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Mexico gasoline pipeline explosion kills 73 and dozens injured

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8 years ago

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Mexico gasoline pipeline explosion kills 73 and dozens injured

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]An explosion and fire in central Mexico killed at least 73 people after hundreds swarmed to the site of an illegal fuel-line tap to gather gasoline amid a government crackdown on fuel theft, officials said.

Hidalgo state governor Omar Fayad announced that the toll had increased to 73 after the discovery of five additional bodies.

The blast – which Fayad said injured 74 people occurred near Tlahuelilpan, a town of 20,000 people about an hour’s drive north of Mexico City.

As soldiers guarded the devastated, still-smoking scene, forensic specialists in white suits worked among the blackened corpses many frozen in the unnatural positions in which they had fallen and grim eyed civilians stepped cautiously along in a desperate search for missing relatives.

The pungent smell of fuel hung in the air. Fragments of burnt clothing were strewn through the charred brush.

When the forensic workers began attempting to load corpses into vans to be transported to funeral homes, some 30 villagers tried to stop them. They demanded their relatives’ bodies, saying funeral homes were too expensive. The bodies were ultimately taken to a morgue, authorities said.

On Friday, when authorities heard that fuel traffickers had punctured the pipeline, an army unit of about 25 soldiers arrived and attempted to block off the area, Defense Secretary Luis Crescencio Sandoval told reporters.

But the soldiers were unable to contain the estimated 700 civilians including entire families who swarmed in to collect the spilled gasoline in jerrycans and buckets, witnesses said.

The armed soldiers had been moved away from the pipeline to avoid any risk of confrontation with the crowd when the blast occurred, some two hours after the pipeline was first breached, Sandoval said.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, a leftist who took office only weeks ago, traveled to the scene early Saturday. He did not fault the soldiers, saying, “The attitude of the army was correct. It is not easy to impose order on a crowd.” He vowed to continue fighting the growing problem of fuel theft.

“I am deeply saddened by the suffering in Tlahuelilpan,” Lopez Obrador wrote on Twitter. He called on his “whole government” to extend assistance.

The US Secretary of Homeland Security, Kirstjen Nielsen, tweeted that her department “stands ready to assist the first responders and the Mexican government in any way possible.” Video taken in the aftermath showed screaming people fleeing the scene as an enormous fire lit up the night sky.

“I went just to see what was happening, and then the explosion happened. I rushed to help people,” Fernando Garcia, 47, told AFP. “I had to claw through pieces of people who had already been burned to bits.”

The tragedy comes during a highly publicized federal government war on fuel theft, a problem that cost Mexico an estimated $3 billion in 2017.

Acting attorney general Alejandro Gertz described the latest disaster as “intentional” because “someone caused that leak. And the fire was a consequence of the crime.” But he acknowledged that investigators would be hampered by the fact that “the people closest to the explosion died.”

Federal and state fire fighters and ambulances run by state oil company Pemex rushed to help victims with burns and take the injured to hospitals. Local medical facilities struggled to cope with the flood of arriving victims, said AFP correspondents at the scene.

The fire had been brought under control by around midnight Friday, the security ministry said. Pemex said it was also responding to another fire at a botched pipeline tap in the central state of Queretaro, though in that case there were no victims.

Mexico is regularly rocked by deadly explosions at illegal pipeline taps, a dangerous but lucrative business whose players include powerful drug cartels and corrupt Pemex insiders.

Fayad said that two hours after the pipeline was punctured, “we were informed that there had been an explosion” and the flames “were consuming everything around.” About 15 oil pipeline explosions and fires causing more than 50 fatalities each have occurred around the world since 1993.

Most were in Nigeria, where in 1998 more than 1,000 people died in such a blast. A fire after a pipeline rupture in Brazil killed more than 500 people in 1984. The tragedy comes as anti-corruption crusader Lopez Obrador presses implementation of a controversial fuel theft prevention plan.

The government has shut off major pipelines until they can be fully secured and deployed the army to guard Pemex production facilities. But the strategy to fight the problem led to severe gasoline and diesel shortages across much of the country, including Mexico City, forcing people to queue for hours  sometimes days to fill up their vehicles.

The president, who took office on December 1, has vowed to keep up the fight and asked Mexicans to be patient. At the scene, some locals blamed the shortages for the tragedy.

“A lot of people arrived with their jerrycans because of the gasoline shortages we’ve had,” said Martin Trejo, 55, who was searching for his son, one of those who had gone to collect the leaking fuel.

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China says it will properly handle differences with India ahead of Modi-Xi talks

China has stressed stronger communication and cooperation with India ahead of President Xi Jinping’s bilateral meeting with PM Modi in Delhi.

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1 day ago

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September 12, 2026

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China has said it is ready to strengthen communication and cooperation with India and appropriately manage differences between the two countries ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.

Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong said Beijing and New Delhi were arranging a bilateral meeting between Xi and Modi on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit.

The meeting is scheduled for 5:45 pm on Saturday, according to the report. Xi’s visit marks his return to India after nearly seven years.

China stresses cooperation with India

In a post on X on Friday, Xu said China would work with India in line with the strategic guidance provided by the two leaders.

He said Beijing wanted to approach India-China relations from a strategic and long-term perspective while increasing communication and cooperation.

China said it would properly handle differences and work towards good-neighbourly relations while helping each other succeed. 

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning echoed the position during a media briefing, saying Beijing would work with New Delhi to strengthen communication, expand cooperation and manage differences.

Modi-Xi meeting comes ahead of BRICS Summit

Xi Jinping has travelled to New Delhi to participate in the 18th BRICS Summit, which India is hosting on September 12 and 13.

The Chinese President’s visit comes after a period of strain in India-China relations following the 2020 Galwan Valley clash. Relations have since seen efforts towards stabilisation, including meetings between Modi and Xi in Kazan and Tianjin.

The upcoming meeting in New Delhi will be the third consecutive year in which the two leaders have met, according to the Chinese side.

Xi left Beijing on Saturday for India at the invitation of Prime Minister Modi. His delegation includes senior Chinese officials, including Cai Qi and Wang Yi.

The Modi-Xi bilateral is expected to provide another opportunity for the two sides to maintain high-level engagement while addressing differences in their relationship.

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Iran President Pezeshkian says country will not bow to US, Israel

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, speaking in Delhi, said Iran would not surrender to pressure from the US and Israel and expressed hope for deeper cooperation with India.

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1 day ago

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September 12, 2026

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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Friday said his country would not surrender to pressure from the United States and Israel, asserting that Iran would continue to push back against what he described as attempts to bully the country.

Pezeshkian made the remarks in New Delhi while addressing Indian religious leaders, intellectuals and business leaders. He had arrived in India earlier in the day to participate in the BRICS Summit.

The Iranian president also expressed hope that his discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi would help expand cooperation between India and Iran across several areas.

Pezeshkian says Iran will resist pressure

Speaking about the conflict involving Iran, the US and Israel, Pezeshkian said Iran would not bow to pressure.

He accused the US and Israel of trying to bully Iran and said his country would respond if pushed. Pezeshkian also questioned accusations against Iran and criticised attacks on infrastructure and civilian facilities.

He said the Iranian people would not surrender and emphasised what he described as the importance of equal rights and human values.

Pezeshkian also alleged that 168 schoolchildren were killed in an attack and questioned claims by the US and Israel regarding human rights. These remarks were delivered through a translator, according to the source.

Iran seeks wider cooperation with India

Pezeshkian thanked the Indian government and Prime Minister Modi for the hospitality extended during his visit.

He said his talks with Modi could pave the way for greater cooperation between the two countries in areas including culture, technology, trade, science and the economy.

The Iranian president said India and Iran could work together to revive and strengthen these areas of cooperation.

Modi, Pezeshkian hold bilateral meeting

Modi met Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi. It was the second meeting between the two leaders in less than two weeks.

They had previously met on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Bishkek on August 31.

During their latest meeting, the two leaders discussed various aspects of India-Iran relations. Modi thanked Iran for its continued high-level participation in BRICS-related meetings despite the challenging circumstances.

The Prime Minister also thanked Pezeshkian for taking part in the Leaders’ Session of the BRICS Business Forum.

India reiterates call for dialogue

According to the PMO release cited in the report, Modi and Pezeshkian exchanged views on recent developments in West Asia.

Modi reiterated India’s position that issues should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy. He also stressed the importance of efforts aimed at achieving lasting peace and stability in the region.

The Prime Minister highlighted the need to safeguard freedom of navigation and commerce as well as the safety and well-being of seafarers.

The two sides also discussed continued cooperation on issues of mutual interest in multilateral organisations, including BRICS.

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PM Modi, Iran President Pezeshkian discuss West Asia crisis and trade ties in Delhi

PM Modi met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in Delhi amid West Asia tensions, with talks focusing on regional stability, seafarer safety and India-Iran ties.

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2 days ago

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September 11, 2026

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in New Delhi on Friday for bilateral talks held on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit. The meeting came amid heightened tensions in the Middle East and focused on regional stability, maritime safety and strengthening India-Iran ties.

Pezeshkian arrived in India to attend the BRICS Summit and held discussions with PM Modi for the second time in less than two weeks. Modi had earlier met the Iranian president on August 31 on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Bishkek.

During Friday’s meeting, PM Modi highlighted India’s concerns over the continuing crisis in West Asia. He stressed that the safety and security of seafarers remains a top priority for India.

India also reiterated its position that a lasting solution to the regional crisis must come through dialogue and diplomacy. Energy security was another key concern, with India emphasising the need for safe passage for vessels carrying supplies.

The talks took place against the backdrop of the wider Middle East crisis, including the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which has raised concerns over energy security and maritime trade. 

Pezeshkian calls for greater BRICS economic resilience

Earlier on Friday, Pezeshkian addressed the BRICS Business Forum and called for greater economic cooperation among member countries.

He said BRICS should focus on strengthening its economic resilience and advocated the use of national currencies for trade among member countries. The Iranian president also argued that the grouping should work toward reducing dependence on the US dollar.

Pezeshkian criticised US sanctions and military actions, saying BRICS should create conditions where legitimate trade cannot be disrupted by the monopolisation of financial instruments.

Modi and Pezeshkian had met in Bishkek

PM Modi and Pezeshkian had last met on August 31 in Bishkek. During that meeting, Modi said India wanted to strengthen its longstanding friendship with Iran and expand and diversify bilateral trade.

The two leaders also discussed developments in the West Asia conflict. Modi reiterated India’s position that disputes should be addressed through dialogue and diplomacy and stressed the importance of protecting civilians, commercial shipping and seafarers.

During the earlier meeting, Pezeshkian had sought India’s diplomatic support in encouraging the conflicting sides to move away from violence and return to negotiations.

The latest Modi-Pezeshkian talks come as India hosts the BRICS Summit in New Delhi, with the regional crisis and its impact on the global economy forming an important backdrop to the high-level discussions.

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