Wednesday, 30 July 2025 International Friendship Day, officially recognized by the United Nations, is celebrated annually on 30 July to emphasize the importance of friendship in fostering peace, solidarity, and mutual understanding among peoples and cultures across the globe. The day encourages individuals, communities, and nations to build bridges of harmony, especially in times of rising tension, conflict, or division.
On July 30, 2025, at around 11:25 am local time (~23:24:52 UTC on July 29), a shallow, magnitude 8.7 to 8.8 earthquake struck about 120–136 km east‑southeast of Petropavlovsk‑Kamchatsky, at a depth of approximately 19–19.3 km Tsunami.gov+15Reuters+15The Guardian+15 . It is the strongest quake in the region since 1952, comparable to the 1952 Severo‑Kurilsk event The Guardian+7News.com.au+7The Guardian+7 . ⏱ Immediate Tsunami Impact Kamchatka: Recorded 3 to 4 m wave heights in coastal areas. Evacuations occurred in Severo‑Kurilsk, and some flooding impacted port infrastructure and a kindergarten. A few minor injuries were reported, all in stable condition The Guardian+1Reuters+1 . Japan: First tsunami wave (~30 cm) hit Hokkaido, with waves up to 1–3 m expected along the Pacific coast from Hokkaido south to Wakayama Prefecture, prompting mass evacuations—including at the Fukushima nuclear plant, though no abnormalities have been detected The Guardian+2News.com.au+2The Guardian+2 . Unite...