News
🇯🇵 Japan Earthquake Update — What You Need to Know (December 2025)
Japan Earthquake Update — A powerful magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck off the coast of Aomori, Japan, triggering tsunami warnings and a rare megaquake advisory. Here are the latest updates on damage, aftershocks, government response, and ongoing seismic risks as of December 2025.
Last Updated on December 11, 2025 by Daily News Staff
🇯🇵 Japan Earthquake Update — What You Need to Know (December 2025)
On December 8, 2025, a powerful earthquake — measured at magnitude 7.5 (7.6 by the U.S. Geological Survey) — struck offshore of Aomori Prefecture in northern Japan around 11:15 p.m. JST. The quake was deep enough (about 44 km) to be felt over a wide area, with intense shaking registering across northern Honshu and parts of Hokkaido.
🌊 Immediate Impact — Tsunami & Injuries
Tsunami Warnings were promptly issued along the Pacific coasts of Hokkaido, Aomori and Iwate. Authorities initially feared waves up to ~3 meters high, prompting evacuations. In the end, only small tsunami waves — up to about 70 cm — were observed, and all warnings were lifted by early Tuesday morning. At least 50 plus people have been injured, mostly lightly, due to falling objects and minor structural impacts from the shaking.
Across the affected prefectures, emergency crews continue damage assessments and are checking roads, buildings, utilities and other infrastructure for safety concerns. Some power outages and transport disruptions (train suspensions) were reported in the aftermath.
🧠 Rare “Megaquake Advisory” Issued
Japan’s meteorological authority, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), has issued a megaquake advisory following the M 7.5 quake — a rare alert indicating elevated seismic risk. This advisory:
Does not predict when (or if) a larger earthquake will occur. Signals that the probability of a more powerful quake (M 8.0+) has increased temporarily for the next several days or week. Specifically, a formerly tiny ~0.1% weekly chance has risen to roughly ~1 %. Applies along a long stretch of Japan’s Pacific coast — from Chiba Prefecture in the south up through Hokkaido in the north — where the Pacific tectonic plate is actively subducting beneath Japan.
Officials emphasize that this is an advisory, not a prediction, and it’s issued to encourage preparedness: securing furniture, reviewing evacuation plans, and keeping emergency kits ready.
🌏 Aftershocks and Continued Seismic Activity
Even after the main quake, strong aftershocks have been recorded in the region — including quakes in the magnitude 5–6 range. This ongoing activity is consistent with a typical aftershock sequence but reinforces the public safety message to stay alert.
Later smaller tremors — including a reported M 6.0 event — have been felt near Aomori and Hokkaido, though none have triggered additional tsunami warnings.
🛡 Government Response & Public Safety
The Japanese government has mobilized an emergency task force to:
Assess damage and coordinate response efforts across affected regions. Monitor infrastructure — including roads, utilities, and nuclear facilities — for any damage or safety issues. Keep the public informed and ready for possible aftershocks or other quakes.
Schools, businesses and local municipalities continue to evaluate safety conditions and may adjust operations accordingly.
📌 What This Means for Residents & Visitors
✔ Immediate tsunami danger has passed, but vigilance is still needed due to aftershocks.
✔ Preparedness is crucial, especially in coastal and northern regions that felt the quake strongest.
✔ If you’re in Japan or planning travel, follow JMA updates and local government advisories for current regional guidance.
🧭 In Summary
Japan is dealing with the impacts of a major offshore earthquake that shook the northern Pacific coast and prompted widespread alerts. Although immediate tsunami threats were limited and damage appears relatively light so far, a rare megaquake advisory remains in effect — not as a definitive forecast, but as a cautionary alert to stay prepared in the coming days.
Despite this elevated alert level, experts stress that while seismic risk is higher than normal, a massive quake is not imminent and the advisory’s purpose is to keep people ready rather than alarmed.
- Japan Meteorological Agency — Earthquake Information (official)
- Reuters — Japan lifts tsunami warning after 7.5-magnitude earthquake
- Associated Press — Japan assesses damage from 7.5 magnitude quake
- The Guardian — Japan issues megaquake advisory
Links open in a new tab. Please follow official JMA updates for real-time alerts.
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Local News
Santa Ana Police Seek Woman Accused of Intentionally Running Over Puppy
Santa Ana police are asking for the public’s help identifying a woman accused of intentionally running over and killing a puppy with a minivan on September 8.
Last Updated on September 30, 2026 by Daily News Staff
SANTA ANA, Calif. — Santa Ana police are asking for the public’s help identifying a woman accused of deliberately running over and killing a puppy after leaving the animal in a residential street earlier this month.
The disturbing incident occurred at approximately 9:15 a.m. on September 8, 2026, in the 900 block of West Park Lane, near 926 W. Park Lane. Police said the dog, described as a pit bull mix puppy, was later found dead in the street.
Investigators subsequently obtained home-surveillance footage showing an older-model green or blue Honda Odyssey minivan stopped along the street.
According to police, the female driver opened the vehicle’s door and placed the puppy on the ground. The puppy went underneath the minivan, and the woman then allegedly placed food on the street near the driver’s side of the vehicle.
As the puppy approached the food, the driver moved the minivan forward. Police said the vehicle’s rear driver’s-side tire went over the puppy and that the minivan remained stopped on the animal for approximately 15 seconds before the driver drove away.
A nearby resident later told officers that they had seen the minivan in the area and believed the puppy had been deliberately run over. Police and animal services personnel spent several weeks canvassing the neighborhood and eventually located surveillance footage that authorities said corroborated the witness’s account.
Police searching for driver
Investigators have not been able to obtain a readable license plate from the surveillance footage.
As of September 30, Santa Ana police were seeking information that could help identify either the woman or the older green or blue Honda Odyssey seen in the video.
Anyone with information about the case is being asked to contact Santa Ana police at 714-245-8378.
The case comes two years after another highly publicized animal-cruelty incident in Santa Ana involving a woman accused of intentionally running over a 2-month-old Rottweiler puppy in August 2024. In that case, the puppy survived after emergency treatment, and the suspect subsequently turned herself in to police.
STM Daily News will update this story if authorities announce an identification, arrest or charges in the case.
Sure and Related Links
Los Angeles Times — “Santa Ana Police search for woman who appears to deliberately run over puppy in disturbing video”
Los Angeles Times report
CBS Los Angeles — “Santa Ana police seek minivan driver who allegedly intentionally ran over puppy”
CBS Los Angeles report
NBC Los Angeles — “Female driver wanted for ‘intentionally’ running over a puppy in Santa Ana”
NBC Los Angeles report
MyNewsLA — “Santa Ana Police Seek Help Woman Who Fatally Struck Puppy”
MyNewsLA report
Business and Finance
Handshake Launches Free AI Skills Studio to Help Job Seekers Prepare for an AI-Driven Workplace
Handshake has launched AI Skills Studio, a free project-based learning hub designed to help students and job seekers develop practical AI skills and demonstrate what they can do to prospective employers.
As artificial intelligence becomes a bigger part of everyday work, knowing how to actually use AI tools may become just as important as knowing what they can do.
Career platform Handshake is betting on that shift with the launch of AI Skills Studio, a free learning hub designed to give students and job seekers practical experience using AI through short, hands-on projects.
Handshake’s AI Skills Studio aims to help job seekers build practical, hands-on AI experience as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly important across the workplace. Image: Rod Washington and Firefly.
Announced September 22, AI Skills Studio offers project-based learning “missions” that generally take between 10 and 45 minutes to complete. Instead of focusing primarily on lectures or traditional coursework, participants work directly with AI and technology tools to create something tangible.
Projects can include automated workflows, software, interactive games, data dashboards, portfolios, and tools aimed at preparing users for jobs in areas such as sales and marketing.
The program was developed with a broad group of technology companies and educational partners, including Clay, Figma, Gamma, Google, Lovable, Notion, OpenAI, Replit, Salesforce, Southern New Hampshire University and Vercel.
Turning AI knowledge into something employers can see
One of the more notable aspects of AI Skills Studio is its emphasis on demonstrating skills rather than simply listing them on a résumé.
After completing a mission, learners can add their projects to their Handshake profiles and potentially feature them in the platform’s AI Showcase. Participants also receive verified skill badges intended to provide employers with evidence that they have applied particular AI skills.
That approach reflects a growing challenge for both applicants and businesses: simply saying someone is familiar with artificial intelligence doesn’t necessarily show an employer what that person can accomplish with it.
“Employers know they need people who can work effectively with AI, but a résumé can’t tell you what someone is truly capable of,” Handshake Chief Operating Officer Jon Stull said in announcing the program.
For job seekers, that could make small AI projects increasingly useful as part of a professional portfolio, particularly for people entering the workforce without years of experience.
Students see AI skills becoming increasingly important
Handshake says its own research indicates that many students recognize the importance of AI but don’t necessarily believe their education has kept pace.
According to the company’s 2026 Network Trends Report, 58% of graduating seniors surveyed said they would need a stronger understanding of AI to succeed in the workplace. Only 28%, however, said AI had been meaningfully integrated into their educational programs.
Those figures come from Handshake’s own research, but they highlight a broader issue confronting workers, schools and businesses as generative AI moves rapidly into professional environments.
Julia Stiglitz, Handshake’s Chief Education and Workforce Officer, said people shouldn’t necessarily wait for the technology—or the workplace—to stop changing before beginning to develop AI skills.
“The best thing people can do is start learning and start building,” Stiglitz said.
Learning with tools used in the workplace
Rather than teaching AI only as a theoretical subject, the Studio is designed around tools people could encounter professionally.
OpenAI, for example, is participating with projects involving ChatGPT and Codex. Google is contributing training involving its AI tools and workflows, while other partners bring experience in areas ranging from software development and design to productivity and enterprise technology.
An AI Skills Instructor provides learners with guidance and feedback while they complete projects.
Handshake says connecting those projects directly to a career profile could also give employers another way to evaluate applicants—allowing recruiters to look at what candidates have actually built instead of relying entirely on degrees, résumés or self-reported skills.
AI could change what “experience” means
The development is especially interesting for students, career changers and early-career workers.
Traditionally, gaining experience has often created a familiar problem: employers want applicants with experience, while applicants need employment opportunities to acquire that experience.
Project-based AI training doesn’t eliminate that problem, and completing a short AI exercise isn’t the same as performing a job professionally. But projects can provide another way for someone to demonstrate curiosity, technical familiarity and the ability to apply new tools to a specific task.
As AI becomes embedded in more occupations, portfolios demonstrating how someone uses the technology could become an increasingly useful complement to conventional credentials.
That doesn’t mean everyone needs to become an AI engineer. The more immediate workplace skill may simply be understanding how to use AI effectively within an existing profession—whether that’s marketing, design, software development, sales, research or business operations.
Handshake’s new program is another indication that career preparation is beginning to adjust to that reality.
AI Skills Studio is available free through Handshake’s website and mobile app.
Source: Handshake press release, September 22, 2026. Statistics regarding graduating seniors and AI education are attributed to Handshake’s 2026 Network Trends Report.
Source and Related Links
Handshake — Introducing AI Skills Studio: AI Skills Studio launch and overview — Details the program, project-based missions, participating partners and how completed projects can be displayed to employers.
Handshake — What is AI Skills Studio?: AI Skills Studio Help Center — Official information on how the program works, eligibility, missions and access.
Handshake — Class of 2026 Graduation Report: AI and the Workforce Ahead — Supports the article’s statistics that 58% of graduating seniors say they need stronger AI skills while only 28% say AI has been meaningfully integrated into their academic program. Handshake
Handshake — Workforce Outlook: Class of 2026 in the AI Economy — Additional research on AI adoption, employer demand and attitudes toward AI among graduating students.
Stay informed. Stay curious. From business and technology to lifestyle, entertainment, transportation, science and the stories shaping everyday life, STM Daily News brings you news, insight and useful information that matters.
Discover more stories at STM Daily News: https://stmdailynews.com
Transportation
LAX SkyLink Delayed Again, With Passenger Service Now Targeted for January 2027
LAX SkyLink has been delayed again. The long-awaited airport train is now targeting passenger service in January 2027 as final testing and certification continue.
The long-awaited airport train is nearly complete, but additional testing and certification have pushed its anticipated debut beyond 2026.
LOS ANGELES — Travelers waiting for Los Angeles International Airport’s long-delayed SkyLink train will apparently have to wait a little longer.
The automated train system, previously expected to begin carrying passengers as early as October 2026, is now being targeted for early January 2027, according to new project disclosures.
LAX Integrated Express Solutions, or LINXS, the consortium responsible for the project, indicated in a September 16 disclosure that passenger service could begin around January 6, 2027, if remaining work proceeds successfully. However, LINXS also cautioned that additional delays remain possible.
Importantly, January 6 is not an official opening date announced by Los Angeles World Airports.
LAWA’s official SkyLink website currently says only that the system is in its “final testing and certification phase”and that opening information will be announced when available.
What Happened to the October Opening?
As STM Daily News previously reported, the project had been moving toward a possible October 2026 passenger-service launch.
That timetable has now slipped.
According to the latest project information, SkyLink still must successfully complete several important requirements before passengers can board.
Those include 30 consecutive days of successful testing, an independent review, an assessment by LAWA and completion of a utility agreement involving the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.
The project’s contractual completion deadline currently stands at December 8, 2026, but LINXS has indicated that additional time may be necessary.
That puts the tentative January 6 passenger-service target roughly one month beyond the current contractual completion deadline.
Those Trains You See Are Still Test Trains
For passengers traveling through LAX, the delay might seem particularly puzzling because SkyLink trains can already be seen moving around the airport.
Those trains aren’t carrying passengers.
LAX says the vehicles are operating throughout the system as part of testing required before passenger service can begin.
The airport’s official SkyLink page specifically warns travelers that any trains currently moving are part of testing and are not in service.
The project is reportedly about 99% complete, meaning the primary infrastructure is essentially in place while testing, certification and remaining agreements continue.
Another Delay in a Long-Running Project
Construction on the 2.25-mile automated train system began in 2019, and passenger service was originally expected to begin in 2023.
That opening has repeatedly slipped as the approximately $3.3 billion project encountered construction issues, technical challenges and disputes between LAWA and LINXS.
The relationship between the two sides has also become increasingly contentious.
LINXS sued the City of Los Angeles earlier this year, alleging that actions by LAWA contributed to delays and additional costs. LAWA has said completing a safe and reliable SkyLink remains its priority.
The financial stakes are also increasing. Bondholders recently agreed to consolidate an earlier October deadline into the December 8 project deadline, giving the consortium additional time to complete the remaining work.
Why SkyLink Still Matters
Despite the delays, SkyLink remains one of the most consequential pieces of LAX’s massive modernization program.
The free, all-electric automated train will operate along a 2.25-mile elevated guideway with six stations.
Three stations will serve the airport’s Central Terminal Area, while others will connect passengers with parking, rental cars, ground transportation and the LAX/Metro Transit Center.
That last connection is especially significant.
The Transit Center provides access to Metro’s C and K Lines. Until SkyLink opens, however, passengers using Metro must continue transferring to shuttle buses to reach the airport terminals.
Once operational, SkyLink is designed to eliminate that final shuttle connection.
LAX says the train will operate 24 hours a day, with trains approximately every two minutes during peak periods. The trip from one end of the system to the other is expected to take about 10 minutes, and passengers won’t need a ticket, fare or app to ride.
Could SkyLink Be Running Before the Super Bowl?
The January target carries added significance because Super Bowl LXI is scheduled for February 14, 2027, at SoFi Stadium.
If SkyLink begins passenger operations around January 6, the system would have just over a month of regular service before another major international influx of visitors arrives in Los Angeles.
But after several missed opening targets, January 6 should be viewed as just that — a target.
LINXS itself has warned that there is no assurance passenger service won’t be delayed further.
LAWA, meanwhile, says it will not compromise the testing necessary to ensure the automated system operates safely and reliably.
The Finish Line Moves Again
For LAX travelers, SkyLink has become a familiar sight: sleek automated trains moving above airport traffic but carrying nobody.
The latest delay doesn’t change the project’s ultimate purpose. When SkyLink finally opens, travelers will have a direct connection between LAX terminals, Metro rail, rental cars, parking and other ground transportation without relying on many of the shuttle buses currently circulating through the airport.
But the project’s history also offers a reason for caution.
October 2026 is effectively off the table. January 6, 2027 is now the contractor’s target. And LAWA has yet to announce an official opening date.
After a project originally expected to welcome passengers in 2023, perhaps the most important milestone will be the simplest one:
The day LAX finally removes the word “testing” from those trains.
STM Daily News will continue following the LAX SkyLink project and will provide an update when Los Angeles World Airports announces an official passenger-service date.
Source & Further Information
For current official information, visit the LAX SkyLink project page.
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