Entertainment
At least 250 dead, 500 injured in Afghanistan earthquake: reports
- Early reports show 30 dead in single village: health ministry.
- Number of casualties and injuries is high, says ministry’s spox.
- Figures likely to rise as reports arrive from remote areas.
KABUL: Hundreds were feared dead and injured after an earthquake of magnitude-6 struck two rugged eastern provinces in Afghanistan, authorities said on Monday, as helicopters ferried the injured to safety from rubble being combed in a hunt for survivors.
Reports showed 250 dead and 500 injured, said Najibullah Hanif, the provincial information head of Kunar, adding that the tally could change.
The disaster will further stretch the resources of the South Asian nation already grappling with humanitarian crises, from a sharp drop in aid to a huge pushback of its citizens from neighbouring countries.
There was no confirmed death toll, health authorities said in Kabul, the capital, as rescuers raced to reach remote hamlets dotting an area with a long history of earthquakes and floods.
“Figures from just a few clinics show over 400 injured and dozens of fatalities,” ministry spokesperson Sharafat Zaman said in a statement that warned of higher casualties.
Images from Reuters Television showed helicopters ferrying out the affected, while residents helped soldiers and medics carry the wounded to ambulances.
Three villages were razed in the province of Kunar, with substantial damage in many others, the health ministry said.
Early reports showed 30 dead in a single village, with hundreds of injured taken to hospital, authorities said.
Rescuers were scrambling to find survivors in the area bordering Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region, where homes of mud and stone were levelled by the midnight quake that hit at a depth of 10 kilometres (6 miles).
“So far, no foreign governments have reached out to provide support for rescue or relief work,” a foreign office spokesperson said.
Afghanistan is prone to deadly earthquakes, particularly in the Hindu Kush mountain range, where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates meet.
A series of earthquakes in its west killed more than 1,000 people last year, underscoring the vulnerability of one of the world’s poorest countries to natural disasters.
Actor Shia LaBeouf has been ordered to go to rehab after getting arrested on February 17 during Mardi Gras in New Orleans.
He was involved in a fight with two men and reportedly used homophobic slurs, according to Page Six.
He now faces three misdemeanor battery charges.
At a recent court hearing, Judge Simone Levine said she was not sure LaBeouf is serious about his alcohol problems.
She, however, denied his request to travel to Rome and set a $100,000 bond. He must also take drug tests and enter rehab.
Sources say the punishment could let him do rehab online, as they described LaBeouf as someone who can act like he is serious about recovery, even though he does not believe he has an addiction.
In a recent interview, he said his behaviour was because of a “small man complex” and not alcohol.
He added, “It’s not nice to hurt people ever. People got hurt. I got to deal with that.”
LaBeouf separated from his wife Mia Goth last year, and sources say she wants him to get help.
Friends warn that his drinking could lead to serious problems, as his Hollywood future is uncertain and he returns to court on March 19.
When We Were Young Festival is hitting pause this year.
Organizers of the Las Vegas-based emo and pop-punk fest announced via Instagram on February 27 that the event will take 2026 off — but emphasised the break is only temporary.
“To our When We Were Young Family,” the statement began. “The songs, the memories, the moments – none of it exists without you. After an unforgettable run in Las Vegas, we’ve decided to take 2026 off to give this festival the care it deserves and to make sure what comes next feels just as special as what came before.”
While no specific reason was given for the hiatus, fans were reassured the festival isn’t going anywhere. “When We Were Young Festival will return to Las Vegas in October 2027… This isn’t goodbye – it’s just a pause. We’ll see you in 2027.”
Since launching in 2022, the Live Nation-produced event has become a nostalgic pilgrimage for millennial music lovers, taking over the Las Vegas Festival Grounds each October. Past headliners have included Green Day, Blink-182, My Chemical Romance and the Killers.
The 2025 edition featured Blink-182 and a reunited Panic! at the Disco, marking a rare return following the band’s 2023 split. In 2024, My Chemical Romance delivered a full performance of The Black Parade, alongside a stacked lineup of scene favourites.
Deon Cole hosted the NAACP Image Award at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium on Saturday, February 28, and opened his monologue with a joke about the racial slur mishap at the BAFTAs recently.
The 54-year-old comedian and actor jokingly prayed to God, saying, “Lord, before we go, if there are any white men out here in the audience with Tourette’s, I advise you to tell them they better read the room tonight, Lord. It might not go the way they thinketh. Whatever medicine they’re on, they better double up on it, Lord.
Cole referred to the controversy about Tourette’s activist John Davidson shouting a racial slur while Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presented an award on stage.
The Average Joe star also joked about Nicki Minaj and her recent political alliance with the MAGA movement, saying, “Lord, we want you to bless our sister Nicki Minaj. She’s been going through a lot lately and hasn’t been herself, Lord,” joking that her cosmetic injections have been “affecting her brain.”
NAACP Awards stand for National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People and celebrate the arts across different mediums including films, theatre, music, and literature, created every year.
Shia LaBeouf battles addiction amid public and legal pressure
VAR review: Did Chelsea deserve a penalty in loss to Arsenal?
Man United up to third as Sesko’s hot streak of crucial goals continues
Eye-popping rise in one year: Betting on just gold and silver for long-term wealth creation? Think again! – The Times of India
Pakistan carries out precision strikes on seven militant hideouts in Afghanistan
Kansas’ Darryn Peterson misses most of 2nd half with cramping
-
Politics1 week agoPakistan carries out precision strikes on seven militant hideouts in Afghanistan
-
Business1 week ago
Eye-popping rise in one year: Betting on just gold and silver for long-term wealth creation? Think again! – The Times of India
-
Sports1 week agoKansas’ Darryn Peterson misses most of 2nd half with cramping
-
Tech1 week agoThese Cheap Noise-Cancelling Sony Headphones Are Even Cheaper Right Now
-
Business1 week agoEquinox chairman says ‘health is the new luxury’ as wellness spending soars
-
Tech1 week agoThe Supreme Court’s Tariff Ruling Won’t Bring Car Prices Back to Earth
-
Entertainment1 week agoSaturday Sessions: Say She She performs "Under the Sun"
-
Sports1 week agoHow James Milner broke Premier League’s appearances record