Friday, April 30, 2021

A stampede at a pilgrimage in Israel has killed at least 44 people and LAPD police arrest five suspects in theft of Lady Gaga’s bulldogs This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Friday, April 30th. *) Israel pilgrimage stampede kills at least 44 people A massive stampede at a densely packed Jewish pilgrimage site has killed at least 44 people in northern Israel. The incident occurred at the tomb of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai in Mount Meron, where mainly ultra-Orthodox Jews flock to mark the Lag B’Omer holiday. Closed last year due to coronavirus restrictions, this year's pilgrimage was expected to be a celebratory event for Israel. *) India posts record daily rise in Covid-19 cases of 386,452 The first US emergency aid has arrived in India as it grapples with a devastating surge in Covid-19 cases. The Covid-ravaged country posted another record daily rise of more than three-hundred-and-eighty-six thousand (386,000) new cases and more than 3,400 deaths. The country is in deep crisis, with hospitals and morgues overwhelmed, and an oxygen shortage that is expected to continue well into May. *) Pentagon preparing for Taliban attacks during US withdrawal The Pentagon is preparing for possible Taliban attacks on US and coalition forces as they withdraw from Afghanistan. All US and other foreign forces were to have departed Afghanistan on May 1 under last year’s deal between the Taliban and the Trump administration. President Joe Biden decided the final but delayed withdrawal by September 11. The Taliban see the delay as a violation of the agreement. *) Kyrgyzstan says death toll in clashes with Tajikistan rises to 13 Kyrgyzstan has said it evacuated 11,500 people in the aftermath of border clashes with Tajikistan that claimed 13 lives. Kyrgyzstan's health ministry said the country had suffered 134 casualties "including 13 fatalities", with two of the injured in a serious condition. Fighting between the two countries began on Thursday as their militaries exchanged fire at the border over a water s