Highlights: 100 killed in Nigeria after boat capsizes in Niger river

A boat carrying residents returning from a wedding capsized in northern Nigeria killing about 100 people, police and local residents said Tuesday, as a search for survivors intensified.

The boat capsized early Monday on the Niger River in the state of Kwara close to neighboring Niger state, police spokesman Okasanmi Ajayi said.

“What we gathered was there was a boat that capsized and about 100 people died,” he said.

The victims, including women and children, were returning from an overnight wedding ceremony in the village of Egboti in Niger state, said Usman Ibrahim, a resident. (AP)

Decrying the negative portrayal of Muslims in the upcoming film "72 Hoorain", slated to be released next month, prominent religious and political leaders in Kashmir on Tuesday said the movie "hurts the sentiments" of the community, reported PTI.

Directed by Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan and co-produced by Ashoke Pandit, the film will be released in Indian theatres on July 7. It features Pavan Malhotra and Aamir Bashir in the lead.

Adani Group is in talks with lenders, including global banks, as it seeks to refinance up to $3.8 billion of a loan facility taken for its acquisition of Ambuja Cements Ltd. last year, said people familiar with the matter. Read full story

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday his country is ready to open a consulate in Shusha, a city that Azerbaijan took from Armenian forces in a war in 2020, reported AP. 

Erdogan made the comment during a visit to Azerbaijan at the start of his third term in office following presidential elections last month.

“We are ready to open our consulate whenever you wish,” Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency quoted Erdogan as telling Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and other officials at the start of bilateral talks.

The Indore police on Tuesday arrested two persons from Mumbai for allegedly duping pilgrims from different parts of the country of ₹50 lakh by promising them cheap air tickets for "Umrah", a pilgrimage to Mecca, an official said, reported PTI. 

As per a statement issued by the police, the accused hail from Badaun district of Uttar Pradesh and are living in Mumbai.

At least 19 injured in an explosion at a blast furnace of Tata Steel's hot rolled coil factory at Meramundali of Dhenkanal district. Some critically injured admitted to a hospital in Cuttack.

Earthquake tremors felt in Delhi, parts of North India on Tuesday afternoon.

A Mumbai court acquits two of the accused- Harshad Raoji Bhai Solanki and Mafat Manilal Gohil- in the Best Bakery case.

The United Nations on Tuesday said the breach of the huge Soviet-era dam on the Dnipro river in Ukraine will have a huge impact on global food security, lead to a rise in food prices and could cause drinking water problems for hundreds of thousands.

Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury writes to West Bengal State Election Commission expressing concern over the "extremely violent" situation in the State.

Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) chief Jitan Ram Manjhi's son, Dr. Santosh Kumar Suman resigns as a minister of the grand alliance government in Bihar.

The Maharashtra government has approved ₹375.89 crores towards road safety in the state. A committee headed by Chief Secretary approved the proposals of the Bombay HC-appointed Road Safety Committee.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has sent 600 kg of mangoes as a gift to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. "Mangoes comprising the 'Himsagar' and 'Langra' variants have been sent to Banerjee, as part of diplomatic efforts. Last year, too, we had sent mangoes," an official in the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission said on Monday.

Farmers gather and sit once again at the protest site in Haryana's Kurukshetra over their demand for Minimum Support Price (MSP) on sunflower seeds.

Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, in a stunning allegation, claimed that the company had received “many requests” from India to block accounts covering farmers' protests and those critical of the government. Read more

An earthquake of magnitude 3.7 jolted Myanmar on Tuesday, the National Center for Seismology (NCS) said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi to distribute about 70,000 appointment letters to newly inducted recruits via video conferencing today.

Nearly half a dozen police personnel were injured during a clash that broke out at Belra village in Uttarakhand's Roorkee on Monday evening, over an alleged murder of a person. The incident prompted district administration authorities to issue prohibitory orders under Cr PC Section 144 and deploy security forces in the entire village area to bring the situation under control.

The Anti-Gangster Task Force of Punjab Police have arrested gangster Harpreet Singh, a close associate of fugitive gangster Goldy Brar and mastermind of Pardeep Singh murder case of Kotkapura.