In our news wrap Tuesday, a 6.8 magnitude earthquake damaged buildings in southern Japan, Seattle police say that the 15-year-old arrested during this weekend’s mass shooting at a food festival used an untraceable “ghost gun” with an extended magazine and Florida is set to become the first state in nearly ten years to carry out two executions in a single day.
Amna Nawaz:
We start the day’s other headlines in Southern Japan, where a powerful earthquake damaged buildings, roads, and bridges earlier today. The 6.8-magnitude quake struck Japan’s southern main island of Kyushu, triggering a tsunami warning that’s since been lifted.
In and around the city of Kumamoto, the quake shook city cameras and toppled buildings, including some centuries-old shrines. Other structures caught fire. Officials say that emergency crews are racing to rescue dozens of people who are feared trapped inside a shopping mall.
Following the quake, Japan’s prime minister warned that the threat was ongoing.
Sanae Takaichi, Japanese Prime Minister (through interpreter):
To those in areas that experience strong shaking, the risk of building collapses and landslides remains high. Please avoid entering dangerous areas and take all precautions to ensure your safety.
Over the next week or so, please remain alert for the possibility of aftershocks with the maximum seismic intensity of 7.
Amna Nawaz:
Japanese media is reporting that hospitals in the affected areas admitted dozens of injured people. Police say one person died in a collapsed house. But officials say there have been no reports of damage to major public utilities, including several nuclear power plants nearby.
In Seattle, police say that the 15-year-old arrested during this weekend’s mass shooting at a food festival used an untraceable ghost gun with an extended magazine. At a press conference, officials said they continue to look for other possible suspects and believe the violence was gang-related.
Meantime, at a vigil last night, people grieved those who were killed in the shooting. They have been identified as 44-year-old Carlos Israel Sanchez Villalba and 56-year-old Ashley Whitehead. Officials say the third fatality was a 19-year-old gunman. At least four other people were injured.
We have an update for a story we brought you last week now. The Georgia teenager who shot and killed four people at Apalachee High School in 2024 was sentenced to life in prison today without the possibility of parole. Last week, Colt Gray pleaded guilty to 55 counts stemming from the attack. Gray was 14 at the time of the shooting and was charged as an adult.
Florida is set to become the first state in nearly 10 years to carry out two executions in a single day. Earlier, a former police officer was put to death for killing a young girl in the late 1980s. And an 80-year-old prisoner is set to be executed this evening for killing his ex-girlfriend’s parents in 1986.
Under Governor Ron DeSantis, Florida is continuing an accelerated pace of executions with at least 11 so far this year. In 2025, Florida executed 19 prisoners, the most in a single year since the death penalty was reinstated nearly 50 years ago.
Across parts of Spain and France, firefighters are trying to rein in massive wildfires before a scorching heat wave sweeps through the region. Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez says the country is — quote — “turning the tide” against blazes near Madrid. Thousands of people are being allowed to return home. But Sanchez warned that difficult hours are still ahead.
Meantime, in France, officials ordered another 4,000 people to evacuate coastal areas as firefighters struggled to keep a massive blaze near Bordeaux under control. One fire official said the weather is complicating their efforts.
Matthieu Jomain, Gironde Firefighter Commander (through interpreter):
The situation has rather calmed down, but we can see behind us over there a large number of hot spots starting to emerge. And with the temperature and unfortunately the wind expected in the area, these hot spots could become the source of a new fire outbreak.
Amna Nawaz:
One fire in Southwest France grew so strong that its smoke column became a thunderstorm, creating its own lightning and winds. It’s the country’s first recorded instance of the phenomenon.
President Trump said today he’s inviting a teenage lifeguard to the White House to receive a high civilian honor after video of his dramatic rescue of a young boy went viral. This footage shows the 16-year-old clinging to the child in a rough surf at a beach in Santa Cruz, California, last weekend. They eventually made it out safely. Trump’s son Eric was among those who shared the video.
He called for the teenager to receive an official recognition for his efforts. It wasn’t immediately clear whether the invitation has been accepted.
On Wall Street today, stocks ended mixed as weakness in A.I. shares kept a lid on market sentiment. The Dow Jones industrial average added more than 500 points. The Nasdaq lost ground, giving back about 55 points. The S&P 500 managed a slight gain on the day.
And artist Betye Saar, who was central to the Black arts movements of the 1960s and ’70s, has died. A leading practitioner of assemblage, Saar transformed everyday objects into sculptures over the course of her six-decade career. Her most famous work, The Liberation of Aunt Jemima from the early 1970s, transformed a derogatory stereotype into a revolutionary armed with rifles and other weapons.
The Los Angeles County Museum of Contemporary Art, which often showcased her work, posted a tribute to Saar today, featuring her reflections on the importance of art.
Betye Saar, Artist:
Since I was a child, art has been important. It feeds an inner need that people don’t even know they have it until it’s taken away.
Amna Nawaz:
Saar worked well into her 90s, telling The New York Times in 2024 that she feels lucky to have art as part of her life. The gallery that represents Saar announced she passed away in her sleep on Sunday. Betye Saar was just four days shy of her 100th birthday.
