NEWS OF THE DAY
From Around the World
1 Yemen fighting: Battles between pro-government forces and Shiite rebels along the country’s west coast in recent days has left dozens dead from both sides. Witnesses and officials said forces from a Saudi-led coalition have been trying to seize the district of Zabid in the port province of Hodeida. The coalition on Sunday targeted rebels with air strikes, killing at least 18 people. The coalition has been battling the Iran-allied rebels known as Houthis since 2015 in a war that has killed more than 10,000 people.
2 Turkey detention: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says his country will not back down if the United States imposes sanctions in a diplomatic dispute involving an arrested American pastor. On Thursday, President Trump announced possible sanctions against Turkey in retaliation for the treatment of Andrew Craig Brunson, who was detained in the aftermath of a failed 2016 coup. Brunson denies the charges. Erdogan claimed that he “never used Brunson as a bargaining chip,” but he had previously linked Brunson’s return with the extradition of Fethullah Gulen, a cleric in the U.S. who Ankara holds responsible for the failed coup. Gulen denies involvement.
3 Iraq protests: Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi suspended the country’s electricity minister Sunday over a power crisis amid mushrooming protests in the country’s Shiite heartland demanding better services and jobs. Al-Abadi made the announcement on his Twitter account, saying the suspension of Qassim alFahdawi would last until an investigation is concluded. Despite billions of dollars spent since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion toppled dictator Saddam Hussein, many Iraqi cities and towns are still experiencing severe power cuts and rolling blackouts. The issue has also partly fueled this month’s protests in Iraq’s southern Shiite heartland, mainly in the province of Basra.
4 Japan storm: A tropical storm disrupted transportation and knocked out power Sunday to thousands of homes in its path as it headed west toward a region still recovering from devastating rains earlier this month. At least 16 people were injured, according to a tally by Japan’s public broadcaster, NHK. Tropical Storm Jongdari made landfall early Sunday in central Japan after dumping heavy rain on Tokyo and other parts of eastern Japan the previous day. Airlines canceled many flights to and from the affected regions Sunday for the second day in a row, and train service was delayed or suspended
5 Egypt derailment: A passenger train derailed Sunday near the southern city of Aswan, injuring at least six people and prompting authorities to fire the chief of the country’s railways. It was not clear what caused the derailment, which took place near the Salwa train station in Kom Ombo, north of Aswan, the Transportation Ministry said. Hours after the incident, the head of the railways authority, Sayed Salem was fired. The accident comes two weeks after another passenger train derailed in Giza, injuring 55 people.
6 Greece blaze: The death toll from a wildfire that raged through a coastal area east of Athens last week rose to 91 from 86 on Sunday. Officials also reported that 25 people remain missing, six days after Europe’s deadliest forest fire in more than a century. The fire tore through the village of Mati without warning on July 23. Investigators have said they have reason to believe the fire resulted from arson.
Chronicle News Services