NEWS OF THE DAY

From Around the World

_1 Syria war: Preparations to reopen a vital border crossing between Syria and Jordan have been completed, setting the stage for its reopening Oct. 10, Syria’s state-run news agency said Saturday. The reopening of the Naseeb crossing would bring major relief to President Bashar Assad’s government by restoring a much needed gateway for Syrian exports to Arab countries. Rebels seized control of the crossing in 2015, severing a lifeline and disrupting a major trade route between Syria and Jordan, Lebanon and the oil-rich Gulf countries. Syrian troops captured it in July after rebels reached an agreement with Russian mediators to end the violence in the southern province of Daraa and surrender the crossing. _2 Consulate closed: The U.S. State Department is temporarily closing its consulate in the southern Iraqi city of Basra following a rocket this month blamed on Iranian-backed militias. Diplomatic staff and their families were being evacuated and consular services will be provided from the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called it a “temporary relocation” in response to what he called “increasing and specific threats” from the Iranian government and militias under its control. He warned that the U.S. would respond to any more attacks. 3_ Plane crash: The airline operating a flight that crashed into a Pacific lagoon in Micronesia searched Saturday for one man who remained missing a day after the jetliner went down. After the crash Friday on Weno island, Air Niugini initially said all 47 passengers and crew had safely evacuated. The airline said it was working with local authorities, hospitals and investigators to try to find the man, who was reportedly seen in a boat used to transport passengers to shore. The airline said in another statement later Saturday that U.S. divers had completed an inspection inside the aircraft and confirmed that all of the passengers had safely evacuated. What caused the crash remains unclear. _4 Drug bust: Bulgarian customs officials said Saturday that they seized 1,566 pounds of heroin found in two Iranian trucks entering Bulgaria from Turkey. Officials valued the record haul at $27 million. The drugs were found in two Iran-registered trucks at the Kapitan Andreevo checkpoint on the Turkish border. They were carrying construction materials and were bound for Austria. The two drivers, both Iranian citizens, were detained and could face up to 20 years in jail if convicted. _5 Afghanistan violence: Two police officers were fatally shot by a fellow officer in southern Kandahar province, the latest “insider” attack in the war-battered country. Aziz Ahmad Azizi, the provincial governor’s spokesman, said Saturday that three other police officers were wounded in the attack late Friday. The incident took place at a remote police outpost in Raghistan district. Azizi said the attacker, who had joined the police force around a year ago, was able to flee the area. No militant group immediately claimed responsibility but blame is likely to fall on the Taliban. In other developments, six Afghan soldiers were injured when a military helicopter crash-landed in northern Parwan province on Saturday, Ghafor Ahmad Jawed, spokesman for the Afghan defense ministry, said. Jawed said the crash was caused by a technical malfunction and was not the result of enemy fire. But Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said insurgents had downed the chopper.