81st A-bomb anniversary in Nagasaki

81st A-bomb anniversary in Nagasaki

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (2nd from R) observes a moment of silence during a memorial ceremony at Peace Park in Nagasaki at 11:02 a.m. on Aug. 9, 2026, the exact time when a U.S. atomic bomb was dropped on the southwestern Japan city 81 years earlier in World War II.

Japan PM meets with Tokyo governor

Japan PM meets with Tokyo governor

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (R) shakes hands with Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike at the premier's office in Tokyo on Aug. 7, 2026. Koike told the press afterward that she called for the central government to address the capital's expected tax revenue fall following the planned cut to 1 percent from the current 8 percent in the consumption tax on food and beverages for two years starting in April 2027.

Japan PM meets with Tokyo governor

Japan PM meets with Tokyo governor

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (R) shakes hands with Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike at the premier's office in Tokyo on Aug. 7, 2026. Koike told the press afterward that she called for the central government to address the capital's expected tax revenue fall following the planned cut to 1 percent from the current 8 percent in the consumption tax on food and beverages for two years starting in April 2027.

Japan PM meets with Tokyo governor

Japan PM meets with Tokyo governor

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (R) shakes hands with Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike at the premier's office in Tokyo on Aug. 7, 2026. Koike told the press afterward that she called for the central government to address the capital's expected tax revenue fall following the planned cut to 1 percent from the current 8 percent in the consumption tax on food and beverages for two years starting in April 2027.

81st anniversary of U.S. atomic bombing of Hiroshima

81st anniversary of U.S. atomic bombing of Hiroshima

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi observes a moment of silence at the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima at 8:15 a.m. on Aug. 6, 2026, the exact time of the U.S. atomic bombing of the western Japan city 81 years earlier, during a ceremony marking the anniversary.

81st anniversary of U.S. atomic bombing of Hiroshima

81st anniversary of U.S. atomic bombing of Hiroshima

People observe a moment of silence at the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima at 8:15 a.m. on Aug. 6, 2026, the exact time of the U.S. atomic bombing of the western Japan city 81 years earlier, during a ceremony marking the anniversary.

81st anniversary of U.S. atomic bombing of Hiroshima

81st anniversary of U.S. atomic bombing of Hiroshima

People observe a moment of silence at the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima at 8:15 a.m. on Aug. 6, 2026, the exact time of the U.S. atomic bombing of the western Japan city 81 years ago, with the World Heritage-listed Atomic Bomb Dome in the background.

Japan: Performers Balance Towering Lanterns at Akita Kanto Festival

The Akita Kanto Festival, one of the three major festivals in Japan's Tohoku region with roughly 270 years of history, opened Sunday, August 2, in central Akita City and runs through August 6. This year's event features 67 groups—38 neighborhood teams and 29 school and workplace teams—swaying 273 lantern-laden bamboo poles through the night sky in a prayer for a bountiful harvest, the poles representing rice stalks. The largest of the poles measure up to 12 meters long and weigh 50 kilograms, balanced skillfully by performers on their foreheads, palms, and other parts of the body.

Japan Cabinet endorses 2-year consumption tax cut on food

Japan Cabinet endorses 2-year consumption tax cut on food

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks to reporters at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on Aug. 5, 2026. The Cabinet approved a plan to cut the consumption tax rate on food and beverages to 1 percent from the current 8 percent for two years starting in April 2027.

Japan Cabinet endorses 2-year consumption tax cut on food

Japan Cabinet endorses 2-year consumption tax cut on food

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks to reporters at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on Aug. 5, 2026. The Cabinet approved a plan to cut the consumption tax rate on food and beverages to 1 percent from the current 8 percent for two years starting in April 2027.

Japan Cabinet endorses 2-year consumption tax cut on food

Japan Cabinet endorses 2-year consumption tax cut on food

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks to reporters at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on Aug. 5, 2026. The Cabinet approved a plan to cut the consumption tax rate on food and beverages to 1 percent from the current 8 percent for two years starting in April 2027.

Japan Cabinet endorses 2-year consumption tax cut on food

Japan Cabinet endorses 2-year consumption tax cut on food

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks to reporters at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on Aug. 5, 2026. The Cabinet approved a plan to cut the consumption tax rate on food and beverages to 1 percent from the current 8 percent for two years starting in April 2027.

Japan Cabinet endorses 2-year consumption tax cut on food

Japan Cabinet endorses 2-year consumption tax cut on food

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks to reporters at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on Aug. 5, 2026. The Cabinet approved a plan to cut the consumption tax rate on food and beverages to 1 percent from the current 8 percent for two years starting in April 2027.

Japan Cabinet endorses 2-year consumption tax cut on food

Japan Cabinet endorses 2-year consumption tax cut on food

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks to reporters at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on Aug. 5, 2026. The Cabinet approved a plan to cut the consumption tax rate on food and beverages to 1 percent from the current 8 percent for two years starting in April 2027.

Japan Cabinet endorses 2-year consumption tax cut on food

Japan Cabinet endorses 2-year consumption tax cut on food

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks to reporters at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on Aug. 5, 2026. The Cabinet approved a plan to cut the consumption tax rate on food and beverages to 1 percent from the current 8 percent for two years starting in April 2027.

Japan Cabinet endorses 2-year consumption tax cut on food

Japan Cabinet endorses 2-year consumption tax cut on food

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks to reporters at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on Aug. 5, 2026. The Cabinet approved a plan to cut the consumption tax rate on food and beverages to 1 percent from the current 8 percent for two years starting in April 2027.

Japan Cabinet endorses 2-year consumption tax cut on food

Japan Cabinet endorses 2-year consumption tax cut on food

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is pictured ahead of an extraordinary Cabinet meeting at the premier's office in Tokyo on Aug. 5, 2026. The Cabinet approved a plan to cut the consumption tax rate on food and beverages to 1 percent from the current 8 percent for two years starting in April 2027.

Japan Cabinet endorses 2-year consumption tax cut on food

Japan Cabinet endorses 2-year consumption tax cut on food

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is pictured ahead of an extraordinary Cabinet meeting at the premier's office in Tokyo on Aug. 5, 2026. The Cabinet approved a plan to cut the consumption tax rate on food and beverages to 1 percent from the current 8 percent for two years starting in April 2027.

Japan Cabinet endorses 2-year consumption tax cut on food

Japan Cabinet endorses 2-year consumption tax cut on food

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is pictured ahead of an extraordinary Cabinet meeting at the premier's office in Tokyo on Aug. 5, 2026. The Cabinet approved a plan to cut the consumption tax rate on food and beverages to 1 percent from the current 8 percent for two years starting in April 2027.

Japan Cabinet endorses 2-year consumption tax cut on food

Japan Cabinet endorses 2-year consumption tax cut on food

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (C) and her ministers are pictured ahead of an extraordinary Cabinet meeting at the premier's office in Tokyo on Aug. 5, 2026. The Cabinet approved a plan to cut the consumption tax rate on food and beverages to 1 percent from the current 8 percent for two years starting in April 2027.

Nissan logs 1st net profit in 2 yrs in April-June

Nissan logs 1st net profit in 2 yrs in April-June

Nissan Motor Co. President and CEO Ivan Espinosa speaks at a press conference in Yokohama near Tokyo on Aug. 3, 2026. Nissan returned to profitability for the first time in two years, posting a net profit of 3.76 billion yen in the April-June quarter with restructuring measures.

Italy: M4.7 Earthquake Triggers Intense Rockfalls in Pozzuoli 3

A magnitude 4.7 earthquake struck the Campi Flegrei region of Italy on Friday, July 31, which was the strongest to hit the region in 40 years, leaving at least 21 people injured. In Pozzuoli, rockfalls, building collapses, and power outages were reported.

Italy: M4.7 Earthquake Triggers Intense Rockfalls in Pozzuoli

A magnitude 4.7 earthquake struck the Campi Flegrei region of Italy on Friday, July 31, which was the strongest to hit the region in 40 years, leaving at least 21 people injured. In Pozzuoli, rockfalls, building collapses, and power outages were reported.

Princess Aiko visits Ise Jingu shrine

Princess Aiko visits Ise Jingu shrine

Japanese Princess Aiko (C) joins others in pulling a rope to move a sacred tree trunk during a visit to Ise Jingu shrine in Ise, Mie Prefecture, central Japan, on Aug. 2, 2026, as part of the rites for the "Shikinen Sengu" shrine building reconstruction, conducted every 20 years. (Pool photo)

Princess Aiko visits Ise Jingu shrine

Princess Aiko visits Ise Jingu shrine

Japanese Princess Aiko (C) joins others in pulling a rope to move a sacred tree trunk during a visit to Ise Jingu shrine in Ise, Mie Prefecture, central Japan, on Aug. 2, 2026, as part of the rites for the "Shikinen Sengu" shrine building reconstruction, conducted every 20 years. (Pool photo)

Princess Aiko visits Ise Jingu shrine

Princess Aiko visits Ise Jingu shrine

Japanese Princess Aiko (C) joins others in pulling a rope to move a sacred tree trunk during a visit to Ise Jingu shrine in Ise, Mie Prefecture, central Japan, on Aug. 2, 2026, as part of the rites for the "Shikinen Sengu" shrine building reconstruction, conducted every 20 years. (Pool photo)

Princess Aiko visits Ise Jingu shrine

Princess Aiko visits Ise Jingu shrine

Japanese Princess Aiko (C) joins others in pulling a rope to move a sacred tree trunk during a visit to Ise Jingu shrine in Ise, Mie Prefecture, central Japan, on Aug. 2, 2026, as part of the rites for the "Shikinen Sengu" shrine building reconstruction, conducted every 20 years. (Pool photo)

Lake-jumping religious ritual

Lake-jumping religious ritual

A Buddhist monk jumps into Lake Biwa from a height of about 7 meters in the Shiga Prefecture city of Omihachiman, western Japan, on Aug. 1, 2026, as he completes 100 days of ascetic mountain training. The traditional ritual at Isaki-ji temple dates back nearly 1,000 years.

Lake-jumping religious ritual

Lake-jumping religious ritual

A Buddhist monk jumps into Lake Biwa from a height of about 7 meters in the Shiga Prefecture city of Omihachiman, western Japan, on Aug. 1, 2026, as he completes 100 days of ascetic mountain training. The traditional ritual at Isaki-ji temple dates back nearly 1,000 years.

Princess Aiko visits Mie Pref.

Princess Aiko visits Mie Pref.

Japanese Princess Aiko visits a lumbermill in Ise in Mie Prefecture, central Japan, on Aug. 1, 2026. The princess will visit Ise Jingu shrine the following day to watch a rite for the "Shikinen Sengu" shrine building reconstruction, which is conducted every 20 years. The rite will be performed using trees processed at the workshop. (Pool photo)

Japan to cut consumption tax on food to 1% from April 2027

Japan to cut consumption tax on food to 1% from April 2027

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, during a press conference in Tokyo on July 30, 2026, explains the government's plan to cut the consumption tax rate on food and beverages to 1 percent from the current 8 percent for two years starting in April 2027.

Japan to cut consumption tax on food to 1% from April 2027

Japan to cut consumption tax on food to 1% from April 2027

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, during a press conference in Tokyo on July 30, 2026, explains the government's plan to cut the consumption tax rate on food and beverages to 1 percent from the current 8 percent for two years starting in April 2027.

Japan to cut consumption tax on food to 1% from April 2027

Japan to cut consumption tax on food to 1% from April 2027

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, during a press conference in Tokyo on July 30, 2026, explains the government's plan to cut the consumption tax rate on food and beverages to 1 percent from the current 8 percent for two years starting in April 2027.

Japan to cut consumption tax on food to 1% from April 2027

Japan to cut consumption tax on food to 1% from April 2027

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, during a press conference in Tokyo on July 30, 2026, explains the government's plan to cut the consumption tax rate on food and beverages to 1 percent from the current 8 percent for two years starting in April 2027.

Japan to cut consumption tax on food to 1% from April 2027

Japan to cut consumption tax on food to 1% from April 2027

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, during a press conference in Tokyo on July 30, 2026, explains the government's plan to cut the consumption tax rate on food and beverages to 1 percent from the current 8 percent for two years starting in April 2027.

Japan to cut consumption tax on food to 1% from April 2027

Japan to cut consumption tax on food to 1% from April 2027

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, during a press conference in Tokyo on July 30, 2026, explains the government's plan to cut the consumption tax rate on food and beverages to 1 percent from the current 8 percent for two years starting in April 2027.

Japan to cut consumption tax on food to 1% from April 2027

Japan to cut consumption tax on food to 1% from April 2027

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, during a press conference in Tokyo on July 30, 2026, explains the government's plan to cut the consumption tax rate on food and beverages to 1 percent from the current 8 percent for two years starting in April 2027.

Japan to cut consumption tax on food to 1% from April 2027

Japan to cut consumption tax on food to 1% from April 2027

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, during a press conference in Tokyo on July 30, 2026, explains the government's plan to cut the consumption tax rate on food and beverages to 1 percent from the current 8 percent for two years starting in April 2027.

Sacred rope replacement at Izumo Taisha shrine

Sacred rope replacement at Izumo Taisha shrine

Work to replace the "shimenawa" sacred straw rope hanging at the Kagura-den hall at Izumo Taisha shrine in Izumo in Shimane Prefecture, western Japan, is underway on July 21, 2026, for the first time in eight years.

Sacred rope replacement at Izumo Taisha shrine

Sacred rope replacement at Izumo Taisha shrine

Work to replace the "shimenawa" sacred straw rope hanging at the Kagura-den hall at Izumo Taisha shrine in Izumo in Shimane Prefecture, western Japan, is underway on July 21, 2026, for the first time in eight years.

Sacred rope replacement at Izumo Taisha shrine

Sacred rope replacement at Izumo Taisha shrine

Work to replace the "shimenawa" sacred straw rope hanging at the Kagura-den hall at Izumo Taisha shrine in Izumo in Shimane Prefecture, western Japan, is underway on July 21, 2026, for the first time in eight years.

Chile: Deadly Storm Pounds Valparaiso, Cuts Power to 400,000 Homes

A powerful storm system battered central Chile, killing four people and prompting Valparaíso to declare a red alert as rainfall exceeded 140 millimeters in under two days and winds reached up to 160 kilometers per hour. The storm, described by Chile's meteorological service as one of the most intense in recent years, affected 10 of the country's 16 regions, cutting power to more than 400,000 homes and forcing evacuations of entire neighborhoods near rivers such as the Marga Marga and Quilpué amid fears of flooding.

Pallas's cat kittens in Kobe

Pallas's cat kittens in Kobe

Kittens born to a Pallas's cat, widely considered to be the world's oldest living feline species dating back some 6 million years, are shown to the press on July 16, 2026, for the first time since their birth on May 12 at Kobe Animal Kingdom in Kobe, western Japan. The litter of five are set to make their public debut on July 21.

Pallas's cat kittens in Kobe

Pallas's cat kittens in Kobe

Kittens born to a Pallas's cat, widely considered to be the world's oldest living feline species dating back some 6 million years, are shown to the press on July 16, 2026, for the first time since their birth on May 12 at Kobe Animal Kingdom in Kobe, western Japan. The litter of five are set to make their public debut on July 21.

Pallas's cat kittens in Kobe

Pallas's cat kittens in Kobe

Kittens born to a Pallas's cat, widely considered to be the world's oldest living feline species dating back some 6 million years, are shown to the press on July 16, 2026, for the first time since their birth on May 12 at Kobe Animal Kingdom in Kobe, western Japan. The litter of five are set to make their public debut on July 21.

Pallas's cat kittens in Kobe

Pallas's cat kittens in Kobe

Kittens born to a Pallas's cat, widely considered to be the world's oldest living feline species dating back some 6 million years, are shown to the press on July 16, 2026, for the first time since their birth on May 12 at Kobe Animal Kingdom in Kobe, western Japan. The litter of five are set to make their public debut on July 21.

Ancient lotus flowers in eastern Japan

Ancient lotus flowers in eastern Japan

Lotus flowers, known as "ancient lotus" because they are believed to have retained their shape and appearance for 1,400-3,000 years, are in full bloom at a park in Gyoda in Saitama Prefecture, eastern Japan, on July 11, 2026.

Ancient lotus flowers in eastern Japan

Ancient lotus flowers in eastern Japan

Lotus flowers, known as "ancient lotus" because they are believed to have retained their shape and appearance for 1,400-3,000 years, are in full bloom at a park in Gyoda in Saitama Prefecture, eastern Japan, on July 11, 2026.

Ancient lotus flowers in eastern Japan

Ancient lotus flowers in eastern Japan

Lotus flowers, known as "ancient lotus" because they are believed to have retained their shape and appearance for 1,400-3,000 years, are in full bloom at a park in Gyoda in Saitama Prefecture, eastern Japan, on July 11, 2026.

China: Ducks Filmed Spinning in Circles at Farm in Hunan

Footage from a duck farm in Huaihua, Hunan, showed a large flock of ducks spinning in tight, synchronized circles inside a barn. The farmer, who said he had never seen such behavior in his years raising poultry, asked online viewers for an explanation. He later confirmed the ducks had returned to normal.