Author: Starvision News Desk

New York, July 26 (IANS) Indian-American New York State Senator Kevin Thomas has announced that he will be running for New York’s 4th Congressional District as a Democrat.Thomas, who became the first Indian-American in New York’s history to serve in the State Senate, aims to unseat the incumbent Anthony D’Esposito in the 2024 election. “My name is Kevin Thomas and I’m running for Congress to take back #NY04. In 2018, I beat a 40-year Republican incumbent, so I’m no stranger to a challenge. I’m ready to fight for our rights, tackle gun violence, and protect our democracy. Are you with…

Manila, July 27 (IANS) The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Thursday said that at least 11 people were missing after a tugboat capsized off Cagayan province.According to the PCG, the tugboat with seven crew onboard went missing on Wednesday while typhoon Doksuri was battering the area, reports Xinhua news agency. Four member of the PCG sent to the areas to rescue were also missing.”The aluminum boat of the PCG personnel capsized due to strong wind and big waves,” the PCG said.The search and rescue team continued until Thursday morning, but temporarily suspended due to bad weather.–IANSksk

Tokyo, July 27 (IANS) The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) on Thursday forecasted high temperatures across the country, with heatstroke alerts issued for 35 prefectures out of the total 47.According to the JMA, a dominant high-pressure system is driving up temperatures from western through northern Japan, and the mercury is expected to rise even higher in the afternoons, reports Xinhua news agency.The city of Koshigaya in Saitama prefecture logged a temperature of 37.5 degrees Celsius before noon, while central Tokyo recorded 35.6 degrees, said the JMA.Daytime highs of 39 degrees were forecast in Kyoto and 38 degrees in cities such as…

Manila, July 27 (IANS) The death toll in heavy rains, floods, and landslides triggered by typhoon Doksuri climbed to five in the Philippines, the country’s national disaster agency said on Thursday.The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said four were buried in a landslide in Benguet province and fatality was reportedin Rizal province, reports Xinhua news agency.NDRRMC spokesperson Edgar Posadas said they are validating the reported deaths.The number of deaths can still increase as local media and police report more deaths in some typhoon-affected areas.Doksuri has affected nearly over 328,000 people across the Southeast Asian country, with around…

Wellington, July 27 (IANS) New Zealand’s cost of living for the average household increased by 7.2 per cent in the 12 months to June 2023, contributed mainly by soaring food prices, the country’s statistics department said on Thursday.This follows a 7.7 per cent increase in the 12 months to March 2023, Xinhua news agency quoted Stats NZ’s consumer prices manager James Mitchell as saying.Food prices increased by 12.7 per cent for the average household, Mitchell said, adding this was the main contributor to higher living costs for most household groups.”Higher prices for interest payments and grocery food were the biggest…

Geneva, July 27 (IANS) A staggering 92 million children in Europe and Central Asia, comprising half of the region’s young population, face heightened exposure to the frequent heat waves, twice the global average, the Unicef said in a new policy brief published on Thursday.Countries in these parts of the world are feeling the heat of the climate crisis, and children’s health and well-being are suffering the most, Xinhua news agency quoted Regina De Dominicis, the Unicef regional director for Europe and Central Asia, as saying in the brief.”This is expected to rise to all children in 2050. The multitude of…

Damascus, July 27 (IANS) Firefighters are battling numerous wildfires amid a scorching heat wave in Syria’s northwestern province of Latakia and have managed to control most of them, said officials.Latakia Governor Amer Ismail Hilal said that firefighters have been trying to control new blazes in the area for two days as flames have burned large swathes of agricultural and forest areas, reports Xinhua news agency.About 70 per cent of regional fires were controlled, the Civil Defense Commander in Latakia told local media.He noted that the fires randomly broke out in areas not connected to each other.The current fires in Latakia…

Madrid, July 27 (IANS) Hundreds of residents, as well as 100 children attending a summer camp, have been evacuated after a wildfire began on the island of Gran Canaria in Spain, which is currently raging.The regional government confirmed that the fire has burned around 200 hectares, while around 100 firefighters from the Canary Islands group have been mobilised, along with nine aircraft and helicopters, reports Xinhua news agency.Spanish Civil Guards evacuated residents from the Pico de Nieves region of the island, as well as 240 inhabitants in the municipality of Cuevas Blancas.Three roads in the area have also been closed…

Addis Ababa, July 27 (IANS) The number of people entering Ethiopia from the violence-hit Sudan is nearing 70,000, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said.The IOM said in its latest situation update that the ongoing armed conflict in Sudan has forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee to neighboring countries, reports Xinhua news agency.Figures from the UN migration agency indicate that as of July 23, more than 69,000 people have arrived in Ethiopia through multiple border crossing points in the East African country’s Amhara, Benishangul Gumz and Gambella regions.The IOM said onward transportation is one of the key needs…

Toronto, July 27 (IANS) Indo-Canadian candidate Shuvaloy Majumdar has secured a seat in the House of Commons following a by-election victory in Calgary Heritage, a federal electoral district in Alberta province.The prestigious seat, which was held by former Prime Minister Stephen Harper until his retirement, was left vacant after MP Bob Benzen quit last year. Majumdar, 43, secured the seat for the Conservative Party with 15,803 votes, while Liberal candidate Elliot Weinstein came in second with 3,463 votes, the Global News reported. After the results, Weinstein took to Twitter to congratulate Majumdar on his victory and said: “I know you…