US: Explosion at Smitty’s Supply in Roseland, Louisiana Prompts Evacuations

An explosion occurred at Smitty’s Supply in Roseland, Louisiana on Friday, August 22, prompted mandatory evacuations within a one-mile radius. The blast at the automotive manufacturing facility, which employs around 400 people, caused no reported injuries. Residents reported feeling the ground shake and saw black residue, believed to be oil, falling from the sky.

World's biggest gum

World's biggest gum

SAPPORO, Japan - Around 90 people set a Guinness world record by making the world's biggest piece of gum in Sapporo, northern Japan, on Oct. 5, 2013. The 110-centimeter-long, 30-cm-wide piece of blueberry flavored gum was around 15 times the size of an ordinary stick of gum.

World's biggest gum

World's biggest gum

SAPPORO, Japan - Around 90 people set a Guinness world record by making the world's biggest piece of gum in Sapporo, northern Japan, on Oct. 5, 2013. The 110-centimeter-long, 30-cm-wide piece of blueberry flavored gum was around 15 times the size of an ordinary stick of gum.

Russian website offers meteor sale

Russian website offers meteor sale

CHELYABINSK, Russia - Photo taken Feb. 18, 2013, shows a Russian Internet site offering sale of what it claims to be a fragment of the meteor that struck the Chelyabinsk area for 100,000 rubles, more than three times the average monthly income of 300,000 rubles for the country's middle-class. Russian police have called on the public not to buy anything that has yet to be certified as a fragment of the meteor, which fell on the region Feb. 15 and left around 1,500 people injured.

New Toyota Crown enjoying brisk orders

New Toyota Crown enjoying brisk orders

NAGOYA, Japan - Toyota Motor Corp. President Akio Toyoda speaks at a ceremony to celebrate production of its fully remodeled Crown luxury sedan at the carmaker's Motomachi plant in the city of Toyota, Aichi Prefecture, on Jan. 17, 2013. Toyoda said orders for the new Crown had reached around 19,000 units by Jan. 15, three weeks after its launch, nearly five times higher than the company's monthly sales target.

Key chain containing radioactive material

Key chain containing radioactive material

CHIBA, Japan - Photo shows a key chain confiscated by the Chiba prefectural police which contains a glow-in-the-dark material that emits radiation around 12 times greater than the legal limit. Police said on Sept. 27, 2011, they sent papers to prosecutors in April concerning a 15-year-old boy suspected of violating laws meant to prevent radiation hazards. The boy allegedly sold the key chains via the Internet at prices ranging from 3,000 to 10,000 yen after purchasing 30 of them online for 1,000 yen each from July to October 2010.

Key chain containing radioactive material

Key chain containing radioactive material

CHIBA, Japan - Photo shows a key chain confiscated by the Chiba prefectural police which contains a glow-in-the-dark material that emits radiation around 12 times greater than the legal limit. Police said on Sept. 27, 2011, they sent papers to prosecutors in April concerning a 15-year-old boy suspected of violating laws meant to prevent radiation hazards. The boy allegedly sold the key chains via the Internet at prices ranging from 3,000 to 10,000 yen after purchasing 30 of them online for 1,000 yen each from July to October 2010. (Kyodo)