World
Powerful 7.6 earthquake hits northern Japan, tsunami warnings issued
At Kuji Port in Iwate, a 70-centimeter tsunami was recorded, while Hokkaido observed waves of 50 centimeters in Urakawa Town and 40 centimeters at Mutsuogawara Port.
A powerful magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck northern Japan late Monday night, prompting tsunami advisories and an unprecedented alert for a potential “mega quake” along the country’s Pacific coast.
The quake occurred at 11:15 p.m. off the eastern coast of Aomori Prefecture at a depth of 54 kilometers. Authorities initially issued tsunami warnings for Iwate Prefecture as well as coastal areas of Hokkaido and Aomori.
USGS has recorded the quakes magnitude at 7.6. However, Japanese officials have stated it was a 7.5 magnitude quake.
At Kuji Port in Iwate, a 70-centimeter tsunami was recorded, while Hokkaido observed waves of 50 centimeters in Urakawa Town and 40 centimeters at Mutsuogawara Port.
As of 1:00 a.m., officials confirmed six injuries in Aomori, with residents hurt by falling objects or during attempts to evacuate. More than three hours after the quake, the tsunami warnings were downgraded to advisories, though authorities continue to urge residents to stay clear of the shoreline.
Japan’s Meteorological Agency has issued a rare alert warning that a much larger earthquake could follow. A potential mega quake—magnitude 8 or higher—could generate tsunamis along the Pacific coast from Hokkaido down to Chiba.
Residents in the affected areas have been urged to review evacuation routes, prepare emergency supplies, secure household furniture, and ensure access to food, water, and portable toilets. Officials say people along the Pacific coastline should remain on high alert for the next week, although no formal evacuation recommendation is currently in place.
This is the first time Japan has issued an alert under this category since it was created in 2022.
Morikubo Tsukasa, a disaster preparedness official with the Cabinet Office, said: “Based on global earthquake statistics, there is a possibility that a large-scale earthquake with a magnitude of 8 or higher could occur as a follow-up along the Japan Trench or Chishima Trench off Hokkaido. It is unclear whether such an event will happen, but everyone should take precautions to protect their lives.”
World
White House AI czar says US should ‘declare victory and get out’ of Iran war
“This is a good time to declare victory and get out,” Sacks, Trump’s crypto and AI czar, said in an appearance on the “All-In Podcast.”
White House AI czar David Sacks said on Friday the U.S. should “declare victory and get out” of its war on Iran, a rare instance of a prominent figure in Donald Trump’s administration calling for an exit from the Iran conflict, Reuters reported.
Here are some details:
“This is a good time to declare victory and get out,” Sacks, Trump’s crypto and AI czar, said in an appearance on the “All-In Podcast.”
Sacks said the U.S. had degraded Iran’s military capabilities.
“I agree that we should try to find the off-ramp,” he added.
“If escalation doesn’t lead anywhere good, then you have to think about, well, how do you de-escalate? De-escalation, I think, involves reaching some sort of ceasefire agreement or some sort of negotiated settlement with Iran,” he said.
The U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on February 28. Iran and its ally in Lebanon, Hezbollah, have responded with strikes on Israel and other countries in the Middle East.
The war has shaken global markets and raised oil prices.
Iran’s U.N. ambassador says over 1,300 people have been killed in Iran in U.S. and Israeli attacks. Israel says 12 people have been killed in Israel by Iranian attacks. The U.S. military says seven of its members have been killed.
World
US eases sanctions on Russian oil to ease energy prices inflated by Iran war
The U.S. has issued a 30-day waiver for countries to buy sanctioned Russian petroleum products currently at sea, hoping to ease oil and gas prices driven up by the war the U.S. and Israel are waging on Iran.
However, the waiver appeared to have little effect, with benchmark Brent crude back up to $101 by 1000 GMT on Friday, with Asian shares also under pressure.
The Israeli military said it had launched strikes across Tehran and continued to carry out strikes on the Iranian-allied Hezbollah militia across Lebanon, including on the capital Beirut, as Iranian media reported rallies for Quds (Jerusalem) Day beginning across Iran in support of the Palestinians.
The sounds of explosions and fighter jets were heard in the Iranian capital and in Karaj to the west of Tehran, Iranian media said.
World
Iran claims it targeted a US-linked oil tanker in Strait of Hormuz
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Thursday that it carried out an attack on an oil tanker linked to a U.S. company in the Strait of Hormuz after the vessel allegedly ignored repeated warnings from Iranian authorities.
In a statement, the IRGC said the tanker Safesea Vishnu, which it described as owned by a U.S. company and sailing under the flag of the Marshall Islands, was struck north of the strategic waterway early in the morning.
Iranian officials claimed the ship failed to comply with maritime instructions issued by Iranian forces operating in the area.
The IRGC warned that shipping traffic in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz faces increasing risks, placing responsibility for the heightened tensions on the United States. The IRGC urged commercial vessels transiting the region to follow Iranian maritime regulations in order to avoid potential attacks.
The incident comes amid a broader escalation of hostilities between Iran, the United States, and Israel.
On March 2, Tehran announced it was closing the Strait of Hormuz in response to ongoing U.S. and Israeli military operations against Iran. The strait is one of the world’s most critical energy corridors, carrying a significant share of global oil shipments.
Since the announcement, shipping and insurance costs in the region have surged, while global oil prices have risen amid fears of supply disruptions. Analysts warn that prolonged instability in the waterway could have major economic consequences worldwide.
The reported attack also follows continued U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iranian targets that began on February 28. Iranian authorities say the strikes have killed around 1,300 people and wounded more than 10,000 others.
In response, Tehran has launched drone and missile attacks targeting Israeli territory as well as locations in Iraq and several Gulf states that host U.S. military facilities, raising concerns about a widening regional conflict and threats to international shipping routes.
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