On Tuesday morning, a sinkhole measuring 32 feet wide and 16 feet deep emerged at a busy intersection in Yashio, Japan, engulfing a truck and its driver. The incident occurred around 10 a.m. local time at a commercial area less than a mile from Yashio City Hall.
Saitama Prefecture Governor Motohiro Ono attributed the collapse to a suspected crack in the Nakagawa River Basin sewer pipe. Emergency services responded with at least 12 fire trucks at the scene, while rescue teams pumped oxygen into the cavity to assist the trapped driver.
The driver remained conscious and communicated with police initially, but contact was later lost. Rescue efforts were complicated by sand and mud filling the driver’s compartment, with the operation extending beyond eight hours according to Nippon TV.
The incident prompted social media discussions about infrastructure safety. One user named “kaishi” noted on X that historical maps showed the site was previously a waterway that had been covered and converted into a road.
This event follows other notable sinkhole incidents in Japan. In September, Hiroshima experienced a sinkhole caused by a burst water pipe, while in 2016, Fukuoka saw a 98-foot-wide crater that was notably repaired within days.
About the author
Healthcare CEO ‘s Killer Luigi Mangione May Face Death Penalty
Attorney General Pamela Bondi on Tuesday directed federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty for Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City last year. Mangione was federally charged in December with stalking and murdering Thompson, who was shot in midtown Manhattan. State prosecutors also charged him with first-degree murder in furtherance of terrorism. In her statement, Bondi described the directive as part of "President Trump's agenda to stop violent crime and Make America Safe Again," calling the killing "a premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America." She noted Thompson was "an innocent man and father of two young children." Mangione has pleaded not guilty to all charges. His lawyer did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the attorney general's directive. Federal indictment proceedings are on hold while state prosecutors pursue […]
Investors Bet Big on European Resurgence: $11 Billion Flood into ETFs in ‘MEGA’ Trend
U.S. investors poured a record $10.6 billion into exchange-traded funds focused on European stocks in the first quarter, seven times the inflows recorded a year earlier, according to data from BlackRock. As U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs and economic policies fuel uncertainty across markets, European equities have emerged as a bright spot. Tim Seymour, founder and chief investment officer of Seymour Asset Management, dubbed the burgeoning trend Make Europe Great Again, or MEGA. The resurgent interest in European ETFs reflects a sharp reversal in sentiment. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the funds had seen net outflows of $6.4 billion. "It's a really massive swing," said Kristy Akullian, head of iShares Investment Strategy at BlackRock. In three of the last five calendar years, investors steered money out of European ETFs that trade in U.S. markets and into domestic […]
Russia Drafts 160,000 Men in Largest Military Call-Up Since 2011 Amid Growing Tensions
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the conscription of 160,000 men aged 18-30 in the country's most extensive military draft since 2011. The move is part of an ongoing expansion of Russia's armed forces, despite ongoing conflict in Ukraine and increased military tensions with NATO. The latest spring draft, running from April to July, surpasses the 2024 intake by 10,000 and aligns with Putin's goal of increasing Russia's overall military strength to nearly 2.39 million personnel. This includes raising the number of active servicemen to 1.5 million—an increase of 180,000 over three years. Vice Admiral Vladimir Tsimlyansky stated that the new conscripts would not be deployed to Ukraine. However, reports suggest that some have been killed in combat, particularly in Russia's border regions. In the early months of the full-scale war, conscripts were also sent to Ukraine despite official assurances […]
Musk Claims Tesla Stock Suffers Due to His Role in Trump’s Government Efficiency Department
Elon Musk believes his involvement with the Trump administration negatively impacts Tesla's stock performance. At a Wisconsin town hall, Musk stated that his position in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which advocates for significant government workforce reductions, is generating backlash against Tesla and affecting its stock value. "What they're trying to do is put massive pressure on me and Tesla, I guess, to… stop doing this," Musk said, according to Bloomberg News. "My Tesla stock and the stock of everyone who holds Tesla has gone roughly in half. I mean, it's a big deal." The declining stock isn't the only indicator of public discontent with Musk's political activities. Protesters gathered at Tesla dealerships over the weekend, and there have been reports of vandalism targeting vehicles and dealerships nationwide. Musk's political engagement extends beyond DOGE. He campaigned with Trump during […]
Freshwater Crisis Threatens World’s Lithium Supply as Demand Set to Skyrocket 40x
Freshwater, critical for lithium mining, is becoming increasingly scarce in the "Lithium Triangle," a resource-rich region in the Andean Plateau spanning parts of Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile that contains over half of global lithium reserves. A recent study published in Communications Earth and Environment revealed that freshwater availability for lithium extraction in the region is approximately 10 times lower than previously estimated. With global lithium demand projected to increase 40-fold by 2040, the limited annual rainfall supplying freshwater to the arid Lithium Triangle may not be sufficient. The study's authors advise the lithium industry to reduce freshwater consumption to prevent disruption to mining operations, which currently use up to 500,000 gallons of water to extract one ton of lithium. In the Triangle, freshwater supports agricultural activities for Indigenous communities and sustains wetlands housing unique wildlife, including short-tailed chinchillas, wild camelids, […]
NASA Astronauts Break Silence on Unexpected 9-Month Space Station Stay After Starliner Issues
These titles maintain the core information from the original articles while still being attention-grabbing and concise." In their first public statements since returning to Earth, NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore addressed their unexpected extended stay in space during a Monday news briefing at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. The astronauts described their "unique" mission, which turned a planned one-week visit to the International Space Station into a 286-day stay after technical issues with Boeing's Starliner capsule that launched them to orbit in June. "The plan went way off from what we had planned, but because we're in human spaceflight, we prepare for any number of contingencies," Wilmore said. "This is a curvy road. You never know where it's going to go." Wilmore emphasized looking forward and applying lessons learned rather than assigning blame, though he noted both […]
Related
Healthcare CEO ‘s Killer Luigi Mangione May Face Death Penalty
Attorney General Pamela Bondi on Tuesday directed federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty for Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City last year. Mangione was federally charged in December with stalking and murdering Thompson, who was shot in midtown Manhattan. State prosecutors also charged him with first-degree murder in furtherance of terrorism. In her statement, Bondi described the directive as part of "President Trump's agenda to stop violent crime and Make America Safe Again," calling the killing "a premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America." She noted Thompson was "an innocent man and father of two young children." Mangione has pleaded not guilty to all charges. His lawyer did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the attorney general's directive. Federal indictment proceedings are on hold while state prosecutors pursue […]
Investors Bet Big on European Resurgence: $11 Billion Flood into ETFs in ‘MEGA’ Trend
U.S. investors poured a record $10.6 billion into exchange-traded funds focused on European stocks in the first quarter, seven times the inflows recorded a year earlier, according to data from BlackRock. As U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs and economic policies fuel uncertainty across markets, European equities have emerged as a bright spot. Tim Seymour, founder and chief investment officer of Seymour Asset Management, dubbed the burgeoning trend Make Europe Great Again, or MEGA. The resurgent interest in European ETFs reflects a sharp reversal in sentiment. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the funds had seen net outflows of $6.4 billion. "It's a really massive swing," said Kristy Akullian, head of iShares Investment Strategy at BlackRock. In three of the last five calendar years, investors steered money out of European ETFs that trade in U.S. markets and into domestic […]
Russia Drafts 160,000 Men in Largest Military Call-Up Since 2011 Amid Growing Tensions
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the conscription of 160,000 men aged 18-30 in the country's most extensive military draft since 2011. The move is part of an ongoing expansion of Russia's armed forces, despite ongoing conflict in Ukraine and increased military tensions with NATO. The latest spring draft, running from April to July, surpasses the 2024 intake by 10,000 and aligns with Putin's goal of increasing Russia's overall military strength to nearly 2.39 million personnel. This includes raising the number of active servicemen to 1.5 million—an increase of 180,000 over three years. Vice Admiral Vladimir Tsimlyansky stated that the new conscripts would not be deployed to Ukraine. However, reports suggest that some have been killed in combat, particularly in Russia's border regions. In the early months of the full-scale war, conscripts were also sent to Ukraine despite official assurances […]
Deadly Myanmar Quake Kills 2700 Including 50 Preschool Children As Rescue Hopes Fade
Myanmar authorities observed a minute of silence Tuesday for victims of a devastating earthquake that claimed over 2,700 lives, including 50 children at a preschool near Mandalay. The commemoration occurred as aid organizations reported desperate conditions in affected areas, with survivors struggling to secure basic necessities like food, water, and shelter. Friday's magnitude 7.7 earthquake—Myanmar's strongest in over a century—struck at lunchtime, destroying both ancient pagodas and modern structures. Military leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing announced the death toll had reached 2,719, potentially exceeding 3,000, with 4,521 injured and 441 missing. The disaster also killed at least 20 people in neighboring Thailand. In Mandalay, sirens sounded at precisely 12:51 pm, marking the moment the earthquake struck. Rescue workers at the heavily damaged Sky Villa apartment complex lined up with hands clasped behind their backs to pay respects while officials […]
US Military Bombs Houthi Targets as Trump Warns Yemen Rebels Will Be Destroyed
The United States military conducted a series of air strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen overnight, targeting multiple locations across the country. The bombing campaign hit areas near the capital Sanaa and throughout the northern province of Saada early Tuesday, continuing military operations that began in mid-March. According to Houthi-affiliated Al Masirah TV, US forces launched 15 raids on Saada province, including the city of Saada and the districts of Majz and Sahar. Reports indicated Mount Nabi Shuaib in the Bani Matar district of Sanaa province was also targeted. No immediate casualty reports emerged from Tuesday's strikes, though the Houthis claim that at least 61 people have been killed in Yemen since US bombardments intensified on March 15. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) released two videos on social media showing fighter jets taking off and missiles being launched from an […]
8 Year Old Girl Kidnapped For Child Marriage Sparks Outrage Across Somalia
Outrage has erupted across Somalia after the discovery of an eight-year-old girl living with a self-proclaimed "husband" following her six-month disappearance. The child, who vanished from her home in Puntland last September, was initially reported missing by her family. Authorities later discovered that her father had allegedly consented to her marriage to an adult man identified as Sheikh Mahmoud. Security forces intervened last week, surrounding the man's residence and forcibly entering after he barricaded himself in a room with the child. The incident has triggered widespread social media anger and public demonstrations in Mogadishu. "What's more shocking than the tragedy itself are the allegations of abduction and the fact that her family had no knowledge of her whereabouts for months," said Fadumo Ahmed, chairperson of the Somali Women Vision Organisation. According to the girl's uncle, she was taken from Bosaso […]
Be the first to leave a comment