International news brief: Huge quake hits Papua New Guinea; Next generation of royals to see more scrutiny

Wellington, Sep 11: A 7.6-magnitude earthquake hit northeastern Papua New Guinea. Initial readings put the quake at a depth of some 50 to 60 kilometers (30 to 40 miles) located 67 kilometers (42 miles) east of Kainantu, a sparsely populated area.

The US Geological Survey, which reported the quake, issued a tsunami warning but subsequently said the threat "has now passed".

The extent of damage is not yet clear, but the USGS estimates "some casualties and damage are possible and the impact should be relatively localized." Papua New Guinea is located on the eastern half of the island of New Guinea, to the east of Indonesia and north of eastern Australia.

Sports in Britain resume, pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II

Wearing black armbands, test cricketers from England and South Africa held a minute's silence before a bell was chimed once by a high-ranking member of the military at the Oval. Over to the west of London, golfers from around the world paused their rounds and other pros, officials and caddies gathered on the putting green in front of the first tee at Wentworth to hold a two-minute period of silence, also impeccably observed. There were moving and respectful tributes to Queen Elizabeth II on Saturday as sports resumed in Britain following a nationwide shutdown Friday as a mark of respect for the monarch of more than 70 years who died at the age of 96 on Thursday.

Stepping up: Next generation of royals to see more scrutiny

Prince William and wife Kate made a surprise joint appearance with Prince Harry and wife Meghan, warmly greeting a large crowd gathered outside Windsor Castle to remember their long-reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. Their "walkabout", the first time the brothers have appeared amicably together in public since March 2020, comes at a time when the younger generation of Britain's royal family must step up their responsibilities significantly.

William, long second-in-line to the throne, is now the heir apparent after his father, King Charles III, became Britain's new monarch upon his mother's death. That means William and Kate, both 40 and parents of three young children, immediately assume a much more central role as the new face of the monarchy.

with agency inputs