Japan is battling its worst forest fire in three decades, which has claimed one life and forced the evacuation of over a thousand residents. Since the blaze erupted on Wednesday, it has scorched approximately 1,800 hectares in the Ōfunato Forest.
Japan's disaster management agency on Sunday called for additional firefighters across the country to assist in combating a forest fire that continues to spread in the northeastern prefecture of Iwate.
Nearly 1,700 firefighters from around 450 departments across the country have been deployed to combat the blaze, according to Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency.
The fire has spread across a vast area, intensifying in the northern and western parts of central Sanriku-chō Ryōiri, expanding by approximately 400 hectares since the previous morning.
Air and ground operations are underway to contain the blaze as thick smoke from the forest drifts toward residential areas. A total of six self-defense force helicopters joined the operation to contain the fire which burned about 100 houses so far.
Authorities have issued evacuation orders for 4,600 residents across 16 districts, while more than 1,200 people have already taken shelter in city facilities.
The U.S. State Department has handed over international disaster response duties to its refugee-focused bureau, sidelining USAID’s seasoned crisis teams.
The UK is set to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while retaining long-term control over the Diego Garcia military base under a 99-year lease. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Mauritian officials are expected to formalize the deal in a virtual ceremony this week.
The European Union has approved a landmark €150 billion (nearly $170 billion) Defense Industrial Readiness Loan Instrument, known as SAFE, aimed at bolstering the bloc’s defense sector in the face of rising geopolitical threats.
President Donald Trump has unveiled an ambitious $175 billion missile defense initiative called the "Golden Dome," designed to protect the United States from advanced missile threats through a multi-layered shield that integrates ground, sea, and space-based components.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for May 22th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Tensions flare in the India-France Rafale deal as France refuses to share the fighter jet’s source code, limiting India’s ability to integrate indigenous weapons and reducing its combat autonomy.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on May 15, with discussions reportedly focusing on upcoming peace talks between Ukrainian and Russian delegates in Istanbul.
France has rejected India’s request to share source codes needed to integrate indigenous weapons into Rafale fighter jets. Despite repeated appeals, French manufacturer Dassault Aviation has refused to compromise on the issue
AnewZ and Kazakhstan’s Jibek Joly/Silk Way TV channel co-hosted a special AnewZ Talks in Astana at Maqsut Narikbayev University (MNU), uniting global experts and young leaders at Silk Road Media Group’s journalism school to explore the growing intersection of media and diplomacy.
The Tehran Dialogue Forum 2025, scheduled for May 18–19, will host 200 international guests, including 40 current and former European officials.
Romania’s Constitutional Court on Thursday unanimously dismissed a legal challenge seeking to annul the country’s May 18 presidential election, clearing the way for the formal confirmation of centrist independent candidate Nicușor Dan as the next president.
The U.S. State Department has handed over international disaster response duties to its refugee-focused bureau, sidelining USAID’s seasoned crisis teams.
The UK is set to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while retaining long-term control over the Diego Garcia military base under a 99-year lease. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Mauritian officials are expected to formalize the deal in a virtual ceremony this week.
The European Union has approved a landmark €150 billion (nearly $170 billion) Defense Industrial Readiness Loan Instrument, known as SAFE, aimed at bolstering the bloc’s defense sector in the face of rising geopolitical threats.
President Donald Trump has unveiled an ambitious $175 billion missile defense initiative called the "Golden Dome," designed to protect the United States from advanced missile threats through a multi-layered shield that integrates ground, sea, and space-based components.
The U.S. State Department has handed over international disaster response duties to its refugee-focused bureau, sidelining USAID’s seasoned crisis teams.
The UK is set to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while retaining long-term control over the Diego Garcia military base under a 99-year lease. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Mauritian officials are expected to formalize the deal in a virtual ceremony this week.
The European Union has approved a landmark €150 billion (nearly $170 billion) Defense Industrial Readiness Loan Instrument, known as SAFE, aimed at bolstering the bloc’s defense sector in the face of rising geopolitical threats.
President Donald Trump has unveiled an ambitious $175 billion missile defense initiative called the "Golden Dome," designed to protect the United States from advanced missile threats through a multi-layered shield that integrates ground, sea, and space-based components.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for May 22th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
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