Australia: Altocumulus Clouds Appear Over Brisbane, Signaling Weather Shift

Queensland braces for a cold, rainy start to August, with maximum temperatures dropping up to 10 degrees below average. Altocumulus clouds, commonly known as "mackerel skies," were seen over Brisbane. These wave-like cloud patterns often signal changing weather or approaching atmospheric instability.

US: Severe Thunderstorm Brings Damaging Hailstorm to Central Texas

A severe thunderstorm swept through Central Texas on Thursday, May 22, bringing hail that caused widespread damage across multiple counties.

Abductees' kin lobby U.S. on abduction issue

Abductees' kin lobby U.S. on abduction issue

TOKYO, Aug. 21 Kyodo - Shigeru Yokota (L), the father of Megumi Yokota who was abducted in 1977 at age 13 to North Korea, shakes hands with Richard Christenson, deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, prior to their meeting Aug. 21. Yokota urged Christenson to press Pyongyang to resolve the abduction issue at upcoming six-nation talks on the North's nuclear arms program in Beijing.

Kamei meets with Christenson

Kamei meets with Christenson

TOKYO, Japan - Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Yoshiyuki Kamei (L) invites Richard Christenson, deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Japan, to take his seat for talks at his ministry on Aug. 15. Kamei later said he intends to visit the United States at the end of August or early September for talks on World Trade Organization (WTO) farm trade negotiations.

Terrorist attacks on U.S. remembered.

Terrorist attacks on U.S. remembered.

TOKYO, Japan - Richard Christenson, deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, speaks at a ceremony held Dec. 11, three months after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.

Abductees' kin lobby U.S. on abduction issue

Abductees' kin lobby U.S. on abduction issue

TOKYO, Aug. 21 Kyodo - Shigeru Yokota (L), the father of Megumi Yokota who was abducted in 1977 at age 13 to North Korea, shakes hands with Richard Christenson, deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, prior to their meeting Aug. 21. Yokota urged Christenson to press Pyongyang to resolve the abduction issue at upcoming six-nation talks on the North's nuclear arms program in Beijing. (Kyodo)

Kamei meets with Christenson

Kamei meets with Christenson

TOKYO, Japan - Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Yoshiyuki Kamei (L) invites Richard Christenson, deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Japan, to take his seat for talks at his ministry on Aug. 15. Kamei later said he intends to visit the United States at the end of August or early September for talks on World Trade Organization (WTO) farm trade negotiations. (Kyodo)

Kamei meets with Christenson

Kamei meets with Christenson

TOKYO, Japan - Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Yoshiyuki Kamei (L) invites Richard Christenson, deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Japan, to take his seat for talks at his ministry on Aug. 15. Kamei later said he intends to visit the United States at the end of August or early September for talks on World Trade Organization (WTO) farm trade negotiations. (Kyodo)