Srilanka

Sri Lanka is firmly committed to the principles and objectives of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Charter and will remain confident of the determination of the governments and peoples of the region towards fostering stronger cooperation, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said. In a message to mark the occasion of the SAARC Charter Day today, President Rajapaksa said Sri Lanka, as a founding member, attributes high importance to the purposes and principles of the SAARC Charter which aims to promote peace, stability, amity and progress in the region through strict adherence to the principles of the UN Charter and Non-alignment.

New Delhi: Forty-three people were killed when a fire broke out at a luggage manufacturing factory in a crowded area in north Delhi. Most of the people who died were labourers who were sleeping at the factory in Anaj Mandi on Rani Jhansi Road when the fire broke out at 5 am.The cause of the fire -- which was reported at 5:22 am -- is not known, officials said, adding that over 50 people were inside the factory operating from a residential area when the fire broke out. Thirty fire trucks are at the site and have taken the situation under control. The fire is suspected to have started at the workshop of the bag manufacturing factory.Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to families of those killed and additional assistance of one lakh to those who were injured. The government has also ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident and sought a report within seven days. "The Anaj Mandi fire tragedy is a very sad incident. More than 40 people have died. I have ordered a magisterial inquiry into it. Compensation of Rs 10 lakh each will be given to families of those dead and Rs 1 lakh each to those injured. The expense of medical treatment of those injured will be borne by the government," Mr Kejriwal said after visiting the site of the fire tragedy.Revenue Minister Kailash Gahlot said that he has directed the district magistrate (central) to conduct an inquiry and submit a report within seven days.The factory was operating in an area, whose narrow and congested lanes are lined with many small manufacturing and storage units."Most who've died were sleeping when the fire broke out and died due to asphyxiation," Sadar Bazar's assistant commissioner of police was quoted as saying by news agency AFP.Chaotic scenes were witnessed at the site of the fire incident with relatives and locals rushing to the area. "I got a call from his friend informing that he has been injured in the incident. I have no clue which hospital he has been taken to," said Manoj, whose brother was working in a handbag manufacturing unit operating from the premises.Many people trapped inside were rescued and rushed to RML Hospital, LNJP and Hindu Rao Hospital, fire officials said. Some of the people were brought dead to LNJP hospital. Doctors at the hospital confirmed smoke inhalation as the primary cause of the death. Some of the bodies were charred, news agency PTI reported. Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the incident as "extremely horrific".

Narendra Modi✔@narendramodiThe fire in DelhiAnaj Mandi on Rani Jhansi Road is extremely horrific. My thoughts are with those who lost their loved ones. Wishing the injured a quick recovery. Authorities are providing all possible assistance at the site of the tragedy.Chaotic scenes were witnessed at the site of the fire incident with relatives and locals rushing to the area.

Home Minister Amit Shah tweeted:

Amit Shah✔@AmitShahTragic loss of precious lives in the fire accident in New Delhi. My deepest condolences with families of those who have lost their loved ones. I pray for the early recovery of the injured.

Have instructed concerned authorities to provide all possible assistance on urgent basis.

Today's incident is the worst fire tragedy seen by the city since a similar incident in Bawana last year in which 17 labourers were charred to death.Many factories and small manufacturing units in big Indian cities are often located in old, cramped quarters of the cities, where the cost of land is relatively cheaper.Such units often also serve as sleeping quarters for poor, mostly migrant labourers and workers, who manage to save money by sleeping overnight at their workplaces.New Delhi: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the fire that broke out at a Delhi factory this morning and killed more than 40 people. A detailed report is to be submitted within a week. The Chief Minister, who rushed to the site after news of the fire, also ordered compensation of Rs 10 lakh each to the families of those who died and Rs 1 lakh each to those injured, whose medical expenses will be borne by his government. Earlier today Mr Kejriwal joined Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Ram Nath Kovind, Home Minister Amit Shah and Congress's Rahul Gandhi in offering condolences to the families of the victims and those injured.The cause of the fire - reported at 5.22 am is not yet known. The fire happened inside the workshop of a luggage-manufacturing factory located in a crowded area in north Delhi. The area is filled with narrow and congested lanes lined with several small-scale manufacturing and storage units.

Most of those who died were labourers sleeping inside the factory; more than 50 people were inside at the time of the blaze, officials said.

Thirty fire trucks were dispatched and the situation has since been brought under control.

Chaotic scenes were witnessed at the site with relatives and locals rushing to the area. "I got a call from his friend informing that he has been injured in the incident. I have no clue which hospital he has been taken to," said Manoj, whose brother was working in a handbag manufacturing unit operating from the premises.

National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel have reached the area to assist in rescue operations and are currently inside the building to check if anyone is still stuck.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the incident as "extremely horrific".

Home Minister Amit Shah said he prayed for the "early recovery of the injured" and said he had instructed the authorities to provide all possible assistance on urgent basis.New Delhi: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the fire that broke out at a Delhi factory this morning and killed more than 40 people. A detailed report is to be submitted within a week. The Chief Minister, who rushed to the site after news of the fire, also ordered compensation of Rs 10 lakh each to the families of those who died and Rs 1 lakh each to those injured, whose medical expenses will be borne by his government. Earlier today Mr Kejriwal joined Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Ram Nath Kovind, Home Minister Amit Shah and Congress's Rahul Gandhi in offering condolences to the families of the victims and those injured.The cause of the fire - reported at 5.22 am is not yet known. The fire happened inside the workshop of a luggage-manufacturing factory located in a crowded area in north Delhi. The area is filled with narrow and congested lanes lined with several small-scale manufacturing and storage units.

Most of those who died were labourers sleeping inside the factory; more than 50 people were inside at the time of the blaze, officials said.

Thirty fire trucks were dispatched and the situation has since been brought under control.

Chaotic scenes were witnessed at the site with relatives and locals rushing to the area. "I got a call from his friend informing that he has been injured in the incident. I have no clue which hospital he has been taken to," said Manoj, whose brother was working in a handbag manufacturing unit operating from the premises.

National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel have reached the area to assist in rescue operations and are currently inside the building to check if anyone is still stuck.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the incident as "extremely horrific".

Home Minister Amit Shah said he prayed for the "early recovery of the injured" and said he had instructed the authorities to provide all possible assistance on urgent basis.

Thousands of people have been displaced as a result of torrential rains in Northern and Eastern provinces, the Disaster Management Center (DMC) reported.According to the latest report released by the Disaster Management Center, in Eastern Province over 79,000 people are affected by the floods and 2,507 people from 798 families have been displaced.In Batticaloa district 51,434 people from 15019 families have been affected in the due to heavy rains and 2,303 people have been relocated to 15 shelters, according to the Batticaloa District Secretary Manikkam Udayakumar.The government has allocated Rs. 1.7 million for the provision of cooked meals to the displaced people at shelters and dry rations to the people temporarily staying with friends and relatives.

The District Secretariat has requested Rs. 16.6 million from the Disaster Management Center to provide relief to all those affected by the floods and inclement weather.Meanwhile, in the five districts of the Northern Province 64,448 people are affected by the floods while 8,478 people from 2,611 families have been displaced. They are accommodated at 56 shelters.Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts are the worst affected in Northern Province. In Kilinochchi, 23,344 people have been affected while 6,090 people have been displaced. In Mullaitivu, mostly in Puthukkudiyiruppu, 30,020 have been affected.Overall in the island 235,906 people of 70,000 families are affected by the adverse weather and 13,310 people from 4,083 families have been displaced. Relief for the victims continues uninterrupted, the DMC said.

Sri LankaIndunil Herath wins the Gold medal in the 800 metres at the South Asian Games in Katmandu, Nepal yesterday (AFP) Despite facing many obstacles that included fever outbreaks and mental discouragements at the hands of some officials, Sri Lankatrack and field athletes rewrote history by winning the highest number of Gold medals, 15 in all, at the South Asian Games outside Sri Lanka here in Nepal yesterday.