Briefly

IRELAND

10 die in petrol station explosion

Ten people, including a primary schoolgirl, were confirmed dead by Irish police on Saturday following an explosion at a petrol station in Donegal, Ireland. Police confirmed that all victims were from the Creeslough area, where the blast ripped through a petrol station and convenience store, causing widespread damage including to surrounding buildings and cars, on Friday, according to media reports. Search and rescue efforts were continuing, but police said they were not expecting further casualties. The cause of the explosion remained unknown.

FRANCE

Strikes at refineries put country on edge

Strikes continued at TotalEnergies and ExxonMobil refineries, said the General Confederation of Labour on Saturday, leading to fuel-related panic in the country. The Ministry for Energy Transition said 20.7 percent of service stations were experiencing difficulties with at least one product on Saturday, compared with 19 percent on Friday. Christopher Aubert, the CGT delegate of ExxonMobil, said at least 70 percent of the company's workers were on strike on Saturday. The strikers' actions led to a decrease in fuel deliveries, provoking fear among the French of fuel shortages as several Total service stations have been closed in the country.

UNITED KINGDOM

Labour retains big lead over Truss' party

Britain's opposition Labour Party has a huge opinion poll lead over Prime Minister Liz Truss' Conservative Party, which has failed to stage a recovery after its annual conference, polls showed on Saturday. A YouGov survey of 1,737 British adults, carried out on Thursday and Friday for The Times newspaper, showed support for Labour at 52 percent, down two points from a poll by the same organization in late September, while the Conservatives were up just one point at 22 percent. A separate poll by Opinium of 2,023 people conducted last week gave Labour a 47-26 percent lead over the Conservatives.

Agencies - Xinhua