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Washington, Jan 30 (IANS) Rescue teams have recovered 27 bodies of passengers of the American Airlines plane and one from the US army Black Hawk helicopter that were involved in a mid-air collision, officials said Thursday morning, adding they don’t believe there are any survivors.

The plane — American Eagle Flight 5342 — was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members while the helicopter had three service members.

"At this point, we don't believe there are any survivors from this accident," D.C. Fire Chief John Donnelly said Thursday at a news conference, adding that rescue teams have recovered 27 bodies from the plane and one from the helicopter.

The plane, which was coming from Wichita in the US state of Kansas, was on a landing flight path to the Reagan National Airport in Washington DC. The two aircraft fell into the Potomac River that runs along the airport. The plane broke into pieces while the helicopter was found upside down in the river.

"I have been fully briefed on the terrible accident which just took place at Reagan National Airport," President Donald Trump said in a statement. "May God Bless their souls. Thank you for the incredible work being done by our first responders. I am monitoring the situation and will provide more details as they arise."

Rescue helicopters hovered over the river with flood lights as boats and rescuers combed the river for survivors and bodies.

The collision reportedly took place around 8:47 pm Wednesday.

The Army helicopter was a UH-60 Black Hawk on a training flight, US military officials have said. It was assigned to Bravo Company of the 12th Aviation Battalion, which operates out of Davison Army Airfield at Fort Belvoir, in nearby Virginia.

Two renowned former Russian figure skaters were on board the passenger plane, the Kremlin has said according to reports.

They were Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov did not identify them at a briefing but confirmed when asked if they were on board.

He also suggested that other Russian nationals were aboard the crashed flight.

"There were other of our fellow citizens there as well," he said.

Shishkova and Naumov won gold at the 1994 Figure Skating World Championship for Russia. The Washington Post reported the married pair lived in the United States since at least 1998, where they coached young ice skaters.

--IANS

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Kinshasa, Jan 30 (IANS) Felix Tshisekedi, the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), promised a "vigorous response" to advances of March 23 Movement (M23) rebels in the eastern DRC, amid peace efforts by regional groups.

In his address on national television, Tshisekedi said "a response is underway" to reclaim every inch of DRC territory. The M23 has claimed to have taken control of Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, a regional hub.

He said that in addition to military efforts supported by the UN peacekeeping mission and Southern African Development Community (SADC) forces, the DRC remains engaged diplomatically, particularly through the Luanda Process, a peace mechanism initiated and led by Angolan President Joao Lourenco.

Tshisekedi met Lourenco on Wednesday during a visit to the Angolan capital. He called for unity among all Congolese and pledged to cut government spending to fund military operations.

"The DRC will never back down. I make this promise to you: I will never abandon you."

Since Sunday evening, violent hostilities have been observed throughout Goma, which has about 1 million residents, including over 700,000 internally displaced people living on the outskirts in already difficult conditions.

According to sources, M23 rebels seized several key facilities Monday, including the airport, the port, and a local DRC army base.

On Wednesday, United Nations spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the situation in Goma is calmer but still tense. Continued clashes were reported in surrounding areas, including Sake, a strategic town to the northwest of Goma.

Sources said that the border with Rwanda has been gradually reopened. There are reports that M23 rebels have advanced toward the neighbouring province of South Kivu, whose capital city Bukavu is under imminent threat. It lies on the other side of Lake Kivu, facing Goma in the north, Xinhua news agency reported.

After emergency meetings at the UN Security Council and an extraordinary ministerial meeting of the African Union, an emergency summit of the East African Community (EAC) was held virtually on Wednesday. The meeting called for an unconditional ceasefire and facilitated humanitarian access.

"The summit called on all parties to the conflict in eastern DRC to cease hostilities and observe an immediate and unconditional ceasefire and facilitate humanitarian access to the affected population," the leaders said in a statement issued in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya.

President Tshisekedi of the DRC, an EAC member state, did not take part in the summit convened by Kenyan President William Ruto, who rotates as the chairman of the EAC.

Rwandan President Paul Kagame, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, Somalian President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye and South Sudanese President Salva Kiir attended.

The DRC has accused Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebels, an accusation Rwanda denies. Kigali accuses the DRC army of supporting and collaborating with remnants of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, a group allegedly responsible for the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.

Last December, a peace summit under the Luanda Process, where a peace agreement was expected between Tshisekedi and Kagame, was canceled at the last minute.

Kinshasa, rejecting any direct negotiation with the M23, hinted at possible channels by reactivating the Nairobi Process, an EAC-led parallel peace mechanism brokered by former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta. The M23 was excluded from the Nairobi Process by Kinshasa in 2022.

A joint summit of the EAC and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), which has also been involved in the eastern DRC, is expected to be held in the coming days to deliberate on the way forward.

The SADC was due to start an extraordinary summit Thursday in Harare, the Zimbabwean capital, to discuss the situation in the eastern DRC, according to an SADC Secretariat statement released Wednesday.

On Wednesday, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that violence and looting of humanitarian warehouses continued in Goma, impacting the ability of aid workers to respond and putting them at risk.

OCHA said that since the escalation of fighting, its humanitarian partners have recorded the wounding of more than 2,000 people. Some bodies were left in the streets, while water and electricity supplies remained cut off since Sunday.

"We call for the swift resumption of these services, as well as for the protection of humanitarian warehouses and the facilitation of medical evacuations for people who have been injured," said Dujarric, the chief spokesman for the UN secretary-general, in a briefing Wednesday.

OCHA said the Goma airport's closure means the suspension of the flow of humanitarian cargo and rotations of humanitarian personnel.

Most roads connecting Goma to the rest of the country are also closed. However, the border with Rwanda is open, and additional humanitarian teams can enter the DRC.

"Humanitarian Coordinator Bruno Lemarquis calls on all parties to respect international humanitarian law and to end the violence targeting civilians," OCHA said. "He reiterates his call for the establishment of a secure humanitarian corridor to guarantee unhindered humanitarian access and the creation of a border crossing to facilitate the movement of people fleeing violence."

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Sunday that he was deeply concerned by the escalating violence in the eastern DRC and reiterated his strongest condemnation of the M23's ongoing offensive and advances toward Goma.

Guterres called on the M23 to immediately cease all hostile actions and withdraw from occupied areas.

More than 400,000 people have been displaced since the start of 2025 in the eastern DRC, according to the UN.

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N'djamena, Jan 30 (IANS) Chad on Thursday announced a full withdrawal of French troops from the Central African country.

"The three bases of French elements in Chad have all been handed over to the Chadian national army," Chadian Army spokesman Chanane Issakha Acheikh said in a statement. "The very last one has just been handed over today."

"The handover of the Sergent Adji Kossei Base in N'djamena definitively closes the presence of French forces in Chad," the spokesman said.

In November 2024, Chad announced the end of the security and defence cooperation agreement with France. On December 10, some French troops began to leave Chad.

On December 31, 2024, Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno announced the definitive withdrawal of French troops from the country by January 31, Xinhua news agency reported.

"I welcome the withdrawal of the first wave of French forces stationed in Chad. Other waves ... will follow until the complete withdrawal on January 31, 2025," Deby said in a televised address to the nation.

He said he was convinced that the decision was a response to a "common and legitimate aspiration" of the Chadian people.

"Any fight for independence or sovereignty has its sacrifices and we owe them for future generations, just as our elders made sacrifices, to bequeath us a standing country," the Chadian President said.

France had last month started the withdrawal of its troops from Chad, with some fighter jets taking off from a French base in the Chadian capital of N'Djamena, according to the Chadian army.

Chadian army had said that the public would be informed of each stage of the withdrawal until the final departure of all French forces.

Despite this change, Chad intends to maintain constructive relations with France in other areas of mutual interest.

France had deployed some 1,000 soldiers in Chad before the withdrawal, according to the French authorities.

--IANS

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Washington, Jan 30 (IANS) Democratic US lawmaker Ro Khanna on Wednesday announced that Republican colleague Rich McCormick will join him as the co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional Caucus on India, replacing Mike Walz, who is now the National Security Adviser to President Donal Trump.

Representatives Andy Barr and Marc Veasey will continue serving as vice co-chairs and Brad Sherman, who formerly served as chair, will continue to serve as chair emeritus.

The India caucus is committed to strengthening the relationship between the U.S. and India. It grew to a record number of 145 members in the previous118th Congress, with the joining of 35 new members.

“A strong partnership with India is critical for our economy and national security. It is an honour to continue serving as co-chair of the India Caucus and to welcome Rep. Rich McCormick as the caucus’s new co-chair. Rep. McCormick has supported policies to strengthen the US-India relationship, and I look forward to working with him. I am grateful to Reps. Veasey and Barr for their continued leadership in the role of vice co-chairs,” said Khanna.

Representative McCormick said: “I am honoured to co-chair the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans with my good friend Rep. Ro Khanna. I have the great privilege of serving many hard-working Indian Americans in my district and will continue to strengthen our relationship with India. The dedication, innovation, and contributions of this diaspora enrich our community and strengthen the bonds between our two nations. Together, let's continue to champion the values of opportunity and collaboration that define both America and India.”

“I am honoured to continue serving as vice co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans. The U.S.-India partnership is built on shared values of democracy, economic freedom, and security cooperation. Strengthening this relationship is critical to advancing our mutual interests in trade, technology, and defence. I look forward to working alongside my colleagues to further deepen the ties between our two great nations and to support the vibrant Indian American community that contributes so much to our country,” said Representative Barr.

“As the proud representative of Texas' 33rd district, home to a vibrant and growing community of Indian and Indian American families, I am honoured to continue serving as vice co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India. I look forward to furthering the strong ties between the U.S. and India. The Indian American diaspora has made invaluable contributions to our nation, and I remain committed to fostering deeper partnerships that enhance both our economies and national security. Together, with our Chair, Rep. Ro Khanna, I know we will continue to build a strong relationship based on shared values,” said Veasey.

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Cape Town, Jan 29 (IANS) South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Wednesday called for intensified diplomatic efforts to resolve the ongoing conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) following the deaths of 13 South African peacekeepers.

The South African troops, part of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC), have been killed in escalating fighting involving the March 23 Movement (M23) rebel group and the Armed Forces of the DRC since last week.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Ramaphosa extended his condolences to the families of the fallen peacekeepers, calling on the country to rally behind its soldiers "who have dedicated their lives to bringing peace on our continent."

The President reaffirmed South Africa's commitment to peace, urging all parties to respect the DRC's territorial integrity and engage in diplomatic processes to end the ongoing conflict.

"We call on all parties to this conflict to fully embrace the current diplomatic efforts that are aimed at finding a peaceful resolution," he said. "We must silence the guns on our continent for the attainment of inclusive development and prosperity."

Ramaphosa welcomed the United Nations Security Council's recent position on the situation in the DRC, which calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities, the reversal of territorial expansion by the M23, the withdrawal of external forces from the DRC, and the resumption of peace talks under the Nairobi Process.

He also emphasised that South Africa's military presence in the eastern DRC is "not a declaration of war against any country or state", Xinhua news agency reported.

"The members of the South African National Defense Force that are in the DRC are part of both SADC and United Nations efforts to bring peace and protect thousands of lives that are constantly threatened by the conflict in the DRC," said Ramaphosa.

"The presence of the SAMIDRC forces demonstrates a commitment of SADC member states to supporting the DRC in its efforts to achieve lasting peace and stability and, ultimately, create an enabling environment for sustainable development and prosperity," he added.

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Kampala, Jan 29 (IANS) Uganda on Wednesday strongly condemned an attack on the country's embassy in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), by rioters amid mass demonstrations.

John Mulimba, Uganda's Minister of State for foreign affairs in charge of regional cooperation, told the parliament that rioters had looted and burned embassy property, forcing the staff into hiding.

"The incident is a violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961) and we condemn it in the strongest terms," Mulimba told lawmakers during a plenary.

He added that on Tuesday evening, the DRC government had assured Uganda that appropriate security measures had been taken and the situation in Kinshasa was under control.

He said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is assessing practical means to provide consular or other emergency services to Ugandan nationals in the DRC, Xinhua news agency reported.

Violent protests targeting foreign embassies against the situation in Goma, the capital of the DRC's eastern province of North Kivu, and the perceived "inaction" of the international community erupted in Kinshasa on Tuesday.

Protesters were seen on the city's main arteries, disrupting traffic, blocking commercial activities, burning tires, and chanting slogans in front of the embassies of the United States and several other countries and the headquarters of the United Nations peacekeeping mission.

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Beirut, Jan 29 (IANS) Ousmane Dione, World Bank Vice President for the Middle East and North Africa region, announced that the bank is finalising a rapid damage assessment to support Lebanon's reconstruction efforts.

Speaking after a meeting with President Michel Aoun, Dione said that the World Bank is expected to complete the assessment by the end of February and that emergency assistance will soon be submitted for approval by the bank's board.

"We are committed to standing by Lebanon during this critical transition to support its recovery and ensure the prosperity of all its people," Dione said.

During his meeting with President Aoun, Dione reiterated the World Bank's support for Lebanon and its willingness to organise an international conference to help the country overcome its economic challenges.

He stressed the importance of structural reforms to rebuild international confidence in Lebanon and encourage private-sector investment.

For his part, President Aoun reaffirmed Lebanon's commitment to implementing necessary reforms, as outlined in his inauguration speech, noting that one of the new government's top priorities would be drafting legislation to advance reforms across various sectors.

He also outlined key objectives for the next phase, including reconstruction - particularly in areas devastated by Israeli attacks - enhancing public administration, improving citizen services, and modernizing government operations through digital technology.

Aoun thanked the World Bank for its ongoing support and pledged to expedite the approval of long-term loans in Parliament. He also welcomed the continued presence of the World Bank's office in Lebanon despite the country's challenges, Xinhua news agency reported.

The World Bank has approved 736 million US dollars in long-term loans for Lebanon, covering agriculture, energy, and water. The loans are awaiting parliamentary approval before implementation.

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Nairobi, Jan 29 (IANS) Experts met in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi on Wednesday to promote peace in the Horn of Africa region.

The two-day Regional Validation Forum for the Horn of Africa Initiative's Peace and Social Cohesion White Paper brought together more than 100 delegates, including security officials from Kenya, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan, as well as officials from international development agencies, to exchange knowledge and strategies for strengthening peacebuilding.

In his opening remarks, Raymond Omollo, Principal Secretary in the Kenyan Ministry of Interior and National Administration, said the forum presents a significant opportunity to reinforce the collective commitment to peaceful and accelerated development as well as social cohesion in the Horn of Africa region.

He noted that the region has made a collective resolve to improve the lives of the communities in the borderlands through peace, investment, and development because it has long faced insecurity, marginalization, conflict, fragility, and underdevelopment.

Omollo also emphasized the need for active participation of local communities in shaping their future and the importance of regional cooperation in tackling transnational challenges such as cross-border crime, disasters, the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, terrorism, and climate change.

Kenrick Ayot, the national focal point for Kenya at the Horn of African Initiative, said sustainable development in the borderlands can not be achieved without first addressing the underlying challenges of insecurity, conflict, and intercommunal violence.

Ayot observed that the Horn of Africa, with its rich cultural diversity and strategic geographic importance, continues to be central to regional peacebuilding efforts.

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New Delhi, Jan 28 (IANS) As the US State Department evaluates the "next steps" with regard to 26/11 attacks accused Tahawwur Rana's extradition to India, Former Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla emphasised on Tuesday that security and defence cooperation between both countries will witness an upward trajectory under Trump 2.0.

Rana, a Canadian national of Pakistani origin, has been declared a fugitive by India and faces multiple criminal charges related to the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks that left 166 people dead, including six US citizens.

Last week, the US Supreme Court dismissed Rana's review petition against his extradition, thus clearing the way for him to finally face justice for his alleged role in the deadly attacks.

"We saw very good cooperation on counter-terrorism during Trump 1.0 as there was strong support for India's position and its right to self-defence after the Pulwama terrorist attacks. We also saw that the US stopped military assistance to Pakistan because of its support for terrorism. At the same time, the US worked very closely with us in the listing of terrorists wanted for heinous crimes such as Masood Azhar (Jaish-e-Mohammad chief)," Shringla told IANS in an exclusive interview.

"This (Rana's extradition) would be a reflection of the same approach of the Trump administration -- a very non-compromising approach when it comes to global terrorism. That's where again our interests go inside, our views go inside and I think we should expect much more of security and defence cooperation with the United States under Trump 2.0," adds the seasoned diplomat who was also the Chief Coordinator of India’s G20 Presidency.

Washington has been supportive of New Delhi's efforts to punish the perpetrators of one of the worst terror incidents in India's history, orchestrated by Pakistan-based banned terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Rana, currently detained at the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Los Angeles, is also a close associate of David Coleman Headley, the Pakistani American Lashkar terrorist who played a key role in planning the Mumbai terror attacks.

Headley, who turned approver in the case, is serving a 35-year prison sentence in the US for his involvement in the brutal terror attacks on Indian soil.

"In view of the recent Supreme Court decision, and consistent with applicable US law, the Department of State is currently evaluating next steps in this case," a spokesperson for the agency said in response to an IANS request for information on the next steps following the court order and when Rana is likely to be dispatched to India.

"We have long supported India's efforts to ensure the perpetrators of the Mumbai terrorist attacks face justice," the spokesperson added on Tuesday.

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Belgrade, Jan 28 (IANS) Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vucevic announced his resignation on Tuesday at a press conference at the government building in Belgrade, citing "elevated tensions" sparked by a collapse at Novi Sad railway station in November last year.

Vucevic, along with other current ministers, will continue leading the government in technical mandate until the election of a new government, Xinhua news agency reported.

Serbia's PM resigned after weeks of massive anti-corruption protests sparked by the deadly collapse of a concrete canopy in Novi Sad last November.

The canopy collapse, which killed 15 people in the northern city of Novi Sad, has become a flashpoint reflecting wider discontent with the increasingly autocratic rule of Serbia’s populist President Aleksandar Vucic. The incident intensified long-held anger over corruption and the lack of oversight in construction projects, amplifying criticism of Vucic's government, which has faced accusations of undermining democratic freedoms while pursuing European Union membership for Serbia.

The resignation of Prime Minister Vucevic is expected to trigger an early parliamentary election. Serbia's parliament has 30 days to either confirm the resignation and form a new government or call for snap elections.

On Monday, tens of thousands of protesters, including university students on strike, gathered for a 24-hour blockade of a major intersection in Belgrade. The students, who have been protesting for weeks, are demanding accountability for the canopy collapse, which they say is a result of government corruption.

Vucevic, who had served as Prime Minister for less than a year, previously held the position of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence from 2022 to 2024.

He also served as the mayor of Novi Sad from 2012 to 2022.

During his tenure, he received several prestigious awards, including the Charter of Honourary Senator of the Senate of the Economy of Serbia in 2014. In that same year, he was honored with the "Captain Misa Anastasijevic" award for his leadership in promoting European values in Novi Sad. Under his leadership, the city was recognised as the European Youth Capital in 2019 and the European Capital of Culture in 2021.

--IANS

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