TOKYO -- Most parts of Japan, from Kanto to Kyushu, on Saturday experienced intense late-summer heat, with high-pressure systems driving temperatures up, according to the country's weather agency.

Out of 914 monitoring locations across the country, 542 recorded temperatures of 30 degrees Celsius or higher, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) reported. (Japan-Weather-Heat)

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KABUL -- The Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) distributed humanitarian aid to more than 1.4 million people across the war-torn Afghanistan during the past year, an official said on Saturday.

"Over 1,430,000 vulnerable and affected people received financial, food, and non-food aid during the past year," Abdul Latif Sabit, deputy secretary general of ARCS, said at a government accountability program to brief the nation on the administration's achievements. (Afghanistan-Red Crescent Society-Aid)

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ULAN BATOR -- Mongolia's central bank has decided to reduce its benchmark interest rate to 10 percent, according to a statement by the bank on Saturday.

Byadran Lkhagvasuren, governor of the Bank of Mongolia, explained that the decision was made after evaluating the current and projected state of the economy, financial markets, and external economic risks. The rate was lowered by 1 percentage point to 10 percent in an effort to stabilize inflation at the target level. (Mongolia-Benchmark Interest Rate-Reduction)

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CANBERRA -- Floriade, Australia's biggest celebration of spring, has opened in the nation's capital Canberra.

The 37th edition of the annual flower and entertainment festival launched on Saturday in Canberra's Commonwealth Park. (Australia-Flower-Festival) Enditem

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