World Briefs IRAQIS “TENS OF METERS” FROM MOSUL VICTORY
MOSUL, IRAQ» Iraqi commanders said Saturday their forces are “tens of meters” away from defeating the Islamic State group in Mosul, a day after a major counterattack by the militants.
The Joint Operations Command said “our units are still continuing to advance . ... Not much is left before our forces reach the river.”
Iraqi officials have made similar pronouncements over the past week as security forces have bottled the militants up in a sliver of the Old City along the Tigris River. But the troops’ progress has slowed in recent days.
The militants hold less than one square mile of territory, but are using civilians as human shields, making it nearly impossible for U.s.-led warplanes to flush them out.
The operation to retake Mosul, Iraq’s second-largest city, began in October.
American beaten to death in Greece. Serbia says six of its citizens have been arrested in Greece in the investigation into the beating death of a 22-year-old Texas man on the island of Zakynthos.
Serbia’s foreign ministry said Saturday that the detained Serbs were to appear before a judge.
The family of Bakari Henderson of Austin, Texas, identified him as the victim. His family said Henderson was in Greece working on a photo shoot to launch a clothing line. Bakari graduated from the University of Arizona in May with a business degree.
Greek police say the victim was beaten to death at a bar in Lagana. Officials haven’t released a motive.
Macron’s party hopes to maintain its momentum. PARIS» French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe on Saturday urged the young party that swept Emmanuel Macron to the presidency in May to stay true to its name — Republic on the Move! — but do so with humility despite its lightningfast rise.
The movement gave itself a structure at its first convention, opting for a layered and collegial leadership arrangement that it hopes will keep it mobilized at the grassroots level for future elections.
The big loser in the presidential race, the Socialist Party of Macron’s predecessor, Francois Hollande, also met Saturday to start anew. The Socialists opted for a power-sharing leadership structure as well, one that comprises a core of 16 people, eight women and eight men.
Pride parade cheers up Londoners. LONDON» London’s mayor has called the Pride in London parade the biggest ever and says the celebration provides the “best antidote” to recent tragedies.
Sadiq Khan on Saturday told revelers at the gay pride event that the festivities provided welcome relief from recent bouts with terrorism.
The annual parade honored members of the emergency services who were praised for heroic work responding to extremist attacks and the Grenfell Tower fire.
More than 25,000 people took part in the gala parade, with up to 1 million people watching in central London.
Rightists Hungary. Three small, far-right groups in Hungary say they have formed an alliance to fight the liberalism they claim has made Europe “unlivable and indefensible.”
join
forces
in
About 300 supporters attended an inaugural event of Force and Determination on Saturday. Organizers say they represent “the white European man” and want to spread the idea of “ethnic self-defense” in the face of immigration and Hungary’s growing Roma community. Speakers at the event said they wanted to build a “new right-wing” and fight against political correctness.
Walesa hospitalized with heart problems.
Poland’s former President Lech Walesa, a democracy hero, has been hospitalized with heart problems in his Baltic coast home city of Gdansk.
Walesa’s son, Jaroslaw Walesa, said via text message Saturday that his father was feeling “unfortunately weak.” It was not immediately known when he could be discharged from the heart clinic.
The 73-year-old Walesa on Thursday attended a speech by President Donald Trump in Warsaw. He was booed by many in a crowd that supported the current government, which criticizes Walesa’s role in Poland’s politics.