Australia's most decorated living soldier, Ben Roberts-Smith, has been granted bail over alleged war crimes. The Victoria Cross recipient and former corporal in Australia's Special Air Service (SAS) Regiment was taken into custody last week, charged with five counts of the war crime of murder
Raw mangoes are far more than just the base for preserved pickles or delicious drinks; they shine equally in savoury dishes. These fruits add a bright and zesty punch to dishes that lift everyday curries and gravies. When used in a savoury curry
Watch: US Central Command releases footage of navy redirecting ship amid Hormuz blockade as Iran war stalemate persistsIt said US forces are actively enforcing blockade targeting Iran's ports and coastline, involving more than 10,000 personnel, besides naval vessels and aircraft Updated on: Apr 17
Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison has assured cinema owners that the company will maintain a minimum release slate of 30 films a year if regulators approve its proposed $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery. Skydance CEO promised movie theater owners on Thursday that the company will
U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday (April 16, 2026) announced a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon effective from midnight. “I just had excellent conversations with the Highly Respected President Joseph Aoun, of Lebanon, and Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, of Israel
India's government has launched a once-in-a-generation attempt to redraw the country's political map, saying it is driven by a push to reserve a third of seats for women in parliament and state assemblies. The government unveiled the proposed constitutional amendment - requiring a two-thirds
In a shocking incident from the Tamil film industry, a video from Rajinikanth’s upcoming movie Jailer 2 has been leaked online ahead of its release. While the clip is being circulated on social media platforms, the makers have issued a statement urging everyone not to use, share or repost it
As news of the ceasefire spread through Israel's northern communities, sirens blared three times this evening warning of incoming rockets from Lebanon. In the sky above the northern city of Nahariya, Israel's air defence interceptors shot up to block them, triggering loud explosions
KFC readies finger-licking Japanese Christmas
KFC in Japan is gearing up for the Christmas tradition of millions of families thronging the US fast-food chain for special festive buckets of deep-fried chicken and other treats.
"Reservations for KFC Christmas typically begin around the beginning of November," Takuma Kawamura, a KFC marketing manager, told AFP at a new upmarket pop-up eatery in Tokyo.
"From that time, stores with the Colonel statue will dress him in Christmas attire," he said, referring to KFC's late founder Colonel Sanders, a widely recognised figure in Japan.
Japan has a tiny Christian majority and Christmas is a secular festival of full-bore consumerism complete with Santa, gifts and streetlights. Couples often go on dates on Christmas Eve.
For food, families often gorge themselves on special "Party Barrels" bursting with chicken, an array of side dishes and a dessert such as ice cream or cheesecake stored at the bottom in a separate compartment.
December 24 Christmas Eve is KFC Japan's busiest day by far, with 10 times more customers than normal, the firm said in 2020. Reportedly 3.6 million families make orders.
The first KFC Christmas campaign was in 1974 and there are different theories about the origins.
These include that Takeshi Okawara, the manager of Japan's first KFC outlet, overheard foreigners pining for turkey, which is often eaten at Christmas in Britain and the United States.
Colonel Sanders, who died in 1980, has also entered into baseball folklore in Japan.
Hanshin Tigers supporters threw a plastic statue of the Colonel from a KFC restaurant into a river in Osaka in 1985 on their way to winning Japan's version of the World Series.
This was because fans many of whom also jumped in the dirty Dotonbori waterway thought the statue resembled Randy Bass, an American member of the team at the time.
But the dunking spawned the legend of the "Curse of the Colonel" that said the Tigers would never win another title until the effigy was recovered.
The sludge-covered statue was dredged out in 2009, cleaned up and put on display, but it took until 2023 for the Tigers finally to win the championship again.
The plastic Colonel was finally disposed of last year following a ritual at a temple attended by KFC's Japan president, who offered sake and fried chicken.
nf-stu/dan
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Source: HindustanTimes
Related Posts: KFC India trains its speech and hearing-impaired employees in writing and comprehension skills Why McDonald’s and KFC are growing like wildfire in China Washington DC breaks world record in this Christmas tradition Oppo gearing up to rival Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 with a 6 Weapons dominates box office but theaters gearing up for slow months From Tradition To Tactic India showed tradition Mojtaba Khamenei Breaks Nowruz Tradition With No Public Address Centuries-Old Tradition Pongal, jaggery and a vanishing tradition in Tamil Nadu
Assam HS result 2026 will not be announced today, April 17, Cabinet Minister for Higher and School Education Ranoj Pegu has confirmed. Despite several social media posts claiming that the Class 12 Assam results would be declared today, the minister has dismissed the circulating online news as a
43 minutes ago
A Democrat-backed measure to constrain US President Donald Trump's ability to wage war with Iran has once again failed in the House of Representatives, just a day after a similar resolution was blocked in the Senate. The House war powers resolution, which failed in a tight vote of 213-214
43 minutes ago
Wipro’s promoter group plans to participate in the company’s Rs 15,000-crore share buyback announced on April 16, CFO Aparna Iyer said. The IT major on Thursday said its board has approved its largest-ever buyback via the tender route, which is expected to be completed in the first quarter of
43 minutes ago
Union Home Minister Amit Shah stood up to make a crucial point in the Lok Sabha on Thursday—one that the government clearly believes could blunt a growing political attack. His assurance was simple: when the House expands to 850 members, every state will get about 50% more seats
43 minutes ago
From actor to TN DCM: the rise of Udhayanidhi Stalin as a third-generation political leader in the DMK | 5 factsUdhayanidhi Stalin, a third-generation leader of the DMK, has transitioned from film to politics with remarkable speed. Here are 5 key facts you need to know. Published on: Apr 17
43 minutes ago
Last August, U.S. Navy officials carrying out a test of unmanned vessels realised they had hit a single point of failure: Starlink. A global outage across Elon Musk’s satellite network affecting millions of Starlink users had left two dozen unmanned surface vessels bobbing off the
44 minutes ago
Gold prices fall amid US war on Iran, 24K at ₹1.53 lakh; check latest rates in your cityOver the past week, 24-carat gold has eased by 0.41%, while it is down 5.74% over the past month. Updated on: Apr 17, 2026 10:57 AM IST By hindustantimes.com Share via Copy link Gold prices declined on Friday
44 minutes ago
World Hemophilia Day is a globally recognised event observed every year on April 17 to raise awareness about hemophilia and other inherited bleeding disorders. The day was initiated in 1989 by the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) to celebrate the birthday of its founder, Frank Schnabel
44 minutes ago
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, while addressing a gathering, said, "Their (BJP) plan is to bring in the NIA, detonate the bomb, and then blame it on someone else. They'll bring in some people from outside, accuse you, and arrest the boys tomorrow. It's just a matter of a few days. Be patient
44 minutes ago
New Delhi: The government is likely to roll out production-linked incentives to boost mobile phone exports from the country by May with an outlay of over USD 5 billion, about Rs 46,000 crore, sources aware of the development said. The Scheme for Large Scale Electronics Manufacturing (LSEM) was
43 minutes ago
A single dad in Tennessee started filming himself cooking meals for his two young kids. But somewhere along the way, something much bigger happened. His videos have become a space where people show up, open up, and feel a little less alone. As reported on Today.com, Blake
44 minutes ago
In Berlin, a wall comes downThe appointment of Marie-Louise Eta is a significant shift in a sport not very amenable to change Published on: Apr 17, 2026 8:00 AM IST By Dhiman Sarkar Share via Copy link “Every women who has decided to play soccer
44 minutes ago
BDS student death: Extortion case booked against loan appBDS student death: Extortion case booked against loan app Published on: Apr 17, 2026 11:14 AM IST PTI Share via Copy link Kannur , A case of extortion was booked against an online loan app on Friday for allegedly mentally harassing and
44 minutes ago
Babil Khan shares memory of Irrfan caring for wife Sutapa during cancer battle: ‘Used to tie his phone to his head’Babil Khan honours his late father, Irrfan Khan, by sharing intimate memories and photographs that reveal the family's resilience during tough times. Apr 17, 2026
44 minutes ago
At the age of 13, Ashwin Srisailam had already chosen a spiritual path that would carry him from a monastery in Andhra Pradesh to the private lives of pop icon Michael Jackson and Rick Allen, the legendary one-armed drummer of Def Leppard. Now 46
44 minutes ago
Tamannaah Bhatia comforts emotional fan who breaks down in tears during meet. WatchTamannaah Bhatia, recognizing a fan's emotional distress during a public appearance, requested paparazzi to dim lights to help her regain composure. Apr 17, 2026
44 minutes ago
BPSC 71st Mains Admit Card 2026 releasing today at bpsc.bihar.gov.in, here's how to downloadBPSC 71st Mains Admit Card 2026 has been released. Candidates to download the hall ticket given here. Published on: Apr 17, 2026 11:14 AM IST By HT Education Desk | Edited by Papri Chanda Share via Copy link
44 minutes ago
Petrol, diesel prices on 17 April: Petrol and diesel prices at state-run outlets remain largely unchanged on Thursday, 17 April, in India’s domestic market. However, aviation fuel and commercial gas prices continue to reflect earlier volatility caused by the disruption in energy supply chain due
44 minutes ago
Congress leader Karti Chidambaram criticizes the government's proposed Delimitation Bill. He likens it to an insurance sales pitch where assurances differ from the fine print. Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed concerns about the bill potentially harming Southern states' representation
44 minutes ago
The Commission for Air Quality Management on Thursday imposed Stage I measures under the Graded Response Action Plan in the National Capital Region after air quality slipped into the “poor” category. GRAP is a set of incremental anti-pollution measures that are triggered to prevent further
44 minutes ago
Four collision avoidance manoeuvres (CAM) were performed for Geo-synchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) satellites, while 14 CAMs, including one for the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR), were performed for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites. New Delhi: More than 1
44 minutes ago
Gilbert Arenas bizarre Kim Kardashian analogy on Doc Rivers' Bucks exit goes viralThe Milwaukee Bucks' firing of Doc Rivers has sparked debate, particularly through Gilbert Arenas' podcast. Updated on: Apr 17, 2026 8:32 AM IST Edited by HT US Desk Share via Copy link Firing of Doc Rivers by the
44 minutes ago
‘Zero connection with Jeffrey’: Trump denies Epstein link claims about Melania, calls it fake newsOn his differences with Pope, Trump insisted there was no personal conflict, even as he disagreed with the Pope’s stance on Iran. Published on: Apr 17
44 minutes ago
More AI, less UI: Canva’s Cliff Obrecht underlines a result oriented pivotObrecht is describing what is not simply a refreshed feature set, but a structural shift in how Canva sees relevance Published on: Apr 16, 2026 6:37 PM IST By Vishal Mathur Share via Copy link Amidst a flurry of
44 minutes ago
What does it take for a chef to make it to the world’s most influential list, and still have people waiting endlessly for a table? For Vikas Khanna, it is not just about what’s plated, it is about what’s shared. Named among the Time 100 Most Influential People of 2026
44 minutes ago
Former Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president N. Ramachandran passed away here on Thursday. He was 77 and is survived by his wife and two children. Ramachandran, who had a long and distinguished career as a sports administrator, headed the IOA from 2014 to 2017 after previously serving as
44 minutes ago
CBSE has instructed schools to exercise strict caution, as errors in LOC submission may lead to disqualification or subject mismatch during the examination process. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has declared the Class 10 results 2026 on April 15
44 minutes ago
