Headline

Earthquake Hits New York

Published

2 years ago

April 5, 2024

The United Nations Security Council diplomats were shaken in their chairs, planes got briefly grounded, and furniture rattled across New York Friday when an earthquake jolted the city that never sleeps.

No one was hurt, though, and New York’s iconic skyline remained intact.

“I AM FINE,” reported the Empire State Building on its X account.

The tremor had a 4.8 magnitude, according to the United States Geological Survey.

Near the epicenter in Lebanon, New Jersey, store supervisor Dominika Uniejewska, 50, said “I’m still shaking” after being woken up by the quake.

“I’ve never experienced such a strong earthquake. I did experience some before but it was nothing compared to that. The whole house was really shaking. The bed was shaking, the house was making rumbling noises,” she said.

“I ran to check on my dog. The dog was okay.”

In Brooklyn, buildings shook, rattling cupboard doors and fixtures, an AFP correspondent reported.

At the United Nations, which has its headquarters in New York, a Security Council meeting on the situation in Gaza was temporarily paused after the tremor.

“Is that an earthquake?” said Save the Children representative Janti Soeripto who was speaking at the time. One diplomat joked: “One for the memoirs.”

– ‘Remain indoors’ –

A short time later many diplomats’ cell phones blared with the sound of the emergency alert system confirming the quake.

“Residents are advised to remain indoors and to call 911 if injured,” the emergency alert said.

Flight operations were halted at several airports in the region including New York’s La Guardia, Philadelphia and Newark in New Jersey.

“Air traffic operations are resuming as quickly as possible,” the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement.

Social media users reported feeling the earthquake from Philadelphia up to New York and eastward along Long Island.

Several users posted images of knocked over garden furniture captioned “we will rebuild.”

“Earthquakes are uncommon but not unheard of along the Atlantic Coast, a zone one study called a “passive-aggressive margin” because there’s no active plate boundary between the Atlantic and North American plates,” the USGS wrote on X.

US President Joe Biden was briefed on the earthquake, his spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said.

“The White House is in touch with federal, state, and local officials as we learn more,” she added.

The USGS says that moderately damaging earthquakes strike somewhere in the urban corridor roughly twice a century, and smaller earthquakes are felt roughly every two to three years.

Social media users jokingly questioned whether an earthquake coming days before the April 8 solar eclipse, which will be visible across swathes of the northeastern United States, heralded the end of the world.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul acknowledged New Yorkers were “not accustomed” to earthquakes and – at a hastily convened press briefing — warned residents to be wary of any possible aftershocks.

AFP

Related Topics:#US Earthquake US Earthquake

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Six-year-old Nigerian Girl Dies After Fall From Apartment In Canada

Published

15 hours ago

May 8, 2026

Editor

A six-year-old Nigerian girl has died after falling from a high-rise residential building in Toronto, Canada, in a tragic incident that has left the community in shock.

Reports indicate that her mother was in Nigeria at the time of the incident.

The incident occurred at an apartment complex on Chalkfarm Drive in North York, close to Jane Street, at about 8:15 p.m.

Toronto Police Service said officers responded to a report described as “unknown trouble” and later found the child unresponsive on the ground outside the building.

Residents of the building described the girl as cheerful and familiar within the community, saying her death had deeply unsettled neighbours.

One resident told CP24 that the child was regularly seen playing around the premises.

“She used to come here all the time and play… she was a lively kid. It’s very, very sad,” the neighbour said.

Another resident said the news had been devastating for people living in the building, adding that the girl was a familiar face during daily routines such as school runs.

“It’s crazy that I will never see this child again. I see her every morning. It’s heartbreaking,” the resident said.

According to neighbours, the girl had been staying with a family friend who lives on the top floor of the building while her mother was away in Nigeria.

Some residents also questioned how the incident occurred, noting that the building is fitted with window safety features designed to prevent full opening.

“To be fair, they do have precautions on these windows to make sure these things don’t happen,” one resident said.

Another added that the windows are secured and cannot be fully opened, further adding to uncertainty surrounding the circumstances.

The property management company, Greenwin, which manages the building at 200 Chalkfarm Drive, described the incident as “deeply saddening,” adding that its thoughts are with the child’s family.

The company confirmed that emergency responders attended the scene promptly and said it is fully cooperating with investigators.

It declined to comment on the condition or inspection history of the windows, citing an ongoing investigation.

Police in Toronto said the case is not being treated as suspicious at this stage, though investigations are continuing pending autopsy results.

Headline

US Govt Finally Releases Files On UFOs, Alien Life

Published

15 hours ago

May 8, 2026

Editor

President Donald Trump’s administration has released a batch of previously unseen files, videos and photographs on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena, UAP.

The government described the development as part of a push for greater transparency on government-held information about extraterrestrial-related sightings.

According to Fox News, the White House said the materials, drawn from across multiple government agencies, have been made publicly accessible without security clearance requirements.

Officials said the release is intended to allow the public to review the information and draw their own conclusions.

“The latest UAP videos, photos, and original source documents from across the entire United States government are all in one place,” the White House said, adding that past administrations had sought to limit public disclosure.

The release is part of a programme identified as the Presidential Unsealing and Reporting System for UAP Encounters, PURSUE, which officials say will continue with further disclosures.

Among the initial materials are images reportedly linked to Apollo 12 and Apollo 17 space missions, including a photograph from the lunar surface showing three small dots in the sky.

The release also includes transcripts of communications from Apollo 17, in which crew members described observing bright, fast-moving particles or fragments outside their spacecraft.

In one exchange, astronauts described seeing “very bright particles” and “jagged, angular fragments” while in orbit, comparing the appearance to fireworks.

Trump previously said he would support declassifying government files related to UFOs and UAPs, following renewed public interest in the subject.

He had earlier directed federal agencies to begin identifying and releasing relevant documents.

Headline

Strait Of Hormuz: Pakistan Thanks Trump For Pausing ‘Project Freedom’

Published

3 days ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday expressed gratitude to United States President Donald Trump for temporarily pausing ‘Project Freedom’, an initiative to secure shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

In a statement posted on X, Sharif thanked Trump for pausing the “Project Freedom” mission, praising him for his courageous leadership and timely announcement.

According to him, Trump’s decision was made in response to requests from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and other brotherly countries.

He added that the pause would go a long way towards advancing regional peace, stability and reconciliation during the sensitive period.

“Pakistan remains firmly committed to supporting all efforts that promote restraint and a peaceful resolution of conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy.

“We are very hopeful that the current momentum will lead to a lasting agreement that secures durable peace and stability for the region and beyond,” Sharif said.