Fire on Indonesia ferry kills three, over 500 passengers jump to safety
Three people died and more than 500 were rescued after a ferry caught fire off Indonesia’s Sulawesi Island, Al Jazeera reported.
The KM Barcelona 5 was sailing from the Talaud Islands to Manado on Sunday when flames broke out, forcing passengers to jump overboard. Footage showed panicked crowds in life jackets fleeing the burning vessel.
Authorities revised the death toll from five to three after two survivors, including a baby, were revived in hospital. At least 568 people were rescued, despite only 295 being officially listed on board.
The fire is believed to have started on the upper deck. Rescue operations remain ongoing, with families still reporting missing loved ones, according to Al Jazeera.
Marine accidents are frequent in Indonesia due to poor safety enforcement and rough seas.
UK’s F-35B jet to leave Kerala after weeks-long delay
A British F-35B fighter jet stranded in Kerala, southern India, for over five weeks is set to depart on Tuesday, airport authorities confirmed.
The jet, part of the HMS Prince of Wales fleet, was forced to land at Thiruvananthapuram airport—located in Kerala’s capital—on June 14 due to bad weather and later developed a technical snag, according to Firstpost.
Its extended stay drew public attention and was even raised in the UK Parliament. Built by Lockheed Martin, the $110m stealth jet is known for its short take-off and vertical landing capabilities.
Iran to hold nuclear talks with Europe in Istanbul
Iran will resume nuclear talks with Britain, France, and Germany in Istanbul on Friday, marking the first meeting since US and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites last month, Reuters reported.
The talks, confirmed by Iran’s Foreign Ministry, come after the E3 warned of renewed sanctions if Tehran failed to return to the negotiating table. A German official said the three countries remain united in preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and are working toward a lasting diplomatic solution.
Previous talks involving the US, mediated by Oman, collapsed following the joint US-Israeli offensive. Tensions have since escalated with direct military exchanges and further US strikes on Iranian targets, according to Reuters.
14 killed, 7 injured in bus crash in Russia's Far East
Fourteen people were killed and seven others injured early Monday when a shift bus fell off a 25-meter cliff in Russia’s Sakha Republic, local authorities reported.
The crash occurred on a road operated by the Denisovsky Mining and Processing Plant. The bus, carrying over 30 workers, veered off the road and overturned, according to Xinhua.
The driver was among the dead, while two of the injured remain in serious condition. Emergency crews deployed 44 personnel and 13 vehicles to the site.
An investigation into the cause is underway, Xinhua reported.
