Ten people, including four children, have been killed in a stampede in Nigeria's capital city as a large crowd gathered to collect food items distributed by a local church at a Christmas event, the police said Saturday. The stampede occurred in the early morning hours at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, a high-brow part of Abuja, from where more than 1,000 people have been evacuated, police spokesman Josephine Adeh said in a statement. It is the second such stampede in a week in Africa's most populous country as local organisations, churches and individuals are increasingly organising charity events ahead of Christmas amid the country's worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation. 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
21 December,2024 07:10 PM IST | Abuja | APPrime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday arrived here in the Gulf nation on a two-day visit where he will meet the Indian diaspora and hold talks with Kuwaiti leadership to "strengthen the India-Kuwait friendship across various sectors". Modi is visiting Kuwait on the invitation of Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. His visit to Kuwait will be the first of any Indian Prime Minister to the Gulf nation in 43 years. "Landed in Kuwait to a warm welcome. This is the first visit by an Indian PM in 43 years, and it will undoubtedly strengthen the India-Kuwait friendship across various sectors. I look forward to the programmes scheduled for later today and tomorrow," Prime Minister Modi posted on X. On his arrival, Modi was warmly received by Sheikh Fahad Yousef Saud Al-Sabah First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence & Interior of Kuwait. "A new chapter in the making! PM @narendramodi arrives in Kuwait to a ceremonial welcome. Warmly received by H.E Sheikh Fahad Yousef Saud Al-Sabah First Deputy PM, Minister of Defence & Interior of Kuwait, H.E. Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya, FM of Kuwait & several other Ministers & dignitaries at the airport," Ministry of External Affairs official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X. During the visit, Modi will hold discussions with the leadership of Kuwait and also interact with the Indian community. In his departure statement, he said his talks with top Kuwaiti leadership would be an opportunity to chalk out a roadmap for a futuristic partnership between India and Kuwait. "We deeply value the historical connection with Kuwait that has been nurtured over generations. We are not just strong trade and energy partners but also have shared interest in peace, security, stability and prosperity in the West Asia region," he said. Modi said he was looking forward to his meetings with the Emir, the Crown Prince and the prime minister of Kuwait. He will also attend the opening ceremony of the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup here in Kuwait. The last Indian prime minister to visit Kuwait was Indira Gandhi in 1981. India is among the top trading partners of Kuwait. He would also meet the vibrant Indian diaspora here. The Indian community is the largest expatriate community in Kuwait. Indians constitute 21 per cent (1 million) of the total population of Kuwait and 30 per cent of its work-force (approx 9 lakhs). Indian workers top the Private Sector as well as domestic sector (DSW) work force list, according to Indian Embassy in Kuwait. Kuwait is among India's top trading partners, with bilateral trade valued at USD 10.47 billion in the financial year 2023-24. Kuwait is India's sixth largest crude supplier, meeting 3 per cent of the country's energy needs. Indian exports to Kuwait reached USD 2 billion for the first time, while investments by the Kuwait Investment Authority in India exceed USD 10 billion. India and Kuwait have enjoyed traditionally friendly relations, with links dating back to pre-oil Kuwait when maritime trade with India was the backbone of its economy. 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
21 December,2024 06:55 PM IST | Kuwait City | PTIA knife attack at an elementary school in Zagreb, Croatia, has resulted in the death of a seven-year-old girl and left eight others injured, including a teacher who is now in critical condition, CNN reported. The attacker, a 19-year-old believed to be a former student of Precko Elementary School, entered a first-grade classroom early Friday morning and began his assault with a knife. The attack left a teacher with life-threatening injuries, and the injured students are being treated in hospitals across the city. Authorities confirmed that the teacher's condition remains critical. "The attacker is under police custody. The injured persons are receiving medical treatment," Zagreb police said, as per CNN. Witnesses described chaotic scenes as emergency services arrived at the school. Helicopters were used to transport the wounded to various hospitals. Among the five injured students, three are said to have sustained non-critical injuries. Croatian Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic praised the quick response from police, who subdued the attacker just 10 minutes after the assault began, reported CNN. The attacker's mother spoke to Croatian media, revealing that her son had been emotionally unstable for years and had been admitted to a psychiatric ward multiple times. "I begged the doctor not to discharge him because he is not fit to be out," she said. The attacker, who reportedly lived near the school, had graduated from it five years prior. The Croatian government has expressed its horror over the incident. Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic condemned the tragedy, calling the nation "appalled" by the attack. He also announced a national day of mourning for the victims. Meanwhile, Health Minister Irena Hristic is set to visit the hospitals where the injured are being treated, CNN reported. School attacks are rare in Croatia and the broader Balkan region, but the incident comes on the heels of recent tragedies in neighbouring Serbia, including two mass shootings targeting schools in Belgrade last year. 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
21 December,2024 08:57 AM IST | Zagreb | ANIPakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered strict action against officials of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) implicated in facilitating human traffickers, following the tragic Greek boat disaster that left at least five Pakistani nationals dead, The Express Tribune reported. During a meeting on Friday in Islamabad, PM Sharif instructed the relevant authorities to expedite investigations into the growing issue of human trafficking and emphasised the urgency of addressing such incidents. "Such incidents tarnish Pakistan's global image and must be dealt with swiftly and effectively," he remarked. The Prime Minister's directives come after the latest tragedy, in which a boat capsized near Greece, resulting in Pakistani casualties. The PM expressed concern over the delay in addressing last year's similar boat capsizing incident. "The delay in taking action against those responsible for last year's boat capsizing incident is concerning," he said, adding, "We cannot allow this to continue, as these tragedies only harm our country's reputation." The meeting was updated on preventive measures taken to combat human trafficking, alongside new developments regarding the recent boat disaster near the Greek island of Gavdos. The Pakistani mission in Greece confirmed that five Pakistanis had died in the incident, though they stated they had no concrete information about the exact number of missing persons, reported The Express Tribune. An official from the Pakistan mission updated the media, saying, "So far, we have identified five dead Pakistanis and rescued 47 others. There is no concrete information about missing persons at this stage, and this is the final information available." On Thursday, as part of a major crackdown on human traffickers involved in the boat tragedy, the FIA registered cases against three traffickers and arrested two of its own officers for negligence. Inspector Zubair Ashraf and Sub Inspector Shahid Imran were arrested for failing to properly screen passengers at Faisalabad Airport. Both officers were on duty when 18 victims of the Greek boat tragedy passed through the airport's screening process, The Express Tribune reported. The Prime Minister's office has made it clear that those found guilty of negligence or corruption will face serious consequences as Pakistan aims to combat the rising human trafficking issue. 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
21 December,2024 08:53 AM IST | Islamabad | ANIAt least two people were killed and dozens more injured in a suspected attack at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, on Friday evening, CNN reported. The attack occurred when a car deliberately rammed into a crowd of people at the market, resulting in multiple fatalities and injuries. According to local public broadcaster MDR, Saxony-Anhalt Prime Minister Reiner Haseloff confirmed that the two victims included an adult and a toddler. The tragic incident, which unfolded in the heart of the popular holiday market, left 68 people injured. Of these, 15 sustained serious injuries, with 37 others moderately injured and 16 suffering from minor injuries. Emergency response teams, including around 100 firefighters and 50 rescue personnel, were quickly deployed to the scene to assist the wounded and transport them to nearby hospitals. Local authorities have been working swiftly to manage the crisis and prevent further harm. In the aftermath of the suspected attack, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser expressed her shock and sorrow over the devastating event, reported CNN. "This news from Magdeburg is deeply shocking. The emergency services are doing everything they can to care for the injured and save lives. All our thoughts are with the victims and their families," Faeser wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. She also assured the public that security authorities were investigating the incident to clarify the details surrounding the attack. According to German Prime Minister Haseloff, the suspected driver of the car involved in the attack has been apprehended. Haseloff stated that preliminary information suggests the driver acted alone, and authorities were in the process of compiling further data and conducting an interrogation. "We are currently in the process of compiling all further data and also carrying out the interrogation. According to the current information, it is an individual perpetrator, so there is no longer any danger to the city because we were able to arrest him," Haseloff said in a televised statement on Friday night. Security forces have been working tirelessly to investigate the motive behind the attack, with authorities stressing that there is no indication of further threats. The local community has been left shaken by the tragic loss of life and the chaos that unfolded in the festive environment of the Christmas market, CNN reported. As police continue their investigation, both local officials and citizens are grieving the loss of life and supporting the injured in this difficult time. 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
21 December,2024 08:50 AM IST | Germany | ANIThe Biden administration is canceling federal student loans for 55,000 more workers through an existing programme known as Public Service Loan Forgiveness. The Education Department’s announcement Friday targets teachers, nurses, service members, law enforcement officials and others who’ve reached eligibility through the programme, which promises to erase loans after 10 years of work in government or nonprofit jobs. The USD 4.28 billion in relief is expected to be the final round of public service loan forgiveness before President Joe Biden leaves office in January. Biden has canceled USD 180 billion in federal student loans. Int’l students urged to return soon A growing number of US colleges and universities are advising international students to return to campus before Donald Trump takes charge, over concerns that he might impose travel bans. 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
21 December,2024 08:47 AM IST | Washington | AgenciesLawmakers clashed in Taiwan’s legislature on Friday when members of a leading political party who had broken into the building overnight to occupy the speaker’s chair tussled with members of another major party who forced their way in to evict them. Some lawmakers were injured in the clash. Lawmakers from the Democratic Progressive Party pushed and shoved Nationalist members who barged in to take control and allow the speaker, Han Kuo-yu, take his position. The issue involves three bills being pushed by the Nationalist Party, or Kuomintang, including one that critics say would paralyse the Constitutional Court. 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
21 December,2024 08:45 AM IST | Taipei | AgenciesSri Lanka Navy has rescued over 100 Rohingya, including 25 children, from Myanmar distressed in the seas off the island’s northeastern coast. They were spotted by local fishermen on Thursday in the Mullaithivu district’s Vellamullivaikkal area. “We are still unable to verify the cause for their distress in the sea or where they were heading,” the navy spokesman said on speculation that they could be heading to either Australia or Indonesia. “They were on a fishing trawler. There are 102 in total… 25 children and 40 women including a pregnant mother,” the navy spokesman said. They have been brought to the eastern port of Trincomalee where further action will be taken, the navy said. The navy similarly rescued over 100 Rohingya in the Sri Lankan waters in December 2022. They were repatriated with assistance from the UN refugee agency. 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
21 December,2024 08:44 AM IST | Colombo | AgenciesMalaysia’s government has agreed in principle to accept a second ‘no find, no fee’ proposal from a US company to renew the hunt for flight MH370, which is believed to have crashed in the southern Indian Ocean more than 10 years ago, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said Friday. Texas-based marine robotics firm Ocean Infinity will continue the seabed search operation at a new 15,000-square-kilometer site in the ocean next year. The Boeing 777 plane vanished from radar shortly after taking off on March 8, 2014, carrying 239 people, mostly Chinese nationals, on a flight from Malaysia’s capital, Kuala Lumpur, to Beijing. Satellite data showed the plane deviated from its flight path to head over the southern Indian Ocean, where it is believed to have crashed. An search failed to turn up any clues, although debris washed ashore on the east African coast and Indian Ocean islands. 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
21 December,2024 08:39 AM IST | Kuala Lumpur | AgenciesA Russian ballistic missile attack on Ukraine’s capital Kyiv early Friday killed at least one person and injured nine others, officials said. Moscow claimed it was in response to a Ukrainian strike on Russian soil using American-made weapons. At least three loud blasts were heard in Kyiv shortly before sunrise. Ukraine’s air force said it intercepted five Iskander short-range ballistic missiles fired at the city. The attack knocked out heating to 630 residential buildings, 16 medical facilities, and 30 schools and kindergartens, the city administration said, and falling missile debris caused damage and sparked fires in three districts. “We ask citizens to immediately respond to reports of ballistic attack threats, because there is very little time to find shelter,” the air force said. The Russian Ministry of Defence said the strike was in response to a Ukrainian missile attack on Russia’s Rostov border region two days earlier. That attack used six American-made Army Tactical Missile System, known as ATACMS, missiles and four Storm Shadow air-launched missiles provided by the United Kingdom, it said. That day, Ukraine claimed to have targeted a Rostov oil refinery as part of its campaign to strike Russian infrastructure supporting the country’s war effort. Zelensky meets Czech PM Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday held a meeting with Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala and discussed the country’s defence needs in the conflict against Russia. “Today, we discussed Ukraine’s current defence needs, with a particular focus on bolstering air defense systems to protect strategic energy facilities. Strengthening Ukraine and supporting our soldiers on the frontline brings the end of the war and a just peace for all of Europe closer,” Zelensky posted 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
21 December,2024 08:37 AM IST | Kyiv | AgenciesThe BRICS countries continue to create new tools to ensure economic growth and transform the structure of the world economy so that in the long term it will contribute to the progress of humanity and strengthen the position of the group's countries as the leader of the global movement forward. This was stated by Russian President Vladimir Putin during the "Results of the Year" on December 19, TV BRICS reported. Answering a question from a journalist from Tatarstan about BRICS, the Russian head of state emphasised that the association works for the interests of the member states, as per TV BRICS. "The association is developing rapidly. Many states [...] show interest in BRICS because this work is built solely on the basis of reciprocity and respect for each other and each other's interests. All issues are adopted by consensus, and this is very important. There are no small and big states, more developed and less developed; there is an association of interests, and there is only one interest - development," TV BRICS quoted Vladimir Putin as saying. The Russian leader also noted that the BRICS summit in Kazan attracted a significant number of world leaders. According to him, the capital of Tatarstan has made a significant leap in development in recent years and is now one of the best cities in Europe. In addition, Putin answered a question asked by a journalist from Xinhua News Agency, a partner of TV BRICS, about the prospects of relations between Russia and China. He emphasised that they have reached an unprecedented high level in the last decade, as they are based on mutual trust. Speaking about economic cooperation, the Russian President noted that the trade turnover between the countries, according to various estimates, ranges from USD 220 to USD 240 billion. In addition, the states are implementing more than 600 joint investment projects, TV BRICS reported. "Finally, a very important component, in my opinion, is the humanitarian part. We constantly hold cross years - the year of culture, the year of youth exchanges. This is all very important for people; it is a base for the development of economic ties and political interaction," Putin added. "Latin America is represented here, as always, because Cuba, Venezuela, and the rest of the region have always had good, friendly relations with Russia," Prensa Latina journalist Hansell Pavel Oro Oro noted in a conversation with the international media network. The programme "Results of the Year with Vladimir Putin" was held in the format of a direct line combined with a press conference. The head of state answered questions from citizens and representatives of Russian and foreign media on topics ranging from domestic policy and social agenda to international relations and foreign economic activity. The direct line received almost 2.5 million appeals, and 76 questions were asked during the event, as per TV BRICS. 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
20 December,2024 10:37 AM IST | Moscow | ANIADVERTISEMENT
