TOKYO - The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
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Around 160 killed, hundreds missing after flash flood in Nepal
CHENNAI, India - Around 160 people have been killed and hundreds are missing following a flash flood in central Nepal, local police and tourism authorities said Wednesday. Among the missing are five Japanese nationals, according to local media.
Of the 384 missing, around 290 are foreign tourists from countries including India, Malaysia, Britain and the United States, according to Nepalese authorities.
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Justice Ministry to double immigration-related budget for FY 2027
TOKYO - The Justice Ministry will seek 80.7 billion yen ($507 million) in fiscal 2027 for measures related to immigration and foreign residents, doubling the amount in the initial budget for the current fiscal year, a plan showed Wednesday.
The amount is part of the ministry's overall request for 985.6 billion yen, a 15 percent increase from the initial budget for fiscal 2026 through next March.
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ICC chief vows to resist U.S. pressure after sanctions
TOKYO - Tomoko Akane, president of the International Criminal Court, vowed Wednesday to resist U.S. sanctions against her and protect the Hague-based judicial body amid mounting pressure from Washington.
"I have no reason to incur (U.S.) sanctions," Akane said at a closely watched online press conference. "I will resist any adverse consequences."
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Special heavy rain warning issued for areas in Ishikawa, Toyama prefectures
KANAZAWA, Japan - Japan's weather agency issued a special heavy rain warning on Thursday for some areas in Ishikawa and Toyama prefectures in central Japan, warning residents about life-threatening conditions.
The Japan Meteorological Agency urged residents to take measures to ensure their safety, heed local authorities' evacuation advisories and remain vigilant against landslides.
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U.S. says China hackers broke into NASA, Fed, many other key agencies
WASHINGTON - The United States said Wednesday it had interrupted computer intrusions by Chinese state-sponsored hackers, naming NASA, the Federal Reserve and the Senate among the victims.
The Department of Justice, which was also targeted, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation announced the seizure of internet domains used to attack critical U.S. infrastructure and other sensitive networks.
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Japan gov't to buy back stockpiled rice amid price collapse concerns
TOKYO - Japan's farm ministry is set to buy back rice it released from its stockpile in 2025 amid calls by farmers concerned about a price collapse, sources close to the matter said Wednesday.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries plans to carry out the buyback in September after confirming production conditions for the 2026 harvest based on statistics to be released next Monday and holding an experts meeting.
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Japan, Kuwait foreign ministers oppose Strait of Hormuz transit fees
TOKYO - Japan and Kuwait on Wednesday agreed that ships should not be charged fees for passing through the Strait of Hormuz amid reports that Iran and Oman may introduce transit fees.
Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and his counterpart Sheikh Jarrah Jaber al-Ahmad al-Sabah also affirmed during their meeting in Tokyo that free and safe navigation in the strait should be guaranteed and that oil-producing and oil-consuming countries should discuss its future, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said.
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14 newborns die in hospital fire in Pakistani capital
ISLAMABAD - At least 14 newborn babies died Wednesday after a fire swept through a nursery at one of Islamabad's largest government-run hospitals, officials said.
The fire broke out at about 7 a.m. on the third floor of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences' Mother and Child Health Center, where at least 15 newborns were being cared for, according to hospital officials. One baby was rescued by a doctor, while the other 14 died after suffering severe burns.
