A Boeing 737 plane carrying 85 people skidded off the runway at the airport in Dakar, Senegal's capital, injuring 10 people, a statement from the country's transport minister said in a statement on Thursday. El Malick Ndiaye, the transport minister, said the Air Senegal flight operated by TransAir was headed to Bamako late on Wednesday carrying 79 passengers, two pilots and four cabin crew. The injured were being treated in hospital, while the other survivors have been taken to a hotel to rest. No other details were immediately available. 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
09 May,2024 04:32 PM IST | Dakar (Senegal) | APTwo young siblings died after being swept away by a rapidly flowing creek in Southern California's San Bernardino Mountains, authorities said. The tragedy occurred Tuesday when a mother took her 4-year-old daughter and 2-year-old son to spend the afternoon at Thurman Flat picnic area on Highway 38 near Mill Creek, the San Bernardino Count Sheriff's Department said in a news release. They were playing along the creek when at one point the mother was attending to her son and her daughter was taken downstream, the department said. "The mother searched for her but could not locate her," the department said. "When she returned, her son was missing and assumed to be down river as well." The mother frantically searched for both children and then hiked up to the picnic area and asked another family to help search, an effort that was unsuccessful. Rescue crews from multiple agencies arrived at the scene about 70 miles (113 kilometers) east of Los Angeles around 4 p.m. and eventually found both children. The siblings were taken to local hospitals and pronounced dead after extensive efforts to save their lives, the department said. The names of the children and their mother were not immediately released. Mill Creek is a major tributary of the Santa Ana River. Its waters plunge down a rocky bed from the towering peaks of the San Bernardino range, where ski resorts reported as much as 199 inches (505 centimeters) of snowfall this past season. California authorities regularly warn that the state's rivers and streams can become very dangerous when spring snowmelt fills them with fast-flowing, very cold water. Cold shock can quickly stun the strongest of swimmers and boulders, branches and other debris can lurk invisibly beneath the surface, according to the California Office of Emergency Services. "Swift water can be deadly, especially as the weather warms up following heavy winter snowfall in the mountains and higher-than-average flows in rivers and streams," said Amy Palmer, spokesperson for the California Office of Emergency Services, said in an email. "It's critical Californians understand and appreciate the dangers it can pose and take precautions wherever possible." Local public safety agencies also make pleas for people to be careful near waters. In the southern Sierra Nevada, the Kern County Sheriff's Office is blunt, updating a sign on the road to the notorious Kern River with the death toll since 1968. Last May, the sign was updated from 317 to 325, reflecting eight deaths between 2022 and 2023. 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
09 May,2024 03:52 PM IST | Mountain Home Village | AP | PTIChinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Hungary late Wednesday, the final stop on his five-day European tour, where he's expected to finalize a number of agreements with Prime Minister Viktor Orban that will deepen China's economic footprint in the region. Xi is set to spend two nights in the Hungarian capital Budapest where he will meet with Orban and Hungarian President Tamas Sulyok. Talks will center on future Chinese investments in the Central European country, which has courted deep economic ties with Beijing even as mainstream European leaders have pursued more protectionist policies to limit its reach on the continent. Orban, a nationalist populist whose illiberal policies have pushed him to the fringes of the European Union, made his country the first in the 27-member bloc to participate in Xi's signature Belt and Road Initiative. Hungary has straddled a middle ground between its membership in the EU and NaTO and a willingness to establish diplomatic and trade relationships with autocratic governments outside those groupings. Hungary's foreign minister, PEter Szijjarto, told a news conference on Monday that Xi and Hungarian officials would sign at least 16 bilateral agreements during the visit, Xi's first to the country as president. Szijjarto called the visit "historic," and pointed out that China had provided more foreign investment to Hungary than any other country in 2023. He added that some of the agreements to be signed would involve expansion of Belt and Road in Hungary, and could include investments in infrastructure and energy. Xi's arrival in Budapest came after a two-day visit to Serbia's capital Belgrade, where he signed an agreement on building a "shared future" with the Balkan country which, like Hungary, is considered friendly to Russia's Vladimir Putin. China has claimed neutrality in the Ukraine conflict, but has refused to call the Russian assault an invasion and has been accused of bolstering Russia's military capacity. Hungary has condemned the Russian invasion but threatened to block EU sanctions against Moscow and refused to provide Kyiv with military support. Xi and Orban are likely to discuss the war in Ukraine, Hungary's neighbor to the east. Hungary's government has vocally urged China to take a leading role in brokering peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, and expressed its support for a China-proposed peace plan. Before Xi's arrival on Wednesday, a number of demonstrators gathered in central Budapest to protest his visit and call for autonomy for Tibet, which lies under Chinese control. Tibor Hendrey, a representative for the Tibet aid Society, said that doing business with China is important for Hungary's economy, but highlighted the dangers of a relationship with a country with a spotty democratic and human rights records. "We need a good relationship with a great empire, that's not a problem. The problem is that China has a completely different culture, a completely different approach to human rights," Hendrey said. "I feel that they want to export this kind of thinking here to Hungary, and that the Hungarian government is willing to accept that." 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
09 May,2024 03:39 PM IST | Budapest (Hungary) | APAmid the ongoing ground offensive in Rafah, United States Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin confirmed on Wednesday that the US is pausing a shipment of "high-payload munitions" to Israel, as the operation has no plan for the residing civilians in the region, reported CNN. "We're going to continue to do what's necessary to ensure that Israel has the means to defend itself, but that said, we are currently reviewing some near-term security assistance shipments in the context of unfolding events in Rafah," Defence Secretary Austin said at a Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee hearing. The remarks of Austin come amid mounting airstrikes, and at a time when the Israeli Prime Minister's Office has also reaffirmed the continuation of military operations in Rafah to "exert military pressure on Hamas." "We've been very clear ... that Israel shouldn't launch a major attack into Rafah without accounting for and protecting the civilians that are in that battlespace," Austin said, according to CNN. Austin also stressed that the weapons shipment was not included in the supplemental budget package that Congress just approved, which contained lethal aid for both Israel and Ukraine. The US has not made "a final determination" about what will happen with the arms shipment, Austin stated. Meanwhile, protesters from Code Pink interrupted Austin in the middle of his response, shouting "Free Palestine" before they were taken from the room, as per CNN. Further, as the military operation by Israel in Rafah continues, the United Nations on Wednesday, too, voiced alarm Wednesday over the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza. UN spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, in an operational update, according to CNN, has said that challenges persist because supplies for relief efforts are unable to pass through important crossings into the strip as fighting continues. Dujarric further stated that it is the need of the hour for incoming supplies, including fuel, to keep coming in for sustained humanitarian efforts. He added that the situation in Gaza remains fragile as key medical facilities are at risk of becoming totally inaccessible or inoperable amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Decrying Israel's ground offensive in Rafah, the United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres has also said that the Rafah offensive would be a "strategic mistake." "An assault on Rafah would be a strategic mistake, a political calamity & a humanitarian nightmare," Guterres said in a video posted on X on Tuesday, as he made an appeal to the international community to help avert the ongoing conflict "I appeal to all those with influence over Israel to do everything in their power to help avert even more tragedy," Guterres had said, adding that it is high time for a deal to be secured and bring an end to the war. The tensions escalated with multiple airstrikes on Rafah early Tuesday, resulting in casualties and injuries, as reported by the Palestinian Civil Defence. Palestinian official news agency WAFA confirmed eight deaths in two separate attacks on Rafah, although the precise timeline remains unclear. Rafah's Kuwait hospital reported receiving 11 deceased individuals, according to a Facebook post in the early hours of Tuesday local time. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated their ongoing targeted strikes against Hamas terror targets in eastern Rafah. The crossing was one of the primary routes for supplies into the besieged Gaza Strip. In mid-December, Israeli authorities announced its reopening in response to rising US pressure and a severe humanitarian situation in Gaza. 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
09 May,2024 08:45 AM IST | Washington | ANIAuthorities in southern Brazil rushed on Wednesday to rescue survivors of massive flooding that has killed at least 100 people, but some residents refused to leave belongings behind while others returned to evacuated homes despite the risk of new storms. Heavy rains and flooding in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul since last week also have left 128 people missing, authorities said. More than 230,000 have been displaced, and much of the region has been isolated by the floodwaters. More storms are expected in the state, with lightning strikes and wind gusts reaching up to 100 kilometers per hour (62 mph) in the south, according to Catia Valente, the meteorologist in the state's situation room. Staffers of the state's civil defense agency told The Associated Press they have been struggling to persuade residents of the city of Eldorado do Sul, one of the hardest hit by the floods, to leave their homes. It is located beside Porto Alegre, near the center of the state's coastline. At least four people declined to evacuate. A flyover of Eldorado do Sul in a military helicopter showed hundreds of houses submerged, with only their roofs visible. Residents were using small boards, surfboards and personal watercraft to move around. Mayor Ernani de Freitas told local journalists that the city "will be totally evacuated." "It will take at least a year to recover," he said. Rio Grande do Sul's Gov. Eduardo Leite, speaking at a news conference late Tuesday, appealed to residents to stay out of harm's way, as the anticipated downpour may cause more severe flooding across the state. "It isn't the time to return home," he said. The civil defense agency's own urgent warning asking displaced residents not to return to flooded areas also stressed the risk of disease transmission. Army Gen. Marcelo Zucco, one of the coordinators of rescue operations, told the AP his team is working at full speed before heavy rains that are forecast to hit the Porto Alegre area this weekend. Moderate rain was falling Wednesday afternoon in the city. "We hope the next rains are not like those we saw, but there's no way to be sure there won't be trouble ahead of us," Zucco said. "At this moment we are focusing on finishing rescue operations and starting logistical support to the population. That's bringing water, medication, food and transportation for the sick to some hospital," the general added. He also said some improvement in conditions for the day helped his men finally access some areas by land. A report by the National Confederation of Municipalities estimates damages at 4.6 billion reais (USD 930 million) in nearly 80% of Rio Grande do Sul's municipalities. Gov. Leite has said that the enormous impact will require something akin to the Marshall Plan for Europe's post-WWII recovery. Already the state has asked the federal government to suspend debt payments and create a fund for the southern region. On Tuesday, Congress passed a decree declaring a state of calamity in Rio Grande do Sul until the end of the year, allowing the federal government to quickly allocate money to mitigate the catastrophe and rebuild regions affected by the floods, bypassing a spending cap. The vote united supporters and opponents of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's government. "There is no limit to the public spending necessary to resolve the problem of the calamity that today is ravaging Rio Grande do Sul state," Planning and Budget Minister Simone Tebet told Radio Gaucho in an interview. 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
09 May,2024 08:34 AM IST | Porto Alegre | APUS President Joe Biden has threatened Israel with further restrictions on the supply of military equipment were Israel to carry out a major military offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. "I made it clear that if they (Israel) go into Rafah... I'm not supplying the weapons that have been used historically to deal with Rafah, to deal with the cities – that deal with that problem," Biden told broadcaster CNN in an interview, stressing "they haven't gone in Rafah yet". On Wednesday, the US said it paused a large shipment of weapons to Israel amid ongoing concerns in Washington about military operations in the southern Gaza city. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said it had been clearly communicated to Israel that the US government did not support Israel's long-threatened all-out offensive in Rafah, the southern city in the Gaza Strip that is seen as the last place of refuge for civilians in the territory. He said the Israeli side has yet to present a credible plan that guarantees both the protection of the civilian population in Rafah and their access to humanitarian supplies. Israel describes Rafah as the last major Hamas stronghold in Gaza. 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
09 May,2024 08:30 AM IST | Washington | IANSA prominent Berlin politician was violently assaulted and suffered injuries to her head and neck, police said Wednesday, in the latest attack on elected officials that raises concern over rising political violence in Germany. Franziska Giffey, the city’s top economic official, a former mayor and an ex-federal minister, was attacked at an event in a Berlin library on Tuesday by a man who approached her from behind and hit her with a bag containing a hard device, police said. Giffey was taken to a hospital and treated. 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
09 May,2024 07:50 AM IST | Berlin | AgenciesRussia launched aerial attacks on energy facilities throughout Ukraine early Wednesday, targeting seven regions with more than 50 missiles as well as drones, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. The attacks also damaged the railway station and tracks in the city of Kherson, across the Dnieper River from Russian-held territory, and injured two people in Brovary, adjacent to the capital Kyiv, officials said. Russia consistently targets Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. There was a major aerial attack on energy facilities on April 27 and another a week earlier. ‘Russia’s invasion can’t be solved by rewarding Moscow’ Italy’s president told the UN General Assembly that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine can’t be solved by rewarding its aggression. Sergio Mattarella said many international partners have come to Ukraine’s defence to say solidarity must be given to nations attacked by acts that violate international law. 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
09 May,2024 07:50 AM IST | Moscow | AgenciesThe Israeli military said on Wednesday that it has reopened the Kerem Shalom crossing into Gaza, a key terminal for the entry of humanitarian aid that was closed nearly three days earlier after a Hamas rocket attack killed four Israeli soldiers nearby. An Israeli tank brigade seized the nearby Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt early Tuesday, and it remained closed. Associated Press journalists heard sporadic explosions and gunfire in the area overnight, including two large blasts early Wednesday. Rafah has been a vital conduit for humanitarian aid since the start of the war and is the only place where people can enter and exit. Israel now controls all of Gaza’s border crossings for the first time since it withdrew troops and settlers from the territory nearly two decades ago. US bomb shipment paused over Rafah Children stand by a missile impact crater after Israeli bombardment in Rafah. Pic/AFP The US paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on of Rafah against the wishes of the US, a senior administration official, said. The shipment was supposed to consist of 1,800 2,000-pound (900-kg) bombs and 1,700 500-pound (225-kg) bombs, according to the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter, with the focus of US concern being the larger explosives and how they could be used in a dense urban setting. 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
09 May,2024 07:48 AM IST | Jerusalem | AgenciesIn a Surrey courtroom in British Columbia, members of the Sikh community gathered as three Indian nationals accused of killing Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar made their first court appearance by video. The accused, Karan Brar, Karanpreet Singh, and Kamalpreet Singh, arrived in court wearing orange jumpsuits, as pro-Khalistani protestors outside screamed slogans and brandished signs blaming the Indian government for Nijjar's death. Judge Delaram Jahani briefly questioned the suspects in court. Two of them, Brar and Karanpreet Singh, have agreed to appear again on May 21 with legal representation, while Kamalpreet Singh, who is seeking legal counsel, has yet to set a new date, reported ANI. According to the report, the trio was arrested in Edmonton last week and charged with first-degree murder and a deadly conspiracy in connection with Nijjar's June 2023 killing, which strained Canada-India relations. Canada's Prime Minister accused Indian government agents of killing Nijjar, sparking a diplomatic crisis between the two countries. However, India has denounced the allegations as false. Nijjar was tragically shot outside a gurdwara in Surrey, a suburb of Vancouver, in June last year, and a video of the incident surfaced in March this year, implying a contract killing, the report added. Canadian police released photos of the three suspects and the vehicle thought to have been used in the crime. The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) nabbed the men with support from law enforcement agencies in British Columbia and Alberta, the news agency report stated. The leader of Canada's New Democratic Party, Jagmeet Singh, reiterated allegations of Indian involvement in Nijjar's killing after the arrests were made, but no evidence linking India to the crime has been shared by Canadian authorities. India has consistently denied any involvement in Hardeep Nijjar killing. "The Indian government hired assassins to murder a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil - at a place of worship. Today 3 arrests were made. Let me be clear - any Indian agent or state actor that ordered, planned or carried out this murder must be exposed and met with the full force of Canadian law. For Canada, democracy and free speech - there must be Justice for Hardeep Singh Nijjar," Jagmeet posted from his X handle. In 2023, the Canadian Prime Minister accused India of involvement in the death, which India categorically denied, calling it 'absurd and driven'. The Canadian police have also not provided any proof linking India to the killing. With ANI inputs
09 May,2024 12:49 AM IST | Canada | mid-day online correspondentWinners of the 2024 Indiana presidential primary will be President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, who are already expected to be the front-runners for their respective parties, NBC News has projected. On March 12, both Biden and Trump had acquired the requisite number of delegates to become their respective party's nominees, guaranteeing the outcome in Indiana. According to a tracker from Decision Desk HQ/The Hill, the victory may provide Trump, who is already the presumed GOP nominee, an additional 58 delegates in a state that he is expected to win this autumn. Even though Trump was the only contender remaining on the Indiana GOP ticket, he faced off against his former competitor and UN ambassador Nikki Haley, who has garnered significant support in many state primaries despite withdrawing. In the Democratic primary in Indiana, President Biden is predicted to win all 79 delegates; but, according to current head-to-head Hoosier State polls, Trump is ahead of Biden, The Hill reported. In Indiana, Biden's name was the only one that appeared on the ballot. However, for the Republicans, Trump's name was one of two on the primary ballot, with former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley still appearing on the state's ballot despite having dropped out of the race, according to NBC News. Trump defeated Biden handily in the state in 2016 and again by double digits in 2020 before losing his attempt for re-election. In addition, voters in Indiana cast their votes in a tight six-way GOP primary on Tuesday (local time) to succeed term-limited Republican Governor Eric Holcomb. The party mobilised behind Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) to unseat the first-term senator in the upper chamber after Senator Mike Braun (R-Ind.) was predicted to win that contest. Banks' House seat, in turn, is one of six that are in contention. The long-anticipated rematch of Trump and Biden is expected to mirror the 2020 campaign, though Trump will run this time under the spectre of 91 felony charges related to allegations that he plotted to overturn his 2020 election defeat, according to CNN. The charges included that he played a lead role in the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the US Capitol; illegally took classified documents from the White House; and covered up hush money payments to an adult film star ahead of the 2016 election. However, Trump has now achieved a record of accomplishments and missteps for voters to weigh. Moreover, Biden is so far running a similar campaign to 2020, appealing to concerns over Trump's authoritarian behaviour and a middling economy. Biden's main opposition has come more from general intraparty anxiety over his age and from progressives' outrage over the administration's support for Israel in its war against Hamas in Gaza. 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
09 May,2024 12:42 AM IST | Washington | ANIADVERTISEMENT
