Regional
Earthquake of magnitude 7.0 strikes Bali Sea, Indonesia
A strong earthquake of 7.0 magnitude struck deep in the sea north of Bali and Lombok islands in Indonesia early on Tuesday, the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) said, sending residents running out of buildings.
The quake’s epicentre was 203 km north of Mataram, Indonesia, and very deep at 516 km below the Earth’s surface, EMSC said.
Indonesian and U.S. geological agencies pegged the magnitude at 7.1, with no threat of a tsunami, Reuters reported.
The quake was felt just before 4 a.m. Indonesia time across coastal areas in Bali and Lombok and was followed by two quakes of magnitude 6.1 and 6.5, according to the Indonesian geological agency.
Guests at Bali’s Mercure Kuta Bali ran out of their rooms after feeling the tremor for a few seconds, hotel manager Suadi told Reuters by phone.
“Several guests left their rooms but were still in the hotel area,” he said, adding they have since returned and there was no damage to the building.
There were no immediate reports of damage, Indonesian disaster agency BNPB said.
“The quake is deep so it should not be destructive,” BNPB spokesperson Abdul Muhari said.
United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan arrived in Islamabad on Friday on his first official visit to Pakistan, at the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Geo News reported.
He was received by Prime Minister Sharif and senior officials, with his aircraft escorted by Pakistan Air Force jets upon entering Pakistani airspace. The UAE president is accompanied by a high-level delegation.
According to Pakistan’s Foreign Office, the visit aims to review bilateral relations and discuss regional and international issues of mutual interest.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has signaled that the country will continue developing missiles over the next five years, following visits to major munitions enterprises in the last quarter of 2025, state media KCNA reported on Friday.
Kim said the country’s missile and shell production sector is “of paramount importance in bolstering war deterrence,” according to KCNA.
The report said Kim ratified draft documents on the modernization of key munitions enterprises, which will be submitted to a major ruling party congress expected to be held in early 2026. The congress is set to outline North Korea’s development plan for the next five years.
KCNA’s report follows Thursday’s disclosure that Kim oversaw the construction of an 8,700-ton nuclear-powered submarine alongside his daughter, widely seen as a potential successor, as well as the test-firing of long-range surface-to-air missiles.
Turkish authorities have detained 115 suspected Daesh members they said were planning to carry out attacks on Christmas and New Year celebrations in the country, the Istanbul chief prosecutor’s office said on Thursday.
Istanbul Police obtained information that Daesh members had planned attacks in Turkey, against non-Muslims in particular, during Christmas and New Year celebrations, the prosecutor’s office posted on X, Reuters reported.
The police raided 124 places in Istanbul, capturing 115 of the 137 suspects they were seeking, the statement said. Several pistols and ammunition were seized, it said.
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