7.8 quake hits Alaska isles
Anchorage: A powerful 7.8 earthquake struck the Alaska Peninsula late on Tuesday, triggering a tsunami warning that sent residents fleeing to higher ground before it was called off without any damaging waves. Hundreds wore masks against the spread of the coronavirus as they gathered in shelters.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the quake struck on Tuesday at 10:12 p.m. It was centered in waters 65 miles south-southeast of Perryville, Alaska at a depth of 17 miles (28 km), deeper than an earlier estimate.
No reports of any damage, Kodiak Police Sgt. Mike Sorter told The Associated Press early on Wednesday morning. (AP)
Cargo jet burns at Shanghai airport
Beijing: A cargo jet caught fire at a Shanghai airport on Wednesday but no casualties were reported. The Shanghai fire department said on its microblog that 18 firetrucks were dispatched to Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport and the fire was extinguished just after 5 pm.
There was no immediate word on the cause of the fire, which prompted numerous flights to be re-routed to Hongqiao, Shanghai’s second airport, according to media reports. (AP)
Nobel Prize banquet cancelled
Stockholm: The Nobel Foundation, which manages the prestigious Nobel Prizes, says it has canceled the traditional December banquet at the Stockholm City Hall due to the coronavirus pandemic. Lars Heikensten, CEO of the Nobel Foundation, said it is not possible to gather up to 1,300 banquet guests and let them sit next to each other amid the current COVID-19 restrictions. He said the pandemic also makes it uncertain whether prize winners can travel to Sweden.
The Nobel Prizes are announced in October but the festivities in December will be severely limited due to the pandemic. (AP
Pak family kills couple for ‘honour’
Peshawar: In a case of honour killing, a couple was killed by their family members in northwest Pakistan on Wednesday, police said.
The incident occurred at Jarred village in Mansehra district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Police have registered an FIR against five people allegedly involved in the murders. Three persons have been arrested and search is on to nab the remaining two, police said.
There are an estimated 1,000 honour killings each year in Pakistan, according to a report by the Human Rights Watch. (PTI)