International
Five Thalassemia Children Test HIV Positive After Transfusion at Indian Government Hospital
Five thalassemia-affected children under the age of eight in India’s Jharkhand state have tested HIV positive after receiving contaminated blood from a government hospital blood bank, according to a BBC report published on Saturday (8 November).
The incident occurred at the district headquarters hospital in West Singhbhum. District Magistrate Chandan Kumar confirmed the matter, saying that after the revelation, the Civil Surgeon, the HIV unit’s doctor, and a lab technician were suspended.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has announced a compensation of INR 200,000 for each affected family. However, parents have expressed outrage, saying no monetary amount can compensate for a child’s life.
Families of the infected children have reported discrimination and social stigma. Some were forced to vacate their homes, while others said nurses avoided touching their children after learning about the infection.
Investigations revealed that outdated “pre-kits” were used for blood screening, which failed to detect the HIV infection. State Health Secretary Dr. Neha Arora said the use of such kits has now been completely banned.
Between 2023 and 2025, 259 blood donors provided blood in the district, of whom 44 were identified and 4 found HIV positive. The Jharkhand High Court has asked the state government to explain why nine blood banks were still operating despite their licenses having expired.
Human rights activist Atul Gera blamed the tragedy on a lack of license renewal and quality control. District officials said the affected families would receive housing, food rations, and sanitation support in addition to compensation.
A 5.2-magnitude earthquake struck Indonesia’s North Maluku province, though authorities reported no casualties or damage. The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency confirmed that the quake originated 10 kilometres beneath the surface.
The tremor hit the Halmahera region on Sunday and comes as Indonesia continues to experience frequent seismic activity due to its location along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” where several tectonic plates converge.
Meanwhile, a separate 5.3-magnitude earthquake shook Myanmar’s coastal region the same morning. According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the quake struck at 10:39am Bangladesh time, with its epicentre located in the Andaman Sea, about 267 kilometres west-southwest of Dawei. The tremor was also felt in parts of neighbouring Thailand, though no damage has been reported.
Just two days earlier, on 21 November, a 5.7-magnitude earthquake jolted several parts of Bangladesh, including Dhaka. The quake, which originated in Narsingdi’s Madhabdi area, left 10 people dead and many others injured.
Despite a six-week-long ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, at least 24 Palestinians have been killed in renewed Israeli air and drone strikes. The attacks, which began early Saturday, also left 87 others injured, according to local health authorities. Children are reported to be among the dead.
Witnesses said the first strike targeted a car in northern Gaza City, followed by successive attacks in Deir al-Balah and the Nuseirat refugee camp. In Gaza City’s Rimal area, a drone strike killed 11 people and injured 20 others. Rami Muhanna, director of Al-Shifa Hospital, confirmed that many of the wounded remain in critical condition.
In Deir al-Balah, a strike on a residential house left three people dead, including a woman. The blast was so powerful that nearby residents fled in panic. “This cannot be called a ceasefire,” said eyewitness Khalil Abu Hatab. “There is no safe place left.”
Hamas has accused Israel of repeatedly violating ceasefire terms and has urged the United States to intervene immediately. The group claims the strikes are targeting civilians and called for stronger international action to halt the attacks.
International observers warn that the renewed violence could escalate tensions further amid Gaza’s deepening humanitarian crisis.
The United States has designated Saudi Arabia as one of its most important non-NATO military allies, President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday during a White House dinner held in honour of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, according to Al Jazeera.
Trump said the official designation as a Major Non-NATO Ally would elevate military cooperation between the two countries. The United States has granted this status to only 19 nations so far. He added that the decision had been kept confidential until the event at Saudi Arabia’s request.
The President also noted that the Crown Prince would play a role in a council being formed to establish peace in Gaza, adding that he himself would serve as its chairman, as previously stated.
Earlier, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrived in the United States for the meeting. Discussions covered military cooperation, nuclear technology, artificial intelligence, and increased Saudi investments in the US. The Crown Prince announced plans to raise Saudi investments from 600 billion USD to 1 trillion USD.
Talks also included potential sales of advanced F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia.
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