WORLD

Six people were fatally shot Friday (Feb 17) at multiple locations in a small town in rural Mississippi near the Tennessee state line, and authorities blamed a lone suspect who was arrested and charged with murder. Mississippi Department of Public Safety spokesperson Bailey Martin confirmed the killings in Arkabutla, in Tate County, to The Associated Press.

County Sheriff Brad Lance told local news outlets the killings occurred at a convenience store and two homes. Trucks marked as belonging to the sheriff's office and Tate County search and rescue were parked outside the store, where authorities used yellow tape to cordon off the building.

Amidst growing tension with China in the wake of the downing of a suspected spy balloon, US President Joe Biden on Thursday underscored the need for an open line of communication with Beijing. "I've said, since the beginning of my administration, we seek competition not conflict with China. We're not looking for a new Cold War. But I make no apologies and we will compete. We will responsibly manage that competition so that it doesn't veer into conflict.

"This episode underscores the importance of maintaining open lines of communication between our diplomats and our military professionals," Biden said at the White House, his first after the recent shooting down of a Chinese surveillance balloon over the American airspace.

The United States on Tuesday (February 14, 2023) reacted to the survey operations conducted by the Indian Tax Department at the BBC offices in Delhi and Mumbai and said that it "supports the importance of free press around the world". The Income Tax department on Tuesday conducted survey operations for over ten hours at the BBC's offices in Delhi, Mumbai, and two other linked locations as part of an investigation into alleged tax evasion. The action came weeks after the British broadcaster aired a two-part documentary, "India: The Modi Question", on the prime minister and the 2002 Gujarat riots.

"We are aware of the search of the BBC offices in Delhi by Indian tax authorities. I would need to refer you to Indian authorities for the details of this search. Beyond this discrete action, what I'll say more broadly is the general point that I've consistently made in this context, but in a universal context as well," US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price told reporters.

The BBC in London said it “was fully cooperating” after Indian tax department officials surveyed its offices in New Delhi and Mumbai to investigate alleged tax irregularities.

A BBC spokesperson had confirmed that the income-tax authorities were at the BBC offices in New Delhi and Mumbai and that “we hope to have this situation resolved as soon as possible”. Late Tuesday evening the BBC added that the I-T authorities “remain at the BBC offices”. It added that many staff had left the building “but some have been asked to remain and are continuing to cooperate with the ongoing enquiries”. The BBC said it was “supporting” the staff and “continue to hope to have this situation resolved as soon as possible”.

Aweek to one of the deadliest earthquakes in the last few decades, the death toll in Syria and Turkey stands at 33, 000 and above and is set to keep growing. Rescuers also managed to pull more survivors from the rubble, as nations including India kept on sending humanitarian assistance to the middle-eastern country. Meanwhile, Turkish authorities began legal action over illegal construction leading to several building collapses. Here are the top updates from Turkey to look out for.

The United Nations acknowledged the failure of the international agency to help northwest Syria following a series of earthquakes. It called for an immediate ceasefire to allow aid to be delivered to the region”, Reuters reported. Martin Griffiths, the UN’s humanitarian affairs chief, said that people in areas held by rebels “rightly feel abandoned.