Breaking News Live Updates, May 23: Ebola epidemic threatens 10 African countries

Ten African countries are at risk of being affected by the Ebola virus, in addition to the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, the African Union's health agency warned on Saturday.

At the US Embassy Support Annex Building dedication ceremony, US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor says, "We are here because we believe that a strong America and a strong India are essential to the world. When I see Indian companies committing $20.5 billion to the US economy, I was simply blown away. I saw confidence in American workers, confidence in the American economy and confidence in the enduring promise of the American dream. This building, which will house our consular operation alongside other embassy offices, is our response to that confidence. We believe in India. It will serve as a gateway to America for the innovators who support hundreds of thousands of jobs in US communities and fuel our quest to reach $500 billion in bilateral trade in the coming years. But strong partnerships also depend on security and trust. The dedicated consular professionals who work within these walls help keep Americans safe overseas through emergency services, passport support and assistance to citizens in times of need...The Secretary and I just left a meeting with Prime Minister Modi, and I can attest that the relationship is on solid footing. There is incredible potential ahead."

Ten school students were injured after a wall of an under-construction building adjacent to a private school collapsed onto a school roof on Saturday, said police. The impact caused a portion of the roof to cave in, trapping the children under the debris, they said.

Ninety miners were killed in a gas explosion in a coal mine in north China, official media in Beijing reported on Saturday, adding that 201 miners have so far been rescued.

The airport authorities here launched a surveillance system, including mandatory thermal screening, for international passengers, following the WHO's declaration of the Ebola outbreak in parts of Africa, an official said on Saturday.

United states secretary Marco Rubio along with his wife Jeanette D Rubio, on Saturday departed from Kolkata for Delhi, where he will have talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor is also travelling with Secretary Rubio.

Before departing Kolkata, Secretary Rubio interacted with officers as well as the airport staff and posed for group photographs, according to officials present at the airport.

The visit to Kolkata included a stop at the Missionaries of Charity, where Rubio spent time at the Mother House. Sister Concettina, the Secretary General of the Missionaries of Charity, described the visit as deeply personal and reflective.

She said, "It was his initiative to come to the Mother House, and it was a joy for us to welcome him because he wanted to receive blessings at Mother's tomb. We prayed together, and that is about all. Nothing else really happened... It was just like a family get-together."

Earlier, Gor said in a post on X that US Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Robert Gabriel is part of the travelling delegation.

Two persons, including the driver, were injured after a private bus overturned on the Kalka-Shimla National Highway in Salogra near Solan on Saturday, police said.

The accident occurred around 9 km from Solan when the driver lost control of the vehicle, they said.

Police personnel rushed to the spot after receiving information about the incident. The injured driver and a passenger were rescued and taken to the Civil Hospital in Solan, where they are currently undergoing treatment.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi to distribute more than 51,000 appointment letters to newly inducted recruits at the 19th Rozgar Mela via video conferencing.

On the occasion, Union minister Dr Jitendra Singh says, "...Today, we are here with the 19th episode of the 'Rozgar Mela' series initiated by you (PM Modi) on October 22, 2023... Because of this, not only has the number of appointments in government jobs increased, but transparency has also been brought into the recruitment system."

"The discipline of the timeline or deadline has also increased in the recruitment process. Candidates' confidence in the recruitment system has also increased. It has also been observed that the merit of the candidates appointed through the Employment Fair has been superior..." Singh added.

A gas explosion at a coal mine in China’s northern province of Shanxi killed at least eight people and trapped 38 underground, state media reported Saturday. The accident at Changzhi city’s Liushenyu coal mine happened Friday evening, according to official news agency Xinhua, which reported around 247 workers were underground at the time. As of early Saturday, 201 had been brought safely to the surface.

The cause of the explosion was under investigation, Xinhua reported.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for an all-out effort to rescue the missing and an investigation of the accident's cause while holding those responsible accountable, according to Xinhua.

Shanxi province is known as China’s main coal mining province. With a size larger than Greece and a population of around 34 million, the province's hundreds of thousands of miners dug 1.3 billion tons (1.17 billion metric tons) of coal last year, or almost a third of China’s total.

A 31-year-old man was allegedly shot dead by unidentified assailants while sleeping at an ash-packing warehouse in the Ghazipur area early Friday, police said.

The deceased, identified as Yogesh Kumar, a native of Bihar, worked as a contractor at the warehouse. Police said an FIR has been registered at Dabua police station and further investigation is underway.

"A bus travelling from Ghazipur to Buxar was carrying passengers who were heading to Buxar railway station to board a train. There was a traffic jam on the way and a pond beside the road. In an attempt to take a shortcut, the driver lost control and the bus fell into the pond. As of now, one death has been confirmed. Around 30 to 35 people were travelling on the bus. Search operations are still underway. All injured passengers have been referred to the district hospital, where proper treatment is being provided. We are continuously monitoring the situation and speaking to the affected people. Law and order is completely under control and there is no disturbance anywhere," said Ghazipur DM Anupam Shukla.