NEW YORK -- An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.4 jolted 127 km northwest of Kiunga, Papua New Guinea at 23:25:37 GMT on Wednesday, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

The epicenter, with a depth of 10.0 km, was initially determined to be at 5.4297 degrees south latitude and 140.3671 degrees east longitude. (Papua New Guinea-Earthquake)

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MEXICO CITY -- Eight people were killed and another 14 wounded after assailants opened fire on mourners attending a wake, or vigil for the dead, in the town of Cuernavaca, a popular weekend getaway for Mexico City residents, local officials said on Wednesday.

Witnesses said the attackers arrived in vehicles at a private residence in the Antonio Barona neighborhood of Cuernavaca, capital of central Morelos state, and fired on those keeping vigil alongside the body of a young man who had died in a motorcycle accident. (Mexico-Shooting)

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RIGA -- Free travel inside the territory of the three Baltic states, or the so-called Baltic bubble, is about to end this week as COVID-19 cases are mounting in Latvia's neighbor countries Lithuania and Estonia, Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins said Wednesday.

As Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia succeeded in bringing the coronavirus under control in May, they agreed to lift mutual travel restrictions and create the Baltic bubble in which people could move freely without self-isolating after crossing the countries' borders. (Latvia-Baltic Travel Bubble)

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SANTIAGO -- Chile's government on Wednesday announced it will relax social distancing measures so nuclear families can celebrate the upcoming national holidays together.

The Undersecretary for Crime Prevention, Katherine Martorell, said family gatherings will be allowed on Sept. 18, 19 and 20, the dates Chile celebrates Independence Day and other national holidays. (Chile-Coronavirus)

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UNITED NATIONS -- A United Nations official in Libya on Wednesday urged the Security Council to press for an immediate de-escalation of tensions and a return to negotiations, following the call from rival political leaders for a ceasefire on Aug. 21.

"It is becoming a regrettable cliche to appear before you and warn that Libya is at a critical juncture, but yet I am compelled to pronounce these same words again," Stephanie Williams, the deputy head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya for political affairs, told Council members via video-teleconference. (UN-Libya-Envoy-Security Council)

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NAIROBI -- Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta vowed on Wednesday his government will enhance its counter-terrorism efforts in Eastern Africa by working with regional governments and partners.

Kenyatta who spoke during a virtual meeting of the Aqaba Process on COVID-19 convened by King Abdullah II of Jordan told the global community that Kenya will leverage on its membership in the UN Security Council to contribute more to global peace and security. (Kenya-Terrorism) Enditem

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