- US and Iranian officials will meet in Oman this Friday to discuss Iran's nuclear program.
- Negotiations, suspended since June, will reportedly focus on the nuclear issue and sanctions relief.
- US officials want to broaden the agenda to include Iran's missile program and human rights record.

A: Hey Hana-chan! Did you hear about the news? Something about Iran and the US?

B: Oh, really? No, what happened? Tell me!

A: Well, they're going to talk this Friday in Oman! About Iran's nuclear stuff.

B: Wow! That’s a big deal! I thought things were tense.

A: Yeah, exactly! Talks stopped a while ago, remember? After the US military... did something?

B: Right, right! I remember hearing about that. What are they planning to talk about?

A: Mostly about Iran's nuclear program and maybe lifting some sanctions.

B: Sanctions? That’s complicated! But wait, I heard Secretary Rubio wants to talk about other things too? Like missiles?

A: Yep! He wants to talk about other issues, like their missiles and... stuff.

B: Hmm. Sounds like it could get tricky. Is the US getting serious then?

A: They’ve sent a big ship, the USS Abraham Lincoln, over there! Pretty serious stuff.

B: Seriously! Do you think they’ll actually agree on something?

A: Someone who knows a lot about this said they need to be a little more flexible. Small steps, you know?

B: Fingers crossed! It’s so important to avoid another conflict, isn't it?

A: Totally! Let's hope it goes well. We'll see what happens!

- Heavy snowfall is expected across Japan, including rare snow in areas like Tokyo, through Sunday.
- The Japan Meteorological Agency warns of potential disruptions including traffic problems, avalanches, and power outages.
- Blizzards and near-zero visibility are already occurring in Hokkaido, prompting residents to limit travel.

A: Hey! Did you hear about the weekend weather?

B: No! What's up? Is it going to be okay?

A: Not really! It's supposed to snow *a lot*. Like, really a lot.

B: Seriously? Even in Tokyo? I heard something about that!

A: Yeah! The weather agency is saying even areas that don't usually get snow, like Tokyo, might see some.

B: Wow! Hokkaido and Tohoku are already getting hammered, right?

A: Totally! The wind is super strong too! They measured really high wind speeds.

B: Crazy! And the snow is piling up already. 20 centimeters already!

A: I know! They're expecting up to 70 centimeters in Niigata by Sunday morning!

B: 70 centimeters?! That's insane! We need to be careful, right?

A: Definitely! They’re warning about traffic problems, avalanches, and power outages.

B: Oh no! And they said blizzards are happening in Hokkaido now, making it hard to see anything.

A: Exactly! They're telling people to stay home if they don't *need* to go out.

B: Okay, good to know! Maybe I'll just curl up with a good book this weekend.

A: Sounds like a good plan! Stay safe!

- A Tokyo High Court ruling upheld a previous order for the state to hand over the remains of cult leader Asahara Shoko to his daughter.
- The state had argued against the handover fearing the remains could be misused for recruitment and to disturb public order.
- The court acknowledged the daughter's vow to keep the remains private and not allow them to be used by any group.

A: Hey, did you hear about Asahara’s remains? It's a bit crazy!
B: No! Asahara? The cult leader? What’s happening with him?
A: Well, the court says his daughter can finally get his ashes and hair.
B: Seriously? After all this time? I thought the government was still fighting it.
A: They were! They were worried his followers would worship his remains. You know, like make it a shrine or something.
B: Oh wow, that makes sense. Why else would they want them?
A: Exactly! But the daughter took it to court. First, the lower court agreed with her.
B: And now the High Court too?
A: Yup! They said the daughter just wants to mourn her dad and keep the remains at home. She promised not to give them to any cult groups.
B: So the government lost again? What will they do now?
A: They said they need to look at the ruling carefully. Maybe they'll appeal again? It's complicated.
B: It really is! What a story!

- President Zelenskyy revealed approximately 55,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed since the Russian invasion began.
- Zelenskyy stated a significant number of Ukrainian personnel are currently missing.
- French President Macron is reportedly planning to resume dialogue with Putin, prompting Zelenskyy to call for conditions on such talks.

A: Hey! Did you hear anything about Ukraine lately?

B: No, not really. What's up?

A: Apparently, President Zelenskyy gave an interview. It’s pretty serious.

B: Oh? What did he say?

A: He said around 55,000 Ukrainian soldiers have died since the war started. That was nearly four years ago now, remember?

B: Wow, that’s a lot. Did he say that before too?

A: He did! Last year, he said it was over 46,000. So, the number is getting higher. Also, he mentioned a lot of people are missing.

B: That's terrible. Is anything changing?

A: Well, he said President Macron of France is planning to talk to Putin again!

B: Really? That’s something.

A: Yeah! Zelenskyy thinks pressure on Russia isn't strong enough. He wants them to talk, but with certain rules.

B: Macron’s advisor went to Moscow already, huh?

A: That's right! It’s all quite a complicated situation.

- The Milwaukee Brewers will host a "Naruto Night" on August 5, 2026, featuring a special Naruto-themed jersey giveaway.
- The Brewers and the Miami Marlins are both holding Naruto-themed nights, marking a trend of MLB teams collaborating with popular anime franchises.
- The Brewers are also hosting a "Hello Kitty Night" on August 19, complete with a Hello Kitty bobblehead giveaway and themed activities.

A: Did you hear about the news? The Brewers are doing a Naruto night!

B: え！Really? The Milwaukee Brewers? That's so random!

A: I know, right? August 5th! They're giving away Naruto jerseys!

B: Wow! What does the jersey look like?

A: It has the Naruto logo on the front and Naruto himself on the back! They’re even using “Uzumaki” instead of a name! Like Ichiro!

A: The Marlins are doing a Naruto night too, but the Brewers have shown off their design.

B: Cool! Are they doing other Japanese things?

A: Yep! Hello Kitty night on August 19th! They're giving out bobbleheads!

B: Hello Kitty taking over the stadium? That's hilarious!

A: It is! They're even having a laser show!

B: I might have to go! Do you want to?

A: Definitely! But no Kunai, okay? They’ll probably take them away! 笑

- YouTube now has 325 million paying subscribers for Google One and YouTube Premium, a significant increase from 300 million.
- YouTube's ad revenue rose 9% to $11.38 billion, with overall annual revenue up 17% to $60 billion.
- YouTube plans new, genre-specific subscription packages for YouTube TV and is seeing strong adoption of its AI creation tools.

A: Hey! Did you hear about YouTube's latest news?

B: No way! What's up with YouTube?

A: They're getting even more subscribers! Like, 325 million now! Crazy, right?

B: Wow! That's a lot of people paying for YouTube Premium.

A: Yeah! And their ad revenue went up too, to over 11 billion dollars!

B: That’s good! But I heard it didn't quite meet what everyone expected...

A: True, but their total yearly revenue is still up a lot – 17%!

B: Cool! So, they're pushing that ad-free premium plan a lot too?

A: Definitely! And they're going to add even *more* choices for YouTube TV subscribers. Like, tons of different categories!

B: Genre-specific packages? Sounds interesting!

A: And Shorts are still super popular – 200 billion views a day!

B: Really? Even with all the other apps?

A: Yep! Plus, people are listening to a ton of podcasts on their TVs now. 700 million hours in October!

B: Whoa! That’s a lot of listening.

A: Oh, and they're using AI a lot too. Lots of channels are using their AI tools!

B: AI? For YouTube? Amazing! How many people are using that?

A: Over 20 million people used an AI tool to find videos in December!

- Two Vietnamese men were arrested in Tokyo for illegally obtaining Pokemon cards through fake online accounts.
- The suspects created 30 fake accounts to win lotteries and purchased approximately 4,500 cards.
- Police suspect the men resold the cards for profit, potentially earning over $25,500.

A: Hey! Did you hear about the news? Something crazy with Pokemon cards!

B: No! What happened? Seriously?

A: Yeah! Tokyo police arrested two guys from Vietnam. They were buying Pokemon cards illegally.

B: Wow! How did they do that?

A: They made fake accounts on the official Pokemon website! They used like, 30 fake accounts.

B: That's so sneaky! How could they even do that?

A: Apparently, they got SIM cards illegally too. The website had lotteries for the cards, you know? To buy them.

B: Oh, I know! It’s tough to get them sometimes. They cheated the system!

A: Exactly! They got about 30 boxes, that's 4,500 cards! They probably sold them for a lot of money.

B: Seriously? How much money are we talking about?

A: Police think they made at least 4 million yen, that's like, $25,500!

B: Whoa! That’s a lot of Pikachu! One of them runs a business, too!

A: Yeah, a communications company! He was even arrested before for lying about buying SIM cards.

B: So, they’re really in trouble now, huh?

A: Totally! Police found over 15,000 cards at their places! Crazy, right?

- Hibakusha are deeply concerned about the expiration of the US-Russia nuclear disarmament treaty, fearing it could trigger an arms race.
- Survivors emphasize that abolishing nuclear weapons isn't a problem, rejecting the notion that they represent a nation's power.
- They urge the Japanese government to support the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and actively work towards global nuclear disarmament.

A: Hey! Did you hear anything about that treaty between the US and Russia?

B: No, what's up?

A: It's ending soon! It's called New Start. It's about reducing nuclear weapons.

B: Oh wow, really? Is that bad?

A: Yeah, some survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings are worried. They’re called *hibakusha*.

B: I see. They held a press conference, didn't they?

A: They did! They said it’s happening at a really bad time, with all the tension in the world.

B: It sounds scary! They’re afraid it'll start a bigger arms race.

A: Exactly! One of the *hibakusha* said having nukes isn't a sign of being powerful; it's a problem for everyone.

B: That makes a lot of sense. They think nuclear war could destroy the whole world.

A: They want everyone to see that nukes are basically illegal and shouldn't exist.

B: So what do they want Japan to do?

A: They’re asking the Japanese government to join this other treaty – the one that bans nuclear weapons completely!

B: That's a good idea! Hopefully, the government will listen to the *hibakusha*.

A: Me too! They said the *hibakusha* need to keep pushing for it.

- In Japan, an unspoken etiquette dictates that the first person to press an elevator button must let others off before themselves, leading to potential inconvenience.
- A reporter observed a couple at Starbucks who kindly let him go ahead in line, demonstrating a considerate gesture that acknowledged his slower pace due to an injury.
- Inspired by this act, the reporter suggests that more people consider the "fate of the first to board" in elevators and step aside for the lift operator to improve everyone's experience.

A: Hey! Did you hear about this article about elevators? It’s kind of funny, actually.

B: No, what happened? Elevators are just...elevators!

A: Well, you know how in Japan, if you press the "open" button for someone, you end up being the last one out?

B: Oh yeah! That’s so true! It’s like you become the elevator attendant! It's a bit annoying, especially in hotels.

A: Exactly! This reporter, Masanuki, he was thinking about this "fate of the first to board" problem. But then something amazing happened!

B: Really? What was it?

A: He was on crutches at Starbucks, and this couple saw him. Instead of rushing to order, they waited for him to go first!

B: Wow! That’s so kind! They could have just gone ahead, but they didn't.

A: They even browsed around looking at coffee beans so he wouldn’t feel bad about going first. It made everyone feel good, even the barista!

B: That’s so sweet! Like a little wave of kindness.

A: Right? Masanuki thinks if more people did that in elevators, it might make things a little better for everyone. It's a small thing, but it can make a big difference.

B: I agree! Maybe if we all just think a little bit about the person who’s been holding the door for us…

A: Yeah! Let's try it! Next time I'm in an elevator, I’ll make sure to let the operator go first!

B: Me too! It's a nice idea.

- Snap's revenue increased by 10% year-over-year to $1.7 billion, with a boost from the growing Snap+ subscription service (24 million subscribers).
- Daily active users slightly decreased in North America and Europe, despite growth in other regions.
- Snap is expanding beyond advertising with new offerings like paid Memories storage and plans to launch augmented reality glasses ("Specs") through a dedicated subsidiary.

A: Did you hear about Snap’s latest news?
B: No, what happened? Tell me!

A: Okay, so they’re trying to make money in new ways! Not just from ads.
B: Really? Like what?

A: Subscriptions! They have something called Snap+. It’s a paid service.
B: Oh, like a premium version?

A: Exactly! And it’s growing! They have 24 million subscribers now.
B: Wow, that’s a lot!

A: But… they're also having a bit of trouble. Their daily users went down a little bit.
B: Oh no! Where did they go?

A: Mostly in America and Europe. But growing in other places!
B: Interesting. So, it’s mixed news?

A: Totally! And they’re expecting less money next quarter because of Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
B: Those guys are always a challenge!

A: But get this! They’re making AR glasses! Like, real glasses!
B: Seriously? Cool! When are they coming out?

A: Later this year! They even created a special company just for the glasses - Specs Inc.
B: That’s a big deal!

A: The boss, Evan Spiegel, says they want computing to be more natural and mixed with the real world.
B: Sounds very futuristic!

A: He also said they aren’t completely sure how they will make money from the glasses yet.
B: So, still figuring it out?

A: Yep! They just want to launch a really good product first.
B: Makes sense! Well, that’s a lot of news about Snap!