Sydney, July 11 (IANS) Fire authority in the Australian state of Victoria is tackling polluted water after a massive chemical explosion triggered a “seventh alarm” blaze in Melbourne’s west.

“We are currently managing runoff of contaminated water as a result of the firefighting effort and contaminants in the building,” Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) Deputy Commissioner Joshua Fischer said in a statement released on Thursday.

Fischer noted that a number of chemicals and dangerous goods were consumed in the fire while the exact quantity is yet to be known, Xinhua news agency reported.

At around 11.20 a.m. local time on Wednesday, emergency services rushed to Swann Drive in Derrimut in response to a significant factory fire sparked by a chemical explosion.

Shortly afterwards, a “Watch and Act” alert was issued for neighbouring regions, including Albion, Braybrook, Brooklyn, Derrimut, Laverton North, Sunshine, Sunshine West, Tottenham and Truganina.

Residents were urged to take shelter indoors immediately, as the wind was blowing “toxic smoke towards the East across Derrimut.”

At around 3.32 p.m. local time, the flame was deemed “under control” with the efforts of more than 180 firefighters and various specialist equipment, such as aerial appliances.

On Thursday morning, Fischer updated that nearby businesses would be allowed to return on a case-by-case basis thanks to successful firefighting endeavours.

“In excess of 3 million litres of water, 40,000 litres of foam has been used to suppress this fire,” said the deputy commissioner.

“We have got three appliances currently undertaking firefighting operations to continue to suppress the fire, and we still have a further 11 appliances on scene supporting and in time going through a decontamination process,” he noted.

The “Watch and Act” warning has now been downgraded to the “Advice” level, as no threat remains to the local community, but people should continue to stay informed and monitor conditions.

“It is going to take some time to ascertain the exact cause, and we also need to gain access to the scene, which is an active fire area with lots of contaminants and structural integrity issues of the remaining building,” said Fischer.

“This is a challenging and dynamic environment. For FRV, this is our first seventh alarm, which is a significant incident,” he added.

There have been no reported major injuries. FRV, Victoria Police, and WorkSafe Victoria are leading a joint probe into the explosion and subsequent fire.

–IANS

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Seoul, July 11 (IANS) South Korea will begin production of a laser weapon designed to strike down enemy drones for deployment this year, the defence procurement agency said Thursday, in a push to become the first country to operate such a weapon.

Last month, the Defence Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) signed a deal worth about 100 billion won ($72 million) with South Korean defence company Hanwha Aerospace for its production amid efforts to acquire advanced weapons systems, Yonhap news agency reported.

The laser weapon is capable of defending against small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and multi-copters at close range by firing a laser-generated using fiber optics, according to DAPA.

It can fire a laser beam for about 10 to 20 seconds, raising a targeted area’s temperature to over 700 C and disabling internal components, such as an engine or a battery, DAPA spokesperson Jo Yong-jin said in a briefing.

The weapon system can operate as long as electricity is supplied, and a single firing is estimated to cost only about 2,000 won, DAPA said, noting the laser is not visible and does not produce any sound.

“Cost per fire is extremely cheap compared with other guided weapons,” Jo said. “Responses to low-cost strike assets and weapons, such as small drones, will be able to take place very effectively and efficiently.”

He declined to offer further details of the weapon’s capabilities, citing operational security.

If the system is deployed as planned late this year, South Korea will become the first known country in the world to have its military operate such a laser weapon, according to DAPA.

It said the system could become a “game changer” in future warfare if its output is increased to respond to threats posed by ballistic missiles and larger-sized aircraft.

The production comes after South Korea began developing the laser weapon in 2019, investing a total of 87.1 billion won in the project. The system was assessed as combat-suitable in April last year after undergoing successful live-fire tests.

DAPA said it plans to develop an improved version with enhanced output and range.

The military has sought to beef up its response capabilities against small UAVs after five North Korean drones intruded across the inter-Korean border in December 2022.

–IANS

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Washington, July 11 (IANS) South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida pledged to bolster security cooperation with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) amid deepening military cooperation between North Korea and Russia.

Yoon and Kishida on Wednesday shared the view as they met bilaterally on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Washington, where they were invited as leaders of the four Indo-Pacific partner nations, which also include Australia and New Zealand, reported Yonhap news agency.

The NATO summit came just weeks after Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un produced a sweeping security cooperation agreement.

Earlier on Wednesday, the NATO leaders issued a summit declaration strongly condemning North Korea’s weapons exports to Russia.

“The recent moves by Russia and North Korea are causing serious concern not only in East Asia but also for global security,” Yoon said at the start of the talks with Kishida.

“I hope that South Korea and Japan will cooperate closely with NATO member countries and reaffirm that the security of the North Atlantic and Northeast Asia cannot be separated,” he added.

Yoon said Moscow’s close alignment with Pyongyang highlights the importance of the trilateral security cooperation among South Korea, the United States and Japan, as outlined in their Camp David summit in August 2023.

“The two leaders shared concerns over the strengthening of military and economic cooperation between Russia and North Korea through the signing of the ‘comprehensive strategic partnership’ treaty,” Yoon’s office said in a statement.

“They agreed that South Korea and Japan will closely cooperate and work together with the international community to address the Russia-North Korea military cooperation that violates UN Security Council resolutions,” it added.

Kishida also said the security of the two regions is “inseparable.”

“The security of the Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific is inseparable. This summit provides an opportunity to deepen cooperation between NATO and our Indo-Pacific partners,” Kishida said through a translator.

Yoon and Kishida last met in Seoul in May as part of a trilateral summit with China.

–IANS

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Sydney, July 11 (IANS) A 28-year-old man has been charged in Sydney’s west after a serious house fire resulted in the death of three children, Australian police announced on Thursday.

At about 1.00 a.m. local time on Sunday, emergency services were called to a home on Freeman Street in Lalor Park following reports of a house fire, reported Xinhua news agency.

A 29-year-old woman, three boys and a nine-year-old girl were taken to hospitals at Westmead. The female adult has been discharged, while the children remain in stable condition.

Two more boys, aged two and four, were transported to hospital in a critical condition but they died a short time later.

Emergency crews also found the body of a five-month-old girl at the scene after the fire was extinguished.

New South Wales Police Force said that their identities have yet to be formally confirmed and post-mortem examinations are ongoing to determine the cause of their deaths.

According to the authority, the 28-year-old man remains at Westmead Hospital under police guard.

He has been charged with three counts of murder, five counts of attempted murder, and destroying or damaging property with intent to endanger life. All the charges are related to domestic violence.

The offender is expected to appear via a bedside court hearing on Thursday.

–IANS

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Lilongwe, July 11 (IANS) Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera urged southern African countries to collaborate in finding solutions that would help address climate change issues affecting farmers in the region.

Chakwera emphasised the importance of collaboration during his opening speech on Wednesday at the two-day annual Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU) conference in Lilongwe. The conference has brought together representatives from 12 member countries in southern Africa, reports Xinhua news agency.

Chakwera highlighted that the climate change impacts, such as El Nino and cyclones, are not limited to Malawian farmers alone but are affecting farmers across the entire southern African region. He stressed the importance of regional solidarity, urging countries to unite and collectively develop solutions to protect farmers from these challenges.

Chakwera said the collaboration would help develop robust strategies and policies to effectively mitigate the impacts of climate change on farmers in the region.

He added that joint efforts by the southern African countries would also help build and strengthen the resilience of the farmers against the impacts of climate change by adopting new ways of farming to improve their productivity.

The Malawian leader affirmed Malawi’s unwavering commitment to collaborating with other southern African countries in the fight against climate change. He highlighted key initiatives that Malawi is undertaking, including efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, enhance carbon sinks, and promote sustainable development practices.

According to Chakwera, Malawi has already made good progress in its efforts to combat climate change, and meanwhile, the country is promoting conservation agriculture, agro-forestry and other climate-smart activities to enhance the resilience and productivity of farmers.

In his keynote address, chief executive officer (CEO) of SACAU Ishmael Sunga emphasised the importance of revitalising the agricultural sector in southern African countries. He highlighted the need for farmers to embrace digital farming technologies as part of their adaptation strategies in the face of climate change.

–IANS

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