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Japan and the United States have issued tsunami warnings after a powerful 8.7-magnitude earthquake struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on Wednesday.

The US Pacific Tsunami Warning Center warned of potential waves between one and three meters high threatening Hawaii, Alaska, and the US territory of Guam. Honolulu’s emergency officials ordered evacuations in some coastal areas, citing risk of destructive waves, according to BBC.

Japan’s weather agency also warned of tsunami waves up to three meters expected to hit large coastal regions from around 0100 GMT. Authorities have urged immediate evacuation to higher ground, warning that multiple waves could strike.

In Russia’s Far East, wave heights of 3 to 4 meters were recorded along parts of Kamchatka’s coast, BBC reported.

US President Trump said India may face tariffs of 20 to 25 percent, though no final decision has been made as trade talks continue ahead of the August 1 deadline, Firstpost reported.

Calling India a “good friend,” Trump criticised its high tariffs and trade barriers, saying, “You just can’t do that.” He previously imposed a 26 percent tariff in April, later pausing it during negotiations.

US officials say more talks are needed, citing concerns over India’s digital taxes and strict import rules. With a $129bn trade relationship at stake, both sides are pushing for a deal, according to Firstpost.

A powerful 8.7-magnitude earthquake struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on Tuesday, triggering tsunami warnings in Japan, Alaska, and Hawaii.

The shallow quake, centered 136 km east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, raises the risk of strong tremors and tsunami waves. Japan warned of waves up to 1 meter, urging people to avoid the coast. US officials also issued advisories for parts of Alaska and Hawaii, according to Firstpost.

No injuries have been reported so far, though a kindergarten was damaged. Authorities are urging caution as tsunami threats remain active.

US President Trump has dismissed reports claiming he is seeking a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, stating he’s “not seeking anything”, Al Jazeera reported.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he may visit China only at Xi’s invitation, which he noted has already been extended.

His remarks come amid ongoing US-China trade talks in Sweden, ahead of an August 12 tariff truce deadline, according to Al Jazeera.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has welcomed the ceasefire between Cambodia and Thailand, calling it a step toward easing tensions and ending violence. He urged both sides to fully uphold the agreement and work towards lasting peace, according to Xinhua.

Guterres also praised Malaysia, the US, and China for helping mediate the deal. The UN said it stands ready to support efforts for regional stability.

Iran has no current plans to resume nuclear talks with the United States, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on Monday.

He criticized the US for backing recent Israeli airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites, calling such actions incompatible with diplomacy. Baghaei stressed that any future negotiations would require a fundamental change in Washington’s approach, warning that talks should not be used as a tool for pressure or intimidation, according to Xinhua.

The comments follow a brief but intense flare-up between Iran and Israel in June, which ended with a ceasefire on the 24th after 12 days of conflict.

Nepali Congress leader and Minister for Drinking Water, Energy and Irrigation Shyam Bahadur Khadka of the Bagmati Province government tendered his resignation on Tuesday.

Earlier, four ministers had resigned for their post.

Minister for Youth and Sports Min Krishna Maharjan, Minister Internal Affairs and Law Suraj Chandra Lamichhane, Minister for Culture and Tourism Bimal Thakuri, and Minister for Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation Madhu Kumar Shrestha had resigned.

After submitting their resignations, they filed a no-confidence motion against Chief Minister Bahadur Singh Lama to remove him as the Nepali Congress provincial Parliamentary Party leader.

Along with Khadka, 22 lawmakers have signed the proposal.

After resigning from the post of minister, he signed the no-confidence motion against Lama.

The Bagmati Province government has 14 ministries, including the Chief Minister.

Of these, ruling coalition party CPN-UML has six ministers and Congress has eight.

In any home, food preparation is perhaps one of the main chores. Family members, or often one of them, spend hours in the kitchen readying meals every single day. Though cooking is an elaborate process involving a lot of labor, there are a few things you can do to shorten your time in the kitchen and not be consumed by mundane tasks. We are here to share some secrets.

Pre cut and wash veggies

This might seem like a simple, obvious tip but not many people do it thinking they will chop and ready whatever they need when they need it. But it’s usually the chopping and washing that takes most time when preparing a dish. Many of our readers confessed that some prepping of basic ingredients well in advance can save a lot of time in the kitchen. So look at your produce and figure out what can be cut and stored. Most veggies like carrots, cauliflower, and mushrooms can be cut, washed, dried, and stored in an airtight container in the fridge a few days in advance ready for use. Similarly, you can also store coriander, mint, and other herbs. The idea is to eliminate the need for immediate preparation.

Invest in a spice rack

Do you have a dedicated spice rack within easy access? If not, it’s time you considered building one. A small thing as a spice rack that is easily accessible and stores all the essential spices at one place is one of the most basic ways to avoid confusion in the kitchen and make cooking a breeze. Many people store spices randomly and in what different jars and boxes are available at home. 

Having all the necessary spices at one place saves you the hassle of having to search for what you need when you are in the kitchen making meals. It’s a small thing but the impact is life changing.  

Think one pot meals 

One of the many reasons why we end up spending so much time in the kitchen is because cooking usually involves a lot of separate steps. There’s boiling, blanching, frying etc and all of these take multiple dishes and are time consuming. So when you are in a rush, it helps to have an arsenal of one pot meals up your sleeves. There are many stews, pastas and other vegetable dishes that you can whip up in a single pan. This significantly lessens your cooking and cleaning time.

Put the oven to use

Cooking can sometimes be an ordeal especially when it’s hot like it is these days. Also, having something simmering on the stove can mean more time in the kitchen as you have to constantly attend to it. If you have an oven, put it to good use by whipping up meals that can be baked. This way, you can assemble the ingredients in a pan and then pop it in the oven and attend to other things around the house as your meal gets cooked. If you don’t have an oven, cooking in an air fryer is also a good option.

Get creative with leftovers

You can turn leftovers into new dishes with minimal effort if you put some thought into it. Leftovers can become great bases for fried rice, salads, tacos, and even lasagnas. So whenever you are feeling too lazy to cook, just look inside your fridge and pull out everything that is there and whip something up with them. There are many apps and YouTube channels that teach you ways to utilize leftovers to make some delicious meals. You could also have one day in the week where you only eat what’s in the fridge. Alternatively, you could also make double batches of rice, pasta, and lentils and use them in different ways to avoid repetition fatigue.