25-04-2026

Month: September 2022

Strong quake brings down buildings in Taiwan

The quake hit at 2:44pm (0644 GMT) about 50 kilometres (30 miles) north of the city of Taitung at a depth of 10 kilometres, the United States Geological Survey said.

Its initial strength was given as magnitude 7.2 but the USGS later downgraded it to 6.9. Multiple aftershocks were recorded.

Japan’s Meteorological Agency and the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued tsunami advisories shortly after the quake, but both later said there was no longer a threat of high waves.

Taiwan’s National Fire Agency said one person was killed by falling machinery at a cement factory in the town of Yuli, which lay close to the epicentre.

The health ministry said 79 people either sought medical treatment or were sent to hospital.

At least three buildings collapsed in Yuli, including one that had a 7-Eleven convenience store on the ground floor. Video footage posted by Taiwan’s Central News Age­ncy showed panicked resi­dents running towards the building, which sent up a thick cloud of dust as it caved in.

The Hualien fire department said four people who were trapped in the building were rescued.

Two other buildings in the town collapsed but no one was inside them, the department added. Two nearby bridges collapsed and two others were damaged.

The Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) said a train derailed at Dongli station in Hualien after it was hit by concrete from an overhead canopy that came loose during the quake.

TRA said the 20 passengers on board were evacuated and no injuries were reported.

Shaking was also felt in the capital Taipei and the southwestern city of Kaoh­siung, with residents posting videos of chandeliers and paintings swaying on social media.

Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen urged people to be vigilant for further aftershocks.

“Water and electricity supplies in some areas are also affected by the earthquake,” she wrote on Facebook. “The related disaster relief work is in full swing.”

Broken bridge

Many expressed the kind of resilience that comes with living on an island that frequently experiences earthquakes.

In one video posted online, a man said he was trapped on a bridge where the road at either end had collapsed into a twisted mess of tarmac and concrete.

“This is troublesome,” he could be heard saying. “The whole bridge is broken”.

Ou Chin Te shared footage from the swimming pool on the 60th floor of The One — a skyscraper in Kaohsiung and Taiwan’s fourth-highest building.

 

Bus crash kills 27 in mountainous southwest China

BEIJING: A bus crash killed 27 people and injured a further 20 when the vehicle rolled over on a highway in southwest China’s mountainous Guizhou province, local police said in a statement on Sunday.

The accident took place in the early hours of Sunday morning in Sandu county, around 170 km (105 miles) southeast of the provincial capital, Guiyang, police said.

The bus was carrying 47 people and the 20 injured were being treated on Sunday, police added.

PM Shehbaz, Nawaz Sharif agree on holding elections at stipulated time

LONDON: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday held a meeting with PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif in London where the two talked about a range of issues concerning Pakistan, including the time of the general elections.

PM Shehbaz reached the United Kingdom on Saturday to attend the state funeral of late Queen Elizabeth II in the English capital on Monday, September 19, where he will represent Pakistan.

Sources told Geo News that the meeting between the Sharif brothers lasted for about three-and-a-half hours. Despite being under pressure, the two PML-N leaders agreed that the next general elections in Pakistan should be held at the stipulated time.

The brothers also agreed that the present coalition government will complete its constitutional term.

On the other hand, PTI Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan has been repeatedly demanding the incumbent regime announce a date for the polls, saying that he “cannot wait for too long” and will “call on the public” if his demands were not met.

Per sources, the two leaders deliberated over making changes to the Punjab government during the meeting and to that end, the name of Hamza Shehbaz, among other possible candidates, was considered for the post of the province’s chief minister.

A discussion related to important appointments in November was also held during the meeting, the sources said.

Despite being present in London, Minister for Defence Khawaja Asif and Minister for Communication and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb did not participate in this important meeting. When questioned about it, Asif said that he was in London only to meet his party leader, Nawaz.

PM Shehbaz Sharif condoles with King Charles III over Queen Elizabeth’s death

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with King Charles III today in London and condoled over the death of Queen Elizabeth II during the reception hosted by the king for the visiting dignitaries.

The Pakistani premier is among hundreds of foreign royals and heads of state invited to attend the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II for one of the biggest diplomatic gatherings in decades.

Around 500 heads of state and foreign dignitaries along with their partners are expected, according to BBC and Sky News reports.

Extending condolences over the passing of his mother, PM Shehbaz Sharif observed that the late monarch was a source of inspiration and strength for generations of Commonwealth citizens.

The prime minister recalled that the people of Pakistan had fond memories of the Queen’s two visits to the country and the bond of affection between the Royal family and the Pakistani nation had only strengthened with time.

On behalf of the people and government of Pakistan, the PM conveyed his best wishes to the UK king on his accession to the throne and expressed the hope that he would carry on the legacy of his mother in further strengthening friendship among Commonwealth nations.

The premier said that the people of Pakistan held King Charles III in high esteem and looked forward to welcoming him in Pakistan at the earliest opportunity.

PM Shehbaz also thanked the British monarch for the Royal family’s expression of sympathy and support in the wake of the unprecedented floods. “The appeal for help and the response from both the British government and the public was deeply appreciated in Pakistan,” he told the King.

King Charles has said he is “deeply touched” by the support he has received from across the world, in a message on the eve of the Queen’s funeral.

The King said he and Camilla, the Queen Consort, were “moved beyond measure” by everyone who took the trouble to pay their respects.

“As we prepare to say our last farewell, I wanted simply to take this opportunity to say thank you,” he said.

The state funeral service at Westminster Abbey begins at 11:00 BST.

Some 2,000 people are expected to attend the ceremony, including 500 presidents, prime ministers, and foreign royals from around the world.

There, the King will lead the nation in mourning for its longest reigning monarch.

In a written message issued by Buckingham Palace, the King said: “Over the last 10 days, my wife and I have been so deeply touched by the many messages of condolences and support we have received from this country and across the world.

“In London, Edinburgh, Hillsborough and Cardiff we were moved beyond measure by everyone who took the trouble to come and pay their respects to the lifelong service of my dear mother, the late Queen.

“As we all prepare to say our last farewell, I wanted simply to take this opportunity to say thank you to all those countless people who have been such a support and comfort to my family and myself in this time of grief.”

The photograph of the Queen at Windsor Castle was taken in May this year

An unseen portrait of the Queen has also been released by Buckingham Palace on the eve of her funeral.

The photograph, taken by Ranald Mackechnie ahead of the Platinum Jubilee Celebrations in May, shows the monarch beaming brightly at the camera in her Windsor Castle home.

She is wearing a blue dress, her favourite three-strand pearl necklace, pearl earrings and her aquamarine and diamond brooches – an 18th birthday present from her father George VI in 1944 which she also wore on the 75th anniversary of VE Day in 2020.

King Charles held a reception at Buckingham Palace on Sunday evening for heads of state attending the funeral. Later, at 20:00, a national minute’s silence was observed at homes and doorsteps across the UK.

Many thousands of people have queued this week to see the Queen’s lying-in-state, which comes to an end at 06:30 on Monday. The queue was closed to new entrants shortly after 22:40.

At 10:44, her coffin will be taken in procession from the Palace of Westminster to Westminster Abbey in the State Gun Carriage of the Royal Navy.

King Charles will walk behind, alongside the Princess Royal, the Duke of York and Earl of Wessex. Behind them will be the Queen’s grandsons, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Sussex and Peter Phillips.

Prince George and Princess Charlotte will also attend the Queen’s funeral and walk behind the Queen’s coffin in procession.

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, who will give the sermon, told the BBC people could expect “a great deal of grandeur and pomp” from the service but he also hoped it would help the Queen’s family “find a measure of comfort amidst the glare of publicity”.

“In the readings and the prayers, it will be something that, again, I pray will fit the Queen’s character and person. You’ll think not just this was a service fit for a Queen, this was a service fit for this person,” he added.

Following the service, the coffin will be drawn in a walking procession from the Abbey to Wellington Arch, at London’s Hyde Park Corner.

With the route lined with military personnel and police, Big Ben will toll at one-minute intervals as the procession moves slowly through the streets of the capital.

Parliament officials said they were confident the bell would ring out during the procession after investigating a “minor technical issue” which prevented it from striking on Sunday, following the national minute’s silence.

Gun salutes will also fire every minute from Hyde Park during the procession and people can watch in person from designated viewing areas along the route.

Once at Wellington Arch, at about 13:00, the coffin will be transferred to the new State Hearse for its final journey to Windsor Castle. There, the Queen’s coffin will enter St George’s Chapel for a committal service.

Attended by a smaller congregation of about 800 guests, the committal service will be conducted by Dean of Windsor David Conner, with a blessing from the Archbishop of Canterbury.

At a private family service later, the Queen will be buried alongside her late husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, at the King George VI memorial chapel, located inside St George’s Chapel.

Panama charges two former presidents with corruption

The two men, who collectively led Panama between 2009 and 2019, were not present at a court hearing on Friday. Prosecutors accused the pair of using front companies and foreign bank accounts to receive funds from Odeb­recht between 2008 and 2014.

About 50 other people are implicated in the charges, including several former ministers, prosecutors said.

In 2016, Odebrecht pled guilty in a Brooklyn court to paying more than $788 million in bribes to government officials and political parties, mainly in Latin America, to win infrastructure contracts.

The Brazilian company admitted paying bribes worth $59 million in Panama in exchange for contracts to build public works.

Odebrecht built Panama’s two metro lines, expanded Tocumen International Airport and laid several stretches of Panama City’s promenade, among other multimillion-dollar projects.

It overbilled the Pana­ma­nian government for some of the projects, according to the Public Prosecutor’s Office.

Varela, who lead Panama from 2014 to 2019, was the first of the two former heads of state to be accused, and his right-wing Panamenista par­ty was accused of receiving $10 million from Odebrecht.

Varela denies the charges.

Martinelli, president from 2009-2014 and a successful businessman, was also accused of illegally receiving money from Odebrecht.

He was “fully aware of the illicit origin of the funds” and had even set up “an entire illegal structure” to collect the bribes, prosecutors said.

Two of Martinelli’s sons, who are both in prison in the US after being extradited from Guatemala, have pled guilty to receiving $28 million from Odebrecht.

PM Shehbaz to represent Pakistan at Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in London

“At the invitation of the British government, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif will represent Pakistan at the State Funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in London on 19 September 2022,” a press release issued by the Foreign Office said.

The premier is accompanied by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and Special Assistant to the PM Tariq Fatemi.

 

According to a tweet by the Prime Minister’s Office, after attending the funeral, Shehbaz will head to the United States to participate in the debate of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly, which will be held from September 20 to September 26.

World leaders head to UK for queen’s funeral as public pays tribute

World leaders began gathering in London from Saturday for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, as princes William and Harry were set to lead a vigil of her grandchildren at her coffin.

The queen’s death on September 8 aged 96, after a record-breaking 70 years on the throne, has sparked an outpouring of emotion.

Members of the public braved waits that at one point were estimated to be up to 24 hours and chilly night-time temperatures to view her coffin.

Lines have snaked for miles along the River Thames since Wednesday when her coffin was brought to the UK parliament complex to lie in state.

Police are mounting Britain’s biggest-ever security operation for Monday’s funeral, as hundreds of dignitaries including US President Joe Biden are set to jet in.

 

The queen’s successor, King Charles III, will meet on Saturday with the prime ministers of the Commonwealth realms — the 14 former colonies over which he now reigns in addition to Britain.

From Australia and New Zealand to Canada, they have formally proclaimed him their new sovereign.

But republican movements are gaining ground, and efforts to keep them all in the royal fold will likely be a feature of his reign.

Charles on Friday wrapped up his maiden tour as monarch to the four nations of the United Kingdom with a visit to Wales, part of an operation dubbed “Spring Tide” to launch him in his new role.

Large crowds in Cardiff chanted “God save the king” as he shook hands with well-wishers following a multi-faith service in Llandaff Cathedral, and at Cardiff Castle.

Charles met Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford, an avowed republican, and there was isolated booing on the streets after the new monarch was quick to declare his son William the new Prince of Wales.

But Drakeford said questions over the future of the monarchy were “a footnote to the dominant feelings of the day”.

US Justice Dept appeals halt of Trump classified papers review

Federal investigators have been blocked since last week from reviewing thousands of documents taken by the FBI from Trump’s seaside mansion, after a judge sided with the former president and decided to appoint an independent arbiter to sort through the files.

The Justice Department, in its filing Friday evening, argued that Judge Aileen Cannon “fundamentally erred in appointing a special master and granting injunctive relief,” but would limit its appeal to just the “roughly 100 records bearing classification markings,” recovered from Trump’s estate.

Delaying the review of the classified documents, which it argues are government property, “impedes the government’s efforts to protect the Nation’s security,” the Justice Department said.

Former president denies wrongdoing; faces probe into business practices in New York state

“It also irreparably harms the government by enjoining critical steps of an ongoing criminal investigation and needlessly compelling disclosure of highly sensitive records, including to Plaintiff’s counsel,” the filing added, referring to Trump’s lawyers.

Trump is facing mounting legal pressure, with the Justice Department saying top-secret documents were “likely concealed” to obstruct an FBI probe into his potential mishandling of classified materials.

He has denied all wrongdoing, and said the raid on his mansion was “one of the most egregious assaults on democracy in the history of our country,” while making it a major talking point at his political rallies.

The appeal will be heard first by a three-judge panel on the 11th Circuit, but could ultimately wind up at the Supreme Court.

On Thursday, Judge Cannon appointed Raymond Dearie to review the files, as the so-called special master.

The 78-year-old senior federal judge in New York was one of two people proposed by Trump’s legal team.

Dearie issued an order on Friday for Trump’s lawyers and the Justice Department counsel to meet with him in New York early next week.

Agenda items for the Tuesday meeting are to be submitted by either side by the close of business on Monday, Dearie ordered.

In addition to the documents probe, Trump faces investigations in New York into his business practices, as well as legal scrutiny over his efforts to overturn results of the 2020 election, and for the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol by his supporters.

US President Joe Biden has arrived in London ahead of the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on Monday.

Mr Biden is among some 500 heads of state and foreign dignitaries coming to London for a gathering of world leaders not seen for decades.

The prime ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand are already in the UK.

Controversy surrounds some of the guests invited, such as Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.

As well as Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, other Commonwealth leaders expected to attend include Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe. India will be represented by President Droupadi Murmu.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie Trudeau sign a book of condolence at Lancaster House in London

French President Emmanuel Macron, Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Italian President Sergio Mattarella are among the other world leaders expected to attend.

Members of royal families from across Europe will also be present.

King Charles III spoke to New Zealand’s Jacinda Ardern

Many of the guests are expected to pay their respects to the Queen at her lying-in-state in Westminster Hall and sign a book of condolence at Lancaster House.

But the focus will be a formal state reception hosted by King Charles III at Buckingham Palace on Sunday.

For many leaders, it will be their only chance to meet collectively and engage in some diplomacy.

Some of the guests invited to attend the funeral have, however, raised eyebrows.

The extension of an invite to Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince and de facto ruler Mohammed Bin Salman (known as MBS) has proved controversial.

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman last visited the UK in 2018 when he met the Queen at Buckingham Palace

He is accused of ordering the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey in 2018 – an accusation the Crown Prince and his government deny.

The fiancée of Mr Khashoggi, Hatice Gengiz, said he should not be allowed to attend the event and that it was a stain on the memory of the Queen.

Another invite which has led to criticism is that for China’s President Xi Jinping, due to accusations of crimes against humanity levelled at the Chinese government.

But it will not be President Xi attending the funeral. Instead, Vice President Wang Qishan will travel to the UK.

Representatives from Russia, Belarus, Myanmar, Syria, Venezuela and Afghanistan have not been invited.

Iran, North Korea (DPRK) and Nicaragua have only been invited to send ambassadors, rather than heads of state.

The Queen’s eight grandchildren, including the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex, have stood vigil around her coffin as she lies in state at Westminster Hall.

At King Charles’s request, Prince Harry wore military uniform, for the first time since 2020.

Prince Harry has worn civilian clothes at public events since the Queen died.

It is the first time in history that the grandchildren of a monarch have taken part in the ceremony.

The King’s sons William and Harry were joined by Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall, the children of Princess Anne, as well as Prince Andrew’s daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, and Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn, who are Prince Edward’s children.

At 44, Peter Philips is the oldest of the Queen’s grandchildren, while the youngest, James, Viscount Severn, is 14.

In silence and with their heads bowed, the eight cousins stood at different points around the coffin as crowds continued to file past.

Prince William stood at the head of the Queen’s coffin with his brother at the opposite end.

The Earl and Countess of Wessex, the parents of Louise and James, looked on from a platform facing the coffin.

Prince Harry wore a Blues and Royals uniform

The grandchildren’s vigil started at 18:01 BST and lasted for just under 15 minutes.

On Friday evening, the Queen’s children, including the King, took part in a similar vigil, standing guard for about 10 minutes.

Ahead of the vigil, Beatrice and Eugenie paid tribute to their “dear Grannie”, saying: “It has been the honour of our lives to have been your granddaughters and we’re so very proud of you.”

In a joint statement, they said the Queen was “our matriarch, our guide, our loving hand on our backs leading us through this world” and that they already miss her “terribly”.

They went on: “Thank you for making us laugh, for including us, for picking heather and raspberries, for marching soldiers, for our teas, for comfort, for joy.

“You, being you, will never know the impact you have had on our family and so many people around the world.

“The world mourns you and the tributes would really make you smile. They are all too true of the remarkable leader you are.”

The pair told the Queen they were “so happy you’re back with Grandpa” and added that “our dear Uncle Charles, the King, will continue to lead in your example as he too has dedicated his life to service”.

This was another poignant image, mixing the grandeur of a public ceremony with the intimacy of personal family memories. The Queen’s grandchildren were standing vigil around her coffin, with the queue of people flowing either side of them.

The people who had queued for many hours, bringing their own memories, shared the big silence of Westminster Hall with the royal grandchildren.

Prince Harry wore a Blues and Royals uniform and wearing the same uniform, on the other side of the coffin, was his brother Prince William.

Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie took their place in the vigil. In a tribute this afternoon they’d talked of the loss of “our dearest grannie”.

With the tap-tap-tap of a soldier’s sword on the stone, time was up. They finished their vigil and followed Prince William back out of the hall.

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The vigil on Saturday was the first time Prince Harry had been seen in military uniform since stepping back as a working royal in 2020.

He served two tours in Afghanistan as part of the Army. He now lives in California with his wife Meghan and their two children.

The Duke of Sussex was wearing the Blues and Royals No 1 uniform, the same uniform as his brother.

Prince William has completed more than seven years of full-time military service, including three-and-a-half years as a search and rescue pilot.

Prince Harry stood at the opposite end of the coffin to his brother, the Prince of Wales

Prince Andrew was also allowed to wear his military uniform as he stood guard on Friday. The 62-year-old stepped down as a working royal in 2019, after facing questions over his relationship with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The prince was later stripped of his military titles.

Earlier on Saturday, Prince William and his father King Charles went to Lambeth, south London to shake hands and greet people queuing to view the Queen lying in state.

The Earl and Countess of Wessex conducted their own walkabout outside Buckingham Palace.

The Queen will lie in state at Westminster Hall until her funeral on Monday.

The queue to see the coffin stretches as far as Southwark Park and has previously seen wait times of over 24 hours. Officials have warned that the queue will be closed before 06:30 BST on Monday, so that people do not join the line and fail to reach Westminster Hall in time.

On Saturday afternoon, organisers announced that the accessible queue has reached full capacity, with all time slots now allocated.

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