According to a police spokesman, a&nbsp;three-storey building in the resort&nbsp;of Szczyrk collapsed on Wednesday&nbsp;after a gas explosion, killing four people in Southern Poland.

The bodies of three adults and a child have been found in the rubble so far.

The spokesman added that&nbsp;up to eight people were in the premises, with firemen struggling to find other victims.

Up to 100 firemen and 50 police officers are on the scene, Polish state broadcaster TVP reported.

(With inputs from Reuters, further details awaited)

According to a police spokesman, a three-storey building in the resort of Szczyrk collapsed on Wednesday after a gas explosion, killing four people in Southern Poland.

According to a police spokesman, a three-storey building in the resort of Szczyrk collapsed on Wednesday after a gas explosion, killing four people in Southern Poland. The bodies of three adults and a child have been found in the rubble so far. The spokesman added that up to eight people were in the premises, with firemen struggling to find other victims. Up to 100 firemen and 50 police officers are on the scene, Polish state broadcaster TVP reported. (With inputs from Reuters, further details awaited)

Four including child dead in gas explosion at Polish ski resort

The death toll from <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/typhoon-kills-3-in-philippines-hundreds-of-flights-halted-265967">a typhoon</a> that hit provinces south of the Philippine capital rose to 10, disaster agencies said on Wednesday, pointing to precautions and compulsory evacuations as key in preventing more casualties.

Typhoon Kammuri, the 20th to enter the Philippines this year, hit land on Monday night, prompting forced evacuation of thousands of residents and cancellation of hundreds of flights. It also disrupted the schedule for some events in the Southeast Asian Games, which the Philippines is hosting until Dec. 11.

Five people died in the central Bicol region, including three who drowned, a local disaster agency said in a report. Five more were killed in a region south of the capital.

Around 345,000 people are still in evacuation centres, awaiting authorities' clearance for them to return home, disaster agency spokesman Mark Timbal told broadcaster ANC.

"The storm left the usual damage of major storms such as fallen trees, ruined roofs of houses and some government facilities," Timbal said. Officials said forced evacuations and preparations prevented greater loss of life.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/one-killed-over-two-lakh-evacuated-as-typhoon-kammuri-pounds-philippines-closes-manila-airport-265891">Sustained winds of Kammuri weakened to 100 kilometres per hour</a>, with gusts of up to 125 kph&nbsp;as it heads towards the South China Sea. It is set to leave the Philippines on Wednesday night, the state weather bureau said.

An average of 20 typhoons annually hit the Philippines, an archipelago of more than 7,000 islands.

The death toll from a typhoon that hit provinces south of the Philippine capital rose to 10, disaster agencies said on Wednesday, pointing to precautions and compulsory evacuations as key in preventing more casualties.

The death toll from a typhoon that hit provinces south of the Philippine capital rose to 10, disaster agencies said on Wednesday, pointing to precautions and compulsory evacuations as key in preventing more casualties. Typhoon Kammuri, the 20th to enter the Philippines this year, hit land on Monday night, prompting forced evacuation of thousands of residents and cancellation of hundreds of flights. It also disrupted the schedule for some events in the Southeast Asian Games, which the Philippines is hosting until Dec. 11. Five people died in the central Bicol region, including three who drowned, a local disaster agency said in a report. Five more were killed in a region south of the capital. Around 345,000 people are still in evacuation centres, awaiting authorities' clearance for them to return home, disaster agency spokesman Mark Timbal told broadcaster ANC. "The storm left the usual damage of major storms such as fallen trees, ruined roofs of houses and some government facilities," Timbal said. Officials said forced evacuations and preparations prevented greater loss of life. Sustained winds of Kammuri weakened to 100 kilometres per hour, with gusts of up to 125 kph as it heads towards the South China Sea. It is set to leave the Philippines on Wednesday night, the state weather bureau said. An average of 20 typhoons annually hit the Philippines, an archipelago of more than 7,000 islands.

Philippines: Typhoon Kammuri kills ten

Relatives of victims of a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/tezgam-train-fire-death-toll-reaches-74-in-pakistan-259073">Pakistani train fire that killed 74</a> people struggled on Friday to identify their loved ones, with dozens of people burned beyond recognition and needing DNA testing to determine who they are, an official said.

Fire engulfed three carriages of the train after a gas canister that passengers were using to cook breakfast exploded, triggering the worst disaster on&nbsp;Pakistan's accident-plagued railway system in nearly 15 years.

Jameel Ahmad, a senior official in Rahim Yar Khan district in Punjab province, where the blazing train came to a stop, said 57 of the victims were very badly burned.

"Relatives of several people came to identify them but failed," Ahmad told Reuters. "Now the government is collecting DNA samples."

The train was on its way to the city of Rawalpindi, near the capital, from the southern city of Karachi, with many passengers travelling to a religious gathering.

People sneaking stoves onto trains to cook on long journeys is a common problem in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/tezgam-train-tragedy-prime-minister-imran-khan-expresses-grief-259003">Pakistan</a>, despite rules against it, officials say.

An investigator said that according to survivors, people in the compartment where the fire broke out had used gas cookers at least three times.&nbsp;Pakistan&nbsp;Railways showed pictures of a blackened, cracked gas canister recovered from the wreckage.

Pakistan’s colonial-era railway network has fallen into disrepair in recent decades due to chronic under-investment and poor maintenance, and accidents are common.

About 130 people were killed in 2005 when one train rammed into another at a station in Sindh province, and a third train hit the wreckage.

Relatives of victims of a Pakistani train fire that killed 74 people struggled on Friday to identify their loved ones, with dozens of people burned beyond recognition and needing DNA testing to determine who they are, an official said.

Relatives of victims of a Pakistani train fire that killed 74 people struggled on Friday to identify their loved ones, with dozens of people burned beyond recognition and needing DNA testing to determine who they are, an official said. Fire engulfed three carriages of the train after a gas canister that passengers were using to cook breakfast exploded, triggering the worst disaster on Pakistan's accident-plagued railway system in nearly 15 years. Jameel Ahmad, a senior official in Rahim Yar Khan district in Punjab province, where the blazing train came to a stop, said 57 of the victims were very badly burned. "Relatives of several people came to identify them but failed," Ahmad told Reuters. "Now the government is collecting DNA samples." The train was on its way to the city of Rawalpindi, near the capital, from the southern city of Karachi, with many passengers travelling to a religious gathering. People sneaking stoves onto trains to cook on long journeys is a common problem in Pakistan, despite rules against it, officials say. An investigator said that according to survivors, people in the compartment where the fire broke out had used gas cookers at least three times. Pakistan Railways showed pictures of a blackened, cracked gas canister recovered from the wreckage. Pakistan’s colonial-era railway network has fallen into disrepair in recent decades due to chronic under-investment and poor maintenance, and accidents are common. About 130 people were killed in 2005 when one train rammed into another at a station in Sindh province, and a third train hit the wreckage.

Families of Pakistan train fire victims struggle to identify loved ones

Across The World, There Are Plenty Of Ways In Which Different Cultures Remember The Dead.

Gravitas: How does the world remember the dead?

Four elephants were found dead Friday in central Sri Lanka, with police suspecting the animals were poisoned by angry villagers.

Nearly 200 elephants are killed every year on the island, many by farmers after the animals stray onto their land.

Marauding elephants also claim the lives of about 50 people annually, mostly by trampling through villages built near their habitats.

A pregnant female and a male were among the four carcasses found on Friday at a forest reserve near Sigiriya, a fifth-century rock fortress and UNESCO-protected heritage site, police said.

"We have called wildlife experts and vets to carry out autopsies," a police official in Sigiriya, 175 kilometres (110 miles) north of Colombo, said by telephone.

Other elephants may also have died but no further remains have yet been found.

He said there had been a spate of incidents involving wild elephants storming villages and destroying crops in the area.

"We suspect the elephants may have been poisoned. We are investigating," the officer said.

He said the four animals appeared to be aged between 15 and 25 years old.

Killing an elephant is in theory punishable by death in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka's elephant population has dwindled to just over 7,000, according to the latest census, down from an estimated 12,000 at the beginning of the last century.

Four elephants were found dead Friday in central Sri Lanka, with police suspecting the animals were poisoned by angry villagers. Nearly 200 elephants are killed every year on the island, many by farmers after the animals stray onto their land.

Four elephants were found dead Friday in central Sri Lanka, with police suspecting the animals were poisoned by angry villagers. Nearly 200 elephants are killed every year on the island, many by farmers after the animals stray onto their land. Marauding elephants also claim the lives of about 50 people annually, mostly by trampling through villages built near their habitats. A pregnant female and a male were among the four carcasses found on Friday at a forest reserve near Sigiriya, a fifth-century rock fortress and UNESCO-protected heritage site, police said. "We have called wildlife experts and vets to carry out autopsies," a police official in Sigiriya, 175 kilometres (110 miles) north of Colombo, said by telephone. Other elephants may also have died but no further remains have yet been found. He said there had been a spate of incidents involving wild elephants storming villages and destroying crops in the area. "We suspect the elephants may have been poisoned. We are investigating," the officer said. He said the four animals appeared to be aged between 15 and 25 years old. Killing an elephant is in theory punishable by death in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka's elephant population has dwindled to just over 7,000, according to the latest census, down from an estimated 12,000 at the beginning of the last century.

Four Sri Lankan elephants found dead of suspected poisoning

Breaking News: JeM chief Masood Azhar reportedly dead

Thirteen people were killed when an under-construction building in Cambodia collapsed early on Saturday, an official said, as rescuers struggled to reach missing workers feared trapped under a mountain of twisted steel and rubble.

The seven-storey steel and concrete structure in the coastal town of Sihanoukville, west of the capital Phnom Penh, was a Chinese-owned project.

At least 23 people were injured and many workers were still missing and feared trapped inside, according to the office of the spokesman for the local province of Preah Sihanouk.

"The steel structure has collapsed on itself and we don't dare move it," the spokesman Oar Saroeun told Reuters. "We can only wait and listen for any signs of life...

"We are afraid more of it will collapse on them.... We will work through the night to remove the steel."

A statement issued later on Saturday by Preah Sihanouk Province officials said 36 workers had been rescued from the debris. It was not clear how many more were missing.

Photos of the scene shared on social media showed groups of rescuers working their way through a crumpled heap of steel girders and concrete.

Preah Sihanouk province and its largest town, Sihanoukville, has seen a rush of investment in recent years from China, especially into the casino, property and tourism sectors.

Home to Cambodia's largest port and a Chinese Special Economic Zone connected to Beijing's Belt and Road initiative, the town is also undergoing a construction boom to serve those growing crowds of Chinese tourists and investors.

Police have detained four people, including three construction supervisors, for questioning in relation to the accident, according to a statement from the province.

Thirteen people were killed when an under-construction building in Cambodia collapsed early on Saturday, an official said, as rescuers struggled to reach missing workers feared trapped under a mountain of twisted steel and rubble.

Thirteen people were killed when an under-construction building in Cambodia collapsed early on Saturday, an official said, as rescuers struggled to reach missing workers feared trapped under a mountain of twisted steel and rubble. The seven-storey steel and concrete structure in the coastal town of Sihanoukville, west of the capital Phnom Penh, was a Chinese-owned project. At least 23 people were injured and many workers were still missing and feared trapped inside, according to the office of the spokesman for the local province of Preah Sihanouk. "The steel structure has collapsed on itself and we don't dare move it," the spokesman Oar Saroeun told Reuters. "We can only wait and listen for any signs of life... "We are afraid more of it will collapse on them.... We will work through the night to remove the steel." A statement issued later on Saturday by Preah Sihanouk Province officials said 36 workers had been rescued from the debris. It was not clear how many more were missing. Photos of the scene shared on social media showed groups of rescuers working their way through a crumpled heap of steel girders and concrete. Preah Sihanouk province and its largest town, Sihanoukville, has seen a rush of investment in recent years from China, especially into the casino, property and tourism sectors. Home to Cambodia's largest port and a Chinese Special Economic Zone connected to Beijing's Belt and Road initiative, the town is also undergoing a construction boom to serve those growing crowds of Chinese tourists and investors. Police have detained four people, including three construction supervisors, for questioning in relation to the accident, according to a statement from the province.

Thirteen dead, 23 injured in Cambodia building collapse

As many as 54 children have died over the past few weeks due to the Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) and over 130 have been hospitalised till now in Bihar's in Muzaffarpur.

A total of 46 patients died at Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH) while eight succumbed at the private Kejriwal Hospital on Thursday.

Earlier today, Civil Surgeon Shailesh Kumar Singh said, "Forty seven children have died due to AES and 137 are admitted in hospitals with high fever and other symptoms of the infection. 137 people were admitted in SKMCH hospital out of whom 40 causalities were reported."

Apart from this, Singh said, "41 people were admitted in Kejriwal Hospital where seven causalities were reported, taking the death toll to 47."

Encephalitis is a viral infection which causes mild flu-like symptoms such as high fever, convulsions, and headaches. 
&nbsp;

As many as 54 children have died over the past few weeks due to the Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) and over 130 have been hospitalised till now in Bihar's in Muzaffarpur.

As many as 54 children have died over the past few weeks due to the Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) and over 130 have been hospitalised till now in Bihar's in Muzaffarpur. A total of 46 patients died at Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH) while eight succumbed at the private Kejriwal Hospital on Thursday. Earlier today, Civil Surgeon Shailesh Kumar Singh said, "Forty seven children have died due to AES and 137 are admitted in hospitals with high fever and other symptoms of the infection. 137 people were admitted in SKMCH hospital out of whom 40 causalities were reported." Apart from this, Singh said, "41 people were admitted in Kejriwal Hospital where seven causalities were reported, taking the death toll to 47." Encephalitis is a viral infection which causes mild flu-like symptoms such as high fever, convulsions, and headaches.

Bihar: Encephalitis claims 54 children; 132 hospitalised in Muzaffarpur

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/black-boxes-show-clear-similarities-with-indonesia-crash-ethiopia-says-203937">Black boxes show 'clear similarities' with Indonesia crash, says Ethiopia</a>

Black box data recovered from an Ethiopian Airlines plane that crashed last week show "clear similarities" with a recent crash in Indonesia of the same type of aircraft, Ethiopia's transport minister said on Sunday.

While declining to give details, Dagmawit Moges told journalists the parallels would be the "subject of further study during the investigation," with a preliminary report issued in "30 days".

&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/manohar-parrikars-last-rites-to-take-place-in-panaji-on-monday-203924">Manohar Parrikar's last rites to take place in Panaji on Monday</a>

The last rites of Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar will be performed at Miramar here on Monday evening, a BJP spokesperson said.

Parrikar, 63, died at his private residence at Dona Paula near the state capital on Sunday evening after a long illness.

A four-term chief minister and former defence minister, Parrikar had been battling pancreatic cancer since February last year. The BJP stalwart's health, which has been fluctuating for over a year, took a turn for the worse in the past two days.&nbsp;

 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-zealand-mosque-attacker-to-represent-himself-in-court-reports-203964">New Zealand mosque attacker to represent himself in court: Reports</a>

The accused New Zealand guman, Brenton Tarrant, has sacked his lawyer and will represent himself in court, news reports said Monday.&nbsp;

Tarrant, who is Australian and 28, had walked up to two Christchurch mosques on Friday and started shooting with automatic rifles.&nbsp;

By the time he finished — he was finally arrested by police — he had killed 50 worshippers. The youngest of his victims was three years old.&nbsp;

 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-slammed-for-silence-on-white-supremacist-threat-203942">Trump slammed for 'silence' on white supremacist threat</a>

Democrats led by an Arab-American lawmaker attacked President Donald Trump's "silence" on the rise of white supremacy Sunday as a reaction to the New Zealand mosque massacre spilled into a heated US debate over religious and racial bigotry.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/bjp-led-alliance-hasnt-reached-a-consensus-on-goa-chief-minister-post-203949">'No consensus yet on next Goa chief minister'</a>

The BJP-led alliance in Goa did not reach a consensus over the next chief minister on Monday, a move necessitated by the death of Manohar Parrikar.

Parrikar (63) died on Sunday evening at his residence near here after battling pancreatic cancer for over a year.

Union minister and senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari, who arrived here in the early hours of the day, could not secure a consensus between the saffron party and its alliance partners in the state, party MLA Michael Lobo said.

Black boxes show 'clear similarities' with Indonesia crash, says Ethiopia Black box data recovered from an Ethiopian Airlines plane that crashed last week show "clear similarities" with a recent crash in Indonesia of the same type of aircraft, Ethiopia's transport minister said on Sunday.

Black boxes show 'clear similarities' with Indonesia crash, says Ethiopia Black box data recovered from an Ethiopian Airlines plane that crashed last week show "clear similarities" with a recent crash in Indonesia of the same type of aircraft, Ethiopia's transport minister said on Sunday. While declining to give details, Dagmawit Moges told journalists the parallels would be the "subject of further study during the investigation," with a preliminary report issued in "30 days". Manohar Parrikar's last rites to take place in Panaji on Monday The last rites of Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar will be performed at Miramar here on Monday evening, a BJP spokesperson said. Parrikar, 63, died at his private residence at Dona Paula near the state capital on Sunday evening after a long illness. A four-term chief minister and former defence minister, Parrikar had been battling pancreatic cancer since February last year. The BJP stalwart's health, which has been fluctuating for over a year, took a turn for the worse in the past two days. New Zealand mosque attacker to represent himself in court: Reports The accused New Zealand guman, Brenton Tarrant, has sacked his lawyer and will represent himself in court, news reports said Monday. Tarrant, who is Australian and 28, had walked up to two Christchurch mosques on Friday and started shooting with automatic rifles. By the time he finished — he was finally arrested by police — he had killed 50 worshippers. The youngest of his victims was three years old. Trump slammed for 'silence' on white supremacist threat Democrats led by an Arab-American lawmaker attacked President Donald Trump's "silence" on the rise of white supremacy Sunday as a reaction to the New Zealand mosque massacre spilled into a heated US debate over religious and racial bigotry. 'No consensus yet on next Goa chief minister' The BJP-led alliance in Goa did not reach a consensus over the next chief minister on Monday, a move necessitated by the death of Manohar Parrikar. Parrikar (63) died on Sunday evening at his residence near here after battling pancreatic cancer for over a year. Union minister and senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari, who arrived here in the early hours of the day, could not secure a consensus between the saffron party and its alliance partners in the state, party MLA Michael Lobo said.

News brief: Big stories of the day

Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/from-surgical-strikes-to-signing-rafale-deal-parrikar-had-short-but-an-eventful-term-as-defence-minister-203935">former defence minister</a> who had been battling pancreatic cancer for over a year, died at his home near here on Sunday. He was 63.

The health of Parrikar, a technocrat-turned-politician and a BJP stalwart, took a turn for the worse over the past two days after his medical condition had fluctuated for over a year. The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/bjp-led-alliance-hasnt-reached-a-consensus-on-goa-chief-minister-post-203949">four-term chief minister</a> was flown to the US for treatment in March last year.

"The chief minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/manohar-parrikars-last-rites-to-take-place-in-panaji-on-monday-203924">died</a> around 6.40 pm Sunday," a senior state government official told PTI.

Sources said Parrikar was put on life support system late Saturday night. A widower, Parrikar is survived by his two sons and their families.

The central government has announced a day of national mourning on Monday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the death of Parrikar, hailing him as an "unparalleled leader".

"Shri Manohar Parrikar was an unparalleled leader. A true patriot and exceptional administrator, he was admired by all. His impeccable service to the nation will be remembered by generations.&nbsp;

Deeply saddened by his demise. Condolences to his family and supporters. Om Shanti," Modi said in one of several tweets.

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Shri Manohar Parrikar was an unparalleled leader. 
 
A true patriot and exceptional administrator, he was admired by all. His impeccable service to the nation will be remembered by generations. 
 
Deeply saddened by his demise. Condolences to his family and supporters. 
 
Om Shanti. <a href="https://t.co/uahXme3ifp">pic.twitter.com/uahXme3ifp</a>
— Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1107302872616706048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2019</a></blockquote>
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"Shri Manohar Parrikar was the builder of modern Goa. Thanks to his affable personality and accessible nature, he remained the preferred leader of the state for years. His pro-people policies ensured Goa scales remarkable heights of progress.

"India will be eternally grateful to Shri Manohar Parrikar for his tenure as our Defence Minister. When he was RM, India witnessed a series of decisions that enhanced India's security capacities, boosted indigenous defence production and bettered the lives of ex-servicemen," Modi said.

Parrikar was a leader who enjoyed acceptance from all sections of the BJP and beyond. He played a key role in making the BJP a force to reckon with in Goa, which remained for long a Congress bastion, with regional outfits having pockets of influence.

Despite his falling health, Parrikar had presented two state budgets in 2018 and 2019 and had attended public functions, including the inauguration of an iconic bridge across River Mandovi.

A known fighter, an ailing Parrikar's decision to go for a ride and inspect two upcoming bridges in the state with a feeder tube protruding from one nostril was a defining image and sought to suggest he was still in charge of the state.

In a tweet, President Ram Nath Kovind said, "Extremely sorry to hear of the passing of Shri Manohar Parrikar, chief minister of Goa, after an illness borne with fortitude and dignity.

"An epitome of integrity and dedication in public life, his service to the people of Goa and India will not be forgotten," the President tweeted from his official handle.

BJP president Amit Shah tweeted, "Manohar Parrikar ji's demise is extremely painful. In him, the nation has lost a true patriot who selflessly dedicated his entire life to the country and ideology. Parrikar jis commitment towards his people and duties was exemplary."

Several political leaders, including Union AYUSH Minister Shripad Naik, Assembly Speaker Pramod Sawant and Lok Sabha MP Narendra Sawaikar, reached the private residence of Parrikar in Dona Paula after the news of his demise broke.

Born on December 13, 1955 into a middle class family, his political career began as an RSS pracharak and he continued working for the Sangh even after graduating from IIT-Bombay as a metallurgical engineer.

Parrikar entered electoral politics in 1994 when he won on a BJP ticket from Panaji constituency. 
He was the defence minister from November 2014 to March 2017 during the tenure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.&nbsp;

Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, a former defence minister who had been battling pancreatic cancer for over a year, died at his home near here on Sunday. He was 63.

Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, a former defence minister who had been battling pancreatic cancer for over a year, died at his home near here on Sunday. He was 63. The health of Parrikar, a technocrat-turned-politician and a BJP stalwart, took a turn for the worse over the past two days after his medical condition had fluctuated for over a year. The four-term chief minister was flown to the US for treatment in March last year. "The chief minister died around 6.40 pm Sunday," a senior state government official told PTI. Sources said Parrikar was put on life support system late Saturday night. A widower, Parrikar is survived by his two sons and their families. The central government has announced a day of national mourning on Monday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the death of Parrikar, hailing him as an "unparalleled leader". "Shri Manohar Parrikar was an unparalleled leader. A true patriot and exceptional administrator, he was admired by all. His impeccable service to the nation will be remembered by generations. Deeply saddened by his demise. Condolences to his family and supporters. Om Shanti," Modi said in one of several tweets. Shri Manohar Parrikar was an unparalleled leader. A true patriot and exceptional administrator, he was admired by all. His impeccable service to the nation will be remembered by generations. Deeply saddened by his demise. Condolences to his family and supporters. Om Shanti. pic.twitter.com/uahXme3ifp — Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 17, 2019 × "Shri Manohar Parrikar was the builder of modern Goa. Thanks to his affable personality and accessible nature, he remained the preferred leader of the state for years. His pro-people policies ensured Goa scales remarkable heights of progress. "India will be eternally grateful to Shri Manohar Parrikar for his tenure as our Defence Minister. When he was RM, India witnessed a series of decisions that enhanced India's security capacities, boosted indigenous defence production and bettered the lives of ex-servicemen," Modi said. Parrikar was a leader who enjoyed acceptance from all sections of the BJP and beyond. He played a key role in making the BJP a force to reckon with in Goa, which remained for long a Congress bastion, with regional outfits having pockets of influence. Despite his falling health, Parrikar had presented two state budgets in 2018 and 2019 and had attended public functions, including the inauguration of an iconic bridge across River Mandovi. A known fighter, an ailing Parrikar's decision to go for a ride and inspect two upcoming bridges in the state with a feeder tube protruding from one nostril was a defining image and sought to suggest he was still in charge of the state. In a tweet, President Ram Nath Kovind said, "Extremely sorry to hear of the passing of Shri Manohar Parrikar, chief minister of Goa, after an illness borne with fortitude and dignity. "An epitome of integrity and dedication in public life, his service to the people of Goa and India will not be forgotten," the President tweeted from his official handle. BJP president Amit Shah tweeted, "Manohar Parrikar ji's demise is extremely painful. In him, the nation has lost a true patriot who selflessly dedicated his entire life to the country and ideology. Parrikar jis commitment towards his people and duties was exemplary." Several political leaders, including Union AYUSH Minister Shripad Naik, Assembly Speaker Pramod Sawant and Lok Sabha MP Narendra Sawaikar, reached the private residence of Parrikar in Dona Paula after the news of his demise broke. Born on December 13, 1955 into a middle class family, his political career began as an RSS pracharak and he continued working for the Sangh even after graduating from IIT-Bombay as a metallurgical engineer. Parrikar entered electoral politics in 1994 when he won on a BJP ticket from Panaji constituency. He was the defence minister from November 2014 to March 2017 during the tenure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Manohar Parrikar, former defence minister and 4-time Goa CM, dead at 63

Seven people, including five cops, have died after an <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/one-cop-rescued-nine-stuck-after-avalanche-strikes-kulgam-district-196014">avalanche struck Kulgam district</a> near the Jawahar Tunnel on Srinagar-Jammu National Highway on Thursday evening, police said.

Fresh snowfall in the state has triggered several avalanches at different places of the valley.&nbsp;

A Husband, wife duo lost their life on Thursday when an avalanche hit their house, however, their two kids were rescued by the locals.&nbsp;

Officials told WION that 18 people were inside a police post when the avalanche hit them. Eight of them somehow managed to escape to safety.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JammuAndKashmir?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JammuAndKashmir</a> : 7 bodies including that of 5 policemen have been recovered from near the police post in Jawahar Tunnel area in Kulgam district where an avalanche took place earlier today. One policeman still missing. Two policemen who were rescued in the morning are stable now <a href="https://t.co/yZBf4IGITA">pic.twitter.com/yZBf4IGITA</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1093916575978086401?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2019</a></blockquote>
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"In the avalanche incident at JT (Jawahar Tunnel) Kulgam, seven bodies including five policemen have been recovered. One policeman is still missing. Two policemen rescued in the morning are stable," the police said.&nbsp;

NDRF, SDRF, CRPF and Jammu and Kashmir police began the rescue operation in the morning after it was halted throughout night due to bad weather conditions.&nbsp;

Kashmir valley has been witnessing heavy snowfall since Wednesday with Kulgam district in south Kashmir receiving maximum precipitation in the last 24 hours. Some places in the district have received as much as five feet snow, officials said.

The Snow and Avalanche Studies Establishment has issued an avalanche warning of varying degrees to 16 of the 22 districts in Jammu and Kashmir for the next 24 hours.

High danger avalanche warning has been issued to Anantnag, Bandipora, Baramulla, Budgam, Ganderbal, Kulgam and Kupwara districts in the valley, while medium danger warning was issued to Poonch, Rajouri, Ramban, Reasi, Doda, Kishtwar, Udhampur and Leh districts.

A low danger warning was issued for Kargil district.&nbsp;

(With inputs from PTI)

Seven people, including five cops, have died after an avalanche struck Kulgam district near the Jawahar Tunnel on Srinagar-Jammu National Highway on Thursday evening, police said.

Seven people, including five cops, have died after an avalanche struck Kulgam district near the Jawahar Tunnel on Srinagar-Jammu National Highway on Thursday evening, police said. Fresh snowfall in the state has triggered several avalanches at different places of the valley. A Husband, wife duo lost their life on Thursday when an avalanche hit their house, however, their two kids were rescued by the locals. Officials told WION that 18 people were inside a police post when the avalanche hit them. Eight of them somehow managed to escape to safety. #JammuAndKashmir : 7 bodies including that of 5 policemen have been recovered from near the police post in Jawahar Tunnel area in Kulgam district where an avalanche took place earlier today. One policeman still missing. Two policemen who were rescued in the morning are stable now pic.twitter.com/yZBf4IGITA — ANI (@ANI) February 8, 2019 × "In the avalanche incident at JT (Jawahar Tunnel) Kulgam, seven bodies including five policemen have been recovered. One policeman is still missing. Two policemen rescued in the morning are stable," the police said. NDRF, SDRF, CRPF and Jammu and Kashmir police began the rescue operation in the morning after it was halted throughout night due to bad weather conditions. Kashmir valley has been witnessing heavy snowfall since Wednesday with Kulgam district in south Kashmir receiving maximum precipitation in the last 24 hours. Some places in the district have received as much as five feet snow, officials said. The Snow and Avalanche Studies Establishment has issued an avalanche warning of varying degrees to 16 of the 22 districts in Jammu and Kashmir for the next 24 hours. High danger avalanche warning has been issued to Anantnag, Bandipora, Baramulla, Budgam, Ganderbal, Kulgam and Kupwara districts in the valley, while medium danger warning was issued to Poonch, Rajouri, Ramban, Reasi, Doda, Kishtwar, Udhampur and Leh districts. A low danger warning was issued for Kargil district. (With inputs from PTI)

Five cops among seven dead in Kashmir avalanche

The junior works manager of Guns Carriage Factory (GCF) was found dead in a drain on Tuesday, the police said. SC Kathua, 45, was missing since January 17 after being summoned by the CBI in connection with the alleged supply of Chinese-spare parts for production of indigenised Bofors guns used by the Army.&nbsp;

A blood-stained blade was also found near the body of Mr Kathua. The body, which was found in the factory area behind Section 2 region of GCF, was severely decomposed.

The police have sent the body for post-mortem. The family of Mr Kathua suspect murder, however, the police believe that he committed suicide.

His wife Mausami Khatua had filed a missing report with Ghamapur police station in Jabalpur on January 18.

Earlier in July 2017, the CBI had filed a case against Delhi-based firm the Gun Carriage Factory, for selling fake Chinese spare parts to the ordnance factory, which come under the production department of the Defence Ministry.

The CBI had registered a First Information Report (FIR) of cheating and forgery against unknown officials of the factory, accusing them of conspiring with the Delhi-based firm, which was chosen to supply parts for the manufacture of the artillery guns.

The junior works manager of Guns Carriage Factory (GCF) was found dead in a drain on Tuesday, the police said. SC Kathua, 45, was missing since January 17 after being summoned by the CBI in connection with the alleged supply of Chinese-spare parts for production of indigenised Bofors guns used by the Army.

The junior works manager of Guns Carriage Factory (GCF) was found dead in a drain on Tuesday, the police said. SC Kathua, 45, was missing since January 17 after being summoned by the CBI in connection with the alleged supply of Chinese-spare parts for production of indigenised Bofors guns used by the Army. A blood-stained blade was also found near the body of Mr Kathua. The body, which was found in the factory area behind Section 2 region of GCF, was severely decomposed. The police have sent the body for post-mortem. The family of Mr Kathua suspect murder, however, the police believe that he committed suicide. His wife Mausami Khatua had filed a missing report with Ghamapur police station in Jabalpur on January 18. Earlier in July 2017, the CBI had filed a case against Delhi-based firm the Gun Carriage Factory, for selling fake Chinese spare parts to the ordnance factory, which come under the production department of the Defence Ministry. The CBI had registered a First Information Report (FIR) of cheating and forgery against unknown officials of the factory, accusing them of conspiring with the Delhi-based firm, which was chosen to supply parts for the manufacture of the artillery guns.

Bofors scandal: Officer summoned by CBI found dead in Madhya Pradesh

The death toll from the sinking of two migrant boats off the coast of Djibouti rose to 28 on Wednesday, with perhaps 130 more still missing.

Two vessels carrying migrants departed from Godaria on the Horn of Africa nation's northeast coast on Tuesday morning but sank in heavy seas 30 minutes into the journey, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Five bodies were recovered immediately and the IOM said Djiboutian authorities found more dead on Wednesday.

"Twenty-three bodies were recovered this morning and the coast guard continues (its) search," IOM's chief of mission in Djibouti, Lalini Veerassamy, told AFP.

Two people were recovered alive and Veerassamy said "a few" more survivors arrived at an IOM facility in the town of Obock on Tuesday evening.

One survivor estimated there were 130 people on his boat but was not able to estimate the number of passengers on the other vessel.

The nationalities of the victims remained unclear, Veerassamy said.

Located across the Bab el-Mandeb strait from Yemen and next to volatile Somalia and Ethiopia, Djibouti has in recent years become a transit point for migrants heading to find work on the Arabian Peninsula.

The region of Obock, from where the boat set off for Yemen, is unusual in that it sees people passing in both directions — boatloads of Yemeni refugees fleeing war cross vessels carrying African migrants seeking better opportunities.

Worst crises

In 2017 some 2,900 people, mostly Somalis, and Ethiopians, passed through from Yemen, a year that saw about 100,000 migrants head into the troubled country.&nbsp;

"The number of new arrivals arriving in Yemen has been continuously increasing since 2012, despite the deepened insecurity and violence following the war that erupted in March 2015," the IOM said in its 2018-2020 regional migration response plan. &nbsp;

"Arrivals peaked in 2016, when over 117,000 arrived in Yemen," it added.

This migration comes despite Yemen facing one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.&nbsp;

UN officials say 80 per cent of the population — 24 million people — are in need of aid and nearly 10 million are just one step away from famine.&nbsp;

IOM said that most of the journey migrants take to Yemen is by foot, walking across the scorching desert regions of eastern Ethiopia, Djibouti and northern Somalia.

Once they arrive in Yemen they face torture, blackmail, sexual abuse or forced labour.&nbsp;

The sea crossing itself has repeatedly proven perilous.&nbsp;

Last year, at least 30 migrants from Somalia and Ethiopia believed to be headed for Djibouti drowned when their boat capsized off Yemen amid reports of gunfire being used against those on board.&nbsp;

In August 2017, dozens of migrants from Somalia and Ethiopia died after human traffickers forced them off two Yemen-bound boats and into the sea.

The death toll from the sinking of two migrant boats off the coast of Djibouti rose to 28 on Wednesday, with perhaps 130 more still missing. Two vessels carrying migrants departed from Godaria on the Horn of Africa nation's northeast coast on Tuesday morning but sank in heavy seas 30 minutes into the journey, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

The death toll from the sinking of two migrant boats off the coast of Djibouti rose to 28 on Wednesday, with perhaps 130 more still missing. Two vessels carrying migrants departed from Godaria on the Horn of Africa nation's northeast coast on Tuesday morning but sank in heavy seas 30 minutes into the journey, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Five bodies were recovered immediately and the IOM said Djiboutian authorities found more dead on Wednesday. "Twenty-three bodies were recovered this morning and the coast guard continues (its) search," IOM's chief of mission in Djibouti, Lalini Veerassamy, told AFP. Two people were recovered alive and Veerassamy said "a few" more survivors arrived at an IOM facility in the town of Obock on Tuesday evening. One survivor estimated there were 130 people on his boat but was not able to estimate the number of passengers on the other vessel. The nationalities of the victims remained unclear, Veerassamy said. Located across the Bab el-Mandeb strait from Yemen and next to volatile Somalia and Ethiopia, Djibouti has in recent years become a transit point for migrants heading to find work on the Arabian Peninsula. The region of Obock, from where the boat set off for Yemen, is unusual in that it sees people passing in both directions — boatloads of Yemeni refugees fleeing war cross vessels carrying African migrants seeking better opportunities. Worst crises In 2017 some 2,900 people, mostly Somalis, and Ethiopians, passed through from Yemen, a year that saw about 100,000 migrants head into the troubled country. "The number of new arrivals arriving in Yemen has been continuously increasing since 2012, despite the deepened insecurity and violence following the war that erupted in March 2015," the IOM said in its 2018-2020 regional migration response plan. "Arrivals peaked in 2016, when over 117,000 arrived in Yemen," it added. This migration comes despite Yemen facing one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. UN officials say 80 per cent of the population — 24 million people — are in need of aid and nearly 10 million are just one step away from famine. IOM said that most of the journey migrants take to Yemen is by foot, walking across the scorching desert regions of eastern Ethiopia, Djibouti and northern Somalia. Once they arrive in Yemen they face torture, blackmail, sexual abuse or forced labour. The sea crossing itself has repeatedly proven perilous. Last year, at least 30 migrants from Somalia and Ethiopia believed to be headed for Djibouti drowned when their boat capsized off Yemen amid reports of gunfire being used against those on board. In August 2017, dozens of migrants from Somalia and Ethiopia died after human traffickers forced them off two Yemen-bound boats and into the sea.

Death toll climbs to 28 after migrant boats sink off Djibouti

Hundreds of thousands of fish died in outback Australia, with the government blaming the mass death on a toxic algae bloom due to changing weather conditions.

It is the second incident of mass fish death along the Darling River at Menindee — around 1000 kilometres west of Sydney — since December, when 10,000 fish died.

The New South Wales Department of Primary Industries said that a sudden cooling of the temperature over the weekend killed pre-existing algae blooms in the area, resulting in the decomposing algae draining oxygen from the river and killing the fish.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported that native species including bony bream, perch and Murray cod were among those found floating on the surface and washed ashore on the river banks at Menindee. 
&nbsp;

Hundreds of thousands of fish died in outback Australia, with the government blaming the mass death on a toxic algae bloom due to changing weather conditions. It is the second incident of mass fish death along the Darling River at Menindee — around 1000 kilometres west of Sydney — since December, when 10,000 fish died.

Hundreds of thousands of fish died in outback Australia, with the government blaming the mass death on a toxic algae bloom due to changing weather conditions. It is the second incident of mass fish death along the Darling River at Menindee — around 1000 kilometres west of Sydney — since December, when 10,000 fish died. The New South Wales Department of Primary Industries said that a sudden cooling of the temperature over the weekend killed pre-existing algae blooms in the area, resulting in the decomposing algae draining oxygen from the river and killing the fish. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported that native species including bony bream, perch and Murray cod were among those found floating on the surface and washed ashore on the river banks at Menindee.

Mass fish death in Australia: Government blames weather change

Four Iraqi policemen were killed Sunday in two back-to-back bomb blasts at one of their positions north of the capital, near a former jihadist bastion, local officials and officers said.

"At around 8:00 am, the police officers were taking up their post at the southern entrance of Al-Sharqat," the town's mayor, Ali Dodah, told AFP.

"One bomb went off, killing two police officers and wounding eight. An hour and a half later, as reinforcements arrived, a second bomb went off," Dodah said.

A police officer speaking on condition of anonymity confirmed the first blast's toll to AFP and said the second explosion killed two officers and wounded three.

And a medical source at Al-Sharqat's hospital confirmed a total of four officers were killed. &nbsp;

Al-Sharqat, around 250 kilometres (150 miles) north of Baghdad, was held by the Islamic State group until autumn 2017.

It was one of the last areas recaptured by the government, which announced several months later that it had ousted IS from Iraq.

But hit-and-run attacks — particularly assassinations and kidnappings of local officials — still take place and hint at an underground network of IS sleeper cells in some of the country's most remote areas.&nbsp;

On Thursday, a car bomb killed a police officer near Hawija, another former IS stronghold.&nbsp;

Four Iraqi policemen were killed Sunday in two back-to-back bomb blasts at one of their positions north of the capital, near a former jihadist bastion, local officials and officers said.

Four Iraqi policemen were killed Sunday in two back-to-back bomb blasts at one of their positions north of the capital, near a former jihadist bastion, local officials and officers said. "At around 8:00 am, the police officers were taking up their post at the southern entrance of Al-Sharqat," the town's mayor, Ali Dodah, told AFP. "One bomb went off, killing two police officers and wounding eight. An hour and a half later, as reinforcements arrived, a second bomb went off," Dodah said. A police officer speaking on condition of anonymity confirmed the first blast's toll to AFP and said the second explosion killed two officers and wounded three. And a medical source at Al-Sharqat's hospital confirmed a total of four officers were killed. Al-Sharqat, around 250 kilometres (150 miles) north of Baghdad, was held by the Islamic State group until autumn 2017. It was one of the last areas recaptured by the government, which announced several months later that it had ousted IS from Iraq. But hit-and-run attacks — particularly assassinations and kidnappings of local officials — still take place and hint at an underground network of IS sleeper cells in some of the country's most remote areas. On Thursday, a car bomb killed a police officer near Hawija, another former IS stronghold.

Four policemen dead in back-to-back bomb blasts in Iraq

Mexico's state oil firm, Pemex, did not close the valve at a leaking <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.wionews.com/world/death-toll-raised-to-79-in-mexico-pipeline-blast-new-focus-on-fuel-theft-191662&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjUl5HpgP7fAhXXfH0KHRLhDcEQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw2jsTSJCsn0q0s5OFNcj89X">gasoline pipeline</a> when first notified because it was not initially thought to be an "important" leak, Mexico's security minister said on Sunday.

The pipeline in central Mexico exploded on Friday, leaving 85 people dead who were collecting gasoline at the leak, officials said.&nbsp;

Security Minister Alfonso Durazo told a news conference that Mexico's military detected the leak about four hours before Pemex closed the valve.

Mexico's state oil firm, Pemex, did not close the valve at a leaking gasoline pipeline when first notified because it was not initially thought to be an "important" leak, Mexico's security minister said on Sunday.

Mexico's state oil firm, Pemex, did not close the valve at a leaking gasoline pipeline when first notified because it was not initially thought to be an "important" leak, Mexico's security minister said on Sunday. The pipeline in central Mexico exploded on Friday, leaving 85 people dead who were collecting gasoline at the leak, officials said. Security Minister Alfonso Durazo told a news conference that Mexico's military detected the leak about four hours before Pemex closed the valve.

Mexico gasoline pipeline leak detected hours before fatal blast

The bullet-riddled body of a Myanmar policeman was found in northern Rakhine state, government media said Sunday, as <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/reuters-reporters-imprisonment-when-myanmars-progress-towards-democracy-was-put-to-question-185665">tensions rise </a>in the hotspot where the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/myanmar-army-pauses-operations-in-north-in-rare-conciliatory-action-185678">Rohingya crisis </a>erupted last year.

The western territory is a tinderbox of ethnic and religious divisions and security forces have clashed with both Rohingya insurgents and much better armed Rakhine fighters from the mostly Buddhist Arakan Army.

Private Aung Kyaw Thet went missing in action after an<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-house-of-representatives-describes-crime-against-rohingya-in-myanmar-as-genocide-183895"> ambush last week</a> by unknown assailants in Maungdaw township near the border with Bangladesh.

His body was found two days ago with "gunshot wounds in his face, arm and leg near a hill inside the other country," according to government-backed Global New Light of Myanmar.

The ambush happened the same day that two ethnic Rakhine Buddhist men disappeared while fishing in the same township and were later found with their throats slit, prompting the army to launch local "clearance operations" and raising fears of renewed large-scale violence.

Sunday's report in Global New Light did not identify the alleged perpetrators of the shooting but said authorities found foxholes near the scene, bullet casings and biscuits manufactured in Bangladesh.

More than 720,000 Rohingya fled northern Rakhine to Bangladesh after Myanmar launched a crackdown on the Muslim minority in August 2017.

UN investigators want senior Myanmar generals to be prosecuted for genocide but the army says it was responding to attacks on border guard posts by Rohingya insurgents that killed around a dozen security forces.

The army this week called a rare ceasefire against ethnic armed groups in the northeast of the country but Rakhine state was not included.

Analysts say the military left Rakhine out because it does not want the Arakan Army to gain a foothold in the state as well as lingering concern over the less powerful Rohingya militants, who call themselves the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army.

The bullet-riddled body of a Myanmar policeman was found in northern Rakhine state, government media said Sunday, as tensions rise in the hotspot where the Rohingya crisis erupted last year.

The bullet-riddled body of a Myanmar policeman was found in northern Rakhine state, government media said Sunday, as tensions rise in the hotspot where the Rohingya crisis erupted last year. The western territory is a tinderbox of ethnic and religious divisions and security forces have clashed with both Rohingya insurgents and much better armed Rakhine fighters from the mostly Buddhist Arakan Army. Private Aung Kyaw Thet went missing in action after an ambush last week by unknown assailants in Maungdaw township near the border with Bangladesh. His body was found two days ago with "gunshot wounds in his face, arm and leg near a hill inside the other country," according to government-backed Global New Light of Myanmar. The ambush happened the same day that two ethnic Rakhine Buddhist men disappeared while fishing in the same township and were later found with their throats slit, prompting the army to launch local "clearance operations" and raising fears of renewed large-scale violence. Sunday's report in Global New Light did not identify the alleged perpetrators of the shooting but said authorities found foxholes near the scene, bullet casings and biscuits manufactured in Bangladesh. More than 720,000 Rohingya fled northern Rakhine to Bangladesh after Myanmar launched a crackdown on the Muslim minority in August 2017. UN investigators want senior Myanmar generals to be prosecuted for genocide but the army says it was responding to attacks on border guard posts by Rohingya insurgents that killed around a dozen security forces. The army this week called a rare ceasefire against ethnic armed groups in the northeast of the country but Rakhine state was not included. Analysts say the military left Rakhine out because it does not want the Arakan Army to gain a foothold in the state as well as lingering concern over the less powerful Rohingya militants, who call themselves the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army.

Myanmar: Missing policeman found killed in northern Rakhine state

In pics: Volcano-triggered tsunami washes away hundreds in Indonesia

Twenty-three people died in western Nepal when a bus carrying school students and teachers back from a botanical field trip plunged into a gorge, police said.

The students were aged mostly between 16 and 20. Two teachers and the driver also died in the accident early evening on Friday in a remote area.

The vehicle was carrying 37 people, with 22 killed at the scene and another in a nearby hospital. Fourteen people were treated for injuries.

"Our preliminary investigation shows the cause of the incident was speed," police officer Bel Bahadur Pandey told AFP.

Road accidents are relatively common in Nepal because of poor roads, badly maintained vehicles and reckless driving.&nbsp;

The latest comes a week after a truck accident in central Nepal killed 20 mourners returning from a funeral ritual.

Twenty-three people died in western Nepal when a bus carrying school students and teachers back from a botanical field trip plunged into a gorge, police said. The students were aged mostly between 16 and 20.

Twenty-three people died in western Nepal when a bus carrying school students and teachers back from a botanical field trip plunged into a gorge, police said. The students were aged mostly between 16 and 20. Two teachers and the driver also died in the accident early evening on Friday in a remote area. The vehicle was carrying 37 people, with 22 killed at the scene and another in a nearby hospital. Fourteen people were treated for injuries. "Our preliminary investigation shows the cause of the incident was speed," police officer Bel Bahadur Pandey told AFP. Road accidents are relatively common in Nepal because of poor roads, badly maintained vehicles and reckless driving. The latest comes a week after a truck accident in central Nepal killed 20 mourners returning from a funeral ritual.

Nepal student bus plunges into gorge, 23 dead

Three people were killed and several injured in the attack at Nirankari Bhawan in Amritsar's Rajasansi village on Sunday,&nbsp;IG (Border) Surinder Pal Singh Parmar said.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UPDATE?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UPDATE</a> 3 dead &amp; 10 injured in the blast at Nirankari Bhawan in Amritsar's Rajasansi village: IG (Border) Surinder Pal Singh Parmar <a href="https://t.co/O99yKBjQFu">https://t.co/O99yKBjQFu</a>
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Reports said the attack occurred during a religious ceremony being held at Nirankari Bhawan.&nbsp;

Eyewitnesses said two bike-borne masked men came to the Nirankari Dera and threw a grenade at the congregation.

The victims were rushed to the nearest hospital, and police have begun an investigation.&nbsp;

The attack comes against the backdrop of multiple alerts issued by the intelligence agencies warning of the presence of Kashmiri terrorists in the state.&nbsp;

The state was put on alert after four persons snatched an SUV from its driver at gunpoint near Madhopur in Pathankot district last week.

&nbsp;Posters were also put up in the Amritsar region asking locals to provide information on al-Qaeda operative Zakir Musa, who was suspected to have entered the state.&nbsp;

Three people were killed and several injured in the attack at Nirankari Bhawan in Amritsar's Rajasansi village on Sunday, IG (Border) Surinder Pal Singh Parmar said.

Three people were killed and several injured in the attack at Nirankari Bhawan in Amritsar's Rajasansi village on Sunday, IG (Border) Surinder Pal Singh Parmar said. #UPDATE 3 dead & 10 injured in the blast at Nirankari Bhawan in Amritsar's Rajasansi village: IG (Border) Surinder Pal Singh Parmar https://t.co/O99yKBjQFu — ANI (@ANI) November 18, 2018 × Reports said the attack occurred during a religious ceremony being held at Nirankari Bhawan. Eyewitnesses said two bike-borne masked men came to the Nirankari Dera and threw a grenade at the congregation. The victims were rushed to the nearest hospital, and police have begun an investigation. The attack comes against the backdrop of multiple alerts issued by the intelligence agencies warning of the presence of Kashmiri terrorists in the state. The state was put on alert after four persons snatched an SUV from its driver at gunpoint near Madhopur in Pathankot district last week. Posters were also put up in the Amritsar region asking locals to provide information on al-Qaeda operative Zakir Musa, who was suspected to have entered the state.

3 dead, 10 injured in blast at Amritsar's Rajasansi village

When Moustapha Dieng came down with stomach pains one-day last month he did the sensible thing and went to a doctor in his hometown of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso's capital.

The doctor prescribed a malaria treatment but the medicine cost too much for Dieng, a 30-year-old tailor, so he went to an unlicensed street vendor for pills on the cheap.

"It was too expensive at the pharmacy. I was forced to buy street drugs as they are less expensive," he said.

Within days he was hospitalized - sickened by the very drugs that were supposed to cure him.

Tens of thousands of people in Africa die each year because of fake and counterfeit medication, an EU-funded report released on Tuesday said. The drugs are mainly made in China but also in India, Paraguay, Pakistan and the United Kingdom.

Almost half the fake and low-quality medicines reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) between 2013 and 2017 were found to be in sub-Saharan Africa, said the report, also backed by Interpol and the Institute for Security Studies.

"Counterfeiters prey on poorer countries more than their richer counterparts, with up to 30 times greater penetration of fakes in the supply chain," said the report.

Substandard or fake anti-malarials cause the deaths of between 64,000 and 158,000 people per year in sub-Saharan Africa, the report said.

The counterfeit drug market is worth around $200 billion worldwide annually, WHO says, making it the most lucrative trade of illegally copied goods. Its impact has been devastating.

Nigeria said more than 80 children were killed in 2009 by a teething syrup tainted with a chemical normally used in engine coolant and blamed for causing kidney failure.

For Dieng, the cost can be measured in more than simple suffering. The night in hospital cost him more than double what he would have paid had he bought the drugs the doctor ordered.

"After taking those drugs, the provenance of which we don't know, he came back with new symptoms ... All this had aggravated his condition," said nurse Jules Raesse, who treated Dieng when he stayed at the clinic last month.

Fake drugs also threaten a thriving pharmaceutical sector in several African countries.

That has helped prompt Ivory Coast - where fake drugs were also sold openly - to crack down on the trade, estimated at $30 billion by Reuters last year.

Ivorian authorities said last month they had seized almost 400 tonnes of fake medicine over the past two years.

Able Ekissi, an inspector at the health ministry, told Reuters the seized goods, had they been sold to consumers, would have represented a loss to the legitimate pharmaceutical industry of more than $170 million.

"They are reputed to be cheaper, but at best they are ineffective and at worst toxic," Abderrahmane Chakibi, Managing Director of French pharmaceutical firm Sanofi's sub-Saharan Africa branch.

But in Ivory Coast, many cannot afford to shop in pharmacies, which often only stock expensive drugs imported from France, rather than cheaper generics from places like India.

"When you have no means you are forced to go out onto the street," said Barakissa Cherik, a pharmacist in Ivory Coast's lagoon-side commercial capital Abidjan.

When Moustapha Dieng came down with stomach pains one-day last month he did the sensible thing and went to a doctor in his hometown of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso's capital.

When Moustapha Dieng came down with stomach pains one-day last month he did the sensible thing and went to a doctor in his hometown of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso's capital. The doctor prescribed a malaria treatment but the medicine cost too much for Dieng, a 30-year-old tailor, so he went to an unlicensed street vendor for pills on the cheap. "It was too expensive at the pharmacy. I was forced to buy street drugs as they are less expensive," he said. Within days he was hospitalized - sickened by the very drugs that were supposed to cure him. Tens of thousands of people in Africa die each year because of fake and counterfeit medication, an EU-funded report released on Tuesday said. The drugs are mainly made in China but also in India, Paraguay, Pakistan and the United Kingdom. Almost half the fake and low-quality medicines reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) between 2013 and 2017 were found to be in sub-Saharan Africa, said the report, also backed by Interpol and the Institute for Security Studies. "Counterfeiters prey on poorer countries more than their richer counterparts, with up to 30 times greater penetration of fakes in the supply chain," said the report. Substandard or fake anti-malarials cause the deaths of between 64,000 and 158,000 people per year in sub-Saharan Africa, the report said. The counterfeit drug market is worth around $200 billion worldwide annually, WHO says, making it the most lucrative trade of illegally copied goods. Its impact has been devastating. Nigeria said more than 80 children were killed in 2009 by a teething syrup tainted with a chemical normally used in engine coolant and blamed for causing kidney failure. For Dieng, the cost can be measured in more than simple suffering. The night in hospital cost him more than double what he would have paid had he bought the drugs the doctor ordered. "After taking those drugs, the provenance of which we don't know, he came back with new symptoms ... All this had aggravated his condition," said nurse Jules Raesse, who treated Dieng when he stayed at the clinic last month. Fake drugs also threaten a thriving pharmaceutical sector in several African countries. That has helped prompt Ivory Coast - where fake drugs were also sold openly - to crack down on the trade, estimated at $30 billion by Reuters last year. Ivorian authorities said last month they had seized almost 400 tonnes of fake medicine over the past two years. Able Ekissi, an inspector at the health ministry, told Reuters the seized goods, had they been sold to consumers, would have represented a loss to the legitimate pharmaceutical industry of more than $170 million. "They are reputed to be cheaper, but at best they are ineffective and at worst toxic," Abderrahmane Chakibi, Managing Director of French pharmaceutical firm Sanofi's sub-Saharan Africa branch. But in Ivory Coast, many cannot afford to shop in pharmacies, which often only stock expensive drugs imported from France, rather than cheaper generics from places like India. "When you have no means you are forced to go out onto the street," said Barakissa Cherik, a pharmacist in Ivory Coast's lagoon-side commercial capital Abidjan.

Tens of thousands die in Africa each year due to fake drugs

Coalition air strikes Saturday killed at least 36 civilians related to the Islamic State group in a jihadist holdout in eastern Syria near the Iraqi border, a Britain-based monitor said.

Seventeen children were among the family members killed in Abu Hassan village of Deir Ezzor province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Coalition air strikes Saturday killed at least 36 civilians related to the Islamic State group in a jihadist holdout in eastern Syria near the Iraqi border, a Britain-based monitor said.

Coalition air strikes Saturday killed at least 36 civilians related to the Islamic State group in a jihadist holdout in eastern Syria near the Iraqi border, a Britain-based monitor said. Seventeen children were among the family members killed in Abu Hassan village of Deir Ezzor province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Anti-IS coalition raids kill 36 civilians in east Syria: monitor

Search teams will fan out across the charred landscape of Paradise,&nbsp;California&nbsp;looking for human remains on Tuesday as authorities prepare for a rise in the deathcount from the state's deadliest wildfire.

The "Camp Fire" blaze still raging in northern&nbsp;California&nbsp;has killed at least 42 people. Another 228 have been listed as missing, Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said.

Another two people died in the separate Woolsey Fire that has destroyed 435 structures and displaced about 200,000 people in the mountains and foothills near Southern&nbsp;California's Malibu coast, west of Los Angeles.

"Camp Fire" - already ranked as the most destructive on record in&nbsp;California&nbsp;in terms of property losses - has consumed more than 7,100 homes and other structures since igniting on Thursday in Butte County's Sierra foothills, about 175 miles (280 km) north of San Francisco.

A total of 150 search-and-recovery personnel were due to arrive on Tuesday, bolstering 13 coroner-led recovery teams in the fire zone, Honea said.

The sheriff said he also has requested three portable morgue teams from the US&nbsp;military, a "disaster mortuary" crew and an unspecified number of cadaver dog units to assist in the search for human remains. Three groups of forensic anthropologists were also called in to help, he said.

The bulk of the destruction and loss of life occurred in and around the town of Paradise, where flames reduced most of the buildings to ash and rubble on Thursday night, just hours after the blaze erupted. Some 52,000 people remained under evacuation orders, the sheriff said.

Honea added that his office had received requests to check on the wellbeing of more than 1,500 people who had not been heard from by loved ones. Of those cases, 231 individuals had turned up safe, he said.

Authorities said on Monday evening that they found the bodies of 13 more victims, increasing the death toll from 29 tallied over the weekend.

The 42 confirmed fatalities marked the highest death toll in history from a single&nbsp;California&nbsp;wildfire, Honea said, far surpassing the previous record of 29 lives lost in 1933 from the Griffith Park blaze in Los Angeles.

The fires have spread with an erratic intensity that has strained firefighting resources while catching many residents by surprise.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the fires. PG&amp;E Corp (PCG.N), which operates in northern&nbsp;California, and Edison International (EIX.N), the owner of Southern&nbsp;California&nbsp;Edison Company, have reported to regulators that they experienced problems with transmission lines or substations in areas where fires were reported, just before or close to the time they started.

The bodies of some of the Camp Fire victims were found in burned-out wreckage of vehicles that were overrun by walls of fire as evacuees tried to flee, only to be trapped in deadly knots of traffic gridlock on Thursday night.

More than 15,000 structures were threatened by the Camp Fire on Monday in an area so thick with smoke that visibility was reduced in some places to less than half a mile.

Crews have managed to carve containment lines around 30 percent of the Camp Fire perimeter, an area encompassing 117,000 acres of scorched, smoldering terrain.

To the south, Woolsey Fire has blackened nearly 94,000 acres and was also 30 per cent contained as of Monday night, according to the&nbsp;California&nbsp;Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire).

Winds of up to 40 miles per hour (64 km per hour) were expected to continue in Southern&nbsp;California&nbsp;through Tuesday, heightening the risk of fresh blazes ignited by scattered embers. CalFire said 57,000 structures were still in harm's way from the Woolsey Fire.

Nearly 9,000 firefighters, many from out of state, were battling to suppress the Camp Fire, the Woolsey Fire and a handful of smaller Southern&nbsp;California&nbsp;blazes, backed by squadrons of water-dropping helicopters and airplane tankers.

Some evacuees in Malibu, a seaside community whose residents include a number of Hollywood celebrities, were allowed to return home but were left without power or cellphone service.

California&nbsp;has endured two of the worst wildfire seasons in its history over the past couple of years, a situation experts attribute in large part to prolonged drought across much of the Western United States.

Search teams will fan out across the charred landscape of Paradise, California looking for human remains on Tuesday as authorities prepare for a rise in the deathcount from the state's deadliest wildfire.

Search teams will fan out across the charred landscape of Paradise, California looking for human remains on Tuesday as authorities prepare for a rise in the deathcount from the state's deadliest wildfire. The "Camp Fire" blaze still raging in northern California has killed at least 42 people. Another 228 have been listed as missing, Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said. Another two people died in the separate Woolsey Fire that has destroyed 435 structures and displaced about 200,000 people in the mountains and foothills near Southern California's Malibu coast, west of Los Angeles. "Camp Fire" - already ranked as the most destructive on record in California in terms of property losses - has consumed more than 7,100 homes and other structures since igniting on Thursday in Butte County's Sierra foothills, about 175 miles (280 km) north of San Francisco. A total of 150 search-and-recovery personnel were due to arrive on Tuesday, bolstering 13 coroner-led recovery teams in the fire zone, Honea said. The sheriff said he also has requested three portable morgue teams from the US military, a "disaster mortuary" crew and an unspecified number of cadaver dog units to assist in the search for human remains. Three groups of forensic anthropologists were also called in to help, he said. The bulk of the destruction and loss of life occurred in and around the town of Paradise, where flames reduced most of the buildings to ash and rubble on Thursday night, just hours after the blaze erupted. Some 52,000 people remained under evacuation orders, the sheriff said. Honea added that his office had received requests to check on the wellbeing of more than 1,500 people who had not been heard from by loved ones. Of those cases, 231 individuals had turned up safe, he said. Authorities said on Monday evening that they found the bodies of 13 more victims, increasing the death toll from 29 tallied over the weekend. The 42 confirmed fatalities marked the highest death toll in history from a single California wildfire, Honea said, far surpassing the previous record of 29 lives lost in 1933 from the Griffith Park blaze in Los Angeles. The fires have spread with an erratic intensity that has strained firefighting resources while catching many residents by surprise. Authorities are investigating the cause of the fires. PG&E Corp (PCG.N), which operates in northern California, and Edison International (EIX.N), the owner of Southern California Edison Company, have reported to regulators that they experienced problems with transmission lines or substations in areas where fires were reported, just before or close to the time they started. The bodies of some of the Camp Fire victims were found in burned-out wreckage of vehicles that were overrun by walls of fire as evacuees tried to flee, only to be trapped in deadly knots of traffic gridlock on Thursday night. More than 15,000 structures were threatened by the Camp Fire on Monday in an area so thick with smoke that visibility was reduced in some places to less than half a mile. Crews have managed to carve containment lines around 30 percent of the Camp Fire perimeter, an area encompassing 117,000 acres of scorched, smoldering terrain. To the south, Woolsey Fire has blackened nearly 94,000 acres and was also 30 per cent contained as of Monday night, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire). Winds of up to 40 miles per hour (64 km per hour) were expected to continue in Southern California through Tuesday, heightening the risk of fresh blazes ignited by scattered embers. CalFire said 57,000 structures were still in harm's way from the Woolsey Fire. Nearly 9,000 firefighters, many from out of state, were battling to suppress the Camp Fire, the Woolsey Fire and a handful of smaller Southern California blazes, backed by squadrons of water-dropping helicopters and airplane tankers. Some evacuees in Malibu, a seaside community whose residents include a number of Hollywood celebrities, were allowed to return home but were left without power or cellphone service. California has endured two of the worst wildfire seasons in its history over the past couple of years, a situation experts attribute in large part to prolonged drought across much of the Western United States.

Teams search for bodies in California after wildfire claims 42 lives

The Taliban's campaign of violence and intimidation during last month's parliamentary elections in Afghanistan was the deadliest for civilians in years, a report by the United Nations mission in the country has said.

The report titled 2018 "Elections Violence', issued Tuesday, shows that on October 20 and over the following days when delayed polling took place, the UN recorded 435 civilian casualties&nbsp;56 killed and 379 injured.

Almost nine in 10 casualties happened on October 20 itself, making it the election day with the highest number of civilians killed and injured since the UN began its systematic documentation of civilian casualties in 2009.&nbsp;

Shortly before the polling centres opened on that day, the Taliban stated on Twitter that all election sites in the country would be under attack, cautioning citizens not to get involved in the elections process.&nbsp;

Following the opening of the polling centres, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) began receiving reports of attacks targeting polling centres, with the intensity of the attacks increasing throughout the day.

The report notes that, according to the Independent Election Commission, of the approximately 8.8 million Afghans registered to vote, only 4.2 million cast a ballot, showing that large numbers were unwilling or unable to do so.

"Those who made efforts to vote," the report said, "did so in defiance of an orchestrated campaign of abductions, threats, intimidation and harassment of voters and election workers carried out by the Taliban in the weeks and months leading up to the elections".

"These incidents, taken together with a series of public statements made by the Taliban on the elections, reveal a deliberate campaign intended to disrupt and undermine the electoral process, and deprive Afghan citizens of their right to freely participate in the political process without fear."

The report documents the numerous attacks by non-State armed groups, mainly the Taliban, in populated civilian areas, including attacks against schools, clinics and mosques used as polling centres.&nbsp;

These attacks were mainly carried out using rockets, grenades and mortars, as well as improvised explosive devices. Shooting during ground fighting also occurred.

More than 100 children and over 50 women were killed or injured in the violence.&nbsp;

Overall, this is the highest level of election-related civilian harm compared to the four previous elections held in the country, especially when factoring in the casualties counted in the earlier months, since voter registration in April and throughout the campaigning period.

"The Taliban's actions forced many ordinary Afghans to choose between exercising their right to participate in the political process and risking their own safety," UNAMA said, noting that unreasonably restricting someone's right to take part in public affairs is a human rights violation.

The Taliban's campaign of violence and intimidation during last month's parliamentary elections in Afghanistan was the deadliest for civilians in years, a report by the United Nations mission in the country has said.

The Taliban's campaign of violence and intimidation during last month's parliamentary elections in Afghanistan was the deadliest for civilians in years, a report by the United Nations mission in the country has said. The report titled 2018 "Elections Violence', issued Tuesday, shows that on October 20 and over the following days when delayed polling took place, the UN recorded 435 civilian casualties 56 killed and 379 injured. Almost nine in 10 casualties happened on October 20 itself, making it the election day with the highest number of civilians killed and injured since the UN began its systematic documentation of civilian casualties in 2009. Shortly before the polling centres opened on that day, the Taliban stated on Twitter that all election sites in the country would be under attack, cautioning citizens not to get involved in the elections process. Following the opening of the polling centres, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) began receiving reports of attacks targeting polling centres, with the intensity of the attacks increasing throughout the day. The report notes that, according to the Independent Election Commission, of the approximately 8.8 million Afghans registered to vote, only 4.2 million cast a ballot, showing that large numbers were unwilling or unable to do so. "Those who made efforts to vote," the report said, "did so in defiance of an orchestrated campaign of abductions, threats, intimidation and harassment of voters and election workers carried out by the Taliban in the weeks and months leading up to the elections". "These incidents, taken together with a series of public statements made by the Taliban on the elections, reveal a deliberate campaign intended to disrupt and undermine the electoral process, and deprive Afghan citizens of their right to freely participate in the political process without fear." The report documents the numerous attacks by non-State armed groups, mainly the Taliban, in populated civilian areas, including attacks against schools, clinics and mosques used as polling centres. These attacks were mainly carried out using rockets, grenades and mortars, as well as improvised explosive devices. Shooting during ground fighting also occurred. More than 100 children and over 50 women were killed or injured in the violence. Overall, this is the highest level of election-related civilian harm compared to the four previous elections held in the country, especially when factoring in the casualties counted in the earlier months, since voter registration in April and throughout the campaigning period. "The Taliban's actions forced many ordinary Afghans to choose between exercising their right to participate in the political process and risking their own safety," UNAMA said, noting that unreasonably restricting someone's right to take part in public affairs is a human rights violation.

Taliban-led violence during recent Afghan polls leaves record high numbers of civilians dead: UN

A highway in the Peruvian highlands near Lake Titicaca was the scene of a violent and deadly crash on Monday (November 05) that left at least 18 dead.

According to local media, a truck crashed head on into a passenger bus that left both vehicles completely destroyed and 18 people dead, among them 12 women and a child, and another 39 injured.

The bus could be seen lying on its side severely damaged by the crash.

The bus had departed earlier in the day from a city at Peru's border with Bolivia and was traveling along a highway that skirts the 3,812 meter (12,507 ft.) high Lake Titicaca when the crash occurred.

A highway in the Peruvian highlands near Lake Titicaca was the scene of a violent and deadly crash on Monday (November 05) that left at least 18 dead. According to local media, a truck crashed head on into a passenger bus that left both vehicles completely destroyed and 18 people dead, among them 12 women and a child, and another 39 injured.

A highway in the Peruvian highlands near Lake Titicaca was the scene of a violent and deadly crash on Monday (November 05) that left at least 18 dead. According to local media, a truck crashed head on into a passenger bus that left both vehicles completely destroyed and 18 people dead, among them 12 women and a child, and another 39 injured. The bus could be seen lying on its side severely damaged by the crash. The bus had departed earlier in the day from a city at Peru's border with Bolivia and was traveling along a highway that skirts the 3,812 meter (12,507 ft.) high Lake Titicaca when the crash occurred.

Peru bus crash leaves 18 dead, 39 injured

A key Pakistani cleric with close ties to the Afghan Taliban who was killed in the garrison city of Rawalpindi was buried Saturday as Prime Minister Imran Khan called for an investigation into the murder.

Maulana Sami Ul-Haq, dubbed the "Father of the Taliban", was stabbed to death by unknown intruders at his residence Friday night.

The cleric, who is in his 80s&nbsp; was buried in his hometown Akoda Khattak, around 115 kilometres (70 miles) northwest of Islamabad.

Thousands of people gathered for the funeral prayers guarded by dozens of police personnel while a bomb disposal squad cleared the graveyard before the cleric's body was brought for burial, an AFP reporter at the site said.

His seminary had produced some of the key leaders of the Afghan and Pakistani Taliban, something that the cleric and his associates would proudly tell visiting journalists.

The list of graduates written on the walls of the seminary includes the names of leaders of the Pakistani Taliban.

An investigation into the murder of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto in 2007 revealed that the assassins had stayed at his seminary before travelling to Rawalpindi where Bhutto was killed.

The Afghan Taliban issued a statement terming his death "a great loss for the entire Islamic Ummah" (nation).

"He rendered unforgettable services and assistance to the oppressed Afghan nation against the Soviet and American invasions," the statement said.

Afghan envoys in Pakistan had reached out to him seeking his help in starting negotiations with the Afghan Taliban.

But analysts doubted if he had any sway with them.

"He did not had any influence on the Afghan Taliban but he supported their cause," analyst Rahimullah Yusufzai told AFP.

"Many of the leaders and fighters of the Afghan Taliban had studied at his madrassa," he said.

Pakistani media termed his death a blow to the Afghan peace process but Yusufzai doubted it, saying his death would have no impact on the talks as he was never part of any negotiations.

Social media users in Afghanistan termed him a "troublemaker".

"The Taliban have lost their father, now they are orphan," Bilal Noori, an Afghan, posted on Facebook.

His death was widely condemned in Pakistan by politicians and religious leaders, with the prime minister calling for an investigation into the murder.

In 2014, the cleric was a member of the negotiating committee from the homegrown Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) -- who brokered a ceasefire with the government, although the talks later failed.

He twice held roles as a member of Pakistan's Senate.

His JUI-S party was an ally of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party headed by Prime Minister Khan.

A key Pakistani cleric with close ties to the Afghan Taliban who was killed in the garrison city of Rawalpindi was buried Saturday as Prime Minister Imran Khan called for an investigation into the murder.

A key Pakistani cleric with close ties to the Afghan Taliban who was killed in the garrison city of Rawalpindi was buried Saturday as Prime Minister Imran Khan called for an investigation into the murder. Maulana Sami Ul-Haq, dubbed the "Father of the Taliban", was stabbed to death by unknown intruders at his residence Friday night. The cleric, who is in his 80s was buried in his hometown Akoda Khattak, around 115 kilometres (70 miles) northwest of Islamabad. Thousands of people gathered for the funeral prayers guarded by dozens of police personnel while a bomb disposal squad cleared the graveyard before the cleric's body was brought for burial, an AFP reporter at the site said. His seminary had produced some of the key leaders of the Afghan and Pakistani Taliban, something that the cleric and his associates would proudly tell visiting journalists. The list of graduates written on the walls of the seminary includes the names of leaders of the Pakistani Taliban. An investigation into the murder of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto in 2007 revealed that the assassins had stayed at his seminary before travelling to Rawalpindi where Bhutto was killed. The Afghan Taliban issued a statement terming his death "a great loss for the entire Islamic Ummah" (nation). "He rendered unforgettable services and assistance to the oppressed Afghan nation against the Soviet and American invasions," the statement said. Afghan envoys in Pakistan had reached out to him seeking his help in starting negotiations with the Afghan Taliban. But analysts doubted if he had any sway with them. "He did not had any influence on the Afghan Taliban but he supported their cause," analyst Rahimullah Yusufzai told AFP. "Many of the leaders and fighters of the Afghan Taliban had studied at his madrassa," he said. Pakistani media termed his death a blow to the Afghan peace process but Yusufzai doubted it, saying his death would have no impact on the talks as he was never part of any negotiations. Social media users in Afghanistan termed him a "troublemaker". "The Taliban have lost their father, now they are orphan," Bilal Noori, an Afghan, posted on Facebook. His death was widely condemned in Pakistan by politicians and religious leaders, with the prime minister calling for an investigation into the murder. In 2014, the cleric was a member of the negotiating committee from the homegrown Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) -- who brokered a ceasefire with the government, although the talks later failed. He twice held roles as a member of Pakistan's Senate. His JUI-S party was an ally of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party headed by Prime Minister Khan.

Pakistan buries 'Father of Taliban' as PM orders probe of killing

An Indonesian diver died while recovering body parts from the ill-fated Lion Air plane which crashed into the sea killing 189 people, an official said Saturday.

Syachrul Anto, 48, who died on Friday, was part of the team searching for body parts and debris from the jet in the Java Sea.

"He was a volunteer with the Search and Rescue Agency," Isswarto, commander of the Indonesian navy's search and rescue division, told AFP.

It is believed he died from decompression, he added.

Anto had previously served in Palu which suffered from an earthquake and tsunami in September and also took part in the evacuation process of an Air Asia plane crash nearly four years ago.&nbsp;

The Lion Air plane which plummeted Monday was on route from Jakarta to Pangkal Pinang city on Sumatra island.&nbsp;

It plunged into the water just minutes after takeoff, killing everyone on board.

Officials on Thursday retrieved the Flight Data Recorder but are still searching for the second black box, the Cockpit Voice Recorder, which could answer the question as to why the brand new Boeing-737 MAX 8 crashed.&nbsp;

The budget carrier's admission that the doomed jet had a technical issue on a previous flight -- as well its abrupt fatal dive -- have raised questions about whether it had mechanical faults specific to the new model.

At least 73 bags containing body parts have been retrieved from the waters so far but only four have been identified.

Founded in 1999, Lion Air is a budget airline operating in Indonesia and in some parts of Southeast Asia, Australia and the Middle East.

But it has been plagued by safety concerns and customer complaints over unreliable scheduling and poor service.

The carrier has been involved in a number of incidents including a fatal 2004 crash and a collision between two Lion Air planes at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta airport.

An Indonesian diver died while recovering body parts from the ill-fated Lion Air plane which crashed into the sea killing 189 people, an official said Saturday. Syachrul Anto, 48, who died on Friday, was part of the team searching for body parts and debris from the jet in the Java Sea.

An Indonesian diver died while recovering body parts from the ill-fated Lion Air plane which crashed into the sea killing 189 people, an official said Saturday. Syachrul Anto, 48, who died on Friday, was part of the team searching for body parts and debris from the jet in the Java Sea. "He was a volunteer with the Search and Rescue Agency," Isswarto, commander of the Indonesian navy's search and rescue division, told AFP. It is believed he died from decompression, he added. Anto had previously served in Palu which suffered from an earthquake and tsunami in September and also took part in the evacuation process of an Air Asia plane crash nearly four years ago. The Lion Air plane which plummeted Monday was on route from Jakarta to Pangkal Pinang city on Sumatra island. It plunged into the water just minutes after takeoff, killing everyone on board. Officials on Thursday retrieved the Flight Data Recorder but are still searching for the second black box, the Cockpit Voice Recorder, which could answer the question as to why the brand new Boeing-737 MAX 8 crashed. The budget carrier's admission that the doomed jet had a technical issue on a previous flight -- as well its abrupt fatal dive -- have raised questions about whether it had mechanical faults specific to the new model. At least 73 bags containing body parts have been retrieved from the waters so far but only four have been identified. Founded in 1999, Lion Air is a budget airline operating in Indonesia and in some parts of Southeast Asia, Australia and the Middle East. But it has been plagued by safety concerns and customer complaints over unreliable scheduling and poor service. The carrier has been involved in a number of incidents including a fatal 2004 crash and a collision between two Lion Air planes at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta airport.

Diver dies in search for Indonesia jet crash remains

Fierce winds and rains have killed at least 20 people in Italy this week and razed thousands of hectares of forest in the country's devastated north, officials said.

An 87-year-old woman and a 62-year-old German tourist were killed Friday after being struck by lightning in Sardinia.

It brings to 20 the number of people killed by bad weather in Italy since the start of the week, according to the country's civil protection agency, with meteorologists predicting further wind and rain throughout the weekend.

Trees covering the mountainsides in the Dolomites range were reduced to matchsticks, flattened by winds that tore through the Veneto region on Thursday.

"It's like after an earthquake," Veneto governor Luca Zaia said. "Thousands of hectares of forest were razed to the ground, as if by a giant electric saw." In addition, 160,000 people in the region were left without electricity, Zaia said, adding that parts of the Dolomites were "reduced to looking like the surface of the moon".

"We've been brought to our knees," the politician said.

The storms in northern Italy on Thursday killed two pensioners aged 74 and 73 when a tree fell on their car in the Aosta Valley. Another person fell into a river in the Brescia region and was dragged under by the current.

In the Alto Adige region, an 81-year-old died after falling off the damaged roof of his Alpine cottage, while a 53-year-old whose car was hit by a falling tree during bad weather died on Monday.

Several towns in the province of Belluno were cut off after a landslide damaged a mountain road and repair efforts were hampered by the insistent heavy rains.

Floods in Sicily have closed many roads and mayors ordered schools, public parks, and underpasses shut.

The picturesque fishing village of Portofino near Genoa, a famed holiday resort on the Italian riviera, was only reachable by sea after the main road collapsed and an emergency path opened to let residents out was deemed too dangerous.

"It won't be easy or quick but we count on returning Portofino next summer to the millions of tourists who come to visit it," regional governor Giovanni Toti said.

The Genoa region alone had suffered tens of millions of euros' worth of damage -- a price tag that could rise to hundreds of millions in the long term, he added.

Italy's civil protection agency described the weather lashing Italy this week as "one of the most complex meteorological situations of the past 50 to 60 years".

Venice was inundated by near-record flooding on Monday, ferocious storms drove high winds reaching up to 180 kilometres (110 miles) an hour, and hundreds of trees were torn up by their roots in the Italian capital.

Fierce winds and rains have killed at least 20 people in Italy this week and razed thousands of hectares of forest in the country's devastated north, officials said.

Fierce winds and rains have killed at least 20 people in Italy this week and razed thousands of hectares of forest in the country's devastated north, officials said. An 87-year-old woman and a 62-year-old German tourist were killed Friday after being struck by lightning in Sardinia. It brings to 20 the number of people killed by bad weather in Italy since the start of the week, according to the country's civil protection agency, with meteorologists predicting further wind and rain throughout the weekend. Trees covering the mountainsides in the Dolomites range were reduced to matchsticks, flattened by winds that tore through the Veneto region on Thursday. "It's like after an earthquake," Veneto governor Luca Zaia said. "Thousands of hectares of forest were razed to the ground, as if by a giant electric saw." In addition, 160,000 people in the region were left without electricity, Zaia said, adding that parts of the Dolomites were "reduced to looking like the surface of the moon". "We've been brought to our knees," the politician said. The storms in northern Italy on Thursday killed two pensioners aged 74 and 73 when a tree fell on their car in the Aosta Valley. Another person fell into a river in the Brescia region and was dragged under by the current. In the Alto Adige region, an 81-year-old died after falling off the damaged roof of his Alpine cottage, while a 53-year-old whose car was hit by a falling tree during bad weather died on Monday. Several towns in the province of Belluno were cut off after a landslide damaged a mountain road and repair efforts were hampered by the insistent heavy rains. Floods in Sicily have closed many roads and mayors ordered schools, public parks, and underpasses shut. The picturesque fishing village of Portofino near Genoa, a famed holiday resort on the Italian riviera, was only reachable by sea after the main road collapsed and an emergency path opened to let residents out was deemed too dangerous. "It won't be easy or quick but we count on returning Portofino next summer to the millions of tourists who come to visit it," regional governor Giovanni Toti said. The Genoa region alone had suffered tens of millions of euros' worth of damage -- a price tag that could rise to hundreds of millions in the long term, he added. Italy's civil protection agency described the weather lashing Italy this week as "one of the most complex meteorological situations of the past 50 to 60 years". Venice was inundated by near-record flooding on Monday, ferocious storms drove high winds reaching up to 180 kilometres (110 miles) an hour, and hundreds of trees were torn up by their roots in the Italian capital.

Fierce winds raze forests in storm-hit Italy, kills 20 this week

A gunman has killed two people and wounded five others at a yoga studio in Florida's capital before killing himself, officials said.

Tallahassee Police Chief Michael DeLeo told reporters Friday night that the man shot six people and pistol-whipped another after walking into the studio, which is part of a small Tallahassee shopping center.

The suspect fatally shot himself, DeLeo said. City spokesman Jamie Van Pelt said the shooting appeared to be a part of a domestic dispute.

DeLeo said police haven't identified the shooter and are asking for anyone who saw something unusual around the time of the shooting to contact police. He said the shooter acted alone.

"We're all very saddened and shocked by the events that occurred, but it's important that people understand that there is no immediate threat outside of what has already occurred this evening," DeLeo said.

A major commuter intersection was blocked off and businesses in the plaza were on lockdown as police investigated.

City Commissioner Scott Maddox was on the scene. He said on Facebook, "In my public service career I have had to be on some bad scenes. This is the worst. Please pray."

Elle Welling said she was leaving a liquor store across the street from the shopping centre and saw at least three people loaded into ambulances.

"You don't think about this in Tallahassee and now you have to," said Welling, 26, who lives in the neighborhood. The plaza is home to popular restaurants, a jewellery store, a framing shop, a hair salon and other businesses.

Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, who is the Democratic nominee for governor, tweeted that he's breaking off the campaign trail to return to Tallahassee. He earlier appeared at a campaign event with former president Barack Obama.

"I'm deeply appreciative of law enforcement's quick response to the shooting at the yoga facility in Tallahassee today. No act of gun violence is acceptable. I'm in close communication with law enforcement officials and will be returning to Tallahassee tonight," Gillum tweeted.

Republican Gov. Rick Scott, who is challenging Democratic Senator Bill Nelson, called DeLeo and the head of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to get details of the shooting.

"I will remain in constant communication with law enforcement. We have offered state assistance," Scott tweeted.

Tallahassee's crime and murder rate has been an issue in the governor's race, with Gillum's opponent, Republican former US Representative Ron DeSantis, calling the capital Florida's most crime-ridden city, a claim that is incorrect.

A gunman has killed two people and wounded five others at a yoga studio in Florida's capital before killing himself, officials said. Tallahassee Police Chief Michael DeLeo told reporters Friday night that the man shot six people and pistol-whipped another after walking into the studio, which is part of a small Tallahassee shopping center.

A gunman has killed two people and wounded five others at a yoga studio in Florida's capital before killing himself, officials said. Tallahassee Police Chief Michael DeLeo told reporters Friday night that the man shot six people and pistol-whipped another after walking into the studio, which is part of a small Tallahassee shopping center. The suspect fatally shot himself, DeLeo said. City spokesman Jamie Van Pelt said the shooting appeared to be a part of a domestic dispute. DeLeo said police haven't identified the shooter and are asking for anyone who saw something unusual around the time of the shooting to contact police. He said the shooter acted alone. "We're all very saddened and shocked by the events that occurred, but it's important that people understand that there is no immediate threat outside of what has already occurred this evening," DeLeo said. A major commuter intersection was blocked off and businesses in the plaza were on lockdown as police investigated. City Commissioner Scott Maddox was on the scene. He said on Facebook, "In my public service career I have had to be on some bad scenes. This is the worst. Please pray." Elle Welling said she was leaving a liquor store across the street from the shopping centre and saw at least three people loaded into ambulances. "You don't think about this in Tallahassee and now you have to," said Welling, 26, who lives in the neighborhood. The plaza is home to popular restaurants, a jewellery store, a framing shop, a hair salon and other businesses. Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, who is the Democratic nominee for governor, tweeted that he's breaking off the campaign trail to return to Tallahassee. He earlier appeared at a campaign event with former president Barack Obama. "I'm deeply appreciative of law enforcement's quick response to the shooting at the yoga facility in Tallahassee today. No act of gun violence is acceptable. I'm in close communication with law enforcement officials and will be returning to Tallahassee tonight," Gillum tweeted. Republican Gov. Rick Scott, who is challenging Democratic Senator Bill Nelson, called DeLeo and the head of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to get details of the shooting. "I will remain in constant communication with law enforcement. We have offered state assistance," Scott tweeted. Tallahassee's crime and murder rate has been an issue in the governor's race, with Gillum's opponent, Republican former US Representative Ron DeSantis, calling the capital Florida's most crime-ridden city, a claim that is incorrect.

3 dead, including shooter, at Florida yoga studio: Police

Indonesia on Tuesday stepped up a search for an airliner that plunged into the sea with all 189 aboard feared dead, deploying underwater beacons to trace its black box recorders and uncover why an almost-new plane crashed minutes after take-off.

Indonesia, one of the world's fastest-growing aviation markets, has a patchy safety record. With the now almost certain prospect of all on board having died, the crash is set to rank as the country's second-worst air disaster.

Ground staff lost contact with flight JT610 of budget airline Lion Air 13 minutes after the Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft took off early on Monday from the airport in Jakarta, the capital, on its way to Indonesia's tin-mining region.

"Hopefully this morning we can find the wreckage or fuselage," Soerjanto Tjahjono, the head of a national transport safety panel, told Reuters, adding that an underwater acoustic beacon was deployed to locate the main body of the plane.

The search and rescue agency added that four sonar detectors were also being used in areas where aircraft debris was found a day earlier off the shore of Karawang, West Java, and 15 vessels were scouring the sea surface.

A helicopter circled over five rubber boats carrying about 36 rescuers, as some donned rubber suits, readying to dive.

Earlier, however, Yusuf Latif, the spokesman of the national search and rescue agency, had said finding survivors "would be a miracle", judging by the condition of the recovered debris and body parts.

In a statement, Lion Air said human remains were collected in 24 body bags after sweeps of the site of the crash, in waters about 30 to 35 metres (98 to 115 ft) deep roughly 15 km (nine miles) off the coast to the northeast of Jakarta.

The bags were taken to a hospital for identification, with more expected overnight, authorities told broadcaster Metro TV.

On tarpaulins at Jakarta's port, officers laid out items retrieved from the sea, ranging from oxygen bottles to personal effects such as wallets, a mobile telephone, cash and backpacks.

Although searchers halted efforts overnight, sonar vessels and an underwater drone kept up the hunt for the wreckage, where many victims were feared trapped, officials said.

A witness in Karawang said he had heard an explosion from the beach around the time the aircraft went down.

"I thought it was thunder, but it was different from thunder - 'Boom!' - It was loud," said Dadang Hambali.

On Monday, the US&nbsp;National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Boeing Co said they were providing assistance in the crash investigation.

(For details of search, crash inquiry, please click on)

The accident is the first to be reported involving the widely sold Boeing 737 MAX, an updated, more fuel-efficient version of the manufacturer's workhorse single-aisle jet.

Privately owned Lion Air, founded in 1999, said the aircraft, which had been in operation since August, was airworthy, with its pilot and co-pilot together having amassed 11,000 hours of flying time.

The pilot of flight JT610, which was bound for Pangkal Pinang in the Bangka-Belitung tin-mining region, had asked to return to base (RTB) shortly after take-off about 6.20 a.m., with landing set for 7.20 a.m. in the city of Pangkal Pinang.

"An RTB was requested and had been approved but we're still trying to figure out the reason," Tjahjono told reporters on Monday.

No distress signal was received from the aircraft's emergency transmitter, search and rescue agency head Muhmmad Syaugi told a news conference.

The aircraft suffered a technical problem on a flight from the resort island of Bali to Jakarta on Sunday night but it was "resolved according to procedure", Edward Sirait, chief executive of Lion Air Group, told reporters.

Sirait declined to specify the nature of the issue but said none of the airline's other aircraft of that model had the same problem. Lion had operated 11 Boeing 737 MAX 8s and it had no plan to ground the rest of them, he said.

Indonesia's worst air disaster was in 1997, when a Garuda Indonesia A300 crashed in the city of Medan, killing 234 people.

Indonesia on Tuesday stepped up a search for an airliner that plunged into the sea with all 189 aboard feared dead, deploying underwater beacons to trace its black box recorders and uncover why an almost-new plane crashed minutes after take-off.

Indonesia on Tuesday stepped up a search for an airliner that plunged into the sea with all 189 aboard feared dead, deploying underwater beacons to trace its black box recorders and uncover why an almost-new plane crashed minutes after take-off. Indonesia, one of the world's fastest-growing aviation markets, has a patchy safety record. With the now almost certain prospect of all on board having died, the crash is set to rank as the country's second-worst air disaster. Ground staff lost contact with flight JT610 of budget airline Lion Air 13 minutes after the Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft took off early on Monday from the airport in Jakarta, the capital, on its way to Indonesia's tin-mining region. "Hopefully this morning we can find the wreckage or fuselage," Soerjanto Tjahjono, the head of a national transport safety panel, told Reuters, adding that an underwater acoustic beacon was deployed to locate the main body of the plane. The search and rescue agency added that four sonar detectors were also being used in areas where aircraft debris was found a day earlier off the shore of Karawang, West Java, and 15 vessels were scouring the sea surface. A helicopter circled over five rubber boats carrying about 36 rescuers, as some donned rubber suits, readying to dive. Earlier, however, Yusuf Latif, the spokesman of the national search and rescue agency, had said finding survivors "would be a miracle", judging by the condition of the recovered debris and body parts. In a statement, Lion Air said human remains were collected in 24 body bags after sweeps of the site of the crash, in waters about 30 to 35 metres (98 to 115 ft) deep roughly 15 km (nine miles) off the coast to the northeast of Jakarta. The bags were taken to a hospital for identification, with more expected overnight, authorities told broadcaster Metro TV. On tarpaulins at Jakarta's port, officers laid out items retrieved from the sea, ranging from oxygen bottles to personal effects such as wallets, a mobile telephone, cash and backpacks. Although searchers halted efforts overnight, sonar vessels and an underwater drone kept up the hunt for the wreckage, where many victims were feared trapped, officials said. A witness in Karawang said he had heard an explosion from the beach around the time the aircraft went down. "I thought it was thunder, but it was different from thunder - 'Boom!' - It was loud," said Dadang Hambali. On Monday, the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Boeing Co said they were providing assistance in the crash investigation. (For details of search, crash inquiry, please click on) The accident is the first to be reported involving the widely sold Boeing 737 MAX, an updated, more fuel-efficient version of the manufacturer's workhorse single-aisle jet. Privately owned Lion Air, founded in 1999, said the aircraft, which had been in operation since August, was airworthy, with its pilot and co-pilot together having amassed 11,000 hours of flying time. The pilot of flight JT610, which was bound for Pangkal Pinang in the Bangka-Belitung tin-mining region, had asked to return to base (RTB) shortly after take-off about 6.20 a.m., with landing set for 7.20 a.m. in the city of Pangkal Pinang. "An RTB was requested and had been approved but we're still trying to figure out the reason," Tjahjono told reporters on Monday. No distress signal was received from the aircraft's emergency transmitter, search and rescue agency head Muhmmad Syaugi told a news conference. The aircraft suffered a technical problem on a flight from the resort island of Bali to Jakarta on Sunday night but it was "resolved according to procedure", Edward Sirait, chief executive of Lion Air Group, told reporters. Sirait declined to specify the nature of the issue but said none of the airline's other aircraft of that model had the same problem. Lion had operated 11 Boeing 737 MAX 8s and it had no plan to ground the rest of them, he said. Indonesia's worst air disaster was in 1997, when a Garuda Indonesia A300 crashed in the city of Medan, killing 234 people.

Indonesia hunts for victims, wreckage of air crash; survivors seem unlikely

At least five people died Monday in Italy as fierce winds and rains lashed much of the country and caused waters in the canal-ringed city of&nbsp;Venice&nbsp;to reach historic high levels.

Falling trees killed two people in their car not far from Rome, a man south of the capital and another in the Naples region, authorities said.

Near Savona in the northwest meanwhile, a falling piece of cornice struck and killed an elderly lady.

In&nbsp;Venice, rain-soaked tourists were barred from St. Mark's Square where local authorities said the "acqua alta" (high water) peaked at 156 centimetres (61 inches) by early afternoon.

Elevated wooden platforms usually placed on main passageways in the Renaissance city were not high enough to ensure safe passage in the low-lying square.

Families carried children on their shoulders through the surrounding streets. While some tourists donned thigh-high wellies, others had opted to take off their shoes and wade through the water.&nbsp;

The waters have only topped 150 centimetres five times before in recorded history. In 1966, when floods swept through the country, famously devastating Florence's historic centre, the waters reached 194 centimetres in&nbsp;Venice.

Nearly all of northern Italy was on alert due to the storms, with wind gusts up to 100 kilometres per hour and rainfall in some places equivalent to the amount that falls over several months.

Luca Zaia, head of the Veneto region, said the situation could be worse than when huge floods struck in 2010.

"The ground is already saturated with water, the rivers are full and due to sirocco (a strong hot wind from Northern Africa), the sea is not absorbing (the waters), he said.

Schools were closed in Genoa, Rome and Veneto, as well as in several northern towns and the Sicilian port of Messina.

At least five people died Monday in Italy as fierce winds and rains lashed much of the country and caused waters in the canal-ringed city of Venice to reach historic high levels.

At least five people died Monday in Italy as fierce winds and rains lashed much of the country and caused waters in the canal-ringed city of Venice to reach historic high levels. Falling trees killed two people in their car not far from Rome, a man south of the capital and another in the Naples region, authorities said. Near Savona in the northwest meanwhile, a falling piece of cornice struck and killed an elderly lady. In Venice, rain-soaked tourists were barred from St. Mark's Square where local authorities said the "acqua alta" (high water) peaked at 156 centimetres (61 inches) by early afternoon. Elevated wooden platforms usually placed on main passageways in the Renaissance city were not high enough to ensure safe passage in the low-lying square. Families carried children on their shoulders through the surrounding streets. While some tourists donned thigh-high wellies, others had opted to take off their shoes and wade through the water. The waters have only topped 150 centimetres five times before in recorded history. In 1966, when floods swept through the country, famously devastating Florence's historic centre, the waters reached 194 centimetres in Venice. Nearly all of northern Italy was on alert due to the storms, with wind gusts up to 100 kilometres per hour and rainfall in some places equivalent to the amount that falls over several months. Luca Zaia, head of the Veneto region, said the situation could be worse than when huge floods struck in 2010. "The ground is already saturated with water, the rivers are full and due to sirocco (a strong hot wind from Northern Africa), the sea is not absorbing (the waters), he said. Schools were closed in Genoa, Rome and Veneto, as well as in several northern towns and the Sicilian port of Messina.

Deadly storms lash Italy leaving Venice afloat, 5 dead

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