1. The chief of the World Health Organization says the number of deaths linked to the ongoing heatwaves in Europe is increasing, and urged countries to take action to protect people’s health. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on social media on Sunday that more than 1,300 “excess deaths” have been recorded since June 21, which were linked to high temperatures in Europe.
2. A Japanese venture company says it will launch clinical trials in Japan for practical transplantation of pig kidneys into humans with serious renal failure. A research group involving the Meiji University startup and a US bio firm is working to conduct the transplants. It plans to use kidneys from pigs genetically modified to reduce the likelihood of rejection in the human body.
3. Iconic Japanese singer and actor Miwa Akihiro has died of natural causes. He was 91 years old. Miwa was born in Nagasaki City in 1935. He debuted as a professional singer at the age of 16 and developed his career at the music cafe Ginpari in Tokyo’s Ginza district and elsewhere. His 1957 song “Me Que Me Que” was a big hit. As a singer-songwriter, he is best known for “Yoitomake no Uta,” a ballad that depicts a mother as a day laborer. He also left a mark as an actor when he dubbed the character Moro, the Wolf Goddess, in the international hit anime film Princess Mononoke by Miyazaki Hayao.