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Indian rescuers are searching for 22 missing people after a cargo ship sinks
Indian coastguards and navy carried out search-and rescue operations on Sunday off the eastern coast of India after a Panama flagged?bulk ship?carrying a crew of 24 sank. Two Chinese nationals were rescued. Shyam Jagannathan of India's Maritime Administration told Shyam that the two Chinese seafarers claimed the vessel called Ocean Winner developed a list and sank in eight minutes. This forced the crew to abandon the ship. Jagannathan stated that the chances of finding survivors usually fall after?the initial 12 hours. However, rescuers continued their search. Sarbananda Sonowal said, in a post on social media, that "all agencies are coordinating closely and actively doing search and recovery efforts." MISSING CREW MEMBERS According to India's Coastguard, the missing crew members includes 18 more Chinese, three Myanmarese and one Bangladeshi. In a recent post, the Indian Navy stated that it is working closely with the Coastguard to find?the missing sailors. A coastguard spokesperson confirmed that two coastguard vessels were sent from Sri Vijaya Puram (formerly Port Blair), the capital of India’s Andaman and Nicobar archipelago. According to an initial report by India's Maritime Administration, the Ocean Winner carried?iron ore bound towards China after leaving India's eastern Paradip Port on Friday. According to government sources, it sank 240 nautical miles from the port. The cause of this sinking wasn't immediately known. Disha Mishra, Bengaluru (additional reporting); Mayank Bhardwaj (writing); Raju Gopalakrishnan & Helen Popper (editing)
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Iran announces that the Pakistani army chief will visit Tehran on Monday
Esmaeil baghaei, the'spokesperson' for the Iranian foreign ministry, said that Asim Munir, the Pakistani army chief, will visit Tehran on Monday in order to continue his 'efforts' to bring peace and stability to the region. Pakistan has assumed a role as a mediator in the negotiations between Iran, the U.S., and Israel to end the war that began in February with the U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran. Two sources in the Pakistani government confirmed Munir’s visit. First source: Iran and Pakistan are in direct contact. Second source: The 'talks' would also cover recent developments, such as the threat by Donald Trump to impose tougher sanctions on Iran. "He (Munir) will discuss peace under Islamabad's MoU, Trump's ?warning and the ?situation after the Pakistan-Turkey-Saudi Arab Agreement and Houthi issues with Iranian leaders," the source said. The visit coincides with heightened tensions, as Iran threatens to respond militarily to U.S. sanctions plans that could put further strain on the Islamic Republic’s already-ailing economy. The announcement will be made on Monday, when U.S. officials are expected to announce details about the planned sanctions that they have described as "the most severe sanctions in history" against?Iran. Trump has warned of the economic consequences for any country providing "any kind of lifeline" to Iran as he seeks to isolate it. The Strait of Hormuz is a virtual standstill for oil shipments. Tehran has threatened to hit unauthorized oil tankers who try to?transit the vital waterway. Iran's economic situation is already being impacted by sanctions.
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Search for 22 people after Bulker sinks off India
India's Coast Guard &?Navy conducted search and rescue operations on Sunday off the east coast of India after a cargo vessel?flagged by Panama sank with a crew of?24. Two Chinese nationals were rescued. Shyam Jagannathan is the director general of India’s Maritime Administration. He told reporters that two Chinese seafarers were rescued. They said their vessel began to list and sank in eight minutes. This forced crews to abandon ship. Jagannathan stated that the chances of finding survivors usually fall sharply after 12 hour, but rescuers are continuing their search. According to the Indian Coast Guard, 22 crew members are still'missing' from Ocean Winner. These include 18 Chinese nationals, 3 Myanmar?nationals, and 1 Bangladeshi. In a recent post, the Navy stated that the Indian Navy was working closely with the Coast Guard in order to locate the rest of the crew. A Coast Guard spokesperson said that two vessels were sent from Sri Vijaya Puram (formerly Port Blair) to help with the search and rescue operation. According to an initial report from India's Maritime Administration, the Ocean 'Winner' was carrying iron ore bound towards China when it left India's eastern 'Paradip' port on Friday. According to government sources, the cargo ship sank 240 nautical miles away from the port. It was not known what caused the sinking. (Disha Mishra, Bengaluru, contributed additional reporting; Mayank Bhardwaj wrote the article; Raju Gopalakrishnan edited it)
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India launches rescue operations after bulk carrier sinks near east coast
The Indian Coast Guard reported that India's maritime rescue agency had lost contact with a cargo vessel flying the Panamanian flag, which sank near the eastern coast of India. According to Commandant Amit?Uniyal?, a spokesperson for Coast Guard, the vessel was manned by 24 people, 20 of whom were Chinese, three Myanmarese and one Bangladeshi. Uniyal reported that the Coast Guard dispatched?two vessels from Sri Vijaya Puram (formerly known as Port Blair) for a search and rescue mission. The Coast Guard has rescued two people from life rafts. The agency reported that a search and rescue mission was underway for seafarers aboard the vessel. According to government sources the Ocean Winner was carrying ore from India to Singapore after leaving India's eastern Paradip Port on Thursday. They added that 240 nautical mile away, the ship sank. The cause of the sinking is unknown. Captain Alekha Charan Sahoo said that he hoped for the best and prayed for the safety of all the crew on board. Reporting by Nidhi verma, Saurabh sharma, Jatindra dash, and Disha mishra from Bengaluru. Editing by Sharon Singleton, Rod Nickel, and Rod Nickel.
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Two US tanker planes leave Bulgaria one month after their deployment infuriated Iran
Bulgaria's defence ministry announced on Saturday that two U.S. aircraft, tankers, had departed the Bezmer base in Bulgaria. This comes nearly a month after their deployment angered Iran. The United States has been at war against Iran since February 28 and requested that their temporary deployment be made under an agreement governing the?joint use of military installations. Sofia rejected the charge made by Iran that their deployment would be complicity in "aggression" and "war crimes". Defense Minister?Dimitar?Stoyanov informed reporters that two U.S. KC-135 aircraft left Bulgaria 'on Friday. It was not possible to reach the U.S. authorities for comment immediately. Residents in the area protested the deployment of the aircraft approved by Bulgarian parliament on July 22. They feared that the planes could be attacked by Iranian missiles and drones. Stoyanov stated that all of the aircraft's flights during their temporary deployment were training missions over other countries, and that Bulgaria had "no direct threats to our national safety." He said: "We work in full coordination with the U.S. Government?and have prior?information. This is why our decisions are well-founded." (Reporting and editing by Timothy Heritage, Aleksandar Vasovic)
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Seven people killed in UK when vehicle traveling the wrong way strikes police car
The local police said that seven people, including two police officers, died in a crash on Saturday in the?northeast of England after a vehicle driving 'the wrong way' down a major highway hit a marked police vehicle. The incident took place around 3:39 am (0239 GMT), near the South Bank area, east of Middlesbrough. All occupants of both vehicles died on the spot. Cleveland Police Chief Constable, Victoria Fuller said: "This tragic incident will be felt throughout Cleveland and our communities as well as the entire policing community." The police force said that it was still investigating and working to identify all of the victims. As is standard in these cases, the Independent Office for Police Conduct will review the incident. Ireland's chief of police warned this week that following two recent head on crashes near Dublin in which five people died, some young drivers were driving wrong way on the motorway "for social network likes". A?parliamentary committee in Ireland has asked TikTok how it removes "content that appears to glorify dangerous and illegal behavior?on our streets". Ireland's media regulator issued a similar demand on Tuesday. (Reporting and editing by Alexandra Hudson, Joe Bavier, and David Milliken)
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South Korea ships test Arctic commercial route amid Western concern
On Saturday, a South Korean container vessel set sail?for Europe via arctic in the nation's first commercial trip on the route. The?nation is testing its viability and hopes to turn the southeastern port of Busan into a maritime hub. The PanStar Acro is expected to sail north hugging the eastern Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, crossing the Bering Sea and taking the Northern Sea Route. It will stop in Felixstowe, Britain, Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and Poland's Gdansk before returning in a trip that should take between 40 and 45 days. President Lee 'Jae Myung made Arctic shipping for South Korea a priority, making it a "shipping powerhouse". Officials claim that this could transform Busan, and make the Arctic a regular trading route by 2030. The project could cause friction with Western allies who want to?keep Russia isolated? during its war in Ukraine. Seoul has spoken to Moscow about the trip, including whether or not the ship needs help if it gets stuck in the ice. The Oceans Ministry of South Korea and the Foreign Ministry of Russia did not respond when asked for comments. According to Norway's Center?for High-North Logistics, last year?88 ships made 103 transits along the route. This is up from 97 vessels in 2024 and 42 in 2022. These vessels were primarily from countries such as Russia and China. Scientists say that melting Arctic ice makes it easier to travel through the north, and the increased shipping speeds up global warming. PanStar, a South Korean container ship operator, has secured 837 TEU cargo on the government-backed trip. This includes auto parts and chemical products as well as 100 empty containers. A government official stated that the PanStar?Acro will flag off at around 8 pm (1100 GMT), depending on loading and other preparations.
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Muslim group condemns Texas's request for federal investigation of airport wash facilities
Texas Governor Greg Abbott?on Friday requested a federal probe into airport facilities to determine if ritual washing was performed before islamic prayers. A Muslim advocacy group referred to this as an "anti-Muslim" political stunt. Abbott, in a letter sent to the Department of Justice urging it to review immediately the ablution stations at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFWIA) and George Bush Intercontinental Airport (GWIA), criticized them for being discriminatory. Abbott's office stated that because airports receive federal funding, they are required to adhere to a number of conditions. This includes complying with all applicable laws against discrimination. Before daily prayers, many Muslims wash their arms, legs and faces. The Texas chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (an advocacy group) said that these?are not spaces for Muslims only, any more than nursing rooms or interfaith prayer rooms are 'Christian-only.' "These are accommodations that are open to all travelers, but are primarily used by the Muslim community." This is not discrimination. This is how accessible public infrastructure should look," CAIR Texas said in a press release. Abbott threatened to revoke funding for the state airports last week after referring them to Sean Duffy, U.S. Secretary of Transportation. Abbott stated that DFW has abandoned its plans to build more ablution stations as a result of this referral. The airport announced?this past week that it had determined the benefit originally expected may not be realized if more ablution stations are built. World Population Review reports that there are 4.5 million Muslims living in the United States, including more than 300,000. U.S. rights activists?say Islamophobia is on the rise since September 11, 2001 attacks in New York and Washington, D.C., and recently due to anti-immigration policy, white supremacy, and?the aftermath of Israel's Gaza war. Rights advocates have also documented a spike in anti Muslim messaging and rhetoric during U.S. campaigning, as Muslim American politicians rose to high office. Republican governors of Florida and Texas have branded CAIR as a terrorist organization. The group has opposed Republican President Donald Trump’s crackdown on immigration, and pro-Palestinian demonstrations. CAIR and civil rights groups denounced these claims, and claimed that Republicans were trying to incite fear towards Muslims.
Kremlin: Russia and US to study the outcome of discussions on Ukraine in Riyadh
The Kremlin announced on Tuesday that Washington and Moscow are analyzing the outcome of U.S.-Russian discussions in Saudi Arabia. However, it did not provide any details about the talks, which both sides claimed would be focused on a possible naval ceasefire between Russia Ukraine.
Russian and U.S. delegations met in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Monday. According to a source cited by Ukraine's Suspilne national broadcaster, Ukrainian and U.S. representatives will meet in the Saudi capital Tuesday.
Washington described Monday's discussions as an important step in President Donald Trump’s efforts to end the conflict. Ukraine and its European Allies are worried that Trump may seal a deal that would give in to Russian demands, and undermine their security.
Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesperson, said that the Russian and U.S. delegations, which had investigated the feasibility of an agreement on safety of ships at the Black Sea, and other matters, had returned to their respective capitals.
"You'll see, these are technical negotiations that go into great detail. The content of these discussions will not be made public, therefore, it is a given. Peskov said to reporters that this was not what they should have expected.
"Secondly, and I repeat, the reports to the capitals are being analysed now." Then, and only then, will it be possible for us to discuss some understandings.
He denied that a meeting between Russia, the United States, and Ukraine was being discussed.
Peskov also said that there were no immediate plans to have a second conversation between Russian president Vladimir Putin and U.S. president Donald Trump. However, a new conversation could be arranged quickly if necessary.
Trump and Putin met last week. The Russian leader rejected a U.S. proposal for a 30-day ceasefire, but agreed to an attack moratorium against Ukrainian energy infrastructure. Ukraine is willing to participate in a limited ceasefire on energy if the agreement is documented properly.
OVERNIGHT ATTACK
Three years after Russia's army invaded Ukraine, fighting continues in Saudi Arabia. Ukraine's Air Force said that Russia launched 139 drones as well as an Iskander M ballistic missile in an overnight attack which injured two people and damaged storage in the Kyiv area.
Andrii Sybiha, Ukrainian Foreign Minister, said that Russia should stop what he called their war against civilians and not make "false statements about peace."
Russia has accused the Ukrainian military deliberately targeting two Russian reporters who were killed, along with their driver and another three people in an east Ukraine artillery attack. Kyiv is yet to make a comment about the incident. The U.S. is pushing for a 30-day ceasefire to pave the road for peace talks.
Putin demanded, as part of any peace agreement, that Ukraine abandon its hopes of joining NATO, and completely withdraw from the four areas claimed by Moscow. Ukraine has rejected territorial concessions.
On Sunday, Ukrainian officials met with U.S. officials at the Saudi Arabian Embassy. They were not present for Monday's discussions. White House sources said that progress is being made in Riyadh and an "announcement" should be expected "in the very near future."
Trump, who campaigned for president in 2016 on a promise to resolve the conflict quickly listed on Monday other issues that he claimed were on the table.
We're currently talking about the territory. He said, "We're talking lines of demarcation and power.
The White House said the initial goal of the Saudi discussions is to secure an agreement on a maritime truce for the Black Sea that would allow free shipping.
Since 2023, maritime battles are a relatively limited aspect of the war. After Ukrainian attacks forced Moscow to move their navy away from contested waters and allow Ukraine to reopen its ports and resume exports, this has allowed for a relative reduction in naval battles. (Reporting and Writing by Dmitry Antonov; Editing by Timothy Heritage).
(source: Reuters)