03 Feb 2017

According to several media reports, at least four people have been injured after two explosions in a Paris suburb caused by a suspected gas leak. Some reports also mentioned couple of casualties in two blasts in the Paris suburb of Noisy-le-Grand just before 1000 PM on Thursday night.

Captain Guillaume Fresse of the city's fire department said: "The explosion that took place in a house was followed by a fire.

"According to a provisional report, there are four casualties."

The cause of the explosion is unknown.

GENERAL TRIAS CITY
Cavite, Philippines
02 Feb. 2017 (PNA) –

A Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) top official on Thursday placed the damage of House Technology Industries (HTI) facilities that was gutted by fire late Wednesday afternoon to reach around Php 10 billion.

In a press interview here, Charito Plaza, PEZA Director General said the HTI, one of the biggest companies at the Cavite Export Processing Zone Authority and employs 12,000 employees here, incurred fire damage of some Php 10 billion.

Plaza said the HTI at Cavite Ecozone was one of the HTI Group of Companies operating in the country which has 24,500 employees.

She also said they will assess if the company owner met standard requirements for automatic sprinklers instead of the manually-operated units in case of fire incidents.

In Cavite’s economic zone of 88 hectares sprawled at PEZA Bacao 2 in this city, HTI occupies some 6 hectares for its housing construction and production technologies operations, she said.

Cavite Governor Jesus Crispin "Boying" Remulla also told media that HTI has been in operation here for 15 years employing thousands of workers from Cavite and other provinces.

“Families of the workers-victims are not yet informed fully over the incident at PEZA that is why the firm’s human resource personnel have been stationed at the PEZA Gate 5 to assist the family members who are looking for their missing loved ones, as of this time,” Gov. Remulla said.

Remulla said there was no confirmation of casualties yet pending verification and validation by seven members of the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) who are dispatched to investigate.

The Cavite governor said forensic experts were verifying the victims’ dental records and DNA tests as Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) fire marshals were also investigating on the cause of the fire.

Workers who survived the fire incident disclosed that the fire may have been caused by the malfunctioning of industrial machines, which ignited and triggered the explosion.

They said fire spread to highly combustible materials and chemicals used by the factory and much later, weakened the structures that resulted in the collapse of the first, second and third floors of the building.

He said after all investigations and examinations of the bodies have been completed, then they would be cleared to enter the collapsed 3-storey building for inspection.

According to Gov. Remulla, Malacañang and different branches of government have already offered their assistance to the families of the fire victims although he stressed the company’s liability and accountability of their workers.

As of press time, the governor cannot make any pronouncement on the headcount of those trapped inside the building but authorities have already made arrangements with the funeral parlors here to pick up the bodies as soon as the fire is fully contained.

Cavite hospitals have already admitted more than 100 workers with burn injuries as of press time.

Remulla confirmed there were 126 injured, four were in critical conditions and two were missing with around 80 victims earlier rushed to the Divine Grace Center Hospital in General Trias and in other nearby hospitals.

Officials said it would take longer time to identify the identities if there were casualties involved or trapped inside the collapsed structures.

Beijing
03 Feb. 2017 (Xinhua)

China on Friday urged the United States to stop making wrong remarks on the issue of the Diaoyu Islands sovereignty after U.S. defense secretary James Mattis reportedly said the U.S.-Japan mutual defense treaty applies to the islands.

"The Diaoyu Island and its adjacent islets have been an inherent part of Chinese territory since ancient times, which is a unchangeable historical fact," Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said after Japanese media reported that Mattis reiterated the islands fall under Article 5 of the security treaty on his first Japan trip since taking over the Pentagon.

Lu said the so-called U.S.-Japan treaty of mutual cooperation and defense is a product of the Cold War, which should not impair China's territorial sovereignty and legitimate rights.

"We urge the U.S. side to take a responsible attitude, stop making wrong remarks on the issue involving the Diaoyu Islands sovereignty, and avoid making the issue more complicated and bringing instability to the regional situation," said the spokesman.

Strategic Communications
International Cricket Council (ICC)
01 Feb. 2017

A new ICC website has been launched today with a host of features for cricket fans and media around the world.

With a live match centre featuring full editorial ball by ball commentary, complete cricket calendar for both men’s and women’s international cricket, video section and Hall of Fame celebration.

New web site carries a calendar, where one can search by date, format and teams is a particular favourite of everyone who has trialled it! This video from Ian Bishop explains more.

Shashank Manohar, ICC Chairman has said on the occasion that 'as Chairman of the ICC, I feel optimistic for our sport for a number of reasons away from the field of play. Sport governance is under the spotlight more than ever before and it is no secret that in our recent past the ICC has taken decisions that were in retrospect not always in the best interests of the game as a whole. I believe 2017 is the year when we start to reverse that and provide a genuine opportunity for our sport to grow.

My vision is to ensure the sport has strong governance, finance, corporate and cricketing structures that support all of our members and decisions are taken for the long term benefit of the sport from the largest nation to the smallest.'

A ‘What is Cricket’ series is a world first for the sport, explaining the game in ten videos. Additionally there are a range of explainer videos around DRS, DLS, Team Rankings, three formats and a host of other areas that aim to demystify the sport for those who don’t have your knowledge.

IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
London
31 January 2017

The official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported that the Saudi-led coalition, which is trying to reinstall Yemen's ousted government, had released a statement saying that a Saudi frigate had been attacked by three suicide boats operated by the Ansar Allah (Houthi) group west of the Yemeni port of Al-Hudaydah.

Ansar Allah, which is supported by Iran and allied with Yemeni military units loyal to former president Abdullah Ali Saleh, is not known to have previously used suicide bombing tactics.

The SPA reported the coalition statement as saying the Saudi frigate "dealt with the boats as necessary", but one collided with the rear of the vessel and exploded, causing a fire. Two members of the frigate's crew were killed and three injured.

It said that the fire was extinguished, the frigate continued with its patrol, and coalition aircraft were pursuing the fleeing attack boats.

Pro-rebel media channels reported that Yemen's naval forces had launched a missile that hit a Saudi Al-Madinah-class frigate off Yemen's western coast. They claimed the frigate was violating Yemen's sovereignty and had been involved in attacks on civilians.

The pro-Ansar Allah media channel Al-Masirah TV released low-resolution video footage filmed by at least one, possibly two spotter boats showing an explosion at the stern of one of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces' (RSNF's) four Al-Madinah-class frigates.

The rebels have previously claimed to have carried out anti-ship missile attacks, including one that hit the United Arab Emirates' high-speed logistics vessel Swift off Yemen's Red Sea coast on 1 October 2016.

They denied responsibility for a series of missile launches that the United States said were detected by the destroyer USS Mason between 9 and 15 October.

THE Pentagon believes Yemeni rebel “suicide” boats which attacked a Saudi warship on patrol in the Red Sea were actually trying to target the US as per some Pentagon officials are quoted in various media circles. US Navy destroyer USS Cole was attacked in 2000 at Port of Aden while fueling.

Qatar has strongly condemned attack on Saudi Naval ship and expressed its full support and solidarity with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in its efforts and actions taken to maintain security and stability, a press release issued by Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs according to Qatar News Agency.