59 die in North Macedonia’s nightclub fire
Kocani, March 16: A massive fire tore through a nightclub in North Macedonia’s eastern town of Kocani early Sunday, killing 59 people and injuring 155, authorities said. The blaze broke out around 2:30 am during a concert by a local pop group at Club Pulse, Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski told reporters. He said 39 of the dead had so far been identified. He said, following an initial assessment, pyrotechnics likely caused the roof to catch fire. Videos showed chaos inside the club, with young people running through the smoke as the musicians urged people to escape as quickly as possible. Officials said the injured have been taken to hospitals around the country, including the capital, Skopje, many with severe burns. The effort was being assisted by multiple volunteer organisations. Health Minister Arben Taravari said 118 people have been hospitalised, adding that he had received offers of assistance from neighbouring countries, including Albania, Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia. (AP)
Five killed in terror attack in Balochistan
Karachi, March 16: Five people, including three Frontier Corps (FC) personnel, were killed and 30 injured after a paramilitary convoy was attacked by suspected Baloch militants on a highway in Noshki district of restive Balochistan of Pakistan on Sunday. The attack, in which three terrorists died, was claimed by the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), which hijacked the passenger train Jaffar Express last week. A police official said evidence from the site of the attack suggested that a suicide attacker rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the FC convoy on the Noshki-Dalbandin National Highway. Three terrorists were killed after the suicide bomber first rammed his motorcycle into the FC convoy. (PTI)
Assailant sets woman alight on tram in Germany
Berlin, March 16: An assailant poured a liquid over a woman on a tram in eastern Germany on Sunday and set her alight, police said. The woman was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries, while the attacker fled. Police said no other people were hurt in the incident in the eastern city of Gera, German news agency dpa reported. Passengers stopped the tram by pressing an emergency button, and the assailant took the opportunity to flee. The tram driver immediately began to extinguish the flames, and the 46-year-old woman was taken to a hospital by helicopter. Police were searching for the assailant. (AP)
China delivers second modern submarine to Pakistan navy
Beijing, March 16: China has delivered a second new submarine, equipped with state-of-the-art weapons and sensors, to Pakistan as part of its efforts to beef up the navy of its all-weather ally to back its growing presence in the Arabian Sea and India’s backyard – the Indian Ocean. The Hangor-class submarine, which is part of the eight such submarines to Pakistan in a deal with around USD five billion, was launched in Wuhan, official media here reported on Sunday. (PTI)