
Fire in India's Hyderabad kills at least 17 people
The fire broke out on the ground floor and spread to the upper floors of the building located in Hyderabad and about a dozen firefighting vehicles were involved in the operation, the Telangana Fire, Disaster Response, Emergency and Civil Defence Department said in a statement.
Indian hotel fires kills 15
India's Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy, who visited the site, told local media that a preliminary inquiry indicated a short circuit may have led to the fire.
The 17 dead included six children aged under 5 years.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Express Tribune
a day ago
- Express Tribune
Great Indian Bustard shows recovery in Cholistan
Listen to article In a significant development for wildlife conservation in Pakistan, the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard, locally known as Bhakhar, has shown promising signs of population recovery in the Cholistan Desert, according to Punjab wildlife authorities. Wildlife experts estimate the global population of the Great Indian Bustard to be between 80 and 90, with approximately 30 to 35 believed to inhabit the Cholistan region of Pakistan. This fragile recovery is the result of enhanced conservation efforts, ongoing field monitoring, and the creation of a dedicated public wildlife reserve. 'This bird is now restricted to the Cholistan Desert in Pakistan and Rajasthan in India,' confirmed Wildlife Conservator Syed Rizwan Mehmood. He documented rare video footage and photographs of the species during a recent field survey. 'The sighting and documentation of its presence confirm its continued survival in Pakistan. It's a major breakthrough.' Bahawalpur Deputy Chief Wildlife Ranger Syed Ali Usman Bukhari emphasised the role of dedicated habitat protection in aiding the bird's recovery. 'A designated Public Wildlife Reserve has been established in Cholistan specifically to protect the Great Indian Bustard. Strengthened conservation measures have led to a gradual increase in the population of this native species,' he said. The Great Indian Bustard (ardeotis nigriceps) is listed as "critically endangered" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), making it one of the most threatened bird species in South Asia. Once found in large numbers across the Indian subcontinent, the species is now confined to fragmented habitats in India and Pakistan due to habitat loss, hunting and human disturbance. Renowned for its distinctive appearance, the Great Indian Bustard is among the heaviest flying birds in the world. Males can weigh up to 15 kilograms, stand about one meter tall, and have a wingspan exceeding two meters. The bird is easily identified by its brown, white and black plumage and a prominent black patch on the neck. It lays only one egg per year, resulting in an extremely low breeding rate making every individual crucial to the survival of the species. Under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), all international trade of the species is strictly prohibited. Domestically, the bird enjoys legal protection, with all forms of hunting or trade banned. Unlike the more commonly targeted Houbara Bustard, which has faced significant pressure from hunting by foreign falconers, the Great Indian Bustard has largely been spared due to its rarity and the strict penalties imposed on violators. Conservationists remain cautiously optimistic. 'The progress we're seeing in Cholistan is encouraging, but the species remains on the brink,' said a wildlife official. 'We must maintain and expand protection efforts, raise awareness, and safeguard critical habitats if we are to prevent its extinction.'


Business Recorder
2 days ago
- Business Recorder
At least 20 killed as Bangladesh fighter jet crashes into school
DHAKA: A Bangladeshi fighter jet crashed into a school in the capital Dhaka on Monday, killing at least 20 people and injuring more than 170 in the country's deadliest aviation accident in decades. Many of the victims were young students who had just been let out of class when a Chinese-made F-7 BJI aircraft slammed into the Milestone School and College. An AFP photographer at the scene saw fire and rescue officials taking away the injured students on stretchers, while army personnel helped clear the mangled wreckage. A military statement said 20 people were killed, including the pilot, and 171 others injured when the jet crashed following a mechanical failure. An 18-year-old student, Shafiur Rahman Shafi, said he heard a huge blast that felt like an earthquake. 'There were two fighter planes… Suddenly one of the two planes crashed here (in the junior playground),' he told AFP. 'It created a boom, and it felt like a quake. Then it caught fire, and the army reached the spot later,' he told AFP. Death toll in India plane crash rises to at least 279 The well-known private school offers education to children from kindergarten through to senior secondary. Most of the injured were aged between eight and 14, said Mohammad Maruf Islam, joint director of Dhaka's National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute where many victims were treated. Grieving relatives of the victims thronged the hospital, while dozens of volunteers lined up ready to donate blood. Tofazzal Hossain, 30, broke down in tears on learning that his young cousin had been killed. 'We frantically searched for my cousin in different hospitals,' Hossain told AFP. 'He was an eighth grader at the school. Finally, we found his body.' 'Deep grief and sorrow' The military said the pilot was on a routine training mission when the jet 'reportedly encountered a mechanical failure'. 'The exact cause remains under investigation,' it said in a statement. The pilot tried to divert the aircraft away from densely populated areas but, 'despite his best efforts', crashed into the two-storey school building, the military added. The interim government of Muhammad Yunus announced a day of national mourning on Tuesday. Yunus expressed 'deep grief and sorrow' over the incident in a post on X. 'The loss suffered by the Air Force, the students, parents, teachers, and staff of Milestone School and College, as well as others affected by this accident, is irreparable,' he said. 'This is a moment of profound pain for the nation.' The crash was the worst aviation accident in the country in several decades. The deadliest ever disaster happened in 1984 when a plane flying from Chattogram to Dhaka crashed, killing all 49 on board. Last month, a commercial aircraft crashed in neighbouring India, killing 260 people. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was 'deeply shocked and saddened at the loss of lives' in Dhaka. Relations between the neighbours have been strained since protesters in Bangladesh last year ousted leader Sheikh Hasina, an old ally of New Delhi. 'India stands in solidarity with Bangladesh and is ready to extend all possible support and assistance,' Modi wrote on X.


Business Recorder
2 days ago
- Business Recorder
Air India jet skids during landing in Mumbai, damaging aircraft and runway
NEW DELHI: An Air India Airbus A320 flight veered off the runway as it landed during heavy rain at the Mumbai International Airport on Monday, briefly shutting the runway and damaging the underside of one of the plane's engines. All passengers and crew members have since disembarked, Air India said, without saying whether anyone was injured. Air India flight AI2744 had flown from Kochi in southern Kerala state to Mumbai. The Mumbai airport said in a statement there were 'minor damages reported to the airport's primary runway' due to what it described as a 'runway excursion', and a secondary runway had been activated to ensure operational continuity. The aircraft has been grounded for checks, Air India added. A Times of India report, citing sources, said three tyres had burst on the aircraft after the landing. TV footage from NDTV and India Today showed the outer casing of the engine damaged, with some apparent cracks. India investigation body says too early for conclusions on what led to Air India crash Air India has come under intense scrutiny after a Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed in the Indian city of Ahmedabad last month, killing 260 people. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency said earlier this month it plans to investigate its budget airline, Air India Express, after Reuters reported the carrier did not follow a directive to change engine parts of an Airbus A320 in a timely manner and falsified records to show compliance.