NEWS OF THE DAY
From Around the World
1 U.S. soldiers killed: The United States military said that two American soldiers were killed during “combat operations” in northern Iraq on Sunday but that initial findings indicate the deaths were not caused by “enemy contact.” A brief statement from the U.S.-led coalition fighting the Islamic State militant group said five other soldiers were injured in the incident. The statement did not provide any further detail, except to say that the casualties were being investigated. A separate statement released by the Islamic State on Sunday, apparently referring to the same incident, said it had carried out a rocket attack on U.S. positions east of the Iraqi city of Tal Afar that the group claimed killed four American soldiers and injured six. Col. Ryan Dillon, a spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq and Syria, called the Islamic State claim “false” and said the casualties on Sunday were “not because of enemy fire.”
2 Landslide deaths: Landslides and flooding triggered by heavy rain have killed at least 47 people in southern Nepal and left thousands homeless, police said Sunday. The death toll was expected to go up, with around two dozen other people missing and feared dead after three days of heavy downpours in at least nine southern districts of the Himalayan country, said police spokesman Pushkar Karki in Kathmandu. Around 31,000 families have been displaced by the floods and landslides, which began Friday, he said. Police said floodwaters toppled telephone towers and power lines, cutting communications and electricity in many areas. Rescue efforts were hampered by incessant rain and roads that were washed away in many places. Traffic on Nepal’s main East-West highway was stopped after parts of the road and some bridges were severely damaged by the floodwaters. Landslides and flooding are common in the Himalayan region during the monsoon season, which runs from June through September.
3 Hospital chief suspended: State officials in India have suspended the director of a hospital where an estimated 60 children have died in the past week, including several young patients who died as oxygen supplies ran out Thursday after a billing dispute with a supplier. Officials in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh have suspended Rajeev Misra, the head of the government-run Baba Raghav Das Medical College hospital in Gorakhpur, where at least 30 children died Thursday night and into Friday after its supply of liquid oxygen was disrupted over an unpaid bill, officials said.
4 Nazi salute: Police say a drunken American man was punched by a passer-by as he gave the stiff-armed Nazi salute multiple times in downtown Dresden, Germany. Dresden police said Sunday the 41-yearold, whose name and hometown weren’t given for privacy reasons, suffered minor injuries in the 8:15 a.m. Saturday assault. Police say the American, who is under investigation for violating Germany’s laws against the display of Nazi symbols or slogans, had an extremely high blood alcohol level. His assailant fled the scene, and is being sought for causing bodily harm. 5 Europe wildfires: Hot and dry weather stoked another round of wildfires burning across southern Europe on Sunday as firefighters in Greece, Portugal and the French island of Corsica struggled to corral the flames. Over 4,000 firefighters were battling more than 250 wildfires in Portugal, which requested assistance from other European Union nations.