NEWS OF THE DAY
From Around the World
1 Nuclear pact: Iran’s president urged the United Nations nuclear chief Sunday to confirm his country still adheres to the nuclear deal with world powers after U.S. President Trump refused to recertify the accord. The visit by Yukiya Amano, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, to Tehran comes as the U.S. Congress weighs the deal. Trump’s refusal to recertify the agreement has sparked a new war of words between Iran and the United States, fueling growing mistrust and a sense of nationalism among Iranians. Earlier Sunday, Amano said that “as far as nuclear-related commitments are concerned,” Iran is implementing the requirements of the deal.
2 Afghanistan violence: Taliban militants killed 13 police officers in an attack on a checkpoint early Sunday in northern Kunduz province. Hayatullah Ameri, chief of the Khan Abad district near where the attack took place, said only a single officer survived the battle. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the group was responsible for the attack. Afghan forces have struggled to combat a resurgent Taliban since U.S. and NATO forces formally concluded their combat mission at the end of 2014, switching to a counterterrorism and support role. On Saturday, at least nine police officers were killed in separate Taliban attacks in Ghazni province.
3 Syria fighting: At least 11 civilians were killed Sunday during intensive government shelling of a rebelheld enclave north of the capital Damascus, opposition activists reported. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and the Eastern Ghouta Media Center said those killed in the Saqba and Hamouriyah districts include two women, a child and a media activist. The first-responders group in the Damascus suburbs, the Syrian Civil Defense, also known as the White Helmets, reported that two shells fell on a school in the area, injuring several people.
4 Myanmar march: More than 2,000 people marched in Yangon on Sunday to show support for the military, which has come under heavy criticism over violence that has driven scores of Rohingya Muslims to flee from Rakhine state to neighboring Bangladesh. More than 600,000 Rohingya have fled since late August, when Myanmar security forces began a scorched-earth campaign against Rohingya villages. The government has said it was responding to attacks on police outposts by insurgents, but the United Nations and others have said the response was disproportionate. 5 Helicopter crash: Norwegian rescue officials said Sunday the wreckage of a Russian helicopter that crashed with eight people aboard off the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard has been located on the seabed. The Mi-8 helicopter went down Thursday near the Svalbard settlement of Barentsburg at a depth of 685 feet. Russian authorities previously said the helicopter belonged to Russian coal company Arktikugol.
6 Iceland election: The ruling Independence Party took the largest share of the vote in the island nation’s parliamentary election but faces difficult negotiations to form a new government. A record eight parties won seats in Saturday’s vote as the 2008 global financial crisis continues to roil the island’s politics. Despite topping the poll, the Independence Party saw its support dip to 25 percent. The Left Green Movement finished second with 17 percent. Independence will need the support of at least two other parties to form a majority government.