NEWS OF THE DAY

From Around the World

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Egypt attack: Militants attacked an Egyptian police checkpoint in the northern Sinai Peninsula on Monday using a stolen garbage truck packed with explosives, killing at least eight people and setting off clashes with security forces, officials said. No one immediately claimed the attack, but it bore the hallmarks of the Islamic State group’s Sinai affiliate. Militants targeted the checkpoint in the city of el-Arish. Security forces killed five of the attackers, while seven police officers and one civilian died in the assault, officials said.

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Iran confrontation: A U.S. Navy destroyer fired multiple warning shots at Iranian patrol boats as they sped toward the ship at the entrance to the Persian Gulf, two U.S. defense officials told the Associated Press. The crew of the Mahan fired the warning shots after attempting to establish contact with the Iranians and after dropping smoke flares, the officials said. The Mahan was transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday when the Iranian boats sped toward it. The Iranian boats broke away after the warning shots were fired.

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Mexico clash: Police in the state of Sonora fought a three-hour battle to free a border rail crossing at Nogales that had been blocked by people protesting a gasoline price increase. The state government said late Sunday that two police officers were injured and two protesters were arrested in the confrontation. The demonstrators were protesting a recent 20 percent increase in gasoline prices. The state government said officers were attacked with rocks and responded by “firing rubber bullets into the air.” Video aired by local media showed officers firing shotguns — commonly used to launch bean bags or rubber projectiles — at demonstrators. Protests nationwide have erupted since the fuel price increase went into effect Jan. 1.

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Deadly crash: Twenty people were killed when an overloaded bus carrying passengers and merchandise collided with a truck outside the town of Portde-Paix in northwestern Haiti, officials said. Fatal road accidents are frequent in impoverished Haiti, where police seldom enforce traffic laws and vehicles are routinely overloaded with passengers and goods. The cause of Sunday’s crash is being investigated.

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Iraq fighting: Government troops in Mosul have battled their way to the Tigris River running through the center of town, marking a milestone in the nearly 3-month-old offensive aimed at reclaiming the northern city from Islamic State militants. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said Monday that the recent advances were “big achievements for all the factions of the Iraqi security forces.” The Mosul offensive resumed last month after a two-week lull due to stiff Islamic State resistance and bad weather.

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Britain strike: Millions of commuters cycled, trudged and waited in long bus lines Monday as a 24-hour strike by London Underground station staff shut down much of the city’s subway network. Scores of Tube stations and many of the city’s subway lines were closed during the morning rush hour, forcing Londoners to walk, use overcrowded buses, seek scarce taxis or work from home. Huge lines for taxis formed at major railway stations as people tried to continue their journeys. One busy station, Clapham Junction, was evacuated because of overcrowding. Transit officials said service wasn’t expected to get back to normal until Tuesday morning. Unions are protesting job cuts and ticket-office closures, citing safety issues.