WORLD

Seoul, March 11 (IANS) Some lawmakers of South Korean Opposition parties said on Tuesday they will stage a hunger strike calling for a verdict by the Constitutional Court to officially remove impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol from office over his failed bid to impose martial law.A group of Opposition lawmakers, including from the main rivals Democratic Party (DP), the Rebuilding Korea Party and the Progressive Party, told reporters that they will go on a hunger strike urging the court to swiftly dismiss Yoon, who was released from detention last Saturday.Yoon's release came as another court allowed him to stand trial without physical detention, citing some questions about the legality of investigations over his charges."Yoon Suk Yeol must return to jail," they said, calling on the court to...

Sydney, March 11 (IANS) Cyclone Alfred, which caused widespread power outage and flood in Australia's states of Queensland and New South Wales (NSW), has exposed critical weaknesses in the country's infrastructure, an expert has warned."We may not be so lucky next time. Australia must use Cyclone Alfred as a serious wake-up call to bolster our essential infrastructure against disasters," said Cheryl Desha, visiting professor of the School of Engineering and Built Environment, Sciences Group, Griffith University, in an article published on Monday in The Conversation.Cyclones are highly complex systems, bringing together multiple hazards like powerful winds, flooding, storm surges, and coastal erosion, which makes predicting their impacts especially challenging, Desha said, adding Alfred lin...

New Delhi, March 11 (IANS) Billionaire Elon Musk on Tuesday hinted at Ukraine’s link with the cyberattack on X that led to massive global outage on his social media platform.Millions of users across Europe, North America, and Asia, including India, were unable to access the micro-blogging platform on Monday for long periods. According to outage tracking platform DownDetector, the X outage peaked at around 15:00 hours.Speaking to media Musk alleged that the massive cyberattack had digital traces originating from Ukraine."We're not sure exactly what happened, but there was a massive cyberattack to try to bring down the X system with IP addresses originating in the Ukraine area," Musk was quoted as saying in an interview with Fox News.During the downtime, X stopped working completely, and mor...

Port Louis, March 11 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi was warmly welcomed in Mauritius on Tuesday morning as he arrived for a significant two-day visit aimed at strengthening bilateral ties between India and the island nation. One of the highlights of the reception was a vibrant performance of "Geet Gawai," a traditional Bhojpuri musical ensemble, which added a unique cultural touch to his arrival.Geet Gawai, which traces its roots to the Bhojpuri belt of India, holds deep cultural significance for the Indian diaspora in Mauritius. The music is traditionally performed by women and has been an important part of the cultural fabric of the Indian-origin community in Mauritius, which has strong connections to India.This cherished musical tradition was recognised by UNESCO in December 2016 w...

San Jose, March 11 (IANS) Guatemala's active Volcan de Fuego (Volcano of Fire) poses an imminent threat to at least 30,000 people, the National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction (Conred) warned.The agency's executive secretary, Claudinne Ogaldes, called on nearby residents in the departments of Sacatepequez, Chimaltenango and Escuintla on Monday to immediately evacuate their homes following eruptions in the past hours, Xinhua news agency reported.The army and the National Civil Protection are coordinating safety measures in conjunction with the General Directorate of Protection and Security (Provial), said Ogaldes.Some 282 families have already been evacuated to shelters in the town of San Juan Alotenango, in Sacatepequez, and a shelter has been prepared in Cotzumalguapa, Escuintla, she s...

Port Louis, March 11 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi described his two-day visit to Mauritius as a "wonderful opportunity" to engage with a valued ally and strengthen bilateral ties as he arrived in Port Louis on Tuesday. Taking to X, PM Modi posted, "Landed in Mauritius. I am grateful to my friend, PM Dr Navinchandra Ramgoolam, for the special gesture of welcoming me at the airport. This visit is a wonderful opportunity to engage with a valued friend and explore new avenues for collaboration in various sectors."He added that he would be meeting Mauritius President Dharam Gokhool, Prime Minister Ramgoolam, and addressing a community event later in the evening.Upon arrival at the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport, PM Modi was accorded a ceremonial welcome.Mauritian Prime ...

Ankara, March 11 (IANS) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned against efforts to incite sectarian tensions in Syria, expressing support for interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa's commitment to hold those responsible for the recent surge in deadly clashes accountable.Addressing a press conference on Monday following a cabinet meeting, Erdogan alleged that remnants of Syria's former regime were attempting to provoke sectarian strife, though he characterised the overall situation as "largely stable yet delicate," Xinhua news agency reported."We welcome President al-Sharaa's reassuring and resolute stance that lawbreakers will face consequences. I have faith in the Syrian people's wisdom to avert destabilisation," Erdogan said, condemning all acts of terrorism, violence, and intimi...

Vatican City, March 11 (IANS) The Vatican has said that Pope Francis' health has shown significant improvement, and doctors are no longer concerned about his life. The Vatican announced in an update that the 88-year-old pontiff could be discharged from the hospital within days. While his condition remains complex, medical staff have withdrawn their earlier prognosis of caution following his steady recovery."The clinical conditions of the Holy Father continue to be stable," the Vatican said in a statement."The improvements recorded in the previous days have been further consolidated, as confirmed by blood tests, clinical evaluation, and the good response to pharmacological therapy," the statement read.Doctors have advised that Pope Francis remain under medical observation for a few more da...

Jeddah, March 11 (IANS) Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met with visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, late Monday evening, the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Tuesday. The SPA said on social media platform X that the Saudi crown prince received the Ukrainian president at the Al-Salam Palace in Jeddah, where an official reception ceremony was held. The two leaders also held formal talks.Zelensky arrived in the Saudi coastal city earlier on Monday, ahead of US-Ukraine talks."On Monday, I am scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia to meet with the Crown Prince (Mohammed bin Salman). After that, my team will remain in Saudi Arabia to work with our American partners," the Kiev-based Ukrainian News Agency quoted Zelensky as saying on Friday.Also ...

Port Louis, March 11 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Port Louis on Tuesday morning for a pivotal two-day visit to Mauritius, which aims to further strengthen the relationship between the two nations. Upon arrival in the East African country, the Prime Minister was given a ceremonial welcome at the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport by his Mauritian counterpart Navinchandra Ramgoolam.Adding to the enthusiastic reception, members of the Indian diaspora gathered outside the Oberoi Hotel in Port Louis to greet the Indian Prime Minister.PM Modi is scheduled to attend the National Day celebrations of Mauritius as the Chief Guest on March 12, following an invitation from Prime Minister Ramgoolam.This visit holds special significance as it marks PM Modi's first trip to...