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Gas blast in Kenyan capital kills three, injures nearly 300
International desk
02 Feb 2024, 14:56
A huge gas blast in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, has killed at least three people and injured nearly 300.
A lorry carrying gas exploded in Embakasi district at about 23:30 (20:30 GMT), "igniting a huge ball of fire", a government spokesperson said.
Housing, businesses and cars were damaged, with video showing a huge blaze raging close to blocks of flats.
Earlier, the government had said the blast happened at a gas plant. The cause is still being established.
Embakasi police chief Wesley Kimeto said a child was among those who died in the explosion, adding that the death toll could rise.
The Kenya Red Cross said it had taken 271 people to hospital and treated 27 others on site.
The fireball from the blast had "spread widely", according to Isaac Mwaura Mwaura, the government spokesman, and a flying gas cylinder had hit a garments and textiles warehouse, burning it down.
"The inferno further damaged several vehicles and commercial properties, including many small and medium sized businesses," he said in a statement.
"Sadly, residential houses in the neighbourhood also caught fire, with a good number of residents still inside, as it was late at night."
Witnesses told local media they had felt tremors immediately after the blast.
Many of the injured are said to have inhalation injuries and they include at least 25 children, the Standard newspaper reports.
One of those hurt, Boniface Sifuna, described what had happened to Reuters news agency: "I got burnt by an exploding gas canister as I was trying to escape," he said.
"It exploded right in front of me and the impact knocked me down and the flames engulfed me. I am lucky that I was strong enough to get away."
James Ngoge, who lives across the street from where the blast happened, told the AFP news agency that he was in his house at the time and "heard a huge explosion".
"It felt like it was going to collapse. At first, we didn't even know what was happening, it was like an earthquake.
"I have a business on the road that was completely destroyed."
A journalist for the Nation newspaper living in the area said everyone had left their houses after the blast.
The Kenya Red Cross said on social media that crews had been "tirelessly battling the flames".
Government spokesman Mr Mwaura said the blast scene had been secured and a command centre had been set up to help co-ordinate rescue operations.
"Kenyans are hereby advised to keep off the cordoned area in order to allow the rescue mission to be carried out [with] minimal disruptions," he added.
Source: BBC
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Small Plane Carrying Six People Crashes in Costa Rica
A small plane with six people onboard crashed southeast of Costa Rica's capital San Jose on Monday, the Central American country's civil aviation authority said.
The status of the passengers was not immediately known.
The aircraft — a Cessna 206 Stationair — crashed near the Pico Blanco mountain shortly after midday on Monday, news agency the Associated Press (AP) reported, citing the civil aviation authority.
Wreckage located
Search and rescue teams have located the wreckage on the mountainside, AP reported.
The plane had reportedly taken off from Tortuguero — which is located on Costa Rica's northern Caribbean coast — and was on its way to San Jose.
5 Dead in Pakistan Protests; Army Deployed in Islamabad
Pakistan is in turmoil as protests led by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), demanding the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and the government’s resignation, escalate. On Tuesday, five people, including four security personnel, were killed. Islamabad, the capital, is effectively under lockdown due to the protests.
According to security sources, miscreants ran a vehicle over Rangers personnel on Srinagar Highway, resulting in the deaths of four paratroopers and one civilian. Several others, including five paratroopers and two police officers, were injured.
Under Section 245 of the Constitution, the military has been deployed in Islamabad to address security concerns, with orders to curb any unrest or militant activity strictly.
PTI protesters, despite road closures and prohibitory orders under Section 144, have advanced toward Islamabad’s D-Chowk. Clashes with law enforcement have resulted in nearly 4,000 arrests, including five PTI members of parliament.
Prominent leaders, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi, are part of the convoy heading to D-Chowk for demonstrations.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi warned that PTI supporters entering Islamabad’s Red Zone would face arrest, emphasizing strict measures to secure government buildings.
Japan's Space Agency Aborts Epsilon S Rocket Test After Fire
Japan's space agency, JAXA, aborted an engine test for the Epsilon S rocket after a large fire broke out at the Tanegashima Space Center on Tuesday.
"There was an abnormality during today's combustion test. We are trying to assess what happened," JAXA said.
Footage on national broadcaster NHK showed flames and smoke rising from the site on the southern Japanese island.
Journalists positioned around one kilometer (0.62 miles) away reported a large explosion shortly after the test began at 8:30 a.m. local time (2330 GMT).
Nobody reported hurt, investigation announced
No injuries were reported, and the cause of the incident is under investigation.
"JAXA will conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the problem and consider countermeasures," said Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, the Japanese government's top spokesperson.
"The development of flagship rockets is extremely important for the independence of Japan's space development program."
But the Asahi Shimbun newspaper reported that JAXA's plan to launch the Epsilon S — the successor to the Epsilon — by March 2025 was now practically impossible.
Japan's space program has faced several setbacks, including failed launch attempts for its next-generation H3 launch system.
In March, a rocket made by a private Japanese company, Tokyo-based Space One, exploded seconds after launch.
Mahathir Calls for Unity Among Bangladesh’s Political Leaders
Former Malaysian Prime Minister and architect of modern Malaysia, Mahathir bin Mohamad, has urged Bangladesh's political leadership to work on the basis of consensus, avoiding divisions. He made this appeal on Wednesday (November 27) during an event in Kuala Lumpur.
Speaking at a press briefing following the event, in response to a question by Mohammad Alauddin, Executive Director of the International Islamic University’s PhD researchers' group (IPGZ), regarding recent developments in Bangladesh, Mahathir said, “The people of Bangladesh have bravely ousted an unpopular and autocratic ruler. They now have the opportunity to rebuild the country.”
He added that Bangladesh can move forward if its leaders avoid new divisions and work together in the national interest, prioritizing the country over individual agendas.
At the same event, another speaker, Malaysia’s former Foreign Minister and politician Tan Sri Hamid Albar, described Bangladesh as an important country in South Asia. He commended the hard-working nature of its people, noting that the country is progressing in various areas. Referring to the recent popular uprising, he remarked that Bangladesh now has a rare opportunity for reconstruction. He emphasized the need to take effective measures to reduce income and wealth inequality to ensure sustainable democracy.
Calling for efforts to enhance Bangladesh’s image internationally, he added, “We fully support Bangladesh’s inclusion in the Southeast Asian regional bloc, ASEAN.”
Ukraine Updates: / Zelenskyy Hints at Ending 'Hot War'
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for NATO to offer security guarantees to parts of Ukraine controlled by Kyiv in order to "stop the hot stage of the war." About one-fifth of Ukrainian territory is currently under Russian control.
Zelenskyy implied that he would be willing to wait to regain that territory, if a deal with NATO could ensure security for the rest of Ukraine and end the fighting.
"If we want to stop the hot stage of the war, we should take under NATO umbrella the territory of Ukraine that we have under our control," Zelensky told Britain's Sky News, according to a voiceover translation of his remarks from Ukrainian into English.
"That's what we need to do fast, and then Ukraine can get back the other part of its territory diplomatically," he added.
Zelenskyy, however, insisted any offer to join NATO must be given to the whole of Ukraine. "The invitation must be given to Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders. You can't give an invitation to just one part of a country."
The comments come ahead of the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump in January. Trump, who is seen as being an admirer of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has said he would end the war on day, without explaining what that would look like.
Scholz reassures Zelenskyy of German support
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz held a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, where Scholz sought to reassure Ukraine of Germany's continued solidarity.
"We will continue our military support for Ukraine in close coordination with our European and international partners," Scholz said in a post on X after the call.
He said he had agreed with Zelenskyy to remain in contact "also with a view to possible paths to a just peace" to end Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
For his part, Zelenskyy thanked Scholz for Germany's help and support, particularly with air defense weapons, in a post on his Telegram channel.
The Ukrainian president said that Scholz had also discussed the details of his recent telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"It is obvious that only the strength of arms and the strength of diplomacy can force the perpetrator of the war to make peace and that this peace can only be achieved through strength," Zelenskyy said.
Kolkata Hospital Announces Not to Provide Treatment to Bangladeshis
A hospital in Kolkata has announced that it will no longer treat Bangladeshi patients. They allege that Bangladeshis are insulting the Indian flag. Although Bangladeshis also have the same complaint. Last Thursday, a Hindu organization in Kolkata called Bangiya Hindu Jagaran Manch also set fire to the national flag of Bangladesh.
The Times of India reported that JN Roy, an official of the hospital in Maniktala, North Kolkata, West Bengal, alleging atrocities against minorities in Bangladesh, said that the decision was taken because Bangladeshis are disrespecting the Indian flag.
Another hospital official, Shuvrangshu Bhakta, told Indian news agency PTI that we have decided not to treat Bangladeshi patients for an indefinite period. Because they have shown disrespect to India.
Meanwhile, Dhaka has condemned the violent protests in front of the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata, West Bengal against the burning of the national flag of Bangladesh. The condemnation was made through a statement from the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry on Friday (November 29).
The statement said that the Bangladesh government notes with deep concern that a Hindu organization from Kolkata called Bangiya Hindu Jagaran Manch held a violent protest outside the Deputy High Commission of Bangladesh in Kolkata on Thursday (November 28) afternoon. The protesters broke through the police barricade and reached the premises of the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission. They set fire to the national flag of Bangladesh and burnt the effigy of the Chief Advisor of the Bangladesh government. Although the situation seems to be under control at present, there is insecurity among all the members of the Deputy High Commission.
It said that the Bangladesh government strongly condemns the heinous act of desecrating the national flag and burning the effigy of the Chief Advisor. Along with this, the statement called on the Government of India to take necessary measures to ensure that such incidents do not happen in the future.
It also said that the Bangladesh government condemns any kind of violent act. At the same time, the Deputy High Commission of Bangladesh in Kolkata and other diplomatic missions of Bangladesh in India have urged the Indian government to ensure the safety of diplomatic and non-diplomatic staff.
JN Roy said that minorities are being persecuted in Bangladesh, so he has urged other hospitals to adopt the same approach.
He also said that India has made an important contribution to the independence war of Bangladesh. However, we are seeing increasing anti-India sentiment in Bangladesh. We hope that other hospitals will also take the same steps.
Leavitt Named Youngest White House Press Secretary in History
President-elect Donald Trump has announced that Karoline Leavitt will be returning to the White House next year as his press secretary, making her the youngest White House press secretary in U.S. history at 27 years old.
Leavitt has been a staunch defender of Trump throughout his campaign against Vice President Kamala Harris, facing attacks labeling Trump as a 'fascist' and drawing comparisons to Adolf Hitler.
Trump praised Leavitt's performance as the National Press Secretary during his campaign and expressed confidence in her ability to effectively communicate the administration's message.
Leavitt previously served as an assistant press secretary in Trump's first administration and later worked as a communications director for New York Rep. Elise Stefanik. She also ran for Congress in New Hampshire during the 2022 cycle.
Leavitt has been actively involved in Trump's campaign, engaging with the media, defending Trump's policies, and supporting him through legal battles and political challenges.
