Union minister, BJP leader Ananth Kumar passes away at 59
Bengaluru: Union minister and senior BJP leader Ananth Kumar died at a hospital in Bengaluru early on Monday. The 59-year-old was reportedly suffering from cancer.
The six-time MP Kumar was the minister for parliamentary affairs in the Union Cabinet since July 2016. He has represented Bengaluru South constituency in the Lok Sabha since 1996. He was also the minister of chemicals and fertilisers since the Narendra Modi government came into power in May 2014.
Expressing his sadness over Ananth Kumar's death, PM Modi, in a tweet, said Ananth Kumar was "a remarkable leader" who "went on to serve society with utmost diligence and compassion".
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26 killed, 61 injured in blast at fireworks factory in China
Beijing (PTI): At least 26 people were killed and 61 others injured in a massive explosion at a fireworks factory in China's Hunan province, officials said on Tuesday.
The explosion occurred on Monday afternoon at the plant operated by the Huasheng fireworks manufacturing and display company in Liuyang, a county-level city under Changsha, the provincial capital.
Videos circulating on Chinese social media showed massive destruction of property spanning several kilometres.
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More than 480 rescuers, organised into five teams, have been deployed for relief operations, with three rescue robots pressed into service.
Officials said 26 people were killed and 61 others were injured. The injured have been rushed to hospitals for treatment, while a second round of search operations is underway.
China is a leading manufacturer and exporter of fireworks.
As the explosion site is located near two black powder warehouses, the rescuers have evacuated nearby residents and set up a buffer zone to prevent a secondary accident, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
The Ministry of Emergency Management has dispatched experts to the scene to guide rescue efforts.
The person in charge of the company has been detained by police and the cause of the accident is being investigated, the report said.
