Deadly 7.4 magnitude earthquake hits Colombia, leaving widespread destruction, in photos

By The Associated Press
August 12, 2026 | 5:21 PM

A powerful earthquake caused deadly destruction across western Colombia, damaging and collapsing buildings in Cali and other cities. The strong shaking was felt as far away as Bogota, where residents evacuated buildings.

A look at the history and beliefs behind Japan’s controversial shrine to the war dead

By The Associated Press
August 14, 2026 | 12:56 AM

Emperor Meiji first visited the site that would become one of Japan’s most controversial shrines in 1874. He vowed that the names of those who died for their country would live there forever. More than 2.4 million people are now honored at Yasukuni, a memorial and Shinto shrine in central Tokyo. Among them are 14 war criminals who are also commemorated each Aug. 15, when Japan’s surrender ended World War II. The shrine provides spiritual comfort for some who mourn relatives and others who visit to express gratitude. Yet for Asian countries that endured Japanese imperial rule and expansion, Yasukuni remains a symbol of Japan’s militarism. Visits by Japanese leaders frequently draw criticism from China and South Korea, which see them as a sign of insufficient remorse for Japan’s wartime aggression.

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