■ Russia
Smelter blast injures three
An explosion in a smelter at a nuclear power plant severely injured three people, but radiation levels were normal, the state nuclear agency Rosenergoatom said yesterday. The blast occurred on Thursday at the Leningrad nuclear power plant in the town of Sosnovy Bor, outside St. Petersburg. The Emergency Situations Ministry said that two of the injured had burns over 90 percent of their bodies. A spokesman at the plant said that the blast had caused molten metal to burst out of a smelter used by a private company called Ekomet-S, which is reprocessing scrap metal on the site.
■ United States
Cursing becomes costly
Students at two Connecticut schools can either watch their language or watch their money disappear. In an effort to curb abusive language directed at school faculty, Bulkeley High School and Hartford Public High School has instituted fines for students who use foul language. Police officers stationed in the schools issue US$103 tickets to students who curse, said Miriam Morales-Taylor, principal of Bulkeley High School in Hartford. The citations are similar to speeding tickets and require a court appearance if the fine is not paid, Morales-Taylor said.
■ United States
Man gets surprise gift
An anonymous gift-giver, apparently depressed over a lost love, left a US$15,000 diamond engagement ring in somebody's else's unlocked car in a commuter parking lot near Boston. The ring was accompanied by a note which read: "Merry Christmas. Thank you for leaving your car door unlocked. Instead of stealing your car I gave you a present. Hopefully this will land in the hands of someone you love, for my love is gone now. Merry Christmas to you." A 37-year-old Northborough man found the three-diamond, white gold ring on the seat of his car, which he had parked at the train station in Westborough on Dec. 7, the MetroWest Daily News of Framingham reported on Thursday.
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