A powerful earthquake has struck central Japan, destroying buildings, knocking out power to tens of thousands of homes and prompting residents in some coastal areas to flee to higher ground.
The quake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 triggered waves of about 1m (3 feet) along Japan west coast and neighbouring South Korea on Monday, with authorities saying larger waves could follow.
Media reports said two people were feared dead after the 7.5-magnitude quake struck Ishikawa prefecture on the Sea of Japan side of the main island of Honshu at 4:10 pm (0710 GMT), according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).
Japanese authorities put the magnitude at 7.6 and said that it was one of more than 50 quakes of 3.2 magnitude or more to rock the region on the New Year Day holiday -- when families get together and visit shrines -- over several hours.
Television channels interrupted normal services with special programming including of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida urging people in danger areas to "evacuate as soon as possible" to higher ground.
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal today said violence during election is not acceptable anyhow as it creates panic among people.
"Violence at polls will not be tolerated in any way as it creates panic among people. So, violent activities must be resisted," he said while inaugurating a training programme for judicial magistrates in the city Bangabandhu International Conference Centre.
A total of 650 judicial magistrates took part in the training session ahead of the 12th Parliament Election slated for January 7.
A labour court ¦here today convicted and sentenced Grameen Telecom Chairman and Nobel Laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus and three others to six-month jail in a case filed against them for violating labour law.
Judge Sheikh Merina Sultana of Dhaka 3rd Labour Court pronounced the judgment around 3.05pm in presence of all the four convicts.
The court fined them Taka 5,000 each, to suffer 10-day jail in default under a section of the Bangladesh Labor Act, 2006. It also fined them Taka 25,000 each, to suffer 15-day behind bars in default.
Seventy percent of the economic development or
economic growth in independent Bangladesh has been achieved over the last 15
years thanks to the socio-economic and political stability of the Awami
League government under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasina.
During this period, the gross domestic product (GDP) of the country increased
to $465 billion from $90 billion. Over this 15-year period, a massive
transformation has taken place in the country economy, said speakers at a
discussion meeting today.