International
Afghanistan Earthquake Claims 20 Lives, Injures More Than 500 — Official
A powerful earthquake struck northern Afghanistan overnight, killing at least 20 people and injuring more than 500, officials said Monday, marking the latest in a series of deadly tremors to hit the country in recent years.
The 6.3-magnitude quake hit at a depth of 28 kilometres (17 miles) near Mazar-i-Sharif, one of the region’s largest cities, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Health ministry spokesman Sharafat Zaman said, “Based on the information we have so far, 534 people have been injured and more than 20 fatalities have been taken to hospitals in Samangan and Balkh provinces.”
In Mazar-i-Sharif, residents were seen rushing into the streets as buildings shook. The city’s historic Blue Mosque, a 15th-century landmark known for its vibrant tiles, sustained damage, with parts of one minaret broken and scattered across the mosque grounds. Tremors were reportedly felt as far south as Kabul, approximately 420 kilometres away.
Authorities have faced challenges in assessing damage in Afghanistan’s mountainous regions due to poor infrastructure and communication networks. The Defence Ministry reported that the main road between Mazar-i-Sharif and the town of Kholm had been cleared, with stranded residents rescued overnight.
Deputy Taliban spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat said, “Numerous homes have been destroyed, and significant material losses have been incurred,” without providing specific figures.
The earthquake comes months after a devastating 6.0-magnitude tremor in eastern Afghanistan in August, which killed over 2,200 people and caused approximately $183 million in damages, according to the World Bank.
Afghanistan, located along the seismically active Hindu Kush mountain range, frequently experiences earthquakes. Previous major tremors in Herat in 2023 and Nangarhar in 2022 claimed hundreds of lives and destroyed thousands of homes.
The country’s humanitarian situation remains dire, with ongoing drought, economic restrictions, and the forced return of Afghan citizens from neighbouring countries exacerbating the crisis. The United Nations and aid agencies have repeatedly warned of rising hunger and the urgent need for humanitarian assistance.
Authorities continue rescue and relief operations, with officials urging affected communities to remain cautious and assist in emergency measures.
International
Trump says he thinks Putin is helping Iran
“I think he might be helping them a bit, yeah.”“I guess, and he probably thinks we’re helping Ukraine, right?”
President Donald Trump on Friday said he believed that Russian leader Vladimir Putin is helping Iran in its war against the United States and Israel.
According to CNBC, Trump’s comment came in a radio interview with Fox News host Brian Kilmeade, and a week after the president lashed out at Fox News reporter Peter Doocy for asking him at the White House about reports that Russia was aiding Iran.
Kilmeade asked Trump on Friday: “You think Putin is helping them?”
Trump replied, “I think he might be helping them a bit, yeah.”“I guess, and he probably thinks we’re helping Ukraine, right?” Trump continued.
“Yeah, we’re helping them also,” Trump said, referring to Ukraine, which has been at war against Russia since being invaded in early 2022.
“So he [Putin] says that, and China would say the same thing, you know,” Trump told Kilmeade.
“It’s like, ‘Hey, they do it, and we do it, in all fairness,’ ” Trump said. “They do it, and we do it.”
International
IEA agrees to release record 400 million barrels of oil to address Iran war supply disruptions
The IEA did not set out a timeline for when the stocks would hit the market
Merchant ship on fire hits by Iran in Strait of Hormuz.
The International Energy Agency on Wednesday agreed to release 400 million barrels of oil to address the supply disruption triggered by the Iran war, the largest such action in the organization’s history.
The IEA did not set out a timeline for when the stocks would hit the market.
It said that the reserves would be released over a time frame that is appropriate to the circumstances of each of its 32 member countries.
IEA members are primarily advanced economies in Europe, North America and northeast Asia. The organization is tasked with maintaining global energy security.
It was founded in 1974 in response to the oil embargo imposed by Arab producers over U.S. support for Israel during the 1973 Arab-Israeli war.
(CNBC)
International
Iran tells world to get ready for oil at $200 a barrel as it fires on merchant ships
The war unleashed with joint U.S. and Israeli air strikes nearly two weeks ago has so far killed around 2,000 people, mostly Iranians and Lebanese, as it has spread into Lebanon and thrown global energy markets and transport into chaos.
(REUTERS): Iran said the world should be ready for oil at $200 a barrel as its forces hit merchant ships on Wednesday and the International Energy Agency recommended a massive release of strategic reserves to dampen one of the worst oil shocks since the 1970s.
The war unleashed with joint U.S. and Israeli air strikes nearly two weeks ago has so far killed around 2,000 people, mostly Iranians and Lebanese, as it has spread into Lebanon and thrown global energy markets and transport into chaos.
Despite what the Pentagon has described as the most intense airstrikes since the start of the war, Iran also fired at Israel and targets across the Middle East on Wednesday, demonstrating it can still fight back.
On Wednesday, three vessels were reported to have been hit in Gulf waters as Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said their forces had fired on ships in the Gulf that had disobeyed their orders.
While Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz said the operation “will continue without any time limit, as long as required, until we achieve all objectives and win the campaign,” Trump suggested the campaign would not last much longer.
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