Category World News

Two powerful earthquakes hit Myanmar

Myanmar has experienced magnitude 7.7 and 6.4% earthquakes, according to the USGS, with reports of sizable tremors felt in Thailand and other parts of the area.

The first tremor struck on Friday at around 12:50 pm local time (06:20 GMT), which struck 16 kilometers (10 miles) northwest of the city of Sagaing, at a depth of 10 kilometers.

The China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC) reported that the quake measured a magnitude 7.9, according to the Xinhua news agency, with the CENC claiming that “tremors were felt in Yunnan” in a social media post.

From the capital of Myamar, Naypyidaw, AFP news reported that buildings’ ceilings fell from buildings and that the tremors had caused roads to buckle.

Startled residents poured out of high-rise buildings in Bangkok, the capital of neighboring Thailand. Witnesses there claimed that the tremors were so strong that pools were sloshing away.

According to Duangjai, a resident of Chiang Mai’s well-known northern tourist destination, “I heard it and I was sleeping in the house, I ran as far as I could in my pyjamas out of the building.”

In the Chatuchak area of Bangkok, there are reports of people getting stuck beneath the rubble of a torn building.

In Bangkok, some metro and light rail services were discontinued.

After a devastating earthquake, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra reported on a post on X that she had called the island of Phuket to “urgent meeting” after having cancelled an official visit there on Friday.

Myanmar experienced previous earthquakes.

According to the USGS, there were six quakes of 7.0 magnitude or more that struck Myanmar between 1930 and 1956 near the Sagaing Fault, which runs north to south through the country’s center.

In the tourist destination of Bagan, central Myanmar, a powerful 6.8-magnitude earthquake in 2016 also caused three fatalities, as well as a toppling of temple spires and crumbling temple walls.

The underdeveloped Southeast Asian country’s healthcare system is strained, particularly in rural areas.

Six killed in Red Sea tourist submarine sinking off Egypt: What we know

At least six Russian nationals were killed when a tourist submarine sank on Thursday during a routine underwater sightseeing trip off the coast of Hurghada, an upscale resort city in the Red Sea, in Egypt.

The vessel, owned by a private tourism company called Sindbad Submarines, was intended to transport tourists underwater to view coral reefs and marine life, which are both significant draws in the area.

The vessel reportedly sank from Hurghada, Egypt, about 1 kilometer (0. 6 miles).

The ship quickly sank at around 10am local time (08:00 GMT), despite the crew’s efforts to surface and evacuate passengers.

On board, who was there?

At the time of the incident, Egyptian crew members and 45 tourists were on board the submarine, according to Red Sea Governor Amr Hanafi in a statement.

The 45-ton submarine was also confirmed by the Russian consulate in Hurghada.

Nationals from Russia, Norway, Sweden, and India were among the tourists.

Who died in the incident, and are there still missing people?

Four adults and two children were among the six fatalities that Hanafi identified as Russians, including four adults and two children.

According to Russian media, the victims included members of the same family who had been on vacation in Egypt, but authorities have not yet released all of their names until their families are informed.

According to Egyptian officials, a married couple and two doctors were also among the deceased.

No one is missing after the 39 tourists and five crew members who haven’t been rescued.

29 of them, however, were injured. Four people are still in critical condition and are in the intensive care unit, according to Hanafi, despite the majority of injuries being classified as non-life-threatening, such as bruises, cuts, and mild hypothermia.

The submarine sank, but why?

No specific reason for the vessel’s sinking has been given by Egyptian or Russian officials, and investigations are still being conducted.

However, the Association of Tour Operators of Russia claimed that the submarine had struck a reef while it was 20 meters (65 feet) below the surface of the ocean and that pressure then started to wane.

The likelihood of the seawater flooding into the vessel would have increased because water moves from high pressure to low-pressure areas.

What are survivors’ remark?

That’s exactly what happened, according to survivors. Passengers scrambled to the surface as the vessel was flooded with water.

According to Britain’s Daily Mirror newspaper, Elena Boldareva claimed the submarine started to dive with hatches open.

Boldareva said, “Some people managed to swim out, some didn’t, and some people did just as well.”

Boldareva and her husband managed to leave, but their daughter and mother were taken to the hospital with serious injuries.

They were one of the many people who had been treated and monitored at Hurghada General Hospital.

What has the government done?

Egyptian authorities immediately acted by launching an urgent search and rescue operation led by the Red Sea governorate and the Egyptian coastguard. Within an hour, divers were dispatched to the location, and several boats helped to bring survivors to shore.

Hanafi claimed that the crew members were being investigated for the cause of the sinking and that the submarine had all the necessary licenses and passed technical inspections.

Is there a rise in underwater tourism?

The underwater tourism sector, led by Sindbad Submarines, is rapidly expanding globally. The industry, which focuses on underwater reef exploration and scuba diving, was thought to be worth $36 billion in 2017 and is thought to have grown only since.

A number of businesses currently run underwater tours in submersibles and other underwater vessels that require a bigger platform to travel.

However, some experts have expressed concern that industry regulations are unable to maintain the industry’s growth.

Five people were aboard the Titan, a privately held submersible, when it went missing off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada in June 2023. Four tourists and the owner of the vessel, OceanGate, were among them. Four days later, investigators discovered debris from the submersible, leading to the discovery that all five of the five people had died as a result.

What follows?

Concerns have been raised about Egyptian tourism safety standards, particularly for popular Red Sea activities like snorkeling and diving.

Due to the risk of regional conflicts, many tourist operators have stopped or restricted travel to the Red Sea.

Hurghada-based Sindbad Submarines, which operates two tourist submarines, has not yet released a statement regarding the incident. The website appeared to be up and running again after briefly being offline.

The submarines are engineered in Finland to “assure safety and reliability” by withstanding underwater pressure up to 75 meters (246 feet).

US, Philippines must stand ‘shoulder to shoulder’ on China, Hegseth says

In a meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said the US and the Philippines “should stand shoulder to shoulder” with China.

Hegseth made his first stop on a tour of Asia Pacific allies on Friday, making his first appearance in Manila after being investigated domestically for his role in the unintentional leak of US secrets to a journalist.

Hegseth and Marcos met at the Malacanan Palace in Manila, and they both declared, “Peace through strength is a very real thing.”

In your country, in light of the threats from the communist Chinese and the need for friends to stand shoulder-to-shoulder to prevent conflict, to ensure that there is free navigation, deterrence is necessary around the world, but specifically in this region.

We are aware that your country must stand very firm in that area and defend your nation, Hegseth continued. Whether it is the South China Sea or the West Philippine Sea,

Hegseth’s visit, according to Marcos, “sent a very clear message” about the allies’ commitment to strengthen their alliance.

The administration of US President Donald Trump is attempting to unite allies in the region to counteract China’s growing influence and power with its first trip to Asia.

In addition, the visit comes as China and the Philippines evaluate their territorial claims in the South China Sea.

The largest fiction and lie, according to Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro on Monday, referred to Beijing’s claim to more than 90% of the waterway as “the biggest.”

The Philippine coastguard reported the most recent incident in a row with Chinese vessels in the Scarborough Shoal on the same day that Teodoro made his remarks.

Hegseth will travel to Japan, another important US treaty ally, after wrapping up his weekend trip to the Philippines.

Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,128

As of Friday, March 28, 2018, here is the top-rated event list.

Fighting

  • 42 of the 85 Russian drones launched overnight at Ukraine, including a ballistic missile attack by Russia, were shot down by Kyiv’s air force, according to the country’s air force. In addition to the injuries, more than 20 people were killed in the attacks, and storage facilities and residential structures were also damaged.
  • Russian Federation’s FSB security service claimed that Ukrainian spy organizations were attempting to recruit Russian nationals to work for RAND Corp, a think tank in the United States.
  • In response to Qatar’s efforts to reunite children who had been separated from their families as a result of the ongoing conflict, Russia has given five children to Ukraine.
  • After visiting the region of Sumy, Ukraine’s top general Oleksandr Syrskii claimed that the Ukrainian military was conducting defense and assault operations to stop the army from entering the country. However, the Ukrainian military said that the Russian forces were intensifying their attacks there.
  • Despite a mutually agreed moratorium between Ukraine and Russia on such strikes, the Russian-controlled Crimea and Bryansk, Kursk, and other Russian-annexed regions, the country’s Ministry of Defense claimed that Ukraine had attacked energy facilities with drones and artillery.
  • The allegations were disproven by the Ukrainian army, and a spokesperson for the Kyiv-based Ministry of Foreign Affairs claimed neither Ukraine nor Russia have attacked one another’s energy facilities since March 25.
  • According to The Associated Press news agency, a local official was killed by Russian shelling in Kherson, in southern Ukraine, and partially slowed the power supply.

Ceasefire

  • During a trip to China, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot argued that Beijing and Paris should work together to promote peace in Ukraine and that China could influence Russia’s willingness to cooperate.
  • Vladimir Putin’s statements regarding a ceasefire with Ukraine were described as “hollow,” according to Keith Starmer, the prime minister of the United Kingdom.
  • Putin suggested that Ukraine be placed under the United Nations’ and other nations’ temporary “administration” until elections are held as a result of the peace process.
  • Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the Kremlin Foreign Ministry, claimed that France and the UK were planning an “military intervention in Ukraine” using a disguised peacekeeping mission. She warned that Russian and NATO could engage in military hostility as a result of these attempts.
  • In Paris, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and some 30 leaders from the “coalition of the willing” nations met to discuss strengthening Kyiv’s position and how the coalition might play a role if a peace deal is reached with Russia.
  • Although some nations were more interested in sending European soldiers to Ukraine than others, the summit raised the topic of deploying them. Additionally, the nations agreed that Russia should not be subject to sanctions anymore; rather, that it should be strengthened.
  • Regarding the potential lifting of Russian sanctions, President Zelenskyy issued a warning to the meeting about “dangerous signals” from Saudi Arabia.
  • Even if the idea was rejected by all of Europe, French President Macron claimed that London and Paris were working on sending “assurance troops” to Ukraine in response to a potential future peace deal.
  • Petr Fiala, the Czech prime minister, stated at the ceremony that his nation’s plan to provide ammunition to Ukraine in 2025 would match that of the previous year. According to the Czech Defense Ministry, the country received 1.5 million rounds of artillery last year, including 500 000 155-millimeter shells.

Politics and diplomacy

  • The South Korean military reported that to aid Moscow in its battle against Kyiv, North Korea has sent about 3, 000 more soldiers to Russia this year.
  • Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov claimed that it would be premature to arrive at “far-reaching conclusions” regarding Russia-US relations at this time because Moscow and Washington are still in the early stages of a long and challenging process of regaining a relationship.
  • Ryabkov also claimed that it is too soon for Russia to resume discussions with the US regarding strategic nuclear stability.
  • Zelenskyy claimed that the US “constantly” altered the terms of the proposed minerals deal with his country. He continued, saying he did not want Kyiv to believe that the US was opposed to the deal.

Russia’s Putin says North Korea, BRICS should join Ukraine ceasefire talks

According to Russian state media, Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, suggested that Ukraine could be placed under a “temporary administration” as part of a Moscow-led peace process that might include support from North Korea and other Russian allies.

According to Russia’s state news agency, TASS, Putin addressed a group of servicemen in the northern port of Murmansk, making several arrangements for a peace process to end the three-year war that Moscow started in February 2022.

According to TASS, one of Putin’s suggestions was to call for new elections in Ukraine and the “signing of key agreements” once the nation becomes under international control.

According to Putin, “in principle, a temporary administration could be established in Ukraine under the auspices of the UN, the United States, the European Union, and our partners.”

“This would be to hold free elections, elect a capable government with the support of the people, and then strike up discussions with them about a peace treaty,” Putin said.

He declared, “We are for peacefully resolving all these issues.” He continued, “With removing the original causes that caused the current situation.”

Putin added that Russia’s ally Pyongyang and other nations should play a role in the peace process besides the US and Russia.

Putin said that the People’s Republic of China, India, Brazil, South Africa, and all of the BRICS nations are included.

He continued, “And many others, including the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,” while referring to North Korea’s official name.

More than 3, 000 new troops have been dispatched by Pyongyang to Ukraine’s military, up from 11, 000 sent last year, with the latter reportedly resulting in catastrophic casualties from fighting with the army of Ukraine, according to South Korea’s military.

Putin added that despite “acting inconsistently and constantly trying to fool us,” he was also ready to work with Europe.

“But it’s fine because we’ve already gotten used to it. According to TASS, he said, “I hope we won’t make any mistakes because we have too much trust with our so-called partners.”

Donald Trump, the US president, praised the Russian leader as “sincerely wishing for the end of this conflict.”

Putin’s comments come after Russian, Ukrainian, and US officials held separate talks in Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh this week to secure a temporary ceasefire.

The US claims that Kyiv and Moscow agreed to stop conducting military exercises on Black Sea vessels, but they have since been accused of not taking the peace talks seriously.

Following the agreement, Ukraine accused Russia of conducting a nightly drone attack on Mykolaiv, which Volodymyr Zelenskyy called a “clear signal to the entire world that Moscow is not going to pursue real peace.”

In contravention of an agreement to not attack other people’s power facilities, Russia also accused Ukraine of attacking a gas storage facility and a power installation in Russian-held territory.

Australia’s Albanese calls national election for May 3

In a contest set to be dominated by cost-of-living concerns, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called for a national election on May 3. He wants to run for re-elected Labor Party leaders for a third three-year term.

Albanese said on Friday that the election would have to be a decision between the Liberal Party-led coalition’s proposed spending cuts and his government’s plan to “keep building.”

At a press conference, Albanese stated to reporters, “What I want is a campaign with policy substance and optimism for our country.”

“Australia has my optimism.” One of the key points of this campaign is that.

According to polls, Labor and the Liberal-National Coalition, led by former police detective Peter Dutton, are at odds with one another, making it the first government to serve just one term since 1931.

Labor has lost ground in the polls as a result of its convincing defeat of the centre-right Coalition in the 2022 election as a result of unrest over rising costs of living, including a persistent shortage of affordable housing.

Australia’s housing market has almost doubled between 2002 and 2024, making it one of the least affordable in the world.

More than three-quarters of Australians said they were unhappy with the quality of affordable housing in their area, a 31-point increase over the same period last year, according to a Gallup poll conducted.

Only Turkiye surveyed of the 13 nations, which had a higher proportion of residents who were unhappy with the housing situation.

By the end of the decade, Albanese pledged to oversee the construction of 1.2 million new homes.

However, the government’s construction initiative has started slowly, with the Urban Development Institute of Australia estimating that 400 000 homes will be left out of the target.

Dutton has suggested investing $5 billion ($3.15 billion) to help build 500, 000 new homes, as well as a number of measures to reduce demand, including a two-year ban on foreign investors and temporary residents purchasing real estate.

Dutton claimed on Friday that Australia was “going backwards,” accusing Albanese of being fixated on a referendum that would have established a body to consult parliament on issues relating to indigenous issues rather than fundamental concerns.

He said, “I don’t think we can just afford to continue on this course, and that means we can’t afford three more years of Labor.”

“Labor’s economic policies and shoddy spending have caused Australians to pay more to live.”

Healthcare, immigration, energy, and climate change are among the issues that are expected to be at the forefront of the campaign.

Dutton has suggested shifting the country’s energy mix to nuclear power by building two small modular reactors and seven nuclear power plants, despite Albanese’s pledge to make significant investments in green manufacturing and solar and wind power.

Although the majority of votes will go to Labor or the Coalition, polls indicate that the main parties’ support is at an all-time low, which raises the possibility of a hung parliament.

To form a minority government, Labor and the Coalition would need to negotiate with the left-leaning Australian Greens or independents if they were to win a majority in the 150-seat House of Representatives.