The Global News Desk 115

New Delhi, India  — A huge, deadly fire consumed a hotel building in Delhi's Malviya Nagar neighborhood, killing up to 21 people, and more than 40 others were saved. The blaze erupted at approximately 8:45 am on Tuesday at Flourish Stay, a bed-and-breakfast service located in the Hauz Rani vicinity near Saket. According to local reports, the fire started in the restaurant in the five-story building's basement, quickly spread throughout the complex, and eventually affected the nearby Micasa Inn hotel. Emergency services initiated an extensive rescue operation as dense smoke and fire consumed the building, leaving numerous guests trapped within.  The Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, shared his sadness over the loss of lives and said that an ex gratia of ₹2 lakh would be provided from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) to the next of kin of each victim who has died.

NEW DELHI, India  — A diarrhea outbreak brought about by polluted water in India has killed at least ten people and hospitalized hundreds more. Since late December, over 1,000 people in Indore, central India, have had diarrhea symptoms after drinking tainted water. The city's mayor recently announced that no less than ten citizens have succumbed to diarrhea. Nevertheless, eyewitnesses assert that the actual figure is significantly higher.  The health agency has yet to provide official confirmation on this matter. Water samples from the highly populated neighborhood, which is home to over 15,500 residents, were found to be contaminated due to a rupture in the main water supply pipeline, according to lab tests carried out by a city-based health center. Contaminated water is unhealthy because it contains toxic substances such as chemicals, microorganisms, or radiation.  It cannot be utilized to drink, cook, bathe, or feed fish or plants.  This pollution is generally cau...

New Delhi ,  INDIA  —  Indian police  report that 39 people lost their lives and around 50 others suffered injuries in a  stampede  at a  political rally in India  on Saturday. Authorities further reported that famous  Tamil actor   Vijay  held the rally as part of his campaign for next year's  state elections . A video recording from his rally depicts a large assembly of attendees surrounding a vehicle, upon which Vijay is observed standing and addressing the gathered crowd. In another scene, Vijay threw water bottles at supporters who were breaking down and asked the police for help when the crowd became unruly.  "Thirty-nine people, 13 men, 17 women, 4 boys, and 5 girls have died, while 51 others, comprising 26 men and 25 women, are in intensive care," stated Tamil Nadu's chief minister, MK Stalin , in Karur , where the incident occurred on Saturday. Yesterday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other politicians ...

BIHAR, India  —    This week, lightning and thunderstorms in the province of Bihar, India, have tragically resulted in no less than 33 fatalities and have inflicted injuries upon numerous people.  The disaster management department noted that the main victims were mostly farmers and workers involved in outdoor tasks. Heavy monsoons and thunderstorms on Wednesday and Thursday caused fatalities in eastern India. More rain and lightning are expected in parts of the state, according to media reports. Bihar's disaster management minister announced that officials in at-risk districts must "raise awareness and take precautions" due to a lightning alert. The provincial government announced a ₹40 lakh compensation for families of those who died from lightning strikes.

New Delhi, India —  Severe floods and landslides in India's Himalayan regions have caused at least 69 deaths and injured over 112 people. Over the past two weeks, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand states faced severe damage from heavy rainfall. Local officials report that rivers have overflowed, wreaking havoc on roads, homes, and vehicles, and severing access to numerous outlying towns and villages. The Indian Meteorological Department has issued a new warning for "heavy to very heavy rainfall" in the Himalayan region. Rescue teams, including the military, are working tirelessly to bring relief supplies to the affected communities. The local authorities recommend that both residents and visitors refrain from accessing the mountainous areas.

At least 39 workers were killed and 34 others injured as a result of Monday's explosion and fire at a pharmaceutical company in southern India.  Telangana's Health Minister, Damodar Raja Narasimha, said 108 workers were inside the plant when the explosion happened. The incident occurred in Telangana province at Sigachi Industries' chemical factory, police reported. On Tuesday, the state's fire services announced that they continue to clear the rubble from the demolished plant to ascertain whether any workers remain trapped. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi's office announced on Monday that the families of those who died will receive 200,000 rupees each, and those who were injured will get 50,000 rupees each.

Pakistan secures legal triumph in water dispute as court upholds its authority The Government of Pakistan has expressed its appreciation for the recent judicial ruling regarding the Indus Waters matter. The Court of Arbitration in the Hague confirmed its authority to hear the case. It rejected India's request to bypass the Court and just depend on a Neutral Expert.  The Pakistan Foreign Office said in a statement that the court confirmed India's actions don't hinder the case's progress. The ruling underscores the court's role in equitably and legally resolving water conflicts between India and Pakistan.  Pakistan anticipates the forthcoming ruling, which will address the core issues of the dispute. The decision will come after hearings in July 2024 at The Hague's Peace Palace. Pakistan thinks the court's decision will help resolve the conflict fairly. It further urges India to adhere to the legal framework and collaborate towards achieving a peaceful resolut...

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan  —  On Tuesday, a high-level Pakistani delegation led by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari called on the US and OIC envoys at the UN to facilitate a "comprehensive dialogue" between Pakistan and India on the Kashmir dispute.  A delegation of nine parliamentarians, headed by the former Foreign Minister, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, arrived in New York on Monday. The former Foreign Minister's tour aimed to clearly express Pakistan's position globally in response to India's recent illegal attacks on Pakistan. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari denied India's claims that Pakistan was involved in the Pahalgam fatal incident.  During the OIC briefing, he said that there has been no complete investigation or clear evidence indicating Pakistan's involvement in the attack.  During  the  news  conference  at the United Nations Headquarters, Bilawal said the cooperation between Pakistani and Indian...

GOA, India —  A chaotic stampede occurred on Saturday morning at the Lairai Devi Temple in Goa, resulting in the tragic deaths of six devotees and injuring 80 others, as reported by hospital authorities. Thousands of devotees packed the narrow streets leading to a sacred Hindu temple in Shirgao town, causing a stampede.  This town is about 40 kilometers from Panaji, the state capital, as reported by the police. The injured were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment. Authorities launched an inquiry into the incident. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his profound sadness over the tragic loss of lives and extended his heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved families. Due to insufficient management, such stampedes are regrettably common in India.  On July 2, 2024, a tragic incident occurred in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras, where more than 100 individuals, including women and children, lost their lives during a stampede at a 'satsang' (prayer meeting) organized by...

New Delhi, India —  At least 39 pilgrims were killed and 60 more were injured in a stampede at the Kumbh Mela, also called the Maha Kumbh Mela, in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday dawn, according to the government.   Between 1:00 and 2:10 a.m. local time, the crowd overrun those who waited to take a holy wash in the river, according to a senior police officer. Hindu holy day of "Mauni Amavasya," around 100,000,000 people came together in Prayagraj town to take a sacred bath at the confluence of three rivers: the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati.   As they transported victims from the disaster scene, rescue workers had to navigate through piles of footwear, clothes, and other left items.  Police were spotted carrying stretchers with victims' bodies shrouded in heavy blankets. Cops have identified 25 of the 39 people who succumbed however the identities of the other remains are unclear. Besides expressing "deepest condolences" to the ...

At least 12 people were killed in a rail accident in Maharashtra, western India, on Wednesday. The terrible tragedy began when passengers got out of their train, believing a fire, but were hit by another train on the right next track, according to local media reports.  The train stopped at a stop when someone triggered the alarm chain, railway authorities reported to local media. After that, numerous people disembarked on the adjacent tracks and were run over by another passing train. "As per the reports, 12 people were killed in the accident and 5 others are injured,". After the tragedy at Pachora, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis expressed his sadness on X, posting that he was deeply shocked by the tragic loss of lives. " The Maharashtra chief minister also promised to pay for the injured people's medical bills and offered 500,000 in compensation to the relatives of each deceased person.

Indian naval speedboat collided with a mini passenger ship conveying more than 100 passengers to a well-known tourist spot off the coast of Mumbai on Wednesday, killing at least 13 people, according to the navy.  The Indian Navy reported in a statement that 99 ferry passengers were rescued. When the speedboat swerved and rammed into the ferry "Neelkamal," passengers were en route to Elephanta Island.  The Indian Navy issued a statement expressing grief for the "shocking loss" of life caused by a speedy boat accomplishing engine tests losing control and colliding with a civilian ferry.  One naval service member and a couple workers of an equipment company participating in the testing were among the 13 people declared dead by doctors, according to the naval and government officials. According to the Indian Naval officials, 11 navy vessels, four coastguard boats, and four naval helicopters moved into the region as part of "search and rescue efforts that were immed...

Tamil Nado authorities said at least 31 people were killed this week in India's southern state of Tamil Nadu due to floods and heavy rain. The report also stated that rescuers were having difficulty reaching hundreds of people who were still stranded in high water.  Torrential downpours crippled many cities in the state, overrunning entire neighborhoods, roadways, and railway tracks just days after a cyclone devastated India's south-eastern coast.  "The death figure may evolve," federal officials told the media, adding that more than 40,000 people had been evacuated so far, with operations continuing to reach those who remain stuck.  The meteorological headquarters reports that the state of Tamil Nadu received nearly 64 mm of rain this week—more than twice the normal amount of 20 mm for this time of year.  Over the course of the next five days, further rain is predicted in several districts around the state, according to the meteorological agency.

Uttarakhand, India -  A bus carrying pilgrims crashed into a gorge in Uttarakhand on Sunday, killing 22 people.  The 28- passenger bus was en route to Yamunotri, an important pilgrimage site on a hill.  Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed sympathy to those who had lost loved ones in the disaster.  Narendra Modi has announced a compensation of 2 lakh rupees for each family of those who were killed in the crash and 50,000 rupees for each of those injured in the Uttarakhand bus crash.  "Under the supervision of the state administration, local governments are obligated to provide whatever support may be available on the ground," the prime minister's office tweeted.  Source: NDTV

There were 565 princely states in British India.  These princely states were directly ruled by the princes.  Those states were not ruled by the British Empire.  On June 3, 1947, the British government finally decided to divide the Indian subcontinent into two separate states.  The Radcliffe Line was established 78 years ago. This delineated the borders of Pakistan and India. On August 15, 1947, the Indian subcontinent was partitioned into two independent states after over three centuries of British rule.   According to the plan, Muslim majority regions shall join Pakistan, and Hindu predominant regions shall join India.  As a result of that, in August 1947, two new nations, India and Pakistan, emerged on the map of the world. Out of 565, only 13 princely states joined Pakistan.  Even though 80% population of Jammu and Kashmir was Muslim, the state was provided with the options either to join Pakistan, India, or remain an independent state. Maharaj...

This problem is called the mother of all problems between India and Pakistan. The Kashmir dispute dates back to 1947. India and Pakistan had had three battles, first in 1948, second in 1965, and third in 1971, but the conflict of Kashmir remained unsolved because of Indian obduracy.  About 70% population of Kashmir is Muslim; they want to draw their future democratically, according to the United Nations Security Council Resolution 47, passed on 17th January 1948, but India wants to impose its will on the Kashmiri people.  To suppress the voice of  Kashmiris, India has been violating human rights since the beginning of the issue.  From 1947 to date, over 12,000 Kashmiri women have been raped by the Indian ruthless military force, and rape is used as a tool to punish and humiliate Kashmiri Muslims.  According to the Kashmiri-Canadian Council, more than 95,000 Kashmiris had been killed by the Indian army since October 1989, and "Since 1990, some 1700 to 1800...