Cairo (AP): The head of the UN health agency said Wednesday that more than 460 people were reportedly killed in a hospital in a city in the western Darfur region that was overrun by Sudanese paramilitary forces over the weekend.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organization, said in a statement the 460 patients and companions were reportedly killed at Saudi Maternity Hospital in el-Fasher, the provincial capital of North Darfur.

He said the WHO was “appalled and deeply shocked” by the reports.

The city was taken by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces after more than 500 days of siege.

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.



Bengaluru (PTI): Veteran Congress leader Shamanuru Shivashankarappa was laid to rest with full state honours on Monday.

The 94-year-old former minister, who passed away at a private hospital in Bengaluru on Sunday, was cremated at the Kalleshwara Mill premises, following Veerashaiva-Lingayat traditions.

Earlier in the day, Shivashankarappa's mortal remains were brought to his native Davanagere, where they were kept at the high school grounds for the public, his followers, and well-wishers to pay their last respects.

ALSO READ: Karnataka Speaker U T Khader condoles death of Shamanur Shivashankarappa

Expressing deep sorrow over his demise, the Karnataka government ordered that his last rites be performed with full state honours.

Both the Karnataka Legislative Assembly and Council also mourned his passing, adjourning their sessions for the day after paying tributes.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM D K Shivakumar, AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, veteran BJP leader B S Yediyurappa, several ministers, opposition leaders, legislators, and political figures paid their respects.

A number of seers from the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community also attended the last rites.

Shivashankarappa represented the Davanagere South Assembly constituency. He had been undergoing treatment at the hospital for some time before succumbing to age-related ailments.

The senior-most legislator in Karnataka, Shivashankarappa, was also one of the longest-serving lawmakers in the country, sources said.

He is survived by three sons, including S S Mallikarjun, the Karnataka Minister for Mines, Geology, and Horticulture, and four daughters. His daughter-in-law, Prabha Mallikarjun, is the Member of Parliament from Davanagere.

A six-time MLA, Shivashankarappa also served as a minister and an MP.

He was a prominent educationist, establishing several educational institutions, and was an industrialist.

Additionally, he served as the treasurer of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) for decades and was the president of the All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha, the apex body of the influential Veerashaiva-Lingayat community.