Turkey launches indigenous frigate
Ankara, Jan 24: Turkey has launched its fifth indigenous frigate produced as part of the MILGEM project, a national warship programme. Istanbul Frigate F-515 was designed with national resources, and over 75 per cent of its systems are of indigenous manufacture, according to the Turkish Presidency of Defence Industries. The 113-meter-long frigate would perform advanced air defence and surface warfare, antisubmarine warfare, and patrol activities, Xinhua news agency quoted the Presidency as saying on Saturday after the launch earlier in the day. It is expected to be delivered to Turkey’s Naval Forces Command in 2023. (IANS)
Global Covid-19 cases top 98.6mn
Washington, Jan 24: The total number of global coronavirus cases has topped 98.6 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 2.11 million, according to the Johns Hopkins University. In its latest update on Sunday morning, the University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and death toll stood at 98,693,047 and 2,118,697, respectively. The US is the worst-hit country with the world’s highest number of cases and deaths at 24,985,689 and 417,339, respectively, according to the CSSE. India comes in second place in terms of cases at 10,639,684, while the country’s death toll soared to 153,184. (IANS)
Two earthquakes jolt Chile
Santiago, Jan 24: Two earthquakes measuring 7.0 and 5.9 on the Richter scale jolted Chile’s Magallanes and Antarctica region, with no reported casualties or damages, but authorities issued a tsunami warning after the first temblor. According to the National Seismological Centre at the University of Chile, the first quake struck at 8.36 p.m. on Saturday, Xinhua news agency reported. The temblor was measured at a depth of 10 km and its epicentre located in the ocean, 210 km east of the President Eduardo Frei Montalva base, the Antarctic base of Chile. The National Office for Emergency (Onemi) of the Interior Ministry issued a tsunami alert and ordered an evacuation of beach areas near the Antarctic region. Later, at 9.07 p.m., a 5.9 magnitude earthquake was felt. (IANS)