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A curfew has been imposed in parts of Nagpur city in Maharashtra state after violence erupted following Hindu groups' demands to remove the tomb of Aurangzeb, a 17th-Century Mughal emperor. Monday night's unrest in the Mahal area saw vehicles set ablaze and stone-throwing incidents. Police report the situation is now under control and are urging calm. Aurangzeb's tomb, located approximately 500km from Nagpur in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district (formerly Aurangabad), has become a contentious political issue in recent years. The violence followed demonstrations by two Hindu organizations, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal, who burned an effigy of the emperor while demanding the tomb's removal, according to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Fadnavis told the state assembly that rumors of religious desecration spread, leading to what appeared to be "a well-planned attack." He reported that following evening prayers, about 250 Muslim […]

The co-owners of the oil tanker Stena Immaculate have released the first image showing 19 crew members while commending their "exceptional bravery" following a collision with cargo ship Solong in the North Sea. The vessels collided off East Yorkshire on March 10, causing an explosion and fires which have now been extinguished. A Filipino crew member from the Portuguese-flagged Solong, identified as 38-year-old Mark Angelo Pernia, is missing and presumed dead. The Russian captain of the Solong, 59-year-old Vladimir Motin from St Petersburg, has been charged with gross negligence manslaughter and remains in custody until his April 14 court appearance. Florida-based Crowley, which manages the tanker, praised the 23 Stena Immaculate crew members for their "decisive efforts and teamwork" during emergency procedures that "helped save lives, protect the vessel and minimize environmental impact." The company noted their actions limited damage […]

At least 34 people have died across the United States after devastating tornadoes tore through several southeastern states, destroying homes and overturning vehicles. Missouri reported the highest death toll with 12 fatalities. In Kansas, a dust storm triggered a massive crash involving more than 55 vehicles, resulting in at least eight deaths. Overnight, over 250,000 properties across seven states lost power, including Michigan, Missouri, and Illinois, according to PowerOutage tracker. Weather authorities warn additional severe weather is expected, with tornado watches issued for eastern Louisiana, western Georgia, central Tennessee, and the western Florida Panhandle. Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves confirmed six deaths as multiple tornadoes moved across his state. The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued flash flooding and flood warnings for central Mississippi, eastern Louisiana, western Tennessee, and parts of Alabama and Arkansas, cautioning these floods could prove deadly. Multiple […]

Donald Trump has issued an executive order drastically reducing operations at Voice of America, the global, independent and federally funded news organization. The president's order targets VOA's parent organization, the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which also funds non-profit entities like Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, originally established to counter communism. The order directs agency heads to "reduce performance... to the minimum presence and function required by law." Mike Abramowitz, VOA's director, reported that he and nearly his entire staff of 1,300 employees have been placed on paid leave. Abramowitz emphasized that the order prevents VOA from fulfilling its "vital mission... especially critical today, when America's adversaries, like Iran, China, and Russia, are sinking billions of dollars into creating false narratives to discredit the United States." The Trump administration has not provided an explanation, and it remains […]

At least 59 people have died and more than 155 are injured following a devastating nightclub fire in North Macedonia, according to official reports. The blaze erupted around 02:30 (01:30 GMT) at Pulse nightclub in Kocani, a town approximately 100 km east of Skopje. Approximately 1,500 people were attending a concert by DNK, a popular hip-hop duo in the country, when the disaster occurred. Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski described it as a "difficult and very sad day" for North Macedonia, lamenting the loss of many "young lives." Interior Minister Pance Toskovski announced arrest warrants for four individuals without providing further details. A man has already been detained, and state news agency Mia reported the club owner has been arrested. According to preliminary investigations, the fire started when sparks from pyrotechnic devices struck the ceiling, which was constructed of highly flammable […]

South Africa has called the United States' decision to expel Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool "regrettable" while affirming its commitment to maintaining "a mutually beneficial relationship" with Washington. In a Saturday morning statement, South Africa's presidency urged stakeholders to "maintain the established diplomatic decorum" following US State Secretary Marco Rubio's harsh public criticism. Rubio declared Rasool a "race-baiting politician" who hates the US and President Donald Trump, writing on X: "We have nothing to discuss with him and so he is considered PERSONA NON GRATA." Rubio referenced a Breitbart article quoting Rasool's comments that Trump mobilized a "supremacist instinct" and "white victimhood" as a "dog whistle" during the 2024 elections. Political analyst Sandile Swana told Al Jazeera that the "core of the dispute" stems from South Africa's genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice. Rasool, an anti-apartheid activist, previously […]