Global Covid cases top 102.5m
Washington, Jan 31: The total number of global coronavirus cases has topped 102.5 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 2.21 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 102,525,801 and 2,217,668, respectively. The US is the worst-hit country with the world’s highest number of cases and deaths at 26,067,807 and 439,420, respectively, according to the CSSE. India comes in second place in terms of cases at 10,733,131. (IANS)
2 killed, 1 injured in avalanche
Helsinki, Jan 31: Two civilian employees of the Norwegian military were killed and a third one injured in an avalanche on a remote Arctic Ocean island inhabited only by soldiers and researchers of the Nordic country. A statement from the Norwegian Armed Forces said Sunday that the accident took place Saturday afternoon on Jan Mayen island, located 500 kilometres east of Greenland and 1,000 kilometres west of mainland Norway. “Three employees based at the Armed Forces station on Jan Mayen were on a leisure trip when they were hit by an avalanche, some distance from the station,” the Norwegian military said. One managed to break free after being buried in snow for two hours and returned back to the military base for help, it added. Norwegian newspaper VG said the victims were a woman in her 50s and a man in his 30s. (AP)
Cyclone causes damages in Fiji
Suva, Jan 31: Tropical cyclone Ana, the first one to hit Fiji this year, has caused extensive damages to the South Pacific island nation. According to a statement by Fiji Meteorological Service (FMS) on Sunday, at around 10 p.m.on Saturday night, the centre of the tropical cyclone moved past the northern part of the Yasawa islands and headed towards Fiji’s main island of Viti Levu before strengthening into a category 2 system, reports Xinhua news agency. At 6 a.m. on Sunday morning, the cyclone made landfall near Rakiraki in the northern part of Viti Levu and continued to track south-southeast over the central part of Fiji towards the capital area of Suva. By midday on Sunday, the centre of Ana was located over the coast of Viti Levu between Suva and Navua, a town about 38 km west of Suva heading towards Kadavu in the southern part of Fiji. (IANS)
12 killed in Afghan blasts
Kabul, Jan 31: At least 12 people were killed in blasts across Afghanistan, officials have confirmed. In a deadly car bomb which hit a military base in Shirzad district, Nangarhar province on Saturday morning, eight soldiers were killed, the provincial government confirmed in a statement. The Taliban outfit has claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement sent to media hours after the blast, Xinhua news agency. The armed group’s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said “50 security personnel were killed and injured in a suicide vehicle bomb” that targeted a military base. But his claims of the casualties are yet to be verified. (IANS)