Severe storm strikes coastal city in
Argentina, at least 13 dead
BAHÍA BLANCA, Dec 17: At least 13 people have been killed in Argentina, a local city mayor said on Saturday, following a severe electrical storm that struck along the South American country's Atlantic coast. Federico Susbielles, mayor of Bahia Blanca, confirmed the death toll in a post on X. The city is near the southern tip of Buenos Aires province, one of Argentina's top grain-producing regions. In a statement, the office of President Javier Milei offered condolences to the families of the victims, and recommended that locals remain inside their homes through Sunday morning, citing destructive wind gusts in the area exceeding 150 kph (93 mph). — Reuters
Small plane crashes into power lines
Explosives factory blast kills nine
NEW DELHI, Dec 17: At least nine workers were killed and several injured in a blast at an explosives factory in Nagpur, a central district in Maharashtra state on Sunday morning, a local police officer told Reuters over the phone. The blast occurred around 8.30 am at a factory run by Solar Industries India, the police officer surnamed Salve said. The factory manufactures industrial and military explosives, as well as propellants and warheads for India's defence sector, according to Solar Industries' website. The injured were shifted to nearby hospitals, Salve said, adding that the number of casualties could increase. Salve was part of the team that went to the site of the explosion on Sunday morning. — Reuters
Putin warns of 'problems' with Finland
MOSCOW, Dec 17: Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned of "problems" with neighbouring Finland after it joined NATO earlier this year, saying Moscow will create a new military district in north-west Russia in response, in an interview published Sunday. Finland, which shares a 1,340 kilometre (830-mile) border with Russia, joined NATO in April this year in the midst of Moscow's Ukraine offensive. "They (the West) dragged Finland into NATO. Did we have any disputes with them? All disputes, including territorial ones in the mid-20th century, have long been solved," Putin told a state TV reporter. "There were no problems there, now there will be, because we will create the Leningrad military district and concentrate a certain amount of military units there." — AFP
Flood alerts issued for Queensland
News in Brief -2023-12-18)
FE Team | Published: December 17, 2023 21:39:58
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