Powerful Blast, Fire at India Chemicals Warehouse Kills 12

People stand at the site of fire at a factory in an industrial area on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, India, on Nov 4, 2020. (AP)
People stand at the site of fire at a factory in an industrial area on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, India, on Nov 4, 2020. (AP)
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Powerful Blast, Fire at India Chemicals Warehouse Kills 12

People stand at the site of fire at a factory in an industrial area on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, India, on Nov 4, 2020. (AP)
People stand at the site of fire at a factory in an industrial area on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, India, on Nov 4, 2020. (AP)

A major fire and a powerful blast Wednesday rocked a cotton factory warehouse storing chemicals in western India and killed 12 people, a rescue official said.

Twelve bodies were recovered from the warehouse on the outskirts of Ahmedabad in Gujarat state, according to National Disaster Response Force spokesman Krishan Kumar.

Television images showed several workers fleeing. Twenty-four fire engines and more than 50 firefighters doused the blaze after several hours, the fire control room said.

A portion of the warehouse collapsed, the Press Trust of India news agency said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was "anguished by the loss of lives due to the fire in the warehouse in Ahmedabad."

Some nearby buildings also were damaged, the New Delhi television news channel said.

Poor safety standards are a frequent cause of fires in India.

Last December, a fire believed to be caused by an electrical short circuit engulfed a building in New Delhi, killing at least 43 people.



Netanyahu Expected to Talk Tariffs with Trump in Washington on Monday, Officials Say

US President Donald Trump welcomes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the entrance of the White House in Washington, US, February 4, 2025. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File photo
US President Donald Trump welcomes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the entrance of the White House in Washington, US, February 4, 2025. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File photo
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Netanyahu Expected to Talk Tariffs with Trump in Washington on Monday, Officials Say

US President Donald Trump welcomes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the entrance of the White House in Washington, US, February 4, 2025. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File photo
US President Donald Trump welcomes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the entrance of the White House in Washington, US, February 4, 2025. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File photo

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to visit the White House on Monday to discuss recently announced tariffs with US President Donald Trump, three Israeli officials said on Saturday.

The impromptu visit was first reported by Axios, which said that if the visit takes place, the Israeli leader would be the first foreign leader to meet with Trump in person to try to negotiate a deal to remove tariffs.

Netanyahu's office has not confirmed the visit, that would likely also include discussions on Iran and Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza.

The surprise invite by Trump came in a phone-call on Thursday with Netanyahu, who is presently on a visit to Hungary, when the Israeli leader raised the tariff issue, according to the Israeli officials who spoke on condition of anonymity, Reuters reported.

As part of a sweeping new tariff policy announced by Trump, unspecified Israeli goods exports to the United States face a 17% tariff. The US is Israel's closest ally and largest single trading partner.

An Israeli finance ministry official said on Thursday that Trump's latest tariff announcement could impact Israel's exports of machinery and medical equipment.

Israel had already moved to cancel its remaining tariffs on US imports on Tuesday. The two countries signed a free trade agreement 40 years ago and about 98% of goods from the US are now tax-free.