Container ship hits bridge in Chinese city, two killed
Beijing (PTI): Two people were killed, three others listed as missing and five vehicles fell off when a section of a bridge collapsed after it was hit by a container ship in China's Guangzhou city on Thursday.
The accident took place in the early hours when a pier of the Lixinsha Bridge was hit by an empty container ship which led to collapse of part of the beam in the Nansha district of Guangzhou, 90-odd km northwest of Hong Kong.
The captain of the cargo ship has been arrested, Beijing News reported.
Of the five vehicles, including a bus and a motorbike that fell off the bridge, two plunged into the river and the others fell onto the vessel, a preliminary investigation has found, official media here reported.
Lixinsha Bridge on the Hongqili Waterway is the main transportation route for residents of Sanmin Island.
Currently, the cause of the accident and the extent of casualties are being investigated, state-run Global Times reported.
The Guangzhou bus company said one of its drivers was alone in his vehicle when it fell off the bridge. Rescue teams are on the scene but details of other casualties remain uncertain.
Footage carried by state broadcaster CCTV showed a partially collapsed bridge, with the empty ship jammed beneath the structure.
With the gaping breach in the span after the incident, the bridge was closed to traffic.
Zhong Weihong, the village Party secretary of Minjian village on the island, told reporters that there was an option of a ferry available for residents to travel.
❗⚓🇨🇳 - More images of the cargo ship that demolished part of a bridge in the city of Guangzhou, reports Xinhua in China.
— 🔥🗞The Informant (@theinformantofc) February 22, 2024
Several cars fell into the water and there is still no official information about casualties. pic.twitter.com/WTS09Dqxfj
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
India & Israel elevate ties to special strategic partnership, vow to soon conclude free trade deal
Jerusalem (PTI): India and Israel on Thursday elevated their "time-tested" relationship to a special strategic partnership and agreed to soon firm up a "mutually beneficial" free trade deal even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly backed the Gaza peace initiative, asserting that humanity must never become a victim of conflict.
Following talks between Modi and his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu, the two sides inked a plethora of agreements to expand cooperation in areas of trade, agriculture, energy, cyberspace and digital payment.
India and Israel also vowed to expand their already close defence partnership by working towards joint development and joint production of military hardware under the framework of the transfer of technologies.
In his media statement, Modi said India's security interest is linked to peace and stability in the Middle East, adding that New Delhi fully supports the Gaza Peace Initiative.
"India's stance is clear: humanity must never become a victim of conflict. A path to peace has been created through the Gaza Peace Plan. India has fully supported these efforts," he said.
"In the future as well, we will continue dialogue and cooperation with all countries," he said.
PM Modi landed in Israel on Wednesday on a two-day visit. It is his second visit to Israel in nine years.
In his remarks, the prime minister said India and Israel have a united view that there is no place for terrorism in the world and both sides stand shoulder-to-shoulder in countering terrorism and its supporters.
"Our relationship is founded on the strong bedrock of deep trust, shared democratic values, and human sensitivities. Our bond has stood the test of every trial of time," he said.
"Today, we have taken the historic decision to elevate our time-tested partnership to the status of a 'Special Strategic Partnership'," he said.
The prime minister also announced the establishment of an India-Israel critical and emerging technologies partnership to impart a new momentum for cooperation in areas of artificial intelligence, quantum, and critical minerals. "I am pleased that an agreement has been reached for the use of UPI in Israel," he said.
The prime minister, referring to the threat of terrorism, said India and Israel will continue to confront the menace unitedly.
"India and Israel are completely clear that there is no place for terrorism in the world. In any form, in any expression, terrorism cannot be accepted," he said.
"We have stood shoulder-to-shoulder in opposing terrorism and its supporters, and we will continue to do so," he added.
India and Israel also discussed the implementation of the India-Middle East Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) and cooperation under the framework of I2U2 (India-Israel-UAE-USA).
