Displaying items by tag: deaths and injuries

A devastating suicide bombing near the high court killed twelve people and injured more than twenty, shattering nearly two decades of relative calm in Islamabad. The attacker, unable to enter the judicial complex due to tight security, detonated explosives near a police vehicle. Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a faction of the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility, though the Taliban distanced itself from the assault. President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the attack, while prime minister Shahbaz Sharif accused ‘Indian terrorist proxies’, without providing any evidence to support his claim. The Taliban were also suspected of being responsible for an attack the previous day on a cadet college in the north-west of the country (see). International condemnations followed swiftly, emphasising solidarity and the urgent need for regional cooperation against extremism. The attacks come at a time of increased tensions with India, and peace negotiations between Pakistan and Afghanistan broke down last week, following violent clashes between their forces in October. Also this week, a huge explosion in Delhi, close to the historic Red Fort, killed eight and injured many others: it is not yet known who was responsible. See

At least five people were killed and six remain missing after a powerful explosion rocked the Shandong Youdao Chemical plant in Gaomi, eastern China. Occurring just before noon, the blast sent a massive plume of grey and orange smoke into the sky, shattered nearby windows, and triggered a major rescue operation. Nineteen others sustained minor injuries. Emergency teams dispatched 55 vehicles and over 230 personnel to the scene, while the ministry of emergency management sent reinforcements. Social media videos showed smoke blanketing the area, with some structures visibly damaged. Witnesses from nearby businesses reported hearing a loud bang and experiencing a strong gust of wind, which caused structural damage and panic. The cause of the explosion has not been released. Shandong Youdao Chemical, founded in 2019 and employing over 300 people, produces pesticides and pharmaceutical chemicals. The tragedy, reminiscent of the deadly 2015 Tianjin warehouse explosions which killed over 100 people, has revived concerns over industrial safety in China.