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Firefighters respond to blaze at London's Somerset House
Deutsche Welle
17 Aug 2024, 19:31
Photo: Maja Smiejkowska/REUTERS
Firefighters on Saturday rushed to tackle a blaze at London's historic Somerset House on the River Thames.
"Fifteen fire engines and around 100 firefighters have now been sent in response to the fire at Somerset House," the London Fire Brigade said on X. "Crews are tackling a fire located in a part of the building's roof."
The London Fire Brigade said the historic building is closed as emergency crews deal with the blaze.
The cause of the fire is still unknown, according to London authorities. Smoke was seen rising from the cultural center at the heart of Britain's capital.
The Somerset House was previously a royal palace and now serves as a complex for various arts and education-related organizations.
The complex has been depicted in multiple James Bond films and is sometimes used to host concerts.
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Indonesia: Flash Flooding Kills at Least 10 on Java Island
At least 10 people are known to have died and at least two more are missing after landslides triggered by heavy rainfall affected hilly villages on Indonesia's main island of Java.
The Disaster Countermeasure National Agency (BNPB) said rescuers were looking for those missing as of Monday.
The floods and landslides were triggered by torrential rain in the Sukabumi district of West Java province last week. Heavy rainfall caused several rivers to burst their banks.
More than 170 villages were affected, and more than 3,000 people were evacuated. Bridges, roads and houses were destroyed across the region.
Yudi Hariyanto, who heads a rescue command post in Sukabumi, said rescuers had recovered at least ten bodies from the villages of Tegalbuleud, Simpenan, and Ciemas. Three of those bodies were those of children.
Videos circulating on social media showed roads turning into murky brown rivers, with floodwaters having uprooted trees.
Heavy rains from October to March often cause flooding and landslides in Indonesia.
Last month, a landslide and flash floods triggered by heavy downpours hit Indonesia's North Sumatra province, leaving 20 dead and two missing. A landslide in the region also hit a tourist bus and killed nine people.
Attack on Bangladesh Mission in Agartala: US Calls for Peaceful Resolution
Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, has called for a peaceful resolution regarding the attack on the Bangladeshi Assistant High Commission in Agartala, the capital of Tripura, India.
On Tuesday (December 10), local time, during a regular press briefing at the U.S. State Department, he made this appeal in response to a question.
Recently, both India and Bangladesh expressed concern over the violent attack on a Bangladeshi diplomatic mission within India. A journalist asked if Washington had any comment on this issue or the growing aggressive statements involving Bangladesh.
In response, Miller stated, “We want to see all parties resolve their differences peacefully.”
Notably, on August 5, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned following a student-led uprising and fled to India. Since then, relations between the two countries have significantly deteriorated. The situation became more complicated after the recent arrest of ISKCON leader Chinmoy Das. On December 2, an attack took place at the Bangladeshi Assistant High Commission in Agartala, further escalating tensions.
Congo's Disease X: What We Know
An undiagnosed 'Disease X' is spreading in a remote region of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Initial lab analyses suggest the mysterious disease spreading in the Democratic Republic of Congo could be malaria, though authorities still believe more than one infection may be involved in the outbreak.
World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Tuesday confirmed results of the first lab tests of the disease showed the presence of the mosquito-transmitted infection.
"Of the 12 initial samples collected, 10 tested positive for malaria, although more than one disease may be involved," he said during a media briefing.
So far, Congo has recorded 416 cases of the undiagnosed disease. Severe cases have been reported among severely malnourished people, including 31 deaths, mostly children.
The spread of the disease is currently concentrated in the Panzi district in Kwango province, located about 700 kilometers (435 miles) from the capital, Kinshasa. Panzi district is remote, with difficult-to-access roads and nearly non-existent health infrastructure.
Health officials say the disease is most likely to be an already-known illness rather than a brand-new one.
"Reports of outbreaks with fatalities crop up somewhere in the world several times a year. Almost all turn out to be an already well-known infection with limited global consequences," said Paul Hunter, an epidemiologist at the University of East Anglia, UK, in a press statement.
What is the likeliest cause of the disease outbreak?
Jake Dunning, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Oxford, UK, said calling the incident a Disease X outbreak could be misleading and counterproductive.
"Disease X should only really be used when there is an infectious disease with epidemic or pandemic potential and a novel pathogen has been identified or is strongly suspected. It would be more appropriate to say that, currently, this is an undiagnosed morbidity and mortality event," Dunning told DW via email.
The disease causes flu-like symptoms of fever, headache, cough, and anemia.
That's why the (WHO) also believes the unidentified disease will most likely be traced back to already known causes.
Based on the symptoms, acute pneumonia, influenza, COVID-19, measles and malaria are being considered as possible causes.
These symptoms are associated with malaria, but other infections that may be causing the illness include measles and mosquito-borne diseases like dengue and chikungunya.
Africa CDC investigating causes with local authorities, WHO
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has deployed a multidisciplinary team of science and health experts to support the WHO and DRC's Ministry of Health's ongoing investigation.
Meanwhile, they are running diagnostic tests and implementing disease control measures on the basis that more than one disease is responsible for the infections.
However, they are likely to face difficulties detecting the cause because of the affected area's remoteness and logistical barriers.
Limited mobile phone and internet coverage across the region have hampered the deployment of response teams. It's a two-day drive from the nearest major healthcare hub in Kinshasa due to the rainy season affecting roads.
Why is this disease such a mystery?
Health experts believe the causes of the outbreak are unknown because of limited testing capabilities in the region.
Clinical laboratories in the Panzi district can only test for common pathogens. The detection of rarer pathogens often requires samples to be sent to specialist laboratories. Scientists there use techniques that aren't available in remote areas, such as gene sequencing, to find which pathogens are causing a disease to spread.
For DRC, this might mean samples will be sent abroad for testing, increasing delays.
"The DRC has some great clinicians, scientists, and laboratories, all well versed in outbreaks and emerging infections, but the DRC is a huge country and arguably remains resource-limited and a complex environment," Dunning told DW.
The lack of information about the disease makes it harder for local health authorities to accurately assess the threat they face.
International healthcare teams are investigating so-called transmission dynamics, and actively searching for additional cases, both within health facilities and at the community level.
"It is vital that these cases are investigated promptly so that appropriate treatment and control measures can be implemented," said Hunter.
Deputy governor of Kwango Remy Saki told DW on December 8 that the province had implemented measures to prevent the epidemic from spreading.
The measures include limiting the movement of people and registering the entry and exit of people from surrounding villages, as well as wearing face masks.
Vikram Misri Briefed Indian Parliament Members on His Bangladesh Visit
Vikram Misri, India's Foreign Secretary, briefed the Standing Committee on External Affairs in the Indian Parliament on his recent visit to Bangladesh.
In a meeting lasting over two and a half hours on Wednesday (December 11) at the Parliament Annex building in New Delhi, Misri responded to various questions from the parliamentarians, according to a report in the Indian Express citing PTI.
Speaking to reporters after the briefing, Shashi Tharoor, a senior Congress leader and chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, said, "We had an excellent briefing on Bangladesh. The Foreign Secretary returned from Bangladesh yesterday. He briefed us in great detail about the visit. But I cannot go into specifics. However, 21-22 parliamentarians asked the Foreign Secretary important questions about the visit. They sought information on many issues. The Foreign Secretary responded in detail and straightforwardly. But I cannot go into specifics."
Citing sources, a report in the Indo-Asian News Service (IANS) stated that Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri informed the parliamentarians that the interim government in Dhaka had assured them of taking action against those involved in attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh.
The Indian Foreign Secretary told the parliamentarians that during the meeting in Dhaka, the Dr. Muhammad Yunus-led administration did not mention reviewing any agreements signed with Delhi.
Citing multiple sources who attended the meeting, IANS reported that during the briefing, several Indian parliamentarians asked Vikram Misri about the status of Sheikh Hasina while she is in India.
It may be noted that Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visited Dhaka on the previous Monday. This was the first visit by an Indian diplomat to Bangladesh after the fall of Sheikh Hasina's government in August. On that day, he led the Indian delegation in foreign office consultations with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh. Misri met with the interim government's chief adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus and foreign adviser Towhid Hossain, as well as Foreign Secretary Jasim Uddin."
Key Points from the Brief:
Purpose of the briefing: To inform Indian parliamentarians about the Foreign Secretary's visit to Bangladesh and the discussions held.
Topics discussed: The situation of Hindus in Bangladesh, the interim government's stance on existing agreements with India, and the status of Sheikh Hasina.
Reactions: Indian parliamentarians expressed keen interest and asked detailed questions.
Significance of the visit: This was the first high-level diplomatic visit from India to Bangladesh after the change in government.
Overall, the briefing highlights the importance of India-Bangladesh relations and the Indian government's keen interest in the developments in Bangladesh.
Afghan Minister Killed in ISIS Suicide Attack
Afghanistan’s Taliban government’s Minister for Refugee Affairs, Khalil Haqqani, was killed in a suicide bombing. The Islamic State (ISIS) group claimed responsibility for the attack, which occurred in Kabul on Wednesday, December 11, local time.
According to a BBC report on Thursday, December 12, this marks the first killing of a senior leader since the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan in 2021.
Sources from the Ministry of Interior stated that Haqqani, along with six others, died in the explosion as he was exiting his office.
Khalil Haqqani was a senior member of the influential Haqqani Network, a Taliban faction. The United States had designated him as a global terrorist.
ISIS confirmed responsibility for the attack. According to a report by ISIS’s Amaq news agency, an ISIS militant infiltrated the Ministry of Interior and waited outside the minister’s office, detonating the bomb as he exited.
A Taliban spokesperson also confirmed that Haqqani was killed by ISIS.
Khalil Haqqani’s brother, Jalaluddin Haqqani, was a renowned guerrilla leader who fought Soviet forces in Afghanistan during the 1980s and founded the Haqqani Network. The network was responsible for numerous attacks during the Taliban’s 20-year insurgency.
Khalil Haqqani’s nephew, Sirajuddin Haqqani, the son of Jalaluddin, currently serves as the Taliban government’s Interior Minister.
India Doesn't Want China-Pakistan-Like Relations with Bangladesh: S Jaishankar
Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has expressed hope for restoring stability through mutual benefits, highlighting India's partnership in Bangladesh's development projects.
He also mentioned India's relationships with China and Pakistan implying that it does not desire a similar kind of relationship with Bangladesh.
Jaishankar stated that India has a strong history of involvement in development projects in Bangladesh. "When we talk about the 'Neighborhood First' policy, we have significant development projects in almost every neighboring country including Bangladesh except Pakistan and China," he said.
He made these remarks during a speech in the Lok Sabha on Friday, December 13, addressing the topic of Bangladesh.
The Indian External Affairs Minister also mentioned that the treatment of minorities in Bangladesh is a concern for India, and New Delhi expects Dhaka to ensure their safety in its own interest.
He added that India hopes Bangladesh's new government will work toward a stable, mutually beneficial relationship. "We have raised our concerns with them. Recently, the Foreign Secretary visited Dhaka, and these issues were discussed during the meetings," Jaishankar said.
He emphasized that the treatment of minorities in Bangladesh has become a matter of concern due to multiple incidents of attacks against them.
Switzerland Revokes ‘Most Favored Nation’ Status for India
Switzerland has revoked the “Most Favored Nation” (MFN) status previously granted to India. Analysts suggest this move could pose new challenges for India’s export sector and impact trade and economic relations between the two countries.
Following this decision by the Swiss government, the withholding tax rate for Indian companies in Switzerland will revert to 10%. Previously, in 2021, this rate had been reduced to 5%. The report was published by India Today.
According to World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, granting MFN status to a country requires the provision of special privileges related to tariffs and trade policies. Under the MFN clause, if India and a third OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) country enjoy lower tax rates on dividends, interest, royalties, or technical service fees, these benefits must also apply between India and Switzerland.
However, a ruling by India’s Supreme Court in September 2023 created a roadblock in this arrangement. The case involved the Swiss-based company Nestlé. The court ruled that, under Section 90(1) of India’s Income Tax Act, such provisions of a double taxation avoidance agreement cannot be enforced without a specific notification.
Following this ruling, Switzerland’s Finance Department announced on Wednesday that the MFN status granted to India cannot be directly applied without such a notification. Consequently, Switzerland decided to suspend the unilateral application of MFN benefits starting January 1 of the coming year.
During a weekly press briefing on Friday (December 13), Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal addressed Switzerland’s decision. He stated, “I believe the matter will be revisited under the EFTA (European Free Trade Association) framework regarding the double taxation avoidance agreement. That’s one aspect. The other is the ‘Most Favored Nation’ clause. I don’t have any updates on this right now. We will provide details later.”
