<p>A powerful explosion ripped through a Havana hotel in Cuba on Friday morning, claiming at least eight lives and leaving over 30 people injured.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p>Police and fire rescuers have been dispatched to the site and combing through rubble for survivors, as at least 13 people were reported to be missing, the presidency, in a tweet, quoted Havana Communist Party official Luis Antonio Torres Iribar.</p>

<p><o:p></o:p></p>

<p>"So far, eight people have died and about 30 are hospitalized," the Cuban presidency tweeted after the blast.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p>Images from the scene showed dark plumes of dust billowing into the air and leaving rubble strewn across the street in the historic centre of Havana.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p>Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel ruled out a bomb explosion and said that a gas leak is believed to be the cause of the blast at Hotel Saratoga. <o:p></o:p></p>

<p>Witnesses described a "massive blast," which appeared to destroy buses and cars outside the hotel in the centre of the city.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Video of Hotel Saratoga in Havana right now. <a href="https://t.co/U3qQPHFIH1">pic.twitter.com/U3qQPHFIH1</a></p>
— Patrick Oppmann CNN (@CNN_Oppmann) <a href="https://twitter.com/CNN_Oppmann/status/1522611674326388736?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">BREAKING: Major explosion damages historic hotel in Havana, Cuba; no word on injuries <a href="https://t.co/QyksoqI2fI">pic.twitter.com/QyksoqI2fI</a></p>
— BNO News (@BNONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/BNONews/status/1522604191394693123?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>At least two ambulances and five fire trucks rushed to the hotel, and police cordoned off the area, dispersing people who swarmed to the site after hearing the blast, according to AFP.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p><o:p></o:p></p>

<p>The hotel, which was built in the 1930s, has 96 rooms and was reopened in 2005 after refurbishment, according to its website.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p>After being built as a warehouse in 1880, it was rebuilt as a hotel in 1933.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p>“Though we have not been able to verify the origin of its name, it is likely that it stems from the US resort town of Saratoga in the State of New York,” the hotel&nbsp;website states.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p>(With inputs from agencies)<o:p></o:p></p>


A powerful explosion ripped through a Havana hotel in Cuba on Friday morning, claiming at least eight lives and leaving over 30 people injured. Police and fire rescuers have been dispatched to the site and combing through rubble for survivors, as at least 13 people were reported to be missing, the presidency, in a tweet, quoted Havana Communist Party official Luis Antonio Torres Iribar.

A powerful explosion ripped through a Havana hotel in Cuba on Friday morning, claiming at least eight lives and leaving over 30 people injured. Police and fire rescuers have been dispatched to the site and combing through rubble for survivors, as at least 13 people were reported to be missing, the presidency, in a tweet, quoted Havana Communist Party official Luis Antonio Torres Iribar. "So far, eight people have died and about 30 are hospitalized," the Cuban presidency tweeted after the blast. Images from the scene showed dark plumes of dust billowing into the air and leaving rubble strewn across the street in the historic centre of Havana. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel ruled out a bomb explosion and said that a gas leak is believed to be the cause of the blast at Hotel Saratoga. Witnesses described a "massive blast," which appeared to destroy buses and cars outside the hotel in the centre of the city. Video of Hotel Saratoga in Havana right now. pic.twitter.com/U3qQPHFIH1 — Patrick Oppmann CNN (@CNN_Oppmann) May 6, 2022 × BREAKING: Major explosion damages historic hotel in Havana, Cuba; no word on injuries pic.twitter.com/QyksoqI2fI — BNO News (@BNONews) May 6, 2022 × At least two ambulances and five fire trucks rushed to the hotel, and police cordoned off the area, dispersing people who swarmed to the site after hearing the blast, according to AFP. The hotel, which was built in the 1930s, has 96 rooms and was reopened in 2005 after refurbishment, according to its website. After being built as a warehouse in 1880, it was rebuilt as a hotel in 1933. “Though we have not been able to verify the origin of its name, it is likely that it stems from the US resort town of Saratoga in the State of New York,” the hotel website states. (With inputs from agencies)

At least 8 killed, 30 injured as powerful explosion obliterates Cuban hotel

<p>Pakistan Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/imran-khan">Imran Khan </a>has vowed to wipe out terror in his country.</p>

<p>This tall promise came shortly after a suicide attack in Balochistan. On Wednesday night, 50 kgs of RDX exploded at a luxury hotel in Quetta.</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-chinese-ambassador-was-on-target-in-quetta-blast-379343/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>The Serena Hotel in Quetta is located right next to the Iranian consulate and the provincial assembly of Balochistan.</p>

<p>As many as four people were killed and 11 have been injured.&nbsp;The Tehreek-e-Taliban, an offshoot of the Afghan Taliban, claimed responsibility for the attack and Islamabad says their target was the Chinese ambassador to Pakistan.</p>

<p><strong>Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-deadly-blast-at-luxury-hotel-housing-chinese-ambassador-kills-four-379141">Pakistan: Deadly blast at luxury hotel housing Chinese ambassador kills four</a></strong></p>

<p>"This incident occurred after Iftar (breaking of fast). The car was parked in the parking lot of the Serena Hotel. The blast killed four people&nbsp;and injured 11. One of our police constables is among the injured," Mir Ziaullah Langove, Balochistan provincial minister, said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Nong Rong, the Chinese ambassador to Pakistan, was staying at the hotel with four other Chinese delegates.</p>

<p>He was out for a meeting at the time of the explosion.</p>

<p>In Beijing, the Chinese foreign ministry is alarmed and has condemned the attack, promising to firmly support Pakistan's anti-terrorism efforts.</p>

<p>"China strongly condemns the terrorist attack, expresses its condolences to the tragic victims and extends its sympathy to the injured," Wang Wenbin, foreign ministry spokesperson, said. &nbsp;</p>

<p>"China will continue to firmly support Pakistan's counter-terrorism efforts, jointly maintain and promote regional security and stability, and ensure the safety of Chinese personnel and institutions in Pakistan."</p>

<p>In Islamabad, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said he was saddened by the loss of innocent lives, promising to not let the scourge of terrorism re-emerge.</p>

<p>However, the people of Balochistan will tell you this promise means nothing.&nbsp;The province has seen six decades of insurgency by separatists who want independence from Pakistan. Their objective is to end Islamabad's monopoly and exploitation of the province's mineral resources.</p>

<p>This conflict intensified with the onset of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in 2017, which is increasingly turning Balochistan into a Chinese colony.</p>

<p>Billions of dollars are flowing into the regions, thousands of outsiders are getting jobs, but the Baloch people continue to toil in poverty as they are pushed to the margins.</p>

<p>In recent years, they have carried out multiple attacks on Chinese investments.</p>

<p>Three Chinese nationals were injured in a suicide attack near Quetta in 2018.&nbsp;In 2019, gunmen stormed a hotel in the Chinese-run Gwadar seaport, killing five people. And in 2020, Baloch insurgents stormed the Karachi Stock Exchange, in which nine people were killed.&nbsp;</p>

<p>With the latest suicide attack that targeted the Chinese ambassador, it has become absolutely clear that Balochistan is slowly becoming China's Achilles'&nbsp;heel.</p>

<p>It is becoming a big problem for China's mega Belt and Road Initiative and the jewel in its crown, the CPEC.&nbsp;</p>


Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has vowed to wipe out terror in his country. This tall promise came shortly after a suicide attack in Balochistan. On Wednesday night, 50 kgs of RDX exploded at a luxury hotel in Quetta.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has vowed to wipe out terror in his country. This tall promise came shortly after a suicide attack in Balochistan. On Wednesday night, 50 kgs of RDX exploded at a luxury hotel in Quetta. Watch | The Serena Hotel in Quetta is located right next to the Iranian consulate and the provincial assembly of Balochistan. As many as four people were killed and 11 have been injured. The Tehreek-e-Taliban, an offshoot of the Afghan Taliban, claimed responsibility for the attack and Islamabad says their target was the Chinese ambassador to Pakistan. Also read | Pakistan: Deadly blast at luxury hotel housing Chinese ambassador kills four "This incident occurred after Iftar (breaking of fast). The car was parked in the parking lot of the Serena Hotel. The blast killed four people and injured 11. One of our police constables is among the injured," Mir Ziaullah Langove, Balochistan provincial minister, said. Nong Rong, the Chinese ambassador to Pakistan, was staying at the hotel with four other Chinese delegates. He was out for a meeting at the time of the explosion. In Beijing, the Chinese foreign ministry is alarmed and has condemned the attack, promising to firmly support Pakistan's anti-terrorism efforts. "China strongly condemns the terrorist attack, expresses its condolences to the tragic victims and extends its sympathy to the injured," Wang Wenbin, foreign ministry spokesperson, said. "China will continue to firmly support Pakistan's counter-terrorism efforts, jointly maintain and promote regional security and stability, and ensure the safety of Chinese personnel and institutions in Pakistan." In Islamabad, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said he was saddened by the loss of innocent lives, promising to not let the scourge of terrorism re-emerge. However, the people of Balochistan will tell you this promise means nothing. The province has seen six decades of insurgency by separatists who want independence from Pakistan. Their objective is to end Islamabad's monopoly and exploitation of the province's mineral resources. This conflict intensified with the onset of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in 2017, which is increasingly turning Balochistan into a Chinese colony. Billions of dollars are flowing into the regions, thousands of outsiders are getting jobs, but the Baloch people continue to toil in poverty as they are pushed to the margins. In recent years, they have carried out multiple attacks on Chinese investments. Three Chinese nationals were injured in a suicide attack near Quetta in 2018. In 2019, gunmen stormed a hotel in the Chinese-run Gwadar seaport, killing five people. And in 2020, Baloch insurgents stormed the Karachi Stock Exchange, in which nine people were killed. With the latest suicide attack that targeted the Chinese ambassador, it has become absolutely clear that Balochistan is slowly becoming China's Achilles' heel. It is becoming a big problem for China's mega Belt and Road Initiative and the jewel in its crown, the CPEC.

Why Quetta blast is a big concern for China's ambitious projects

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At least 8 killed, 30 injured as powerful explosion obliterates Cuban hotel

Why Quetta blast is a big concern for China's ambitious projects