Kamis, 28 Maret 2019

At Least 7 Die in Office Tower Fire in Dhaka, Bangladesh - The New York Times

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At Least 7 Die in Office Tower Fire in Dhaka, Bangladesh

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A firefighter at the site of a fire in an office building in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Thursday.CreditCreditMahmud Hossain Opu/Associated Press

By Julfikar Ali Manik

DHAKA, Bangladesh — A fire broke out on Thursday in a large office tower in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, killing at least seven people and injuring several dozen more, officials said.

Videos circulating on social media showed large flames burning through the 24-story building, F.R. Tower. On the ground, witnesses said several people had fallen while trying to descend using cables along the periphery of the building.

Officer Ataur Rahman of the Dhaka Fire Service told The Dhaka Tribune that over a dozen firefighting units had been dispatched to douse the blaze, which was brought under control late Thursday afternoon.

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Firefighters rescuing people at the scene in Banani, a commercial area of Dhaka.CreditMunir Uz Zaman/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Forman Ali, the officer in charge of the Banani police station in Dhaka, said that one woman and six men had died, and that the dead included a Sri Lankan citizen.

Khurshid Anwar, a senior officer with the Bangladesh Fire Service, said at least 68 people had been injured and that the cause of the fire was still unknown.

Mamunur Rashid Mumun, an executive at a multinational company on the 10th floor, was preparing for afternoon prayers around 12:45 p.m. when he received a call informing him that a fire had broken out a few floors below.

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As the fire climbed higher on Thursday afternoon, employees within the office building broke its windows and called for help.CreditMunir Uz Zaman/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

As some of his colleagues rushed for a staircase, Mr. Mumun, 61, who works for Scanwell Logistics Bangladesh, quickly shut down nearby computers.

By the time he moved toward the exit, smoke had darkened the office, making it difficult to breathe. He then broke a window and used internet and telephone cables to descend to the sixth floor, where he re-entered through another window and managed to escape.

“I was very lucky,” he said, adding that two of his colleagues were feared dead and several were unaccounted for.

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Watching the fire burning through the 24-story building.CreditMohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters

As the fire climbed higher on Thursday afternoon, more employees broke the building’s blue-colored glass and screamed for help.

From the streets below, thousands of people had gathered in Banani, a commercial area of Dhaka, where 70 people were killed in another fire in February that tore through a crowded neighborhood in the city, home to around 20 million people.

From his vantage point on the ground, Shafique Ali Ajam, who works next to F.R. Tower, said at least eight people had tried to climb down near the eighth and ninth floors.

Some of them fell mid-attempt, he said.

Kai Schultz contributed reporting from New Delhi, and Russell Goldman from Hong Kong.

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https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/28/world/asia/bangladesh-fire-dhaka.html

2019-03-28 12:43:00Z
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At Least 5 Die in Office Tower Fire in Dhaka, Bangladesh - The New York Times

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At Least 4 Die in Office Tower Fire in Dhaka, Bangladesh

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A firefighter at the site of a fire in an office building in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Thursday.CreditCreditMahmud Hossain Opu/Associated Press

By Julfikar Ali Manik

DHAKA, Bangladesh — A fire broke out on Thursday in a large office tower in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, killing at least four people and trapping an untold number inside, the local news media reported.

Videos circulating on social media showed large flames burning through the 24-story building, F.R. Tower, and at least one person was seen jumping or falling.

“Seventeen firefighting units of the Dhaka Fire Service and Civil Defense are trying to douse the fire,” Officer Ataur Rahman of the Dhaka Fire Service told the Dhaka Tribune.

Officials said the cause of the fire was unclear.

As the fire climbed higher, employees broke the building’s blue-colored glass and screamed for help. Thousands of people gathered below in the neighborhood of Banani, a commercial area of Dhaka, taking photos and video.

In February, 70 people were killed in a fire that tore through a crowded neighborhood in Dhaka, a densely populated city of around 20 million people.

Kai Schultz contributed reporting from New Delhi, and Russell Goldman from Hong Kong.

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Bangladesh Fire Tears Through Crowded Neighborhood, Killing 70

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2019-03-28 12:33:45Z
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At Least 4 Die in Office Tower Fire in Dhaka, Bangladesh - The New York Times

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At Least 4 Die in Office Tower Fire in Dhaka, Bangladesh

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A firefighter at the site of a fire in an office building in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Thursday.CreditCreditMahmud Hossain Opu/Associated Press

By Julfikar Ali Manik

DHAKA, Bangladesh — A fire broke out on Thursday in a large office tower in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, killing at least four people and trapping an untold number inside, the local news media reported.

Videos circulating on social media showed large flames burning through the 24-story building, F.R. Tower, and at least one person was seen jumping or falling.

“Seventeen firefighting units of the Dhaka Fire Service and Civil Defense are trying to douse the fire,” Officer Ataur Rahman of the Dhaka Fire Service told the Dhaka Tribune.

Officials said the cause of the fire was unclear.

As the fire climbed higher, employees broke the building’s blue-colored glass and screamed for help. Thousands of people gathered below in the neighborhood of Banani, a commercial area of Dhaka, taking photos and video.

In February, 70 people were killed in a fire that tore through a crowded neighborhood in Dhaka, a densely populated city of around 20 million people.

Kai Schultz contributed reporting from New Delhi, and Russell Goldman from Hong Kong.

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Bangladesh Fire Tears Through Crowded Neighborhood, Killing 70

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https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/28/world/asia/bangladesh-fire-dhaka.html

2019-03-28 11:15:00Z
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Weary EU press say they're appalled by Brexit deadlock - BBC News

European newspapers say UK Prime Minister Theresa May's promise to quit if MPs back her Brexit deal - and the failure of Parliament to agree on any of the eight proposed alternatives - have plunged Britain deeper into paralysis.

In Germany, Die Welt says "Mrs May plays her last card - her own job". It notes growing support for her proposed deal among MPs from her Conservative Party but says it remains doubtful that it will eventually be approved, adding: "The Brexit chaos in the British Parliament goes on."

Similarly Germany's Bild speaks of the "chaos becoming even more confusing" after MPs rejected all eight alternative Brexit proposals. Der Spiegel magazine describes proceedings as "another day of chaos in Westminster".

France's Le Figaro observes that Mrs May made a "Faustian pact" with Conservative MPs by offering to resign, but adds "on the other side of the Channel, Europeans are watching these developments with a feeling of weariness".

Meanwhile, Le Monde's headline says: "The prospect of a no-deal increases by another notch."

It recalls that French President Emmanuel Macron and Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel "openly evoked it as an option" at a European Council meeting earlier this month.

For Polish broadsheet Rzeczpospolita, last night's Brexit wrangling was the "Final humiliation of Theresa May".

"For a moment, it seemed that the never-ending Brexit saga was over. But this illusion lasted for two hours tops" it said, referring to the continuing refusal by the Northern Irish DUP party, on whose support the Conservatives rely, to back Mrs May's deal.

In a similar vein, La Libre Belgique says the votes, "far from bringing the awaited clarity, plunged the United Kingdom into confusion even more profoundly".

Looking ahead, Belgium's Le Soir points out that the UK may face a "cordon sanitaire" setting it apart from the rest of the EU in case of a lengthy exit process.

"The hypothesis of a long delay to the UK's departure, for example for a year, will give the British an influence in the EU that the EU27 will do their best to limit," it notes.

For Stephen Collins in the Irish Times, letting the UK hold another European election would be "disastrous" as the European Parliament already faces an upsurge of populist forces.

"There is a serious danger that the Brexiteers who have paralysed the House of Commons and undermined the reputation of British politics will take their wrecking tactics to the European Parliament if the United Kingdom is allowed to remain in the European Union for an extended period," he says.

"It is theoretically possible that European elections in the UK could provide a rallying point for those who want to remain in the EU or at least desire a softer Brexit… The problem is that no party apart from the Liberal Democrats is committed to remaining in the EU so the odds must be that, as last time, the elections will be a vehicle for anti-EU forces to mobilise."

BBC Monitoring reports and analyses news from TV, radio, web and print media around the world. You can follow BBC Monitoring on Twitter and Facebook.

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https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-47732993

2019-03-28 10:58:19Z
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Theresa May to renew Brexit deal push after pledge to resign: Latest updates - CNN International

Good morning from London, where another chaotic day in the Brexit process has left us none the wiser as to how Britain will emerge from its paralyzing political deadlock.

Here's where we are on Friday morning...

Parliament had its big day -- but said no: In a move unprecedented in living memory, British MPs seized control of the order paper from the government to hold a series of indicative votes, giving their views on a whole menu of alternative Brexit options.

The only problem? All eight alternatives lost. A second referendum to confirm any Brexit deal won more votes than any other option, while a customs union plan came nearest to gaining a majority of voting MPs.

Theresa May fell on her sword -- but might have missed: Hours earlier, the Prime Minister told backbench Conservative MPs she would stand aside as leader -- if her Brexit deal is passed.

Unfortunately for her -- and for the rivals eyeing up her job -- the DUP said a few minutes later they wouldn't be backing the plan. That likely sinks the deal, which was in the balance even if their 10 MPs did vote for it. But May's team will hope they can change the party's mind over the coming days.

The meaningful vote will happen tomorrow -- unless it doesn't: Under the EU's rules for granting Britain a Brexit extension, May was required to hold a third vote on her deal this week. We'll find out today if that will go ahead tomorrow.

But there's no guarantee that May won't pull the vote again over a lack of support, bring it back next week, and hope Europe lets her off.

Today was supposed to be Britain's last full day as a member of the EU. But the delay to the process means Thursday will instead be yet another day of political twists and turns in Westminster, as the country limps towards its next exit date without much idea of how and when Brexit will take place.

There's no Brexit fatigue here, though, where you can follow all the twists and turns as they happen.

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https://edition.cnn.com/uk/live-news/brexit-may-vote-gbr-intl/index.html

2019-03-28 10:50:22Z
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Rescued migrants hijack merchant ship near Libya - reports - BBC News

Migrants have hijacked a merchant vessel that rescued them off Libya's coast, ordering the crew to head towards Malta, reports say.

More than 100 migrants aboard the cargo ship are said to have acted after being told they would be taken back to Libya.

Malta's military said the ship would not be allowed into its waters. Italy's Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini described the hijackers as "pirates".

This comes as the EU says it is ending navy patrols in the Mediterranean.

The EU says the decision to suspend Operation Sophia in September follows a request by Italy.

The mission was put in place four years ago to deter people smugglers and rescue migrants trying to reach Europe by boat. Tens of thousands have been saved.

Lately, the mission has largely targeted smuggling networks as the number of people making the crossing dropped sharply following a controversial deal between the EU and Libya.

But Mr Salvini, the leader of the right-wing League party, has blamed Operation Sophia for continuing to bring rescued migrants to Italian shores.

What about the hijacked ship?

The Elhiblu cargo ship is believed to be carrying more than 100 migrants. Its present location is unclear, as are the circumstances of the rescue off Libya.

The Libyan coastguard has so far made no public comments on the reported hijacking.

A spokesperson for the Maltese armed forces said attempts to contact the ship's captain had been unsuccessful, MaltaToday website reports.

Maltese officials were monitoring the situation and were prepared for any eventuality, the spokesperson added.

Meanwhile, Mr Salvini wrote on his Facebook page (in Italian): "They are not shipwrecked but pirates, they will only see Italy through a telescope."

Mr Salvini has been at the centre of a number of international row over his refusal to allow migrant ships dock in Italian ports.

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https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-47725242

2019-03-28 09:52:15Z
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UK lawmakers are split over Brexit: What happens next? - CNBC

A series of votes in the U.K. Parliament on Wednesday evening showed that political deadlock over Brexit is as strong as ever. Here's the lowdown on what just happened and what could happen next.

Members of Parliament (MPs) voted on a range of options put forward by lawmakers on Brexit and what relationship the U.K. should have with the EU once it leaves the bloc. The results showed that there is no majority support for any of the eight alternative proposals that were voted on, however.

Options voted on included leaving the bloc on April 12 without a deal, staying in a customs union with the EU, remaining in a customs union and close alignment with the single market as well as holding a second referendum to confirm the Brexit deal or to stay in the EU instead.

None of the so-called "indicative votes" received overwhelming backing but the votes clearly showed a strong opposition to leaving the EU without a deal – seen as a "hard" Brexit option – and a preference among many MPs for a closer relationship with the EU post-Brexit.

For instance, 264 MPs voted for a customs union with the EU (to 272 against); 237 MPs voted for the opposition Labour Party's proposal for a customs union plus close alignment with the single market (to 307 against) and 268 MPs voted for a "confirmatory" referendum to approve a Brexit deal or to stay in the EU (with 295 against such a plan).

MPs did not vote on Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal which has already been rejected twice by Parliament.

May told members of her Conservative Party Wednesday that she would step down if her 'Withdrawal Agreement' – as the Brexit deal is known – was approved in a third vote that she might try to hold imminently.

The lack of clarity following the votes have left many people scratching their heads over what the U.K. actually wants from Brexit but the vote shows that, like the public, MPs remain as divided as ever.

The votes Wednesday evening showed a clear dislike for the 'no-deal' Brexit option, however, with 400 votes against that option.

"While none of the eight Brexit options won a majority in the U.K. parliament tonight, the 'indicative votes' nonetheless yielded a few clear insights," Kallum Pickering, senior economist at Berenberg Bank, said in a note Wednesday night after the votes.

"(1) parliament is strongly against a no-deal hard Brexit; (2) so far, there is more support for a softer version of Brexit than Prime Minister Theresa May's semi-soft deal; and (3) the option of a new referendum is not off the table," he said in a note.

Pickering noted that a majority of MPs are staunchly against a hard Brexit and that while this remains the default option come 12 April if the U.K. has not passed May's Brexit deal or agreed with the EU a further delay, "the clear result (against a hard Brexit) strengthens our view that, if need be, the U.K. would rather ask for a new Brexit delay than plunge into a hard Brexit."

With no clear consensus on Wednesday night's votes, there is expected to be a second round of voting on indicative votes on Monday.

As Berenberg's Pickering noted, "the calculus may change for a significant number of MPs so that a majority in favor of one of the options that almost made it tonight could emerge. 320 votes guarantees a majority in the House of Commons."

In the meantime, Prime Minister May could try to hold a third 'meaningful vote' seeking support for her Brexit deal despite it being defeated twice already in January and March. This vote, known as "MV3" (for the third "Meaningful Vote") could be held as soon as Friday.

However, many MPs (mainly Brexiteers and the Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party, which supports May's government) still dislike May's deal, particularly the part related to the Irish "backstop." This aimed at preventing a hard border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland but involved maintaining a much closer (and potentially much longer) relationship with the EU.

Britain has until May 22 to leave the bloc if politicians agree to May's deal, or April 12 if it does not. If it wants to stay longer it will have to participate in European parliamentary elections on May 26.

Faced with the prospect of a delayed departure, some Brexiteers agreed Wednesday to back May's deal if a third vote was held. But it's nowhere near certain that she would get the support the deal needs to get through Parliament, particularly after the DUP said again that it would not support it.

If the deal was passed, May agreed Wednesday that she would leave office. This would mean a leadership contest in the Conservative Party, and the increased likelihood of a general election.

With Brexit unresolved in the meantime, a longer delay to the U.K.'s departure is now what most economists like Paul Donovan, chief economist at UBS Global Wealth Management, expect.

He said in a note Thursday that in what called "the interminably tedious UK-EU divorce" a "long-delay to the exit seems increasingly likely."

A longer delay to Brexit and a leadership battle means more uncertainty for British businesses who have repeatedly criticized the government for having no clear strategy when it comes to Brexit.

"Brexit is a big deal (for businesses), it's the source of a lot of uncertainty and businesses do not like uncertainty," Mats Persson, U.K. Brexit Strategy Leader at EY, told CNBC Thursday. "No one likes this almost permanent state of limbo we're in."

"Underpinning all of that is you have the wider political uncertainty," Persson, who was also a former adviser to previous Prime Minister David Cameron on EU Affairs, told CNBC's Willem Marx.

"The prime minister talking yesterday about her potential departure date throws up the prospect of a potential general election … So you also have not only the Brexit outcomes you have to think about (as a business) but also the political uncertainty and the potential for changing government," he said.

"It's almost the perfect mix, or rather the perfect storm, in terms of the difficulty of planning for this from a business perspective."

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https://www.cnbc.com/2019/03/28/brexit-votes-what-happens-next.html

2019-03-28 09:15:40Z
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