Morning briefing: Over 150 quakes jolt Japan in a day; Owaisi’s appeal; and more

Japan has been hit by 155 earthquakes since Monday including a 7.6-magnitude jolt and another over 6, news agency AFP reported, citing the country’s meteorological office. The major earthquake triggered tsunami waves over a metre high, damaging homes and sparking a major fire that wreaked destruction overnight. News footage aired by local media showed toppled buildings, sunken boats at a port, countless charred homes, and locals without power in freezing overnight temperatures. Dig deeper.
Asaduddin Owaisi of the All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) has appealed to the Muslim youths to be watchful of the activities done by the Centre and said that mosques across the country should remain inhabited, prompting sharp reactions from the Bharatiya Janata Party. Days before the consecration of the Ram temple in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya on January 22, Asaduddin Owaisi, with reference to Babri Masjid, said the place where the holy Quran was recited for the past 500 years is not in their hands anymore. Dig deeper.
David Warner seems to have stumbled on a bit of a crisis ahead of Australia’s third Test against Pakistan, in which he will bid an emotional farewell to red ball cricket. Warner is set to retire from Test and ODI cricket after the game and he would have been looking forward to walking out wearing his Australian cap but the veteran opener has said on social media that he believes it has been stolen. Dig deeper.
Aamir Khan and Reena Dutta’s daughter Ira Khan is all set to tie the knot on January 3. Ahead of the D-day, preparations have begun at the parents’ houses. Several visuals from Aamir and Reena’s Mumbai houses have surfaced online as they decked up the space with decorations and lights. In a video, two floors of Aamir’s house are seen beautifully decorated with fairy lights. His first wife Reena’s house was also decked up with flowers and lights as the families are now holding pre-wedding festivities. Dig deeper.
Katrina Kaif and Samantha Ruth Prabhu were among the celebrities who wished their fans a Happy New Year by sharing snippets from their celebrations last night. While Katrina went on a camping trip in Rajasthan with her husband, Vicky Kaushal, Samantha celebrated her New Year by the beach. The two divas’ posts stood out because we loved their dresses for welcoming 2024. Scroll through to know why they should be a part of your 2024 party closet. Dig deeper.