International
They observe a tsunami of up to half a meter after the 7.1 earthquake in Japan, which leaves 2 injured
A tsunami of up to half a meter hit the Pacific coasts of southwestern Japan on Thursday after a strong earthquake of magnitude 7.1 in the region, which left at least nine minor injuries, while personal and material damage continues to be evaluated.
The earthquake took place at 16:43 local time (07:43 GMT) at a depth of 30 kilometers in the Sea of Hyuga, off the coast of Miyazaki Prefecture, on the southern island of Kyushu, according to details from the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), which triggered a tsunami alert of up to one meter in areas near the epicenter.
The first waves of the tsunami were detected at 17:01 (08:01 GMT) in the port of the city of Nichinan, in front of the epicenter, where it reached 20 centimeters, later reaching 40 cm in the port of Aburatsu, in the same city.
The highest altitude tsunami, half a meter, was observed in the port of Miyazaki and others of 30 centimeters were recorded in the city of Tosashimizu, Kochi prefecture, on the neighboring island of Shikoku; in the port of Shibushi, in Kagoshima (Kyushu) and in the city of Minamiosumi, of the same province, among other locations, without damage from the phenomenon having been reported at the moment.
About five hours after the earthquake, around 22:00 local time (13:00 GMT), the tsunami alert was completely lifted in the affected areas, although a warning was maintained for possible slight changes in sea level.
The tremor reached in the east of Miyazaki Prefecture the lower intensity 6 on the Japanese 7-level seismic scale, which measures the agitation on the surface and its destructive potential, and the lower intensity 5 in neighboring Kagoshima.
The authorities continued hours later to evaluate the scale of the damage caused by the earthquake, which has left at least nine injured, five in Miyazaki and four in Kagoshima, according to the most recent balance provided by the Japanese public broadcaster NHK.
In the town of Nichinan, a detachment of rocks and fallen electric poles was reported, so traffic had to be regulated on certain roads.
Due to the earthquake, local train lines in Miyazaki and Kagoshima have also been suspended, and sections of highways in the area have been cut to check their status.
In the village of Osaki, in Kagoshima, an old wooden house collapsed, without any injuries being reported from the incident, and reports of collapsed walls and damaged roads were received.
In the city of Kushima, Miyazaki, authorities received reports of damaged and leaking pipes, and there could be more damage to other infrastructures, as the evaluation continues.
Nuclear power plant operators in the region reported that no anomalies or damage was detected in the reactors of the Sendai power plants, in Kagoshima, and Ikata, in Ehime.
Residents of the affected areas turned to social networks to share images of gender scattered in shops and shelves dumped on homes because of the earthquake.
It is expected to have greater knowledge about the extent of the damage in the coming hours, especially with the arrival of the day.
Experts are warning of possible aftershocks in the coming days and the JMA has warned that today’s earthquake seems to be related to a future earthquake of greater magnitude in the Nankai grave, one of the points of greatest seismic activity in the world and where they predict that there will be a strong earthquake in the coming decades.
The entity has asked for extreme precautions and disaster prevention measures to be taken, since they consider that the possibility of a large-scale earthquake with an epicenter in that pit, which covers from the area of Kanto, where Tokyo is located, to Kyushu, is relatively greater than usual, the first time it makes a warning of these characteristics.
Japan sits on the so-called Ring of Fire, one of the most active seismic zones in the world, and suffers relatively frequently from earthquakes, so its infrastructure is specially designed to withstand tremors.
International
Trump floats Vance-Rubio potential Republican ticket for 2028 election
U.S. President Donald Trump suggested on Monday that Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubiocould potentially form a Republican presidential ticket for the 2028 elections.
Speaking during a dinner with law enforcement officials as part of National Police Week, Trump publicly praised both officials and said they could make “an ideal team” for the next presidential race.
“Who likes JD Vance? Who likes Marco Rubio?” Trump asked attendees before adding that the pair “sound like a good combination.”
The president highlighted his vice president’s performance in office, stating that their current partnership has been highly effective. “JD is perfect, that has been a perfect formula,” Trump told reporters later.
He further suggested that a Vance-Rubio pairing could represent a strong presidential and vice-presidential ticket, although he stopped short of offering any formal endorsement.
“I think it sounds like a presidential candidate and a vice-presidential candidate,” he said, while clarifying that his remarks should not be interpreted as an official backing of any future campaign.
So far, neither Vance nor Rubio has publicly confirmed any intention to run in the 2028 presidential election.
Rubio previously sought the Republican nomination in 2016 but withdrew after losing the primary race to Trump. Later, in a December 2025 interview with Vanity Fair, he said he would be among the first to support Vance if he decided to run for the White House.
Vance, meanwhile, has recently dismissed speculation of any political rivalry with Rubio amid growing discussion about potential future GOP leadership.
International
Russia Accuses Ukraine of Violating Victory Day Truce
Russia accused Ukraine on Saturday of violating a Victory Day truce that was reportedly agreed with mediation from the United States, claiming that Ukrainian forces carried out attacks on Russian territory as well as on the annexed Crimean peninsula.
Despite the declared ceasefire, the Russian Ministry of Defense said in a statement that Ukrainian forces attacked Russian military positions using attack drones and artillery.
According to the ministry, Ukrainian forces made twelve attempts to advance toward Russian-held positions across several sectors of the front line.
It also alleged that Ukrainian strikes targeted civilian infrastructure in Crimea, several border regions, the Caucasus, and other areas including Moscow and Perm in the Ural region.
The Defense Ministry estimated around 8,900 violations of the ceasefire in total, including more than 7,000 drone attacks and over 1,000 strikes involving tanks, artillery, multiple rocket launch systems, and mortars since the truce came into effect at midnight.
Russia said its forces responded “symmetrically” to what it described as violations by Ukrainian troops.
Earlier, the Kremlin denied claims that Ukraine attempted to sabotage a military parade in Red Square marking the 81st anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.
“No attempts were made. Everything went well,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told local media.
International
Trump Says U.S.-Iran Talks Progressing, Signals Possible Deal on Strait of Hormuz
U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Washington is holding “very good” talks with Iran and stated that there is a strong possibility of reaching an agreement to end the conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
“We’ve had very good conversations over the last 44 hours, and it’s very possible that we’ll reach an agreement,” Trump said during an event held in the Oval Office at the White House.
The president’s remarks came just hours after he announced a temporary suspension of the military operation aimed at escorting vessels stranded in the Persian Gulf due to Iran’s blockade of the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Trump explained that the pause in operations is intended to facilitate diplomatic negotiations between both sides and prevent further military escalation in the region.
“We’re in good shape, and right now things are going well. Now we have to achieve what we need to achieve. If we don’t, we’ll have to go much further,” the Republican president warned.
In a post published on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump reiterated that if Iran accepts Washington’s proposed conditions, military operations and the naval blockade affecting the Islamic republic would come to an end.
However, he also issued a new warning to the Iranian government, stating that the United States would respond with attacks “of greater intensity” if Tehran rejects the agreement promoted by the White House.
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