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Indian-Origin Couple, Son And Daughter Found Dead At Home In US

An Indian-origin couple and their two children were found dead in their home in New Jersey.

image of Indian family celebrating holi festival — Plainsboro police are working to conclude the investigation.

New York: An Indian-origin couple and their two children were found dead in their home in the US state of New Jersey, and police are investigating the matter as a homicide. Tej Pratap Singh, 43, and Sonal Parihar, 42, were found dead alongside their 10-year-old son and 6-year-old in their Plainsboro home sometime after 4:30 pm on Wednesday, the Plainsboro Police Department said.
Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and Chief Eamon Blanchard of the Plainsboro Police Department announced on Thursday that a homicide is currently under investigation.

“On the evening of October 4, authorities received a 911 call requesting a welfare check at a residence in Plainsboro. Upon their arrival, the Plainsboro Police Department discovered four dead victims in the house,” they said in a joint statement.

“This tragedy remains under investigation, and autopsies are being performed today,” they said, adding that an initial investigation determined that there is no threat to the public. Anyone with information or surveillance footage of the area is asked to call the Plainsboro Police Department.

A joint message from Mayor Peter Cantu and Chief Eamon Blanchard, Director of Public Safety, said that the Plainsboro community experienced a heartbreaking loss of life.

“We are all saddened by this tragic event. What happened in our community is beyond comprehension,” stated Mayor Peter Cantu.

Plainsboro police officers are currently working with their law enforcement colleagues to conclude the investigation.

“Please be assured that this is an isolated occurrence and there are no additional concerns for the safety and well-being of the community related to this incident,” Blanchard said.

“Our public safety personnel remain vigilant and resilient and will continue to ensure the safety of the Plainsboro community,” the joint statement said.

As of Thursday morning, the family’s home on Titus Lane still had crime scene tape posted around the lawn, as footage from News 12 New Jersey showed. The family’s remains were discovered when a relative called for a welfare check. At the time, police said they were looking into the tragedy as a possible murder-suicide, the outlet said.

Relatives told CBS News that they were shocked by the family’s deaths and noted that Singh and Parihar appeared to be a happy couple. Singh, in particular, was active in the community.

At the time of his death, Singh worked as a lead APIX engineer for Ness Digital Engineering, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Source: https://www.ndtv.com/indians-abroad/indian-origin-couple-2-children-found-dead-inside-home-in-us-police-launches-homicide-probe-4456424

Delhi cop dies by suicide days after wife’s death

The 55-year-old ACP was depressed as his wife passed away three days ago. The cop ended his life at his home located in Delhi’s Jungpura area.

Animated image of a dead body covered with white sheet with black background — Delhi ACP shot himself using his private revolver at his residence.

An Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) allegedly shot himself dead at his residence in New Delhi days after his wife’s death, police said on Wednesday. The 55-year-old Delhi ACP, identified as Anil Sisodia, shot himself using his personal revolver.

Anil Kumar Sisodiya was posted as ACP headquarters in southwest district.

According to the preliminary investigation by Delhi Police, the cop was depressed as his wife passed away three days ago. Anil Sisodia ended his life at his home located in Delhi’s Jungpura area.

“A 55-year-old ACP of Delhi Police, identified as Anil Sisodia, allegedly died by suicide by shooting himself at his residence in Jangpura. His wife passed away three days back,” Delhi Police said.

Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/cities/delhi/story/delhi-police-acp-suicide-anil-sisodia-wife-death-shoots-self-2444625-2023-10-04

55 Chinese sailors feared dead after submarine ‘caught in trap’

55 Chinese sailors are feared dead after nuclear submarine ‘gets caught in a trap intended to snare British and US vessels in the Yellow Sea’

• Twenty-two officers were among the 55 reported to have died in the Yellow Sea

• China denies it happened – and apparently refused international assistance

Fifty-five Chinese sailors are feared dead after their nuclear submarine apparently got caught in a trap intended to ensnare British sub-surface vessels in the Yellow Sea.

According to a secret UK report the seamen died following a catastrophic failure of the submarine’s oxygen systems which poisoned the crew.

The captain of the Chinese PLA Navy submarine ‘093-417’ is understood to be among the deceased, as were 21 other officers.

Officially, China has denied the incident took place. It also appears Beijing refused to request international assistance for its stricken submarine.

The UK report into the fatal mission reads: ‘Intelligence reports that on 21st of August there was an onboard accident whilst carrying out a mission in the Yellow Sea.

‘Incident happened at 08.12 local resulting in the death of 55 crew members: 22 officers, 7 officer cadets, 9 petty officers, 17 sailors. Dead include the captain Colonel Xue Yong-Peng.

‘Our understanding is death caused by hypoxia due to a system fault on the submarine. The submarine hit a chain and anchor obstacle used by the Chinese Navy to trap US and allied submarines.

‘This resulted in systems failures that took six hours to repair and surface the vessel. The onboard oxygen system poisoned the crew after a catastrophic failure.’

As yet there is no independent confirmation of the suspected loss of the Chinese submarine in the public domain.

Beijing has dismissed open source speculation about the incident as ‘completely false’ while Taiwan has also denied internet reports.

Mail Plus approached the Royal Navy to discuss the details contained in the UK report but official sources declined to comment or offer guidance.

The UK report, which is based on defence intelligence, is held at a high classification.

Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12589429/chinese-sailors-trap-yellow-sea.html

In Hospital Where 31 Died In 48 Hours, MP Makes Dean Clean Filthy Toilet

Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) MP Hemant Patil is seen spraying water into the toilet as the dean cleans it with a wiper.

Mumbai: A dirty toilet in a government hospital in Maharashtra’s Nanded, where 31 people have died in 48 hours, was cleaned by no less than the dean after an MP from the ruling Shiv Sena instructed him to do so.
After the deaths made national headlines, Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) MP Hemant Patil visited the Shankarrao Chavan Government Hospital on Tuesday and took stock of the situation there. On spotting a filthy toilet, Mr Patil caught hold of the hospital’s dean, Shyamrao Wakode, and asked him to clean it.

Videos show the MP standing and holding a pipe as the dean empties the toilet, putting a container, a bottle, and a toilet brush on a window. Mr Patil can then be seen spraying water into the toilet as Mr Wakode, armed with a wiper, directs streams of dirty water into the commode.

On Monday, the hospital had reported 24 deaths in 24 hours and the number rose to 31 in 48 hours on Tuesday. The condition of 71 patients is said to be critical.

Mr Wakode had, on Monday, rejected allegations of medical negligence and said there was no shortage of medicines or doctors. He had said the patients were given proper care, but did not respond to the treatment.

The opposition has trained its guns on the Eknath Shinde-led government in Maharashtra, which is composed of the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction), the BJP and the Ajit Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

“The BJP government spends thousands of crores on publicity, but there is no money to buy medicines of children,” Congress leader Rahul Gandhi asked in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge posted in Hindi on Monday, “The news of the death of 24 patients, including 12 infants, in a civil hospital in Nanded, Maharashtra, is extremely painful, serious and worrying. It is being said that these patients died due to a lack of medicines and treatment. A similar incident took place in a government hospital in Thane in August 2023, in which 18 patients lost their lives.”

The Congress chief demanded a detailed investigation and strict punishment for the culprits.

Source: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/nanded-hospital-deaths-maharashtra-hospital-in-hospital-where-31-died-in-48-hours-mp-makes-dean-clean-filthy-toilet-4445671

At least 20 killed as Italian bus falls off Venice bridge

“It’s an apocalyptic scene. I am speechless,” Mayor Luigi Brugnaro posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

A gondola is pictured on Grand Canal in front of Rialto bridge in Venice, Italy, October 20, 2021
(photo credit: REUTERS/FABRIZIO BENSCH)

At least 20 people died on Tuesday after a coach crashed off an overpass near Venice in northern Italy, the city’s mayor was quoted as saying by the Italian newspaper la Repubblica.

The coach veered off the road and fell close to railway lines in the district of Mestre, which is connected to Venice by a bridge, Italian news agencies and television reported, but the cause of the accident was still unclear.

“It’s an apocalyptic scene. I am speechless,” Mayor Luigi Brugnaro posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Source: https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-761566

Spain: At least 13 people killed in nightclub fire in Murcia

Emergency services have warned the number of dead may rise as they search the site of the blaze in Murcia, southeast Spain.

At least 13 people have died in a nightclub fire in Murcia in southeast Spain, officials have said.

Rescuers are still searching for people unaccounted for after the blaze broke out in the early hours of the morning.

The fire tore through three adjoining nightclubs.

Four people were injured and the number of dead could rise, Murcia’s emergency services said.

Video posted by Murcia’s fire service on X, formerly Twitter, showed firefighters working to control flames inside the nightclub.

The fire had destroyed part of the roof, the footage showed.

Diego Seral, of Spain’s National Police, told reporters the collapse was making it difficult to locate victims, and it was hard to pinpoint yet where exactly the fire started.

The identification of the bodies would take time, he said.

Outside the club, young people hugged, looking shocked as they waited for information about those missing.

“I think we left 30 seconds to one minute before the alarms went off and all the lights went out [and] the screams saying there was a fire,” one survivor, who was not identified, said.

“Five family members and two friends are missing.”

A spokesperson for the Teatre nightclub, Maria Dolores Albellan, told reporters the fire originated in the neighbouring club, Fonda Milagros, before spreading to the two adjoining clubs.

Spanish media reported several birthday celebrations were taking place at the time.

Murcia mayor Jose Ballesta said they were working to establish the cause of the blaze.

“We are devastated,” he said on Spanish TV channel 24h.

Source: https://news.sky.com/story/at-least-six-people-killed-in-nightclub-fire-in-spain-12974025

Suicide bombings at two mosques in Pakistan kill at least 57

Suicide bombings ripped through two mosques in Pakistan on Friday, killing at least 57 people, including seven children, as believers marked the birthday of the Prophet Mohammad, police and health officials said.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attacks, from which the death toll could climb, with many people seriously injured and others having been trapped beneath the wreckage.

In the first blast, in Mastung in the southwestern province of Balochistan, the bomber detonated his explosives near a police vehicle where people were gathering for a procession, senior police official Munir Ahmed said.

At least 52 people were killed, according to district health official Abdul Rasheed, including the children who were aged nine to 11. At least 58 people were injured.

“The injured were crying for help,” witness Munir Ahmed Shahwani said.

“I saw at least 25 bodies on the spot, which included small children,” he said, adding people were looking for their loved ones.

A deputy superintendent of police was among those killed as he oversaw security arrangements in the area, police said.

“Nawaz Gishkori tried to stop the suicide bomber, but he blew himself up after getting close to him,” Javed Lehri, a senior police officer said.

The gathering, in which people were carrying flags and banners, was at a mosque belonging to the Barelvi sect, generally considered more moderate than hardline Islamic sects such as Salafism.

Some hardline sects consider veneration of the Prophet Mohammad as heresy.

People gather outside the Mastung hospital, following a deadly suicide attack on a religious gathering in Balochistan province, Pakistan, September 29, 2023 in this handout image. Shaheed Nawab Ghous Bakhsh Raisani Memorial Hospital Mastung/Handout via REUTERS

The second attack, in neighbouring Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, killed five people at a mosque, according to rescue officials. The roof collapsed, broadcaster Geo News said, trapping about 30 to 40 people under the rubble.

The attack involved two explosions, one of which was at the mosque gate and the other in the compound, an official said.

A surge in militant attacks in Pakistan’s western provinces has cast a shadow on election preparations and public campaigning in the run-up to January’s national election, but until now the attacks had mostly targeted security forces.

Both provinces border Afghanistan and have suffered attacks in recent years by Islamist militants aiming to overthrow Pakistan’s government and install their own brand of strict Islamic law.

Source : https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/blast-southwest-pakistan-kills-13-more-than-50-injured-police-2023-09-29

Bus carrying high school band rolls off highway in New York, killing two

A bus carrying members of a high school marching band on a trip to a music camp ran off a highway and tumbled down a steep ravine in New York state on Thursday, killing two people and injuring dozens of others, several of them severely.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul, speaking at a news conference hours later, said it appeared likely “a faulty front tire contributed to the accident,” though the cause of the wreck remained under investigation.

Lieutenant Colonel Richard Mazzone of the New York State Police said the wreck killed two adult women who were among 44 passengers, 40 students and four adults, headed from Farmington High School on Long Island to Pennsylvania.

Hochul said five or six other people were critically injured. One of the dead was a faculty adviser for the school’s band program.

Dozens of students suffered minor bumps and bruises and were seen walking around the scene after the crash. The injured were taken to a half-dozen area hospitals.

“Imagine the fear, the screams in the aftermath. These high school students, many of them freshmen were surrounded by this chaos,” Hochul said.

The two dead were identified as Beatrice Ferarri, 77, of Farmingdale, and Gina Pellettiere, 43, of the nearby Long Island town of Massapequa. Pellettiere was one of three advisers to the marching band, as well as the lone adviser to both the school’s jazz and “pep” bands, the Farmingdale High School website shows.

In a Facebook posting, an individual named Ray Eugenio wrote that his grandson was among those injured in the wreck and asked for prayers.

“He was involved in a very serious accident and we do not know the extent of his injuries,” the post said. The account could not be independently verified.

The crash occurred in the early afternoon along Interstate 84 near the town of Wawayanda, about 75 miles (120 km) northwest of New York City near the border with New Jersey. The New York State Police said in a posting on social media the westbound lanes of the highway were closed at that point.

Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/bus-crashes-highway-new-york-state-officials-report-mass-casualty-event-2023-09-21/

UTTER TRAGEDY Gut-wrenching death toll from biblical Libya floods soars to 11,300 with 10,100 still missing after storm disaster

THE death toll following Libya’s devastating floods has soared to 11,300, with more than 10,000 still missing.

A major dam collapse washed a 10ft deep torrent of water through the eastern city of Derna on Sunday – wiping out everything in its path.

A major flood ripped through Libya, taking the lives of thousands of citizensCredit: Reuters

The death toll is believed to have reached around 11,300Credit: AP

10,100 are still feared missing following the apocalyptic stormCredit: AP

Health authorities previously put the death toll in Derna at 5,500, but according to the Libyan Red Crescent, this number has since risen to a gut-wrenching 11,300.

However, local officials suggest the death toll could be much higher than announced.

In comments to the Saudi-owned Al Arabia television station on Thursday, Derna Mayor Abdel-Moneim al-Ghaithi said the tally could climb to 20,000 given the number of neighbourhoods that were washed out.

The apocalyptic Strom Daniel also killed around 170 people elsewhere in the country, including the towns of Bayda, Susa, Um Razaz and Marj.

A U.N. official said Thursday that most casualties could have been avoided.

“If there would have been a normal operating meteorological service, they could have issued the warnings,” World Meteorological Organization head Petteri Taalas told reporters in Geneva.

“The emergency management authorities would have been able to carry out the evacuation.”

The International Committee of the Red Cross added that it has provided 6,000 body bags to local authorities, as well as medical, food and other supplies distributed to hard-hit communities.

Source: https://www.the-sun.com/news/9100988/death-toll-libya-floods-11300-10100-missing-storm-disaster/

16-year-old NEET aspirant dies by suicide in Kota, 25th case this year

A 16-year-old student died by suicide in Rajasthan’s Kota on Tuesday. This is the 25th such incident in the city among students preparing for competitive exams.

A 16-year-old student dies by suicide in Kota, 25th case this year

A 16-year-old student, who was preparing for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) died by suicide by hanging herself in Rajasthan’s Kota.

Twenty-five students have died by suicide in Kota, a coaching hub in Rajasthan, in just eight months this year.

A resident of Ranchi, the student was currently residing at Blaze Hostel in the city. She hanged herself and the body has been kept in the mortuary.

Around two lakh students flock to Kota annually, hoping to qualify for competitive exams like the Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) and the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET).

This year, authorities reported 25 student suicides related to the pressure of competitive exams in the district, the highest number in any year.

According to Rajasthan police data, the figure was 15 in 2022, 18 in 2019, 20 in 2018, seven in 2017, 17 in 2016, and 18 in 2015. No student suicide was reported in Kota in 2020 and 2021 for the coaching institutes were shut due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

In response to a spate of suicides in Kota, the district administration had earlier issued an order mandating the installation of spring-loaded fans in all hostel rooms and paying guest accommodations.

Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/kota-student-suicide-cases-rajasthan-coaching-institute-medical-neet-aspirants-2434950-2023-09-13

6 dead as lift of under-construction building collapses in Thane

Water-proofing working in the ground plus a 40-storey building with three underground floors for parking was being undertaken when the lift collapsed.

Representative image. Credit: iStock Photo

At least six workers were killed and another injured when a lift in an under-construction building collapsed on Sunday evening in Thane city, which neighbours the financial capital of Mumbai.

Teams of Thane’s municipal corporation, fire brigade and police have rushed to the spot.

Water-proofing working in the ground plus a 40-storey building with three underground floors for parking was being undertaken when the lift collapsed.

Source: https://www.deccanherald.com/india/maharashtra/6-dead-as-lift-of-under-construction-building-collapses-in-thane-2680723

South Africa building fire: At least 74 killed in blaze in Johannesburg

The building in the central business district has been described as an “informal settlement” where homeless people had moved in looking for accommodation.

At least 74 people have been killed in a fire in a multi-storey building in South Africa’s biggest city, authorities have said.

Officials said 55 more were injured in the blaze in Johannesburg, which broke out in the middle of the night.

Robert Mulaudzi, a spokesman for the emergency services, has warned the number of fatalities may rise further – as more people could be trapped inside.

There were “obstructions” everywhere, and this would have made it difficult to escape.

Firefighters work at the scene of a deadly blaze

Firefighters have been currently going from floor to floor – working slowly through the building’s five storeys.

“Over 20 years in the service, I’ve never come across something like this,” Mr Mulaudzi added.

Witnesses saw people throwing babies from the burning building in an attempt to save them – and at least one man jumped to his death.

Seven of the victims were children – and the youngest was a year old.

One woman who escaped the flames with her grown son and a two-year-old said she didn’t know what had happened to two other children in her family.

The building in the central business district has been described as an “informal settlement” where homeless people had moved in looking for accommodation. Some of the victims may have been renting rooms from criminal gangs.

According to witnesses, at least 200 people may have been living there – maybe more – and many of them were foreign nationals.

People looking for their loved ones have been warned that chances of finding them alive are “very slim”.

One woman looking for her daughter tearfully told reporters: “This is not a place where somebody can live. I was trying to get her to come back home so she could get back to the life she was living before.”

Source: https://news.sky.com/story/south-africa-building-fire-at-least-47-killed-in-blaze-in-johannesburg-12951202

A US Marine Osprey crashes during drills in Australia, killing 3 and injuring 20, some critically

A United States Marine Corps aircraft with 23 Marines aboard crashed on a north Australian island Sunday, killing at least three and critically injuring at least five during a multinational training exercise, officials said.

Three had been confirmed dead on Melville Island and five were flown in serious condition 80 kilometers (50 miles) to the mainland city of Darwin for hospital treatment after the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey aircraft crashed around 9:30 a.m., a statement from the Marines said.

“Recovery efforts are ongoing,” the statement said, adding the cause of the crash was under investigation.

Aircraft had been sent from Darwin to retrieve more survivors from the remote location but no further details on the fate of the other 15 Marines on board had been released hours later.

A U.S. military official reported to Australian air traffic controllers a “significant fire in the vicinity of the crash site,” according to an audio recording of the conversation broadcast by Nine News television.

Melville resident Shane Murphy was fishing from a beach when the Osprey crashed and told Australian Broadcasting Corp. he saw a “big mushroom of black smoke” rise from the wreckage.

Northern Territory Police Commissioner Michael Murphy said no one on board had escaped injury.

One of the injured was undergoing surgery at the Royal Darwin Hospital, Northern Territory Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said around six hours after the crash.

“We acknowledge that this is a terrible incident,” Fyles said. “The Northern Territory government stands by to offer whatever assistance is required.”

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said only Americans were injured in the crash during Exercise Predators Run, which involves the militaries of the United States, Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines and East Timor.

“Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the three U.S. service personnel who lost their lives, those who have been injured, the rest of the crew and indeed the entire United States armed forces,” Albanese said in a statement.

“Australia will continue to provide assistance to our friends for as long as is required,” he added.

Around 150 U.S. Marines are currently based in Darwin and up to 2,500 rotate through the city every year. They’re part of a realignment of forces in the Asia-Pacific that’s broadly meant to face an increasingly assertive China.

The 12-day exercise is scheduled to end Sept. 7. It involves troops on land, in the sea and in the air. The exercise has been paused since the crash.

The Osprey is a hybrid aircraft that takes off and lands like a helicopter, but during flight can rotate its propellers forward and cruise much faster like an airplane. Versions of the aircraft are flown by the U.S. Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force.

Before Sunday, there had been five fatal crashes of Marine Ospreys since 2012, causing a total of 16 deaths.

The latest was in June 2022, when five Marines died in a fiery crash in a remote part of California east of San Diego. A crash investigation report last month found that the tragedy was caused by a mechanical failure related to a clutch.

Source: https://apnews.com/article/us-military-aircraft-crash-australia-e85fcd46cd3c85933d724a8cf4f253b3

Former star swimmer Jamie Cail’s cause of death revealed as fentanyl overdose

A former champion swimmer who died in the US Virgin Islands in February reportedly overdosed on fentanyl, police said after a months-long probe.

Jamie Cail, 42, allegedly died of a “fentanyl intoxication with aspiration of gastric content,” meaning particles from her stomach entered her lungs, the Virgin Islands Police Department said in a Saturday press release, according to NBC.

The cops cited an Aug. 22 autopsy report from the Virgin Islands’ medical examiner.

Cail’s boyfriend found her dead on the floor of their home on Feb. 21 after he got back from a bar around midnight, police have said.

They brought Cail — who originally hails from New Hampshire — to Myrah Keating-Smith Community Health Center.

But she died despite doctors’ best efforts.

“She was just a very beautiful person,” a friend told WMUR. “She had a huge heart. She was really loving and kind and well-loved and popular on the island and everybody knows her.”

A remarkable swimmer in her youth, Cail had been living on the island of St. John with her boyfriend.
Facebook / Jamie Cail

A remarkable swimmer in her youth, Cail won a gold medal in the 800 free relay as part of the US team at the 1997 Pan Pacific Championships, according to NBC.

During the 1998-99 Swimming World Cup in Brazil, Cail took home a silver medal in the 800 free as a member of the US Swimming National B Team.

She also won the California high school championship in the 200-meter individual medley and the 500 free, the station said. She also swam at the University of Southern California and the University of Maine.

Cops had been investigating Cail’s death since it happened, NBC said.

Jamie Cail died of an accidental fentanyl overdose, according to authorities in the US Virgin Islands.
Getty Images

Cail was found unconscious on the floor of her home on Feb. 21. Despite doctors’ efforts, she died at a hospital.
Family Handout

She had reportedly been living on the island of St. John with her boyfriend while she worked at a local coffee shop.

Neither the Virgin Islands Police Department nor the medical examiner’s office responded to NBC’s requests for comment.

Fentanyl has nearly taken over the drug supply in the US during the last few years — and deaths attributed to it have risen as a consequence.

Source: https://nypost.com/2023/08/27/star-swimmer-jamie-cail-died-of-fentanyl-overdose-police/

Ukraine war: Fighter ace and two other pilots killed in mid-air crash

Watch: Ukrainian fighter pilot ‘Juice’ talks about his job hunting Russian cruise missiles

One of Ukraine’s most celebrated fighter pilots and two other airmen have been killed in a mid-air crash.

Andrii Pilshchykov won fame taking part in dogfights over Kyiv during the early phase of Russia’s invasion.

The Ukrainian military called the airmen’s deaths “painful and irreparable” losses, and paid tribute to Pilshchykov as a pilot with “mega knowledge and mega talent”.

The crash involved two L-39 training planes flying over northern Ukraine.

An investigation is under way into whether flight preparation rules were not correctly followed, resulting in Friday’s crash in Zhytomyr Oblast. The region is west of the capital, Kyiv, and hundreds of miles from the frontline.

President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the deaths in his nightly video address, saying that his country would “never forget anyone who defended the free skies of Ukraine”.

Last autumn, as Russia launched hundreds of cruise missiles and drones at Ukraine, Pilshchykov – who flew under the call-sign “Juice” – spoke to the BBC about the pressure he felt as a MiG-29 fighter pilot tasked with trying to intercept the deadly weapons before they struck.

“Intercepting the cruise missiles, your mission is to save the lives on the ground, to save the city. If you are not able, it’s a terrible feeling that somebody will die. Somebody will die in minutes and you didn’t prevent that,” he said.

He also spoke of his lifelong “dream” to join the Ukrainian air force which he saw as his “mission”.

Melaniya Podolyak, a friend of Pilshchykov, also confirmed his death, posting an image of his air force badge on social media.

The crash and deaths are a major upset for Ukraine as it prepares to receive up to 61 F-16 fighter jets from its allies, in a bid to step up its counteroffensive.

On Thursday, the Pentagon confirmed that English-language training for Ukrainians on operating F-16s would begin in Texas in September, with flight training expected to begin in October in Arizona. Meanwhile, other Western allies are preparing to start training Ukrainians later this month.

The training to fly F-16s is expected to take around five months.

The American decision earlier this year to supply F-16 jets represented an about-turn. This is because the US and its Nato allies – who had earlier ruled out the move – had feared this would lead to further escalation with nuclear-armed Russia.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66631182

Kuber Group Director Gets A Call From Cops After Rolls-Royce Crash Kills 2

Rolls-Royce Crash: Industrialist Vikas Malu was among the three occupants of the Rolls-Royce that smashed into a petrol tanker at a high speed earlier this week in Haryana’s Nuh.

Rolls-Royce: Vikas malu has been asked to join investigation

Kuber Group Director, Vikas Malu, has been called by the Haryana police for questioning, after a road crash involving a Rolls-Royce killed two people earlier this week.

Industrialist Vikas Malu was among the three occupants of the Rolls-Royce that smashed into a petrol tanker at a high speed on the New Delhi-Mumbai expressway in Haryana’s Nuh.

Two of the three people in the tanker – the driver and his assistant – were killed in the crash.

Visuals from the site had shown little left of the Phantom, which costs over ₹ 10 crore. The front of the car had been mangled, the engine was ablaze and the doors were open. The truck’s condition was even worse, with just a heap of metal left after the blaze enveloped it.

Mr Malu was admitted to a private hospital in Gurugram after the crash.

Speaking exclusively to NDTV, Nuh Superintendent of Police, Narendra Bijaraniya, had said that the entire stretch of the expressway is lined with CCTV cameras. The truck, he said, took a U-turn on the highway and the Phantom was travelling at a very high speed when the two collided.

Police said the other occupant of the car will also be asked to do so once he is discharged from the hospital.

Source: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/kuber-group-director-vikas-malu-called-by-haryana-cops-for-questioning-after-rolls-royce-accident-kills-2-4333079

Haiti gang opens fire on pastor-led march, kills several

Protesters led by a pastor marched through a gang-controlled area near the capital. Rights groups reporting on the incident blamed the pastor for leading protesters into such a dangerous situation.

Some of the protesters marching against the gang carried machetesImage: Odelyn Joseph/AP Photo/picture alliance

A powerful gang in Haiti opened fire on a pastor-led march through an area controlled by the gang near the capital Port-au-Prince, killing several of the marching parishioners.

The gang, which controls the northern Canaan suburb, fired at the protesters with machine guns. Local rights group CARDH said at least seven people were killed, with the group’s director Gedeon Jean expecting the death toll to rise.

Jean said that several people were wounded, with some churchgoers even kidnapped.

What do we know about the march?
Videos shared on social media showed some 100 people marching in Canaan. Many of the protesters donned yellow shirts associated with Pastor Marco’s religious group, while some were seen carrying sticks and machetes.

Journalists at the scene filmed the attack on the march in real time, Marie Yolène Gilles, director of human rights group Fondasyon Je Klere, told The Associated Press.

Unverified videos on social media showed people who appear to be hostages saying they thought the march was peaceful and were unaware it addressed the gang.

Source: https://www.dw.com/en/haiti-gang-opens-fire-on-pastor-led-march-kills-several/a-66640274

9 dead in train fire near Madurai station, passengers sneaked in gas cylinders

A fire broke out in a tourist coach of a train that was en route from Lucknow to Rameshwaram near Madurai railway station, leaving nine people dead and 20 others injured.

Four dead in train fire accident near Madurai railway station.

At least nine people died and 20 others sustained injuries after a major fire erupted on a train at Tamil Nadu’s Madurai railway station on Saturday. The Railways has announced an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh to the families of deceased. The blaze was reported at nearly 5:15 am inside a private party coach, while the train was parked at the Madurai yard.

The adjacent coaches of the train did not suffer any damage as the fire tenders were immediately called in and the flames were doused by nearly 7 am.

According to the details, as many as 65 passengers from Lucknow were onboard the coach, which was engulfed in flames.

While the coach was parked at the yard, some passengers reportedly used illegally smuggled cooking gas cylinders to prepare tea and snacks, thus, giving way to the fire.

Commenting on the incident, Madurai District Collector MS Sangeetha said, “Around 5.30 am today, there was a fire in a coach halted here at Madurai railway station. There were pilgrims travelling from Uttar Pradesh in it. When they lit the gas stove to make coffee, the gas cylinder blasted. As of now, we have retrieved nine bodies.”

The private party coach had begun its journey from Lucknow on August 17 and was scheduled to reach Chennai by Sunday.

Helpline numbers (9360552608, 8015681915) were provided to share information related to the fire incident and causalities.

Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/4-dead-in-train-fire-near-madurai-station-passengers-sneaked-in-gas-cylinders-2426843-2023-08-26

Putin offers ‘condolences’ after Wagner plane crash

This photograph posted on a Wagner-linked Telegram channel @grey_zone on Aug 23, 2023, shows a burning plane wreckage near the village of Kuzhenkino, Tver region (Photo: AFP/TELEGRAM/ @grey_zone)

Russian President Vladimir Putin broke his silence on Thursday (Aug 24) on the plane crash a day earlier that reportedly killed mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin and other senior members of the Wagner paramilitary group.

In televised comments Putin offered his “sincere condolences to the families of all the victims”, describing the crash as a “tragedy”.

As well as Prigozhin, the other nine people on board also died.

Wednesday evening’s crash took place exactly two months after Prigozhin led a rebellion against Moscow’s top military brass, considered by some observers to have been the biggest threat to Putin’s long rule.

Although Moscow opened a probe into violations of air traffic rules, investigators have been silent since, as speculation of a possible assassination has grown.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy insisted Kyiv had nothing to do with the incident. “I think everyone knows who this concerns,” he said, in what appeared to be a reference to Putin.

“There is a court in The Hague, there is a court of God. But Russia has an alternative (court) – President Putin,” he said when asked again about the air crash later Thursday.

A “COMMON CAUSE”
When Putin broke his silence on Thursday he paid a qualified tribute to the mercenary boss and the paramilitary group he led.

“I knew Prigozhin for a very long time, since the early 90s. He was a man of complicated fate, and he made serious mistakes in his life, but he achieved the right results,” Putin said.

In an address to Russians during the Wagner rebellion on Jun 23 to Jun 24 in which he warned against “civil war”, Putin had called Prigozhin – once his ally – a “traitor”.

But on Thursday, he said the Wagner members who had died in the crash had made a “significant contribution” to Moscow’s offensive in Ukraine.

They had shared a common cause, Putin said, adding: “We remember that, we know that, and we will not forget that.”

He said the investigation into the crash would take time, but added: “It will be conducted in full and brought to a conclusion.”

“REASONABLE DOUBTS”
Some Western leaders expressed doubts that the crash had been an accident.

“There’s not much that happens in Russia that Putin’s not behind,” said US President Joe Biden, after having said he did not know what happened.

France saw “reasonable doubts” about the crash, while Germany said it followed a pattern of “unclarified” fatalities in Russia.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said it was suspicious that “a disgraced former confidant of Putin suddenly, literally falls from the sky two months after he attempted a mutiny”.

Even influential pro-Kremlin figures, such as state television personality and Putin ally Margarita Simonyan, seemed to suggest that it could have been an assassination.

“Among the versions that are being discussed (about the crash) is that it was staged. But personally, I’m leaning towards the more obvious one,” she said on social media.

Russia’s aviation authority published the passenger list for the Embraer private jet late on Wednesday.

It included Prigozhin and his right-hand man, Dmitry Utkin, a shadowy figure who managed Wagner’s operations and allegedly served in Russian military intelligence.

Russian police patrolled the crash site near the village of Kuzhenkino, some 350km north of Moscow in the Tver region.

One woman living near Kuzhenkino said her neighbour had heard a roar and saw “sparkling from the plane”, accompanied by fire.

“A neighbour ran up to me with shaking hands and when we went to the window I saw only one mushroom (cloud from the explosion), a black cloud,” she said in a video published by state-run news agency RIA Novosti.

Source: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/world/russia-vladimir-putin-condolences-mercenary-death-yevgeny-prigozhin-3720531

Swimmers ‘knocked around like skittles’ during Ironman competition where two men died

Alan Walsh – who took part in the Ironman event in Co Cork on Sunday – says he witnessed “an awful lot of people getting into difficulty” and helped one man who called for help and went underwater.

The Ironman event had been postponed because of Storm Betty

An experienced triathlete who took part in an Ironman event where two people died says “swimmers were being knocked around like skittles” in bad weather conditions.

Alan Walsh told Sky News there are serious questions about safety to be asked – and the swim in Co Cork on Sunday should have been cancelled in the wake of Storm Betty.

Two men, in their 40s and 60s, got into difficulty in Youghal Bay – with Triathlon Ireland saying it did not sanction the swimming race.

Ironman claims this was only communicated to its officials “several hours” after the swim had concluded – but Triathlon Ireland has denied this, and said organisers were warned before the race began.

Mr Walsh said he witnessed “an awful lot of people getting into difficulty”, and it was hard for competitors to see safety boats because of the swell.

During the swim, one man started calling for help and went underwater.

“He was obviously drowning,” Mr Walsh said. “It felt like forever and it was only a second or two, but I went over to him and picked him up over my shoulder.

“I’m just struggling to keep us up and I’m roaring at him to relax and lie back and then a canoeist sees us.”

Mr Walsh said he managed to get the swimmer onto a canoe – and carried on with the race after making sure he was okay.

Once he was out of the water, he saw stewards resuscitating someone on the pier.

“I would say it was 100% the worst conditions I’ve seen a triathlon swim go ahead in,” Mr Walsh told Sky’s Lisa McNally.

The triathlete warned there is a “huge amount of risk” in these races and anything can happen – but at the very least, the swim course should have been altered sooner.

“They changed the route of the swim mid-race – someone was announcing it on loudspeaker,” Mr Walsh said. “How the hell are you meant to hear that if you’re in the water?

“We wear earplugs and I only found out because someone tapped me and told me as I was getting in the water. I would expect these errors from someone organising their first triathlon, but not Ironman.”

Source: https://news.sky.com/story/swimmers-knocked-around-like-skittles-during-ironman-competition-where-two-men-died-12945222

Uttarakhand accident: 7 passengers from Gujarat killed as bus falls into gorge near Gangnani

A total of seven persons — all from Gujarat — were killed after a bus carrying over 30 passengers fell into a gorge in Uttarakhand on Sunday, an official said. The accident happened near Gangnani on the Gangotri national highway in Uttarakhand. The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the police personnel engaged in the rescue work managed to pull 27 people alive from the wreckage.

Source: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/uttarakhand-accident-7-passengers-from-gujarat-killed-as-bus-falls-into-gorge-near-gangnani/videoshow/102880388.cms?from=mdr

CA SHOP OWNER KILLED PRIDE FLAG RIPPED OFF STOREFRONT … Before Fatal Shooting

More details surrounding the senseless killing of a shop owner and mother of 9 … as her close friend says a man ripped down the shop’s pride flag before shooting and killing the woman.

Director Paul Feig, known for projects like “Bridesmaids,” “The Office,” and 2016’s “Ghostbusters,” expressed his pain online for the loss of his pal, Lauri Carleton — owner of Lake Arrowhead’s Mag,Pi, where she was killed Friday night.

Paul writes about the man who cops say shot her over the flag she had hanging outside her store … adding, “He ripped it down and when she confronted him about it he shot and killed her.”

He goes on to sing her praises as a fashion designer and a friend, saying she was a true ally of the LGBTQ+ community and asking folks to “keep moving forward with tolerance and love.”

Source: https://www.tmz.com/2023/08/20/killed-california-shop-owner-pride-flag-ripped-off-shot-dead/

Two men die in Cork Ironman competition

The men, in their 40s and 60s, got into difficulty in separate incidents in the swimming section of the race.

The start of the Ironman competition this morning Pic: Tri Coach Bjorn

Two men have died at an Ironman competition in Ireland.

The men, in their 40s and 60s, got into difficulty in separate incidents during the swimming leg of the race in Youghal, Co. Cork this morning.

They were removed from the water by emergency services but pronounced dead at the scene.

Irish police said they are investigating and the coroner has been notified.

The event had been postponed from Saturday due to flooding and bad course conditions after Storm Betty.

It consisted of a 1.9km swim in Youghal Bay, a 90km bike course and a 21.1km run.

The swim had already been cut from 3.8km due to poor weather conditions.

The race continued and competitors were allowed to finish despite the double tragedy in the first section of the race.

In a statement, the event organisers said: “We are deeply saddened to confirm the death of two race participants at the Ironman 70.3 Ireland, Cork 2023.

“During the swim portion of Sunday’s race, safety personnel provided immediate medical attention upon recognising the athletes were in need of assistance.

“We share our greatest sympathies with the families and friends of the athletes and will continue to offer them our support as they go through this very difficult time.

“We thank the safety personnel and first responders who worked quickly to provide the athletes with medical assistance.

Source: https://news.sky.com/story/two-men-die-in-cork-ironman-competition-12943927

Seven killed, 144 wounded in Russian missile strike on Ukraine’s Chernihiv

Seven people including a 6-year-old girl were killed, 144 wounded, and 41 were in hospital after a Russian missile struck a central square in the historic northern Ukrainian city of Chernihiv on Saturday, Ukrainian officials said.

“I am sure our soldiers will give a response to Russia for this terrorist attack,” President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address, delivered early on Sunday at the end of a visit to Sweden. “A notable response.”

He said that of the 144 people injured, 15 were children, and named the girl killed as Sofia. Fifteen others were police officers, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said on Telegram. Klymenko said most of the victims were in vehicles, crossing the road, or returning from church.

Regional governor Viacheslav Chaus said 41 people were in hospital on Saturday.

Zelenskiy said the strike on Chernihiv, a city of leafy boulevards and centuries-old churches about 145 km (90 miles) north of Kyiv, coincided with the Orthodox holiday of the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord.

Debris was scattered across a square in front of the damaged theatre and surrounding buildings, where parked vehicles were heavily damaged. A 63-year-old who only gave her first name, Valentyna, showed the damaged balcony in her apartment opposite the theatre.

“It is horrific. Horrific. There were wounded, ambulances and broken glass in here. Nightmare. Just nightmare,” she said.

Rescuers work at a site of a Russian missile strike, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Chernihiv, Ukraine August 19, 2023. National Police/Handout via REUTERS

The roof of the neoclassical theatre was torn off by the strike.

Russia has attacked Ukrainian cities far from the frontline with missiles and drones as part of the full-scale invasion that began in February 2022.

People leaving church and others passing by were among those hurt when the missile hit the theatre, where a meeting was taking place, Chaus said.

Law enforcement agencies were looking into how Russians became aware of the event, which he said included business and community representatives but Ukrainian media reported involved drone manufacturers. Both sides have widely used drones on the battlefield.

Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russian-missile-strike-ukraine-city-chernihiv-kills-people-zelenskiy-says-2023-08-19/

At least 27 die in inferno at petrol station in Dagestan southern Russia

At least 27 people have been killed in an explosion and fire at a petrol station in Dagestan in southern Russia.

The blast occurred in the regional capital Makhachkala, which sits on the coast of the Caspian Sea, at 21:40 local time (18:40 GMT).

Dozens of other people were injured in the incident, the cause of which is not yet clear.

Pictures showed a large fire lighting up the night sky and a number of fire engines at the scene.

Some 260 emergency workers have been deployed, as has an aircraft to evacuate the seriously injured to Moscow, the ministry said.

Russia’s Interfax news agency quoted doctors as saying three children were among the dead.

It added that the fire had spread over an area of 600 sq m (6,460 sq ft) and that there was a danger of further explosions.

Source : https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66505961

‘Aaftab Told Me He Strangulated My Daughter’: Shraddha’s Father Breaks Down In Court

Shraddha Walkar was allegedly murdered by her 28-year-old live-in partner Aaftab in Delhi on 18 May 2022. He chopped her body into several pieces, kept the body parts in a fridge and disposed those of at desolate places across Delhi over several days to dodge police.

Shraddha Walkar’s father, Vikas Madan Walkar, broke down as he testified in a Delhi court that Aaftab Amin Poonawala had revealed that he had “strangulated” Shraddha with “his own hands”. The 27-year-old woman was allegedly murdered by her 28-year-old live-in partner Aaftab in Delhi on 18 May 2022.

He chopped her body into pieces, kept the body parts in a fridge and disposed those of at desolate places across Delhi over several days to dodge police. Some of the body pieces were found in a forest in Delhi’s Mehrauli area.

On Monday, the victim’s father told court that the accused had shared the horrific details of the murder with him. Aaftab had bought a saw, chopped off her wrists and put those in a trash bag, he said.

Vikas Madan Walkar was examined as a prosecution witness by the public prosecutor before Additional Sessions Judge Manisha Khurana Kakkar. He testified that he went to the Mehrauli police station on November 11, 2022, where he was asked by the police officials whether he recognised Poonawala.

Source: https://www.timesnownews.com/mirror-now/crime/aaftab-told-me-he-strangulated-my-daughter-shraddhas-father-breaks-down-in-court-article-102295627

Wildfires in nine Mediterranean countries – as dozens killed in Algeria

At least 34 people have been killed in Algeria, while three have been killed in Italy’s southern island of Sicily. Temperatures topping 40C and parched ground have sparked fires in countries on both sides of the Mediterranean.

The Greek resort island of Rhodes has been particularly badly hit. Pic: AP

At least nine countries across the Mediterranean have been hit by wildfires, as thousands of firefighters battled to extinguish blazes across the region.

At least 34 people have been killed in Algeria, while three have been killed in Italy’s southern island of Sicily.

Temperatures topping 40C (104F) and parched ground have sparked fires in countries on both sides of the Mediterranean.

Greece has been hit particularly hard, with over 20,000 evacuated in recent days from homes and resorts in the south of the holiday island Rhodes, while Corfu has also been hit by severe blazes.

Two firefighting pilots died when their plane crashed into a hillside on the island of Evia, east of Athens.

Several people have been arrested or fined across Greece in recent days for accidentally starting fires.

Wildfires in Greece have released a record 1 megaton of carbon emissions between 1 and 25 July, the European Union’s Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) said – nearly double the previous July 2007 record, with smoke plumes deteriorating air quality in regions downwind.

Wildfires on Italy’s southern island of Sicily have killed three elderly people, its regional president said.

In Croatia, flames came within 12km (7.5 miles) of the medieval town of Dubrovnik late on Tuesday, with local media reporting landmines left over from the 1990s war of independence had been detonated by the fire.

Dozens of firefighters were using aircraft to battle a wildfire that had broken out close to Nice international airport in southern France.

Meanwhile, in north Africa, Algeria was fighting to contain devastating forest fires along its coast in a blaze which has already killed at least 34.

Fires fanned by strong winds also closed the closure of two border crossings in neighbouring Tunisia.

Source: https://news.sky.com/story/wildfires-ravage-nine-mediterranean-countries-as-dozens-killed-in-algeria-12927733

BLOODY TRAGEDY Heartbreaking new details in ‘cold-blooded’ murders of 3 Florida teens are shared by sheriff

NEW video shows two murder suspects, one only 12 years old, after they were arrested in a series of killings that left three teens dead.

Cops are searching for a third teen suspect after Layla Silvernail and Camille Quarles, both 16, and an unnamed 17-year-old male were killed in Ocklawaha, Florida, between March 30 and April 1.

Layla Silvernail, 16, was the first victim discovered by police on March 30Credit: gofundme

Camille Quarles, 16, was found inside Silvernail’s partially submerged car on April 1Credit: GoFundMe

The Marion County Sheriff’s Office shared footage of one suspect, 12-year-old Christopher Atkins, being escorted by cops after his arrest

Robert Robinson, 17, is also in custody and Sheriff Billy Woods said all three suspects were members of a ‘wannabe’ gang that’s committed other crimes in the areaCredit: Marion County Sheriff’s Office

More information has been released about two suspects – Christopher Atkins, 12, and Robert Robinson, 17, – who were arrested by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday night.

A third suspect, 16-year-old Tahj Brewton, remains at large and police are offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.

After Atkins was taken into custody, police shared a video of the shirtless 12-year-old being escorted out of a building and into a squad car as he looked straight ahead.

The clip also shows Robinson, who appeared stoic and disheveled, being walked out of the building after his arrest.

“Each and every one of them in some shape way or form was associated with a gang,” Sheriff Billy Woods said at a press conference.

“There is no honor among thieves, and at some point, these three individuals turned on our three victims and murdered them.”

The suspects left behind significant evidence, Woods said, and were all members of a larger “wannabe gang” that has committed other crimes in the rural county between Orlando and Gainesville.

Investigators have yet to provide any other details about what led up to the killings, which sparked rumors of a serial killer in the small Florida town.

Source: https://www.the-sun.com/news/7824511/florida-teen-murders-new-details/?utm_campaign=native_share&utm_source=sharebar_native&utm_medium=sharebar_native

Family of 4 from Gujarat drowns while illegally crossing river to reach U.S.

The couple and their two adult children from Mehsana district of north Gujarat had reportedly travelled to Canada on tourist visas

A view of the Gujarat family who were drowned in the St Lawrence river on the Quebec New York border | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

A family of four from Gujarat — a couple and their two adult children — is among the eight people who drowned in the St. Lawrence river on the Quebec-New York border when their boat capsized while they were attempting to illegally enter the United States from Canada.

The family was from the village of Manekpura in Mehsana district of north Gujarat. They appear to have reached Canada a few weeks ago on a tourist visa and were apparently trying to enter the United States illegally by undertaking the highly risky boat journey across the St. Lawrence river.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/family-from-gujarat-drowns-while-attempting-illegal-crossing-over-st-lawrence-river-on-canada-us-border/article66691190.ece