Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Names and faces
■ Japanese Emperor Akihito gave thanks Friday to the gods for a bountiful autumn harvest, the last time he will perform one of most important annual palace rites before abdicating next spring. Akihito conducted the Niiname ritual at an Imperial Palace shrine illuminated by torchlight as ancient music was played. He offered harvested rice and other items to the gods, thanking them and praying for peace for the nation. Nov. 23 is Japan’s national thanksgiving holiday. Some of the rice was harvested by Akihito from a field inside the palace grounds. The rest was offered by farmers from around the country. Ahead of the ritual, Akihito invited some farmers to talk about their harvests this year, according to Japanese media. Akihito, 84, is to abdicate on April 30 and will be succeeded by his son, Crown Prince Naruhito. The religious harvest prayer is one of about 20 rituals that the emperor performs privately at the palace each year, separate from his official duties. The two-part ritual runs past midnight — including a three-hour interval — inside the unheated shrine, making it difficult for the elderly emperor.
■ Conservative commentator Anna Paulina had her wires crossed on Fox News, and somehow, her Thursday segment only got worse from there. Though she was brought on to discuss investigating Hillary Clinton, Paulina opened on the southern border and a bizarre history of century-old legislation that federalizes reservist troops. Though his show prompted the discussion about Clinton, host Rick Leventhal observed it was incredible that Clinton still captured attention. “She won’t go away,” Paulina responded. “She’s like herpes.” Levanthal appeared stunned by the comment, but recovered: “OK, that’s news that we are breaking here,” he said. “Not appropriate.” Paulina disappeared from the segment, which ended early, Levanthal noted. He apologized to viewers over her language. The incident prompted an additional on-air apology from the network. “We are all Americans, and that is the focus, and we want to reiterate that we do not condone the language that Anna Paulina just displayed here, and we apologize to Secretary Clinton for that,” anchor Arthel Neville said. “Fox News does not condone her sentiment.”