News in Brief-(2023-10-25)

FE Team | Published: October 24, 2023 23:40:09

Iran 'facilitating attacks’ on US
military bases in Iraq and Syria
NEW YORK, Oct 24: The White House on Monday said Iran was in some cases "actively facilitating" rocket and drone attacks by Iranian-backed proxy groups on US military bases in Iraq and Syria, and President Biden has directed the Department of Defense to brace for more and respond appropriately. White House spokesman John Kirby said there had been an uptick in such attacks over the last week, and especially over the last few days, but the US would not allow its interests in the region to "go unchallenged." He said the United States believed these groups were supported by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) and the Iranian government, which was also continuing to support the Hamas and Hezbollah militant groups. —Reuters
Seven dead in massive US highway pileup
WASHINGTON, Oct 24: A large cloud of fog enveloping a highway led to at least 158 car crashes and seven deaths in the southern US state of Louisiana, authorities said Monday. The so-called "super fog," which US media reported was caused by a mixture of marsh fires and dense fog, led to a massive pileup on Interstate 55, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) outside of New Orleans, the Louisiana State Police said in a statement. Photos posted by the police showed both lanes of the highway bridge where the incident occurred blocked off by the wreckage, which included dozens of charred vehicles. — AFP
Delhi air turns very poor
NEW Delhi, Oct 24: The air quality in India's capital Delhi has fallen to poor levels and is expected to deteriorate further in the coming days, officials have said. Delhi is one of the world's most polluted cities through the year. But its air turns especially toxic in winter due to various factors, including burning of crop remains by farmers, low wind speeds and bursting of firecrackers during festivals. The polluted air causes severe health issues to Delhi residents every year. On Monday, the level of PM 2.5 - fine particulate matter that can clog lungs and cause a host of diseases - was 306 in the city, according to government data. —BBC
20 killed in DR Congo militant attack
BENI, DR Congo, Oct 24, 2023 (BSS/AFP) - At least 20 civilians have been killed in an eastern DR Congo attack blamed on militants linked to the Islamic State group, local sources said Tuesday. The attack took place on Monday night on the outskirts of Oicha, a town in Beni territory, North Kivu province. The IS-affiliated Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) are accused of slaughtering thousands of civilians in the conflict-torn eastern DRC. "So far we have 20 bodies... tension is high, the ADF have once again plunged Oicha into mourning," mayor Nicolas Kikuku told AFP by phone on Tuesday. "We have just placed 26 bodies in the morgue of Oicha's general hospital," said Darius Syaira, Beni territory's civil society representative. -- AFP
One dead after North Sea ship collision
BERLIN, Oct 24: One body has been recovered and two people have been rescued in a search and rescue mission after two freighters collided in the North Sea off the coast of Germany, the maritime emergency authority said on Tuesday. The Verity, which the Central Command for Maritime Emergencies said had sunk, had been on its way from Bremen to the English town of Immingham. The Polesie was sailing from Hamburg to La Coruna in Spain. It was not immediately clear what the vessels were carrying, if anything. Seven people had been on board the Verity, the central command said, adding that a search was ongoing for the four missing. — Reuter