General U.S. NewsJul 16, 2026·2 min read

Revealed: Bucharest tourists hiring rentals that could collapse in an earthquake

The Guardian – World

2h ago

Revealed: Bucharest tourists hiring rentals that could collapse in an earthquake

Summary

Exclusive: More than 200 illegal holiday properties found in buildings at the highest level of seismic risk Tourists in the Romanian capital, Bucharest, are staying in illegal accommodation listed on Airbnb and Booking.com in buildings considered so seismically vulnerable they could collapse in the event of a major earthquake, according to exclusive data shared with the Guardian. Analysis of data collected by Re:Rise, a Romanian organisation working on seismic risk reduction, identified at least 207 illegal tourist rental properties advertised across the two platforms in Bucharest at the end of May, with a combined capacity to host more than 1,000 visitors each night. Booking.com listed 116 of them, 47 were on Airbnb, and 44 listings were on both platforms. All were in buildings qualifying for the highest level of seismic risk. Bucharest is the most seismically vulnerable capital in the EU, with two major earthquakes in the last century, the most recent of which, in 1977, killed more than 1,500 people, injured more than 10,000 and brought down 32 buildings in under a minute. Experts believe another such quake is inevitable, warning that the damage could well exceed that of previous disasters because much of the city’s building stock has become structurally unsound in recent decades. In an effort to clamp down on unsafe housing in 2024, Romania outlawed short- and long-term rentals in high-risk buildings, classified as RS1. As a result, the capital has at least 404 such buildings where renting of any kind is illegal, with violations carrying fines of €1,000 (£850) to €2,000. As only a fraction of the city’s housing stock has been formally assessed for risk, experts believe the true scale of unsafe accommodation is probably greater. Since retrofitting legislation passed in 1994, only 35 buildings have been reinforced.

From the source

Read the full article

Published by The Guardian – World on theguardian.com

Open on theguardian.com ↗

Trinamool MP Samirul Islam calls on family who was pushed into Bangladesh

Subscribed with another email? Unlock these with Subscription Published - July 16, 2026 12:44 pm IST - Kolkata Trinamool MP Samirul Islam calls on the family of Sweety Bibi, who was pushed into Bangladesh a year ago. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Samirul Islam called on the family of Sweety Bibi, who recently returned to their native place in Birbhum after a year-long legal battle to return from Bangladesh. They were brought back to India on July 8, 2026, after the legal battle. Islam took up the cause of the migrant workers and provided help to the family. “Despite being genuine Indian citizens, these poor people were deported to Bangladesh on suspicion of being Bangladeshi nationals. We urge both the Central and the State governments to take care of these families and ensure that no genuine Indian citizen has to face such hardships because of administrative lapses,” the Trinamool MP said after meeting Sweety Bibi and her sons on Wednesday (July 15, 2026). Observing that he has no objection to deporting foreigners, Samirul Islam said that, at the same time, these innocent people did not deserve to suffer such harassment. “We should remember that India or Bharat is our country; it is the motherland for all beyond their identity, caste, creed or religion. The group of returnees included Sweety Bibi, her two minor sons, and the husband of Sunali Khatun, who had returned to India with her minor son in December 2025 after the Supreme Court intervened. Khatun was heavily pregnant at that time and gave birth a baby boy in India in January 2026. Islam had highlighted the plight of the two families and approached the Calcutta High Court and the Supreme Court seeking their return from Bangladesh. Some were pushed into Bangladesh from the border, and they managed to return to India with the help of local authorities.

Mahaprabhu Jagannath banned a day before release, makers approach Supreme Court

The makers of the animated film Mahaprabhu Jagannath have approached the Supreme Court against an Orissa High Court order that has halted the film's release across the country, just a day before it was due to hit screens on July 17. According to a report by LiveLaw.com , Senior Advocate Devadatt Kamat made an urgent mention before the Chief Justice of India, seeking a hearing on the same day. The Chief Justice turned down a same-day listing but agreed the matter would be taken up the following day, coinciding with the film's original release date. Kamat told the court that Mahaprabhu Jagannath is an animated feature on Lord Jagannath made for children, and that the High Court had stopped its release on the grounds that it did not align with the Skanda Purana. He pointed out that the Central Board of Film Certification had already cleared the film and granted it a certificate under Section 5 of the Cinematograph Act. He said the High Court's order had been uploaded only at 9 pm the previous day, and argued that the ban would cause serious prejudice and hardship to the producer, who had invested crores of rupees in the project. He said more than 300 theatres had been booked for the screening of the film and pressed for an immediate hearing. He further submitted that the public interest litigation in the High Court had been taken up just before the release and that the High Court had passed a hasty order banning the film pan-India. The challenge before the Supreme Court comes after the Orissa High Court on July 15 restrained the release of Mahaprabhu Jagannath , observing that while freedom of speech and expression is protected under the Constitution, it cannot be allowed to shatter religious sentiments in a manner that leads to unrest in society. According to the petition, the film misrepresents the culture, rituals, traditions and devotional history associated with Lord Jagannath by showing fictional childhood episodes, personal adventures and battle sequences involving the deity, depicting Lord Jagannath speaking and behaving in an invented manner, and including narratives allegedly contrary to the 'Skanda Purana', the 'Brahma Purana' and long-established temple traditions.

Bodies of July 2024 uprising victims dumped in river near Dhaka: Bangladesh tribunal

International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) Chief Prosecutor Aminul Islam has said that investigators have found evidence indicating that the bodies of many victims of the July 2024 uprising were dumped into a river near Dhaka, The Daily Star reported. Hasina fled to India while an interim government led by Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus as the Chief Adviser took over in August. The Express Global Desk at indianexpress.com which delivers authoritative, verified, and context-driven coverage of key international developments shaping global politics, policy, and migration trends. The desk focuses on stories with direct relevance for Indian and global audiences, combining breaking news with in-depth explainers and analysis. A major focus area of the desk is US immigration and visa policy, including developments related to student visas, work permits, permanent residency pathways, executive actions, and court rulings. The Global Desk also closely tracks Canada’s immigration, visa, and study policies, covering changes to study permits, post-study work options, permanent residence programmes, and regulatory updates affecting migrants and international students. All reporting from the Global Desk adheres to The Indian Express’ editorial standards, relying on official data, government notifications, court documents, and on-record sources. Core Team The Express Global Desk is led by a team of experienced journalists and editors with deep expertise in international affairs and migration policy: Aniruddha Dhar – Senior Assistant Editor with extensive experience in global affairs, international politics, and editorial leadership. Nischai Vats – Deputy Copy Editor specialising in US politics, US visa and immigration policy, and policy-driven international coverage. Mashkoora Khan – Sub-editor focusing on global developments, with a strong emphasis on Canada visa, immigration, and study-related policy coverage. ...

Revealed: Bucharest tourists hiring rentals that could collapse in an earthquake

From the source

More in General U.S. News

Trinamool MP Samirul Islam calls on family who was pushed into Bangladesh

Mahaprabhu Jagannath banned a day before release, makers approach Supreme Court

Bodies of July 2024 uprising victims dumped in river near Dhaka: Bangladesh tribunal