English news for Saturday, October 10, 2026

Japan's transport ministry^*1, the part of the Japanese government that looks after roads and transport, has a new plan for cars that almost drive themselves. These cars are called Level 2++^*2 cars. The ministry wants to start an approval system^*3 for the best Level 2++ cars. The plan appears in the ministry's papers for next year's budget^*4.

A Level 2++ car can do most of the driving. The driver almost never has to use the wheel or the pedals. The car can drive well even on busy and difficult roads. But the driver must still watch the road and the cars around them.

The first Level 2++ cars made in Japan will go on sale in fiscal year^*5 2027. One example is a car from Nissan, a Japanese car company. It uses AI^*6 from Wayve, a company in Britain. Nissan plans to sell this car in fiscal year 2027.

The ministry wants many kinds of Level 2++ cars, including commercial vehicles^*7, to be built and sold. It also wants more people to know about these cars and feel happy to use them. The ministry says Level 2++ cars are a step toward Level 4^*8 cars in the future.

The ministry plans two things. First, it will create the approval system for good Level 2++ cars. Second, it wants public transport^*9, such as buses and ride-share^*10 services, to start using these cars early.

1. *1 ministry: a big office of the government that does one kind of work
2. *2 Level 2++: a kind of car that does most of the driving by itself, but the driver must still watch the road
3. *3 approval system: a way for the government to check things and say which ones are good
4. *4 budget: the government's plan for how to spend its money
5. *5 fiscal year: a year used for government money. In Japan it starts in April and ends in March
6. *6 AI: computer programs that can learn and make choices, a bit like a person
7. *7 commercial vehicles: cars and trucks used for business, like delivery trucks or buses
8. *8 Level 4: a higher level than Level 2++, where the car does even more of the driving
9. *9 public transport: buses and trains that anyone can pay to ride
10. *10 ride-share: a service where you use a phone to ask for a car to come and drive you somewhere

A strong earthquake hit southern Panama on October 9, 2026. It happened at 12:56 in the afternoon, local time. The earthquake had a magnitude^*1 of 7.7. This information comes from the USGS, the United States Geological Survey. The USGS is a government office in the United States that studies earthquakes.

The center of the earthquake was about 12 kilometers west-southwest of the town of Pitaloza Arriba. It was 12.6 kilometers under the ground. The earthquake happened along a fault^*2. The two sides of the fault slid sideways past each other.

The USGS gave a red alert^*3 for both deaths and damage. About 4.6 million people felt strong shaking from the earthquake. Maps from the USGS and reports from people who felt it show that the shaking reached level 9 on the shaking scale^*4 in the strongest places. About 4.6 million people felt shaking of level 5 to level 8.

After the main earthquake, there were 51 aftershocks^*5. The USGS says more aftershocks may come in the next week. There is a 67% chance of an aftershock of magnitude 6 or higher. There is a 12% chance of an aftershock of magnitude 7 or higher.

1. *1 magnitude: a number that shows how big an earthquake is; a bigger number means a bigger earthquake
2. *2 fault: a long crack deep in the ground where two big pieces of rock can move
3. *3 red alert: the highest warning; it means many people may have died and many buildings may be destroyed
4. *4 shaking scale: a set of numbers that shows how hard the ground shook in a place; a bigger number means harder shaking
5. *5 aftershocks: smaller earthquakes that come after a big earthquake

Nishiyama, a top player of shogi^*1 in Japan, has kept her Hakurei title^*2. She won the fifth game of the Hulic Cup Hakurei match on October 10. The Japan Shogi Association, the group that runs shogi in Japan, reported the result on its website.

The match was a best-of-seven^*3. Nishiyama played against Fukuma, who holds four other women's shogi titles. The fifth game ended at 5:30 p.m. after 118 moves, and Nishiyama won. She won the match with four wins and one loss.

This was the sixth Hakurei match. Nishiyama has now won the Hakurei title four times in a row and five times in total. In her career, she has won 23 titles.

Five Hakurei wins bring her two new things. She can now use the name Queen Hakurei. She also has the right to become a professional^*4 shogi player.

At a press conference^*5 after the game, a reporter asked if she will use that right. Nishiyama said she could not answer right away.

1. *1 shogi: a Japanese board game, a little like chess
2. *2 title: the name given to the champion of a tournament
3. *3 best-of-seven: a match of up to seven games; the first player to win four games wins the match
4. *4 professional: doing something as a job, for money
5. *5 press conference: a meeting where a person answers questions from reporters

A special train in the north of Japan is stopping after 37 years. The train is called the Kushiro Shitsugen Norokko. It has run from the city of Kushiro since 1989. On September 30, JR Hokkaido, the railway^*1 company on Hokkaido, Japan's northern island, said the last runs will be on Friday, October 9, and Saturday, October 10. The news came from the company's office in Kushiro.

On October 9, the train will run as the Norokko Kawayu Onsen. It will go from Kushiro Station to Kawayu Onsen Station and back, one time. On October 10, the last day, it will run as the Kushiro Shitsugen Norokko. It will go from Kushiro Station to Toro Station and back, one time. All seats on these trains are reserved^*2.

On October 10, there will be a ceremony^*3 on platform^*4 3 at Kushiro Station. It starts at about 10:35 in the morning and ends at 11:06. The train leaves Kushiro at 11:06 and comes back at 1:05 in the afternoon.

People who ride on the last two days will get a special card. It is the size of a postcard. A special sign for the last run will be on the front of the locomotive^*5 and on the back of car 4. Along the line, there will be banners^*6 to welcome the train and say goodbye.

From October 1 to October 13, there is a message box inside Kushiro Station. People can leave messages for the train there.

1. *1 railway: a train line, or the company that runs trains
2. *2 reserved: kept for one person who booked it before
3. *3 ceremony: a special event to mark an important moment
4. *4 platform: the place in a station where people get on the train
5. *5 locomotive: the engine car that pulls a train
6. *6 banners: long pieces of cloth with words on them