NEWS IN BRIEF

15 killed in Thai south ‘rebel’ attacks
AFP, Yala, Thailand

At least fifteen people were gunned down in an ambush by suspected Muslim militants in Thailand’s violence-wracked south, an army spokesman said on yesterday, one of the bloodiest days in the 15-year insurgency. Thailand’s three southernmost provinces have been in the grip of a conflict that has killed more than 7,000 people, as Malay-Muslim militants fight for more autonomy from the Thai state. Despite the high death toll, the highly localised unrest garners few international headlines.

 

Duterte foe accepts manila drug war post
AFP, Manila

A fierce critic of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s deadly anti-drug war accepted a top post yesterday to help steer the campaign, pledging to halt killings of the innocent. While critics said the appointment is an effort to tarnish an adversary, the move will put Leni Robredo in the cockpit of the internationally condemned crackdown. Duterte offered the post to Robredo, who is vice president but was elected separately, after her repeated criticism of a campaign that has killed thousands.

 

Dengue cases record  high in Pakistan
AFP, Islamabad

A record-breaking 44,000 people have been infected with mosquito-borne dengue in Pakistan this year, a senior health official said yesterday, as increased outbreaks linked to rising temperatures and erratic rainfall ravage other parts of Asia. Dr Rana Safdar, a senior official at the National Institute of Health (NIH), told AFP the figure is a huge leap from the previous record of 27,000 infections in 2011. Safdar said 66 people had been killed by the disease so far in 2019, compared to 370 in 2011.

 

Tusk not to run for Polish president
Xinhua, Warsaw

European Council President Donald Tusk, a former Polish Prime Minister, in a Tuesday conversation with Polish media said he will not run in next year’s presidential election in Poland, Polish Press Agency (PAP) reported. “It (the election) calls for a candidacy that is not burdened by a load of difficult, unpopular decisions and I have been burdened by such a load since the times when I was prime minister,” Tusk was quoted as saying by PAP.

 

Two killed in strike on Libya police station
AFP, Tripoli

Two Libyan policemen were killed in an air strike on a police station in the suburbs of Tripoli late Tuesday, the UN-recognised Government of National Accord said. Its interior ministry blamed the strike on the forces of east Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar, who launched an offensive against the capital in April. Hundreds of people—both combatants and civilians—have been killed in the fighting and tens of thousands have fled.

 

 

 

NEWS IN BRIEF

15 killed in Thai south rebel attacks AFP, Yala, Thailand At least fifteen people were gunned down in an ambush by suspected Muslim militants in Thailands violence-wracked south, an army spokesman said on yesterday, one of the bloodiest days in the 15-year insurgency. Thailands three southernmost provinces have been in the grip of a conflict that has killed more than 7,000 people, as Malay-Muslim militants fight for more autonomy from the Thai state. Despite the high death toll, the highly localised unrest garners few international headlines. Duterte foe accepts manila drug war post AFP, Manila A fierce critic of Philippine President Rodrigo Dutertes deadly anti-drug war accepted a top post yesterday to help steer the campaign, pledging to halt killings of the innocent. While critics said the appointment is an effort to tarnish an adversary, the move will put Leni Robredo in the cockpit of the internationally condemned crackdown. Duterte offered the post to Robredo, who is vice president but was elected separately, after her repeated criticism of a campaign that has killed thousands. Dengue cases record high in Pakistan AFP, Islamabad A record-breaking 44,000 people have been infected with mosquito-borne dengue in Pakistan this year, a senior health official said yesterday, as increased outbreaks linked to rising temperatures and erratic rainfall ravage other parts of Asia. Dr Rana Safdar, a senior official at the National Institute of Health (NIH), told AFP the figure is a huge leap from the previous record of 27,000 infections in 2011. Safdar said 66 people had been killed by the disease so far in 2019, compared to 370 in 2011. Tusk not to run for Polish president Xinhua, Warsaw European Council President Donald Tusk, a former Polish Prime Minister, in a Tuesday conversation with Polish media said he will not run in next years presidential election in Poland, Polish Press Agency (PAP) reported. It (the election) calls for a candidacy that is not burdened by a load of difficult, unpopular decisions and I have been burdened by such a load since the times when I was prime minister, Tusk was quoted as saying by PAP. Two killed in strike on Libya police station AFP, Tripoli Two Libyan policemen were killed in an air strike on a police station in the suburbs of Tripoli late Tuesday, the UN-recognised Government of National Accord said. Its interior ministry blamed the strike on the forces of east Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar, who launched an offensive against the capital in April. Hundreds of peopleboth combatants and civilianshave been killed in the fighting and tens of thousands have fled.