Asia

Quetta, Pakistan: At least 24 people were killed on Sunday in a blast targeting a train carrying military personnel in Pakistan's turbulent southwestern province of Balochistan, a senior official said. Army servicemen were among the victims in the attack in the provincial capital Quetta, which left more than 50 people injured, the official told AFP. Images showed a mangled train carriage on its side as people clambered over the wreckage to find survivors. People could be seen carrying blood-soaked victims on stretchers away from a derailed car, while armed security forces stood guard. The official told AFP that the train carrying army personnel and their family members was going from Quetta to Peshawar in Pakistan's northwest. The train was passing a signal at Chaman Pattak in Quetta "when an explosive-laden car hit one of the carriages that resulted in a big blast", the official said. Read Also Food Safety Rating Programme boosts competitiveness Heatstroke kills 16 in India as temperatures climb 19 feared trapped after collapse at Philippines construction site Gunman killed by US Secret Service after opening fire near White House Windows were blown out and nearby vehicles were destroyed in the explosion. Another official told AFP that the army personnel were travelling to celebrate the Eid holiday, which is due to start on Tuesday.

Asia

Sydney, Australia: A man has died after a shark attack in northern Queensland state in Australia, police said on Sunday. The 39-year-old died from his injuries at a boat ramp after he was pulled from the water after an attack at Kennedy Shoal, Queensland police said in statement.

Asia

New Delhi: At least 16 people have died of heatstroke in southern India so far this summer, officials said Sunday, as a heatwave grips swathes of the country following official health warnings. India is no stranger to scorching summers but years of scientific research have found climate change is causing heatwaves to become longer, more frequent and more intense. Temperatures in several cities across the South Asian country of 1.4 billion people have recently hovered well above 45C. Read Also 19 feared trapped after collapse at Philippines construction site Convocation season highlights growing focus on human capital Gunman killed by US Secret Service after opening fire near White House The deaths were reported in the southern state of Telangana, with revenue minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy calling for "statewide vigilance" to safeguard public health. "The intensity of the heat has reached unprecedented levels" and officials in Telangana should issue advance warnings about precautions to be taken during heatwaves, Reddy's office said in a statement. Health experts say that extreme heat can lead to dehydration that thickens the blood and, in particularly severe cases, causes organs to shut down. The local government in Telangana advised the elderly, children and pregnant women not to venture out in daytime unless necessary. Earlier this week, the India Meteorological Department predicted above-normal temperatures and intense heatwave conditions in several parts of the country. Temperatures in the capital New Delhi and other nearby cities have stayed over 40C throughout this week, sending power usage soaring to record levels. In addition to the burning midday heat, overnight minimum temperatures are also high, giving people little respite. India, the world's most populous nation, is the third-biggest emitter of greenhouse gases and relies heavily on burning coal for power generation. It has committed to achieving a net-zero emissions economy by 2070 -- two decades after most of the industrialised West. The country's highest officially recorded temperature is 51C, measured at Phalodi in Rajasthan in 2016.