Israel criticises Poland over proposed Holocaust law

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has criticised a proposed bill that would make it illegal to describe Nazi death camps as Polish.

"I strongly oppose it. One cannot change history and the Holocaust cannot be denied," he said in a statement.

Under the bill, which is an amendment to an existing Polish law, anyone who suggests Poland was responsible for Nazi crimes could face a prison term.

It is expected to pass in the Senate before being signed by the president.

The Polish charge d'affaires to Israel has been summoned by the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem.

Poland was attacked and occupied by Nazi Germany during World War Two. Millions of its citizens were killed, including three million Polish Jews in the Holocaust.

The country has long objected to the use of phrases like "Polish death camps", which suggest the Polish state in some way shared responsibility for camps such as Auschwitz.

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The camps were built and operated by the Nazis after they invaded Poland in 1939.

Israeli officials are opposed to the proposed law, suggesting it will limit discussion of Polish involvement in the Holocaust.

"This is a shameful disregard of the truth," said Israel's Education and Diaspora Affairs Minister Naftali Bennett.

"It is a historic fact that many Poles aided in the murder of Jews, handed them in, abused them, and even killed Jews during and after the Holocaust."

Alaska tsunami fears prompt brief evacuation

A tsunami warning was lifted hours after a 7.9-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Alaska in the US.

The quake hit 280km (173 miles) south-east of Kodiak, at a depth of 25km, at 00:31 local time (09:31 GMT), the US Geological Survey said.

The US National Weather Service (NWS) said tsunami waves of less than 1ft (0.3m) had been confirmed.

A lower-level advisory briefly remained in effect for south Alaska and the peninsula, before being lifted.

Waves between 0.4ft and 0.7ft had been recorded in Kodiak, Seward, Old Harbor, Sitka and Yakutat, the NWS said.

It said that tsunami waves of less than 1ft were expected in the town of Homer.

The latest advisory would be the last handed out, the service said - but still advised residents not to return to "hazard zones until local emergency officials indicate it is safe to do so".

Residents had earlier been told to seek high ground as sirens in several towns blared at around 01:00 on Tuesday. Four hours later, the all-clear was given.

Kodiak City Manager Mike Tvenge thanked residents for their orderly evacuations and told them to return home safely. Mayor Pat Branson said the warning centre had done an "excellent job".

Kodiak school district cancelled all classes on Tuesday because of the warning, telling students to remain home.