Mecca It is Islams holiest pilgrimage, but the hajj to Mecca in Saudi Arabia has in recent decades been plagued by deadly disasters, from stampedes to militant attacks.

Yet the last time the pilgrimage was cancelled outright was in 1798, when Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Egypt.

The coronavirus pandemic did, however, force the kingdom to radically downscale the 2020 event to just a few thousand people, a far cry from the 2.5 million believers who took part in 2019.

The numbers were scaled back up to 926,000 in 2022, but this year the kingdom is gearing up to host more than two million Muslims from around the world for the rituals that start on Sunday.  

Here are some recent incidents that have marred the centuries-old pilgrimage: 

Stampedes

2015 A stampede during the stoning of the devil ritual in Mina, near Mecca, kills up to 2,300 worshippers on September 24 in the worst hajj disaster ever.

That comes after more than 100 people are killed and hundreds injured, including many foreigners, when stormy weather topples a crane onto Meccas Grand Mosque less than two weeks before the pilgrimage.

2006 Some 364 pilgrims die in a stampede on January 12 during the Mina stoning ritual, in which hajj participants throw pebbles at three headstones to symbolise their rejection of Satan.

This follows a hotel collapse a week earlier in the city centre, which kills 76 people.

The previous year, three pilgrims are crushed to death in a stampede on January 22 at the stoning ceremony.

2004 251 people die after a huge stampede at the stoning ceremony on February 1.

1998 More than 118 people are killed and 180 injured in a stampede in Mina on April 9.

1994 During the Mina stoning on May 24, a stampede kills 270 people, with authorities blaming record numbers of pilgrims.

1990 The failure of a tunnel ventilation system triggers a huge stampede on July 2 that kills 1,426 pilgrims, mainly from Asia.

Attacks

1989 A twin attack on the outside of the Grand Mosque on July 10 kills one and wounds 16. Weeks later, 16 Kuwaiti Shiites are found guilty and executed.

1979 Hundreds of gunmen calling for the abdication of the Saudi royal family barricade themselves inside Meccas Grand Mosque on November 20, taking dozens of pilgrims hostage. The official toll of the assault and subsequent fighting is 153 dead and 560 wounded.

Protests

1987 Saudi security forces suppress an unauthorised protest by Iranian pilgrims on July 31 in which more than 400 people including 275 Iranians are killed, according to an official toll.

Infernos

1997 A fire on April 15 caused by a gas stove rips through a camp housing pilgrims at Mina, killing 343 and injurin...

Mecca The annual hajj pilgrimage, one of the five pillars of Islam, will start on Sunday with more than two million Muslims from around the world expected to take part this year.

It will be the largest pilgrimage since the coronavirus pandemic forced Saudi authorities to dramatically downsize the event.

More than 926,000 people took part in 2022, up from nearly 59,000 the previous year, according to official figures. In 2019, the Hajj drew in around 2.5 million pilgrims.

With Covid-19 restrictions completely lifted and age limits scrapped, the kingdom expects to return to pre-pandemic levels of more than two million. 

All Muslims are expected to complete the hajj to Mecca from which non-Muslims are strictly banned at least once in their lives if they have the means to do so.

Believers converge on the holy city for several days of rituals in which they retrace the Prophet Mohammeds last pilgrimage.

Here is a rundown of the ceremonies at what is usually one of the largest religious gatherings in the world.

White garments

Pilgrims must first enter a state of purity, called ihram, which requires special dress and behaviour.

Men wear a seamless shroud-like white garment that emphasises unity among believers regardless of their social status or nationality.

Women must wear loose dresses, also white, exposing only their faces and hands.

Pilgrims are not allowed to argue or bicker and are prohibited from wearing perfume, cutting their nails, or trimming their hair or beards.

Rituals begin

The first ritual requires walking seven times around the Kaaba, the large black cubic structure at the centre of Meccas Grand Mosque.

Made from granite and draped in an heavily-embroidered cloth featuring verses of the Koran, the Kaaba stands nearly 15 metres (50 feet) tall.

Muslims, no matter where they are in the world, turn towards the Kaaba to pray. The structure is said to have been first erected by Adam and then rebuilt by Abraham 4,000 years ago.

Pilgrims next walk seven times between two stone spots in the mosque.

They then move on to Mina, around five kilometres (three miles) away, ahead of the main rite of the pilgrimage at Mount Arafat.

Mount Arafat

The climax of the hajj is the gathering on Mount Arafat, about 10 kilometres (six miles) from Mina, where it is believed that the Prophet Mohammed delivered his final sermon.

Pilgrims assemble on the 70-metre (230-foot) high hill and its surrounding plain for hours of prayers and Koran recitals, staying there until the evening.

After sunset they head to Muzdalifah, halfway between Arafat and Mina, where they each gather several dozen pebbles so they can perform the symbolic stoning of the devil.

Stoning the devil

The last maj...

Mecca Enormous crowds of worshippers thronged Mecca, Islams holiest city, on Friday for the biggest hajj pilgrimage in years, with more than two million expected to brave the scorching Saudi Arabian heat.

Pilgrims in white robes and sandals packed the ancient city, now dotted with luxury hotels and air-conditioned shopping malls, after flooding in on planes, buses and trains for the annual rites.

This years hajj one of the worlds biggest annual religious gatherings, with a tragic history of stampedes and other disasters could break attendance records, officials said.

As the hajj draws near, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia prepares for the largest Islamic gathering in history, Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq Al-Rabiah said in a video published by the ministry this week.

Rites include circling the Kaaba, the large black cube in Meccas Grand Mosque, praying on Mount Arafat and stoning the devil by throwing pebbles at three giant concrete walls representing Satan.

More than two million people from more than 160 countries will attend, Rabiah said a dramatic increase on the 926,000 from last year, when numbers were capped at one million post-pandemic.

In 2019, about 2.5 million people took part. Only 10,000 were allowed in 2020, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, rising to nearly 59,000 a year later.

The hajj is among the five pillars of Islam and must be undertaken by all Muslims with the means at least once in their lives.

Unbelievable feeling

Travellers from around the world have been pouring into Jeddahs modernised airport, some of them using streamlined visa services to disembark from planes straight onto buses to their accommodation.

Some 24,000 buses will be in service to ferry the pilgrims, as well as 17 trains capable of moving 72,000 people every hour, officials said.

It is an unbelievable feeling that is very emotional, Souad bin Oueis, a 60-year-old Moroccan pilgrim, told AFP after arriving on her first visit to Saudi Arabia along with her husband.

This hajj will be the biggest since the requirement for women to be accompanied by male guardians was dropped in 2021. 

This year, the maximum age limit has also been scrapped, meaning thousands of elderly will be among those contending with Saudi summer temperatures that are expected to reach 44 degrees Celsius (111 Fahrenheit).

The hajj rituals begin late Sunday at the Grand Mosque in Mecca. The worshippers will sleep in tents on Monday night and spend Tuesday at Mount Arafat, the climax of the hajj, where the Prophet Mohammed is believed to have delivered his final sermon.

After casting pebbles in the stoning of the devil ritual on Wednesday, marking the start of the Eid al-Adha holiday, pilgrims return to Mecca to perform a fa...

Banff Wild bison that once numbered in the tens of millions in North America before being hunted almost to extinction are once again thriving in a pocket of western Canada.

Appearing from a distance as specks against the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains, these animals are also restoring balance at the top of a fragile ecosystem.

North Americas largest land mammal growing to 900 kilograms (2,000 pounds) and 1.8 meters (six feet) high at the shoulders suffered a dramatic decline in late 19th century due to hunting and habitat loss as settlers pushed westward.

They were reintroduced to what is now Banff National Park in 2017.

The moment the bison set foot on that landscape, it felt to me that I brought them home, says Wes Olson, who accompanied the first 16 bison to be released there.

Transferred by helicopter from a biosphere reserve near Edmonton, Alberta, the population has exploded and new births are expected to push their numbers to 100 by years end.

A Parks Canada report published this week concluded that the reintroduction was a success, and it suggested that due to their robust growth rate, this bison subpopulation one of only five that occupy a mere 0.5 percent of their original range in North America may no longer be considered endangered within a decade.

As soon as they arrived, Olson says, the ancient ecosystem was suddenly reactivated and the bison appeared to feel right at home, while other forest creatures quickly and intrinsically reestablished a symbiotic relationship.

Squirrels with puffy cheeks can be seen busily collecting hairs shed by the burly beasts, says the 69-year-old former park warden.

One hundreds species of insects colonize its nutrient-rich dung.

Birds also get in on the action. They take turns sitting on bisons backs and plucking bits of fur to make nests, as well as bugs or seeds trapped in it to eat. Warmer and more comfortable fur-lined nests lead to better outcomes for the chicks.

Great Plains landscape engineers

A keystone species of the Great Plains, a broad expanse of flatlands that stretch across 13 Canadian provinces and US states, from Alberta to Texas, wild bison, by way of their grazing, have shaped this environment.

These landscape engineers are on the move as they graze rather than focus on the same patch of land, with their role somewhat like that of elephants in Africa, explains Marie-Eve Marchand of the International Buffalo Relations Institute.

And with herds mobile like that, grasslands are able to regenerate and better store carbon and water, according to a study by the University of Alberta. Other studies also found that the presence of bison makes them more resilient to drought.

Between 30 and 60 million bison once roamed North America. At the en...

New York Frances Victor Wembanyama was chosen with the top pick in the NBA Draft by the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday, sparking wild celebrations as the Texas club reveled in landing the gifted teenager seen as a once-in-a-generation talent.

The 7ft 4in (2.24m) 19-year-old hugged family members as the Spurs confirmed a decision which had been a mere formality ever since San Antonio were handed the No.1 selection in the Draft last month.

Just accomplishing something that Ive been dreaming about my whole life, a tearful Wembanyama said after his No.1 status was announced by NBA commissioner Adam Silver at the Barclays Center in New York.

Hearing that sentence from Adam Silver, Ive dreamed of it so much Ive gotta cry, Wembanyama added.

Wembanyama is widely regarded as a transformational talent, who arrives in the NBA as the most coveted No. 1 pick since LeBron James entered the league in 2003.

In San Antonio, Spurs fans packed into the teams 19,000-capacity AT&T Center to watch the draft ceremony on a giant screen and roared with delight as Wembanyamas selection was confirmed.

Celebrations also erupted in the streets of San Antonio, with fans honking car horns in celebration of Wembanyamas selection. 

My message to them is Im going to give 100 percent, make all thats in my power to make this franchise win, to have impact on the franchise and the fan base and the community, Wembanyama said.

Wembanyama has cut a relaxed figure since arriving in the United States earlier this week, brushing off the soaring hype that has surged in the build-up to the draft. 

On Thursday, the Frenchman, wearing a dark green suit, happily signed autographs for fans in the minutes before the draft ceremony got under way.

In an interview with ESPN before his selection, Wembanyama said he was relishing the challenge of being a star both on and off the court.

More than basketball

I know I can bring so much more than just basketball to a franchise, Wembanyama said.

My goal is always going to be to win titles, obviously. But also to the community, the franchise, to the fan base I know I can bring so much more.

Wembanyama will begin his NBA career under the watchful eye of Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, the widely revered 74-year-old who has led San Antonio to five NBA Championships since taking over in 1996.

Were thrilled that were able to bring Victor on board, Popovich said at a press conference in San Antonio on Thursday. 

Anybody would be excited about getting the number one pick. Im very excited. You dont want me to jump and down, or put on a show do you? Id do a somersault but Id be out for three months.

Popovich meanwh...

Paris A global summit seeking to overhaul the international financial system wraps up Friday after taking small steps towards easing the debt burden of developing nations weighed down by climate and economic crises.

While host country France pitched the conference as a consensus-building exercise, leaders are under pressure to produce clear outcomes from the two-day meeting as economies stagger under growing debt after successive crises in recent years.

The summit comes amid growing recognition of the scale of the financial challenges ahead, with warnings that the worlds ability to curb global warming at tolerable levels is reliant on a massive increase in clean energy investment in developing countries.

With trust in short supply over broken climate financing promises from richer countries, developing nations are looking for tangible progress.

The V20 group of countries on the climate front lines which now includes 58 member nations has said restructuring the global financial system to align with climate targets must be completed by 2030.

We come to Paris to identify the common humanity that we share and the absolute moral imperative to save our planet and to make it liveable, said Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, whose Caribbean island nation is threatened by rising sea levels and tropical storms.

She has become a powerful advocate for revamping the role of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund in an era of climate crisis.

Barbados has put forward a detailed plan for how to fix the global financial system to help developing countries invest in clean energy and boost resilience to climate impacts.

One key announcement came from IMF director Kristalina Georgieva, who said a pledge to shift $100 billion of liquidity-boosting special drawing rights into a climate and poverty fund had been met.

World Bank president Ajay Banga said the lender would introduce a pause mechanism on debt repayments for countries hit by a crisis so they could focus on what matters and stop worrying about the bill that is going to come.

Separately, Senegal was promised 2.5 billion euros ($2.7 billion) by a group of wealthy nations and multilateral development banks to help the west African country reduce its dependence on fossil fuels.

And Zambia, which defaulted on its debt after the Covid pandemic broke out, secured some financial relief as its main lender China and other creditors agreed to restructure $6.3 billion in loans.

On Twitter, Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema called it a significant milestone in our journey towards economic recovery & growth.

Turning billions to trillions

But much more is needed to help developing countries combat climate change.

Macron said he was hopeful that a pledge to...

Rio de Janeiro A major construction project at Brazilian football star Neymars mansion in Rio de Janeiro state was halted on Thursday for environmental infractions, which could result in a fine of some $1 million, authorities said.

The project was underway without environmental authorization on the Paris Saint-Germain and Brazil national team players luxury property in Mangaratiba, some 130 kilometers (80 miles) from Rio de Janeiro, the mayors office said in a statement.

The authorities, alerted by complaints posted on social media, discovered various environmental infractions, extraction of water from a river.

They also discovered unauthorized excavation and movement of earth, stones and rocks, as well as the use of beach sand without a permit.

The next step will be to make an assessment of the irregularities found and issue a fine which, according to estimates and in view of the environmental damage caused, will not be less than five million reais (about $1 million), the mayors office said.

Neymars representatives in Brazil have not responded to AFPs request for comment.

The footballers father, Neymar da Silva Santos, was on site during the inspection and can be heard arguing with officials in a video published by authorities and carried by local media.

Neymar bought the property in 2016. According to local media, it sits on 10,000 square meters (2.5 acres) of land and includes a helipad, spa and gym.

The 31-year-old striker is currently recovering from an operation on his right ankle, which he underwent in Doha, Qatar, in March. 

He has not played since February, and doubts have arisen as to whether he will remain at PSG.

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Tokyo Japans consumer prices rose 3.2 percent year on year in May, with the pace of inflation slowing from the 3.4 percent recorded in April, government data showed Friday.

The figure, which excludes volatile fresh food prices, was higher than market expectations, and topped March and Februarys readings of 3.1 percent.

Inflation in Japan has been less extreme than the price hikes seen in other countries such as the United States, fuelled by the war in Ukraine among other factors.

The US Federal Reserve and many other central banks have raised interest rates to tackle high inflation.

But the Bank of Japan has stuck to its long-standing, ultra-loose monetary policy in an attempt to boost economic growth, causing the yen to fall against the dollar.

Fridays core consumer price index (CPI) figure was slightly higher than market expectations of 3.1 percent recorded in a survey of Bloomberg Economists.

Mizuho Research & Technologies said before the data release that core CPI would likely remain above three percent until the summer, before slowing from around the latter half of this fiscal year.

Higher prices for processed food, durable goods, mobile phone handsets and hotel fees, among other items, contributed to inflation in May, the internal affairs ministry said.

Declines in electricity and gas prices contributed to the slowing pace of inflation.

Excluding energy, the data released by the ministry showed prices rose 4.3 percent in May, up from 4.1 percent in April.

The Bank of Japans two-percent inflation target, which it hopes will lead to sustainable growth in the worlds third-largest economy, has been surpassed every month for more than a year.

But the central bank sees recent price rises as driven by temporary factors, and so has stuck to its easing policies such as a negative interest rate.

Earlier this year, the BoJ announced a broad review of its non-traditional attempts to banish the deflation that plagued Japan since the 1990s.

But moving away from monetary easing will be a tricky balancing act for the banks new governor Kazuo Ueda, who faces pressure to normalise policy while minimising any shock to the economy.

On Thursday, the Bank of England increased interest rates by an unexpected half-point to a 15-year peak of five percent.

The European Central Bank also recently hiked interest rates to a 22-year high. The US Fed has paused its aggressive tightening campaign, while indicating a sharp increase in rates could be needed before the end of the year.

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Boston A catastrophic implosion, such as that believed to have destroyed the Titan submersible, would have happened with incredible force and speed given the crushing water pressure on the floor of the ocean.

The remains of the Titanic rest on the seabed in the North Atlantic at a depth of some 3,800 meters (12,400 feet).

At sea level, atmospheric pressure is 14.7 pounds per square inch (psi).

Water pressure at the depth where the ocean liner lies is equivalent to around 400 atmospheres, nearly 6,000 psi.

As a comparison, the bite of a large great white shark exerts a force of nearly 4,000 psi, according to Scientific American.

In an implosion caused by a defect in the hull or for some other reason, the submersible would collapse in on itself in milliseconds, crushed by the immense water pressure.

Death would be virtually instantaneous for the occupants of the pressurized chamber.

The Titan, built by OceanGate Inc. of Everett, Washington, was designed to sustain the extreme water pressure at the depth of the Titanic and had made previous dives to the wreck.

But safety concerns had been raised, most notably in a lawsuit involving OceanGates former director of marine operations, David Lochridge, who was fired in 2018 after warning about the Titans experimental carbon fiber hull.

Roderick Smith, an engineering professor at Imperial College, London, said the accident was likely due to a failure of the pressure hull, but debris will need to be recovered to carry out a full investigation.

And even then it may be difficult to pinpoint the cause.

The violence of the implosion means that it may be very difficult to determine the sequence of events, Smith said.

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Washington The Qatar Investment Authority is poised to buy a minority stake in the group that owns Washington franchises in the NBA, WNBA and NHL in a groundbreaking move by a sovereign wealth fund into US pro sports, the Washington Post reported Thursday.

The Post was one of several US media outlets reporting that the state-owned Qatari fund was seeking to acquire a 5% stake in Monumental Sports & Entertainment, the group headed by Ted Leonsis that owns the NBAs Washington Wizards, the WNBAs Mystics and the NHLs Capitals.

If the deal goes through, the QIA would become the first sovereign wealth fund to own part of a major US team sports club.

The Post cited a person familiar with the terms, and the NBA confirmed it was reviewing the investment, which has yet to be finalized.

The NBA tweaked its rules last year to allow for such foreign investment, although no fund is allowed to own more than 20% of a team.

The NBA Board is currently reviewing a potential investment by QIA in Monumental Sports & Entertainment, the parent company of the Washington Wizards, among other sports properties, NBA spokesman Mike Bass said in a statement quoted by US media.

In accordance with the policy, if approved, QIA would have a passive, minority investment in the team, with no involvement in its operations or decision-making.

The Athletic cited a high ranking NHL source in saying the league has never precluded investment by a sovereign wealth fund. Acquisition of a stake in a team does require approval from the leagues board of governors, and the Athletic reported that the executive committee of the board has already signed off on the sale.

Speaking last week on The Dan Patrick Show syndicated talk show, NBA commissioner Adam Silver spoke about state investment in sports and when discussing the financial deal between the PGA Tour and the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, which backed the breakaway LIF Golf circuit.

When the Saudis invest in sports, it gets outsized attention, Silver said. Now, I dont want to complain about that because we want to get outsized attention. On the other hand, somebody could go down the list there. They are investors in some of our largest American corporations. Some of the most well-known brands have investments from them. And I also think its a two-edged sword.

I hear the comments about sportswashing. On the other hand, youre talking about it, others are talking about it.

In the same way, the World Cup  the football World Cup, soccer World Cup brought enormous attention to Qatar. I think people learn about these countries, learn about whats happening in the world in ways they otherwise wouldnt.

Widespread sports investment

Qatar has made heavy i...

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) In an announcement that reflects the progress achieved by the Iraqi government in controlling the security situation in the country, especially with the succession of preventive strikes against remnants of ISIS terrorists, the Iraqi Ministry of Interior announced on Wednesday it took over responsibility for the security file in the Anbar governorate, in western Iraq.

The announcement took place during the visit of the Iraqi Minister of Interior, Abdul Amir Al-Shammari, to Anbar, where he announced that the ministry would be responsible for the security of six other governorates.

In a press conference, Al-Shammari announced the opening of the Anbar Police Command building, which will have a significant role in enhancing security and stability in the governorate.

The Iraqi Minister of Interior explained that the ministry formed the Fallujah Police Directorate a week ago, which has integrated departments.

Al-Shammari added that the ministry will be responsible for the security of city centers in the liberated governorates, elaborating that there are requirements, such as the preparation of infrastructure, so the local police will be able to take control of the security situation.

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Lagos At the very last second, the Lagos professional gamer wins his battle of Street Fighter, sending the crowd into roars of joy, a scene unimaginable a few years ago in Nigeria, where the eSports is now in full bloom.

In a room decked out in futuristic decor in an upscale district of Nigerias economic capital Lagos, several thousand visitors gathered for a giant video game tournament on Saturday.

Whipped up by an emcee, crowds of young spectators cheered all day in front of the competitors whose games were interspersed with concerts of local Afrobeats stars, Victony and Crayon.

Competitors battled it out in popular eSports games like Call of Duty: Mobile, Street Fighter and FIFA. 

The bling of the Nigerian-style show lived up to the ambitions of Africas leading economy as it looks to establish itself as an eSports - electronic sports - leader despite the economic and logistics problems the country faces.

South Africa is now crushing the African eSports scene, thanks to numerous investments, followed by Egypt and Morocco, then to a lesser extent by Senegal, Ivory Coast and Kenya.

But Nigeria has something to make its neighbours swoon because its strengths and its challenges are immense.

Immense especially in size: it is the most populous country in Africa with more than 215 million inhabitants, renowned for being competitive in business, sports and music. And three-quarters of the population is under 25.

In Lagos, in the midst of the din of the tournament he was supervising, Kunmi Adenipebi explained it was almost impossible to know exactly how many players there are in Nigeria.

Some say there are 60 million players in Nigeria. We did a survey and we know one thing for sure: there are at least 3 million players, said Adenipebi, chief of operations at Gamr, which organised the event.

Feet of clay

The potential pool of Nigerian players is enormous: broadband internet penetration has reached 48 percent, almost all via smartphone, and it continues to grow.

This is only the beginning, however, as Nigeria will be the second most populous country in the world at the end of the century with nearly 790 million inhabitants, just behind India, according to Lancet projections.

But, between widespread poverty, power cuts and the poor quality network, Nigeria remains a colossus with feet of clay.

It has few professional players even if there are more and more since the global Covid pandemic, Adenipebi said.

Esport is a beautiful opportunity for our youth and to pull people out of poverty. We want it to become a means of living, said Chike Okonkwo, co-founder of Gamic, which promotes eSport.

A few metres from the main hall, Akintoye Arogunmati, who goes by the name The_Arogs, was p...

Beijing At least 31 people were killed when an explosion caused by a gas leak ripped through a restaurant in the northwestern Chinese city of Yinchuan, state media said Thursday.

The blast occurred on the eve of the three-day Dragon Boat Festival holiday, when many in China go out and socialise with friends.

Footage on state broadcaster CCTV showed more than a dozen firefighters working at the site as smoke poured out of a gaping hole in the restaurants facade.

Shards of glass and other debris littered the darkened street, which is also home to a number of other eateries and entertainment venues.

A leak of liquefied petroleum gas caused an explosion during the operation of a barbecue restaurant, state news agency Xinhua said of the Wednesday evening blast, citing the regional Communist Party committee.

Seven more people were receiving medical treatment, the agency said, with one of them in a critical condition.

Two others suffered severe burns, two had minor injuries and two had scratches caused by flying glass, Xinhua said.

The explosion at about 8:40 pm (1240 GMT) Wednesday took place at the Fuyang Barbecue Restaurant in a residential area of downtown Yinchuan, the capital of the Ningxia autonomous region.

Chinese President Xi Jinping demanded all-out efforts in treating the wounded and the strengthening of safety supervision and management in key industries and fields to effectively protect peoples lives and property, CCTV reported Thursday.

The Ministry of Emergency Management said local fire and rescue services had dispatched more than 100 people and 20 vehicles to the scene in the wake of the blast.

Local authorities immediately demanded that all-out search and rescue efforts be organised, the wounded be properly treated and casualties be reduced as much as possible, the ministry said.

The rescue efforts had concluded by 4:00 am Thursday, it said.

-Scenes of chaos-

One video posted on social media showed two shirtless men, their trousers tattered and upper bodies covered in dust, crouching and standing dazed on a busy street sprayed with broken glass.

Another clip showed fire engines and ambulances tearing through the streets nearby, flashing blue and red lights and sounding their sirens.

Social media images showed dozens of people gathering behind an emergency cordon on the opposite side of the street, with some visibly distressed.

AFP was able to geolocate the clips by matching the buildings to state media footage of the explosions aftermath.

Explosions and other deadly incidents are relatively common in China, where building codes are often poorly enforced and widespread unauthorised construction can make it hard for people to flee burning structures.

Three people were killed this month after a series of explosion...

London The Bank of England is forecast Thursday to lift interest rates for the 13th time in a row and may hike sharply to fight stubborn inflation despite worsening a cost-of-living crisis.

The British central banks Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) had been expected to raise its key lending rate, which stands at 4.50 percent, by another quarter-point to combat inflation that is the highest among G7 nations.

However, bombshell data out Wednesday showed UK inflation holding at 8.7 percent in May, dashing hopes of a slowdown and sparking bets on a larger half-point hike.

Either move would bring the BoE rate to the highest level since the 2008 financial crisis and further dent economic activity.

A hike would be in stark contrast to the Federal Reserve which paused last week after a sharp easing in US inflation, but would outpace the European Central Banks quarter-point increase.

Norway and Switzerland are also expected to lift borrowing costs on Thursday.

More work to do

The bottom line, regardless of the size of tomorrows move, is that the MPC has a lot more work to do to bring underlying (UK) inflation under control, said BNP Paribas analysts.

Wednesdays data dealt a major blow to British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who has made slashing inflation a priority for his Conservative government heading into a general election next year.

UK core inflation, which strips out food and energy costs, spiked in May to 7.1 percent the highest in more than three decades.

Sunak now faces a burgeoning crisis in Britains housing market, with mortgage rates and rents surging, biting deep into disposable incomes while pay rises fail to keep pace with inflation.

Traders now anticipate UK interest rates will hit six percent by the end of the year, while the Fed will likely stand pat and the ECB could soon reach the top of its current rate-hiking cycle.

JP Morgan economist Karen Ward, who sits on Hunts economy advisory council, warned that the BoE might have to effectively create a recession if it is to bring inflation under control.

Biggest concern

The British government wants to see inflation reduced to five percent by the end of the year, or about half the level at the start of 2023.

Inflation is what erodes peoples savings and pushes up prices, and ultimately makes them poorer, Sunak said Wednesday.

But main opposition leader Keir Starmer, whose Labour party is well ahead of the Conservatives in opinion polls, slammed Sunak over the Tory mortgage penalty as home loan rates continue to climb.

The BoE has lifted rates from a record-low 0.1 percent in late 2021 as it sought a handle on inflation, which hit a 41-year peak at 11.1 percent last October on rampant ener...

Hong Kong Markets fell in Asia on Thursday as traders contemplated the prospect of more central bank interest rate hikes as they struggle to tame persistently high inflation.

Federal Reserve boss Jerome Powell dealt a blow to investors hoping its tightening cycle may be near an end by warning US lawmakers it may make sense to keep lifting.

His comments came as pressure built on the Bank of England to announce a bigger-than-expected increase at Thursdays meeting after news that United Kingdom inflation was unchanged at 8.7 percent in May, confounding forecasts.

The European Central Bank last week joined Canada and Australia in hiking further, with Switzerland and Norway tipped to follow suit.

After holding rates last week for the first time since starting last March, speculation had been growing that the Fed was close to calling it a day altogether, thanks to slowing price rises and a softer jobs market.

However, in congressional testimony on Wednesday, Powell said: Given how far weve come, it may make sense to move rates higher but to do so at a more moderate pace.

He added that while progress was being made inflation dropped to 4.0 percent last month from 4.9 percent in April it has consistently surprised us and essentially all other forecasters by being more persistent than expected.

Two more rate hikes this year was a pretty good guess, he said.

The Fed has already raised its benchmark lending rate by five percentage points since March 2022, from close to zero to 5.0-5.25 percent.

Traders say there is a 75 percent probability officials will hike by 25 basis points at their July meeting, according to data from CME Group. 

The expected increase in rates has revived worries the economy will tip into recession.

The Fed is clearly not nearing the end of its tightening cycle and if other central banks seem poised to deliver more than a couple rate hikes, that might make it easier for the Fed to remain aggressive with tightening, said OANDAs Edward Moya.

Powell said lowering inflation has a long way to go and that could very well mean that they wont stop until the fall.

All three main indexes on Wall Street fell for a third straight session, and Asia followed on Thursday.

Sydney, Singapore, Manila, Wellington and Jakarta were all in the red and Tokyo was flat, though Seoul eked out a gain.

Hong Kong and Shanghai were closed.

Markets across Asia have gone into reverse this week, having enjoyed a healthy run-up in previous weeks on hopes that the tightening cycle was nearing an end and on talk that China was preparing a raft of stimulus measures.

The optimism was fanned by the central banks decision to cut borrowing costs last week, though a smaller-than-expected reduction in...

Istanbul Turkey was widely expected Thursday to pivot away from years of unconventional economics promoted by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and dramatically raise interest rates to fight inflation and steady the troubled lira.

Erdogan still defends his markets-defying idea that high interest rates contribute to rather than cure rising consumer prices that have been Turkeys bane for the past five years.

But the central bank is expected to change course and raise rates on Thursday after Erdogan appointed a former Wall Street executive to head the institution following his re-election last month.

The Turkish leader pushed the central bank to start slashing interest rates two years ago as part of a new economic model that focuses on job creation and economic growth.

The policy badly backfired and nearly cost the veteran Turkish leader last months general election.

The annual inflation rate reached 85 percent late last year and the central bank burned through most of its reserves trying to prop up the lira down 90 percent against the dollar over 10 years from even bigger falls.

Erdogan was forced into his first election runoff and then orchestrated one of his trademark policy reversals after extending his two-decade rule until 2028.

He appointed investor-backed economist Mehmet Simsek as finance minister and former Goldman Sachs director Hafize Gaye Erkan as the head of the nominally independent central bank. 

Turkish media said Simsek agreed to join the government only after winning assurances that he would be free to steady the ship as he saw fit.

Turkey had no choice but to return to rational ground, Simsek said after taking office.

Erdogan said last week that he accepted that his new team would pursue policies that contradicted his own firmly held beliefs.

How high?

Simseks presence has already made an impact.

The lira has lost an additional 15 percent against the dollar since the May 28 election runoff a sign that the central bank is slowly unwinding its costly currency defence.

A dollar was worth about 23.6 liras heading into one of the central banks most closely watched policy meetings in years.

But analysts are deeply divided over how far and how fast Turkey will raise its policy rate from the current 8.5 percent.

Goldman Sachs economist Clemens Grafe said that an orthodox policymaker would raise rates to 40 percent, the current level of deposit rates.

JPMorgan and the Bank of America both predicted a hike to 25 percent.

But Capital Economics said there are grounds for caution because the new team was showing signs of favouring a more slow-moving approach.

Indeed, the liras depreciation already appears to have stalled, the London...

Paris Dozens of global leaders will gather in Paris Thursday for a summit to tease out a new consensus on international economic reforms to help debt-burdened developing countries face a growing onslaught of challenges, particularly climate change. 

French President Emmanuel Macron has said the Summit for a New Global Financial Pact is aimed at finding the financial solutions to the interlinked global goals of tackling poverty, curbing planet-heating emissions and protecting nature. 

He is hosting the meeting with Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, who has become a powerful advocate for reimagining the role of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund in an era of climate crisis. 

We can make a huge difference for the planet and against poverty, Macron said on Twitter on Wednesday. 

Economies have been battered by successive shocks in recent years, including Covid-19, Russias invasion of Ukraine, spiking inflation, debt, and the spiralling cost of weather disasters intensified by global warming.

Leaders set to attend the summit include Kenyan President William Ruto, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Chinese Premier Li Qiang and European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen. 

President Ruto will underscore the urgent need to move beyond incremental measures that fall short of effectively combating the climate crisis and fail to generate investment benefits for Africa, Rutos office said ahead of the summit.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will also attend, as will US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, IMF director Kristalina Georgieva and freshly minted World Bank chief Ajay Banga.  

Climate campaigners Greta Thunberg and Vanessa Nakate will be in the French capital, while Billie Eilish will perform at Global Citizens Power Our Planet concert on Thursday evening, lending star appeal to a macroeconomic niche unused to such a limelight.  

Climate goals

France says the two-day summit will be a platform for ideas ahead of a cluster of major economic and climate meetings in the coming months. 

But observers are looking for tangible progress including keeping promises already made. 

Wed need to see some down payments from the richer countries and their development finance institutions, said Alex Scott of the think tank E3G.

One likely announcement is that a 2009 pledge to deliver $100 billion a year in climate finance to poorer nations by 2020 will finally be fulfilled, albeit three years late. 

A second pledge to rechannel $100 billion in unused special drawing rights (SDRs) the IMFs tool to boost liquidity will also be in the spotlight.     

The summit comes amid growing recognition of the scale of the financial challenges ahead. 

Last year, a UN expert group said developing and em...

Tokyo Heatwaves across Asia and beyond have already broken records this year, while the arrival of the El Nino climate phenomenon will mean even more extreme temperatures.

Here AFP looks at how climate change produces extreme heat, how scientists evaluate heatwaves and the risks to human health:

What is extreme heat?

Extreme heat is defined from a baseline of the average temperature in any one location, which varies widely across the world.

So a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit) could be record-breaking in parts of Canada in spring, but might be below average for the same period in the Middle East.

What role does climate change play?

Greenhouse gases trapping heat are at the root of the problem, said Martin Jucker, a lecturer at the University of New South Wales Climate Change Research Centre.

Gases like carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide play a crucial role in stopping heat from being reflected or lost from our atmosphere.

When this process is balanced, it keeps the planet at a livable temperature.

But an unsustainable increase in the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere means more heat is being trapped, creating an overall global warming effect and other climate anomalies.

For example, warming air holds more moisture, which produces stronger and more frequent storms.

Overall, climate change is strengthening the duration, intensity and geographical reach of heatwaves, scientists say.

What about human interventions?

The problem is made worse in some places by the way cities are built the so-called heat island effect, where urban conglomerations are warmer than surrounding rural areas.

This happens because cities with too little greenery and too much concrete, asphalt and other building materials absorb heat and often offer insufficient shade.

The use of cooling technologies like air conditioners creates surging demand for energy, including the fossil fuels that are behind the climate crisis in the first place.

Are all heatwaves linked to climate change?

To determine climate changes role in any given event, experts use a technique called attribution science.

They simulate a world with and without climate change, using historical and more recent measurements, or computer models.

Comparing the two then gives us a measure of how much more likely a given extreme is under climate change, Jucker told AFP.

Findings for over 500 events have been collected by the organisation Carbon Brief, with most shown to have been made more severe or more likely because of climate change.

Just a handful, including some floods, droughts and extreme cold, have been found to have no clear link to human activity, while in other cases experts found the evidence inconclusive.

Every heatwave in the world is now made str...

Washington Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday opened a state visit to Washington as the United States steps up its wooing of India despite simmering disagreements on Ukraine and human rights.

President Joe Biden is putting on the full pomp for only the third state visitor of his administration, with the billion-plus country seen as a pivotal partner in a growing global competition with China.

Modi flying in from New York where he exerted Indian soft power with a public yoga demonstration kicked off his visit with an intimate private dinner with Biden at the White House.

On Thursday, Indias most powerful leader in decades will be welcomed with full military honors at the White House, address a joint session of Congress and be feted by a state dinner.

The White House tapped a top California-based plant-based chef for the dinner for Modi, a strict vegetarian. Unusually for a leader who often criticizes the press, the White House said Modi will take questions alongside Biden.

People following the trip expect a series of significant announcements, including likely a deal for General Electric to supply engines for Indias first home-grown fighter jets.

The worlds two largest democracies are also likely to make announcements on climate, one area where the two countries have long clashed, albeit politely, on the responsibilities of developed versus developing countries.

The United States has been seeking a closer relationship with India since the late 1990s, seeing the nation as like-minded both on the challenges of China and of radical Islamism.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the visit, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby played down the connection to China which Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited earlier in the week in a bid to lower the temperature after soaring tensions.

Its not about sending a message to China, Kirby said.

We are deepening and continuing to improve this partnership with India, which we believe has truly become a force for global good. And we know that India is going to be a strategic partner for decades to come, he said.

But he implicitly acknowledged Indias strategic location, saying, They are showing a growing commitment to being more engaged in the Indo-Pacific.

Playing down differences

It will be Modis first state visit to Washington, an honor extended to his center-left predecessor Manmohan Singh by Barack Obama.

Biden, however, has already welcomed Modi as part of a summit of the so-called Quad an initiative of four democracies including Japan and Australia that is widely seen as countering Chinas influence in Asia.

Modi had developed a close relationship with Bidens predecessor Donald Trump, endearing himself by arranging a massive rally...

London Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan is set to leave the treble winners to join Barcelona on a free transfer, according to reports on Wednesday.

Gundogan is believed to have been offered a three-year deal by Barcelona and is expected to complete his move to the Spanish champions when his City contract expires at the end of June.

City were reported to have been willing to give their 32-year-old captain a new one-year contract with the option of a further 12 months.

But Gundogans impending move to the Camp Nou was revealed on the same day City agreed a 30 million ($38 million) deal to sign Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic.

Kovacics versatility and experience would help compensate for the loss of the influential Gundogan, whose leadership and knack for scoring crucial goals played a key role in Citys success in Pep Guardiolas reign.

Gundogan netted twice in Citys FA Cup final victory over Manchester United this season before Guardiolas Premier League champions went on to beat Inter Milan in the Champions League final.

The Germany international played 51 games this term, scoring 11 goals including six in his last seven appearances during the tense treble run-in.

City are only the second English side to win all three major trophies in a single season.

Gundogan will be fondly remembered by City fans as one of the understated touchstones of their clubs golden era.

The former Borussia Dortmund midfielder has won five Premier League titles, two FA Cups, four League Cups and the Champions League in his seven years at City.

Guardiola was keen to keep Gundogan, who has a close relationship with the City boss after living in the same luxury Manchester apartment block for many years.

But, given Gundogans age, City reportedly did not want to match Barcelonas offer and appear to have taken a pragmatic decision to let him leave.

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