Thousands of people in Japan's southern island of Kyushu have been asked to evacuate as torrential rains triggered landslides and floods.
According to officials, 15 people are feared dead and nine reported missing.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe urged people to be on "maximum alert" as "heavy rainfall is likely to continue until Sunday".
As many as 10,000 soldiers have been deployed to assist in rescue operations.
Several killed after fire in Swiss ski resort
Several people were killed and others injured after a fire broke out in a bar in the ski resort of Crans-Montana in southwestern Switzerland, Swiss police said on Thursday.
2026 welcomed with celebrations across the globe
As Wednesday turned to Thursday, people around the world said goodbye to a sometimes challenging 2025 and expressed hopes for the new year to come.
US holds talks with Ukraine, European countries on next steps in ending war
President Donald Trump's advisers held talks on Wednesday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and national security advisers from the UK, France and Germany to discuss the next steps in ending Russia's war in Ukraine, US special envoy Steve Witkoff said.
Russia's Putin, in New Year address, voices confidence in victory in Ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin used his annual televised New Year's address to rally his troops fighting in Ukraine, saying he believed in them and in victory in a war that he has framed as part of an existential struggle with the West.
Ras Al Khaimah ushered in the new year with a new Guinness World Record title for the largest aerial display of a phoenix, a mythical symbol of renewal and rebirth, created using 2,300 drones.
The UAE welcomed the start of 2026 with large-scale fireworks and light shows across the country, drawing crowds of residents and visitors to major landmarks and public spaces.
UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has shared a New Year message, extending his best wishes to people in the UAE and around the world.
