Germany: 150,000 Protest Far-Right AfD After Election Landslide

About 150,000 demonstrators marched in roughly 20 German cities Saturday, September 12, including Berlin, Hamburg and Munich, protesting the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) after its landslide win in last week's Saxony-Anhalt state election. Organized by the campaign group Pruef, protesters carried signs reading "Ban the AfD now." The AfD took nearly 44% of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt on September 6, far ahead of Chancellor Friedrich Merz's CDU at about 17%, and is now seeking to form Germany's first far-right state government since World War II.

Indonesia: Thick Haze Blankets Road in Palangka Raya

Thick haze blanketed a road in Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan, on Saturday, September 12, reducing visibility for motorists and motorcyclists. The smoke is consistent with land and forest fires that regularly affect the region during Indonesia's dry season.

Germany: Nationwide Emergency Warning Test Sounds Sirens Across Country

Germany held its annual nationwide "Warntag" (Warning Day) on September 10, testing emergency alert systems to simulate responses to major disasters or the consequences of war. At 11 a.m., the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Relief (BBK) triggered sirens nationwide, with warnings also distributed via the Nina and Katwarn apps, radio, television, cell broadcast, and other channels. Sirens sounded twice during the test.

Italy: Rockfall Sends Boulders Crashing Down Alpine Mountainside

A major rockfall occurred Saturday afternoon on the Hintere Schöntaufspitze peak above Sulden, in the South Tyrol region of northern Italy, sending a large mass of rock crashing down the mountainside and producing a dust cloud visible from a distance.

Spain: Cold Front Moves Into Murcia, Bringing Intense Downpour and Flooding

A cold front swept into Spain's Murcia region on Wednesday, September 9, triggering an intense downpour that dumped up to 44mm/h of rain on the El Reguerón-El Palmar area. The storm flooded streets and stranded vehicles across the city, prompting AEMET to issue orange warnings for heavy rain and thunderstorms in several areas.

Asian Games: Basketball

Asian Games: Basketball

Players from Japan and Indonesia compete in a men's basketball game at the Asian Games at Aichi International Arena in Nagoya, central Japan, on Sept. 10, 2026, as competition gets under way ahead of the Sept. 14 opening ceremony.

Asian Games: Basketball

Asian Games: Basketball

Players from Japan and Indonesia compete in a men's basketball game at the Asian Games at Aichi International Arena in Nagoya, central Japan, on Sept. 10, 2026, as competition gets under way ahead of the Sept. 14 opening ceremony.

Asian Games: Basketball

Asian Games: Basketball

Players from Japan and Indonesia compete in a men's basketball game at the Asian Games at Aichi International Arena in Nagoya, central Japan, on Sept. 10, 2026, as competition gets under way ahead of the Sept. 14 opening ceremony.

Asian Games: Basketball

Asian Games: Basketball

Players from Japan and Indonesia compete in a men's basketball game at the Asian Games at Aichi International Arena in Nagoya, central Japan, on Sept. 10, 2026, as competition gets under way ahead of the Sept. 14 opening ceremony.

Asian Games: Basketball

Asian Games: Basketball

Players from Japan and Indonesia compete in a men's basketball game at the Asian Games at Aichi International Arena in Nagoya, central Japan, on Sept. 10, 2026, as competition gets under way ahead of the Sept. 14 opening ceremony.

Asian Games: Basketball

Asian Games: Basketball

Players from Japan and Indonesia compete in a men's basketball game at the Asian Games at Aichi International Arena in Nagoya, central Japan, on Sept. 10, 2026, as competition gets under way ahead of the Sept. 14 opening ceremony.

Asian Games: Basketball

Asian Games: Basketball

Players from Japan and Indonesia compete in a men's basketball game at the Asian Games at Aichi International Arena in Nagoya, central Japan, on Sept. 10, 2026, as competition gets under way ahead of the Sept. 14 opening ceremony.

Colombia: Severe Thunderstorm Batters Bucaramanga

A powerful storm with heavy rain and hail struck Bucaramanga, Colombia, on Thursday, September 10, forcing organizers to suspend the "BucaraRock" music event for several hours.

Australia: Joint Flyover Honors 9/11 Victims at Historic NFL Game

Australian and U.S. military forces marked the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks with a joint flyover at the NFL's first-ever regular-season game in Australia. The Royal Australian Air Force's Roulettes flew in mixed formation with U.S. Marine Corps Ospreys over the Melbourne Cricket Ground, accompanied by an ADF Flag Party and USMC Color Guard, as thousands of fans packed the venue for the 49ers-Rams matchup.

Italy: Massive Waterspout Spins in Gulf of Tigullio Near Rapallo 2

A large waterspout formed in the Gulf of Tigullio, off Italy's northwestern Liguria region, around 11 a.m. on Thursday, September 10. The vortex passed close to a tourist boat but dissolved before reaching land, and no significant injuries were reported.

Japanese winner of U.S. Lasker Award

TSUKUBA, Japan, Sept. 11 Kyodo - Japanese sleep scientist Masashi Yanagisawa, a professor at the University of Tsukuba, attends a press conference at the university in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, on Sept. 10, 2026, after receiving the Lasker Award for basic medical research for identifying orexin and linking its deficiency to narcolepsy. (Kyodo)

Japan Crown Princess Kiko's 60th birthday

Japan Crown Princess Kiko's 60th birthday

Japanese Crown Princess Kiko arrives at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Sept. 11, 2026, her 60th birthday, to meet Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako.

Japan's Crown Prince Fumihito return from Norway

Japan's Crown Prince Fumihito return from Norway

Japan's Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko are pictured at Tokyo's Haneda airport on Sept. 10, 2026, upon their return from their trip to Norway to attend the funeral of King Harald V. (Pool photo)

Japan's Crown Prince Fumihito return from Norway

Japan's Crown Prince Fumihito return from Norway

Japan's Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko are pictured at Tokyo's Haneda airport on Sept. 10, 2026, upon their return from their trip to Norway to attend the funeral of King Harald V. (Pool photo)

Japan's Crown Prince Fumihito return from Norway

Japan's Crown Prince Fumihito return from Norway

Japan's Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko get off a plane at Tokyo's Haneda airport on Sept. 10, 2026, as they return from their trip to Norway to attend the funeral of King Harald V.

Japan's Crown Prince Fumihito return from Norway

Japan's Crown Prince Fumihito return from Norway

Japan's Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko get off a plane at Tokyo's Haneda airport on Sept. 10, 2026, as they return from their trip to Norway to attend the funeral of King Harald V.

Japan emperor, empress visit exhibition on Rembrandt

Japan emperor, empress visit exhibition on Rembrandt

Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako look at an artwork at an exhibition titled "Rembrandt the Etcher: His Challenges and His Impact" at the National Museum of Western Art in Tokyo on Sept. 10, 2026. (Pool Photo)

Japan emperor, empress visit exhibition on Rembrandt

Japan emperor, empress visit exhibition on Rembrandt

Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako look at an artwork at an exhibition titled "Rembrandt the Etcher: His Challenges and His Impact" at the National Museum of Western Art in Tokyo on Sept. 10, 2026. (Pool Photo)

Japan emperor, empress visit exhibition on Rembrandt

Japan emperor, empress visit exhibition on Rembrandt

Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako look at an artwork at an exhibition titled "Rembrandt the Etcher: His Challenges and His Impact" at the National Museum of Western Art in Tokyo on Sept. 10, 2026. (Pool Photo)

China: Dark Waterspout Forms Beneath Clouds In Shandong

A dark waterspout formed beneath clouds in Weihai, Shandong, on September 6, 2026, and was captured on camera using a 60x zoom lens.

Japanese winners of U.S. Lasker Award

Japanese winners of U.S. Lasker Award

Composite photo shows Japanese Lasker Award winners (from L) Takehisa Kitazawa, Kunihiro Hattori and Tomoyuki Igawa of Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., and Masashi Yanagisawa, a professor at the University of Tsukuba. The Chugai researchers received the clinical medical research award for developing a hemophilia treatment, while Yanagisawa won the basic medical research award for identifying orexin and linking its deficiency to narcolepsy.

Japanese winner of U.S. Lasker Award

Japanese winner of U.S. Lasker Award

Japanese sleep scientist Masashi Yanagisawa, a professor at the University of Tsukuba, attends a press conference at the university in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, on Sept. 10, 2026, after receiving the Lasker Award for basic medical research for identifying orexin and linking its deficiency to narcolepsy.

Japanese winner of U.S. Lasker Award

Japanese winner of U.S. Lasker Award

Japanese sleep scientist Masashi Yanagisawa, a professor at the University of Tsukuba, gives a lecture on his research at the university in Tsukuba in Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, on Sept. 10, 2026, after receiving the Lasker Award for basic medical research for identifying orexin and linking orexin deficiency to narcolepsy.

Japanese winner of U.S. Lasker Award

Japanese winner of U.S. Lasker Award

Japanese sleep scientist Masashi Yanagisawa, a professor at the University of Tsukuba, attends a press conference at the university in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, on Sept. 10, 2026, after receiving the Lasker Award for basic medical research for identifying orexin and linking its deficiency to narcolepsy.

15 and half years after Great East Japan Earthquake

15 and half years after Great East Japan Earthquake

Police officers search on Sept. 11, 2026, on the coast of Tomioka, Fukushima Prefecture, for clues about the fate of people still listed as missing since the 2011 earthquake-tsunami disaster in northeastern Japan. The search was carried out to commemorate exactly 15 and a half years since the Great East Japan Earthquake.

Colombia: Fallen Tree Snarls Traffic as Severe Thunderstorm Batters Bucaramanga

A powerful storm with heavy rain and hail struck Bucaramanga, Colombia, on Thursday, September 10, forcing organizers to suspend the "BucaraRock" music event for several hours. A fallen tree blocked lanes on the Bucaramanga-Girón highway, causing major traffic jams, and roughly an hour of heavy rain flooded several roads, mostly in the city's southern area.

15 and half years after Great East Japan Earthquake

15 and half years after Great East Japan Earthquake

Police officers offer prayers on Sept. 11, 2026, following search operations on the coast of Tomioka, Fukushima Prefecture, for clues about the fate of people still listed as missing due to the 2011 earthquake-tsunami disaster in northeastern Japan. The search was carried out to commemorate exactly 15 and a half years since the Great East Japan Earthquake.

15 and half years after Great East Japan Earthquake

15 and half years after Great East Japan Earthquake

Police officers search on Sept. 11, 2026, on the coast of Tomioka, Fukushima Prefecture, for clues about the fate of people still listed as missing since the 2011 earthquake-tsunami disaster in northeastern Japan. The search was carried out to commemorate exactly 15 and a half years since the Great East Japan Earthquake.

15 and half years after Great East Japan Earthquake

15 and half years after Great East Japan Earthquake

Police officers search on Sept. 11, 2026, on the coast of Tomioka, Fukushima Prefecture, for clues about the fate of people still listed as missing since the 2011 earthquake-tsunami disaster in northeastern Japan. The search was carried out to commemorate exactly 15 and a half years since the Great East Japan Earthquake.

15 and half years after Great East Japan Earthquake

15 and half years after Great East Japan Earthquake

Police officers search on Sept. 11, 2026, on the coast of Tomioka, Fukushima Prefecture, for clues about the fate of people still listed as missing since the 2011 earthquake-tsunami disaster in northeastern Japan. The search was carried out to commemorate exactly 15 and a half years since the Great East Japan Earthquake.

15 and half years after Great East Japan Earthquake

15 and half years after Great East Japan Earthquake

Police officers search on Sept. 11, 2026, on the coast of Tomioka, Fukushima Prefecture, for clues about the fate of people still listed as missing since the 2011 earthquake-tsunami disaster in northeastern Japan. The search was carried out to commemorate exactly 15 and a half years since the Great East Japan Earthquake.

Norwegian mackerel

Norwegian mackerel

Customs officers and Norwegian government officials pose for photos during an event marking the arrival of unfrozen Norwegian wild mackerel at Tokyo's Haneda airport on Sept. 11, 2026, on a Japan Airlines flight. The fish, brand named "Saba Nouveau" for its fat content of about 30 percent with each fish weighing 500 grams or more, will be delivered to sales outlets in Japan.

Norwegian mackerel

Norwegian mackerel

Customs officers and Norwegian government officials pose for photos during an event marking the arrival of unfrozen Norwegian wild mackerel at Tokyo's Haneda airport on Sept. 11, 2026, on a Japan Airlines flight. The fish, brand named "Saba Nouveau" for its fat content of about 30 percent with each fish weighing 500 grams or more, will be delivered to sales outlets in Japan.

Italy: Massive Waterspout Spins in Gulf of Tigullio Near Rapallo

A large waterspout formed in the Gulf of Tigullio, off Italy's northwestern Liguria region, around 11 a.m. on Thursday, September 10. The vortex passed close to a tourist boat but dissolved before reaching land, and no significant injuries were reported.

Spain: Leftists and Far-Right Clash in Barcelona Ahead of Catalonia’s National Day

Left-wing pro-independence and anti-fascist demonstrators rallied outside Barcelona's Fossar de les Moreres on Thursday, September 10, opposing a gathering by the far-right party Aliança Catalana on the eve of Catalonia's National Day. Police separated the two groups, and several people were arrested amid the clashes.

US: Arrests Made at Anti-Trump Protest During GOP Convention in Dallas

At least two people were arrested during a protest in Dallas, Texas, on Thursday, September 10, as demonstrators marched against the Trump administration's immigration policies and ICE enforcement actions during the Republican Party's midterm national convention.

Spain: Powerful Storms Sweep Through Parts of Catalonia

Powerful storms swept through Catalonia, including Barcelona and Girona provinces, on Wednesday, September 9. Red alerts for heavy rain were issued, and the storms caused fallen trees and localized flooding in Garrotxa, Berguedà, Ripollès and Lluçanès.

Slovenia: Thousands Protest Israeli Embassy Opening in Ljubljana 2

Thousands of protesters marched through Ljubljana as Israel opened a new embassy in the city, accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza and demanding the embassy's closure. The demonstration, organized by the group Iskra, drew an estimated 5,000 people, and coincided with a visit by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sar.

Japanese winners of U.S. Lasker Award

TOKYO, Japan, Sept. 10 Kyodo - Japanese researchers Takehisa Kitazawa, Kunihiro Hattori and Tomoyuki Igawa of Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. attend a press conference in Tokyo on Sept. 10, 2026, after receiving the Lasker Award for clinical medical research for their contributions to the development of a treatment for hemophilia. (Kyodo)

Baseball: Reds vs. Dodgers

Baseball: Reds vs. Dodgers

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani (R) and Roki Sasaki watch a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds from the dugout at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Sept. 9, 2026. Ohtani is headed to the injured list with multiple injuries after being left out of the lineup that day for the sixth time in the past seven games.

Baseball: Reds vs. Dodgers

Baseball: Reds vs. Dodgers

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani (R) and Roki Sasaki watch from a dugout a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Sept. 9, 2026. Ohtani is headed to the injured list with multiple injuries after being left out of the lineup that day for the sixth time in the past seven games.

Baseball: Reds vs. Dodgers

Baseball: Reds vs. Dodgers

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani (R) and Roki Sasaki watch from a dugout a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Sept. 9, 2026. Ohtani is headed to the injured list with multiple injuries after being left out of the lineup that day for the sixth time in the past seven games.

Japanese ocean adventurer Kenichi Horie

NISHINOMIYA, Japan, Sept. 9 Kyodo - Japanese ocean adventurer Kenichi Horie smiles as he meets the press in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture, on Sept. 8, 2026. Horie, 88, said he plans to sail solo and nonstop across the Pacific Ocean on a yacht next spring, in an attempt to break the world record he set four years earlier for the oldest person to accomplish the feat. (Kyodo)

US: Hurricane Lowell Leaves Damage in Kauai 2

Hurricane Lowell battered Kauai unleashing 92mph winds that downed power lines and uprooted trees across the island, while surging surf flooded oceanfront homes and hotels along the south shore.

China: Workers Caught Off Guard as Doors and Windows Collapse During Unloading

Two workers in Fuyang, Anhui, were unloading a stack of doors and windows when the materials suddenly shifted and collapsed on top of one of them. The incident occurred on July 31, 2026. One worker was pinned beneath the fallen frames while the other narrowly avoided being trapped. The uninjured worker immediately began lifting the fallen materials by hand to free his colleague.