Toll rises to 30 in Karachi fire, 16 minors among those missing
KARACHI, Jan 21: A devastating fire at Karachi’s Gul Shopping Plaza has claimed 30 lives so far, with 73 people still missing, including 16 minor boys, officials said on Wednesday. The blaze began in the building’s basement on the night of January 17 and spread rapidly, taking nearly 36 hours to control. Sindh police surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed confirmed two additional bodies were recovered, bringing the toll to 30, though only 10 victims have been identified due to severe burns. The provincial government released a list of missing persons aged 10 to 69, comprising men, women, and children. Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab said the list was compiled with help from families and shop owners. Rescue operations may continue for up to two more weeks. Authorities revealed the building had pending safety-related court cases. The Sindh governor pledged compensation and rehabilitation for affected shopkeepers. (PTI)
Israeli fire kills 11 Palestinians in Gaza
CAIRO, Jan 21: Israeli forces killed at least 11 Palestinians in Gaza on Wednesday, including two 13-year-old boys, three journalists, a woman, and three brothers, hospital officials reported. One boy, his father, and a 22-year-old man were struck by Israeli drones in Bureij refugee camp, while another boy was shot in Bani Suheila. Three journalists were killed in an Israeli strike on a vehicle documenting an Egyptian-run displacement camp in Zahraa. A woman was shot in Khan Younis, and three brothers were killed in tank shelling in Bureij. Since the October ceasefire, more than 470 Palestinians have died from Israeli fire, including over 100 children. Gaza continues to face humanitarian challenges, with shortages of electricity, fuel, firewood, blankets, and warm clothing, despite the ceasefire allowing some aid deliveries. (AP)
Assassin of ex-Japan PM gets life term
TOKYO, Jan 21: A Japanese court on Wednesday sentenced Tetsuya Yamagami, 45, to life imprisonment for assassinating former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in July 2022 during an election speech in Nara. Yamagami, who pleaded guilty, said he targeted Abe to punish the Unification Church, which he hated, and expose its close ties with Abe and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. Prosecutors sought life imprisonment, citing the danger of the attack, while Yamagami’s lawyers requested a lighter sentence, citing his troubled childhood. The assassination, captured on television, shocked Japan, a nation with strict gun laws, and led to tighter security for dignitaries. Investigations revealed decades-long connections between Abe’s party and the church, prompting legal action against the religious group. Abe, Japan’s longest-serving postwar leader, was known for conservative policies and ties to right-wing organizations. Yamagami’s case drew public sympathy, highlighting the struggles of children of church adherents and influencing new laws regulating coercive solicitation by religious groups. (AP)
