International
Stampede at Andhra Pradesh temple kills 12 worshippers, mostly women and children
At least 12 devotees, mostly women and children, were killed in a stampede at a newly constructed temple in Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh on Saturday morning. The tragedy occurred at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple in Kashibugga during the auspicious Ekadashi celebration.
According to local reports, a massive crowd gathered at the temple, causing chaos on the stairs where devotees began pushing to enter the shrine. Several people fell and were trampled. Video footage from the site shows hundreds of women holding prayer baskets scrambling to escape, while others were seen helping the injured and carrying them to ambulances.
Police later arrived at the scene and brought the situation under control. Authorities said the temple, popularly known as “Mini Tirupati,” is not managed by the government’s endowments department, and temple officials had failed to inform local authorities in advance about the expected large turnout. Construction work was reportedly still underway when the incident occurred.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has directed officials to ensure proper medical care for the injured, while Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan announced that an investigation will be conducted.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, announcing ₹2 lakh in compensation for the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured. “I am deeply pained by the loss of lives in the Srikakulam temple stampede. My condolences to the bereaved families and prayers for the injured,” Modi said in a statement.
Andhra Pradesh Governor S. Abdul Nazeer and Union Home Minister Amit Shah also expressed grief and directed authorities to provide the best possible medical assistance to the victims.
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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