WORLD IN BRIEF : PHILIPPINES : Firecracker Factory Explosion Kills Five

A clandestine firecracker factory exploded in the central Philippines, killing five people and seriously injuring seven others, police said. Some of those injured were quoted as saying they were making firecrackers from 22 pounds of chloride nitrate when one of them accidentally ignited the chemical, which was kept in a drum. The drum exploded, causing the two-story house to collapse along with three concrete walls nearby. The manufacture of firecrackers is banned in the Philippines, but the practice is tolerated, especially when the Christmas and New Year season is approaching.