[Breaking News]Military exercise in Taiwan

TAIPEI, Taiwan, Aug. 13 Kyodo - A Taiwanese soldier hides behind a motorcycle during the annual Han Kuang military exercise in Taipei in the early hours of Aug. 13, 2026, simulating a Chinese attack. (Kyodo)

Military exercise in Taiwan

Military exercise in Taiwan

A Taiwanese soldier aims a gun during the annual Han Kuang military exercise in Taipei in the early hours of Aug. 13, 2026, simulating a Chinese attack.

Military exercise in Taiwan

Military exercise in Taiwan

An armored vehicle takes part in the annual Han Kuang military exercise in Taipei in the early hours of Aug. 13, 2026, simulating a Chinese attack.

Military exercise in Taiwan

Military exercise in Taiwan

An armored vehicle takes part in the annual Han Kuang military exercise in Taipei in the early hours of Aug. 13, 2026, simulating a Chinese attack.

Military exercise in Taiwan

Military exercise in Taiwan

A Taiwanese soldier hides behind a motorcycle during the annual Han Kuang military exercise in Taipei in the early hours of Aug. 13, 2026, simulating a Chinese attack.

Military exercise in Taiwan

Military exercise in Taiwan

A Taiwanese soldier takes part in the annual Han Kuang military exercise in Taipei in the early hours of Aug. 13, 2026, simulating a Chinese attack.

Military exercise in Taiwan

Military exercise in Taiwan

Taiwanese soldiers run through streets during the annual Han Kuang military exercise in Taipei in the early hours of Aug. 13, 2026, simulating a Chinese attack.

Military exercise in Taiwan

Military exercise in Taiwan

Taiwanese soldiers run through streets during the annual Han Kuang military exercise in Taipei in the early hours of Aug. 13, 2026, simulating a Chinese attack.

Perseid meteor shower

Perseid meteor shower

A shooting star lights up the sky over Sado in Niigata Prefecture, northwest of Tokyo, in the early hours of Aug. 13, 2026, as the annual summer Perseid meteor shower peaks.

Perseid meteor shower

Perseid meteor shower

A shooting star lights up the sky over Sado in Niigata Prefecture, northwest of Tokyo, in the early hours of Aug. 13, 2026, as the annual summer Perseid meteor shower peaks.

Perseid meteor shower

Perseid meteor shower

A shooting star lights up the sky over Sado in Niigata Prefecture, northwest of Tokyo, in the early hours of Aug. 13, 2026, as the annual summer Perseid meteor shower peaks.

Perseid meteor shower

Perseid meteor shower

A shooting star lights up the sky over Sado in Niigata Prefecture, northwest of Tokyo, in the early hours of Aug. 13, 2026, as the annual summer Perseid meteor shower peaks.

Perseid meteor shower

Perseid meteor shower

A shooting star lights up the sky over Sado in Niigata Prefecture, northwest of Tokyo, in the early hours of Aug. 13, 2026, as the annual summer Perseid meteor shower peaks.

Perseid meteor shower

Perseid meteor shower

A shooting star lights up the sky over Sado in Niigata Prefecture, northwest of Tokyo, in the early hours of Aug. 13, 2026, as the annual summer Perseid meteor shower peaks.

Perseid meteor shower

Perseid meteor shower

A shooting star lights up the sky over Sado in Niigata Prefecture, northwest of Tokyo, in the early hours of Aug. 13, 2026, as the annual summer Perseid meteor shower peaks.

Spain: Wildfire Scorches 25,000 Hectares, Prompts Mass Evacuation in Huelva

A wildfire near Niebla, in Huelva province, southern Spain, has burned more than 25,000 hectares and forced authorities to evacuate nearly 700 people as firefighters continued battling the blaze. This video, captured in the early hours of August 11, shows the fire from the zone restricted to the forward command post and response teams in the southern part of the fire.

Night shinkansen launched

Night shinkansen launched

Photo taken on the night of Aug. 8, 2026, shows a special shinkansen bullet train introduced on a test basis for overnight operations, parked at JR Gifu Hashima Station in Hashima in Gifu Prefecture, central Japan, after it departed from Tokyo at 10 p.m. The Tokaido Lumiere Express stops at the station in Gifu for about six hours before continuing in the early hours of the following day to its final destination, Shin-Osaka Station.

Dollar plunges to upper 157 yen

Dollar plunges to upper 157 yen

A financial data monitor in Tokyo shows the U.S. dollar plunging to the upper 157 yen zone in New York trading hours on July 30, 2026.

US: Powerful Storms Slam Maryland With Damaging Winds, Flash Flooding 2

A powerful line of thunderstorms swept across Maryland on Tuesday, July 28, bringing damaging winds, heavy rain, flash flooding and widespread power outages. The storms prompted a tornado watch for several counties, a flood warning that closed numerous roads in Baltimore, and an hours-long pause in air traffic at BWI Airport.

US: Large Hail Batters D.C. and Baltimore Region Amid Severe Storms

Severe storms swept through the D.C. and Baltimore region on Tuesday, July 28, bringing tornado watches, flash flooding, damaging winds, and large hail. The storms downed trees and power lines, flooded roads, and left tens of thousands without power, while also causing hours-long delays at Baltimore Washington Thurgood Marshall Airport.

US: Thousands of Jay-Z Fans Stuck Outside Yankee Stadium Amid Gate Closures 4

Thousands of fans were left waiting outside Yankee Stadium on Sunday night, July 12, after security closed entrance gates ahead of Jay-Z's final concert of his three-night 30th anniversary series, with some concertgoers saying they were denied entry despite holding valid tickets. The show, originally set to start at 8 p.m., was delayed for hours. The gates reopened shortly before 10 p.m., and Jay-Z eventually took the stage around 12:15 a.m. The NYPD said it was looking into why access had been temporarily restricted.

US: Thousands of Jay-Z Fans Stuck Outside Yankee Stadium Amid Gate Closures 3

Thousands of fans were left waiting outside Yankee Stadium on Sunday night, July 12, after security closed entrance gates ahead of Jay-Z's final concert of his three-night 30th anniversary series, with some concertgoers saying they were denied entry despite holding valid tickets. The show, originally set to start at 8 p.m., was delayed for hours. The gates reopened shortly before 10 p.m., and Jay-Z eventually took the stage around 12:15 a.m. The NYPD said it was looking into why access had been temporarily restricted.

US: Thousands of Jay-Z Fans Stuck Outside Yankee Stadium Amid Gate Closures 2

Thousands of fans were left waiting outside Yankee Stadium on Sunday night, July 12, after security closed entrance gates ahead of Jay-Z's final concert of his three-night 30th anniversary series, with some concertgoers saying they were denied entry despite holding valid tickets. The show, originally set to start at 8 p.m., was delayed for hours. The gates reopened shortly before 10 p.m., and Jay-Z eventually took the stage around 12:15 a.m. The NYPD said it was looking into why access had been temporarily restricted.

Russia: Flash Flooding Hits St. Petersburg After Storm Dumps Half Month’s Rain in Hours

Flash flooding hit St. Petersburg on Saturday, July 11 after a storm dumped more than half the city's monthly rainfall in just a few hours.

U.S. marks 250 yrs of independence

U.S. marks 250 yrs of independence

People watch fireworks in Washington in the small hours of July 5, 2026, a day after the 250th anniversary of American independence.

U.S. marks 250 yrs of independence

U.S. marks 250 yrs of independence

Fireworks are set off in Washington in the small hours of July 5, 2026, a day after the 250th anniversary of American independence.

Football: 2026 World Cup

Football: 2026 World Cup

Japan supporters gather around a television on a street in Tokyo's Shibuya area in the small hours of June 30, 2026, to watch a World Cup round of 32 football match between Japan and Brazil in Houston.

Football: 2026 World Cup

Football: 2026 World Cup

Japan supporters gather around a television on a street in Tokyo's Shibuya area in the small hours of June 30, 2026, to watch a World Cup round of 32 football match between Japan and Brazil in Houston.

Football: 2026 World Cup

Football: 2026 World Cup

Japan supporters celebrate on a street in Tokyo's Shibuya area in the small hours of June 30, 2026, after Japan's Kaishu Sano scored the opening goal in the first half of a World Cup round of 32 football match against Brazil in Houston.

Football: 2026 World Cup

Football: 2026 World Cup

Japan supporters celebrate on a street in Tokyo's Shibuya area in the small hours of June 30, 2026, after Japan's Kaishu Sano scored the opening goal in the first half of a World Cup round of 32 football match against Brazil in Houston.

Football: 2026 World Cup

Football: 2026 World Cup

Japan supporters at a public viewing in Tokyo in the early hours of June 30, 2026, are dejected after Brazil score a second-half injury-time winner in a World Cup round of 32 football match in Houston.

Football: 2026 World Cup

Football: 2026 World Cup

Japan supporters are pictured during a public viewing in Tokyo in the early hours of June 30, 2026, following a 2-1 loss to Brazil in a World Cup round of 32 football match in Houston.

Football: 2026 World Cup

Football: 2026 World Cup

Japan supporters are pictured during a public viewing in Tokyo in the early hours of June 30, 2026, following a 2-1 loss to Brazil in a World Cup round of 32 football match in Houston.

Football: 2026 World Cup

Football: 2026 World Cup

Japan supporters are pictured during a public viewing in Tokyo in the early hours of June 30, 2026, following a 2-1 loss to Brazil in a World Cup round of 32 football match in Houston.

Football: 2026 World Cup

Football: 2026 World Cup

Japan supporters are pictured during a public viewing in Tokyo in the early hours of June 30, 2026, following a 2-1 loss to Brazil in a World Cup round of 32 football match in Houston.

Football: 2026 World Cup

Football: 2026 World Cup

Japan supporters cheer during a public viewing in Tokyo in the early hours of June 30, 2026, for a World Cup round of 32 football match against Brazil in Houston.

US: Overnight Storm Pounds Evergreen and Kittredge, Colorado

An overnight storm dropped 6 inches of rain in two hours on Thursday, June 25, flooding Evergreen and Kittredge, Colorado, triggering rockslides and causing major damage to homes, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.

US: Severe Storms Flood Philadelphia Streets

Severe storms swept through the Philadelphia region on Monday, June 22, bringing torrential rain, strong winds, and flooding. A FIFA World Cup match between France and Iraq at Lincoln Financial Field was delayed for over two hours at halftime — the first weather-related mid-game delay in World Cup history. No injuries were reported.

US: Woman Killed, Dozens Injured in Semi-Truck Crash on 210 Freeway in California

A semi-truck crashed through the center divider on the 210 Freeway in Irwindale, California, on Saturday, June 20, killing one woman and injuring at least 32 others. All westbound lanes and three eastbound lanes were closed for several hours before reopening.

Football: 2026 World Cup

Football: 2026 World Cup

Japan head coach Hajime Moriyasu (R) poses following the team's 4-0 victory in a World Cup Group F football match against Tunisia at Monterrey Stadium in Guadalupe, Mexico, in the early hours of June 21, 2026.

Football: 2026 World Cup

Football: 2026 World Cup

Japan players huddle following the team' 4-0 victory in a World Cup Group F football match against Tunisia at Monterrey Stadium in Guadalupe, Mexico, in the small hours of June 21, 2026.

Football: 2026 World Cup

Football: 2026 World Cup

Japan's Ayase Ueda celebrates following Samurai Blue's 4-0 victory in a World Cup Group F football match against Tunisia at Monterrey Stadium in Guadalupe, Mexico, in the small hours of June 21, 2026.

Football: 2026 World Cup

Football: 2026 World Cup

Japan players huddle following the team' 4-0 victory in a World Cup Group F football match against Tunisia at Monterrey Stadium in Guadalupe, Mexico, in the small hours of June 21, 2026.

Football: 2026 World Cup

Football: 2026 World Cup

Japan head coach Hajime Moriyasu bows to the crowd following Samurai Blue's 4-0 victory in a World Cup Group F football match against Tunisia at Monterrey Stadium in Guadalupe, Mexico, in the early hours of June 21, 2026.

Football: 2026 World Cup

Football: 2026 World Cup

Japan players huddle following the team' 4-0 victory in a World Cup Group F football match against Tunisia at Monterrey Stadium in Guadalupe, Mexico, in the small hours of June 21, 2026.

Football: 2026 World Cup

Football: 2026 World Cup

Japan players huddle following the team' 4-0 victory in a World Cup Group F football match against Tunisia at Monterrey Stadium in Guadalupe, Mexico, in the small hours of June 21, 2026.

Football: 2026 World Cup

Football: 2026 World Cup

Japan players acknowledge the crowd following Samurai Blue's 4-0 victory in a World Cup Group F football match against Tunisia at Monterrey Stadium in Guadalupe, Mexico, in the early hours of June 21, 2026.

Football: 2026 World Cup

Football: 2026 World Cup

Japan supporters collect trash following Samurai Blue's 4-0 victory in a World Cup Group F football match against Tunisia at Monterrey Stadium in Guadalupe, Mexico, in the early hours of June 21, 2026.

Football: 2026 World Cup

Football: 2026 World Cup

Japan players acknowledge the crowd following the team's 4-0 victory in a World Cup Group F football match against Tunisia at Monterrey Stadium in Guadalupe, Mexico, in the small hours of June 21, 2026.

US: Fans Pack Manhattan Streets Hours Before Knicks’ Championship Parade

New York City celebrated the NBA champion New York Knicks with a ticker-tape parade on Thursday, June 18, to honor the franchise's first championship title in more than 50 years. Massive crowds lined the streets early Thursday morning ahead of the parade.