Displaying items by tag: deaths

North Macedonia is in mourning after a devastating nightclub fire in Kočani killed 59 people, most of them young. As grief turns to anger, thousands have taken to the streets demanding justice and an end to corruption. The nightclub, Pulse, was found to have been operating illegally with an invalid licence obtained through bribery. Safety violations, including a lack of fire exits, an inflammable ceiling, and no fire alarm, contributed to the disaster; there might have been 1,500 in the venue, which had an official capacity of 250. Many victims perished in the crush as they tried to escape. Authorities have detained twenty individuals, including a former economy minister and state officials. The government has declared seven days of mourning, while protests continue across the country, pressuring officials to address corruption. Prime minister Hristijan Mickoski vowed swift justice, calling the situation ‘shocking’. Continuing protests are putting further pressure on the government to stop the corruption which has now cost the 1.8-million strong nation so many young lives.

Israel has launched a ‘limited ground operation’ to retake the Netzarim corridor in Gaza, escalating the conflict after the ceasefire agreement with Hamas collapsed. The corridor, previously used by Israeli forces, had been vacated as part of the truce. Meanwhile, a Bulgarian UN worker has been killed, and five others, including a British man, were wounded in a strike on a UN guesthouse in Gaza. Israel denies responsibility, saying that an initial investigation found ‘no connection’ between the strike and the Israel Defence Forces (IDF). The UN has condemned the attack on its personnel. The Gaza health ministry says that at least 436 people have been killed since Israel launched the fresh wave of airstrikes, though Israel disputes the accuracy of those figures, maintaining that it targets militants, not civilians.

A thirty-day state of emergency has been declared in Lima following a surge in violent crime. President Dina Boluarte’s government made the decree after the murder of popular cumbia singer Paul Flores, who was killed in an attack on a bus. The move allows police and military forces to detain suspects with fewer restrictions, limiting freedoms of assembly and movement. The decision follows weeks of rising violence, including an explosion at a restaurant that injured eleven people. There have been 459 killings so far this year, and nearly 2,000 extortion cases in January alone. Boluarte has raised the possibility of the death penalty for murderers, though at present Peruvian law only permits it for treason. Opposition lawmakers are demanding a no-confidence vote against the interior minister, accusing him of failing to curb crime. Public outrage remains high as Peru struggles to restore security.

The UN human rights office reports that at least 111 civilians, including entire families, were killed in recent violence in Syria’s coastal region, though the true toll is probably much higher. Predominantly Alawite towns (most Alawites were supporters of the overthrown president Bashar al-Assad) were targeted in apparent sectarian attacks, following an ambush on 7 March which killed thirteen security personnel. Alawite gunmen retaliated by storming villages, executing civilians, looting, and even attacking hospitals. The UN verified the deaths of 90 men, 18 women, and three children: however, one monitoring group has said that 1,225 civilians, most of them Alawites, have been killed.This marks the worst violence since Assad was ousted in December, ending a 13-year civil war which claimed 600,000 lives. The UN has urged thorough investigations, while Syria’s new government has pledged accountability. An independent committee is gathering evidence to bring perpetrators to justice.

A devastating fire at the Grand Kartal Hotel in the Kartalkaya ski resort has killed at least 76 people, marking one of the country’s deadliest hotel fires. Survivors reported that fire alarms failed to activate, and experts suggested that inadequate fire safety measures contributed to the high death toll. The fire, which began in the restaurant area, spread rapidly, forcing some guests to jump to their deaths. Discrepancies emerged regarding the hotel’s fire safety certification, with officials noting the absence of adequate fire escapes, alarms, and suppression systems. Nine individuals, including the hotel owner, have been detained as part of the investigation. Experts said that properly designed fire safety systems and escape routes could have mitigated the tragedy. Authorities continue to investigate claims of negligence and systemic failures, as questions grow over how such a disaster occurred in a major resort.

A rescue operation is under way at a gold mine which has been under police siege since Aug as part of a government initiative targeting illegal mining, an industry valued at 60 billion rand a year. The siege, which included cutting off food and water, drew criticism from human rights organisations. In December a court ruled that volunteers could send down supplies to the trapped men, and recently ordered the state to launch a rescue operation. Rescuers, using metal cages to recover people from depths of over 2,000 metres, have now recovered 78 bodies and 216 survivors, who face charges of illegal mining, trespassing, and immigration violations.  Miners' rights groups report that hundreds more survivors and dozens of bodies remain underground.

Winds in Los Angeles, which have exacerbated wildfires, were expected to intensify again on 15 January, but in fact weakened to much lighter gusts. At least 25 people have been killed and more than 12,000 structures destroyed in some of the worst fires in memory to engulf America's second biggest city. The two largest fires, Eaton and Palisades, are still burning after more than a week - and firefighting help has been sought from Mexico and Canada. Officials said there has been little to no fire growth in the last 24 hours, but stressed that unburned, dry fuel combined with low humidity could pose threats despite the decreased winds. While first responders are making progress putting out flames, evacuated residents will not be able to return to their neighborhoods for at least one more week, even for areas deemed safe. Around 82,400 Californians are under evacuation orders, according to Sheriff Robert Luna. He also said there have been 47 arrests related to looting and violations of evacuation orders.

A devastating 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Tibet on 6 January, claiming at least 126 lives and injuring 188, according to Chinese state media. Centred near the Nepalese border, the quake caused widespread destruction across remote Himalayan villages, damaging over 3,600 homes. Tremors were felt in Nepal, Bhutan, and parts of northern India. Rescue operations are under way, with over 400 individuals freed from rubble and 30,000 residents relocated. The harsh terrain and winter weather add challenges to the efforts. The quake caused significant damage in nearby Shigatse, a holy Tibetan city. Emergency aid, including tents and warm clothing, has been dispatched to support affected communities, where temperatures are expected to plummet below freezing. Chinese leader Xi Jinping has called on officials to make all-out efforts to search for and rescue survivors and provide for displaced residents, while the Dalai Lama extended condolences and prayers for victims. Rescuers continue to search for survivors in difficult conditions.

An army veteran, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, carried out a New Year’s Day attack in New Orleans, killing fifteen people and injuring thirty more by driving a truck into a crowd. Jabbar, a former soldier with ties to Texas, displayed an IS flag and posted videos expressing admiration for the group shortly before the attack. Police killed him in a shootout and are investigating his associates for potential involvement. Explosive devices were found and neutralized, prompting heightened security measures. Joe Biden condemned the act as terrorism, noting Jabbar’s social media activity and disturbed state following a divorce. New Orleans had implemented temporary security barriers against such attacks, but they proved ineffective against Jabbar’s actions. In another attack, probably unrelated, a truck full of fireworks and gas cylinders exploded outside a Trump hotel in Las Vegas, killing the driver and injuring seven others: see

A nationwide state of emergency has been declared in Trinidad and Tobago following a surge in gang violence which left over sixty dead in December, pushing the year’s murder toll to 623 - the highest in over a decade. Rival gangs are locked in a brutal territorial war, with recent shootings targeting gang members and innocent bystanders. National security minister Fitzgerald Hinds called the violence an ‘epidemic’. Authorities have deployed increased police and military forces, empowered to conduct searches and detain suspects without warrants for up to 48 hours. The dual island nation, strategically located for narcotics trafficking, faces significant challenges from over a hundred active gangs. A previous gang ceasefire collapsed, escalating killings fuelled by alliances with smaller groups. Despite the tension, schools, businesses, and other activities such as the New Year’s celebrations will go ahead as planned. Another Caribbean island, Barbados, is recovering from the devastation caused by Hurricane Beryl: see