Sunday, 09 Mar, 2025

International

521 dead as powerful earthquake shakes Turkey, Syria

A magnitude 7.8 earthquake has knocked down multiple buildings in southeast Turkey and northern Syria. At least 284 deaths were reported in Turkey, while another 237 people died in Syria. The US Geological Survey said the earthquake was centred about 33km (20 miles) from

16 killed, 66 injure in central China road accidents

A total of 16 people were killed, and 66 others injured in five road accidents that happened in about 10 minutes on Saturday afternoon on the Xuchang-Guangzhou Highway in Changsha City, central China's Hunan Province, the local highway traffic police said in a statement on Sunday.

Former military ruler Pervez Musharraf passes away

Former president retired General Pervez Musharraf passed away on Sunday after a prolonged battle with the rare disease amyloidosis. He was 79. The former military ruler was hospitalised for three weeks in June last year. “Going through a difficult stage where recovery is not

Zelenskyy says situation in Ukraine’s east ‘getting tougher’

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that the situation on the eastern front line was getting tougher, with Russia throwing more and more troops into battle to break down Ukrainian defences. Zelenskyy’s comments on Saturday came as shelling continued in the

Israelis rally for 5th week against Netanyahu’s judicial plans

Tens of thousands of Israelis have gathered for a fifth week of protests against controversial judicial changes proposed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. Protesters in the central city of Tel Aviv braved heavy rain for Saturday’s protest, carrying blue and

At least 23 dead as dozens of wildfires torch forests in Chile

Dozens of wildfires blazing though Chile caused the government to extend an emergency order to another region on Saturday, as a scorching summer heat wave complicates efforts to control fires that have claimed at least 23 lives so far. More than 1,100 people have sought refuge in

US fighter jet shoots down suspected Chinese spy balloon

The United States military has shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon off the coast of South Carolina, a week after it entered US airspace and triggered a dramatic spying saga that worsened relations between Beijing and Washington. President Joe Biden said on Saturday that he had

Ukraine, Russia swap prisoners; bodies of British volunteers returned

Ukraine and Russia traded almost 200 prisoners of war in a swap announced separately by both sides on Saturday, with the bodies of two British volunteers also being sent back to Ukraine. The Ukrainian president’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, said 116 Ukrainians had been

More than 40 killed in Nigeria as gunmen and vigilantes clash

More than 40 people have been killed in clashes between gunmen and vigilantes in Nigeria’s northern Katsina state, the latest violence ahead of parliamentary and presidential elections. Katsina state police spokesperson Gambo Isah said on Friday that an armed gang, known locally

Ukraine to get long-range missiles in latest US aid 

The US says additional military aid to Ukraine worth $2.2bn (£1.83bn) will include long-range missiles capable of doubling its attack range. It brings the total amount of military aid given to Ukraine to more than $29.3bn (£24.31bn) since February 2022. The package

China urges calm over 'spy' balloon in US airspace

China has urged "cool-headed" handling of a dispute over a giant Chinese balloon heading for the eastern US. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken earlier called off a visit to Beijing, saying the "surveillance" balloon's presence was "an irresponsible

China Says It 'Regrets' Unmanned Airship's Entry Into US Airspace

Beijing said on Friday it regretted an "unintended" breach of US airspace by what it described as an unmanned civilian airship, after the Pentagon said it was tracking a Chinese spy balloon. "The airship is from China," a spokesperson for China's Ministry of

UN aid chief pushes Taliban for more clarity on women aid workers

The United Nations aid chief has said he had urged the Taliban authorities to offer more clarity on humanitarian sectors that could be reopened for Afghan women workers, warning that a "famine was looming". Afghanistan confronts one of the world's worst humanitarian

Crimes in Japan rise in 2022 for 1st time in 20 years

The number of crimes recorded in Japan in 2022 rose for the first time in 20 years, apparently due in part to an increase in street crime as COVID-19 restrictions eased, police data showed Thursday. Overall, there were 601,389 incidents in which a crime was committed in Japan last

US tracking suspected Chinese surveillance balloon

The US is tracking a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon that has been spotted flying over sensitive sites in recent days. Defence officials said they were confident the "high-altitude surveillance balloon" belonged to China. It was most recently seen above the western

India journalist walks out of jail after 2 years

Indian journalist Siddique Kappan, who spent two and half years in jail without trial, has walked out of prison more than a month after he was granted bail by a court in the northern Indian city of Prayagraj in a money laundering case. He was initially charged under various sections of

UN expert warns of another Rohingya genocide

The independent UN expert tasked with investigating the situation in Myanmar has called on the international community to “do a lot more” to protect the vulnerable Rohingya population in the country’s Rakhine State. Tom Andrews, whose official title is UN Special

India Budget: Capital Expenditure Increased By 33% To ₹ 10 Lakh Crores

The central government will spend ₹ 10 trillion (Rs 10 lakh crore) on longer term capital expenditure in 2023/24, extending a strategy adopted to revive growth in the aftermath of the Covid crisis. The allocation is higher than the ₹ 7.5 trillion (Rs 7.5 lakh crore) budgeted in the

US readying new $2bn Ukraine weapons package

The United States is readying more than $2bn worth of military aid for Ukraine that is expected to include longer-range rockets for the first time as well as other munitions and weapons, according to the Reuters news agency, citing two US officials briefed on the plan. The aid is

14 killed in blaze at Dhanbad apartment in India 

Ten women and three children were among 14 people killed in a fire that broke out on the third-floor of a multistorey apartment complex in Jharkhand’s Dhanbad on Tuesday evening. As many as 14 people with burn injuries were hospitalised, it is learnt. According to officials, the