The Virginia Lens — Main — Sunday, August 23, 2026

Evening Edition Sunday August 23, 2026 Aug 23, 2026 54 articles

Associated Press

Carney warned about economic coercion. Now Trump is testing the Canadian prime minister

By Rob Gillies · August 23, 2026

TORONTO (AP) — Mark Carney drew international attention as Canada’s prime minister by warning that middle powers must resist economic coercion by more powerful countries. Now President Donald Trump is putting that warning to the test with sweeping new tariffs that could show how much economic pain Canada can absorb.

Tensions escalated late Friday when Canada walked away from negotiations after Carney concluded the United States was demanding too much in exchange for tariff relief. The U.S. imposed 50% duties Saturday on about $20 billion worth of Canadian goods, and Carney announced dollar-for-dollar retaliation beginning Sept. 8.

“We’re going to hit back,” Carney said.

Continue reading →

Associated Press

Pete Buttigieg returns to South Carolina as he weighs another White House run

By Joey Cappelletti, Meg Kinnard · August 23, 2026

ORANGEBURG, S.C. (AP) — The last time Pete Buttigieg was giving a political speech in South Carolina, it was to mark a distant finish in the state’s primary that effectively ended his campaign for president.

Returning this weekend as he mulls a second run for the White House, Buttigieg set out to reintroduce himself to the state and the Black voters he struggled to win in 2020. The results were encouraging.

Associated Press

Tropical Storm Moke carrying more rain toward hurricane-damaged Hawaii

August 23, 2026

HONOLULU (AP) — Tropical Storm Moke was swirling past Hawaii on Sunday, close enough to dump heavy rain on Big Island communities in the aftermath of Hurricane Lala.

Associated Press

As the Clancy case highlights postpartum psychosis, a mom stricken by it shares her story of hope

By Laura Ungar · August 23, 2026

About two weeks after giving birth, Bridget María Chesterton was curled up on the bathroom floor, saying things that made little sense. Later, in the emergency room, she kept repeating, “What’s going on?” She’d lost touch with reality.

Associated Press

Wildfire approaches Reno, Nevada, forcing thousands to evacuate their neighborhoods

August 23, 2026

RENO, Nevada (AP) — The fast-growing Hawk Fire spread from the Sierra foothills toward the center of Reno early Sunday, growing to more than 10,500 acres. Nearly 14,000 homes were ordered evacuated, and the “G0 NOW” zone reached the edge of the University of Nevada campus.

NPR

Trump administration's 75-country visa ban was illegal, judge rules

By Michael Copley · August 22, 2026

A federal judge has struck down a Trump administration ban on issuing immigrant visas to people from 75 countries, saying the policy violated federal immigration law by discriminating on the basis of nationality.

Associated Press

A trade war between Canada and the US further ruptures a once-close and durable alliance

By Rob Gillies · August 22, 2026

TORONTO (AP) — For decades, Canada built much of its prosperity on privileged access to the United States. Now, after the collapse of trade talks, one of the world’s closest and most durable alliances has been fundamentally altered, with both countries facing the risk of a full-scale trade war.

Prime Minister Mark Carney acknowledged the break after last-ditch negotiations failed Friday, saying Canada had recognized that “America has changed” and that the countries would “not return to our old relationship.”

Associated Press

Trump will kick off the IndyCar race in the Beast before cars zoom through Washington's streets

By Michelle L. Price · August 23, 2026

WASHINGTON (AP) — For once, things will be moving quickly in bureaucratic Washington, D.C., when the nation’s capital hosts an IndyCar race through its streets.

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump are scheduled to watch Sunday’s Freedom 250 Grand Prix as the cars whip through the city’s downtown, including a stretch along Pennsylvania Avenue not too far from the White House.

Christian Science Monitor

US-Canada trade talks collapse, setting off new round of tariffs

By Paul WisemanRob Gillies · August 22, 2026

Canada will impose retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods beginning Sept. 8, targeting steel, dairy, appliances, agricultural equipment, paper, and electronics.

The United States imposed 50% tariffs on $20 billion worth of Canadian products early Saturday, and Canada said it would retaliate beginning Sept. 8 after last-ditch negotiations failed to resolve the latest strain in relations between the historic allies.

Associated Press

Federal judge vacates Trump policy that suspended processing of immigration visas from 75 countries

By Michael Casey · August 22, 2026

A federal judge in New York has vacated a Trump administration policy that suspended the processing of visas from 75 countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, Russia and Somalia, whose nationals the Trump administration deemed likely to require public assistance in the United States.

U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas, an appointee of former President Joe Biden, set aside the policy Friday as “contrary to law and in excess of statutory authority.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio exceeded his authority by issuing the policy, which “runs afoul” of the Immigration and Nationality Act by mandating “the refusal of visas to eligible applicants without any basis in law,” the judge ruled.

Associated Press

Texas judge denies Karmelo Anthony's request for new trial in deadly stabbing at track meet

By Jamie Stengle · August 22, 2026

DALLAS (AP) — A Texas judge denied a new trial for Karmelo Anthony on Saturday in the stabbing death of a 17-year-old athlete at a high school track meet, a killing that drew national attention and led to harassment of the families.

Anthony, 19, was convicted of murder in June and sentenced to 35 years in prison for the April 2025 killing of Austin Metcalf.

NPR

Opinion: Mr. Rogers keeps finding a new neighborhood

By Scott Simon · August 22, 2026

It's been a full and frenetic few weeks for Jake Rogers, a catcher for the — well, who knows by the time we're off the air today? Mr. Rogers recently changed his neighborhood — and his teams — four times in 21 days. That's a major league record, though perhaps not the kind a player seeks.

He told Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic, "it's been…a whirlwind, to say the least."

Associated Press

Inside Trump's remake of the White House Rose Garden. First a stone patio, then statues

By Darlene Superville · August 22, 2026

WASHINGTON (AP) — Instead of adding new roses, President Donald Trump’s White House Rose Garden is growing statues.

Trump put statues of some of America’s founders in the garden just off the Oval Office after he replaced its plush lawn with a white stone patio, turning the historic outdoor space into a look-alike of the one at his Mar-a-Lago home and private club in Palm Beach, Florida.

Associated Press

Trump's trade war with Canada: A timeline of how we got here

By Wyatte Grantham-Philips · August 22, 2026

CHICAGO (AP) — President Donald Trump’s barrage of tariffs — and threats of even more — has strained the United States’ longstanding relationship with Canada.

NPR

As Flock battles public scrutiny, other police surveillance companies see an opening

By Jaclyn Diaz · August 22, 2026

Dozens of people crammed into a conference room for a gathering at a public library in Washington, D.C.

The topic? Automated license plate readers, such as the ones sold by Flock Safety, a company facing major backlash from residents in communities across the country who find themselves deeply unsettled by privacy concerns.

On Monday, members of DeFlock DC, a grassroots group dedicated to ending all contracts between the Metropolitan Police Department and Flock, explained to the group how these controversial cameras work and where they are located throughout the city.

Christian Science Monitor

More than a treat: Mexican chocolate culture has ancient roots

By Whitney EulichLorena RíosAlfredo Sosa · August 22, 2026

In a terracotta-painted room with burning candles and clay masks adorning the walls, a young Mexican tourist dips her fingers into a small gourd of coarse, brown nibs and pops one into her mouth.

She and her family, visiting from Cancún, discuss its flavors – like chocolate, but not as sweet – and all they’ve learned today at this workshop about indigenous cocoa varieties and their traditional uses. Ervit Hernández Hernández, founder of Chima Cacao, smiles approvingly.

Associated Press

Nancy Kassebaum Baker, former US senator from Kansas, dies at 94

By John Hanna · August 22, 2026

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Nancy Kassebaum Baker, a Kansas governor’s daughter who became the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate without following a spouse into office, has died. She was 94.

Kassebaum Baker died Friday of natural causes, according to her son, Bill Kassebaum.

“She loved Kansas. She loved people from Kansas and representing Kansas for 18 years in the U.S. Senate,” he told The Associated Press. “She was an independent-minded Republican who was willing to stand up for what she thought was right, even if that meant going against the party.”

Christian Science Monitor

In cocoa’s heartland, African farmers seek new opportunities

By Colette Davidson · August 22, 2026

In the shade of a dense forest canopy, Odette Kouakou paces through her grove of cocoa trees, snapping off dead leaves and poking the ripe yellow pods hanging down from the branches with a stick.

Nearby, a group of men in olive-colored galoshes sits around a heaping mound of the pods, which are roughly the size and shape of footballs. A gentle popping sound echoes through the forest as they crack them open with machetes, scooping out handfuls of fresh, white beans and tossing them into plastic tubs.

Harvests are normally a celebratory time in this cocoa growing community. But Ms. Kouakou is fizzing with anxiety. She still hasn’t been paid for the last 400 pounds of cocoa she harvested, a $1,000 hole in her wallet.

Associated Press

Tropical Storm Moke advances toward Hawaii as winds strengthen

August 22, 2026

HONOLULU (AP) — Tropical Storm Moke advanced toward Hawaii Saturday, likely bringing more heavy rainfall and strong gusts to the Big Island, where residents are still dealing with the aftermath of heavy flooding and damaging winds from Hurricane Lala.

A roadway is washed out by mud on Monday, Aug. 17, 2026, in Naalehu, Hawaii, following heavy rains from Hurricane Lala. (Aina Akamu via AP)

Associated Press

Arrest warrant issued for Massachusetts woman sought in officer's death

August 22, 2026

WORCESTER, Mass. (AP) — An arrest warrant has been issued for a mental health advocate who remained missing Saturday, more than four days after police found the Massachusetts officer she had been married to dead in their home.

Christian Science Monitor

Military’s arrest power at southern border grows. What’s behind the change?

By Sarah MatusekAnna Mulrine Grobe · August 22, 2026

Across hundreds of miles of barren scrubland, the U.S. military has occupied vast stretches of the southern border for over a year.

The military, pushing the bounds of its legally limited domestic role, detains suspected trespassers in these patrolled military zones created by the Trump administration. Now, the administration is arguing that the armed forces can stop such people “just outside” those zones as well.

A Justice Department opinion released this month gives that green light. Meanwhile, the potential for more military arrests within the United States has alarmed immigrant advocates and some legal experts. They question the administration’s legal logic and point to confusion around the physical boundaries of the military zones.

Associated Press

Kazakhstan votes in parliamentary election expected to strengthen president’s grip on power

By Yuras Karmanau · August 23, 2026

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Polls opened Sunday in Kazakhstan’sparliamentary elections, a vote expected to further to strengthen President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s power in Central Asia’s largest nation.

The ruling pro-presidential Adilet party is widely predicted to win an overwhelming majority, with several smaller parties loyal to Tokayev also anticipated to enter parliament.

Tokayev, 73 — a former Soviet official and Kazakh diplomat who previously worked at the United Nations — has been in office since 2019.

It is the country’s first elections to a new, single-chamber parliament called the Kurultai.

Associated Press

Florida shows how to adapt as coastal cities face growing threats from sea level rise and storms

By Dorany Pineda · August 22, 2026

One day there was a roof. The next morning it was gone.

Jeffrey Huber still remembers the day some 34 years ago when Hurricane Andrew blew off the roof of his childhood home, one of tens of thousands damaged and destroyed across southern Florida. For days, first responders couldn’t get to them. For a month and a half, they relied on food donations. For more than a year, he lived with his family in a trailer.

Christian Science Monitor

From ‘bean to bar,’ boutique chocolate makers tell a new story

By Kendra Nordin BeatoMelanie Stetson Freeman · August 22, 2026

In the brightly lit sales room of his chocolate store, David Mack swoons over a 72% dark-chocolate variety from the Semuliki Forest region of Uganda.

“I love this one, the complexity,” says Mr. Mack of his favorite variety from Loon Chocolate, the company he co-owns.

What makes chocolate ethical? As consumers and chocolate makers around the world examine that question, some have settled on a simple answer: Buy cocoa directly from the farmers who grow it.

Associated Press

How bitcoin and gold went from a slump to an MVP week in just a few days

By Michelle Chapman · August 22, 2026

Bitcoin and gold shot higher this week, with both getting a boost from some frantic action surrounding the bond market, and the cryptocurrency also benefiting from activity in Washington.

Nation

Associated Press

Pope Leo praises San Marino as model of freedom and common good

By Giada Zampano, Niccolò Lupone · August 22, 2026

SAN MARINO (AP) — Pope Leo XIV on Saturday hailed the tiny Republic of San Marino as a model of political freedom and civic responsibility, praising its centuries-old republican traditions while warning against political and economic systems that place power above the human person.

Associated Press

Officials warn wildland firefighters about the risks of using a supplement for smoke exposure

By Martha Bellisle · August 23, 2026

SEATTLE (AP) — Fire and medical officials have issued warnings about a supplement offered to Western wildland firefighters who have been exposed to toxic chemicals while battling some of the country’s biggest blazes.

The supplement glutathione, given through an IV or an inhaler-like machine called a nebulizer, has not been proven to be safe or effective and could expose firefighters to illness if there is contamination while it’s produced, experts say.

At least two pharmacies recalled the supplement in August due to bacterial contamination found during testing at their labs, with one saying it had received reports of people suffering from fever, chills, severe headache and other symptoms.

Associated Press

Near-total lunar eclipse is coming up with the Americas in prime position

By Marcia Dunn · August 22, 2026

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Now it’s the moon’s turn to pull a disappearing act.

After being shut out of this month’s total solar eclipse, the Americas will have the best seats in the celestial house when Earth’s shadow briefly envelops the moon. Almost the entire lunar surface will be masked Thursday night into Friday — a whopping 96% — making this an especially deep partial eclipse.

Associated Press

Early Motown songwriter Janie Bradford Hobbs dies in Los Angeles after illness at age 87

By Corey Williams · August 22, 2026

Early Motown songwriter Janie Bradford Hobbs, who helped pen hits including “Money (That’s What I Want)” and “Too Busy Thinking About My Baby,” has died following an extended illness at a Los Angeles hospital, her family said Saturday. She was 87.

Bradford Hobbs was born in Charleston, Missouri, and later moved to Detroit.

She was introduced in the late 1950s to Motown founder Berry Gordy by neighbor and singer Jackie Wilson. She joined Motown as a receptionist in 1958 and like many of the company’s employees took part in the creative process that helped make Motown a music industry powerhouse.

NPR

A battle over 'Italian brainrot' could shape who owns AI art

By Geoff Brumfiel · August 21, 2026

Around the world, kids are going crazy for a set of characters collectively known as "Italian brainrot." These memes are generated using artificial intelligence, and they're appearing on social media and YouTube, as well as in video games.

Now their popularity has sparked a fight over who, if anyone, owns them.

Associated Press

America In Focus: Fed officials eye higher rates; unemployment claims fall

By Michelle Chapman · August 22, 2026

The economy, inflation and how those forces could impact the lives of Americans were front and center over the past week. Trips to the grocery store and gas station are more painful than they were last year, and rising costs are impacting the decisions of both households and businesses.

Here’s a snapshot of prominent economic data and news that occurred over the past week and what it potentially means for you.

Many Federal Reserve officials think the central bank will have to lift its key short-term interest rate in the coming months if inflation doesn’t subside, minutes of the Fed’s meeting last month showed.

Associated Press

Mobility tests can offer insights, but they aren't a crystal ball

By Devi Shastri · August 22, 2026

Hand grip strength. Balance tests. Standing up from a seated position on the floor. These physical challenges are often touted as measurements of healthy aging and even predictors of longevity.

They can provide valuable indications of your stamina and strength. They can estimate the risk of falls, which increase older adults ' risk of death. And they’re useful to doctors who work to address aging or people with injuries.

But they’re no crystal ball.

NPR

Federal government thins the herds of wild horses in Colorado

By Stina Sieg · August 21, 2026

A helicopter swooped through the bright blue sky, as a pilot scanned the high desert below for wild horses running through the dusty sagebrush, about an hour's drive west of Meeker, Colorado. A small group of reporters and horse lovers watched from the cover of wizened trees, about a mile from a pen that would trap the horses.

Associated Press

Mexican ranchers prepare to resume livestock sales to US under tight controls over screwworm risk

By Fabiola Sánchez · August 22, 2026

HERMOSILLO, Mexico (AP) — At daybreak, rancher Martín Alfonso Ibarra takes advantage of the cooler hours in northern Mexico’s desert to oversee the milking of his cows and tend to 16 prized calves. Soon, he hopes, they will be headed north to the United States as a yearlong ban on Mexican cattle imports comes to an end.

Associated Press

Wall Street week ahead: Reports on consumer confidence and inflation on tap

August 22, 2026

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street will get key updates next week on closely-watched measures for consumer confidence and inflation.

The latest consumer confidence report from business group The Conference Board will be released Tuesday. Wall Street expects the report to show that confidence in the U.S. economy fell again in August after slipping in July.

Consumer confidence has been weak most of the year as inflation remains stubbornly high. The U.S. war with Iran helped fuel inflation by stifling oil supplies worldwide. That raised gasoline prices, squeezing household budgets. It has also raised costs for shipping a wide range of products, from groceries to clothing.

ProPublica

Missouri Republicans Are Trying to Repeal Abortion Rights by Leaning Into Anti-Trans Sentiment

By Jeremy Kohler · August 21, 2026

ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up for Dispatches, a newsletter that spotlights wrongdoing around the country, to receive our stories in your inbox every week.

Two years ago, abortion opponents in Missouri tried to defeat Amendment 3, a ballot initiative to enshrine reproductive rights in the state constitution, by falsely telling voters that it would allow gender transition surgeries for minors — even though it wouldn’t.

Associated Press

Backcountry guide company faces $150K in fines after California’s deadliest modern avalanche

By Olga R. Rodriguez · August 21, 2026

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — California workplace safety officials have fined a guide company that was leading backcountry skiers down a mountain in February when an avalanche was triggered, killing nine members of the group in the deadliest avalanche in the state’s modern history.

Associated Press

Dozens Of Hawaiʻi’s Mentally Ill Inmates To Move to Waiawa Prison

By Kevin Dayton/honolulu Civil Beat · August 21, 2026

The head of the state prison system plans to overhaul part of the minimum security Waiawa Correctional Facility in Central Oʻahu to create a new space for prisoners with mental illness who are now being held in the state’s largest prison.

The men who would qualify to transfer from Hālawa Correctional Facility to Waiawa would be minimum-security prisoners who are stabilized on their medications and are approaching their parole or release dates, according to Tommy Johnson, director of the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Associated Press

Karmelo Anthony dropped plans to testify over track stabbing, lawyer says as teen seeks retrial

By Jamie Stengle · August 21, 2026

McKINNEY, Texas (AP) — Karmelo Anthony had planned to testify during his Texas murder trial over a track meet stabbing but backed out amid sudden concerns that prosecutors would raise potentially damaging evidence about the teenager’s past, one of his lawyers said Friday.

Associated Press

$15 million federal grant will fund fishing tech projects

By Nathan Collins/the New Bedford Light · August 21, 2026

A “third eye” camera for groundfishermen and autonomous robots for lobstermen. That’s, in part, what a group of New England commercial fishing advocates, oceanographic researchers and tech companies hope to build with a $15 million federal grant.

The goal of the U.S. National Science Foundation funding, awarded in late July, is to help commercial fishermen catch better, healthier fish and bolster the region’s seafood industry from harvest to processing.

Washington

Associated Press

This rare Nebraska district backed Harris but sent a Republican to Congress. Can Democrats win here?

By Will Weissert · August 22, 2026

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — “Do they still like Trump in Nebraska? I think so,” the president said during a recent event in Washington.

Given that the state easily backed Republican Donald Trump three times and hasn’t supported a Democrat for the White House since Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964, the answer may seem obvious.

Associated Press

Trump urges court to reject BBC's bid to secure records from his family in defamation case

By Michael Kunzelman · August 22, 2026

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has urged a federal judge to reject the BBC’s request for the court’s help in securing testimony and documents from three family members in response to his $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the British broadcaster.

World

Associated Press

The sunhat is everywhere in Athens as crowds grow larger at ancient sites

By Derek Gatopoulos · August 23, 2026

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Outside the Acropolis, a sea of hats bobs up and down the hill to the ancient site: straw boaters, Panama hats, baseball caps and bucket hats in the relentless heat.

Hat racks are hard to miss in central Athens this summer. Kiosks and stores keep outdoor stands piled high as more tourists seek relief from the midday heat.

Associated Press

Congo receives more than 16,000 doses of Ebola vaccine as it grapples with unprecedented outbreak

August 22, 2026

BUNIA, Congo (AP) — Congo has received more than 16,000 doses of the Ervebo vaccine as the country grapples with the fastest Ebola outbreak in history, the country’s health minister said.

The 16,250 doses arrived at the N’djili International Airport in the capital, Kinshasa, late Friday, as part of 70,000 doses expected from the World Health Organization and partners that were announced on Thursday. More doses are expected early next week.

Associated Press

Central African Republic shuts down collapsed gold mining site that killed more than 100

By Jean Fernand Koena · August 22, 2026

BANGUI, Central African Republic (AP) — The Central African Republic’s government Saturday closed down a gold mining site that killed more than 100 people when it collapsed earlier this week, citing non-compliance with regulatory procedures.

Associated Press

Chinese humanoid robots smash human records in 100m sprint and high jump at Beijing robot games

By Achmad Ibrahim, Chan Ho-him · August 22, 2026

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese humanoid robots broke records set by humans, including beating Usain Bolt’s 100-meter sprint world record, on the opening day of the Olympics-like World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing on Saturday.

More than 2,000 humanoid robots were participating in the event, the organizer said.

Robots perform with drum during the opening ceremony of the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing, Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)

Associated Press

Iran says the world has accepted it has defeated the US, and other Middle East developments

By The Associated Press · August 22, 2026

Iran’s president says the world has accepted that the country has won the war with the United States, while France and Saudi Arabia are expected to discuss plans to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, which has been effectively closed since the U.S. and Israel launched the war nearly six months ago.

Associated Press

Student killed in sword attack at a Swedish school was a 17-year-old girl

August 22, 2026

STOCKHOLM (AP) — The victim of a deadly sword attack at a school in central Sweden was a 17-year-old girl, police said Saturday.

An 18-year-old man armed with a sword carried out the attack at the Brinell School in Fagersta, northwest of Stockholm, while classes were in session on Friday. One person was killed and three others were wounded, two of them severely.

Associated Press

2 bodies recovered and about 12 missing after migrant boat capsized off Tunisian coast

By Ghaya Ben Mbarek · August 22, 2026

TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — A boat carrying migrants capsized off the coast of southern Tunisia, killing at least two people and leaving 12 missing, Tunisia’s national guard said Saturday. One survivor was rescued.

Associated Press

Russian and Ukrainian attacks kill 10 people, a day after deadly shopping mall drone strike

By Volodymyr Yurchuk · August 22, 2026

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian drone and missile strikes killed at least seven people in Ukraine, officials said Saturday, while a Ukrainian drone attack on Russia’s Krasnodar region killed three people there.

The attacks came a day after a Russian strike on a Ukrainian shopping center killed at least 16 people and wounded some 130.

Associated Press

Scores of people kidnapped from a mosque as armed groups attacked multiple villages in Nigeria

By Mohammed Ibrahim, Dyepkazah Shibayan · August 22, 2026

A number of people were kidnapped from a mosque in a spree of abductions at several villages in Nigeria ‘s north-central Niger state, police said Saturday.

The assailants attacked a mosque in Kpenya village after attacks in a string of villages in the remote Borgu Local Government Area of Niger state Friday, police spokesperson Wasiu Abiodun said.

Associated Press

A moderate earthquake shakes Japan, injuring more than 30 people in the Tokyo region

By Mari Yamaguchi · August 22, 2026

TOKYO (AP) — A moderate earthquake rattled eastern Japan, including the Tokyo area, early Sunday, injuring more than 30 people, most of them lightly, officials said. There was no danger of a tsunami.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the quake had a preliminary magnitude of 5.9 and its epicenter was in the southern Ibaraki prefecture with a depth of 70 kilometers (42 miles). The U.S. Geological Survey recorded a magnitude of 5.8.

Associated Press

A US envoy says Israel did not give a warning to the US ahead of a recent Syria air strike

By Andrew Wilks · August 22, 2026

ISTANBUL (AP) — Israel did not warn the United States before it struck an air base in northern Syria this week, despite fears of an escalation with the U.S. and NATO ally Turkey, the U.S. special envoy to Syria said.

Israel usually closely coordinates its military actions with the U.S., its key backer. Washington has tried to use this influence to moderate attacks as Israel carries out operations in Syria, Gaza and Lebanon.

Associated Press

Japan's leader Takaichi explains why she spends long hours in seclusion at her official residence

By Mari Yamaguchi · August 22, 2026

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who is increasingly seen secluding herself at home, said on Saturday that she is using her official residence next to her office more for work to maximize efficiency.

In December, Takaichi moved into the official residence, a brick-and-stone mansion that opened in 1929 used to be the original prime minister’s office until its replacement was built right next to it.