Biden Meets Alexei Navalny's Widow, Daughter in California

President Joe Biden meets Thursday with Yulia Navalnaya, Alexei Navalny’s window, and daughter Dasha Navalnaya in San Francisco (White House X account)
President Joe Biden meets Thursday with Yulia Navalnaya, Alexei Navalny’s window, and daughter Dasha Navalnaya in San Francisco (White House X account)
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Biden Meets Alexei Navalny's Widow, Daughter in California

President Joe Biden meets Thursday with Yulia Navalnaya, Alexei Navalny’s window, and daughter Dasha Navalnaya in San Francisco (White House X account)
President Joe Biden meets Thursday with Yulia Navalnaya, Alexei Navalny’s window, and daughter Dasha Navalnaya in San Francisco (White House X account)

US President Joe Biden met in California on Thursday with the widow and daughter of Alexei Navalny, the Russian opposition leader who died last week in a prison in Russia, the White House announced.
Biden met with Yulia Navalnaya, Alexei's widow, and daughter Dasha Navalnaya in San Francisco to “express his heartfelt condolences,” the White House said.
Biden reaffirmed his intention to impose “major new sanctions” in response to Navalny's death, according to AFP.
The Biden administration is expected to unveil the sanctions Friday.
Navalny, 47, and a vocal critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, died last week in the penal colony in Yamal near the Arctic Circle, where he was serving a 19-year sentence on charges of extremism.
In 2020, the Russian opposition figure was poisoned with the Novichok nerve agent and had blamed the Kremlin for his poisoning.
Western leaders have held Putin directly responsible for the death of the Russian opposition leader in prison.



Explosion at Chemical Plant Near Spain’s Seville Leads to Warnings for Thousands

A picture taken in Seville on May 14, 2025 shows a large black cloud after a fire in a chemical distribution building that led authorities to ask nearly 80,000 residents to stay home. (AFP)
A picture taken in Seville on May 14, 2025 shows a large black cloud after a fire in a chemical distribution building that led authorities to ask nearly 80,000 residents to stay home. (AFP)
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Explosion at Chemical Plant Near Spain’s Seville Leads to Warnings for Thousands

A picture taken in Seville on May 14, 2025 shows a large black cloud after a fire in a chemical distribution building that led authorities to ask nearly 80,000 residents to stay home. (AFP)
A picture taken in Seville on May 14, 2025 shows a large black cloud after a fire in a chemical distribution building that led authorities to ask nearly 80,000 residents to stay home. (AFP)

An explosion at a chemical plant near the Spanish city of Seville sent up a huge pillar of smoke as authorities urged nearby residents to stay indoors, but no injuries were reported, emergency services said Wednesday.

Officials sent messages to around 80,000 residents recommending that they wear face masks or close their windows.

The explosion occurred midday in an industrial park in the municipality of Alcalá de Guadaíra, about 16 kilometers (10 miles) east of Seville’s city center.

Emergency services cleared personnel from the plant site.

Authorities have not said what chemicals are at the plant or who owns it.

Recent incidents Spain's industrial, electric and transport infrastructure has faced issues recently.

Over the weekend, a fire at a chemical factory in northeastern Spain forced emergency services to issue health warnings to 150,000 residents and stay-indoors orders for five nearby towns.

On April 28, a massive power outage hit Spain and Portugal. Authorities are still investigating but have ruled out a cyber attack or sabotage.

That was followed by major train disruption between Madrid and Seville, caused by thieves who took copper cabling from a trail line.