NEWS OF THE DAY
From Around the World
1 Baghdad bombings: As Iraqis mourned in shock and disbelief, more dead bodies were recovered Tuesday from the site of a massive Islamic State suicide bombing this weekend in central Baghdad, bringing the death toll to 175, officials said. The staggering figure — one the worst bombings in 13 years of war in Iraq — has cast a pall on the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan and which begins Wednesday in Iraq.
2 Suicide bomber: Saudi Arabia on Tuesday identified the suicide bomber who struck outside the U.S. Consulate in Jiddah as a Pakistani resident of the kingdom who arrived 12 years ago to work as a driver. The suicide bombing near the diplomatic post Monday was the first of three targeting the kingdom, including one outside of the sprawling mosque grounds where the prophet Muhammad is buried in the western city of Medina that killed four Saudi security troops and wounded five. Millions of Muslims from around the world visit the mosque every year as part of their pilgrimage to Mecca.
3 Police generals sacked: New Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday named five active and retired police generals as protectors of drug syndicates, and sacked those still in service. Duterte, who has promised to rid the country of illegal drugs and criminality within six months, said in a speech that he has ordered an investigation and accused the generals of committing a crime that is tantamount to treason. Two of the men are retired and the three others are in active service. Officials said that since Duterte took office on Thursday, at least 30 suspected drug pushers have died in clashes with police, bringing the number of drug suspects killed in such gunfights since the May 9 election to more than 100.
4 Festival assaults: Several dozen women reported being raped or sexually assaulted at two music festivals in Sweden last weekend, police said Tuesday. Police Inspector Leif Nystrom said there had been 32 reports of attacks by boys or young men at a three-day festival in the city of Karlstad, 190 miles west of the capital, Stockholm. The youngest alleged victim was 12. Police identified seven young men they wanted to question. Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven described the situation as “totally unacceptable” and said that laws on sexual assault would be tightened.
5 Bomb threat: An El Al flight from New York that was escorted by military jets in Europe following a bomb threat landed safely in Israel on Tuesday. El Al President David Maimon said Flight 002 from John F. Kennedy Airport touched down midday after an anonymous tip was received regarding a potential bomb threat onboard. Following the tip, France and Switzerland deployed military jets over their air spaces as escorts for the Boeing 747 plane flying toward Israel.
6 Israeli settlements: An Israeli official has confirmed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has authorized construction of hundreds of new homes in Jewish settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The move comes as a response to a series of deadly Palestinians attacks against Jewish settlers. The official said construction would take place in Maale Adumim, just outside Jerusalem, and in three Jerusalem neighborhoods. The plan also called for more than 600 new homes in an Arab neighborhood of East Jerusalem. Palestinians have long viewed settlement construction as the biggest obstacle to the stalled peace process.