News Headlines - 16 April 2019

▽Thousands block roads in Extinction Rebellion protests across London | The Guardian

Thousands of people have blocked well-known landmarks including Waterloo Bridge in central London, bringing widespread disruption to the capital in a “climate rebellion” that organisers say could last several days... The protests are part of a global campaign organised by the British climate group Extinction Rebellion, with demonstrations planned in 80 cities across 33 countries in the coming days.

▽Toyota unveils first electric SUVs at Shanghai motor show | The Japan Times

Toyota Motor Corp. on Tuesday unveiled the first two electric SUV models it plans to mass market in China as a major auto show got underway in Shanghai showcasing the newest vehicles by the world’s automakers... Toyota will begin selling the electrified C-HR and IZOA models in 2020. Executive Vice President Moritaka Yoshida said they represent the first in the Japanese automaker’s plan to roll out more than 10 EV models globally by the first half of the 2020s.

▽Mount Aso in Kumamoto erupts - NHK WORLD

Mount Aso in Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan, has erupted.
The Meteorological Agency says the volcano erupted at 6:28 p.m. on Tuesday. Smoke mixed with volcanic ash rose about 200 meters from the mountain's crater.
The agency raised the alert level for Mount Aso to two on a scale of one to five on Sunday, after detecting active volcanic tremors and an increase in volcanic gas emissions.

▽Exclusive: What to Expect From Sony's Next-Gen PlayStation | WIRED

MARK CERNY WOULD like to get one thing out of the way right now: The videogame console that Sony has spent the past four years building is no mere upgrade.
You’d have good reason for thinking otherwise. Sony and Microsoft both extended the current console generation via a mid-cycle refresh, with the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 spawning mini-sequels (the Xbox One X and PS4 Pro). “The key question,” Cerny says, “is whether the console adds another layer to the sorts of experiences you already have access to, or if it allows for fundamental changes in what a game can be.”
The answer, in this case, is the latter. It’s why we’re sitting here, secreted away in a conference room at Sony’s headquarters in Foster City, California, where Cerny is finally detailing the inner workings of the as-yet-unnamed console that will replace the PS4.

▽'Super Saturdays' to highlight schedule for Tokyo Olympics | The Japan Times

Tokyo 2020 sports director Koji Murofushi walked a full news conference through the highlights of the marquee event, which will run from July 24 to Aug. 9... The competition will begin two days before the July 24 opening ceremony, with softball and women’s soccer players taking to the field on July 22.