News

A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture on July 28, 2026, reaching the highest level on Japan's seismic intensity scale and killing at least 13 people, three of whom died when a shopping mall floor collapsed in a probable gas explosion. Japan deployed 3,600 Self-Defense Force personnel, suspended all Kyushu rail service, and evacuated more than 260,000 residents, while JMA warned of significant aftershocks continuing for up to a week. Both nearby nuclear plants were confirmed undamaged, and a brief tsunami advisory for the Ariake and Yatsushiro seas was lifted within 45 minutes without notable wave activity.

A tornado rated preliminarily EF3 by the National Weather Service traveled 12.1 miles through Appleton and Menasha on July 27, injuring 60 people and leaving roughly 33,000 utility customers without power as of Tuesday afternoon. Governor Evers signed a state emergency declaration the following day, activating Wisconsin Emergency Management, while Menasha imposed a nightly curfew and issued a boil-water advisory. Key figures remain unsettled: the EF3 rating and 140 mph peak wind estimate are preliminary and could be revised upward, no federal disaster request has been formally submitted, and a full structural damage assessment has not yet been released.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz took 9 constituencies and PPP took 4 in the July 27 first phase of Azad Jammu and Kashmir's 11th Legislative Assembly election, held across 53 total seats with two phases still to come on August 2 and August 10. The vote took place under armed forces supervision amid a communications blackout, rigging allegations from both major parties, one confirmed polling-day fatality, and a broader backdrop of civil unrest since 2024 that has killed at least 26 people by Amnesty International's count. The second phase on August 2 will include 12 contested refugee seats whose constitutional status a court ruled can only be changed by formal amendment, not public pressure.

The Trump administration did not file a petition for rehearing with the Supreme Court in Trump v. Barbara by the July 27, 2026 deadline, despite a public pledge by President Trump on July 8 to seek rehearing immediately. The June 30 ruling, decided 6-3 with Chief Justice Roberts authoring the majority, struck down Executive Order 14160 as facially unconstitutional and affirmed birthright citizenship for children born to parents unlawfully or temporarily present in the United States. No explanation for the non-filing has been issued by the Department of Justice or the White House, and the rehearing window is now closed.

Incumbent Governor Larry Rhoden defeated Aberdeen businessman Toby Doeden 70.8% to 29.2% in South Dakota's first-ever gubernatorial primary runoff on July 28, 2026, reversing a 6-point deficit from the June primary. The runoff was required because none of four candidates cleared the state's 35% nomination threshold in June. Rhoden now faces Democrat Dan Ahlers in November in a race rated Solid Republican by all major nonpartisan forecasters.

California's June 2026 top-two primary set general-election matchups in three redrawn congressional districts, with two safe Democratic incumbents advancing easily and one competitive race emerging. In CA-13, Democrat Adam Gray faces Republican Kevin Lincoln II in a San Joaquin Valley seat rated Lean Democratic by major forecasters, a shift from tossup status after the Prop 50 map added more favorable Democratic territory. The other two races, featuring incumbents Robert Garcia and Ted Lieu in districts with Cook PVI ratings of D+18 and D+21 respectively, carry no meaningful Republican prospects in November.