NEWS OF THE DAY
From Around the World
_1 Rwanda charges: A Rwandan court on Monday charged Paul Rusesabagina, whose story inspired the film “Hotel Rwanda,” with terrorism, complicity in murder, and forming an armed rebel group. Rusesabagina, 66, credited with saving more than 1,000 lives during the 1994 genocide, appeared in court for the first time since being paraded in Kigali in handcuffs on August 31. In all, he faces 12 charges. Rusesabagina’s daughter Carine Kanimba said the family was not even aware he was to appear to court Monday as the stateappointed lawyers didn’t inform them. Rusesabagina in the past has denied funding rebel groups and said he was being targeted over his criticism of Kagame’s government and alleged rights abuses.
_2 Nepal landslide: Rescuers resumed searching on Monday for people missing since a deadly landslide struck three villages in Nepal. So far, 11 bodies have been pulled from the debris and police, soldiers and villagers were scouring for at least 15 more believed to be buried by the landslide, government administrator Baburam Khanal said. The landslide was triggered Sunday by heavy rains in the Sindhupalchowk district, about 75 miles east of Kathmandu.
_3 Syria attack: A suspected Israeli air strike on Iranbacked forces in eastern Syria on Monday killed 10 fighters, including eight Iraqis, a Syrian opposition war monitor reported. Israel rarely comments on such reports, but is believed to have carried out scores of raids targeting Iran’s military presence in Syria in recent years. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the strike hit an area close to the town of Boukamal near the Iraqi border. It added that the strikes also destroyed arms depots and ambulances were seen rushing to the area. The Observatory said the 10 killed were eight Iraqis and two Syrians. It said the strike is the third this month in Syria’s eastern province of Deir elZour that borders Iraq. Israel views Iran as a regional menace and has vowed to prevent any permanent Iranian military buildup in Syria, particularly near the frontier.
_4 Climate change: A big chunk of Greenland’s ice cap, estimated to be 42 square miles, has broken off in the far northeastern Arctic, which scientists say is evidence of accelerating climate change. The glacier section broke off a fjord called Nioghalvfjerdsfjorden, the National Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland said Monday. The glacier is at the end of the Northeast Greenland Ice Stream, where it flows off land and into the ocean. Annual changes for the Arctic’s largest ice shelf in Northeast Greenland are measured by optical satellite imagery, the survey known as GEUS said. The ice shelf has lost 62 square miles, an area nearly twice that of Manhattan, since 1999. “We should be very concerned about what appears to be progressive disintegration at the Arctic’s largest remaining ice shelf,” said GEUS professor Jason Box. _5 Bermuda storm: Hurricane Paulette knocked down trees and power lines across Bermuda on Monday as it made landfall in the British territory. There were no reports of deaths or major property damage. Fewer than 10 hurricanes have made landfall on the island since the National Hurricane Center began tracking such disasters in the 1850s. “We have managed to make it through this very serious hurricane,” said National Security Minister Renee Ming. Paulette headed northeast of Bermuda on Monday night with winds of 105 mph. Ming had urged people to stay indoors and reminded the more than 70,000 residents to protect themselves against the virus pandemic. Bermuda is a wealthy financial haven with mostly stone and concrete construction required to withstand hurricaneforce winds.