Japan

The plaintiffs, aged between six and 16 at the time of the disaster, say they got cancer from radiation exposure.

All of them underwent surgery to remove parts or all of their thyroid glands, their lawyer said.

However, they may struggle to prove that the radiation led to their cancer.

Their lawsuit is seeking $5.4m (£4m) in compensation from the plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco).

A Tepco spokesman said the company was aware of the case filing and would address it once they had seen the details of the complaint.

The US warned of strong currents and waves, and coastal flooding.

The huge underwater volcanic eruption caused waves of more than a metre to crash into Tonga.

The eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai volcano was heard across the South Pacific, and eventually as far away as the US.

A tsunami warning has been issued for parts of Australia's east coast and Tasmania, and the north and east coast areas of New Zealand's North Island.

Police are investigating whether the blaze was started deliberately, public broadcaster NHK said.

The victims suffered cardiopulmonary arrest, a term often used in preliminary reports before a death is officially confirmed, reports say.

Footage showed blackened windows after dozens of firefighters extinguished the blaze on the fourth floor.

All of those feared dead were reportedly in a psychiatric clinic on the fourth floor of the building, located in a busy commercial and entertainment district.

The Minister of Health, Silas Bule thanked the two partners for supplying 20 Cold chain equipment that are solar-operated refrigerators and are supplied with a complete health centre lighting kit system. Solar lighting will also improve the service delivery in health facilities at night.

The solar freezers can maintain the recommended temperature to store Covid-19 vaccines of 2 degrees to 8 degrees Celsius. Maintaining this standard temperature is important to ensure the vaccine's quality and effectiveness against coronavirus disease is maintained in order to save lives.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the decision was in response to "human rights abuses" in China's Xinjiang province and "many other issues that Australia has consistently raised".

Athletes would still attend, he added.

China has condemned the US announcement and threatened to retaliate, without giving further details.

On Monday, the US said it would not send diplomats to the Games in Beijing over concerns about China's human rights record.

Under Japanese law, female imperial family members forfeit their status upon marriage to a "commoner" although male members do not.

She also skipped the usual rites of a royal wedding and turned down a payment offered to royal females upon their departure from the family.

She is the first female member of the royal family to decline both.

Wingers Tom Wright and Jordan Petaia crossed for tries in the first half, while forwards Taniela Tupou, Rob Leota and Connal McInerney added scores after the break to maintain Australia's 100% record in six tests against Japan.

Japan, who scored tries through Lomano Lemeki and Ryoto Nakamura, drew within four points of the lead at 27-23 with five minutes remaining but debutant hooker McInerney touched down off the back of rolling maul to snuff out home hopes of an upset.

The Government of Japan committed to ongoing dialogue with Forum Members as a priority follow up to the PALM9 Summit in July. This followed Japan’s announcement in April of plans to begin discharge in 2023, for a period of up to 40 years. The announcement drew strong global response, including from the Forum Chair and Leaders.

In his opening comments at the third briefing on Tuesday afternoon, Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Henry Puna noted the issues require “open and frank consultation” along with sustained dialogue at the political and technical level.

A pharmacist saw several black particles in one vial of the vaccine in Kanagawa Prefecture, according to authorities.

Some 3,790 people had already received shots from the batch. The rest of the batch has now been put on hold.

It comes less than a week after Japan suspended the use of about 1.63 million Moderna doses due to contamination.

The pharmacist found the black particles while checking for foreign substances before the vaccine's use.

The jab's domestic distributor has collected the vial suspected to be contaminated.

The court in the city of Fukuoka found that Nomura Satoru, aged 74, had ordered four assaults, one of which resulted in death.

The verdict came despite a lack of direct evidence against Nomura, local media said. He denied any involvement.

It is believed to be the first time a senior member of Japan's mafia, the yakuza, has been sentenced to death.

"I asked for a fair decision... You will regret this for the rest of your life," Nomura told the presiding judge after his sentencing on Tuesday, according to Japan's Nishinippon Shimbun newspaper.