Fire in Kolkata's under-construction tallest building
Kolkata, Nov 17: A fire broke out in the under-construction tallest tower of Kolkata on Saturday evening, but there was no report of any casualty, police said.
The fire broke out at around 4.55 pm in the eighth and ninth floor of 'The 42', a 62-floor residential skyscraper in the city's central business area of Chowringhee, a senior officer of the Kolkata Police said.
Three fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the fire, which is now under control, Mayor Sovan Chatterjee, who paid a visit to the site, told reporters.
The building is named after its address: 42, Jawaharlal Nehru Road.
"The fire seems to have spread through the nylon nets used to guard the air-conditioning machines. Our officials have responded quickly and the fire is under control now," Chatterjee added.
The city was witness to two major fire incidents in recent times.
A fire broke out at the 150-year old Bagree Market in Burrabazar, one of the largest wholesale hubs of the country, in September and gutted a large number of shops. It could be put out on the fourth day.
Early in October, a fire broke out at the Calcutta Medical College hospital, founded in 1835 and regarded as among the oldest in the country. There were no casualties.
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Lebanon appoints new representative for talks with Israel, rejects linkage to Iran
Beirut: Lebanon’s has moved to underline its independent position in ongoing regional developments, amid attempts to link the country to the broader conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
President Joseph Aoun, while announcing the appointment of former US ambassador Simon Karam as Lebanon’s representative in talks with Israel, made it clear that Karam would be the sole representative for Lebanon and that there would be no substitute.
The move comes in response to what the Lebanese officials see as efforts by Iran to tie Lebanon’s situation to the wider regional conflict. Iran had indicated that there would be no ceasefire involving the US, Israel and Iran unless it also included a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Some groups, including Hezbollah and its supporters, had expressed support for linking the situations, citing concerns that the Lebanese government has limited leverage in negotiations with Israel. Lebanon is not formally a party to the conflict, and its army is considered weak.
However, others, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, have opposed this approach. They view Iran’s stance as an attempt to influence Lebanon’s internal affairs and see it as undermining the country’s sovereignty.
Officials backing the government’s position say the move is aimed at reaffirming Lebanon’s sovereignty and ensuring that decisions about peace and ceasefire within the country are not dictated externally.
They also see it as a safeguard, so that any breakdown in talks between the US, Israel and Iran does not automatically lead to renewed conflict in Lebanon.
