45 die in bus crash in South Africa; 8-year-old sole survivor
Johannesburg, Mar 29: Only nine of the 34 bodies which had been recovered were identifiable on Friday from the horrific crash that saw 45 Easter pilgrims from Botswana dead in a bus crash in South Africa's northern province of Limpopo.
An eight-year-old child is the sole survivor of the Thursday's accident when the bus drove off the railing of a bridge and burst into flames in a mountainous region near Mokopane town, about 270 km northeast from here.
The deceased were all from the neighbouring Botswana and were on their way to an annual Easter gathering of the Zionist Christian Church (ZCC) headquarters at Moria in Limpopo province, where over two million congregants from the southern African region assemble each year at this time.
The driver apparently lost control of the bus, which led to it plunging off the bridge into a ravine more than 150 feet deep and immediately bursting into flames. He was among the dead.
"According to the passenger bus list from the owner, who is also a Botswana citizen, there were 31 females and 15 males on board the 45-seater taxi. All passengers were from a village called Molepolole, near Gaborone," police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe told the media.
She said that recovery efforts were continuing to comb the scene for more bodies, adding that a case of culpable homicide had been opened by the police.
"Interpol NCB Pretoria will continue to liaise with and update Interpol NCB Gaborone on the process to identify and repatriate the remains of the deceased," Mathe said.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa conveyed his condolences to the Republic of Botswana and to the family and friends of the 45 bus crash victims.
In a call to Botswana's President Mokgweetsi Masisi , Ramaphosa pledged continued support of the South African government during this time of need for the people of Botswana.
President Masisi expressed his gratitude for the cooperation that the government of Botswana has received from the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), as well as from the provincial and local government structures, Ramaphosa's office said.
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India, Vietnam elevate ties to enhanced comprehensive strategic partnership; set USD 25 bn
New Delhi (PTI): India and Vietnam on Wednesday elevated their ties to an enhanced comprehensive strategic partnership and set a USD 25 billion annual trade target by 2030 as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vietnamese President To Lam held talks focusing on expanding bilateral ties in areas of trade, defence, and critical minerals in the face of increasing geopolitical upheavals.
Following the Modi-Lam meeting, the two sides signed as many as 13 agreements which will provide for deeper two ways engagements in a range of areas including digital payments, rare earth minerals, pharmaceuticals, education, banking and culture.
Modi and Lam also deliberated on the situation in the Indo-Pacific amid China's increasing assertiveness in the region, and agreed to continue to contribute to the rule-of-law, peace, stability, and prosperity.
It is understood that China's growing military muscle-flexing in the South China Sea also figured in the delegation-level talks between the two sides.
Elected as president earlier this month, Lam began his first state visit to India on Tuesday, leading a high-level delegation for a three-day trip.
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"A decade ago, Vietnam became India's first comprehensive strategic partner in ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) . Since then, our relations have made rapid and comprehensive progress," Modi said in his media statement.
"Building on this strong foundation, today we are elevating our relations to the level of Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. We will now advance our partnership to even higher goals," he said.
"Our cooperation will reach new levels in every area ' culture, connectivity, and capacity building, as well as security, sustainability, and supply chain resilience," Modi added.
He noted that the bilateral trade between India and Vietnam has doubled in the last decade to reach USD 16 billion and that the target now is to increase it to USD 25 billion by 2030.
Modi also cited a plethora of agreements signed between the two countries to emphasis that the economic engagement is expected to witness a significant upswing going forward.
"The MoU between our drug authorities will now increase access to Indian medicines in Vietnam. Exports of Indian agricultural, fisheries, and animal products to Vietnam are also set to become easier. Very soon, Vietnam will taste India's grapes and pomegranates," he said.
The two sides also agreed to update the India-ASEAN trade agreement by the end of this year.
"This will provide a new impetus to trade and investment between India and all ASEAN countries. New initiatives in critical minerals, rare earths, and energy cooperation will ensure the economic security and supply chain resilience of both countries," Modi said.
"To boost financial connectivity, we have today decided to enhance cooperation between our central banks. India's UPI and Vietnam's fast payment systems will soon be linked. Furthermore, we are strengthening state-to-state and city-to-city cooperation between the two countries," he noted.
Modi said India is grateful to Vietnam for its strong condemnation of the Pahalgam terrorist attack and standing with India in its fight against terrorism.
"In this era of global turmoil and economic challenges, thanks to their talent, good governance, and economic reforms, India and Vietnam are emerging as the world's fastest-growing economies," he said.
"Now, through our enhanced strategic partnership, we will support each other's rapid growth. As the Buddha's teachings say, 'If you light a lamp for someone else, it also illuminates your own path'," Modi said.
He also described Vietnam a a key pillar of India's Act East Policy and Vision Ocean.
"In the Indo-Pacific region as well, we share a common outlook. Through our strengthening defence and security cooperation, we will continue to contribute to the rule-of-law, peace, stability, and prosperity," he said.
The prime minister said India will broaden its relations with ASEAN with Vietnam's cooperation.
In his remarks, Lam said both sides agreed to deepen political trust and elevate security cooperation.
Last year, the two sides inked a pact to set up a framework for submarine search, rescue and support mechanism. They also signed a letter of intent (LoI) to strengthen bilateral defence industry collaboration.
