The number of people killed by <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/philippines-typhoon-kammuris-death-toll-touches-10-266059">Typhoon Kammuri's pounding</a> of the Philippines this week has hit 13, officials said Thursday, as authorities confirmed reports of storm-related deaths.

Kammuri's fierce winds toppled trees and flattened flimsy homes across a swathe of the nation's north on Tuesday, and forced a rare 12-hour shutdown of Manila's international airport.

Authorities said on Wednesday one person had drowned while three died after being hit by trees and flying objects.&nbsp;

Disaster officials did not offer details on how the other victims died, but local police reports indicated some may have drowned or been crushed by trees.

Mark Timbal, the spokesman for the national disaster agency, said no new bodies have been found but the death toll could rise as reports on the ground are verified.&nbsp;

"There is the possibility of an increase in the number, but we are hoping against it," Timbal told AFP.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/one-killed-over-two-lakh-evacuated-as-typhoon-kammuri-pounds-philippines-closes-manila-airport-265891">Hundreds of thousands of people</a> living in exposed or low-lying areas were evacuated from their homes before Kammuri made landfall late Monday, which authorities said had saved lives.

Still the storm-damaged 135 schools and destroyed nearly 1,200 homes, with crop damage in the hardest-hit areas estimated to reach nearly $16 million.

The Philippines is hit by an average of 20 storms and typhoons each year, killing hundreds and putting people in disaster-prone areas in a state of constant poverty.&nbsp;

President Rodrigo Duterte is scheduled to visit on Thursday the Bicol region, a peninsula south of Manila which was hit hard by the typhoon. &nbsp;

Ninoy Aquino International Airport was closed half of Tuesday as a precaution, affecting over 500 flights, while roughly half the day's programme at the Southeast Asian Games, hosted by Manila and nearby cities, had to be postponed.

The number of people killed by Typhoon Kammuri's pounding of the Philippines this week has hit 13, officials said Thursday, as authorities confirmed reports of storm-related deaths.

The number of people killed by Typhoon Kammuri's pounding of the Philippines this week has hit 13, officials said Thursday, as authorities confirmed reports of storm-related deaths. Kammuri's fierce winds toppled trees and flattened flimsy homes across a swathe of the nation's north on Tuesday, and forced a rare 12-hour shutdown of Manila's international airport. Authorities said on Wednesday one person had drowned while three died after being hit by trees and flying objects. Disaster officials did not offer details on how the other victims died, but local police reports indicated some may have drowned or been crushed by trees. Mark Timbal, the spokesman for the national disaster agency, said no new bodies have been found but the death toll could rise as reports on the ground are verified. "There is the possibility of an increase in the number, but we are hoping against it," Timbal told AFP. Hundreds of thousands of people living in exposed or low-lying areas were evacuated from their homes before Kammuri made landfall late Monday, which authorities said had saved lives. Still the storm-damaged 135 schools and destroyed nearly 1,200 homes, with crop damage in the hardest-hit areas estimated to reach nearly $16 million. The Philippines is hit by an average of 20 storms and typhoons each year, killing hundreds and putting people in disaster-prone areas in a state of constant poverty. President Rodrigo Duterte is scheduled to visit on Thursday the Bicol region, a peninsula south of Manila which was hit hard by the typhoon. Ninoy Aquino International Airport was closed half of Tuesday as a precaution, affecting over 500 flights, while roughly half the day's programme at the Southeast Asian Games, hosted by Manila and nearby cities, had to be postponed.

Philippines: Typhoon Kammuri death toll hits 13

Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi on Saturday remarked that police casualties are not less than the casualties of conventional war and acknowledged their contribution as nation builders.

The CJI was delivering the 33rd Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Memorial Lecture on "Rule of Law in Modern Democracy" in Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy here.

"The Chief Justice acknowledged the contributions of the Indian Police Service to the motherland as the nation builders and remarked that police casualties are not less than the casualties of conventional war," said an official statement.

The Memorial lecture was attended by 156 IPS Probationers of 2018 batch undergoing Phase-I training, including 15 Foreign Officer Trainees from Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives and also 103 Probationers of 2017 batch undergoing Phase-II training.

"Justice Gogoi addressed the Probationers as "Young Achievers", and "Nation Builders" to whom the baton needed to be passed. At the outset, he congratulated them for choosing to dedicate their lives to serve the motherland," the statement said.

"He recalled the contributions of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in making the Indian Civil Services as the strong constitutional steel framework in binding independent India," it said.

All the judges of Telangana High Court, including Chief Justice Raghavendra Chauhan, senior police officials and National Police Academy Director Abhay Patel was also present at the event.

"He raised the issue of fairness in discharging duties and drew a distinction between institutional fairness and fairness in the individual functioning. He expected all the Probationers to take all necessary steps to exercise their legitimate powers in a fair and reasonable manner," the statement added.

The lecture has been delivered by eminent personalities in memory of the Iron man of India (Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel) ever since it was instituted with the approval of Government of India in 1983.&nbsp;

Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi on Saturday remarked that police casualties are not less than the casualties of conventional war and acknowledged their contribution as nation builders.

Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi on Saturday remarked that police casualties are not less than the casualties of conventional war and acknowledged their contribution as nation builders. The CJI was delivering the 33rd Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Memorial Lecture on "Rule of Law in Modern Democracy" in Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy here. "The Chief Justice acknowledged the contributions of the Indian Police Service to the motherland as the nation builders and remarked that police casualties are not less than the casualties of conventional war," said an official statement. The Memorial lecture was attended by 156 IPS Probationers of 2018 batch undergoing Phase-I training, including 15 Foreign Officer Trainees from Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives and also 103 Probationers of 2017 batch undergoing Phase-II training. "Justice Gogoi addressed the Probationers as "Young Achievers", and "Nation Builders" to whom the baton needed to be passed. At the outset, he congratulated them for choosing to dedicate their lives to serve the motherland," the statement said. "He recalled the contributions of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in making the Indian Civil Services as the strong constitutional steel framework in binding independent India," it said. All the judges of Telangana High Court, including Chief Justice Raghavendra Chauhan, senior police officials and National Police Academy Director Abhay Patel was also present at the event. "He raised the issue of fairness in discharging duties and drew a distinction between institutional fairness and fairness in the individual functioning. He expected all the Probationers to take all necessary steps to exercise their legitimate powers in a fair and reasonable manner," the statement added. The lecture has been delivered by eminent personalities in memory of the Iron man of India (Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel) ever since it was instituted with the approval of Government of India in 1983.

Police casualties not less than that of conventional war: CJI Ranjan Gogoi

Fighting between rival Libyan forces intensifies, casualties mainly include fighters from both sides. Watch this video to know more.

Libya continues to be on the edge

Lack of synergy and miscommunication between various wings of security forces led to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pulwama-encounter-in-jk-8-civilians-3-militants-and-one-soldier-among-12-dead-184239">mayhem in South Kashmir's Pulwama</a> district Saturday that resulted in the death of seven civilians after an encounter with Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists, officials said on Monday.

The lack of synergy was to the extent that civilians had almost reached the Army vehicles engaged in an encounter and there was serious apprehension that the mob could harm the personnel or loot the weapons, they said.&nbsp;

This had prompted the security forces to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pak-pm-imran-khan-condemns-killing-of-seven-civilians-in-kashmirs-pulwama-threatens-to-raise-the-issue-at-un-184640">open fire at the unruly crowd</a> which approached the encounter site at Sirnoo village from multiple directions Saturday, officials added.

Even the governor's advisor K Vijay Kumar, in his address to senior police officials on Sunday, stressed on ensuring effective coordination and synergy between security agencies, besides exercising restraint to avoid civilian casualties and collateral damage during anti-militancy operations and security-related drills in the valley.

According to an internal probe, the day for the crack team began early Saturday morning and a hideout was raided in an area adjacent to Simroo village, which is the native area of Zahoor Thoker, an army deserter-turned-militant.&nbsp;

He is wanted in several cases of killings of security forces, including rifleman Aurangzeb in June and sub-inspector Imtiyaz Ahmad Mir in October.

After drawing a blank from the first hideout, the crack team of security forces did not come up with anything at the second hideout as well. They rather established contact with holed up terrorists in a couple of houses near an orchard.

"This was the third place raided by the crack team and here they were fired upon by the holed up militants," a senior security official said.&nbsp;

In the ensuing encounter, Thoker, who had gone missing in July last year from his camp in Gantmulla area along with an AK-47 rifle, was killed along with his two other accomplices.

However, the crack team had not made adequate arrangements to ensure complete sanitisation of the encounter site because of the paucity of time, the officials said.

People started thronging the encounter site as the outer cordon, which was to be thrown around by the CRPF and the local police was not in place due to lack of communication, they said.

As many as 20 people sustained bullet injuries on Saturday out of which seven civilians died, including 28-year-old MBA graduate Abid Hussain Lone, who had come home along with his Indonesian wife and a three-month-old baby.

By the time local police along with the CRPF could reach the spot of the encounter, the damage was done and people were seen running helter-skelter rushing the injured people to the hospital in Srinagar, a distance of 34 kilometres.

Lack of synergy and miscommunication between various wings of security forces led to mayhem in South Kashmir's Pulwama district Saturday that resulted in the death of seven civilians after an encounter with Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists, officials said on Monday.

Lack of synergy and miscommunication between various wings of security forces led to mayhem in South Kashmir's Pulwama district Saturday that resulted in the death of seven civilians after an encounter with Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists, officials said on Monday. The lack of synergy was to the extent that civilians had almost reached the Army vehicles engaged in an encounter and there was serious apprehension that the mob could harm the personnel or loot the weapons, they said. This had prompted the security forces to open fire at the unruly crowd which approached the encounter site at Sirnoo village from multiple directions Saturday, officials added. Even the governor's advisor K Vijay Kumar, in his address to senior police officials on Sunday, stressed on ensuring effective coordination and synergy between security agencies, besides exercising restraint to avoid civilian casualties and collateral damage during anti-militancy operations and security-related drills in the valley. According to an internal probe, the day for the crack team began early Saturday morning and a hideout was raided in an area adjacent to Simroo village, which is the native area of Zahoor Thoker, an army deserter-turned-militant. He is wanted in several cases of killings of security forces, including rifleman Aurangzeb in June and sub-inspector Imtiyaz Ahmad Mir in October. After drawing a blank from the first hideout, the crack team of security forces did not come up with anything at the second hideout as well. They rather established contact with holed up terrorists in a couple of houses near an orchard. "This was the third place raided by the crack team and here they were fired upon by the holed up militants," a senior security official said. In the ensuing encounter, Thoker, who had gone missing in July last year from his camp in Gantmulla area along with an AK-47 rifle, was killed along with his two other accomplices. However, the crack team had not made adequate arrangements to ensure complete sanitisation of the encounter site because of the paucity of time, the officials said. People started thronging the encounter site as the outer cordon, which was to be thrown around by the CRPF and the local police was not in place due to lack of communication, they said. As many as 20 people sustained bullet injuries on Saturday out of which seven civilians died, including 28-year-old MBA graduate Abid Hussain Lone, who had come home along with his Indonesian wife and a three-month-old baby. By the time local police along with the CRPF could reach the spot of the encounter, the damage was done and people were seen running helter-skelter rushing the injured people to the hospital in Srinagar, a distance of 34 kilometres.

Lack of synergy between forces resulted in civilian casualties in Pulwama: Officials

Multiple explosions rocked polling centres across Kabul on Saturday, causing dozens of casualties, &nbsp;amid growing anger among voters as they waited hours to cast their ballots in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghans-brave-militant-threat-to-vote-in-delayed-election-172438">long-delayed legislative elections</a>.

At least 30 people have been taken to a trauma hospital run by the Italian NGO Emergency, including a dead child, the organisation said on Twitter, hours after the Taliban warned voters to boycott the ballot "to protect their lives".

Afghan officials confirmed there have been casualties but would not provide a number.&nbsp;

An AFP correspondent saw voters fleeing a polling centre in the north of the Afghan capital following a blast that a witness said had caused a number of casualties.&nbsp;

Deadly violence has marred the shambolic preparations for the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-extends-election-to-sunday-due-to-chaos-at-polling-stations-172463">parliamentary election</a> that is more than three years late, with hundreds killed or wounded.

The latest bombings are likely to scare off voters, hurting turn out and the credibility of the election. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Missing voter registration lists and hiccups with biometric voter verification devices -- which are being used for the first time -- already have caused lengthy delays at polling centres across the country, voters and candidates complained.

Most polling centres opened late after teachers employed to handle the voting process failed to show up on time, said the Independent Election Commission (IEC), which has promised to extend voting hours. &nbsp;

"I came here early to finish and go home quickly, but we have been waiting for an hour and they have not started yet," Mustafa, 42, told AFP outside a mosque in Kabul.&nbsp;

"The queue is getting longer. They have to register our votes quickly -- we are afraid a bomber or a blast may hit us."

Many polling centres in the heavily Shiite neighbourhoods of Kabul remained closed, a top government official told broadcaster Tolo News.&nbsp;

"I have been waiting for two and a half hours and the IEC officials say they have not received the voter (registration) list yet," said Mohammad Mohaqiq, a deputy to Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah.

Abdullah -- Afghanistan's equivalent of prime minister -- also waited for around half an hour at a polling centre as election workers searched for his name on a list.

IEC chief Abdul Badi Sayyad later apologised for the delays.

Almost <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-elections-here-are-the-updates-so-far-172432">nine million people</a> have registered to vote in the parliamentary election, which is more than three years late.&nbsp;

The killing of a powerful police chief in a highly secure compound in the southern province of Kandahar on Thursday has eroded confidence in the ability of security forces to protect polling locations.

Voting in Kandahar has been delayed by a week following the attack, which killed three people, including General Abdul Raziq.&nbsp;

As voting got under way Saturday, three rockets were fired into the northern city of Kunduz, a police spokesman said. No casualties were reported. &nbsp;

There also were numerous reports of bomb explosions near polling stations in several provinces.&nbsp;

Despite the risks, President Ashraf Ghani urged "every Aghan, young and old, women and men" to exercise their right to vote, after casting his ballot in Kabul.

Photos posted on social media showed scores of men and women clutching their identification documents purportedly lining up outside voting centres across the country amid a heavy security presence.&nbsp;

A woman dressed in a burqa leaving a polling centre in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif told AFP she had been worried about "security incidents", but decided to vote anyway.

"We have to defy the violence," Hafiza, 57, said. "In previous years we were not happy with the elections, our votes were sold out."

The IEC, which has been skewered over the chaotic lead-up to the ballot, on Friday urged Afghans to "vote only once" and called on others not to interfere in the process.&nbsp;

Taliban threats 

The Taliban issued several warnings in the days leading up to the poll, calling on candidates to withdraw from the race and for voters to stay home.

At least 10 candidates out of more than 2,500 contesting the lower-house election have been killed.

Most of those standing are political novices, and include doctors, mullahs and journalists. Those with the deepest pockets are expected to win.&nbsp;

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, which has spearheaded international efforts to keep Afghan organisers on track, on Friday called on voters to "exercise their constitutional right to vote".&nbsp;

The poll is seen as a crucial test for next year's presidential election and an important milestone ahead of a UN meeting in Geneva in November where Afghanistan is under pressure to show progress on "democratic processes".

But there are concerns the results could be thrown into turmoil if the biometric verification devices are broken, lost or destroyed.

Votes cast without the controversial machines will not be counted, the IEC has said.

Multiple explosions rocked polling centres across Kabul on Saturday, causing dozens of casualties, amid growing anger among voters as they waited hours to cast their ballots in long-delayed legislative elections.

Multiple explosions rocked polling centres across Kabul on Saturday, causing dozens of casualties, amid growing anger among voters as they waited hours to cast their ballots in long-delayed legislative elections. At least 30 people have been taken to a trauma hospital run by the Italian NGO Emergency, including a dead child, the organisation said on Twitter, hours after the Taliban warned voters to boycott the ballot "to protect their lives". Afghan officials confirmed there have been casualties but would not provide a number. An AFP correspondent saw voters fleeing a polling centre in the north of the Afghan capital following a blast that a witness said had caused a number of casualties. Deadly violence has marred the shambolic preparations for the parliamentary election that is more than three years late, with hundreds killed or wounded. The latest bombings are likely to scare off voters, hurting turn out and the credibility of the election. Missing voter registration lists and hiccups with biometric voter verification devices -- which are being used for the first time -- already have caused lengthy delays at polling centres across the country, voters and candidates complained. Most polling centres opened late after teachers employed to handle the voting process failed to show up on time, said the Independent Election Commission (IEC), which has promised to extend voting hours. "I came here early to finish and go home quickly, but we have been waiting for an hour and they have not started yet," Mustafa, 42, told AFP outside a mosque in Kabul. "The queue is getting longer. They have to register our votes quickly -- we are afraid a bomber or a blast may hit us." Many polling centres in the heavily Shiite neighbourhoods of Kabul remained closed, a top government official told broadcaster Tolo News. "I have been waiting for two and a half hours and the IEC officials say they have not received the voter (registration) list yet," said Mohammad Mohaqiq, a deputy to Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah. Abdullah -- Afghanistan's equivalent of prime minister -- also waited for around half an hour at a polling centre as election workers searched for his name on a list. IEC chief Abdul Badi Sayyad later apologised for the delays. Almost nine million people have registered to vote in the parliamentary election, which is more than three years late. The killing of a powerful police chief in a highly secure compound in the southern province of Kandahar on Thursday has eroded confidence in the ability of security forces to protect polling locations. Voting in Kandahar has been delayed by a week following the attack, which killed three people, including General Abdul Raziq. As voting got under way Saturday, three rockets were fired into the northern city of Kunduz, a police spokesman said. No casualties were reported. There also were numerous reports of bomb explosions near polling stations in several provinces. Despite the risks, President Ashraf Ghani urged "every Aghan, young and old, women and men" to exercise their right to vote, after casting his ballot in Kabul. Photos posted on social media showed scores of men and women clutching their identification documents purportedly lining up outside voting centres across the country amid a heavy security presence. A woman dressed in a burqa leaving a polling centre in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif told AFP she had been worried about "security incidents", but decided to vote anyway. "We have to defy the violence," Hafiza, 57, said. "In previous years we were not happy with the elections, our votes were sold out." The IEC, which has been skewered over the chaotic lead-up to the ballot, on Friday urged Afghans to "vote only once" and called on others not to interfere in the process. Taliban threats The Taliban issued several warnings in the days leading up to the poll, calling on candidates to withdraw from the race and for voters to stay home. At least 10 candidates out of more than 2,500 contesting the lower-house election have been killed. Most of those standing are political novices, and include doctors, mullahs and journalists. Those with the deepest pockets are expected to win. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, which has spearheaded international efforts to keep Afghan organisers on track, on Friday called on voters to "exercise their constitutional right to vote". The poll is seen as a crucial test for next year's presidential election and an important milestone ahead of a UN meeting in Geneva in November where Afghanistan is under pressure to show progress on "democratic processes". But there are concerns the results could be thrown into turmoil if the biometric verification devices are broken, lost or destroyed. Votes cast without the controversial machines will not be counted, the IEC has said.

Dozens of casualties as multiple blasts rock Kabul polling centres

A fire at a hospital in Istanbul on Thursday rapidly engulfed the building's exterior cladding, but officials said it had not spread inside and there were no reports of casualties.

Television footage appeared to show the fire starting on the roof of the Gaziosmanpasa Taksim Educational and Research Hospital, before flames quickly swept down one side of the building. Black smoke could be seen from several miles away.

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A massive fire has erupted at Taksim hospital in Istanbul, Turkey. Several floors of the hospital are on fire. <a href="https://t.co/GP4YClA0yk">pic.twitter.com/GP4YClA0yk</a>
— Δ B I K Δ (@realAbikaTrader) <a href="https://twitter.com/realAbikaTrader/status/981908643363799041?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 5, 2018</a></blockquote>
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"The fire has been partly brought under control. In terms of casualties, there are none so far," Istanbul Governor Vasip Sahin told CNN Turk, adding that 70 patients were evacuated.

"There is no fire inside the building," he said. "The fire erupted on the exterior of the building, but there is of course smoke inside."

Fire chief Ali Karahan said that doctors in the hospital's intensive care units had continued to work through the incident, helped by fire crews. Thirty-five fire trucks and 120 firefighters attended the blaze, he said.

Television footage appeared to show the fire starting on the roof of the Gaziosmanpasa Taksim Educational and Research Hospital

A fire at a hospital in Istanbul on Thursday rapidly engulfed the building's exterior cladding, but officials said it had not spread inside and there were no reports of casualties. Television footage appeared to show the fire starting on the roof of the Gaziosmanpasa Taksim Educational and Research Hospital, before flames quickly swept down one side of the building. Black smoke could be seen from several miles away. A massive fire has erupted at Taksim hospital in Istanbul, Turkey. Several floors of the hospital are on fire. pic.twitter.com/GP4YClA0yk — Δ B I K Δ (@realAbikaTrader) April 5, 2018 × "The fire has been partly brought under control. In terms of casualties, there are none so far," Istanbul Governor Vasip Sahin told CNN Turk, adding that 70 patients were evacuated. "There is no fire inside the building," he said. "The fire erupted on the exterior of the building, but there is of course smoke inside." Fire chief Ali Karahan said that doctors in the hospital's intensive care units had continued to work through the incident, helped by fire crews. Thirty-five fire trucks and 120 firefighters attended the blaze, he said.

Video: Fire at Istanbul hospital under control, no casualties, says Governor

A major fire broke out at one of Tibet&#39;s holiest Buddhist temples, Jokhang Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site in the capital Lhasa with a history of more than 1,300 years.

There were no reports of any casualties, state-run Xinhua news agency reported, without specifying the damage caused by the fire to the temple.

The fire started at 6.40 pm yesterday but was soon brought under control, it said.

Firefighters doused the fire and the relics are intact, state-run China Daily reported, without providing details.

The Jokhang temple, also known as the Qoikang Monastery, is regarded by the Tibetans as the most sacred and important temple in Tibet.

The fire at over 1,300 years Jokhang temple raised fears over its future as investigators tried to determine the cause of the blaze, Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post said.

Internet users posted pictures and videos of the fire on social media, showing flames shooting high into the sky above old Lhasa.

The extent of the fire damage to the site, considered the spiritual heart of Tibetan Buddhism, was not known, the Post said.

The oldest part of the temple was built more than 1,300 years ago and the whole structure was added to UNESCO&rsquo;s World Heritage list in 2000 as part of the Potala Palace, the official home of successive Dalai Lamas.

The Jokhang Temple houses many cultural treasures, including a life-sized statue of Buddha when he was 12 years old.

The temple attracts thousands of pilgrims and tourists from home and abroad.

A major fire broke out at one of Tibet's holiest Buddhist temples, Jokhang Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site in the capital Lhasa with a history of more than 1,300 years. There were no reports of any casualties, state-run Xinhua news agency reported, without specifying the damage caused by the fire to the temple. The fire started at 6.40 pm yesterday but was soon brought under control, it said. Firefighters doused the fire and the relics are intact, state-run China Daily reported, without providing details. The Jokhang temple, also known as the Qoikang Monastery, is regarded by the Tibetans as the most sacred and important temple in Tibet. The fire at over 1,300 years Jokhang temple raised fears over its future as investigators tried to determine the cause of the blaze, Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post said. Internet users posted pictures and videos of the fire on social media, showing flames shooting high into the sky above old Lhasa. The extent of the fire damage to the site, considered the spiritual heart of Tibetan Buddhism, was not known, the Post said. The oldest part of the temple was built more than 1,300 years ago and the whole structure was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage list in 2000 as part of the Potala Palace, the official home of successive Dalai Lamas. The Jokhang Temple houses many cultural treasures, including a life-sized statue of Buddha when he was 12 years old. The temple attracts thousands of pilgrims and tourists from home and abroad.

Huge fire at revered Tibet temple sparks fears for its future

An explosives-packed ambulance blew up in a crowded area of Kabul on Saturday, killing at least 95 people and wounding 158 others, officials said, in one of the biggest blasts to rock the war-torn city in recent years.

The Taliban-claimed assault -- the second carried out by the militant group in the Afghan capital in a week -- triggered chaotic scenes as terrified survivors fled the area scattered with body parts, blood and debris, and hospitals were overwhelmed by a large number of wounded.

It came as both the insurgents and the Islamic State group have escalated their attacks on Kabul, one of the deadliest places in Afghanistan for civilians.

An AFP reporter saw &quot;lots of dead and wounded&quot; civilians in the Jamuriate hospital, which is metres away from the blast and where medical staff struggled to treat the bloodied men, women and children lying on the floor in corridors.

Health ministry spokesman Waheed Majroh told AFP that the toll &quot;now stands at 95 dead, 158 wounded&quot;, shortly after the interior ministry warned that an earlier death toll of 63 could rise.

The blast happened in an area where several high-profile organisations, including the European Union, have offices. Members of the EU delegation in Kabul were in their &quot;safe room&quot; and there were no casualties, an official told AFP.

The force of the explosion shook windows of buildings at least two kilometres (more than a mile) away and caused some low-rise structures in the immediate vicinity to collapse.

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&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/957240084247408640?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Unjustifiable

The suicide bomber passed through at least one checkpoint in the ambulance, saying he was taking a patient to Jamuriate hospital, an interior ministry spokesman told AFP.

&quot;At the second checkpoint he was recognised and blew his explosive-laden car,&quot; Nasrat Rahimi said.

Rahimi told a news conference that most of the victims were civilians. He said the Taliban-affiliated Haqqani Network was responsible and four suspects had been arrested.

Twenty minutes before the blast an AFP reporter saw police checking ambulances several hundred metres from the scene of the explosion, as the drivers and patients stood on the street. Ambulances are rarely checked in the city.

The International Committee of the Red Cross in Afghanistan condemned the use of an ambulance in the bombing, saying on Twitter it was &quot;unacceptable and unjustifiable&quot;.

The Taliban used social media to claim responsibility for the attack, which comes exactly a week after its insurgents stormed Kabul&#39;s landmark Intercontinental hotel, killing at least 25 people, the majority foreigners.

Massacre

Photos shared on social media purportedly of the blast -- the deadliest in Kabul since a truck bomb ripped through the city&#39;s diplomatic quarter on May 31, killing 150 people and wounding hundreds -- showed a huge plume of smoke rising into the sky.

Near the blast site, civilians walked through debris-covered streets carrying wounded on their backs as others loaded several bodies at a time into ambulances and private cars to take them to medical facilities around the city.

The Italian NGO Emergency said 131 wounded had been taken to its hospital, with its coordinator Dejan Panic tweeting that it had been a &quot;massacre&quot;.

A photo posted on Emergency&#39;s Twitter account showed hospital staff treating injured people in an outdoor walkway next to a garden.

A man told Ariana TV he had taken his wounded brother to Jamuriate and Emergency hospitals but had been turned away.

&quot;They are asking people with non-life threatening wounds to go to other hospitals,&quot; he said.

Aminullah, whose stationery shop is just metres from where the explosion happened, said the force of the explosion shook the foundations of his building.

&quot;The building shook. All our windows broke. The people are in shock in our market,&quot; he told AFP.

Pools of blood

A man told Tolo News he was passing the area when the explosion happened.

&quot;I heard a big bang and I fainted,&quot; he said, outside the Emergency hospital.

&quot;There were dozens of people who were killed and wounded. There were pools of blood.&quot;

The attack was condemned by the presidential palace as a &quot;crime against humanity&quot;. There was international outcry too, with NATO, the US embassy in Kabul and British foreign minister Boris Johnson among those expressing horror at the latest attack.

The offices of the High Peace Council, charged with negotiating with the Taliban which has been waging a more than 16-year insurgency in the war-torn country, are also near the blast site.

&quot;It targeted our checkpoint. It was really huge -- all our windows are broken,&quot; Hassina Safi, a member of High Peace Council, told AFP.

&quot;So far we don&#39;t have any reports if any of our members are wounded or killed.&quot;

A security alert issued on Saturday morning had warned that the Islamic State group was planning &quot;to conduct aggressive attacks&quot; on supermarkets, shops and hotels frequented by foreigners.

An ambulance packed with explosives blew up in a crowded area of Kabul on Saturday

An explosives-packed ambulance blew up in a crowded area of Kabul on Saturday, killing at least 95 people and wounding 158 others, officials said, in one of the biggest blasts to rock the war-torn city in recent years. The Taliban-claimed assault -- the second carried out by the militant group in the Afghan capital in a week -- triggered chaotic scenes as terrified survivors fled the area scattered with body parts, blood and debris, and hospitals were overwhelmed by a large number of wounded. It came as both the insurgents and the Islamic State group have escalated their attacks on Kabul, one of the deadliest places in Afghanistan for civilians. An AFP reporter saw "lots of dead and wounded" civilians in the Jamuriate hospital, which is metres away from the blast and where medical staff struggled to treat the bloodied men, women and children lying on the floor in corridors. Health ministry spokesman Waheed Majroh told AFP that the toll "now stands at 95 dead, 158 wounded", shortly after the interior ministry warned that an earlier death toll of 63 could rise. The blast happened in an area where several high-profile organisations, including the European Union, have offices. Members of the EU delegation in Kabul were in their "safe room" and there were no casualties, an official told AFP. The force of the explosion shook windows of buildings at least two kilometres (more than a mile) away and caused some low-rise structures in the immediate vicinity to collapse. #Haqqani Network is behind Kabul suicide attack which killed 63 & wounded 151 people: Afghanistan government — ANI (@ANI) January 27, 2018 × Unjustifiable The suicide bomber passed through at least one checkpoint in the ambulance, saying he was taking a patient to Jamuriate hospital, an interior ministry spokesman told AFP. "At the second checkpoint he was recognised and blew his explosive-laden car," Nasrat Rahimi said. Rahimi told a news conference that most of the victims were civilians. He said the Taliban-affiliated Haqqani Network was responsible and four suspects had been arrested. Twenty minutes before the blast an AFP reporter saw police checking ambulances several hundred metres from the scene of the explosion, as the drivers and patients stood on the street. Ambulances are rarely checked in the city. The International Committee of the Red Cross in Afghanistan condemned the use of an ambulance in the bombing, saying on Twitter it was "unacceptable and unjustifiable". The Taliban used social media to claim responsibility for the attack, which comes exactly a week after its insurgents stormed Kabul's landmark Intercontinental hotel, killing at least 25 people, the majority foreigners. Massacre Photos shared on social media purportedly of the blast -- the deadliest in Kabul since a truck bomb ripped through the city's diplomatic quarter on May 31, killing 150 people and wounding hundreds -- showed a huge plume of smoke rising into the sky. Near the blast site, civilians walked through debris-covered streets carrying wounded on their backs as others loaded several bodies at a time into ambulances and private cars to take them to medical facilities around the city. The Italian NGO Emergency said 131 wounded had been taken to its hospital, with its coordinator Dejan Panic tweeting that it had been a "massacre". A photo posted on Emergency's Twitter account showed hospital staff treating injured people in an outdoor walkway next to a garden. A man told Ariana TV he had taken his wounded brother to Jamuriate and Emergency hospitals but had been turned away. "They are asking people with non-life threatening wounds to go to other hospitals," he said. Aminullah, whose stationery shop is just metres from where the explosion happened, said the force of the explosion shook the foundations of his building. "The building shook. All our windows broke. The people are in shock in our market," he told AFP. Pools of blood A man told Tolo News he was passing the area when the explosion happened. "I heard a big bang and I fainted," he said, outside the Emergency hospital. "There were dozens of people who were killed and wounded. There were pools of blood." The attack was condemned by the presidential palace as a "crime against humanity". There was international outcry too, with NATO, the US embassy in Kabul and British foreign minister Boris Johnson among those expressing horror at the latest attack. The offices of the High Peace Council, charged with negotiating with the Taliban which has been waging a more than 16-year insurgency in the war-torn country, are also near the blast site. "It targeted our checkpoint. It was really huge -- all our windows are broken," Hassina Safi, a member of High Peace Council, told AFP. "So far we don't have any reports if any of our members are wounded or killed." A security alert issued on Saturday morning had warned that the Islamic State group was planning "to conduct aggressive attacks" on supermarkets, shops and hotels frequented by foreigners.

Kabul explosion: 95 dead, 158 wounded in massive suicide bomb blast

Multiple explosions have left 40 dead and 30 wounded at Afghan Voice news agency and&nbsp;Tebyan - Social-Cultural activities in Kabul on Thursday,&nbsp;Afghan interior ministry said.&nbsp;

It has also been reported that a suicide bomber was likely to have been behind the attack.

&quot;There were two explosions. We still do not know the target of the attack, but Afghan Voice Agency is in the area of the attack,&quot; interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish said.

Another deputy interior ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi told AFP: &quot;The target of the attack was the Tabayan cultural centre. A ceremony was being held to mark the 38th anniversary of Soviet-invasion in Afghanistan when the explosion went off.&quot;

As per reports, witnesses said there were maximum casualties among students attending a panel discussion with researchers at the agency&#39;s offices.

According to officials, more&nbsp;casualties are feared.&nbsp;

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the latest in a series of attacks on Afghan media groups but the Taliban issued a statement denying any involvement.

Last week, Islamic State claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on a compound of Afghanistan&rsquo;s national intelligence agency in Kabul, which killed at least five people and wounded two.

The blast, the latest in a series to hit Afghan media groups in recent years, also follows an attack on a private television station in Kabul last month.

The <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/kabul-blasts-islamic-state-group-claims-responsibility-27958">Islamic State group</a> has claimed responsibility for the attack.&nbsp;

Two blasts took place in the Afghan Voice news agency, followed by another at the Tebyan - Social-Cultural activities centre

Multiple explosions have left 40 dead and 30 wounded at Afghan Voice news agency and Tebyan - Social-Cultural activities in Kabul on Thursday, Afghan interior ministry said. It has also been reported that a suicide bomber was likely to have been behind the attack. "There were two explosions. We still do not know the target of the attack, but Afghan Voice Agency is in the area of the attack," interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish said. Another deputy interior ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi told AFP: "The target of the attack was the Tabayan cultural centre. A ceremony was being held to mark the 38th anniversary of Soviet-invasion in Afghanistan when the explosion went off." As per reports, witnesses said there were maximum casualties among students attending a panel discussion with researchers at the agency's offices. According to officials, more casualties are feared. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the latest in a series of attacks on Afghan media groups but the Taliban issued a statement denying any involvement. Last week, Islamic State claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on a compound of Afghanistan’s national intelligence agency in Kabul, which killed at least five people and wounded two. The blast, the latest in a series to hit Afghan media groups in recent years, also follows an attack on a private television station in Kabul last month. The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Kabul: 40 dead, 30 wounded in multiple blasts

Turkish military forces on Saturday opened fire on crowds gathered in Istanbul following a coup attempt, causing casualties, an AFP photographer said.

The soldiers opened fire on grounds around the first bridge across the Bosphorus dividing Europe and Asia, said the photographer, who saw wounded people being taken to ambulances. 
 
(AFP)

There are an unconfirmed number of casualties

Turkish military forces on Saturday opened fire on crowds gathered in Istanbul following a coup attempt, causing casualties, an AFP photographer said. The soldiers opened fire on grounds around the first bridge across the Bosphorus dividing Europe and Asia, said the photographer, who saw wounded people being taken to ambulances. (AFP)

Turkey's military opens fire on crowd following coup attempt

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