A strong earthquake hit southern Japan while doctors were performing surgery at Kumamoto General Hospital. Medical staff protected the patient during the quake, and the surgery was completed safely. The hospital has now resumed normal outpatient services.
Key Facts
An earthquake occurred in southern Japan during surgery at Kumamoto General Hospital.
Medical staff shielded the patient to keep them safe during the quake.
The surgery was successfully completed despite the earthquake.
The hospital confirmed it has restarted outpatient services after the event.
A video of the incident showing staff protecting the patient went viral online.
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Italy has placed all its major cities on the highest heat warning due to a severe heatwave hitting Europe. This heatwave is causing very high temperatures, wildfires, and problems with energy and transportation in several countries.
Key Facts
Italy's health ministry issued a red alert for 27 cities, covering the whole country from northeast Trieste to Palermo in Sicily.
Temperatures have risen above 40°C (104°F) in several European countries, breaking a national record in Austria and Slovakia.
The heatwave is causing wildfires in France and affecting energy and transportation systems across Europe.
Italy’s alerts warn all people of health risks, not just vulnerable groups like the elderly or sick.
Tourist sites in Rome, such as the Colosseum and Pantheon, extended evening hours and added cooling mist fans and medical stations.
Rome opened a free "urban beach" area with pools and shaded spots by the Tiber River to help residents cool down.
Slovakia shut down most turbines at its largest hydroelectric plant due to low water levels, producing 15% less electricity this year.
Scientists say such extreme heat events are becoming more common because of climate change.
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Rail passengers in north-west England experienced a second day of travel problems due to a power failure at a railway signalling centre. Services have been delayed, cancelled, or shortened, and some disruptions are expected to continue into the morning before normal service returns.
Key Facts
A power failure hit the signalling centre controlling the railway in north-west England shortly before 2pm on Thursday.
Train operators affected include CrossCountry, London Northwestern Railway, Avanti West Coast, East Midlands Railway, Northern, TransPennine Express, and Transport for Wales.
National Rail warned that disruptions could last until noon on Friday as trains and crews were not in their usual places.
Northern Rail advised passengers not to travel before 10am Friday; TransPennine Express expected delays and cancellations before midday.
The signalling centre in Manchester is one of 12 operating centres that manage the UK’s railway network.
A Second World War bomb was found near the railway between Tamworth and Burton-on-Trent, adding to disruptions on Thursday.
Network Rail engineers worked overnight to restore the signalling system.
Experts expect major disruptions to ease by Friday afternoon, with full recovery likely by Saturday morning.
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Colombia’s National Liberation Army (ELN), the country's last active guerrilla group, is preparing to resume armed conflict following the inauguration of President Abelardo de la Espriella, who plans to end peace talks and start a new military offensive. The ELN controls remote jungle areas and is ready to carry out attacks in cities and rural zones if ordered by its leadership.
Key Facts
The ELN is Colombia’s last remaining guerrilla group involved in a 62-year armed conflict.
President Abelardo de la Espriella, starting office soon, intends to stop peace talks and launch a military campaign against armed groups.
ELN fighters operate mainly in remote jungle regions such as the Pacific department of Chocó.
The ELN controls the San Juan River area and competes with the Gulf Clan, a paramilitary group, over territory and resources.
Colombia’s conflict began in the 1960s due to land inequality and politics excluding many citizens.
The ELN mixes Marxist ideas and Christian liberation theology in its fight against poverty and oppression.
The Farc guerrilla group ended its conflict by signing a peace deal in 2016, but the ELN insists on broader political change before disarming.
Drug trafficking has financed various armed groups on different sides during the conflict.
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A shooting at The Debsirin School near Bangkok, Thailand, killed at least six people, including three students and three teachers. The police said the suspect is a student, and more than a dozen people were also injured.
Key Facts
The shooting took place at The Debsirin School in the Bang Kruai district, Nonthaburi province, near Bangkok.
At least six people died: three students and three teachers.
More than twelve people were injured in the shooting.
The police identified the suspect as a student of the school.
Armed police responded and secured the school premises after the incident.
The incident occurred on August 7, 2026.
The story is still developing with more updates expected.
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A magnitude 6.8 earthquake hit Kumamoto General Hospital in Japan last month. Security camera footage shows medical staff protecting a patient during surgery while the building shook, but all four surgeries were completed safely.
Key Facts
The earthquake measured magnitude 6.8.
It occurred on July 28 in Kumamoto, Japan.
Four surgeries were happening at the hospital during the quake.
Medical staff shielded patients and secured evacuation routes during the shaking.
All surgeries finished successfully without reported harm.
The hospital stopped outpatient services temporarily after the quake.
Normal outpatient services resumed on August 5.
The footage of the event was recently released by the hospital.
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A student opened fire at Debsirin Nonthaburi School near Bangkok, killing six people and injuring 15 others. The shooter is dead, and authorities are investigating the motive and details of the incident.
Key Facts
The shooting occurred at Debsirin Nonthaburi School in Nonthaburi province, near Bangkok, Thailand.
Six people died: three teachers and three students.
Fifteen people were injured, with two in critical condition.
The shooter was a student at the school and is now dead.
Reports differ on whether police killed the shooter or he died by suicide.
A man and a woman were found dead at the shooter’s home.
Police believe the gun came from a family member of the student.
Authorities are still investigating the motive behind the shooting.
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Jaswant Singh Khalra, a human rights activist in Punjab, India, was abducted and killed by police in 1995 after investigating thousands of forced disappearances during a violent conflict involving the Sikh community. His family has sought justice for decades, and a recent film about his life was banned by the Indian government, causing renewed debate about his legacy and human rights in India.
Key Facts
Jaswant Singh Khalra was a human rights activist from Amritsar, Punjab, India.
He investigated cases where police forces forcibly disappeared and killed many Sikhs during the Punjab separatist conflict in the 1980s and 1990s.
In 1995, Khalra was taken by police, tortured, and murdered; his body was never found.
Khalra claimed police cremated around 25,000 bodies labeled as unidentified during this period.
After his death, five police officials were sentenced to life in prison for killing Khalra.
His wife, Paramjit Kaur Khalra, has campaigned for justice for decades.
A recent film about Khalra’s life was blocked by the Indian government shortly after release due to "security concerns."
Sikh groups and human rights activists continue to demand accountability and freedom of expression related to Khalra’s story.
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The Jewish community in Kochi, India, has roots going back centuries but now has very few members left. Two remaining members, Keith Hallegua and Elias Josephai, continue to care for old synagogues and keep Jewish traditions alive despite the decline.
Key Facts
Kochi’s Jewish community dates back hundreds of years.
Keith Hallegua is the last Jewish person living in the historic Jew Town neighborhood.
Elias Josephai is another remaining Jew in Kochi who maintains the Kadavumbagam Synagogue.
The Paradesi Synagogue is 458 years old and a key historic Jewish site.
The Kadavumbagam Synagogue is about 12 centuries old.
Jewish population in Kochi greatly decreased after much of the community emigrated in the 1950s.
Hallegua and Josephai observe Jewish holidays and preserve their heritage alone or with very few others.
Their efforts include maintaining synagogues and sharing memories of past community life.
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A student at a high school near Bangkok, Thailand, shot and killed six people, including three teachers and three students. Police are investigating the motive, and the gun was believed to come from the shooter's family. Thai authorities and the Prime Minister expressed sorrow, while the incident raised concerns about gun violence in the country.
Key Facts
The shooting happened at Debsirin Nonthaburi School in Nonthaburi province, north of Bangkok.
Six people died: three teachers and three students.
Several others were injured in the shooting.
The student used a gun that likely belonged to a family member.
Police arrested the teenage shooter at the scene.
Thailand has a high rate of gun ownership, with about one gun for every seven people.
Past efforts to tighten gun laws in Thailand have not stopped shootings.
The Prime Minister ordered officials to support the victims and called the incident "terrible."
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Newsweek and Statista are conducting a global survey on how hospitals use Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs). PROMs are questionnaires that patients fill out to explain how they feel about their health and the care they received.
Key Facts
PROMs help measure health care value based on patients’ own views of their wellbeing and quality of life.
The survey focuses on how hospitals worldwide implement PROMs in different medical specialties.
PROMs are standardized and validated questionnaires completed by patients after treatment.
This effort supports value-based health care, which aims to provide good care at reasonable cost.
The survey partnership involves Newsweek, Statista, and ICHOM (a global health measurement organization).
The survey results will contribute to hospital rankings that include patient outcome data.
The survey is open until September 18, 2026.
Newsweek is part of the Trust Project, aiming to provide reliable news coverage.
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A Belgian diver found a 162-year-old bottle of Guinness beer in a shipwreck off the coast of Dover. Researchers hope to analyze the beer and possibly recreate its original taste from 1864.
Key Facts
Stefan Panis, an underwater photographer, discovered the bottle in 2025 near Dover.
The bottle is from 1864 and shows the Guinness brand.
Panis believes many more bottles may still be in the shipwreck.
Samples were sent to scientists specializing in beer at KU Leuven University in Belgium.
Researchers aim to recover the beer’s DNA to brew a beer identical to the 1864 Guinness.
There is a chance the beer is still drinkable if seawater did not enter the bottle.
Some people expressed willingness to try the 162-year-old Guinness, while others prefer fresh beer.
The discovery could provide historical insight into brewing methods from over 160 years ago.
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Typhoon Dolphin hit southern Japan, especially Okinawa, causing the main airport on the island to close and stopping all flights. The storm brought strong winds and rain, caused minor injuries, and led people to evacuate and take shelter.
Key Facts
Typhoon Dolphin passed over Japan’s southern remote islands near Okinawa.
Winds reached up to 144 km/h (89 mph) as of Friday afternoon.
Naha Airport on Okinawa Island closed, canceling all flights going in and out.
Around 240 people sheltered in evacuation centers in Okinawa.
Three elderly men suffered slight injuries due to strong winds.
Residents in Kyushu, affected by a recent earthquake, took measures to protect their homes from rain damage.
The Japan Meteorological Agency warned of strong winds, heavy rain, and high waves through Sunday in Okinawa.
The typhoon is expected to weaken while moving toward China and make landfall there on Monday.
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A search team found the bodies of climber Nirmal Purja and several members of his team after they died in an avalanche on Broad Peak, a mountain in Pakistan. Broad Peak is the 12th-highest mountain in the world.
Key Facts
Nirmal Purja was a well-known climber.
He and several team members died in an avalanche.
The incident happened on Broad Peak in Pakistan.
Broad Peak is the 12th-highest mountain on Earth.
A search team recovered the bodies of the climbers.
The rescue operation took place after the avalanche.
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Wiza Bondele, a health worker in Congo, is trying to slow down the largest Ebola outbreak in history by disinfecting areas, checking temperatures, and enforcing safety rules. Despite the high risk of infection and ongoing outbreak, he and many other front-line workers have not been paid since the outbreak began in May 2026.
Key Facts
The Ebola outbreak is happening mainly in Ituri province, eastern Congo.
It is the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak ever recorded.
Over 4,000 cases and more than 1,800 deaths have been reported so far.
The outbreak is linked to the Bundibugyo virus, for which there are no approved vaccines or treatments.
Many health workers, including Bondele, have not received their promised monthly salary of $510.
Payment problems and attacks on health workers have caused some to stop working, which hurts efforts to control the disease.
Bondele has experience from a previous Ebola outbreak in Congo (2018-2020) and returned to help.
Health workers are registering for mobile money payments as officials say they will pay them eventually.
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Wildfires in Wales during 2026 have caused severe damage to natural habitats, with some areas taking hundreds of years to recover. The fires destroyed large tracts of land, including valuable peat soils that grow very slowly and help prevent flooding.
Key Facts
Wildfires in Wales in 2026 burned thousands of acres, including over 2,000 acres in the Rhinogydd mountains.
Some fires forced villagers to evacuate, such as in Conwy county.
Peat soils, which grow about 1 millimeter per year, were incinerated, meaning some areas may take centuries to recover.
Loss of soil reduces the land’s ability to hold water, increasing flood risk.
The 2026 wildfire season in Wales is described as the worst on record by Natural Resources Wales.
Some areas damaged in earlier fires, like one in 2018, still show no full plant recovery.
Climate change effects, such as milder winters, may contribute to more intense fires and pest outbreaks.
The fires were visible from space and created smoke detectable many miles away.
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A heatwave in South Korea has caused temperatures to reach a record high of 42.5°C (108.5°F). Since mid-May, 14 people have died due to the extreme heat, according to local health authorities.
Key Facts
South Korea is experiencing a record-breaking heatwave.
Temperatures reached 42.5°C (108.5°F) on Sunday.
The heat is affecting the entire Korean Peninsula.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency reported 14 heat-related deaths since mid-May.
The heatwave is causing health risks for people in the region.
This is an unusually high temperature for South Korea.
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Several countries in central and eastern Europe, including Slovakia, Austria, and Hungary, have broken temperature records amid ongoing extreme heat and drought. This weather has caused wildfires, low river levels affecting power plants, and health concerns, highlighting the impact of climate change in the region.
Key Facts
Slovakia recorded a new high temperature of 42°C (108°F) in Dolné Plachtince.
In Poland, two coal power plants shut down due to low water levels in the Vistula River, removing about 1.3 gigawatts of power capacity.
Around 11,900 heat-related deaths have occurred in Germany this summer, according to official estimates.
Climate activists in Germany protested the government for not doing enough to address risks from extreme heat.
Hungary’s nuclear power plant is starting to operate again as water levels slightly improve, but electricity consumption cuts are still needed.
The extreme heat and drought are linked to the climate crisis and are putting pressure on people, infrastructure, and wildlife.
Wildfires have burned about 500,000 hectares in the EU this year, mostly in Spain and France, with 292,000 hectares burned in Ukraine.
Experts call for faster development of wind and solar power to reduce water use and protect energy and water resources.
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An American was flown from the U.S. McMurdo Station in Antarctica to a hospital in New Zealand in a rare rescue mission during the Antarctic winter. The flight, operated by an Australian crew using an Airbus A319, faced extreme cold and darkness, making the journey very challenging.
Key Facts
The rescue flight took place on July 31, flying from Hobart, Australia, to McMurdo Station in Antarctica.
The aircraft used was an Airbus A319 Long Range, called Snowbird 1.
Temperatures at the landing site reached as low as minus 43 degrees Celsius (minus 45.4 degrees Fahrenheit).
The rescue happened during Antarctic winter when the sun is absent for months, making conditions very dark and cold.
The patient, an American, was transferred the same day to Christchurch Hospital in New Zealand in serious condition.
Weather conditions worsened after the landing, making the rescue more urgent and rare.
The flight crew said conditions were very close to the limits of what the aircraft could handle.
Previous Antarctic medical evacuations had occurred but not during such extreme midwinter darkness and cold.
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Taiwan’s President William Lai took part in a nighttime emergency evacuation drill during Taiwan’s Han Kuang military exercises. These drills aim to prepare Taiwan for the possibility of a Chinese invasion.
Key Facts
The drills took place between August 5 and August 14.
President William Lai participated in an emergency evacuation drill at night.
Han Kuang is Taiwan’s annual set of military exercises.
The exercises focus on preparing Taiwan’s defense against a potential attack from China.
Taiwan conducts these drills regularly to improve readiness and response.
The situation is related to tensions between Taiwan and China.
The exercise was covered by BBC journalist Katy Watson.
The drills simulate real emergency conditions to test the military and government response.
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