas to Europe. Proof of which is that Biden has said he will not send troops into Ukraine but use (gas) sanctions if Russia does.
@Donal Desmond: it absolutely isn’t the Cubian missile crisis in reverse. Kennedy was a fool to do what he did and got humiliated in the end and the missiles in Cuban were not defensive weapons. Ukraine is not being forced to join NATO. Its asking NATO into the country because of crimea and the Eastern Ukrainian conflict and its poor border infrastructure.
@E.J. Murray: Oh, that’s such a sad comment!
Is English your first language? Irish blood by any chance? Proud English is your first?
It may not be the first for me, but is the last. Because fme if I’ll learn Gaelic, unless you learn my first just as well. First language is one of a NATO country, unlike Ireland.
Funny to discuss here what’s best for Ukraine while sitting at the very edge of west of Europe, “neutral”, outside of NATO, a best economical friend.
Ukraine as a country I am sure would not like to be where it is. Ask anybody there and they will tell you instead of being between US and Russia would rather be… New Zealand.
@Mjhint: The U.S. removed offensive missiles from Turkey as part of the agreement that defused the crisis. Seems you along with a certain section can’t wait for a war, old Chinese saying…be careful for what you wish for.
The ‘west’ should have realised what would happen when they organised the coup in Kiev. The arms sales may be good for business but ultimately the Russo-Ukranians were not going to give in. Their history of resistance to the Nazis, and its local allies, is too great and too recent for them to accept the westward push again.
@Willie Penwright: By “coup”, I assume you mean the Maidan revolution whereby the Ukrainian people ousted their Russian owned president, after months of protest, ending in a unanimous parliamentary vote, after he refused to sign an association agreement with the EU?
@Pádraic Brady: that little coup was funded to the tune of a few billion by …guess who the usual regime change specialists…and mass murders…remember…. Libya, Iraq, ,Afghanistan, tried
Vietnam, tried Syria, …almost every country in Latin America…..all for money…
@Jimmy Fitzpatrick: you may be right on that one but the problem puitn has now is if he invades or not,if he invades and russia suffer massive losses which looks likely then the russia public will turn quick and then with the sanctions things could get bad in russia and if he doesn’t invade he starts to look weak,he needs to get some concessions in this
@Warren Mcdermott: agreed Warren but he has prepared for the sanctions apparently saving up a reserve stockpile which he can sustain the economy gold/resources I don’t know. As you said its down to Russia public opinion now and what state news they are watching
@Warren Mcdermott: Russians are hugely nationalistic, so once the troops are seen to be expanding the good old USSR again the court of public opinion will keep with Putin, after all, as far as a lot of them are concerned Ukraine was and always will be a part of Russia.
That, and Russia will win this potential war, hands down, and Russians love winning, even if it means taking huge casualties-thats wants the 130,000 soldiers are for anyway!
And the sanctions are a farce anyway, if Putin gets really mad, and his buddies do start to suffer financially, they’ll simply switch off the gas and oil supply lines to Europe.
@Felix O’ Mahoney: Russia loves winning? Russia does not know the meaning of winning, its a state that just believes in a sovereign imperial system. Its never won always believes its lost be it war or land enlightenment. Yes they took Berlin but they will never be happy. Stand tall throw everything against them let them back down and let putin fight with twitter
@Jimmy Fitzpatrick: “Stand tall throw everything against them let them back down”? Sounds like a line from Irelands Call. Just a few questions about your game plan. When do we start to throw everything? Where do we throw everything? And most importantly of all; when you say everything, do you mean “Everything”? Also, should we wear the away kit or the home kit? Back to the drawing board I’d say.
@Vonvonic: we stand tall on the border? Leave them no choice its a game of cat and mouse and putin is testing the waters above! Fair play to the British they have sent the troops Germany sent 350? You were rhe home kit kid unless your sailing from the crimea!
@Jimmy Fitzpatrick: That’s a slight deescalation of your original game plan. Stay at it another while I’d say. Keep in mind the French are making significant progress. Fair play to the UK? OK.
@Vonvonic: are you thick? The French good man the most populous army armed ground force in Europe, we all know what happened those strategies. Again put forces on the borders end of story.
@Jimmy Fitzpatrick: Teddy Roosevelt took part in the annexation of Cuba by the U.S. The old Spanish imperial power was replaced by the new American imperial power. It was not until Castro and his freedom fighters entered Havana the Cuba was free. You may recall the reaction of the U.S. when they placed missiles in Cuba. NATO and U.S. on Russian borders, how do you expect them to react.
The Yanks are pushing this desperately. It is notable the the heavy hitters in the European end of NATO (France, Germany, Italy) don’t want to know. This whole thing seems to be about shutting down Nord Stream Two not Ukraine . It is noticeable that Schultz wouldn’t say that it was on the sanctions list despite being put under incredible pressure. If it does go on the list then war in Ukraine will start in a day or two. Bulgaria has also announced that it won’t host American troops.
@Des Hanrahan: Yes, it is interesting to watch. I think the EU has to find its own feet and start protecting its own, as opposed to the American, interests. They will be put under a lot of pressure, but as with the war in Syria, America will start it and we here will be the ones flooded with refugees.
@Des Hanrahan: You are simply comparing sizes on paper, which is a bad criteria. The German air force is in an appalling state and so is the army, underfunded for decades. Germany has underfunded for decades. Neither the Italian nor German forces are capable of expeditionary warfare either. The French and UK are the only European states that can do that.
@Brian Kelly: and unfortunately he will , since all the sell out western leaders are queuing up in kremlin on a red carpet before the czar. They get their shares and brown stashes of gold from czar.
Time to calm down amd look where all this is going. Nobody but the weapons industry benefits from wars
The biggest lovers are always the innocent civilians.
Have a look at and a serious think about the escalation and rhetoric that is going on and try to see who would benefit the most if the shooting actually starts.
This whole “war is imminent” panic seems to only be coming of the US and UK constantly. What are they doing? These are the same people who couldn’t detect the taliban invasion until they were flying their flag in Kabul.
It’s like they’re trying to disrupt trade and cause tensions in the region.
Seems like hyperbole from the US and news outlets are happy to pedal it. Macron and Putin had good meeting last week, Ukraine downplaying the rhetoric. It’s like the US has something to prove.
Ah yes the world is a very dangerous place. Europe must therefore buy expensive American weaponry. They’ve only pulled out of Afghanistan a few months and they’re already squaring up for another fight.
@Paul Shepherd: What do you mean us ? The Soviet Union bore the brunt of Nazi Germany, England and France went to war over Poland, yet it was agreed by the USSR,Britain, US, that demarcation lines would be decided. Yes the USSR used brutal methods in Hungary and Czecholovakia ,the same as the U.S. did in Vietnam , Laos, and Cambodia, not to mention the overthrow of democratically elected governments in Iran and South America. If you wish to express your viewpoint a bit of balance please.
@Donal Desmond: well maybe you’ll tell the truth about Russia. It invaded Europe first and signed a deal with Hitler to chop it up. Then after WW2 held Eastern Europe under an iron grip for 50 years. Merging all of the US misadventures doesn’t come close to what Russia did. Gave its prisoners of war 10 years hard labour, forced evacuations of ethnic Germans. Their historical treatment of its Jewish populations in the pale
Of settlements. Caused a famine in the Ukraine. Used forced labour camps against its own civilians. Forced migration of the Chechen population. Afghanistan, used military against solidarity protests. Invaded Georgia and Ukraine, the 2 Chechen wars.
@Ray Finn: England and France declared war when Germany invaded Poland, The Russians than invaded east Poland, oddly the British and French never declared war against Russia. Unfortunately for the Poles Stalin made a brilliant tactical move, When the Nazi’s invaded Russia the distance to Moscow was greater. As for German POWs being held for 10 years ,they were lucky after what they had done in Russia. Never again would Russia find enemies at it’s border. That’s what is happening now.
@Donal Desmond: the Soviet invasion was brilliant? Unless you’re one of the one hundred and fifty thousand Poles they ethnically exterminated. It’s weird how lefties always justify and even praise Stalins genocide while attacking the west.
War! ain’t nothing but a heart-breaker
(War) Friend only to The Undertaker
Oh, war it’s an enemy to all mankind
The thought of war blows my mind
War has caused unrest
Within the younger generation
Induction then destruction
Who wants to die? Oh
The more and more that the sabre rattling goes on and threats of imminent invasion are given, the more it confirms that it is all about shutting down Northstream2 and replacing it with US and pro Western gas as well as preventing Russia and other countries from selling gas and oil to the rest of the world.
No articles anywhere questioning the sanctions imposed on 2 of countries with the largest oil reserves, unilateraly imposed by the US. What is being done with the oil that is being controlled and protected by US forces in Syria?
It is all about the control of gas, oil and trying to bankrupt Russia, like they did the USSR with the Afghan war.
The Russians are terrified of invasions from the west, they have had many, Sweden, Napoleon, about 10 countries in 1919. In the last invasion by Germany they lost 25,000,000 people and suffered catastrophic devastation. They do not want NATO missiles on their borders, as the US did not want missiles in Cuba. The US forced regime change in the Ukraine and the New right-wing government discriminate against Russian speakers… forcing Donbas and the Crimea. It is vital that our government use its seat in rhe UN for peace as our media should attempt impartiality.
At this rate Russia need say nothing and USA will see it as incitement of war. America will not be happy until they start WW3. NATO keep moving East but Russia is the problem here.
@Gerry McCaughey: The ones going to Moscow are the warmongers. They are the ones selling the weapons to this bankrupt dump that will never be able to pay for them unless it allows a military base on its soil.
@Kieran Woods: a bankrupt dump from the mouth of a dun.ce. What price hath freedom.. Putin wouldn’t want them to join Europe either it would be a conflict if interest and be a serious threat to Russia… ya know how we Europeans are..land grabbers.
@Splat: From the UN High Commission for Human Rights.
“Ukraine’s government has restricted media and freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly, violating international law, the U.N. human rights office has said. Activists, journalists and critics have been persecuted for challenging Kyiv government narratives or investigating corruption, and opposition political parties were also under attack. This is from a Dec 2021 report documenting incidents since 2019″
@Sean Thornton: Easy to give advice from an other part of the world, not even a NATO member.
Would you join the Hutch gang while sharing a long fence with Kinahan? You do that then come here talk.
Everyday we are warned of an attack the US arms salesmen scramble for loot….. meanwhile our monthly protest at Shannon Airport goes ahead at 14.00 to 15.00 next Sunday as ever…. second Sunday of the month… weather not great….
For the love of God Ukrainians, find some oil quickly!
If you do, Biden just MIGHT come to your rescue.
Otherwise he’ll keep taking very harsh positions such as not inviting Putin to lunch.
For all the armchair generals out there, the reason why we keep hearing this familiar line from the US is because they’re the ones sitting on the Intel, which includes satellite imagery showing Russian troops moving and congregating. Remember, every time they raise this alarm, Putin’s plan is called into question. Does he invade as the US predict, or does he delay? Don’t underestimate the impact of this. It’s an effective use of intelligence on America’s part, and keeps Russia in the spotlight, where Putin doesn’t want to be. I suspect he never expected to get this much attention. Now the world is watching, he may have more jitters than before. We can hope.
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