World Echo

At least 21 people were killed in a fire at a hotel in Delhi on Wednesday, police said, in one of the worst such incidents in the national capital in recent years. The hotel was located in Malviya Nagar in south Delhi, they said, a predominantly residential area popular with students and young professionals. The fire reportedly broke out at around 8:50am local time (0320GMT). A Delhi Police statement confirmed the death toll, adding that over 40 people were rescued and shifted to nearby hospitals for medical treatment. Television visuals showed a building on fire, smoke billowing out and charred exteriors as residents watched from a narrow lane nearby. They also showed two people jumping from a higher floor of the building. "There was reportedly a restaurant operating on the ground floor of the building; it is most likely that the fire was connected to that restaurant," local administration official Jitendra Kumar told reporters. Read: Fire breaks out on Tezgam ...

Multiple people on social media platform X have been sharing a video since Monday, claiming it shows an Iranian strike on United States military bases in Kuwait. However, the footage is from Malta and shows an explosion at a fireworks factory. Over the past week, fighting between the United States and Iran has intensified despite an April 8 ceasefire. The US military said it struck Iranian radar, drone, and air-defence sites in Goruk and on Qeshm Island after Tehran allegedly shot down a US drone over international waters. Iran, meanwhile, claimed it targeted a US-linked airbase involved in an attack on a communications tower on Sirik Island in Hormozgan Province. Iranian-backed attacks and interceptions were also reported in Kuwait on Monday. Kuwait condemned Iranian attacks on its territory. At sea, tensions have remained high around the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has continued to challenge commercial shipping and the US has maintained pressure through a naval blockade of I...

Italian police have arrested two Pakistani nationals for the murder of four Pakistani farm workers found dead in a burnt-out minivan in southern Italy, Corriere della Sera daily reported Tuesday. The burnt-out vehicle was found at a petrol station near the village of Amendolara in a vast farming area in the Calabria region. CCTV images from the petrol station showed two people blocking the van's doors from the outside and throwing liquid inside, Corriere della Sera reported, citing law enforcement sources. The images showed a fire breaking out and the two people running away, the report said. Firefighters found the bodies inside after putting out the fire. "This is definitely murder, we just have to work out the details," local police chief Antonio Borelli was quoted by Corriere as saying. Read: Pakistan, Italy agree to visa-free travel for diplomatic passports The paper said there had been 14 cases of arson involving cars and minivans carrying Pakistanis i...

The US is discussing whether to deploy ​nuclear weapons in additional European NATO states, the ‌Financial Times reported on Tuesday. US officials have signaled openness to additional deployments beyond the existing six countries hosting nuclear-capable ​bombers, the FT said, citing three people ​briefed on the discussions. The move would involve more ⁠countries to host so-called US dual-capable aircraft (DCA), which ​are able to deliver nuclear strikes, the newspaper ​said, while cautioning that an agreement to expand US nuclear hosting was not imminent. Countries on NATO's eastern flank, including Poland ​and some Baltic states, were interested in potentially ​hosting DCA bases, the report said, adding that discussions were ongoing ‌in NATO channels. Reuters could not immediately verify the report. The White House, Department of Defense and NATO did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Read: Former US president Barack Obama...

Iranian strikes have damaged 20 US military sites since the start of the US-Israeli war against Tehran in February, a BBC analysis of satellite images and videos showed on Monday. The targeted facilities span Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Iraq, Jordan, Bahrain, and Oman, found the analysis by BBC Verify using satellite imagery from multiple international providers, along with archived images from Planet, a major provider, to assess damage from Iranian attacks. While the White House has repeatedly said Iran’s military capability has been largely destroyed, analysts argue that damage observed at US facilities suggests that Iran’s counterstrikes were both more precise and more extensive than American officials have publicly acknowledged. Among the significant losses were three advanced anti-ballistic missile battery systems at Al Ruwais and Al Sader airbases in the UAE, as well as Muwaffaq Salti Airbase in Jordan, the report said. The satellite...

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Sunday that the United States government is targeting her administration in an effort to interfere in Mexico’s internal affairs. Delivering her annual accountability report, Sheinbaum highlighted her administration’s achievements two years into its term while denouncing what she described as a “media offensive and multimillion-dollar social media campaigns” before thousands of supporters. Sheinbaum referred to diplomatic tensions with Mexico’s northern neighbour and the administration of US President Donald Trump, which has increased pressure on Mexico to meet Washington’s security demands. “Is this really a legitimate, genuine interest in helping Mexico? Is it truly a legitimate effort to combat organised crime? Or are we perhaps witnessing sectors of the American far right using our country to position themselves ahead of the 2026 elections? Or are they attempting to influence our country’...