The engine of a Russian plane with 95 people on board caught fire after landing at Antalya airport in southern Turkey on Sunday, Turkey's transportation ministry said. All passengers and crew were safely evacuated. The Sukhoi Superjet 100 type aircraft run by Azimuth Airlines had taken off from Sochi and was carrying 89 passengers and six crew members, the ministry said in a statement. The pilot made an emergency call after the aircraft landed at 9:34 pm local time, and airport rescue and firefighting crews quickly extinguished the fire, according to the statement. No one was hurt, the statement said. The ministry said efforts were underway to remove the aircraft from the runway. Arrivals at the airport were temporarily suspended while departures were taking place from a nearby military-run runway. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
25 November,2024 09:05 AM IST | Ankara | AP | PTIRepublican senators pushed back on Sunday against criticism from Democrats that Tulsi Gabbard, Donald Trump's pick to lead US intelligence services, is "compromised" by her comments supportive of Russia and secret meetings, as a congresswoman, with Syria's president, a close ally of the Kremlin and Iran. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Illinois, a veteran of combat missions in Iraq, said she had concerns about Tulsi Gabbard, Trump's choice to be director of national intelligence. "I think she's compromised," Duckworth said on CNN's "State of the Union," citing Gabbard's 2017 trip to Syria, where she held talks with Syrian President Bashar Assad. Gabbard was a Democratic House member from Hawaii at the time. "The US intelligence community has identified her as having troubling relationships with America's foes. And so my worry is that she couldn't pass a background check," Duckworth said. Gabbard, who said last month she is joining the Republican party, has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades. She was deployed to Iraq and Kuwait and, according to the Hawaii National Guard, received a Combat Medical Badge in 2005 for "participation in combat operations under enemy hostile fire in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom III". Duckworth's comments drew immediate backlash from Republicans. "For her to say ridiculous and outright dangerous words like that is wrong," Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Oklahoma, said on CNN, challenging Duckworth to retract her words. "That's the most dangerous thing she could say " is that a United States lieutenant colonel in the United States Army is compromised and is an asset of Russia." In recent days, other Democrats have accused Gabbard without evidence of being a "Russian asset". Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat, has claimed, without offering details, that Gabbard is in Russian President Vladimir "Putin's pocket". Mullin and others say the criticism from Democrats is rooted in the fact that Gabbard left their party and has become a Trump ally. Democrats say they worry that Gabbard's selection as national intelligence chief endangers ties with allies and gives Russia a win. Rep. Adam Schiff, a California Democrat just elected to the Senate, said he would not describe Gabbard as a Russian asset, but said she had "very questionable judgment". "The problem is if our foreign allies don't trust the head of our intelligence agencies, they'll stop sharing information with us," Schiff said on NBC's "Meet the Press". Gabbard in 2022 endorsed one of Russia's justifications for invading Ukraine: the existence of dozens of US-funded biolabs working on some of the world's nastiest pathogens. The labs are part of an international effort to control outbreaks and stop bioweapons, but Moscow claimed Ukraine was using them to create deadly bioweapons. Gabbard said she just voiced concerns about protecting the labs. Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Missouri, said he thought it was "totally ridiculous" that Gabbard was being cast as a Russian asset for having different political views. "It's insulting. It's a slur, quite frankly. There's no evidence that she's a asset of another country," he said on NBC. Sen. James Lankford, another Oklahoma Republican, acknowledged having "lots of questions" for Gabbard as the Senate considers her nomination to lead the intelligence services. Lankford said on NBC that he wants to ask Gabbard about her meeting with Assad and some of her past comments about Russia. "We want to know what the purpose was and what the direction for that was. As a member of Congress, we want to get a chance to talk about past comments that she's made and get them into full context," Lankford said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
25 November,2024 09:04 AM IST | Fort Lauderdale (US) | AP | PTIIsraeli airstrikes on Saturday in central Beirut killed at least 20 people, officials said, as the once-rare attacks on the heart of Lebanon’s capital continued without warning while diplomats scrambled to broker a cease-fire. Lebanon’s Health Ministry said 66 people were wounded in the strikes, which were the fourth in central Beirut in less than a week. The escalation comes after US envoy Amos Hochstein travelled to the region in pursuit of a deal to end months of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah that has erupted into full-on war. Israeli attacks have killed more than 3,500 people in Lebanon, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. On the Israeli side, about 90 soldiers and nearly 50 civilians have been killed by bombardment in northern Israel and the fighting. Gunman opens fire near Israeli Embassy in Jordan Authorities in Jordan say they shot and killed a man who opened fire on a police patrol near the Israeli Embassy, leaving three officers hurt. The shooting happened early Sunday in the Rabiah neighbourhood of Amman, the Jordanian capital. “He was chased and surrounded, so he started firing gunshots at the security force, which in turn applied the rules of engagement, which resulted in the killing of the perpetrator,” the police said in a statement without identifying the shooter. ‘Rabbi who went missing in the UAE was killed’ Israel said on Sunday that the body of an Israeli-Moldovan rabbi who went missing in the United Arab Emirates has been found after he was killed. The statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Israel “will act with all means to seek justice with the criminals responsible for his death”. Zvi Kogan, 28, an ultra-Orthodox rabbi who went missing on Thursday, ran a Kosher grocery store in Dubai. Israel also warned its nationals to avoid travel to the UAE This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
25 November,2024 08:44 AM IST | Beirut | AgenciesA review committee formed by Bangladesh’s interim government on Sunday recommended engaging an investigation agency to examine power agreements signed by deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s regime with different business groups, including one with Adani Group. The statement, issued by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus’s office, said the committee was currently reviewing seven major energy and power projects, including the Adani (Godda) BIFPCL 1234.4 MW coal-fired plant, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Adani Power Limited. The six other agreements include one with a Chinese company that built a 1320 MW coal-fired power plant, while the rest are with Bangladeshi business groups said to be close to the past regime. According to the statement, the committee gathered “enormous proof” warranting the agreements be “scrapped or reconsidered”. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
25 November,2024 08:38 AM IST | Dhaka | AgenciesChuck Woolery, the affable, smooth-talking game show host of ‘Wheel of Fortune’, ‘Love Connection’ and ‘Scrabble’ who later became a right-wing podcaster, skewering liberals and accusing the government of lying about COVID-19, has died. He was 83. Mark Young, Woolery’s podcast co-host, said in an email early Sunday that Woolery died at his home in Texas with his wife, Kristen, present. Woolery was inducted into the American TV Game Show Hall of Fame in 2007 and earned a daytime Emmy nomination in 1978. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
25 November,2024 08:36 AM IST | New York | AgenciesBillionaire businessman Elon Musk on Sunday took a swipe at the US’ electoral process with California yet to officially announce results of the presidential polls, more than two weeks after it was held, and drew a contrast with the voting processes in India. The Tesla CEO Elon Musk praised India’s election process, highlighting that the country was able to count a staggering 640 million votes in just one day. Sharing a post on X, the social media platform that he owns, Musk wrote, “India counted 640 million votes in 1 day. California is still counting votes.” This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
25 November,2024 08:31 AM IST | Washington | AgenciesRoutine domestic activities could expose people to a cloud of plastic particles so small that they can be inhaled deep into the lungs, according to research seen exclusively by Sky News. The study at the University of Portsmouth found a fitness workout on a synthetic carpet could result in up to 110 plastic fibres or fragments being breathed in every minute. The study indicated that folding laundry made from synthetic fabrics could lead to seven pieces of microplastic being inhaled per minute. Sitting on a sofa could result in 10 particles being breathed in every minute. But the plastic load from a workout was likely to be more than 10 times higher because of the impact on the carpet and also the higher breathing rate. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
25 November,2024 08:19 AM IST | Hampshire | Agencies | AgenciesPakistan deployed heavy security forces in the national capital, sealed key roads and suspended mobile and internet services in certain areas as supporters of jailed former premier Imran Khan on Sunday geared up for a protest march towards Islamabad. A convoy under the leadership of Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur left for Islamabad from Peshawar. Geo News reported that Bibi was part of the convoy that started from Peshawar, but the KP chief minister was leading the protest. KP government spokesperson Muhammad Ali Saif said all arrangements have been made to remove the obstacles. He also alleged that on Saturday night, police opened fire on the anti-barricading machinery and tried to set it on fire, but the PTI supporters foiled the arson attempt. He said that the government still has time to fulfil their demands, warning that there could be a situation like Bangladesh, where a mass protest led by students toppled long-time former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s government in August. Khan’s party shared pictures and videos of various groups leaving from different cities for Islamabad to take part in the protest. Meanwhile, internet tracking monitor Netblocks said WhatsApp backends have been restricted in Pakistan, according to a post on X. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
25 November,2024 08:15 AM IST | Islamabad | AgenciesIndia on Sunday rejected a new climate finance package of USD 300 billion for the Global South at the UN climate conference here, saying it was too little and too late. Nations agreed on the USD 300 billion climate finance deal for Global South at the UN climate talks taking place here in Azerbaijan. Making a statement on behalf of India, Chandni Raina, Adviser, Department of Economic Affairs, said they were not allowed to speak before the adoption of the deal. "USD 300 billion does not address the needs and priorities of developing countries. It is incompatible with the principle of CBDR (Common but Differentiated Responsibilities) and equity, regardless of the battle with the impact of climate change," she said. "We are very unhappy, disappointed with the process, and object to the adoption of this agenda," the Indian negotiator said. Supporting India, Nigeria said the USD 300 billion climate finance package was a "joke". Malawi and Bolivia also lent support to India. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
24 November,2024 11:52 AM IST | Azerbaijan | PTINATO and Ukraine will hold emergency talks on Tuesday after Russia attacked a central city with an experimental, hypersonic ballistic missile that escalated the nearly 33-month-old war. The conflict is “entering a decisive phase”, Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk said late on Friday, and “taking on very dramatic dimensions”. Ukraine’s parliament canceled a session as security was tightened following Thursday’s Russian strike on a military facility in the city of Dnipro. In a stark warning to the West, President Vladimir Putin said in a nationally televised speech that the attack with the intermediate-range Oreshnik missile was in retaliation for Kyiv’s use of US and British longer-range missiles capable of striking deeper into Russian territory. Putin said Western air defence systems would be powerless to stop the new missile. Ukrainian military officials said the missile that hit Dnipro had reached a speed of Mach 11 and carried six nonnuclear warheads each releasing six submunitions. Putin said, there is “a stockpile of such systems ready for use.” This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
24 November,2024 08:51 AM IST | Kyiv | AgenciesA key UN General Assembly committee adopted a resolution late Friday paving the way for negotiations on a first-ever treaty on preventing and punishing crimes against humanity after Russia dropped amendments that would have derailed the effort. The resolution was approved by consensus by the assembly’s legal committee, which includes all 193-member UN nations, after tense last-minute negotiations between its supporters and Russia that dragged through the day. The resolution calls for a time-bound process with preparatory sessions in 2026 and 2027, and three-week negotiating sessions in 2028 and 2029 to finalise a treaty on crimes against humanity. The ICC says crimes against humanity are committed as part of a large-scale attack on civilians and it lists 15 forms including murder, rape, imprisonment, enforced disappearances, sexual slavery, torture and deportation. But the ICC does not have jurisdiction over nearly 70 other countries. There are global treaties that cover war crimes, genocide and torture, but there has been no specific treaty addressing crimes against humanity. And according to sponsors of the resolution, led by Mexico and Gambia and backed by 96 other countries, this new treaty will fill the gap. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
24 November,2024 08:50 AM IST | United Nations | AgenciesADVERTISEMENT
