Indian Sub-continent

'Like brothers': Rescued Indian tunnel workers stayed hopeful through ordeal: India

CHINYALISAUR, India, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Hope that they would be rescued soon kept workers trapped in a collapsed tunnel in India strong through their 17-day ordeal, some of the men said on Wednesday after their rescue.

All 41 men, low-wage workers from some of India's poorest states, were rescued. They were taken to a specialist hospital in Rishikesh city after spending the night at a makeshift medical facility in this small Himalayan town.

Doctors said they were all doing well but would need long-term support, including monitoring for post-traumatic stress.

Saudi Arabia's national carrier to recommence flights to Sri Lanka

COLOMBO, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Arabia's national carrier would recommence flights to Sri Lanka very soon, said the Sri Lankan foreign ministry here on Wednesday.

Minister of Economy and Planning of Saudi Arabia Faisal bin Alibrahim made the announcement during his visit to Sri Lanka, and the move will contribute to capturing a sizable market of Saudi travelers to Sri Lanka, said the foreign ministry in a press release.

India: Lightning Killed Four In Madhya Pradesh

NEW DELHI, Nov 28 (NNN-PTI) – At least four people were killed and another one was injured critically, after lightning struck them in the central India state of Madhya Pradesh, officials said.

The deaths took place on Sunday.

According to officials, heavy rains and thunderstorms, accompanied by lightning strikes lashed several parts of the state on Sunday evening.

Indian rescuers reach 41 workers trapped in collapsed tunnel for 17 days, start pulling them out

UTTARKASHI, India (AP) — Rescuers in India on Tuesday reached 41 construction workers who were trapped in a collapsed mountain tunnel for over two weeks in the country’s north and started pulling them out, a local news agency reported.

One worker has been rescued so far, the report by the Press Trust of India said. The laborers are being pulled out through a passageway made of welded pipes which rescuers previously pushed through dirt and rocks.

'Rat miners' burrow to rescue 41 men stuck in Indian tunnel

SILKYARA, India, Nov 27 (Reuters) - Rescuers on Monday brought in "rat miners" to drill through a narrow pipe and help pull out 41 construction workers trapped in a tunnel in the Indian Himalayas for more than two weeks after high-powered machines failed, officials said.

The men, low-wage workers from India's poorest states, have been stuck in the 4.5km (3 miles) tunnel in Uttarakhand state since it collapsed on Nov. 12.

Pakistan's anti-narcotics force recovers over 420 kg drugs in 7 operations

ISLAMABAD, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan's Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) has confiscated over 420 kg drugs and arrested five suspects, said an official on Monday.

The ANF spokesperson, in a statement, detailed the successful interdiction of seven drug smuggling attempts across various regions of the country. The recovered narcotics include heroin, hashish, ice, and intoxicated tablets, which were intended for distribution across Pakistan.

Afghanistan to build 285 health centers nationwide

KABUL, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- Afghan authorities will build at least 285 health centers in several provinces of Afghanistan, local TOLOnews TV channel on Saturday quoted the country's top health official as saying.

Qalandar Ibad, acting minister of public health, said the ministry is urging trained and professional doctors abroad to come back to their homeland amid a shortage of medics, the media outlet reported.

Pakistani shopping mall blaze kills at least 10 people and injures 22 others

KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) — A fire tore through a shopping mall in the southwestern Pakistani city of Karachi, killing at least 10 people and injuring 22 others, police and local officials said Saturday.

The multi-story RJ Mall is in a commercial high-rise that also houses call centers and software firms.

The fire department dispatched eight fire trucks to the scene after being alerted at 6:30 a.m, local time. Chief fire officer, Ishtiaq Ahmed Khan, said the fourth floor of the building was the most affected.

Digging to rescue 41 workers trapped in a collapsed tunnel in India halted after machine breaks

NEW DELHI (AP) — Attempts to reach 41 construction workers stuck in a collapsed tunnel in northern India for two weeks were again stymied Saturday.

The drilling machine broke down late Friday while making its way through the rubble, stones and metal, forcing the rescuers to work by hand to remove debris in hopes of reaching the stranded workers, but the whole operation has ground to a halt.

Arnold Dix, an international expert assisting the rescue team at the site in the mountainous Uttarakhand state, said that it was unclear when the drilling will start again.

Digging to rescue 41 workers trapped in a collapsed tunnel in India halted after machine breaks

NEW DELHI (AP) — Attempts to reach 41 construction workers stuck in a collapsed tunnel in northern India for two weeks were again stymied Saturday.

Rescuers had been working by hand to remove debris after the drilling machine they were using broke down a day earlier while making its way through the debris of rock, stones and metal, but the operation was halted on Saturday.

Arnold Dix, an international expert assisting the rescue team at the accident site in Uttarakhand state, said it is unclear when the drilling will be able to start again.

Subscribe to Indian Sub-continent