Briefly

UNITED STATES

Chocolate factory explosion toll rises to 7

The death toll from an explosion and fire at a chocolate factory in West Reading, Pennsylvania, has risen to seven, authorities said on Sunday. "All seven presumed missing have been found," West Reading Mayor Samantha Kaag said in a statement. None of the victims will be named until authorities are certain that their families have been contacted, said Kaag. The explosion took place at the RM Palmer Company, which makes chocolate, on Friday afternoon. Ten people were sent to the hospital. Kaag said there will be three buildings condemned around the site out of precaution as the investigation continues.

RUSSIA

Subs base for Poseidon carriers to finish in 2024

Russia plans to complete in early 2024 the construction of its coastal infrastructure in the Pacific Ocean for basing nuclear submarines that will carry the Poseidon nuclear capable super torpedoes, TASS news agency reported on Monday. Russia said in January that it had produced the first set of the Poseidon torpedoes, four years after President Vladimir Putin announced the fundamentally new type of strategic nuclear weapon, confirming it would have its own nuclear power supply. The torpedoes are being developed for deployment on the Belgorod and Khabarovsk nuclear submarines, TASS reported.

FRANCE

PM offers to meet opposition amid crisis

French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said on Sunday that she would meet opposition leaders early next month and was open to talks with unions, after weeks of protests against pensions reforms. She also said she would not make further use of the controversial mechanism that allowed her to force through the reforms without a parliamentary vote, outside budget matters. Borne made the remarks ahead of another day of action on Tuesday organized by unions to protest the pensions reforms, which include raising the retirement age from 62 to 64.

Xinhua - Agencies