By JIM GOMEZ, Associated Press

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Two powerful offshore earthquakes struck the same region in the southern Philippines hours apart on Friday with the first 7.4 magnitude temblor killing at least seven people, setting off landslides and prompting evacuations of coastal areas nearby because of a brief tsunami scare.

The second one had a preliminary 6.8 magnitude and also sparked a local tsunami warning by authorities. It was caused by movement in the same fault line, the Philippine Trench, at a depth of 37 kilometers (23 miles) off Manay town in Davao Oriental province, Philippine Institute of Seismology and Volcanology chief Teresito Bacolcol said.

“The second one is a separate earthquake, which we call a doublet quake,” Bacolcol told The Associated Press. “Both happened in the same area but have different strengths and epicenters.”

Bacolcol and other authorities expressed fears that the second nighttime earthquake could further weaken or collapse structures already undermined by the first one.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., facing his latest natural disaster after a recent deadly quake and back-to-back storms, said the potential damage was being assessed and rescue teams and relief operations were being prepared and would be deployed when it was safe to do so.

Quake toll

The first quake was centered at sea about 43 kilometers (27 miles) east of Manay town and was caused by movement in the Philippine Trench at a depth of 23 kilometers (14 miles), government seismologists said.

At least seven people were killed, including two patients who died of heart attacks at a hospital during the first earthquake and a resident who was hit by debris in Mati city in Davao Oriental, Ednar Dayanghirang, regional director of the government’s Office of Civil Defense, told The AP.

Three villagers died and several others were rescued with injuries by army troops and civilian volunteers in a landslide set off by the first quake in a remote gold-mining village in Pantukan town in Davao de Oro province near Davao Oriental, Dayanghirang said.

Another resident died because of the first quake in the port city of Davao, disaster mitigation officials said without providing other details. They added that a few hundred residents were injured in the city.

Damage assessment

Office of Civil Defense deputy administrator Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV said that several buildings sustained cracks in their walls, including an international airport in Davao city, but it remained operational without any flights being canceled.

“I was driving my car when it suddenly swayed and I saw power lines swaying wildly. People darted out of houses and buildings as the ground shook and electricity came off,” Jun Saavedra, a disaster-mitigation officer of Governor Generoso town in Davao Oriental, told The AP.

Schools evacuated

“We’ve had earthquakes in the past, but this was the strongest,” Saavedra said, adding that the intense ground swaying caused cracks in several buildings, including a high school, where about 50 students were brought to a hospital by ambulance after sustaining bruises, fainting or becoming dizzy because of the first quake.

Governor Generoso is a town about 100 kilometers (60 miles) south of Manay, where school classes in all levels were also suspended.

Children evacuated schools in Davao city, which has about 5.4 million people and is the biggest city near the epicenter, about 250 kilometers (155 miles) west of Davao Oriental province.

Map locating a 7.4-magnitude earthquake off the southern Philippines. (AP Digital Embed)

Tsunami fears

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Honolulu said that small waves were detected on the coasts of the Philippines and Indonesia before the threat passed about two hours after the first quake. It said that small sea fluctuations may continue.

A tsunami warning that set off evacuations in six coastal provinces near Davao Oriental was later lifted without any major waves being detected, Bacolcol said.

Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency said that small tsunami waves were detected in North Sulawesi province with heights ranging from 3.5 to 17 centimeters (1.3 to 6.7 inches) in Melonguane, Beo, Essang and Ganalo in Talaud Islands districts.

History of quakes and storms

The Philippines is still recovering from a Sept. 30 earthquake with a 6.9 magnitude that left at least 74 people dead and displaced thousands of people in the central province of Cebu, particularly in Bogo city and outlying towns.

The archipelago also is lashed by about 20 typhoons and storms each year, making disaster response a major task of the government and volunteer groups.

Also Friday, an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.0 struck Friday off the coast of Papua New Guinea. The U.S. Geological Survey said that it was centered in the Bismarck Sea 414 kilometers (257 miles) northeast of Lae, the South Pacific island nation’s second-most populous city.

Lae police official Mary Jane Huafilong said that no damage was reported.

Edna Tarigan in Jakarta, Indonesia, and Rod McGuirk in Melbourne, Australia, contributed to this report.

By MARY CLARE JALONICK, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — More than two decades later, Congress is on the verge of writing a closing chapter to the war in Iraq.

The Senate voted Thursday to repeal the resolution that authorized the 2003 U.S. invasion, following a House vote last month that would return the basic war power to Congress.

The amendment by Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, a Democrat, and Indiana Sen. Todd Young, a Republican, was approved by voice vote to an annual defense authorization bill that passed the Senate late Thursday — a unanimous endorsement for ending the war that many now view as a mistake.

Iraqi deaths were estimated in the hundreds of thousands, and nearly 5,000 U.S. troops were killed in the war after President George W. Bush’s administration falsely claimed that then-President Saddam Hussein was stockpiling weapons of mass destruction.

“That’s the way the war ends, not with a bang but a whimper,” Kaine said after the vote, which lasted only a few seconds with no debate and no objections. Still, he said, “America is forever changed by those wars, and the Middle East is too.”

Supporters in both the House and Senate say the repeal is crucial to prevent future abuses and to reinforce that Iraq is now a strategic partner of the United States. The House added a similar amendment to its version of the defense measure in September, meaning the repeal is likely to end up in the final bill once the two chambers reconcile the two pieces of legislation. Both bills also repeal the 1991 authorization that sanctioned the U.S.-led Gulf War.

While Congress appears poised to pass the repeal, it is unclear whether President Donald Trump will support it. During his first term, his administration cited the 2002 Iraq resolution as part of its legal justification for a 2020 U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassim Soleimani. It has otherwise been rarely used.

Young said after the vote that he thinks Trump should “take great pride” in signing the bill after campaigning on ending so-called “forever wars,” especially because he would be the first president in recent history to legally end a longstanding war.

He said the vote establishes an important precedent.

“Congress is now very clearly asserting that it is our prerogative and our responsibility not only to authorize but also to bring to an end military conflicts,” Young said.

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The bipartisan vote, added to the larger bipartisan defense measure, came amid a bitter partisan standoff over a weeklong government shutdown. Young said the quick vote was an “extraordinary moment” that he hopes “will help some people see that we can still do consequential things in the U.S. Congress.”

The Senate also voted to repeal the 2002 resolution two years ago on a 66-30 vote. While some Republicans privately told Kaine that they were still opposed to the measure, none objected to the unanimous vote on the floor Thursday evening.

A separate 2001 authorization for the global war on terror would remain in place under the bill. While the 2002 and 1991 resolutions are rarely used and focused on just one country, Iraq, the 2001 measure gave President George W. Bush broad authority for the invasion of Afghanistan, approving force “against those nations, organizations, or persons” that planned or aided the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.

Passed in September 2001, it has been used in recent years to justify U.S. military action against groups — including al-Qaida and its affiliates, such as the Islamic State group and al-Shabab — that are deemed to be a threat against America.

For generations, St. Paul has been known for its great restaurants. The chefs that put together the menus for the masses who come to visit Grand Casino Arena strive to have one of the city’s finest places to eat, with a hockey game for entertainment to boot.

In the run-up to the Minnesota Wild’s 2025-26 home opener on Saturday, members of the media were invited to sample some of the new offerings at various stands throughout the arena. Here are a quartet of bites that visitors would be wise to try this winter.

St. Paul Pierogi – Club level near section 36

Grand Casino Arena is offering three takes on the classic Eastern European pierogis during Wild games this season. The protein-loaded Kielbasa Novi includes grilled kielbasa, caramelized onions, sour cream, spicy mustard and sauerkraut for $16 (Courtesy of Grand Casino Arena)

This classic Eastern European dish is a Minnesota staple for many, and they’re offering three varieties of potato-and-cheese pierogies at the rink this season. The Ohgee ($12) features caramelized onions and sour cream. The Minnesoti ($13) goes for the local flair, with cheddar cheese, bacon bits, sour cream, green onions. The protein-loaded Kielbasa Novi ($16) version includes grilled kielbasa, caramelized onions, sour cream, spicy mustard and sauerkraut. They were the brainchild of Chef Kyle Bowles.

“We always try to lean in to Minnesota. Anything we can do to be local and be authentic,” said Chef Matt Rosson. “Chef Kyle had been pushing the pierogi idea for a while. We have these brainstorm meetings, and it came to life this year. We’re super thrilled with how it came out and the way it’s being received.”

Crunchy Commuter – Main Concourse near Section 122

Rosson lived in San Francisco for a time, where a neighborhood restaurant featured many takes on the walking taco, including the classic with taco chips, taco meat, cheese, lettuce, etc. This season they are offering five different varieties of Old Dutch chips in a bag, filled with other fixings. Options include the classic taco, a barbeque flavor with pulled pork and crispy onions, a chicken Caesar version, a dill pickle version and a jerk chicken option, each of them for $10.

“We think it’s an ode to our non-seriousness. We are professionally trained chefs, but we want to have fun and make food that people love to eat,” Rosson said. “Anytime we try and go too fancy, people don’t go there as much as we think they will. So something like a walking taco is fun, cool to show off and easy to walk as you go.”

State Fare – Main Concourse near Section 117

These pronto pups on hockey sticks will be served at Minnesota Wild home games during the 2025-26 season (Courtesy of Grand Casino Arena)

You never need to miss the culinary delights of Falcon Heights in late summer with this sampling of the Great Minnesota Get-Together. The stand features Pronto Pups ($11), Deep Fried Ranch served with hot honey ($13), O’Gara’s Shepard’s Hand Pie ($8) served with brown gravy and Dill Pickle Tater Tots ($8.29) which are a vegan offering.

“We have a full commitment to State Fair-focused items,” Rosson said. “Every summer we get together as a team to go to the State Fair and come up with ideas based on things that we love. We were able to work with the vendors to give people the authentic State Fair experience.”

J&R’s Cookie Dough – Main Concourse near Section 109

When it’s time for dessert, there are few things more classically Minnesotan among sweets as the classic Scotcheroo bars, which are a mix of chocolate and peanut butter. The Grand Casino Arena chefs have developed a Scotcheroo cookie dough, available for $6.99.

“New cookie dough concepts, specifically the Scotcheroo cookie dough, is an exciting addition,” Rosson said. “We’ve been changing it up and doing different cookie dough concepts for 10 years. Scotcheroo bars are something you get at a church potluck, and that’s an ode to our history and the people here. We’re excited about that.”

The Wild are host to Columbus on Saturday. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. Gates open to the public 90 minutes before the first faceoff.

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Luther Memorial Church in South St. Paul has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places as a highly intact example of mid-century modern architecture, with the longtime community meeting place carrying memories for many locals from baptism to burial.

Parishioner Maureen Sanford headed the volunteer effort to pursue the federal listing, applying for state grant funds for the application. The submission was made possible through a grant funded by a state appropriation to the Minnesota Historical Society from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

“I think it’s really a feather in the cap for our community,” Sanford said.

A longtime South St. Paul resident, Sanford was baptized in the church and also married there. Her parents, aunts and uncles are buried at nearby General Lutheran Cemetery down the street. She said the architectural significance of the building, and that sense of community, is why she pursued the listing for Luther Memorial.

The church, located at 315 15th Ave. N., was built in two stages, in 1956 and 1964. The latter construction became the period of significance, according to research commissioned by Andrea C. Pizza, owner of Deco Cultural Services and author of the National Register nomination.

Specifically, the church was so named to the National Register as an example of mid-century modern, post-World War II era suburban church construction.

Luther Memorial Church in South St. Paul on Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025. (Claudia Staut / Pioneer Press)

Passersby can witness this from the outside through the large, angled precast concrete panels bordering the sanctuary, and the curvature of the exterior brick wall along the front of the church.

On the inside, the general design and unique stained-glass windows were particular points of mention in the National Register submission.

Time portal

Much of the church is original and true to its 1964 construction. Taking a stroll through the building’s wood-lined offices feels like walking through a time portal to decades ago.

Luther Memorial Church was formed in 1953, as a merger of St. Paulus Lutheran Church and Trinity Lutheran Church, as those congregations began in 1892 and 1928, respectively. The new and growing congregation needed an updated building to accommodate more than 1,000 members, according to Pizza’s research, and as planning stages for new construction continued, church member Awalt Schmidt donated land along 15th Avenue North and Third Street North, with the remainder purchased from the city of South St. Paul.

The sun shines through a stained glass window at Luther Memorial Church in South St. Paul on Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025. (Claudia Staut / Pioneer Press)

Characteristic of this era, churches at the time were attempting to design spaces that would be more inviting, more welcoming, than the Gothic architecture that had long preceded the period. The design called for the sanctuary and chancel areas to be more open to the parish. Within the sanctuary are floor-to-ceiling stained-glass windows, with specific themes expressed within each set of stacked panels.

The themes include public service, labor, commerce, communications, healing arts and education, as well as windows for food production that include an animal carcass signifying the South St. Paul stockyards.

For many inner-ring suburbs, these buildings from the past are lost over time, Pizza said, as societal changes and redevelopment efforts take their place.

“I think it’s important to recognize these places so that we can find out more about our communities. It gives communities a sense of place,” Pizza said. “South St. Paul has lost a lot of its historical buildings, so there are fewer buildings to convey the city’s past.”

When a building like Luther is recognized for its history, that opens an opportunity to discuss and learn, Pizza said: “It opens up an avenue for people to say ‘Why?’ and an opportunity to learn things about a property, or historical topics, that they didn’t know before.”

Community-minded mission

While the construction is historically significant, parishioners and clergy alike are quick to mention that the larger significance of the church exists not just in the surroundings of the pews, but the people who fill them.

“We have a real sense of community,” Sanford said. “It’s a family. If I was sick, I know someone there is going to bring me a meal. And vice-versa.”

Today, Luther Memorial Church counts about 400 members, the Rev. Patrick Joiner said. Church membership has fallen over the past 40 years, a trend that many churches have been dealing with.

For Luther Memorial, Joiner said there has been a stepped-up focus over the last decade to engage with the greater community. Those efforts have included holiday events, civic celebrations and school district collaborations outside of the church walls.

People gather for services at Luther Memorial Church in South St. Paul on Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025. (Claudia Staut / Pioneer Press)

When Joiner is in the sanctuary, he said the stained-glass windows and their imagery bring to mind that community-minded mission.

“The windows allow light through into the parish, but they also allow us to see our community,” Joiner said. “That is a significant thing for us.”

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Celebrate Luther Memorial History

What: Luther Memorial Church will host a luncheon celebrating the church’s listing in the National Register of Historic Places following worship on Sunday, Oct. 12.

When: 10 a.m. worship and presentation; 11 a.m. luncheon, Sunday, Oct. 12

Where: Luther Memorial Church, 315 15th Ave. N., South St. Paul

More information: 651-451-2400