Sophie Kinsella, the British writer whose lighthearted “Shopaholic” novels gained an international readership, has died at the age of 55. Her family confirmed that she passed away this week after living with brain cancer, a diagnosis she made public in 2024. Kinsella, born Madeleine Wickham, became widely recognized for her comic writing style and her ability to connect with readers through stories about everyday pressures, financial missteps, and modern relationships. Beginning in 2000, her “Shopaholic” series grew into 10 bestselling titles that reached audiences across Europe and No

Indonesian emergency officials say at least 22 people died after a fire swept through a seven storey office building in central Jakarta on Tuesday. Local police reported that the blaze is believed to have started on the ground floor where batteries were stored, before spreading quickly through several levels of the building. Firefighters deployed nearly 30 fire trucks and hundreds of personnel to contain the flames. Crews worked for about three hours before bringing the situation under control. Authorities have launched an investigation into what triggered the incident, noting concerns about e

Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in India for a two-day official visit that New Delhi says will centre on trade, defence co-operation and broader geopolitical issues. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally received Putin at Palam Air Force Station and accompanied him to the prime minister’s residence, a gesture Indian officials described as a sign of the long-standing bilateral relationship. The visit comes ahead of the 23rd India–Russia annual summit scheduled for Friday, where both sides are expected to review defence procurement, energy collaboration and efforts to s

Malaysia’s transport ministry says a renewed effort to locate Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 is set to begin this month, marking the first large-scale search for the aircraft in several years. Texas-based marine robotics company Ocean Infinity has been contracted to carry out the operation under a no-find, no-fee arrangement with the Malaysian government. The firm led a similar mission in 2018 but ended its work without discoveries. This year’s search was paused in April because of rough weather in the Indian Ocean, where investigators believe the Boeing 777 went down. The ministry says Ocea

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder and former prime minister Imran Khan received a rare family visit at Adiala Jail today, following weeks of speculation over his condition. His sister Uzma Khanum met him for about 30 minutes and later said he appeared physically stable, while alleging that he has been subjected to psychological pressure during custody. The visit came after supporters of the party continued to voice concern about Khan’s isolation and lack of access to family. Uzma said the former prime minister has been kept confined to his cell for most of the day with limited communication,

Investigators in Stockton, California are appealing for information after a shooting at a child’s birthday celebration left four people dead and several others injured. Local police say the violence erupted Saturday evening inside a banquet hall where families had gathered for a two-year-old’s party. Authorities confirmed that three children – ages 8, 9 and 14 – were among those killed, along with a 21-year-old man. Eleven other people were treated for injuries. As of Sunday, police had not announced any arrests or identified a suspect. Residents told The Associated Press that the cele

Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to travel to New Delhi on December 4 and 5 for a two-day state visit, marking his first trip to India since the outbreak of the Russia–Ukraine conflict in 2022. The visit will take place at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and will coincide with the 23rd India–Russia annual summit. Indian officials say the leaders are preparing to review defence and energy cooperation, areas that have remained active despite Western pressure on countries to reduce ties with Moscow. India has continued purchasing discounted Russian crude and is movi

A deadly fire in a dense Hong Kong housing complex has claimed at least 128 lives, after emergency crews located additional victims while searching the upper floors of seven interconnected residential towers. Local officials say dozens of people are still unaccounted for as firefighters work through badly damaged units. Authorities in Hong Kong have now arrested eight more individuals linked to renovation activity in the buildings, including scaffolding subcontractors and project managers. Investigators are examining whether construction materials – including bamboo scaffolding and foam insu

Hong Kong authorities say 13 people have died after a fast-moving fire swept through a cluster of high-rise residential towers in the Tai Po district of the New Territories. Emergency officials confirmed that nine residents were found dead at the scene, while four others later died in hospital. Officials say roughly 700 people living in the affected housing complex were forced to leave their homes and have since been moved to temporary shelters. Local authorities are assessing the safety of nearby buildings, as several structures were wrapped in construction scaffolding and netting that helped