Coronavirus claims another high profile casualty in Iran. Hossein Sheikholeslam the adviser to Foreign Affairs Minister of Iran Mohammad Javad Zarif, has succumbed to the disease.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-cases-surge-in-us-helicopter-flies-test-kits-to-cruise-ship-284604" hreflang="en">Coronavirus cases surge in US, helicopter flies test kits to cruise ship</a>

He is the third senior Iranian politicians to die of COVID-19. The overall death toll in Iran now stands to 107.

In the past 24 hours, 591 new cases of the COVID-19 has emerged. A health ministry spokesperson stated that out of the 23327 suspected cases of coronavirus has been found, were three thousand five hundred thirteen have tested positive.

Huge pressure was seen on Iranian officials to take action against continuous virus spread.

The Iranian government has also issued preventive measures to contain the virus. In the latest development, authorities have decided to temporarily release 54000 people from prison.

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Schools and universities were already shut till March 20, and the working hours of offices have been curtailed.

Qom had been the centre of the outbreak in Iran, even in west Asia.

Iranian authorities had made it impossible for the people to leave the city during this outbreak.

&nbsp;

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Medical teams had been set up on the airports for recording temperatures of those trying to escape the city, those who show virus-related symptoms are being kept under quarantine.

Health ministry has also planned to send three hundred militia members on a door to door campaign for sanitizing homes.

Govt has also planned to contact the families via telephone to identify the possible threat.

COVID19 has already affected different sections of society in various corner of the cities including top officials since 23 MPs have been already seen affected by the virus.

It includes prominent figures such as country's vice president Masoumeh Ebtekar and deputy health minister Iraj Harirchi.

Several Indians have been left alone in the virus hit nation, including 300 Indian students.Till now no Indians have been reported infected in Iran with the deadly virus.

External affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said today that they were in touch with all Indians in Iran.And possible arrangements are being made to evacuate them.

Coronavirus claims another high profile casualty in Iran. Hossein Sheikholeslam the adviser to Foreign Affairs Minister of Iran Mohammad Javad Zarif, has succumbed to the disease.

Coronavirus claims another high profile casualty in Iran. Hossein Sheikholeslam the adviser to Foreign Affairs Minister of Iran Mohammad Javad Zarif, has succumbed to the disease. Also read: Coronavirus cases surge in US, helicopter flies test kits to cruise ship He is the third senior Iranian politicians to die of COVID-19. The overall death toll in Iran now stands to 107. In the past 24 hours, 591 new cases of the COVID-19 has emerged. A health ministry spokesperson stated that out of the 23327 suspected cases of coronavirus has been found, were three thousand five hundred thirteen have tested positive. Huge pressure was seen on Iranian officials to take action against continuous virus spread. The Iranian government has also issued preventive measures to contain the virus. In the latest development, authorities have decided to temporarily release 54000 people from prison. Schools and universities were already shut till March 20, and the working hours of offices have been curtailed. Qom had been the centre of the outbreak in Iran, even in west Asia. Iranian authorities had made it impossible for the people to leave the city during this outbreak. Medical teams had been set up on the airports for recording temperatures of those trying to escape the city, those who show virus-related symptoms are being kept under quarantine. Health ministry has also planned to send three hundred militia members on a door to door campaign for sanitizing homes. Govt has also planned to contact the families via telephone to identify the possible threat. COVID19 has already affected different sections of society in various corner of the cities including top officials since 23 MPs have been already seen affected by the virus. It includes prominent figures such as country's vice president Masoumeh Ebtekar and deputy health minister Iraj Harirchi. Several Indians have been left alone in the virus hit nation, including 300 Indian students.Till now no Indians have been reported infected in Iran with the deadly virus. External affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said today that they were in touch with all Indians in Iran.And possible arrangements are being made to evacuate them.

Coronavirus in Iran: Three senior politicians die, total death toll rises to 107

Brazil cities gets hit by torrential rain taking death toll to 21

As many as 32&nbsp;people have lost their lives and over 200 are injured in the incidents of violence after rival groups clashed over the Citizenship Amendment Act in Northeast Delhi.

Yesterday, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval said that the situation is totally under control as he visited the riot-affected areas of Delhi's northeast district.

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National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval during his visit to the violence-hit area of Northeast Delhi on Wednesday. (ANI Photo)

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A police vehicle moves past burning debris that was set on fire by demonstrators. (Reuters Photo)

"Death toll has increased to 30 at the hospital," said Sunil Kumar Gautam, Medical Superintendent, Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB) Hospital news agency ANI reported.

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Several WhatsApp groups, social media posts and the role of people from outside Delhi is under the scanner in connection with the incidents of violence, ANI reported citing sources.

Meanwhile, in the wake of the violence, the United States embassy issued an advisory in which it told its citizens to "exercise caution" and avoid all-violence affected areas.

"It is important that you monitor local media outlets for updates on demonstrations, road and Metro closures, and possible curfews. The Government of India-imposed law that prohibits political gatherings of four or more people – known as Section 144 – remains in effect in certain areas," the advisory read.

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Security Alert - Demonstrations in Northeast Delhi: <a href="https://t.co/e48NNK2xk6">https://t.co/e48NNK2xk6</a>
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As many as 32 people have lost their lives and over 200 are injured in the incidents of violence after rival groups clashed over the Citizenship Amendment Act in Northeast Delhi.

As many as 32 people have lost their lives and over 200 are injured in the incidents of violence after rival groups clashed over the Citizenship Amendment Act in Northeast Delhi. Yesterday, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval said that the situation is totally under control as he visited the riot-affected areas of Delhi's northeast district. National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval during his visit to the violence-hit area of Northeast Delhi on Wednesday. (ANI Photo) A police vehicle moves past burning debris that was set on fire by demonstrators. (Reuters Photo) "Death toll has increased to 30 at the hospital," said Sunil Kumar Gautam, Medical Superintendent, Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB) Hospital news agency ANI reported. Several WhatsApp groups, social media posts and the role of people from outside Delhi is under the scanner in connection with the incidents of violence, ANI reported citing sources. Meanwhile, in the wake of the violence, the United States embassy issued an advisory in which it told its citizens to "exercise caution" and avoid all-violence affected areas. "It is important that you monitor local media outlets for updates on demonstrations, road and Metro closures, and possible curfews. The Government of India-imposed law that prohibits political gatherings of four or more people – known as Section 144 – remains in effect in certain areas," the advisory read. Security Alert - Demonstrations in Northeast Delhi: https://t.co/e48NNK2xk6 — U.S. Embassy India (@USAndIndia) February 26, 2020 ×

Delhi riots: Death toll reaches 32; WhatsApp groups under scanner

Clashes in the national capital have reportedly led to the death of 20&nbsp;people — including a policeman in the last 3 days. And a total of 150 people have been injured — including a child — as rival groups clashed amid protests over the citizenship law.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/amit-shah-chairs-meet-with-kejriwal-others-to-discuss-situation-in-delhi-282625">Also read: Amit Shah chairs meet with Kejriwal, others to discuss situation in Delhi</a>

News agency ANI, citing a Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB) Hospital official, has reported that four persons were brought dead today.

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A police vehicle moves past burning debris that was set on fire by demonstrators. (Reuters Photo)

People armed with sticks and rods clashed in a violent encounter in the north-eastern part of Delhi on Monday and Tuesday. Section-144 has been imposed in the affected areas.Section-144 is often used to prohibit an assembly of five or more persons when unrest is anticipated.

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Delhi Police: Any person who wants the details of any victim, he or she may contact the following officers. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DelhiViolence?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DelhiViolence</a> <a href="https://t.co/casFST2mnx">pic.twitter.com/casFST2mnx</a>
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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/one-policeman-killed-in-clashes-during-caa-protests-in-delhi-282424">Also read: One policeman killed in clashes during CAA protests in Delhi</a>

As violence continues to spread in northeast Delhi 'shoot at sight' have been issued in various parts. Union home minister Amit shah chaired three meetings with political leaders and police officials in 24 hours.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and police commissioner Amulya Patnaik were also present at the meet. National security advisor Ajit Doval has also reached Seelampur in northeast Delhi to take a look at the situation. This visit comes minutes after home minister chaired the third meeting to counter the violence.

Meanwhile, the Central Board of Secondary Education has postponed their board exams scheduled today in the affected areas of the capital. Shah said that to tackle the situation, the city's borders with Uttar Pradesh and Haryana have been under surveillance over the last three days.

35 companies of paramilitary forces have been deployed in northeast Delhi. Major curfew was imposed in the areas of Jaffrabad, Maujpur, Karawal Nagar to cut down the violence.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has appealed to the people of Delhi to maintain peace and calm. Tension simmered in the area after hundreds of anti-CAA protesters, mostly women, blocked a road near the Jaffrabad metro station in northeast Delhi on Sunday.&nbsp;

Several vehicles, shops and houses were torched, as clashes broke out between groups supporting and opposing the CAA in several areas in northeast Delhi.

Protesters were also seen brandishing guns and firing at the crowd. The Delhi police commissioner has given us an update on the situation. Listen in.

"Sufficient security forces have been deployed in the areas where there has been violence. Along with Delhi police, there are Delhi armed forces. Central paramilitary forces have also been deployed. Even senior officers have been sent to affected areas. Few incidents have been reported in small alleys in the area. Police will respond to it and bring the situation under control. Section-144 has been imposed in the affected areas. I request people not to take the law into their own hands," said Amulya Patnaik, Delhi Police Commissioner.

Clashes in the national capital have reportedly led to the death of 20 people — including a policeman in the last 3 days. And a total of 150 people have been injured — including a child — as rival groups clashed amid protests over the citizenship law.

Clashes in the national capital have reportedly led to the death of 20 people — including a policeman in the last 3 days. And a total of 150 people have been injured — including a child — as rival groups clashed amid protests over the citizenship law. Also read: Amit Shah chairs meet with Kejriwal, others to discuss situation in Delhi News agency ANI, citing a Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB) Hospital official, has reported that four persons were brought dead today. A police vehicle moves past burning debris that was set on fire by demonstrators. (Reuters Photo) People armed with sticks and rods clashed in a violent encounter in the north-eastern part of Delhi on Monday and Tuesday. Section-144 has been imposed in the affected areas.Section-144 is often used to prohibit an assembly of five or more persons when unrest is anticipated. Delhi Police: Any person who wants the details of any victim, he or she may contact the following officers. #DelhiViolence pic.twitter.com/casFST2mnx — ANI (@ANI) February 26, 2020 × Also read: One policeman killed in clashes during CAA protests in Delhi As violence continues to spread in northeast Delhi 'shoot at sight' have been issued in various parts. Union home minister Amit shah chaired three meetings with political leaders and police officials in 24 hours. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and police commissioner Amulya Patnaik were also present at the meet. National security advisor Ajit Doval has also reached Seelampur in northeast Delhi to take a look at the situation. This visit comes minutes after home minister chaired the third meeting to counter the violence. Meanwhile, the Central Board of Secondary Education has postponed their board exams scheduled today in the affected areas of the capital. Shah said that to tackle the situation, the city's borders with Uttar Pradesh and Haryana have been under surveillance over the last three days. 35 companies of paramilitary forces have been deployed in northeast Delhi. Major curfew was imposed in the areas of Jaffrabad, Maujpur, Karawal Nagar to cut down the violence. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has appealed to the people of Delhi to maintain peace and calm. Tension simmered in the area after hundreds of anti-CAA protesters, mostly women, blocked a road near the Jaffrabad metro station in northeast Delhi on Sunday. Several vehicles, shops and houses were torched, as clashes broke out between groups supporting and opposing the CAA in several areas in northeast Delhi. Protesters were also seen brandishing guns and firing at the crowd. The Delhi police commissioner has given us an update on the situation. Listen in. "Sufficient security forces have been deployed in the areas where there has been violence. Along with Delhi police, there are Delhi armed forces. Central paramilitary forces have also been deployed. Even senior officers have been sent to affected areas. Few incidents have been reported in small alleys in the area. Police will respond to it and bring the situation under control. Section-144 has been imposed in the affected areas. I request people not to take the law into their own hands," said Amulya Patnaik, Delhi Police Commissioner.

Delhi riots: Death toll rises to 20; high alert in Noida, Ghaziabad

Ajit Doval, the National Security Advisor (NSA) is the in charge of bringing peace back in North-East Delhi he is going to attend the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting on Wednesday.

According to the government, sources "He is going to brief Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Cabinet about the situation."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-riots-death-toll-rises-to-20-high-alert-in-noida-ghaziabad-282772">Alsor read: Delhi riots — Death toll rises to 20; high alert in Noida, Ghaziabad</a>

NSA Ajit Doval visited Jaffrabad, Seelampur and other parts of North-East Delhi yesterday and held talks with leaders of different communities.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/amit-shah-chairs-meet-with-kejriwal-others-to-discuss-situation-in-delhi-282625">Also read: Amit Shah chairs meet with Kejriwal, others to discuss situation in Delhi</a>

IPS officer SN Srivastava was appointed as the Delhi Police Special Commissioner (Law and Order) with immediate effect.

Meanwhile, clashes in the national capital have reportedly led to the death of 20 people — including a policeman in the last 3 days. And a total of 190 people have been injured — including a child — as rival groups clashed amid protests over the citizenship law.

People armed with sticks and rods clashed in a violent encounter in the north-eastern part of Delhi on Monday and Tuesday. Section-144 has been imposed in the affected areas.Section-144 is often used to prohibit an assembly of five or more persons when unrest is anticipated.

As violence continues to spread in northeast Delhi 'shoot at sight' have been issued in various parts. Union home minister Amit shah chaired three meetings with political leaders and police officials in 24 hours.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and police commissioner Amulya Patnaik were also present at the meet.

Ajit Doval, the National Security Advisor (NSA) is the in charge of bringing peace back in North-East Delhi he is going to attend the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting on Wednesday.

Ajit Doval, the National Security Advisor (NSA) is the in charge of bringing peace back in North-East Delhi he is going to attend the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting on Wednesday. According to the government, sources "He is going to brief Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Cabinet about the situation." Alsor read: Delhi riots — Death toll rises to 20; high alert in Noida, Ghaziabad NSA Ajit Doval visited Jaffrabad, Seelampur and other parts of North-East Delhi yesterday and held talks with leaders of different communities. Also read: Amit Shah chairs meet with Kejriwal, others to discuss situation in Delhi IPS officer SN Srivastava was appointed as the Delhi Police Special Commissioner (Law and Order) with immediate effect. Meanwhile, clashes in the national capital have reportedly led to the death of 20 people — including a policeman in the last 3 days. And a total of 190 people have been injured — including a child — as rival groups clashed amid protests over the citizenship law. People armed with sticks and rods clashed in a violent encounter in the north-eastern part of Delhi on Monday and Tuesday. Section-144 has been imposed in the affected areas.Section-144 is often used to prohibit an assembly of five or more persons when unrest is anticipated. As violence continues to spread in northeast Delhi 'shoot at sight' have been issued in various parts. Union home minister Amit shah chaired three meetings with political leaders and police officials in 24 hours. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and police commissioner Amulya Patnaik were also present at the meet.

20 dead in Delhi riots; Ajit Doval given charge to bring peace back to National Capital

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday tweeted on Delhi violence and appealed Delhi citizens to maintain peace and calm.

"Peace and harmony are central to our ethos. I appeal to my sisters and brothers of Delhi to maintain peace and brotherhood at all times. It is important that there is calm and normalcy is restored at the earliest," PM Narendra Modi tweeted.

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Peace and harmony are central to our ethos. I appeal to my sisters and brothers of Delhi to maintain peace and brotherhood at all times. It is important that there is calm and normalcy is restored at the earliest.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1232581653916155912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2020</a></blockquote>
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"Had an extensive review on the situation prevailing in various parts of Delhi. Police and other agencies are working on the ground to ensure peace and normalcy," he tweeted.

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Had an extensive review on the situation prevailing in various parts of Delhi. Police and other agencies are working on the ground to ensure peace and normalcy.
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Meanwhile, hitting out at the Delhi government and the Centre, Sonia Gandhi said both the governments didn't activate the administration to reach out to the people to maintain peace and harmony.&nbsp; 
 
"It is the collective failure of both governments that have resulted in a great tragedy in the capital city," she added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday tweeted on Delhi violence and appealed Delhi citizens to maintain peace and calm. "Peace and harmony are central to our ethos.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday tweeted on Delhi violence and appealed Delhi citizens to maintain peace and calm. "Peace and harmony are central to our ethos. I appeal to my sisters and brothers of Delhi to maintain peace and brotherhood at all times. It is important that there is calm and normalcy is restored at the earliest," PM Narendra Modi tweeted. Peace and harmony are central to our ethos. I appeal to my sisters and brothers of Delhi to maintain peace and brotherhood at all times. It is important that there is calm and normalcy is restored at the earliest. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 26, 2020 × "Had an extensive review on the situation prevailing in various parts of Delhi. Police and other agencies are working on the ground to ensure peace and normalcy," he tweeted. Had an extensive review on the situation prevailing in various parts of Delhi. Police and other agencies are working on the ground to ensure peace and normalcy. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 26, 2020 × Meanwhile, hitting out at the Delhi government and the Centre, Sonia Gandhi said both the governments didn't activate the administration to reach out to the people to maintain peace and harmony. "It is the collective failure of both governments that have resulted in a great tragedy in the capital city," she added.

PM Modi's heartfelt appeal to people of Delhi after fatal clashes

Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday called for the resignation of Home Minister Amit Shah over the deadly clashes in National Capital.

"The Centre and the Union Home Minister is responsible for the present situation in Delhi. The Union Home Minister should resign," said Sonia Gandhi.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-riots-death-toll-rises-to-20-high-alert-in-noida-ghaziabad-282772">Also&nbsp;read: Delhi riots — Death toll rises to 20; high alert in Noida, Ghaziabad</a>

Launching a scathing attack at BJP, Congress President said that there is a conspiracy behind the violence, the country also saw this during Delhi elections. Many BJP leaders made inciting comments creating an atmosphere of fear and hatred. Delhi Police has remained paralysed in the last 72 hrs-around 18 lives have been lost so far, including a head constable, hundreds are in hospital, many with gunshot injuries. Violence continues unabated on the streets of North East Delhi.

Sonia said that Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal is equally responsible for not activating the administration to reach out to the people to maintain peace and&nbsp;harmony.&nbsp;

"It is the collective failure of both governments that have resulted in a great tragedy in the capital city," she added.

Meanwhile,&nbsp;National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, who has been given the charge of bringing violence in North-East Delhi under control, will attend the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/amit-shah-chairs-meet-with-kejriwal-others-to-discuss-situation-in-delhi-282625">Also read: Amit Shah chairs meet with Kejriwal, others to discuss situation in Delhi</a>

"He is going to brief Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Cabinet about the situation," sources said.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/delhi-violence-death-toll-rises-to-20-in-clashes-over-caa-282840/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Last night, Doval visited Jaffrabad, Seelampur and other parts of North-East Delhi where he held talks with leaders of different communities.

Unrest over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) began in December but the latest deadly clashes were the worst the capital has seen in decades.

An official at Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital in New Delhi said 20 people had died there and more than 200 injured people, many of them with bullet wounds, had been treated.

clashes in the national capital have reportedly led to the death of 20 people — including a policeman in the last 3 days. And a total of 190 people have been injured — including a child — as rival groups clashed amid protests over the citizenship law.

People armed with sticks and rods clashed in a violent encounter in the north-eastern part of Delhi on Monday and Tuesday. Section-144 has been imposed in the affected areas.Section-144 is often used to prohibit an assembly of five or more persons when unrest is anticipated.

As violence continues to spread in northeast Delhi 'shoot at sight' have been issued in various parts. Union home minister Amit shah chaired three meetings with political leaders and police officials in 24 hours.

(With inputs from ANI)

Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday called for the resignation of Home Minister Amit Shah over the deadly clashes in National Capital. "The Centre and the Union Home Minister is responsible for the present situation in Delhi.

Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday called for the resignation of Home Minister Amit Shah over the deadly clashes in National Capital. "The Centre and the Union Home Minister is responsible for the present situation in Delhi. The Union Home Minister should resign," said Sonia Gandhi. Also read: Delhi riots — Death toll rises to 20; high alert in Noida, Ghaziabad Launching a scathing attack at BJP, Congress President said that there is a conspiracy behind the violence, the country also saw this during Delhi elections. Many BJP leaders made inciting comments creating an atmosphere of fear and hatred. Delhi Police has remained paralysed in the last 72 hrs-around 18 lives have been lost so far, including a head constable, hundreds are in hospital, many with gunshot injuries. Violence continues unabated on the streets of North East Delhi. Sonia said that Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal is equally responsible for not activating the administration to reach out to the people to maintain peace and harmony. "It is the collective failure of both governments that have resulted in a great tragedy in the capital city," she added. Meanwhile, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, who has been given the charge of bringing violence in North-East Delhi under control, will attend the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting. Also read: Amit Shah chairs meet with Kejriwal, others to discuss situation in Delhi "He is going to brief Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Cabinet about the situation," sources said. Last night, Doval visited Jaffrabad, Seelampur and other parts of North-East Delhi where he held talks with leaders of different communities. Unrest over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) began in December but the latest deadly clashes were the worst the capital has seen in decades. An official at Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital in New Delhi said 20 people had died there and more than 200 injured people, many of them with bullet wounds, had been treated. clashes in the national capital have reportedly led to the death of 20 people — including a policeman in the last 3 days. And a total of 190 people have been injured — including a child — as rival groups clashed amid protests over the citizenship law. People armed with sticks and rods clashed in a violent encounter in the north-eastern part of Delhi on Monday and Tuesday. Section-144 has been imposed in the affected areas.Section-144 is often used to prohibit an assembly of five or more persons when unrest is anticipated. As violence continues to spread in northeast Delhi 'shoot at sight' have been issued in various parts. Union home minister Amit shah chaired three meetings with political leaders and police officials in 24 hours. (With inputs from ANI)

Delhi riots: Police remained paralysed, Home Minister Amit Shah should resign, says Sonia Gandhi

A leading expert has claimed that the Wuhan coronavirus could infect 60% of the world. As the world escalates its fight against the disease - China has removed key functionaries in Hubei. WION's Palki Sharma brings you the latest updates.

Gravitas: Wuhan coronavirus could infect 60% of the world

Over 30,000 people around the world have been infected by the Wuhan coronavirus. More than 600 people have died. How is the world responding to this crisis? WION's Palki Sharma brings you the top updates.

Gravitas: Over 30,000 people around the world have been infected

At least 24 people were killed and 23 injured after a building in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-airstrip-in-cambodian-jungle-sparks-fears-over-chinas-military-ambitions-report-270005">Cambodia</a> collapsed, trapping workers under rubble, officials said on Sunday.

The seven-storey concrete building collapsed on Friday in the coastal town of Kep, about 160 km (100 miles) southwest of the capital Phnom Penh.

It came a year after another construction site collapsed, killing 28 people in Preah Sihanouk province.

"Twenty-four people have died so far," Kep governor Ken Satha told Reuters. "Three of the bodies are not yet at hospital, they have not been pulled out yet."

An unknown number of workers remained trapped, Satha said, adding that authorities had detained a Cambodian couple, the owners of the building, for questioning.

Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Saturday that rescuers were still struggling to reach those missing in the rubble.

Cambodia is undergoing a construction boom to serve growing crowds of Chinese tourists and investors.

At least 24 people were killed and 23 injured after a building in Cambodia collapsed, trapping workers under rubble, officials said on Sunday. The seven-storey concrete building collapsed on Friday in the coastal town of Kep, about 160 km (100 miles) southwest of the capital Phnom Penh.

At least 24 people were killed and 23 injured after a building in Cambodia collapsed, trapping workers under rubble, officials said on Sunday. The seven-storey concrete building collapsed on Friday in the coastal town of Kep, about 160 km (100 miles) southwest of the capital Phnom Penh. It came a year after another construction site collapsed, killing 28 people in Preah Sihanouk province. "Twenty-four people have died so far," Kep governor Ken Satha told Reuters. "Three of the bodies are not yet at hospital, they have not been pulled out yet." An unknown number of workers remained trapped, Satha said, adding that authorities had detained a Cambodian couple, the owners of the building, for questioning. Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Saturday that rescuers were still struggling to reach those missing in the rubble. Cambodia is undergoing a construction boom to serve growing crowds of Chinese tourists and investors.

Death toll rises to 24 in Cambodia building collapse, some still trapped

A third person was confirmed dead on Wednesday in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australia-scrambles-to-reach-thousands-stranded-by-bushfires-at-least-8-dead-271387">devastating bushfires</a> that engulfed Australia's southeast coast this week and a fourth was missing and feared dead, as navy ships rushed to provide supplies and assist with evacuations.

At least 15 people are now believed to have died, while scores of people remain missing after weeks of fires that have ripped through Australia's east coast, much of which is tinder-dry after three years of drought.

Fanned by soaring temperatures, columns of fire and smoke-blackened entire towns on Monday and Tuesday, forcing thousands of residents and holidaymakers to seek shelter on beaches. Many stood in shallow water to escape the flames.

Bushfires have destroyed more than 4 million hectares (10 million acres) and new blazes are sparked almost daily by extremely hot and windy conditions and, most recently, dry lightning strikes created by the fires themselves.

Watch: What is causing bushfires in Australia?

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Cooler conditions on Wednesday gave the country a moment to count the cost of the fires, although there were still more than 100 blazes in New South Wales (NSW) state alone and thousands of firefighters on the ground.

The body of a man was found in a burnt car early on Wednesday on the south coast of New South Wales after emergency workers began reaching the most damaged areas, and police said the death toll will rise.

"Sadly, we can report today that police have confirmed a further three deaths as a result of the fires on the South Coast," NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Gary Worboys told reporters in Sydney.

"Police are also at Lake Conjola now, where a house has been destroyed by fire and the occupant of that home is still unaccounted for."

NSW police did not identify the missing man but said he was 72 years old and authorities have been unable to reach his home.

Police said early assessments have found nearly 200 homes have been destroyed, though they cautioned it was an early estimate.

In Victoria state, four people remain missing, state Premier Daniel Andrews said, after a massive blaze ripped through Gippsland - a rural region about 500 km east of Melbourne.

About 4,000 people in the town of Mallacoota in Victoria headed to the waterfront after the main road was cut off.

Mark Tregellas, a resident of Mallacoota who spent the night on a boat ramp, said only a late shift in the wind direction sparred lives.

"The fire just continued to grow and then the black started to descend. I couldn't see the hand in front in my face, and it then it started to glow red and we knew the fire was coming," Tregellas told Reuters.

"Ash started to fall from the air and then the embers started to come down. At that point, people started to bring their kids and families into the water. Thankfully, the wind changed and the fire moved away."

Thousands of Australians remain cut off as fires force the closure of major roads, leaving many struggling to secure supplies.

In Milton, a small town on the NSW south coast, locals queued for hours for the few remaining items left of shelves on supermarkets.

Emma Schirmer, who evacuated from her house in Batemans Bay with her three-month child on Tuesday, said the local shop was limiting sales to six items per customer, while a power outage meant shoppers could pay only with cash.

As shops run low and firefighters struggle with exhaustion, Australia's military, including Black Hawk helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft and naval vessels were being deployed.

Victoria's emergency management commissioner, Andrew Crisp, said the 176-metre-long HMAS Choules may be used to evacuate many of those stranded in Mallacoota, though with a capacity of 1,000 it will be insufficient alone.

HMAS Choules is due to arrive on Thursday.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said authorities were working to restore communications with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australia-scrambles-to-reach-thousands-stranded-by-bushfires-at-least-8-dead-271387">areas cut off by the fires</a>, though she warned conditions will deteriorate again over the weekend.

"Weather conditions on Saturday will be as bad as they were" on Tuesday, Berejiklian told reporters in Sydney.

Meanwhile, Australia's capital Canberra was blanketed in thick smoke, reaching about 20 times hazardous levels, prompting health warnings.

The smoke has also drifted to New Zealand where it has turned the daytime sky orange across the South Island.

A third person was confirmed dead on Wednesday in devastating bushfires that engulfed Australia's southeast coast this week and a fourth was missing and feared dead, as navy ships rushed to provide supplies and assist with evacuations.

A third person was confirmed dead on Wednesday in devastating bushfires that engulfed Australia's southeast coast this week and a fourth was missing and feared dead, as navy ships rushed to provide supplies and assist with evacuations. At least 15 people are now believed to have died, while scores of people remain missing after weeks of fires that have ripped through Australia's east coast, much of which is tinder-dry after three years of drought. Fanned by soaring temperatures, columns of fire and smoke-blackened entire towns on Monday and Tuesday, forcing thousands of residents and holidaymakers to seek shelter on beaches. Many stood in shallow water to escape the flames. Bushfires have destroyed more than 4 million hectares (10 million acres) and new blazes are sparked almost daily by extremely hot and windy conditions and, most recently, dry lightning strikes created by the fires themselves. Watch: What is causing bushfires in Australia? Cooler conditions on Wednesday gave the country a moment to count the cost of the fires, although there were still more than 100 blazes in New South Wales (NSW) state alone and thousands of firefighters on the ground. The body of a man was found in a burnt car early on Wednesday on the south coast of New South Wales after emergency workers began reaching the most damaged areas, and police said the death toll will rise. "Sadly, we can report today that police have confirmed a further three deaths as a result of the fires on the South Coast," NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Gary Worboys told reporters in Sydney. "Police are also at Lake Conjola now, where a house has been destroyed by fire and the occupant of that home is still unaccounted for." NSW police did not identify the missing man but said he was 72 years old and authorities have been unable to reach his home. Police said early assessments have found nearly 200 homes have been destroyed, though they cautioned it was an early estimate. In Victoria state, four people remain missing, state Premier Daniel Andrews said, after a massive blaze ripped through Gippsland - a rural region about 500 km east of Melbourne. About 4,000 people in the town of Mallacoota in Victoria headed to the waterfront after the main road was cut off. Mark Tregellas, a resident of Mallacoota who spent the night on a boat ramp, said only a late shift in the wind direction sparred lives. "The fire just continued to grow and then the black started to descend. I couldn't see the hand in front in my face, and it then it started to glow red and we knew the fire was coming," Tregellas told Reuters. "Ash started to fall from the air and then the embers started to come down. At that point, people started to bring their kids and families into the water. Thankfully, the wind changed and the fire moved away." Thousands of Australians remain cut off as fires force the closure of major roads, leaving many struggling to secure supplies. In Milton, a small town on the NSW south coast, locals queued for hours for the few remaining items left of shelves on supermarkets. Emma Schirmer, who evacuated from her house in Batemans Bay with her three-month child on Tuesday, said the local shop was limiting sales to six items per customer, while a power outage meant shoppers could pay only with cash. As shops run low and firefighters struggle with exhaustion, Australia's military, including Black Hawk helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft and naval vessels were being deployed. Victoria's emergency management commissioner, Andrew Crisp, said the 176-metre-long HMAS Choules may be used to evacuate many of those stranded in Mallacoota, though with a capacity of 1,000 it will be insufficient alone. HMAS Choules is due to arrive on Thursday. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said authorities were working to restore communications with areas cut off by the fires, though she warned conditions will deteriorate again over the weekend. "Weather conditions on Saturday will be as bad as they were" on Tuesday, Berejiklian told reporters in Sydney. Meanwhile, Australia's capital Canberra was blanketed in thick smoke, reaching about 20 times hazardous levels, prompting health warnings. The smoke has also drifted to New Zealand where it has turned the daytime sky orange across the South Island.

Death toll in Australia reaches fifteen as bushfires rage

A massive <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/at-least-20-killed-in-car-bomb-attack-in-somalia-270726">car bomb exploded in a busy area of Mogadishu on Saturday</a>, leaving at least 76 people dead, many of them university students, officials said.

The blast occurred at a busy intersection southwest of the Somali capital where traffic is heavy because of a security checkpoint and a tax office.

The wounded were carried on stretchers from the site, where the force of the explosion left charred and twisted remains of vehicles.

Mogadishu is regularly hit by car bombings and attacks waged by Al-Shabaab Islamist militants allied to Al-Qaeda, but Saturday's blast is the deadliest in about two years.

Many of those killed are believed to be university students whose bus was hit by the blast. Two Turkish nationals also died, police said.

"The number of casualties we have confirmed is 76 dead and 70 wounded, it could still be higher," the director of the private Aamin Ambulance service, Abdukadir Abdirahman Haji, told AFP.

Police officer Ibrahim Mohamed described the explosion as "devastating".

"We have confirmed that two Turkish nationals, presumably road construction engineers are among the dead, we don't have details about whether they were passing by the area or stayed in the area," he said.

'Dead bodies scattered'

Mogadishu's mayor Omar Mohamud Mohamed told a press conference that the exact number of dead was not yet known, but that around 90 people were wounded.

"We will confirm the exact number of the number of the dead later but it is not going to be small, most of the dead were innocent university students and other civilians," he said.&nbsp;

"This was a devastating incident because there were many people including students in buses who were passing by the area when the blast occurred," said another witness, Muhibo Ahmed.

Sakariye Abdukadir, who was near the area when the car bomb detonated, said the blast "destroyed several of my car windows".

"All I could see was scattered dead bodies... amid the blast and some of them burned beyond recognition."

No group has yet claimed the attack.

Mogadishu is regularly hit by attacks by Al-Shabaab, which has fought for more than a decade to topple the Somali government.

The militant group emerged from the Islamic Courts Union that once controlled central and southern Somalia and is variously estimated to number between 5,000 and 9,000 men.

In 2010, the Shabaab declared their allegiance to Al-Qaeda.

In 2011, its fighters fled positions they once held in the capital Mogadishu, and have since lost many strongholds.

But they retain control of large rural swathes of the country and continue to wage a guerrilla war against the authorities

Two weeks ago, five people were killed when Shabaab militants attacked a Mogadishu hotel popular with politicians, army officers and diplomats in an hours-long siege.

Since 2015, there have been 13 attacks in Somalia with 20 or more killed, 11 of which have been in Mogadishu, according to a tally of AFP figures.

All of them involved car bombs.

The deadliest attack in the country's history was a truck bombing in October 2017 in Mogadishu which left 512 people dead and around 295 injured.&nbsp;

A massive car bomb exploded in a busy area of Mogadishu on Saturday, leaving at least 76 people dead, many of them university students, officials said. The blast occurred at a busy intersection southwest of the Somali capital where traffic is heavy because of a security checkpoint and a tax office.

A massive car bomb exploded in a busy area of Mogadishu on Saturday, leaving at least 76 people dead, many of them university students, officials said. The blast occurred at a busy intersection southwest of the Somali capital where traffic is heavy because of a security checkpoint and a tax office. The wounded were carried on stretchers from the site, where the force of the explosion left charred and twisted remains of vehicles. Mogadishu is regularly hit by car bombings and attacks waged by Al-Shabaab Islamist militants allied to Al-Qaeda, but Saturday's blast is the deadliest in about two years. Many of those killed are believed to be university students whose bus was hit by the blast. Two Turkish nationals also died, police said. "The number of casualties we have confirmed is 76 dead and 70 wounded, it could still be higher," the director of the private Aamin Ambulance service, Abdukadir Abdirahman Haji, told AFP. Police officer Ibrahim Mohamed described the explosion as "devastating". "We have confirmed that two Turkish nationals, presumably road construction engineers are among the dead, we don't have details about whether they were passing by the area or stayed in the area," he said. 'Dead bodies scattered' Mogadishu's mayor Omar Mohamud Mohamed told a press conference that the exact number of dead was not yet known, but that around 90 people were wounded. "We will confirm the exact number of the number of the dead later but it is not going to be small, most of the dead were innocent university students and other civilians," he said. "This was a devastating incident because there were many people including students in buses who were passing by the area when the blast occurred," said another witness, Muhibo Ahmed. Sakariye Abdukadir, who was near the area when the car bomb detonated, said the blast "destroyed several of my car windows". "All I could see was scattered dead bodies... amid the blast and some of them burned beyond recognition." No group has yet claimed the attack. Mogadishu is regularly hit by attacks by Al-Shabaab, which has fought for more than a decade to topple the Somali government. The militant group emerged from the Islamic Courts Union that once controlled central and southern Somalia and is variously estimated to number between 5,000 and 9,000 men. In 2010, the Shabaab declared their allegiance to Al-Qaeda. In 2011, its fighters fled positions they once held in the capital Mogadishu, and have since lost many strongholds. But they retain control of large rural swathes of the country and continue to wage a guerrilla war against the authorities Two weeks ago, five people were killed when Shabaab militants attacked a Mogadishu hotel popular with politicians, army officers and diplomats in an hours-long siege. Since 2015, there have been 13 attacks in Somalia with 20 or more killed, 11 of which have been in Mogadishu, according to a tally of AFP figures. All of them involved car bombs. The deadliest attack in the country's history was a truck bombing in October 2017 in Mogadishu which left 512 people dead and around 295 injured.

Somalia: Death toll jumps to 76 in car bomb attack in Mogadishu

The number of people killed in a fatal bus crash in Indonesia has risen to 28 including eight children, police said Wednesday as a rescue team continued to search a river.

The bus careered into a 150-metre (500-foot) ravine in South Sumatra province just before midnight (1600 GMT) on Monday and ended up in a river, according to police.

Local police chief Dolly Gumara said on Wednesday another body was found late on Tuesday, adding up the death toll to 28 from earlier 27. Eight of the killed passengers were children, said Gumara.

"We have identified 27 of the killed victims and only one body is still unidentified as of today. The victim is a woman," Gumara told AFP on Wednesday.

A local rescue team said it has evacuated at least 13 survivors and the search is still ongoing to find more bodies over the fear that some might have been carried away in the river.

According to a passenger manifest, the regional bus left Bengkulu province for Pagar Alam with 27 onboard but some survivors told police there were around 50 people inside when the accident happened.&nbsp;

"There is a possibility that there will be more victims that is why we still continue the search," said Wednesday local rescue team spokesman Taufan, who goes only by one name like many Indonesians.

Traffic accidents are common in the Southeast Asian archipelago, where vehicles are often old and poorly maintained and road rules regularly flouted.&nbsp;

In September, at least 21 people died when a bus plunged into a ravine in West Java's Sukabumi region.&nbsp;

Several months earlier, 12 people were killed and dozens more injured when a passenger tried to wrest control of a bus steering wheel following an argument with the driver on the same toll road in West Java as Thursday's accident. The bus smashed into two cars, causing a truck to roll.

The number of people killed in a fatal bus crash in Indonesia has risen to 28 including eight children, police said Wednesday as a rescue team continued to search a river.

The number of people killed in a fatal bus crash in Indonesia has risen to 28 including eight children, police said Wednesday as a rescue team continued to search a river. The bus careered into a 150-metre (500-foot) ravine in South Sumatra province just before midnight (1600 GMT) on Monday and ended up in a river, according to police. Local police chief Dolly Gumara said on Wednesday another body was found late on Tuesday, adding up the death toll to 28 from earlier 27. Eight of the killed passengers were children, said Gumara. "We have identified 27 of the killed victims and only one body is still unidentified as of today. The victim is a woman," Gumara told AFP on Wednesday. A local rescue team said it has evacuated at least 13 survivors and the search is still ongoing to find more bodies over the fear that some might have been carried away in the river. According to a passenger manifest, the regional bus left Bengkulu province for Pagar Alam with 27 onboard but some survivors told police there were around 50 people inside when the accident happened. "There is a possibility that there will be more victims that is why we still continue the search," said Wednesday local rescue team spokesman Taufan, who goes only by one name like many Indonesians. Traffic accidents are common in the Southeast Asian archipelago, where vehicles are often old and poorly maintained and road rules regularly flouted. In September, at least 21 people died when a bus plunged into a ravine in West Java's Sukabumi region. Several months earlier, 12 people were killed and dozens more injured when a passenger tried to wrest control of a bus steering wheel following an argument with the driver on the same toll road in West Java as Thursday's accident. The bus smashed into two cars, causing a truck to roll.

Indonesia bus crash: Death toll climbs to 28 with 13 missing

A devastating <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/un-says-online-anti-vaxxers-fuelling-samoa-measles-deaths-266415">measles outbreak</a> continued to spread in Samoa, data released Monday showed, as the death toll from the epidemic climbed to 70, mostly young children.

Official figures showed there were 112 new cases in the 24 hours to Monday morning, despite a massive immunisation drive last week that saw the entire Pacific nation shut down for two days.

Watch:&nbsp;

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The government said the mobile vaccination teams had succeeded in ensuring 90 per cent of the 200,000-strong population was immunised, up from around 30 per cent when the epidemic began in mid-October.

However, the vaccine takes 10-14 days to take effect, meaning it is too early to say whether the outbreak has peaked.

The total number of cases was 4,693, with 229 people currently in hospital, including 16 critically ill children.

Infants are the most vulnerable to measles, which typically causes a rash and fever but can also lead to brain damage and death.

Among the 70 dead, 61 are children aged four or under.

Health authorities have blamed anti-vaxxers spreading conspiracy theories for the low immunisation rate that left Samoa's children so vulnerable to a measles outbreak.

Outbreaks elsewhere in the Pacific, including Tonga, Fiji and American Samoa, have been easier to contain because of higher immunisation rates, with no deaths reported.

A devastating measles outbreak continued to spread in Samoa, data released Monday showed, as the death toll from the epidemic climbed to 70, mostly young children.

A devastating measles outbreak continued to spread in Samoa, data released Monday showed, as the death toll from the epidemic climbed to 70, mostly young children. Official figures showed there were 112 new cases in the 24 hours to Monday morning, despite a massive immunisation drive last week that saw the entire Pacific nation shut down for two days. Watch: The government said the mobile vaccination teams had succeeded in ensuring 90 per cent of the 200,000-strong population was immunised, up from around 30 per cent when the epidemic began in mid-October. However, the vaccine takes 10-14 days to take effect, meaning it is too early to say whether the outbreak has peaked. The total number of cases was 4,693, with 229 people currently in hospital, including 16 critically ill children. Infants are the most vulnerable to measles, which typically causes a rash and fever but can also lead to brain damage and death. Among the 70 dead, 61 are children aged four or under. Health authorities have blamed anti-vaxxers spreading conspiracy theories for the low immunisation rate that left Samoa's children so vulnerable to a measles outbreak. Outbreaks elsewhere in the Pacific, including Tonga, Fiji and American Samoa, have been easier to contain because of higher immunisation rates, with no deaths reported.

Samoa measles crisis: Death toll hits 70 as total number of cases soar

A <a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../samoa-measles-outbreak-death-toll-rises-to-62- 266337">measles epidemic</a> in the Democratic Republic of Congo has killed 5,000 people this year, many of them young children, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday.

Low immunisation rates and high levels of malnutrition have fuelled the epidemic and high mortality rates, especially in North Kivu province, which is also reeling from an Ebola epidemic, it said.

"Since the start of 2019, more than 250,000 suspected (measles) cases and over 5,000 deaths mostly among children under 5 years, have been recorded," the WHO said in a statement.

A first measles vaccination campaign was launched to protect people against the infectious disease that has struck all of the country's 26 provinces, it said.

A third phase of the campaign is planned, with the ultimate aim of reaching 18.9 million children across the country by year-end, it added.

"While the Ebola outbreak in the DRC has won the world’s attention and progress is being made in saving lives, we must not forget the other urgent health needs the country faces," said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.

Vaccination is most challenging in North Kivu, where 2.2 million people are to be vaccinated in this round, because of high insecurity following armed attacks that make some areas inaccessible to aid workers, WHO said.

The world's second biggest Ebola epidemic on record has killed more than 2,200 people since mid-2018, but new infections slowed in recent months, the WHO said last week, while warning that Ebola was likely to resurge.

A measles epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo has killed 5,000 people this year, many of them young children, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday.

A measles epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo has killed 5,000 people this year, many of them young children, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday. Low immunisation rates and high levels of malnutrition have fuelled the epidemic and high mortality rates, especially in North Kivu province, which is also reeling from an Ebola epidemic, it said. "Since the start of 2019, more than 250,000 suspected (measles) cases and over 5,000 deaths mostly among children under 5 years, have been recorded," the WHO said in a statement. A first measles vaccination campaign was launched to protect people against the infectious disease that has struck all of the country's 26 provinces, it said. A third phase of the campaign is planned, with the ultimate aim of reaching 18.9 million children across the country by year-end, it added. "While the Ebola outbreak in the DRC has won the world’s attention and progress is being made in saving lives, we must not forget the other urgent health needs the country faces," said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. Vaccination is most challenging in North Kivu, where 2.2 million people are to be vaccinated in this round, because of high insecurity following armed attacks that make some areas inaccessible to aid workers, WHO said. The world's second biggest Ebola epidemic on record has killed more than 2,200 people since mid-2018, but new infections slowed in recent months, the WHO said last week, while warning that Ebola was likely to resurge.

Measles toll in Congo exceeds 5,000: WHO

The health ministry said late Sunday that 17 people were also <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bus-accident-kills-22-in-northern-tunisia-265583">injured in the accident</a> in a mountainous region popular with Tunisian tourists.

The disaster was one of the most deadly accidents in a country whose poor road safety record has sparked criticism of officials.

All those aboard the bus were Tunisian, the ministry said.&nbsp;

The bus had set off from Tunis towards the picturesque northern mountain town of Ain Draham, a popular autumn destination for domestic visitors.

The interior ministry had earlier reported the deaths of 22 out of the 43 people aboard, saying the bus had "fallen into a ravine after crashing through an iron barrier".

The health ministry said later that four more passengers had died of their injuries.

An AFP team that visited the site saw the twisted remains of the bus in the ravine near a river bed, surrounded by scattered bodies.

The top of the bus appeared to have been torn off and seats were strewn across the site.

President Kais Saied and outgoing Prime Minister Youssef Chahed later visited the site.

It was not immediately clear what caused the accident and forensic experts are investigating, but Tunisia's poorly-maintained roads have a reputation for being dangerous.

The World Health Organisation in 2015 reported that Tunisia had the second-worst traffic death rate per capita in North Africa, behind only war-torn Libya.

The accident triggered renewed public anger over what one social media user called the country's "roads of death".

The health ministry said late Sunday that 17 people were also injured in the accident in a mountainous region popular with Tunisian tourists. The disaster was one of the most deadly accidents in a country whose poor road safety record has sparked criticism of officials.

The health ministry said late Sunday that 17 people were also injured in the accident in a mountainous region popular with Tunisian tourists. The disaster was one of the most deadly accidents in a country whose poor road safety record has sparked criticism of officials. All those aboard the bus were Tunisian, the ministry said. The bus had set off from Tunis towards the picturesque northern mountain town of Ain Draham, a popular autumn destination for domestic visitors. The interior ministry had earlier reported the deaths of 22 out of the 43 people aboard, saying the bus had "fallen into a ravine after crashing through an iron barrier". The health ministry said later that four more passengers had died of their injuries. An AFP team that visited the site saw the twisted remains of the bus in the ravine near a river bed, surrounded by scattered bodies. The top of the bus appeared to have been torn off and seats were strewn across the site. President Kais Saied and outgoing Prime Minister Youssef Chahed later visited the site. It was not immediately clear what caused the accident and forensic experts are investigating, but Tunisia's poorly-maintained roads have a reputation for being dangerous. The World Health Organisation in 2015 reported that Tunisia had the second-worst traffic death rate per capita in North Africa, behind only war-torn Libya. The accident triggered renewed public anger over what one social media user called the country's "roads of death".

Tunisia: Death toll in bus accident rises to 26

Regime forces and armed groups were locked in heavy clashes Monday on the edge of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nearly-70-dead-in-syria-regime-clashes-with-idlib-terrorists-265594">Syria's last opposition bastion</a>, with 96 fighters killed over two days, a war monitor said.

The battles since Saturday on the edge of the jihadist-dominated Idlib region are the most deadly since a Russia-brokered ceasefire went into effect in late August, the Syrian Observatory for Human rights said.

"Fighting raged at dawn Monday on several axes in the southeastern Idlib countryside," the Britain-based monitoring group said.

Fifty-one regime fighters had been killed over 48 hours, while 45 of their opponents including 31 jihadists had also lost their lives, the Observatory said.

The Syrian government does not usually divulge casualty figures.

Watch: Nearly 700 children killed in Syria since the beginning of 2019 - UNICEF

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The Idlib region, home to around three million people including many displaced by Syria's eight-year civil war, is largely under the control of a group dominated by a former Al-Qaeda affiliate.

It is one of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/syria-military-presence-risks-us-credibility-with-world-community-264856">last holdouts of opposition</a> to forces backing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

The president has long repeated that his government would eventually reimpose its control over the northwestern region on the border with Turkey.

The late August ceasefire had brought about relative calm, months into a devastating Russia-backed regime offensive that killed around 1,000 civilians and ousted hundreds of thousands from their homes.

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkey-says-about-100000-syrians-left-istanbul-since-early-july-263412">war in Syria</a> has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since it erupted in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests.

Regime forces and armed groups were locked in heavy clashes Monday on the edge of Syria's last opposition bastion, with 96 fighters killed over two days, a war monitor said.

Regime forces and armed groups were locked in heavy clashes Monday on the edge of Syria's last opposition bastion, with 96 fighters killed over two days, a war monitor said. The battles since Saturday on the edge of the jihadist-dominated Idlib region are the most deadly since a Russia-brokered ceasefire went into effect in late August, the Syrian Observatory for Human rights said. "Fighting raged at dawn Monday on several axes in the southeastern Idlib countryside," the Britain-based monitoring group said. Fifty-one regime fighters had been killed over 48 hours, while 45 of their opponents including 31 jihadists had also lost their lives, the Observatory said. The Syrian government does not usually divulge casualty figures. Watch: Nearly 700 children killed in Syria since the beginning of 2019 - UNICEF The Idlib region, home to around three million people including many displaced by Syria's eight-year civil war, is largely under the control of a group dominated by a former Al-Qaeda affiliate. It is one of the last holdouts of opposition to forces backing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The president has long repeated that his government would eventually reimpose its control over the northwestern region on the border with Turkey. The late August ceasefire had brought about relative calm, months into a devastating Russia-backed regime offensive that killed around 1,000 civilians and ousted hundreds of thousands from their homes. The war in Syria has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since it erupted in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests.

Death toll in Syria's Idlib touches 100: Sources

The death toll from the most powerful earthquake to strike<a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../death-toll-in-albania-earthquake-climbs-to-30- rescuers-race-to-save-lives-264973"> Albania</a> in decades rose to 40 on Thursday after more bodies were pulled from the wreckage overnight in a tragedy that has wiped out whole families.&nbsp;

The 6.4 magnitude earthquake rocked the Balkan state while people were sleeping just before 4:00 am (0300 GMT) on Tuesday, razing buildings and trapping victims beneath the debris in towns near the Adriatic coast.

Rescue teams were still shovelling away massive chunks of collapsed apartments and hotels in the coastal city of Durres, where nearly 30 buildings were badly damaged.

Teams from around Europe have flown in to help with the effort, bringing dogs and specialised cameras to hunt for survivors, around 50 of whom have been pulled out alive, mostly on Tuesday.

As the operation stretched into day three, rescuers insisted there was still reason to hope for more survival stories.&nbsp;

"There may be hope for up to eight or ten days" for victims to live after an earthquake, Captain Joel Leroy, a French rescuer, told AFP.

His team of around 50 was searching for two people believed to be buried at the site of seven-story building in Durres, where two or three floors toppled over and sunk into the ground.&nbsp;

Victims may still be in "survival pockets" of air that allow them to breathe under the rubble, he explained.

"That's why we are working so hard, we believe in it," he added.

Search efforts ceased Thursday in the other hard-hit town of Thumane, where the defence ministry said there were no more missing after more than 20 bodies were pulled out in recent days.

During the night, emergency workers uncovered the corpses of a mother and son from the Reci family, found in an embrace.

They were crushed by the weight of a collapsed six-storey building in Durres.&nbsp;

The whole family has now perished in the quake, with the bodies of a father and daughter pulled out the day before, according to Ilir Duka, an Albanian rescuer at the scene.&nbsp;

Similar tragedies have befallen other families as the pre-dawn quake shattered their homes.

Loved ones have watched on in horror as rescuers pulled out bodies covered in a grey film of dust, many in their pyjamas.&nbsp;

On Tuesday a woman was heard crying out from inside a wrecked building, where she was stuck inside with a dead child. She was eventually rescued but later died in hospital.

'Hope dies last'&nbsp; 
Around 50 survivors have been hospitalised and are "in a state of shock and worried about their loved ones", defence ministry spokeswoman Albana Qehajaj told AFP.

The number of people who may still be buried in the rubble is unknown.

Rescuers, helped by teams from across Europe, have been working in perilous conditions as hundreds of aftershocks rattle buildings, interrupting search efforts.&nbsp;

"It's a heavy operation, but that's why we're here, we've been doing this for a long time," said an Italian rescue worker who didn't give his name.

"Hope dies last," he said, adding that survivors have been found up to four days after an earthquake in some instances.

The Italian team was working with dogs to search on a flattened four-storey house that belonged to the Lala family and their relatives.

Two toddlers and their mother were among those who have not yet been found in the debris, their neighbour Fatmira, dressed in black and whispering through tears, told AFP.

Moved to hotels&nbsp; 
Thousands of people have been displaced, either because their homes were severely damaged or were still unsafe because of the continuing aftershocks.

On Wednesday night authorities in Durres moved those who had been sleeping in tents to hotels and a sports centre.

Prime Minister Edi Rama has promised to rehouse the newly homeless by next year.

Illegal construction is rife in Albania, where chaotic development exploded after the fall of communism in 1990.

Many buildings lack proper permits and do not adhere to safety codes.&nbsp;

The earthquake was the deadliest in several decades in Albania, which lies near a tectonic fault line.&nbsp;

The death toll from the most powerful earthquake to strike Albania in decades rose to 40 on Thursday after more bodies were pulled from the wreckage overnight in a tragedy that has wiped out whole families.

The death toll from the most powerful earthquake to strike Albania in decades rose to 40 on Thursday after more bodies were pulled from the wreckage overnight in a tragedy that has wiped out whole families. The 6.4 magnitude earthquake rocked the Balkan state while people were sleeping just before 4:00 am (0300 GMT) on Tuesday, razing buildings and trapping victims beneath the debris in towns near the Adriatic coast. Rescue teams were still shovelling away massive chunks of collapsed apartments and hotels in the coastal city of Durres, where nearly 30 buildings were badly damaged. Teams from around Europe have flown in to help with the effort, bringing dogs and specialised cameras to hunt for survivors, around 50 of whom have been pulled out alive, mostly on Tuesday. As the operation stretched into day three, rescuers insisted there was still reason to hope for more survival stories. "There may be hope for up to eight or ten days" for victims to live after an earthquake, Captain Joel Leroy, a French rescuer, told AFP. His team of around 50 was searching for two people believed to be buried at the site of seven-story building in Durres, where two or three floors toppled over and sunk into the ground. Victims may still be in "survival pockets" of air that allow them to breathe under the rubble, he explained. "That's why we are working so hard, we believe in it," he added. Search efforts ceased Thursday in the other hard-hit town of Thumane, where the defence ministry said there were no more missing after more than 20 bodies were pulled out in recent days. During the night, emergency workers uncovered the corpses of a mother and son from the Reci family, found in an embrace. They were crushed by the weight of a collapsed six-storey building in Durres. The whole family has now perished in the quake, with the bodies of a father and daughter pulled out the day before, according to Ilir Duka, an Albanian rescuer at the scene. Similar tragedies have befallen other families as the pre-dawn quake shattered their homes. Loved ones have watched on in horror as rescuers pulled out bodies covered in a grey film of dust, many in their pyjamas. On Tuesday a woman was heard crying out from inside a wrecked building, where she was stuck inside with a dead child. She was eventually rescued but later died in hospital. 'Hope dies last' Around 50 survivors have been hospitalised and are "in a state of shock and worried about their loved ones", defence ministry spokeswoman Albana Qehajaj told AFP. The number of people who may still be buried in the rubble is unknown. Rescuers, helped by teams from across Europe, have been working in perilous conditions as hundreds of aftershocks rattle buildings, interrupting search efforts. "It's a heavy operation, but that's why we're here, we've been doing this for a long time," said an Italian rescue worker who didn't give his name. "Hope dies last," he said, adding that survivors have been found up to four days after an earthquake in some instances. The Italian team was working with dogs to search on a flattened four-storey house that belonged to the Lala family and their relatives. Two toddlers and their mother were among those who have not yet been found in the debris, their neighbour Fatmira, dressed in black and whispering through tears, told AFP. Moved to hotels Thousands of people have been displaced, either because their homes were severely damaged or were still unsafe because of the continuing aftershocks. On Wednesday night authorities in Durres moved those who had been sleeping in tents to hotels and a sports centre. Prime Minister Edi Rama has promised to rehouse the newly homeless by next year. Illegal construction is rife in Albania, where chaotic development exploded after the fall of communism in 1990. Many buildings lack proper permits and do not adhere to safety codes. The earthquake was the deadliest in several decades in Albania, which lies near a tectonic fault line.

Forty dead as families pulled from Albania earthquake rubble

The United Nations warned on Saturday <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bolivian-police-battle-with-morales-supporters-death-toll-jumps-262628">violence in Bolivia</a> could "spin out of control" following recent skirmishes between security forces and coca farmers loyal to ousted President Evo Morales that have left nine dead.

Morales resigned under pressure from Bolivia's police and military last Sunday after evidence of vote-rigging tainted his October&nbsp;20 election victory. He fled to Mexico two days after his resignation.

The leftist and charismatic former coca farmer has since called his ouster a right-wing "coup" and decried growing allegations of repression by security forces under interim President and former conservative lawmaker Jeanine Anez.

"The coup leaders massacre indigenous and humble people for asking for democracy," Morales said on Twitter following reports of mounting deaths.

Anez has blamed Morales for stoking violence from abroad and has said her government wishes to hold elections and meet with the opposition to halt protests.

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet warned escalating violence could usurp the democratic process.

"I am concerned that the situation in Bolivia could spin out of control if the authorities do not handle it ... with full respect for human rights," Bachelet said in a statement.

The violence in Bolivia adds to growing unrest in the region, including in neighbour Chile, where protests over social inequalities boiled over into riots that left at least 20 dead. Ecuador, Venezuela and Argentina have also seen widespread strikes, protests and riots in recent months.

Cochabamba ombudsman Nelson Cox said hospital records in the coca farming region showed the "vast majority" of Friday´s deaths and injuries were caused by bullet wounds.

"We are working with the national ombudsman´s office to conduct autopsies ... and seek justice for these victims," Cox told Reuters.

More than 100 people were injured in the skirmishes, the ombudsman said.

Coca farmers in some protests were also heavily-armed, police said, carrying weapons ranging from handguns and boxes of grenades to home-made bazookas made from sawed-off pipes in sometimes fierce stand-offs.

U.N. envoy Jean Arnault said a team would hold meetings with politicians and social groups beginning Sunday to end the violence and push for "free and transparent elections."

Election talk

Though the capital <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/five-supporters-of-exiled-leader-morales-killed-in-clashes-in-bolivia-262548">La Paz was largely calm</a> Saturday, lingering highway blockades prompted panic on the streets, with many rushing to hoard groceries as supplies ran low and prices rose.

Increasing unrest and a spiralling body count prompted Morales to strike a more conciliatory tone with the government of Anez in recent days.

"For the sake of democracy ... I have no problem not taking part in new elections," Morales told Reuters in an interview in Mexico City.

Morales' party, now the opposition, has asked for a session of both chambers of Bolivia's legislature this Tuesday to hash out plans for the new election.

Anez, meanwhile, has moved quickly away from Morales´ leftist rule and foreign policy.

On Friday, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bolivia-interim-president-rules-out-morales-election-bid-262276">Bolivia</a> asked Venezuelan officials to leave the country. The Andean nation also accused Cuba, once a close ally, of stoking unrest following Morales' resignation.

A Cubana airlines plane arrived in Bolivia Saturday to take home hundreds of Cuban doctors.

Anez spoke with Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guiado, who on Saturday called on supporters to lead a new wave of protests against President Nicolas Maduro, a leftist. Anez said she was pleased to establish relations with a "democratic Venezuela."

"We have the same objectives, and I hope soon we can cry freedom for Venezuela, as it so rightly deserves," she said in the televised meeting.

The United Nations warned on Saturday violence in Bolivia could "spin out of control" following recent skirmishes between security forces and coca farmers loyal to ousted President Evo Morales that have left nine dead.

The United Nations warned on Saturday violence in Bolivia could "spin out of control" following recent skirmishes between security forces and coca farmers loyal to ousted President Evo Morales that have left nine dead. Morales resigned under pressure from Bolivia's police and military last Sunday after evidence of vote-rigging tainted his October 20 election victory. He fled to Mexico two days after his resignation. The leftist and charismatic former coca farmer has since called his ouster a right-wing "coup" and decried growing allegations of repression by security forces under interim President and former conservative lawmaker Jeanine Anez. "The coup leaders massacre indigenous and humble people for asking for democracy," Morales said on Twitter following reports of mounting deaths. Anez has blamed Morales for stoking violence from abroad and has said her government wishes to hold elections and meet with the opposition to halt protests. U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet warned escalating violence could usurp the democratic process. "I am concerned that the situation in Bolivia could spin out of control if the authorities do not handle it ... with full respect for human rights," Bachelet said in a statement. The violence in Bolivia adds to growing unrest in the region, including in neighbour Chile, where protests over social inequalities boiled over into riots that left at least 20 dead. Ecuador, Venezuela and Argentina have also seen widespread strikes, protests and riots in recent months. Cochabamba ombudsman Nelson Cox said hospital records in the coca farming region showed the "vast majority" of Friday´s deaths and injuries were caused by bullet wounds. "We are working with the national ombudsman´s office to conduct autopsies ... and seek justice for these victims," Cox told Reuters. More than 100 people were injured in the skirmishes, the ombudsman said. Coca farmers in some protests were also heavily-armed, police said, carrying weapons ranging from handguns and boxes of grenades to home-made bazookas made from sawed-off pipes in sometimes fierce stand-offs. U.N. envoy Jean Arnault said a team would hold meetings with politicians and social groups beginning Sunday to end the violence and push for "free and transparent elections." Election talk Though the capital La Paz was largely calm Saturday, lingering highway blockades prompted panic on the streets, with many rushing to hoard groceries as supplies ran low and prices rose. Increasing unrest and a spiralling body count prompted Morales to strike a more conciliatory tone with the government of Anez in recent days. "For the sake of democracy ... I have no problem not taking part in new elections," Morales told Reuters in an interview in Mexico City. Morales' party, now the opposition, has asked for a session of both chambers of Bolivia's legislature this Tuesday to hash out plans for the new election. Anez, meanwhile, has moved quickly away from Morales´ leftist rule and foreign policy. On Friday, Bolivia asked Venezuelan officials to leave the country. The Andean nation also accused Cuba, once a close ally, of stoking unrest following Morales' resignation. A Cubana airlines plane arrived in Bolivia Saturday to take home hundreds of Cuban doctors. Anez spoke with Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guiado, who on Saturday called on supporters to lead a new wave of protests against President Nicolas Maduro, a leftist. Anez said she was pleased to establish relations with a "democratic Venezuela." "We have the same objectives, and I hope soon we can cry freedom for Venezuela, as it so rightly deserves," she said in the televised meeting.

Bolivia crisis could 'spin out of control' as death toll keeps increasing: United Nations

Bulbul makes a landfall between West Bengal and Bangladesh. Death toll has increased to 19.100,000 people have been evacuated from Bangladesh coast.

Tracking Cyclone Bulbul: Cyclone lashes Bay of Bengal

At least 74 people were killed and dozens injured after cooking gas cylinders <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/fire-engulfs-pakistani-train-259069">exploded on a train packed with pilgrims</a> in Pakistan on Thursday, some dying after leaping from carriages to escape the inferno, authorities said.

Television footage showed flames pouring out of three carriages as people could be heard crying during the incident, in a rural area of central Punjab province.

Some of the passengers, many of whom were pilgrims travelling to one of Pakistan's biggest religious gatherings, had been cooking breakfast when two of their gas cylinders exploded, Ali Nawaz, a senior Pakistan Railways official, told AFP.

Many Pakistanis carry food on long train journeys, but gas cylinders are supposedly banned. Pakistan's railways minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed later told reporters that it had been a "mistake" to allow the cylinders on board.

Dozens of people crowded along the tracks staring at the burning carriages, which had been disconnected from the rest of the train, television images showed.&nbsp;

Firefighters rushed to the scene near Rahim Yar Khan district.&nbsp;Rescue workers and soldiers could also be seen, as bodies were carried away covered in white sheets.

"A cylinder exploded and I don't know how fire erupted everywhere," one survivor, Muhammad Imran, told AFP from a hospital in Rahim Yar Khan.&nbsp;

"I jumped out of the train to save my life. There was a whole line of people behind me, they pushed," he said.&nbsp;

Muhammad Nadeem Zia, a medical superintendent at the hospital in Liaquatpur, the nearest town, told AFP some of the victims were killed by head injuries sustained as they leapt from the moving train. He said at least 44 people had been injured.&nbsp;

Those hurt were being rushed to hospitals in the nearby city of Bahawalpur and elsewhere in Rahim Yar Khan district. Officials said many of the bodies were charred beyond recognition.

Prime Minister Imran Khan said he was "deeply saddened" by the tragedy and had ordered an urgent enquiry. &nbsp;

Religious pilgrimage

Khan said the train was the Tezgam, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/over-40-killed-as-train-catches-fire-in-pakistan-several-injured-258940">one of Pakistan's oldest and most popular rail services</a>, which runs between the southern port city of Karachi to the garrison city of Rawalpindi, neighbouring Islamabad.

It had been diverted to facilitate the religious pilgrims travelling to Lahore.

Passengers were travelling to attend the annual Tablighi Ijtema, one of Pakistan's biggest religious gatherings, which each year sees up to 400,000 people descend on a tented village outside Lahore for several days to sleep, pray and eat together.

The majority of those killed were pilgrims from southern Sindh province, Nawaz said.

The Tablighi Ijtema, which begins Thursday and concludes on Sunday, was founded by religious scholars more than five decades ago and focuses exclusively on preaching Islam.

It usually sees hundreds of camps and sub-camps set up on the dusty site outside Lahore to accommodate people from across Pakistan, giving the gathering a festival feel.

Stalls sell cooked food, raw chicken and meat, vegetables and fruit, and even electrical appliances and batteries for mobile phones at a subsidised rate.

Railways minister Ahmed said it had been "tradition" for authorities to allow people travelling to the festival to board trains carrying cooking cylinders.&nbsp;

"I admit our mistake... this will not happen in the future," he told journalists in televised comments from the nearby city of Multan.

"A tragedy that could have been avoided but ever since I can recall while travelling by train no baggage check or restrictions enforced," human rights minister Shireen Mazari tweeted.

'Could have been avoided'

Nawaz said two of the carriages were economy coaches, while one was business class, and that up to 88 passengers can fit into each.

Train accidents are common in Pakistan, where the railways have seen decades of decline due to corruption, mismanagement and lack of investment.

In July, at least 23 people were killed in the same district when a passenger train coming from the eastern city of Lahore rammed into a goods train that had stopped at a crossing.

Accidents often happen at unmanned crossings, which frequently lack barriers and sometimes signals.

At least 74 people were killed and dozens injured after cooking gas cylinders exploded on a train packed with pilgrims in Pakistan on Thursday, some dying after leaping from carriages to escape the inferno, authorities said.

At least 74 people were killed and dozens injured after cooking gas cylinders exploded on a train packed with pilgrims in Pakistan on Thursday, some dying after leaping from carriages to escape the inferno, authorities said. Television footage showed flames pouring out of three carriages as people could be heard crying during the incident, in a rural area of central Punjab province. Some of the passengers, many of whom were pilgrims travelling to one of Pakistan's biggest religious gatherings, had been cooking breakfast when two of their gas cylinders exploded, Ali Nawaz, a senior Pakistan Railways official, told AFP. Many Pakistanis carry food on long train journeys, but gas cylinders are supposedly banned. Pakistan's railways minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed later told reporters that it had been a "mistake" to allow the cylinders on board. Dozens of people crowded along the tracks staring at the burning carriages, which had been disconnected from the rest of the train, television images showed. Firefighters rushed to the scene near Rahim Yar Khan district. Rescue workers and soldiers could also be seen, as bodies were carried away covered in white sheets. "A cylinder exploded and I don't know how fire erupted everywhere," one survivor, Muhammad Imran, told AFP from a hospital in Rahim Yar Khan. "I jumped out of the train to save my life. There was a whole line of people behind me, they pushed," he said. Muhammad Nadeem Zia, a medical superintendent at the hospital in Liaquatpur, the nearest town, told AFP some of the victims were killed by head injuries sustained as they leapt from the moving train. He said at least 44 people had been injured. Those hurt were being rushed to hospitals in the nearby city of Bahawalpur and elsewhere in Rahim Yar Khan district. Officials said many of the bodies were charred beyond recognition. Prime Minister Imran Khan said he was "deeply saddened" by the tragedy and had ordered an urgent enquiry. Religious pilgrimage Khan said the train was the Tezgam, one of Pakistan's oldest and most popular rail services, which runs between the southern port city of Karachi to the garrison city of Rawalpindi, neighbouring Islamabad. It had been diverted to facilitate the religious pilgrims travelling to Lahore. Passengers were travelling to attend the annual Tablighi Ijtema, one of Pakistan's biggest religious gatherings, which each year sees up to 400,000 people descend on a tented village outside Lahore for several days to sleep, pray and eat together. The majority of those killed were pilgrims from southern Sindh province, Nawaz said. The Tablighi Ijtema, which begins Thursday and concludes on Sunday, was founded by religious scholars more than five decades ago and focuses exclusively on preaching Islam. It usually sees hundreds of camps and sub-camps set up on the dusty site outside Lahore to accommodate people from across Pakistan, giving the gathering a festival feel. Stalls sell cooked food, raw chicken and meat, vegetables and fruit, and even electrical appliances and batteries for mobile phones at a subsidised rate. Railways minister Ahmed said it had been "tradition" for authorities to allow people travelling to the festival to board trains carrying cooking cylinders. "I admit our mistake... this will not happen in the future," he told journalists in televised comments from the nearby city of Multan. "A tragedy that could have been avoided but ever since I can recall while travelling by train no baggage check or restrictions enforced," human rights minister Shireen Mazari tweeted. 'Could have been avoided' Nawaz said two of the carriages were economy coaches, while one was business class, and that up to 88 passengers can fit into each. Train accidents are common in Pakistan, where the railways have seen decades of decline due to corruption, mismanagement and lack of investment. In July, at least 23 people were killed in the same district when a passenger train coming from the eastern city of Lahore rammed into a goods train that had stopped at a crossing. Accidents often happen at unmanned crossings, which frequently lack barriers and sometimes signals.

Tezgam train fire death toll reaches 74 in Pakistan

The death toll from torrential rains that caused flooding and mudslides in eastern Japan rose to eight on Saturday, with a further four missing, public broadcaster NHK reported, just two weeks after the region was hit hard by a powerful typhoon.

Landslides ripped through waterlogged areas in Chiba and Fukushima prefectures, in eastern and northeastern Japan, which were inundated by their third rainstorms in six weeks. In some places, a month's worth of rain unleashed by a low-pressure system fell in half a day.

Evacuation orders and advisories were issued along much of the northern corridor already hit by two typhoons since last month. The city of Ushiku in Chiba received 283.5 mm (11 inches) of rain over 12 hours.

Authorities warned of the chance of further landslides and floods, especially in areas hit by levee breaks that have yet to be repaired after Typhoon Hagibis lashed central and eastern Japan with heavy rains and high winds.

That typhoon killed at least 88 people, with seven others still missing and more than 300 injured, said NHK.

The death toll from torrential rains that caused flooding and mudslides in eastern Japan rose to eight on Saturday, with a further four missing, public broadcaster NHK reported, just two weeks after the region was hit hard by a powerful typhoon.

The death toll from torrential rains that caused flooding and mudslides in eastern Japan rose to eight on Saturday, with a further four missing, public broadcaster NHK reported, just two weeks after the region was hit hard by a powerful typhoon. Landslides ripped through waterlogged areas in Chiba and Fukushima prefectures, in eastern and northeastern Japan, which were inundated by their third rainstorms in six weeks. In some places, a month's worth of rain unleashed by a low-pressure system fell in half a day. Evacuation orders and advisories were issued along much of the northern corridor already hit by two typhoons since last month. The city of Ushiku in Chiba received 283.5 mm (11 inches) of rain over 12 hours. Authorities warned of the chance of further landslides and floods, especially in areas hit by levee breaks that have yet to be repaired after Typhoon Hagibis lashed central and eastern Japan with heavy rains and high winds. That typhoon killed at least 88 people, with seven others still missing and more than 300 injured, said NHK.

Death toll rises to eight as heavy rains hit typhoon-battered eastern Japan

Tens of thousands of rescuers worked into the night Monday to find survivors of a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/typhoon-hagibis-how-does-how-japan-survive-earthquakes-and-other-natural-calamities-255761">powerful typhoon in Japan</a> that killed at least 56 people, as fresh rain threatened to hamper their efforts.

Typhoon Hagibis crashed into the country on Saturday night, unleashing high winds and torrential rain across 36 of the country's 47 prefectures, triggering landslides and catastrophic flooding.

The death toll from the disaster has risen steadily, with national broadcaster NHK saying Monday night that 56 people had been killed and 15 were still missing.

It cited its own tally based on local reporting. The government has given lower numbers but is still updating its information.

"Even now, many people are still unaccounted for in the disaster-hit area," Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told an emergency disaster meeting on Monday.

"Units are trying their best to search for and rescue them, working day and night," Abe said.

Later in the day, he pledged to "do whatever the country can" for victims and survivors, ordering the defence ministry to call up to 1,000 reserve troops to join 31,000 active forces in search operations.

But rescue work that was continuing into the night risked being hampered by additional rain falling in central and eastern Japan that officials warned could cause fresh flooding and landslides.

"I would like to ask people to stay fully vigilant and continue watching for landslides and river flooding," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a news conference.

In Nagano, one of the worst-hit regions, officials said they were working cautiously.

"We are concerned about the impact of the latest rain on rescue and recovery efforts," local official Hiroki Yamaguchi told AFP.

"We will continue operations while watching out for secondary disasters due to the current rain."

56 dead, 15 missing: NHK

The death toll continued to rise into Monday evening, with bodies pulled from flooded cars and homes, swollen rivers and landslides.

The casualties included a municipal worker whose car was overcome by floodwaters and at least seven crew from a cargo ship that sank in Tokyo Bay on Saturday night, a coast guard spokesman said.

Four others, from China, Myanmar and Vietnam, were rescued when the boat sank and the coast guard was still searching for a last crew member.

Hagibis packed wind gusts of up to 216 kilometres (134 miles) per hour, but it was the heavy rains that caused the most damage.

A total of 176 rivers flooded -- mainly in eastern and northern Japan -- with their banks collapsing in two dozen places, local media said.

In central Nagano, a levee breach sent water from the Chikuma river gushing into residential neighbourhoods, flooding homes up to the second floor.

Television footage from the area showed patients being transferred by ambulance from a Nagano hospital where some 200 people had been cut off by flooding.

Elsewhere, rescuers used helicopters to winch survivors from roofs and balconies, or steered boats through muddy waters to reach those trapped.

Japan dedicates rugby win to victims

By Monday afternoon, some 75,900 households remained without power, with water cut off to 135,000 homes.

The disaster left tens of thousands of people in shelters, with many unsure when they would be able to return home.

"Everything from my house was washed away before my eyes, I wasn't sure if it was a dream or real," a woman in Nagano told NHK.

"I feel lucky I'm still alive."

The storm brought travel chaos over the holiday weekend, grounding flights and halting commuter and bullet train services.

By Monday, most subway trains had resumed service, along with many bullet train lines, and flights had also restarted.

The storm also brought havoc to the sporting world, forcing the delay of Japanese Grand Prix qualifiers and the cancellation of three Rugby World Cup matches.

But a crucial decider pitting Japan against Scotland went ahead, with the hosts dedicating their stunning 28-21 win to the victims of the disaster.

"To everyone that's suffering from the typhoon, this game was for you guys," said Japan captain Michael Leitch.

Tens of thousands of rescuers worked into the night Monday to find survivors of a powerful typhoon in Japan that killed at least 56 people, as fresh rain threatened to hamper their efforts.

Tens of thousands of rescuers worked into the night Monday to find survivors of a powerful typhoon in Japan that killed at least 56 people, as fresh rain threatened to hamper their efforts. Typhoon Hagibis crashed into the country on Saturday night, unleashing high winds and torrential rain across 36 of the country's 47 prefectures, triggering landslides and catastrophic flooding. The death toll from the disaster has risen steadily, with national broadcaster NHK saying Monday night that 56 people had been killed and 15 were still missing. It cited its own tally based on local reporting. The government has given lower numbers but is still updating its information. "Even now, many people are still unaccounted for in the disaster-hit area," Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told an emergency disaster meeting on Monday. "Units are trying their best to search for and rescue them, working day and night," Abe said. Later in the day, he pledged to "do whatever the country can" for victims and survivors, ordering the defence ministry to call up to 1,000 reserve troops to join 31,000 active forces in search operations. But rescue work that was continuing into the night risked being hampered by additional rain falling in central and eastern Japan that officials warned could cause fresh flooding and landslides. "I would like to ask people to stay fully vigilant and continue watching for landslides and river flooding," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a news conference. In Nagano, one of the worst-hit regions, officials said they were working cautiously. "We are concerned about the impact of the latest rain on rescue and recovery efforts," local official Hiroki Yamaguchi told AFP. "We will continue operations while watching out for secondary disasters due to the current rain." 56 dead, 15 missing: NHK The death toll continued to rise into Monday evening, with bodies pulled from flooded cars and homes, swollen rivers and landslides. The casualties included a municipal worker whose car was overcome by floodwaters and at least seven crew from a cargo ship that sank in Tokyo Bay on Saturday night, a coast guard spokesman said. Four others, from China, Myanmar and Vietnam, were rescued when the boat sank and the coast guard was still searching for a last crew member. Hagibis packed wind gusts of up to 216 kilometres (134 miles) per hour, but it was the heavy rains that caused the most damage. A total of 176 rivers flooded -- mainly in eastern and northern Japan -- with their banks collapsing in two dozen places, local media said. In central Nagano, a levee breach sent water from the Chikuma river gushing into residential neighbourhoods, flooding homes up to the second floor. Television footage from the area showed patients being transferred by ambulance from a Nagano hospital where some 200 people had been cut off by flooding. Elsewhere, rescuers used helicopters to winch survivors from roofs and balconies, or steered boats through muddy waters to reach those trapped. Japan dedicates rugby win to victims By Monday afternoon, some 75,900 households remained without power, with water cut off to 135,000 homes. The disaster left tens of thousands of people in shelters, with many unsure when they would be able to return home. "Everything from my house was washed away before my eyes, I wasn't sure if it was a dream or real," a woman in Nagano told NHK. "I feel lucky I'm still alive." The storm brought travel chaos over the holiday weekend, grounding flights and halting commuter and bullet train services. By Monday, most subway trains had resumed service, along with many bullet train lines, and flights had also restarted. The storm also brought havoc to the sporting world, forcing the delay of Japanese Grand Prix qualifiers and the cancellation of three Rugby World Cup matches. But a crucial decider pitting Japan against Scotland went ahead, with the hosts dedicating their stunning 28-21 win to the victims of the disaster. "To everyone that's suffering from the typhoon, this game was for you guys," said Japan captain Michael Leitch.

Japan searches for survivors as Typhoon Hagibis death toll hits 56

Amid the worsening conditions in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/bihar-ndrf-teams-rescue-4000-from-flooded-areas-in-patna-death-toll-reaches-29-252878">Bihar due to floods</a> triggered by rains in which the death toll has climbed to 40 so far, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Tuesday said that four big pumps were being brought to Bihar to remove floodwater and accelerate relief work.

"I have cancelled my plans back at Delhi and will stay here for few more days. To speed up the relief work, I have asked for four big pumps that will reach here till afternoon. The pumps are of 2-3 tonnes and are very efficient," Prasad said while speaking to media here.

Today the union minister reiterated that the Centre will provide all support to the Bihar government to provide relief to people in Patna and other parts of the state, which has been battered by heavy rain and flooding.

On Monday, Prasad had said he had asked for additional pumps from Coal India to pump out water. "I was told to pump out water it is better that Coal India sends its big pumps. Regarding this, I spoke to Union Coal Minister Prahlad Joshi and a big pump is coming from coal fields in Chhattisgarh," he had said.

According to the Bihar State Disaster Management Authority, until now, 40 people have died in the state due to floods.

The Indian Air Force helicopters are dropping relief material to the flood-affected areas of the state. Five teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed in Rajendra Nagar and Kankarbagh areas of Patna to assist people facing difficulties

"It has become easy as the rainfall has stopped. But we are focussing now on providing food as people are stuck inside their houses. We are sending boats for old and ill patients. We are sending boats filled with relief material especially clean drinking water," Vijay Sinha, NDRF commandant in Rajendra Nagar here told ANI.

Floods in India: Parts of Bihar and Eastern Uttar Pradesh face deluge

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About the total number of people rescued, Sinha said that around 7000 people were rescued till yesterday by the NDRF. "The data for today can be determined by the night," he said.

"We are facing a lot of difficulties to find clean drinking water. NDRF is helping but we want more help from the government side," a local told ANI.

Where many people are dependent on NDRF for flood relief material, people at the Sri Krishna Memorial Hall in Patna have gathered in special groups to collect and pack relief material for the flood-affected people.

"We are packing food material like chuda, milk, sattu for the people who are stuck inside their houses. Bihar is flooded and we have to help each other. Around 300 workers are here helping us to pack the food material," Shashi Sneh, a worker told ANI.

Dewatering machines have also been sought by state to provide relief in the flood-affected areas.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday afternoon visited the severely flooded areas of the state capital and issued necessary instructions to the officials for resolving the issue.

Amid the worsening conditions in Bihar due to floods triggered by rains in which the death toll has climbed to 40 so far, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Tuesday said that four big pumps were being brought to Bihar to remove floodwater and accelerate relief work.

Amid the worsening conditions in Bihar due to floods triggered by rains in which the death toll has climbed to 40 so far, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Tuesday said that four big pumps were being brought to Bihar to remove floodwater and accelerate relief work. "I have cancelled my plans back at Delhi and will stay here for few more days. To speed up the relief work, I have asked for four big pumps that will reach here till afternoon. The pumps are of 2-3 tonnes and are very efficient," Prasad said while speaking to media here. Today the union minister reiterated that the Centre will provide all support to the Bihar government to provide relief to people in Patna and other parts of the state, which has been battered by heavy rain and flooding. On Monday, Prasad had said he had asked for additional pumps from Coal India to pump out water. "I was told to pump out water it is better that Coal India sends its big pumps. Regarding this, I spoke to Union Coal Minister Prahlad Joshi and a big pump is coming from coal fields in Chhattisgarh," he had said. According to the Bihar State Disaster Management Authority, until now, 40 people have died in the state due to floods. The Indian Air Force helicopters are dropping relief material to the flood-affected areas of the state. Five teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed in Rajendra Nagar and Kankarbagh areas of Patna to assist people facing difficulties "It has become easy as the rainfall has stopped. But we are focussing now on providing food as people are stuck inside their houses. We are sending boats for old and ill patients. We are sending boats filled with relief material especially clean drinking water," Vijay Sinha, NDRF commandant in Rajendra Nagar here told ANI. Floods in India: Parts of Bihar and Eastern Uttar Pradesh face deluge About the total number of people rescued, Sinha said that around 7000 people were rescued till yesterday by the NDRF. "The data for today can be determined by the night," he said. "We are facing a lot of difficulties to find clean drinking water. NDRF is helping but we want more help from the government side," a local told ANI. Where many people are dependent on NDRF for flood relief material, people at the Sri Krishna Memorial Hall in Patna have gathered in special groups to collect and pack relief material for the flood-affected people. "We are packing food material like chuda, milk, sattu for the people who are stuck inside their houses. Bihar is flooded and we have to help each other. Around 300 workers are here helping us to pack the food material," Shashi Sneh, a worker told ANI. Dewatering machines have also been sought by state to provide relief in the flood-affected areas. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday afternoon visited the severely flooded areas of the state capital and issued necessary instructions to the officials for resolving the issue.

Bihar: Four pumps brought to remove floodwaters, accelerate relief work; death toll reaches 40

At least 26 people have been killed in unrest in Indonesia's restive Papua region, authorities said on Tuesday, as thousands fled to shelters following a day of violence that saw victims being burned alive in buildings set ablaze by protesters.

Papua, on the western half of New Guinea island, has been gripped by weeks of<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/at-least-six-dead-200-injured-after-unrest-following-indonesia-election-result-220555"> violent protests</a> fuelled by anger over racism, as well as fresh calls for self-rule in the impoverished territory.

Some 22 people died in Wamena city where hundreds had demonstrated and burned down a&nbsp;government office and other buildings on Monday, with some victims perishing in deliberately set fires, authorities said, as they upped the death toll from a previous 20 with more than 70 injured.

Some 700 people had been rounded up for questioning over the deadly riots, the military said.

"Some were burned, some were hacked to death... some were trapped in fires," local military commander Chandra Dianto told AFP.

"(We're) going to scour the debris to look for more possible victims in shops and stalls that were set on fire," he added.

Most victims in Wamena were non-Papuans, authorities said, threatening an escalation in violence against migrants from other parts of the Southeast Asian archipelago.&nbsp;

Most of the recent clashes have been between separatist protesters and Indonesian security forces.

A soldier and three civilians also died in provincial capital Jayapura, where security forces and stone-throwing protesters clashed Monday.

The soldier was stabbed to death, while three students died from rubber bullet wounds, authorities said, without elaborating.

'Racist Comments'

Monday's protests in Wamena -- mostly involving high-schoolers -- were reportedly sparked by racist comments made by a teacher, but police have disputed that account as a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indonesia-lifts-social-media-curbs-targeting-hoaxes-during-recent-unrest-221576">"hoax"</a>.

The United Liberation Movement for West Papua, which is pushing for independence, described Monday's violence as a "massacre" and said that 17 Papuan high school students had been gunned down by Indonesian security forces.

Neither the military nor the independence movement's claims could be independently verified. Conflicting accounts are common in Papua.

More than 4,000 residents, including mothers and their children, have fled to military and police posts, government buildings and a local church to seek shelter, according to authorities.

A low-level separatist insurgency has simmered for decades in the former Dutch colony after Jakarta took over the mineral-rich region in the 1960s. A vote to stay within the archipelago was widely viewed as rigged.

Weeks of protests broke out across Papua and in other parts of Indonesia after the mid-August arrest and tear-gassing of dozens of Papuan students, who were also racially abused, in the country's second-biggest city, Surabaya.

At least 26 people have been killed in unrest in Indonesia's restive Papua region, authorities said on Tuesday, as thousands fled to shelters following a day of violence that saw victims being burned alive in buildings set ablaze by protesters.

At least 26 people have been killed in unrest in Indonesia's restive Papua region, authorities said on Tuesday, as thousands fled to shelters following a day of violence that saw victims being burned alive in buildings set ablaze by protesters. Papua, on the western half of New Guinea island, has been gripped by weeks of violent protests fuelled by anger over racism, as well as fresh calls for self-rule in the impoverished territory. Some 22 people died in Wamena city where hundreds had demonstrated and burned down a government office and other buildings on Monday, with some victims perishing in deliberately set fires, authorities said, as they upped the death toll from a previous 20 with more than 70 injured. Some 700 people had been rounded up for questioning over the deadly riots, the military said. "Some were burned, some were hacked to death... some were trapped in fires," local military commander Chandra Dianto told AFP. "(We're) going to scour the debris to look for more possible victims in shops and stalls that were set on fire," he added. Most victims in Wamena were non-Papuans, authorities said, threatening an escalation in violence against migrants from other parts of the Southeast Asian archipelago. Most of the recent clashes have been between separatist protesters and Indonesian security forces. A soldier and three civilians also died in provincial capital Jayapura, where security forces and stone-throwing protesters clashed Monday. The soldier was stabbed to death, while three students died from rubber bullet wounds, authorities said, without elaborating. 'Racist Comments' Monday's protests in Wamena -- mostly involving high-schoolers -- were reportedly sparked by racist comments made by a teacher, but police have disputed that account as a "hoax". The United Liberation Movement for West Papua, which is pushing for independence, described Monday's violence as a "massacre" and said that 17 Papuan high school students had been gunned down by Indonesian security forces. Neither the military nor the independence movement's claims could be independently verified. Conflicting accounts are common in Papua. More than 4,000 residents, including mothers and their children, have fled to military and police posts, government buildings and a local church to seek shelter, according to authorities. A low-level separatist insurgency has simmered for decades in the former Dutch colony after Jakarta took over the mineral-rich region in the 1960s. A vote to stay within the archipelago was widely viewed as rigged. Weeks of protests broke out across Papua and in other parts of Indonesia after the mid-August arrest and tear-gassing of dozens of Papuan students, who were also racially abused, in the country's second-biggest city, Surabaya.

Papua unrest death toll hits 26: Indonesian police

The death toll from Democratic Republic of Congo`s year-long <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/timeline-how-a-congo-ebola-outbreak-became-a-global-concern-236967&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiJi_iRkarkAhXLs48KHeXtDooQFjAAegQIAhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2fdZ9bF7hRfbw8-SoX869o">Ebola outbreak</a> has climbed above 2,000, government data showed on Friday, as responders battle to overcome community mistrust and widespread security problems.

The government team overseeing the response said the number of confirmed and probable cases had also hit a milestone of more than 3,000 in what has become the second-worst epidemic of the virus on record.

Despite the development of an effective vaccine and treatments, health workers have struggled to control the spread of the disease in remote and conflict-hit areas of eastern Congo, where many locals are wary of the response effort.

"For the treatments to work, people need to trust them and the medical staff who administer them. This will take time, resources and a lot of hard work," the International Federation of the Red Cross said in a statement.

This is Congo`s 10th Ebola outbreak, but it is the first in the densely forested hillside provinces of North Kivu and Ituri, where militia-led violence and ethnic killing have undermined security in certain areas for decades.

The government data showed Ebola deaths reaching 2,006 and cases at 3,004.

Earlier in August, the authorities came up against new fronts in their fight to contain the epidemic, fanning fears that the spread of the disease could accelerate.

Health workers confirmed the first cases in South Kivu province on August&nbsp;16. Soon after, a woman contracted the virus in a remote, militia-controlled territory in North Kivu, hundreds of kilometres away from other known cases.

"We are fighting literally (along) with all partners on the ground to reach people, to reach contacts, to identify cases as early as possible," World Health Organization spokesman Christian Lindmeier said on Tuesday.

Last week the WHO voiced concern about the widening geographic reach of the disease but confirmed the virus had not gained a foothold in the major city of Goma, even after four cases were recorded there in July and early August.

"Two thousand deaths means that there is a problem," said Timothée Buliga, a Goma resident. "We need to reach the point where we reject Ebola, say no and eradicate it definitively."

Neighbouring Uganda said on Friday that a young girl who tested positive for Ebola after crossing the border, the fourth case imported from Congo since June, would be sent back to Congo for treatment.

Only the 2013-2016 Ebola outbreak in West Africa has been deadlier than the current outbreak. More than 11,300 people died then out of 28,000 who were infected. 
&nbsp;

The death toll from Democratic Republic of Congo`s year-long Ebola outbreak has climbed above 2,000, government data showed on Friday, as responders battle to overcome community mistrust and widespread security problems.

The death toll from Democratic Republic of Congo`s year-long Ebola outbreak has climbed above 2,000, government data showed on Friday, as responders battle to overcome community mistrust and widespread security problems. The government team overseeing the response said the number of confirmed and probable cases had also hit a milestone of more than 3,000 in what has become the second-worst epidemic of the virus on record. Despite the development of an effective vaccine and treatments, health workers have struggled to control the spread of the disease in remote and conflict-hit areas of eastern Congo, where many locals are wary of the response effort. "For the treatments to work, people need to trust them and the medical staff who administer them. This will take time, resources and a lot of hard work," the International Federation of the Red Cross said in a statement. This is Congo`s 10th Ebola outbreak, but it is the first in the densely forested hillside provinces of North Kivu and Ituri, where militia-led violence and ethnic killing have undermined security in certain areas for decades. The government data showed Ebola deaths reaching 2,006 and cases at 3,004. Earlier in August, the authorities came up against new fronts in their fight to contain the epidemic, fanning fears that the spread of the disease could accelerate. Health workers confirmed the first cases in South Kivu province on August 16. Soon after, a woman contracted the virus in a remote, militia-controlled territory in North Kivu, hundreds of kilometres away from other known cases. "We are fighting literally (along) with all partners on the ground to reach people, to reach contacts, to identify cases as early as possible," World Health Organization spokesman Christian Lindmeier said on Tuesday. Last week the WHO voiced concern about the widening geographic reach of the disease but confirmed the virus had not gained a foothold in the major city of Goma, even after four cases were recorded there in July and early August. "Two thousand deaths means that there is a problem," said Timothée Buliga, a Goma resident. "We need to reach the point where we reject Ebola, say no and eradicate it definitively." Neighbouring Uganda said on Friday that a young girl who tested positive for Ebola after crossing the border, the fourth case imported from Congo since June, would be sent back to Congo for treatment. Only the 2013-2016 Ebola outbreak in West Africa has been deadlier than the current outbreak. More than 11,300 people died then out of 28,000 who were infected.

Ebola death toll in east Congo outbreak climbs above 2,000

As rains continue to wreak havoc in Kerala, the death toll has gone up to 121 with 21 still missing, news agency ANI reported on Saturday.

The state government has set up 805 camps for 1,29,517 persons from 41,253 families.

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According to data, a total of 1,75,373 people are staying at 1,057 rescue and relief camps across the state.

On August 14, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh for the families of people who lost their lives due to floods in the state.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday expressed solidarity with the flood-affected states and assured all possible support required in tackling the situation.

Hundreds of lives have been lost in flood-hit Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Bihar and Assam where thousands of hectares of crops have been washed away.

As rains continue to wreak havoc in Kerala, the death toll has gone up to 121 with 21 still missing, news agency ANI reported on Saturday. The state government has set up 805 camps for 1,29,517 persons from 41,253 families.

As rains continue to wreak havoc in Kerala, the death toll has gone up to 121 with 21 still missing, news agency ANI reported on Saturday. The state government has set up 805 camps for 1,29,517 persons from 41,253 families. Kerala: Death toll in flood-related incidents rises to 121. 40 people injured, 21 still missing. #KeralaFloods pic.twitter.com/FchLlaiG98 — ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2019 × According to data, a total of 1,75,373 people are staying at 1,057 rescue and relief camps across the state. On August 14, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh for the families of people who lost their lives due to floods in the state. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday expressed solidarity with the flood-affected states and assured all possible support required in tackling the situation. Hundreds of lives have been lost in flood-hit Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Bihar and Assam where thousands of hectares of crops have been washed away.

Death toll rises to 121 with 21 still missing in flood-hit Kerala

For years, as violence raged through Afghanistan, lavish weddings offered a rare opportunity for celebration, but now even that is under threat after last weekend's deadly <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/over-40-dead-100-injured-as-blast-rips-through-wedding-party-in-afghanistans-kabul-243740">attack </a>on a party venue sent shock waves through one of Kabul's key industries.

Over-the-top, glitzy weddings are a big deal for Afghans and for the economy in Kabul, where showy venues the size of aircraft hangars dot the city and employ thousands of workers.

Wedding hall owners and betrothed couples alike are wondering what's next after Saturday's attack, when an<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-islamic-state-claims-responsibility-for-wedding-suicide-attack-in-kabul-243841"> Islamic State bomber</a> killed at least 63 guests and staff and wounded scores more during celebrations at the Shahr-e-Dubai wedding hall in western Kabul.

"Wedding halls were one of the few businesses that were still functioning relatively well despite all the problems," said Ghulam Sakhi Sultani, one of the Shahr-e-Dubai's three owners.&nbsp;

"It will be hard to regain the trust of the people to hold mass weddings inside a wedding hall following this attack."

While Afghan weddings have been hit in the past, attacks have typically targeted smaller functions away from the capital.

"We fear the terrorists may have chosen mass wedding gatherings as their new targets," said Sultani, who was out of the country when the bombing happened and spoke to AFP by phone late Sunday. Ten of his staff were killed or injured.

"Today, most of them did not show up. When we contacted them, they said they fear for their lives."

&nbsp;No security&nbsp;

Saturday's attack exposes the vulnerability of the wedding halls.&nbsp;

In a city where bombs go off almost daily and crime is rampant, Kabul weddings typically don't have any security measures at all, and the halls themselves often have few emergency exits.

Couples frequently invite more than 1,000 guests, and gate crashers often wander in off the street.&nbsp;

Unless VIPs are present, it is considered insulting to frisk guests, and strangers blend in easily with the crowds of friends and relatives.

"We will take extra security measures, but it will be hard to stop a bomber among hundreds of guests coming to a wedding party," Sultani said.

Sharif, the manager of another Kabul wedding hall who only gave one name, said his business was already suffering, with no new couples calling to book the venue since the attack.

"We are supposed to provide a joyful and safe environment for people to celebrate the start of their new life together, but following the horrific attack last night, everything will change," he told AFP.&nbsp;

"I don't think people will trust us or the government for their security any more."

The attack underscores both the inadequacy of Afghanistan's security forces and the scale of the challenge they face in a city that sees frequent attacks by IS, the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-president-ashraf-ghani-condemns-kabul-suicide-attack-says-taliban-cant-escape-blame-243788">Taliban</a>, criminals and other groups.

Dawood Hotak, a 26-year-old engaged student, blamed local police and said he now plans to get married at home instead of at a wedding hall.

"People should be searched before entering the wedding halls," he told AFP.&nbsp;

"If there would have been body searches, I am sure the attack would have been prevented."

Fellow student Ahmad Jawed, 24, was also angry at the authorities and lamented the lack of security.

"How come a wedding hall does not get attacked when there is VIP party or ceremony?" he said.&nbsp;

"The security institutions fail to provide security to ordinary Afghans."

&nbsp;'No more safe places'&nbsp;

Kabul weddings pump millions of dollars into the local economy, with the events typically a costly affair

A fancy wedding with all the trimmings -- including singers, live music and vast plates of food -- can cost $15,000 or more, an absolute fortune in one of the world's poorest countries.&nbsp;

Young grooms often splash out their life savings or take on debt for a night of celebration.

A few years ago, Afghan politicians passed legislation to cap wedding costs and limit the number of guests to 500, but this has been roundly ignored.

Last November, a suicide bomber hit the Uranus Wedding Palace in the capital as religious scholars gathered, killing at least 55, but Saturday's attack is thought to be the first of its kind against a Kabul wedding in full swing.

"There are no more safe places in Kabul," the Uranus's manager Haji Ghulam Sediq told AFP.&nbsp;

"It is not just the employees and the guests, I myself am fearful."

For years, as violence raged through Afghanistan, lavish weddings offered a rare opportunity for celebration, but now even that is under threat after last weekend's deadly attack on a party venue sent shock waves through one of Kabul's key industries.

For years, as violence raged through Afghanistan, lavish weddings offered a rare opportunity for celebration, but now even that is under threat after last weekend's deadly attack on a party venue sent shock waves through one of Kabul's key industries. Over-the-top, glitzy weddings are a big deal for Afghans and for the economy in Kabul, where showy venues the size of aircraft hangars dot the city and employ thousands of workers. Wedding hall owners and betrothed couples alike are wondering what's next after Saturday's attack, when an Islamic State bomber killed at least 63 guests and staff and wounded scores more during celebrations at the Shahr-e-Dubai wedding hall in western Kabul. "Wedding halls were one of the few businesses that were still functioning relatively well despite all the problems," said Ghulam Sakhi Sultani, one of the Shahr-e-Dubai's three owners. "It will be hard to regain the trust of the people to hold mass weddings inside a wedding hall following this attack." While Afghan weddings have been hit in the past, attacks have typically targeted smaller functions away from the capital. "We fear the terrorists may have chosen mass wedding gatherings as their new targets," said Sultani, who was out of the country when the bombing happened and spoke to AFP by phone late Sunday. Ten of his staff were killed or injured. "Today, most of them did not show up. When we contacted them, they said they fear for their lives." No security Saturday's attack exposes the vulnerability of the wedding halls. In a city where bombs go off almost daily and crime is rampant, Kabul weddings typically don't have any security measures at all, and the halls themselves often have few emergency exits. Couples frequently invite more than 1,000 guests, and gate crashers often wander in off the street. Unless VIPs are present, it is considered insulting to frisk guests, and strangers blend in easily with the crowds of friends and relatives. "We will take extra security measures, but it will be hard to stop a bomber among hundreds of guests coming to a wedding party," Sultani said. Sharif, the manager of another Kabul wedding hall who only gave one name, said his business was already suffering, with no new couples calling to book the venue since the attack. "We are supposed to provide a joyful and safe environment for people to celebrate the start of their new life together, but following the horrific attack last night, everything will change," he told AFP. "I don't think people will trust us or the government for their security any more." The attack underscores both the inadequacy of Afghanistan's security forces and the scale of the challenge they face in a city that sees frequent attacks by IS, the Taliban, criminals and other groups. Dawood Hotak, a 26-year-old engaged student, blamed local police and said he now plans to get married at home instead of at a wedding hall. "People should be searched before entering the wedding halls," he told AFP. "If there would have been body searches, I am sure the attack would have been prevented." Fellow student Ahmad Jawed, 24, was also angry at the authorities and lamented the lack of security. "How come a wedding hall does not get attacked when there is VIP party or ceremony?" he said. "The security institutions fail to provide security to ordinary Afghans." 'No more safe places' Kabul weddings pump millions of dollars into the local economy, with the events typically a costly affair A fancy wedding with all the trimmings -- including singers, live music and vast plates of food -- can cost $15,000 or more, an absolute fortune in one of the world's poorest countries. Young grooms often splash out their life savings or take on debt for a night of celebration. A few years ago, Afghan politicians passed legislation to cap wedding costs and limit the number of guests to 500, but this has been roundly ignored. Last November, a suicide bomber hit the Uranus Wedding Palace in the capital as religious scholars gathered, killing at least 55, but Saturday's attack is thought to be the first of its kind against a Kabul wedding in full swing. "There are no more safe places in Kabul," the Uranus's manager Haji Ghulam Sediq told AFP. "It is not just the employees and the guests, I myself am fearful."

Kabul's glitzy wedding industry fears for future after attack

Pro-regime forces were locked in heavy fighting with insurgents Sunday near a jihadist-run town in northwestern Syria, leaving dozens of combatants dead, a war monitor said.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said<a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../clashes-kill-70-combatants-in-northwest-syria- report-242094"> "fierce clashes"</a> between loyalist forces, jihadists and allied rebels were taking place one kilometre (0.6 miles) west of Khan Sheikhun in Idlib province.

The latest fighting broke out overnight Saturday to Sunday and has already<a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../syria-at-least-17-killed-in-airstrikes-in-idlib- 243724"> killed</a> at least 45 jihadists and allied rebels as well as 17 members of the pro-regime forces, the Britain-based monitor said.

The town of Khan Sheikhun lies on a key highway coveted by the regime.

The road runs through <a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../syria-regime-gains-ground-in-deadly-idlib-push -monitor-242164">Idlib</a>, connecting government-held Damascus with the northern city of Aleppo, which was retaken by loyalists from rebels in December 2016.

Pro-regime forces are deployed around three kilometres from the road and have been advancing over the past few days in a bid to encircle Khan Sheikhun from the north and the west and seize the highway.

On Sunday they retook the village of Tel al-Nar and nearby farmland northwest of Khan Sheikhun "and were moving close to the highway," Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said.

But their advance from the east was being slowed down due to "a ferocious resistance" from jihadists and allied rebels.

Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) controls most of Idlib province as well as parts of the neighbouring provinces of Hama, Aleppo and Latakia.

A buffer zone deal brokered by Russia and Turkey last year was supposed to protect the Idlib region's three million inhabitants from an all-out regime offensive, but it was never fully implemented.

Regime and Russian airstrikes and shelling since late April have killed more than 860 civilians, according to the Observatory, which relies on sources inside Syria for its information.&nbsp;

On Sunday air strikes by the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../syrian-army-takes-strategic-town-from-rebels-in -new-advance-242227">Syrian regime</a> and its ally Russia killed two people, including a child, in the south of Idlib, the Observatory said.

More than 1,400 insurgents and over 1,200 pro-regime forces have been killed since April, according to the monitor.

The violence has displaced more than 400,000 people, the United Nations says.

Khan Sheikhun was hit by a chemical attack that killed more than 80 people in April 2017, attributed to the Syrian regime by the UN and international experts.&nbsp;

In response, US President Donald Trump ordered strikes on the regime's key Shayrat airbase.&nbsp;

Now almost emptied of inhabitants, Khan Sheikhun sheltered almost 100,000 people before the start of the current military escalation, the majority displaced from Hama province.

"Many of these people have been displaced up to five times," the UN's regional spokesman for the Syria crisis, David Swanson, told AFP on Saturday.

Pro-regime forces were locked in heavy fighting with insurgents Sunday near a jihadist-run town in northwestern Syria, leaving dozens of combatants dead, a war monitor said.

Pro-regime forces were locked in heavy fighting with insurgents Sunday near a jihadist-run town in northwestern Syria, leaving dozens of combatants dead, a war monitor said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said "fierce clashes" between loyalist forces, jihadists and allied rebels were taking place one kilometre (0.6 miles) west of Khan Sheikhun in Idlib province. The latest fighting broke out overnight Saturday to Sunday and has already killed at least 45 jihadists and allied rebels as well as 17 members of the pro-regime forces, the Britain-based monitor said. The town of Khan Sheikhun lies on a key highway coveted by the regime. The road runs through Idlib, connecting government-held Damascus with the northern city of Aleppo, which was retaken by loyalists from rebels in December 2016. Pro-regime forces are deployed around three kilometres from the road and have been advancing over the past few days in a bid to encircle Khan Sheikhun from the north and the west and seize the highway. On Sunday they retook the village of Tel al-Nar and nearby farmland northwest of Khan Sheikhun "and were moving close to the highway," Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said. But their advance from the east was being slowed down due to "a ferocious resistance" from jihadists and allied rebels. Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) controls most of Idlib province as well as parts of the neighbouring provinces of Hama, Aleppo and Latakia. A buffer zone deal brokered by Russia and Turkey last year was supposed to protect the Idlib region's three million inhabitants from an all-out regime offensive, but it was never fully implemented. Regime and Russian airstrikes and shelling since late April have killed more than 860 civilians, according to the Observatory, which relies on sources inside Syria for its information. On Sunday air strikes by the Syrian regime and its ally Russia killed two people, including a child, in the south of Idlib, the Observatory said. More than 1,400 insurgents and over 1,200 pro-regime forces have been killed since April, according to the monitor. The violence has displaced more than 400,000 people, the United Nations says. Khan Sheikhun was hit by a chemical attack that killed more than 80 people in April 2017, attributed to the Syrian regime by the UN and international experts. In response, US President Donald Trump ordered strikes on the regime's key Shayrat airbase. Now almost emptied of inhabitants, Khan Sheikhun sheltered almost 100,000 people before the start of the current military escalation, the majority displaced from Hama province. "Many of these people have been displaced up to five times," the UN's regional spokesman for the Syria crisis, David Swanson, told AFP on Saturday.

'Dozens killed' as Syria regime forces battle jihadists

Floods and landslides have killed more than 270 people in India this month, displaced one million and inundated thousands of homes across six states, authorities said on Wednesday after two weeks of heavy monsoon rains.

The rains from June to September are a lifeline for rural India, delivering some 70% of the country's rainfall, but they also cause death and destruction each year.

The southern states of Kerala and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/40-dead-14-missing-in-flood-hit-karnataka-since-august-1-242332">Karnataka</a>, and Maharashtra and Gujarat in the west, were among the hardest hit by floods that washed away thousands of hectares of summer-sown crops and damaged roads and rail lines.

At least <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/death-toll-reaches-91-with-59-missing-as-rains-wreak-havoc-in-kerala-242809">95 people were killed</a> and more than 50 are missing in Kerala, where heavy rainfall triggered dozens of landslides last week and trapped more than 100 people.

About 190,000 people are still living in relief camps in the state, said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, but he added some people are returning home as floodwaters recede.

In neighbouring Karnataka, home to the technology hub Bengaluru, 54 people died and 15 are missing after rivers burst their banks when authorities released water from dams.

Nearly 700,000 people have been evacuated in the state.

Video:&nbsp;Over 160 killed as floods wreak havoc across 3 states in India

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/over-160-killed-as-floods-wreak-havoc-across-3-states-in-india-242315/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Heavy rainfall is expected in parts of Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat, as well as the central state of Madhya Pradesh, in the next two days, weather officials said.

In Maharashtra, which includes the financial capital Mumbai, 48 people died but floodwaters are receding, said a state official.

"We are now trying to restore electricity and drinking water supplies," he said.

In Madhya Pradesh, the biggest producer of soybeans, heavy rains killed 32 people and damaged crops, authorities said.

In Gujarat, 31 people died in rain-related incidents, while landslides killed nearly a dozen people in the northern hilly state of Uttarakhand.

Floods and landslides have killed more than 270 people in India this month, displaced one million and inundated thousands of homes across six states, authorities said on Wednesday after two weeks of heavy monsoon rains.

Floods and landslides have killed more than 270 people in India this month, displaced one million and inundated thousands of homes across six states, authorities said on Wednesday after two weeks of heavy monsoon rains. The rains from June to September are a lifeline for rural India, delivering some 70% of the country's rainfall, but they also cause death and destruction each year. The southern states of Kerala and Karnataka, and Maharashtra and Gujarat in the west, were among the hardest hit by floods that washed away thousands of hectares of summer-sown crops and damaged roads and rail lines. At least 95 people were killed and more than 50 are missing in Kerala, where heavy rainfall triggered dozens of landslides last week and trapped more than 100 people. About 190,000 people are still living in relief camps in the state, said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, but he added some people are returning home as floodwaters recede. In neighbouring Karnataka, home to the technology hub Bengaluru, 54 people died and 15 are missing after rivers burst their banks when authorities released water from dams. Nearly 700,000 people have been evacuated in the state. Video: Over 160 killed as floods wreak havoc across 3 states in India Heavy rainfall is expected in parts of Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat, as well as the central state of Madhya Pradesh, in the next two days, weather officials said. In Maharashtra, which includes the financial capital Mumbai, 48 people died but floodwaters are receding, said a state official. "We are now trying to restore electricity and drinking water supplies," he said. In Madhya Pradesh, the biggest producer of soybeans, heavy rains killed 32 people and damaged crops, authorities said. In Gujarat, 31 people died in rain-related incidents, while landslides killed nearly a dozen people in the northern hilly state of Uttarakhand.

Death toll rises to 270 due to floods in India, over one million displaced

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