Rescuers scramble to find survivors after dozens killed in Kerala landslides

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Updated 30 July 2024
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Rescuers scramble to find survivors after dozens killed in Kerala landslides

Rescuers scramble to find survivors after dozens killed in Kerala landslides
  • State government declares two-day mourning for disaster victims
  • At least 84 people feared dead, over 100 remain missing

NEW DELHI: A massive rescue operation was underway in the southern Indian state of Kerala on Tuesday following landslides that have killed dozens of people in the hilly district of Wayanad.

The landslides struck in the early hours of the morning when people were asleep as waves of mud crushed their homes.

Teams from civil defense, police, 200 personnel of the army, and rescue swimmers from the navy have been deployed to the affected areas, but search efforts were hampered by heavy rains.

The Kerala Revenue Ministry estimated that at least 84 people were dead and 116 injured, but the Wayanad District Disaster Response Force told Arab News it was difficult to ascertain the exact numbers, as more than 120 were missing, trapped under mud and debris.

“We fear that the death figure will go up as many missing might be dead. As of now, we can’t speculate,” the disaster response force office told Arab News. “Rescue operation is going on in full swing.”

Most of Kerala was on the India Meteorological Department’s highest alert due to extreme rainfall on Tuesday morning.

Jebi Mather, member of the upper house of the Indian Parliament representing Kerala, told lawmakers that reports from the state indicate that entire families had disappeared under the mud.

“The devastation cannot be measured at this moment … It is so vast,” she said.

Some 350 families lived in the hilly forest region, where most residents worked on tea and cardamom plantations.

Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, the former MP for Wayanad, said in a post on X that he was “deeply anguished” by the disaster.

“The devastation unfolding in Wayanad is heartbreaking,” he said. “I have urged the Union government … to extend all possible support.”

The Kerala government declared official mourning on Tuesday and Wednesday.


US recalls top diplomat in Colombia for ‘urgent consultations’

US recalls top diplomat in Colombia for ‘urgent consultations’
Updated 10 sec ago
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US recalls top diplomat in Colombia for ‘urgent consultations’

US recalls top diplomat in Colombia for ‘urgent consultations’
  • Bruce said the United States “is pursuing other measures to make clear our deep concern”
  • Petro claimed a far-right “leader,” had spoken to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio

WASHINGTON: The United States recalled its top diplomat in Colombia on Thursday for “urgent consultations” and expressed “deep concern” over the relationship between the two countries.

Charge d’affaires John McNamara was being recalled “following baseless and reprehensible statements from the highest levels of the Government of Colombia,” State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said in a statement.

Bruce did not specify what the offending remarks were.

In addition to McNamara’s recall, Bruce said the United States “is pursuing other measures to make clear our deep concern over the current state of our bilateral relationship,” without detailing the actions.

She stressed, however, that Colombia remains an “essential strategic partner” despite Washington’s “policy differences with the current government.”

“We are committed to close cooperation on a range of shared priorities, including regional security and stability,” Bruce added.

Colombia’s leftist President Gustavo Petro accused the United States and “right-wing extremists” last month of plotting to overthrow him.

Without providing further details, Petro claimed a far-right “leader,” who he did not identify, had spoken to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Colombia leftist government also recently refused a US request to extradite two prominent guerrilla leaders wanted by Washington for drug trafficking.

Colombia was until recently one of the United States’ closest partners in Latin America.


Freight shipping on Mosel river in Germany blocked after accident

Freight shipping on Mosel river in Germany blocked after accident
Updated 03 July 2025
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Freight shipping on Mosel river in Germany blocked after accident

Freight shipping on Mosel river in Germany blocked after accident
  • The river, known as the Moselle in France, is an important transit route for grains and rapeseed between Germany and France
  • Vessels cannot pass the Sankt Aldegund lock in either direction, the spokesperson said

HAMBURG: Freight shipping on the river Mosel in west Germany has been blocked to shipping after an accident involving a passenger ship that damaged a lock, authorities said on Thursday.

The river, known as the Moselle in France, is an important transit route for grains and rapeseed between Germany and France. Transit was halted after an accident on Wednesday damaged a lock at Sankt Aldegund between Koblenz and Trier, a police spokesperson said.

Vessels cannot pass the Sankt Aldegund lock in either direction, the spokesperson said.

Technical experts on Thursday were examining the lock, and it is not yet possible to comment on the level of damage or say how long the impact on shipping will last, river navigation authority WSA said.

German federal transport minister Patrick Schnieder said in a statement he will visit the accident site later on Thursday.

“I will do everything in my power to ensure that the lock can resume operations as soon as possible,” Schnieder said.

The river was closed to inland waterways shipping in December after an accident that damaged a lock at Mueden, south of Koblenz, and only reopened in February after lengthy repairs.

Initial indications are that the lock’s concrete structure and drive mechanism were not damaged in the accident, WSA head Eric Oehlmann said in a statement.

Technicians are currently assessing whether it is possible to resume limited lock operations for the waiting vessels to pass, he said.

“If not, we will find another solution, for example, through emergency locks with temporary water control barriers, which have already proven effective,” Oehlmann said.

A temporary lock was successful in allowing ships to transit during the winter disruption.

“Despite the accident, there is determination that shipping on the Moselle will not come to a complete standstill," Oehlmann said.


Japan ‘seriously concerned’ after Iran stops cooperating with IAEA

Japan ‘seriously concerned’ after Iran stops cooperating with IAEA
Updated 03 July 2025
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Japan ‘seriously concerned’ after Iran stops cooperating with IAEA

Japan ‘seriously concerned’ after Iran stops cooperating with IAEA
  • ‘The engagement of the IAEA is essential for resolving Iran’s nuclear issue,’ the Japanese Foreign Ministry says

TOKYO: Japan has expressed “serious concern” over Iran’s decision to suspend cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

“Japan attaches great importance to the activities of the IAEA in verifying Iran’s nuclear program and expresses serious concern over this announcement,” the country’s Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.

“The engagement of the IAEA is essential for resolving Iran’s nuclear issue.”

Iranian authorities announced on Wednesday that they would no longer cooperate with the agency. Japan had been urging Iran to continue to cooperate with the IAEA and said all necessary diplomatic efforts to achieve this will go on, in cooperation with the international community and relevant organizations.

“Japan has consistently emphasized the importance of resolving Iran’s nuclear issue through dialogue, based on the position that Iran’s development of nuclear weapons must never be allowed, for the sake of maintaining the international nuclear non-proliferation regime,” the Foreign Ministry added.


Ex-Labour chief could form pro-Palestine party in UK

Ex-Labour chief could form pro-Palestine party in UK
Updated 03 July 2025
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Ex-Labour chief could form pro-Palestine party in UK

Ex-Labour chief could form pro-Palestine party in UK
  • Corbyn in talks with Independent Alliance MPs elected in 2024 for opposing Gaza war
  • Jeremy Corbyn: That grouping will come together. There will be an alternative

LONDON: Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has suggested he could launch a political movement to provide a left-wing “alternative” to the governing party before the next general election.

Corbyn was suspended from Labour in 2020 by the UK’s current Prime Minister Keir Starmer due to a row over antisemitism. 

He has since sat as an independent MP, and has hinted at a desire to form a new group centered around socialist policies with a pro-Palestine stance.

Corbyn told ITV’s “Peston” political show that he is holding discussions with members of the Independent Alliance, who were elected last year by running on pro-Palestine platforms against Labour MPs.

The alliance includes Leicester South MP Shockat Adam; Birmingham Perry Barr MP Ayoub Khan; Blackburn MP Adnan Hussain; and Dewsbury and Batley MP Iqbal Mohamed.

“That grouping will come together. There will be an alternative,” Corbyn said, adding that its foreign policy platform would be “based on peace rather than war,” and that it would seek to alleviate poverty and inequality.


Denmark vows to push EU membership for Ukraine

Denmark vows to push EU membership for Ukraine
Updated 03 July 2025
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Denmark vows to push EU membership for Ukraine

Denmark vows to push EU membership for Ukraine
  • "We must strengthen Ukraine. And we must weaken Russia," Frederiksen said
  • Zelensky is meeting Frederiksen in the city of Aarhus, as well as European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa

AARHUS, Denmark: Denmark promised on Thursday to push for Ukraine to join the EU, as the Nordic country welcomed Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky to mark the start of its six-month EU presidency.

Ukraine launched its bid to become an EU member in the aftermath of Russia's 2022 invasion, but it has stalled because of opposition from Hungary.

"We must strengthen Ukraine. And we must weaken Russia," Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said in a statement, promising to mix increased military support to Kyiv with sanctions on Moscow.

Zelensky is meeting Frederiksen in the city of Aarhus, as well as European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa.

Frederiksen has stressed the importance of European security, which she links to a strict migration policy, and the country has promised to push the agenda and champion Ukraine during its EU presidency.

The Aarhus meeting comes as the United States announced it would stop supplying some weapons to Ukraine, after President Donald Trump effectively nixed the country's attempts to join the NATO military alliance.

Russian strikes have intensified in the absence of progress on resolving the conflict, and the US moves have severely hampered Kyiv, which has relied on Western military support since Russia launched its invasion in February 2022.

"Ukraine is essential to Europe's security. Our contribution to Ukraine is also a protection of our freedom," Frederiksen said.

"Ukraine belongs in the European Union. It is in both Denmark's and Europe's interest. Therefore, the Danish EU presidency will do everything we can to help Ukraine on their way towards EU membership."

Denmark's Europe minister Marie Bjerre told reporters earlier on Thursday that Ukraine's EU membership bid was "very important for us".

"We are still trying to lift the resistance from Hungary," she said.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said that Ukraine's membership of the EU would "ruin" the 27-nation bloc.

Using its veto power, Hungary has effectively frozen the accession process.

Ukraine has insisted it still hopes Budapest can be brought around, claiming intensive work is being done "behind the scenes".

The Danish government said discussions at the Aarhus meeting would include increased military support, cooperation with the Ukrainian defence industry and new sanctions against Russia.

The Nordic nation has also made repeated calls for Europe to boost defence spending.

Denmark wants to move forward on a European plan presented in March to increase the defence capabilities of EU countries using simplified procedures and loans to finance investments in the European defence industry.

The Scandinavian country has already begun increasing its own defence spending, which now exceeds three percent of GDP.