NEWS OF THE DAY
From Around the World
1 Citizenship denied: A federal judge ruled Thursday that Hoda Muthana, an Americanborn woman who joined the Islamic State in 2014 and says she now wants to return home to her family in Alabama, is not a U.S. citizen. In a surprise ruling from the bench, the judge, Reggie Walton of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, abruptly dismissed a lawsuit brought by her family seeking to force the Trump administration to bring her home from a refugee camp in Syria, along with her 2yearold son — the child of a slain Islamic State fighter. The ruling leaves the fate of Muthana and her child in doubt amid the deteriorating security environment in northern Syria since Turkey invaded territory held by the Kurdishled Syrian Democratic Forces, a U.S. ally. The refugee camp in which Muthana and her son are held is overseen by the SDF. One of the lawyers representing Muthana, Christina Jump, said that she would probably appeal once the judge issues a written ruling.
2 Syrian patrols: Syrian government forces started deploying Thursday in areas close to the Turkish border in the country’s northeast as part of an agreement reached between Russia and Turkey, state media reported. News agency SANA said troops were deploying between the towns of Jawadiyeh and Malkiyeh, also known as Derik, while staterun TV said Syrian border guards will be positioned at six points near to the frontier. The deployment is part of a ceasefire deal brokered by Moscow last month along much of the northeastern border that seeks to clear the area of the Kurdish fighters who were key U.S. allies in the fight against the Islamic State group. Since the agreement was reached, Russia and Turkey began joint patrols along a narrower strip directly on the TurkishSyrian border. Turkey began a major military offensive against Kurdish fighters in northern Syria last month, capturing dozens of towns and villages. Turkey considers the Kurds terrorists.
3 Venice flooding: Italy’s government declared a state of emergency Thursday in floodravaged Venice, seeking to release funds to repair the historic lagoon city after it was damaged by the highest tide in 50 years. A Cabinet meeting approved a special decree that included 20 million euros ($21.7 million) in immediate financial aid aimed at helping the city recover. Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte described the flooding as “a blow to the heart of our country,“after spending Wednesday night in Venice, where worldfamous monuments, homes and businesses were hit hard by the exceptional flooding.
4 Measles vaccinations: Germany’s parliament has passed a law requiring that children who attend school or day care must be vaccinated for measles. The law means parents who can’t prove their children have been vaccinated for measles by Aug. 1, 2021, will have to pay a fine of up to $2,790. Health Minister Jens Spahn has argued that the compulsory vaccination is necessary because of an increase in measles cases. 5 Nuclear talks: North Korea said Thursday that the United States had proposed resuming talks on denuclearization in December, but warned that Pyongyang was not interested unless Washington was ready to meet its terms. And a top envoy said he believed the proposal was merely “a trick to earn time.” The North Korean envoy to the talks, Kim Myong Gil, said Thursday that his counterpart in Washington, Stephen Biegun, had sent a proposal to the North through a third party.