Lebanon battled rapidly spreading wildfires for a third straight day Friday after they destroyed pine forests and threatened homes in northern areas.

The blaze that started Wednesday in Lebanon's remote Akkar region "is spreading quickly over large areas," Agriculture Minister Abbas Mortada told AFP.
-It's spreading in all directions fanned by high winds- Mortada said, adding that it had reached neighbouring Syria.
The blaze, which has killed a 15-year-old volunteer firefighter and forced many people from their homes, gained pace overnight, according to the state-run National News Agency.
-The fires were out of control in the Jabal Akroum region which straddles the border- NNA said.
-The area affected by the fire expanded significantly overnight... approaching orchards, farmland and some homes evacuated by their residents- it said.
There is no official estimate of the size of the area affected.
The army deployed two helicopters early Friday to help douse the flames and more local volunteers joined the firefighting effort, NNA said.
The Red Cross treated one volunteer with breathing difficulties, it added.
George Abou Moussa of Lebanon's civil defence said firefighting teams were working to contain the blaze.
-But there are areas we can't reach- he told AFP.
According to Mortada, the cash-strapped government is looking for outside help.
-The Lebanese government doesn't have access to many firefighting aircraft- and is pinning its hopes on assistance from Cyprus, Greece and neighbouring Syria, Mortada said. 
For it's part, Syria said that it has managed to contain fires spreading from Lebanese territory.
-The fire that spread from Lebanese territory to the... Qusayr region has been completely extinguished- the state SANA news agency reported, citing the director of Syria's civil defence. 
The government's failure to contain devastating wildfires in October 2019 was one of the triggers of an unprecedented, nationwide protest movement against perceived official incompetence and corruption.

The blaze that started Wednesday in remote Akkar region "is spreading quickly over large areas"

A Lebanese army helicopter drops water on a huge forest fire in the remote Akkar region of the north

Lebanon battles wildfires for third straight day

Citing satellite images, US scientists have claimed that China is building a second nuclear missile silo field with a capacity of approximately 110 silos, in what they call “the most significant expansion of the Chinese nuclear arsenal ever.”

Matt Korda and Hans Kristensen of the Federation of American Scientists said in a report on Monday that the second missile silo field is located 380 kilometers (240 miles) northwest of the Yumen field, near the prefecture-level city of Hami in northwestern China's Xinjiang autonomous region, home to around 10 million Turkic Uyghur people.
Satellite images show that construction of the nuclear missile field is underway, the report said.
-The Hami missile silo field is in a much earlier stage of development than the Yumen site. Construction began at the start of March 2021 in the southeastern corner of the complex and continues at a rapid pace- it read.
The report added: "Since then, dome shelters have been erected over at least 14 silos and soil cleared in preparation for construction of another 19 silos. The grid-like outline of the entire complex indicates that it may eventually include approximately 110 silos."
Korda and Kristensen stressed the impact of the construction for the Chinese nuclear arsenal, saying, "The silo construction at Yumen and Hami constitutes the most significant expansion of the Chinese nuclear arsenal ever," calling the overall silo missile program “the most extensive silo construction since the US and Soviet missile silo construction during the Cold War."
Earlier this month, US State Department spokesperson Ned Price voiced concern over the speedy expansion of China’s nuclear capabilities.
Reports suggest that China’s “nuclear arsenal will grow more quickly, and to a higher level than perhaps previously anticipated," Price told reporters on June 1.

Federation of American Scientists report shows satellite images indicating construction of 110 silos in Xinjiang region

Earlier this month, US State Department spokesperson Ned Price voiced concern over the speedy expansion of China’s nuclear capabilities

US scientists claim China building 2nd missile silo field

Pedro Castillo took office as president in Peru on Wednesday after that nation was in suspense for more than one month awaiting election results.

The 51-year-old farmer and union leader from the Peruvian highlands, who has been portrayed as a leftist and a conservative, took the reins of the country amid the coronavirus pandemic, deep economic crisis and a history of political upheaval.
-I swear by God, by my family, by the peasants, by the native peoples ... fishermen, professionals, children, youth, that I will exercise the office of president in the 2021-2026 period. I swear for the people of Peru, for a country without corruption- he said in his inaugural address.
Spanish King Felipe VI attended the inauguration ceremony and was joined by six presidents, including Ivan Duque of Colombia and Sebastian Pinera from Chile. US Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and former Bolivian President Evo Morales also attended.
Castillo comes to power with the support of the rural poor but has no experience in national politics.
Three days of ceremonies are planned for the swearing-in of Castillo, who assumes power on the day Peru commemorates its bicentennial independence.
He worked as a primary school teacher from 1995 to 2020, and in 2002 he unsuccessfully ran for mayor.
His name became relevant in 2017 during a teacher strike regarding pay.
He was the winner in the first round of elections among 18 candidates.
Peru’s electoral body confirmed Castillo as president after dismissing several appeals filed by contender Keiko Fujimori for election fraud.
The leftist teacher maintained a razor-thin edge against Fujimori since the second-round election on June 6.
Castillo had an advantage of about 44,000 votes against the daughter of former President Alberto Fujimori.
Although Fujimori claimed fraud regarding 500,000 votes, international observers did not report irregularities.
Peru has been immersed in political turmoil with four presidents in the last five years.
Last year, Congress pushed an impeachment process against former President Martin Vizcarra, which forced him to step down.
The nation has also been hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic.
Two million people have lost their jobs and nearly one-third now live in poverty, according to official figures.
The country has the world's highest per capita death rate from the virus. It reports nearly 196,000 deaths and more than 2 million infections, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Castillo takes reins of nation immersed in political turmoil

Pedro Castillo celebrates with his supporters after he was officially declared the winner of the second round of presidential election in Lima, Peru on July 20, 2021.

Pedro Castillo sworn in as president of Peru

Bangladesh is set to complete its long-cherished and first-ever metro-rail project by December 2022 despite the alarming spike in coronavirus cases.

-Our finance minister has already said that we are determined to complete the project by December 2022 and I also like to assure if everything goes on normally, we can reach our target- MAN Siddique, the managing director of the project, told Anadolu Agency.
He, however, said that around 12,000 people in total have been working in this mega project in different groups based on working procedures. “But due to the pandemic restrictions, we have to engage fewer workers in smaller groups currently.”
-In some cases, we need big groups of workers to be engaged at a time to complete some heavy works of the project timely. We are hopeful that after vaccinating all workforces engaged in the project, we can allow more people to work simultaneously- he said.
Siddique added that a good number of workforces including both locals and foreigners have already been inoculated and the rest are under process on a priority basis.
To ease the traffic jam in the country’s most crowded city of Dhaka and make life comfortable for nearly 20 million inhabitants, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the construction work of the much-hyped project on June 26, 2016, with a target to complete the first phase of the project by 2024 and the whole project by 2030.
According to official data, under the first phase out of six, there will be a total of 144 coaches for train sets that will run on a 20.10-km (nearly 12.5-mile) route from Dhaka’s mid-northern Uttara to mid-southern Kamalapur railway station via Agargaon, Farmgate, Dhaka University campus, and business-hub Motijheel.
There will be a total of 17 stations, according to the official documents of the project entitled "MRT Line-6."
The total costs of the big project amount to around 220 billion Bangladeshi takas ($2.6 billion) of which the Japan International Cooperation Agency is providing $1.9 billion at a 0.01% interest rate, while the rest would come from internal sources.
The time-consuming fast metro line will carry 60,000 passengers in an hour running through each of the 17 stations once every four minutes.
Once functioning, this project is expected to be economically very viable as it will save huge working hours for people.
A 2018 study by the Accident Research Institute (ARC) at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology suggested that traffic congestion in Dhaka causes a loss of $4.4 billion annually -- 11% of the national budget of that fiscal year.
"Bangladesh could have saved $2.6 billion if it had reduced 60% of traffic congestion in Dhaka annually," the ARC Director Moazzem Hossain said during the publication of the study.

Despite ongoing pandemic, 1st phase services to be available by end of next year, says official

Around 12,000 people in total have been working in this mega project in different groups based on working procedures

Bangladesh to launch 1st-ever metro-rail services in capital Dhaka by 2022

Tunisia has experienced a wave of dismissals as 24 government and state officials were sacked as of Wednesday.

The dismissals started when Tunisian President Kais Saied's decided on Sunday to sack the government and freeze the work of parliament.
Saied announced he would assume executive authority and freeze the work of the parliament for 30 days as well as lift immunity on parliamentarians.
Observers expect the dismissals will include the firing of governors and municipal councils in coming days.

<h2>Sacking of premier, two ministers</h2>

Following Saied's move, he issued a presidential decree on Monday to sack Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi who was also holding the Interior Ministry portfolio.

Defense Minister Ibrahim Bartagi and Interim Justice Minister Hasna Ben Slimane were also relieved of their duties on July 25.
The decree noted that the secretaries of the state and secretaries-general will assume responsibility for the noted ministries until a new government is announced.
After his dismissal, Mechichi announced on Facebook he will hand over his post to the new prime minister who will be appointed by Saied.
Bartagi was appointed defense chief in Mechichi's government in August 2020 under an agreement with Saied. But no comment was issued about his dismissal from Ben Slimane.

<h2>Dismissals of top government officials</h2>

The Tunisian Presidency announced on Tuesday a series of dismissals against several state officials.

Among those who were dismissed are the Director of the Prime Ministry Council Moez Lidine Allah al-Muqaddam and Secretary-General of the Government Walid Dhahbi.
The decisions also included all eight senior advisors and aides to Mechichi, namely Rashad bin Ramadan, Salim Al-Tisawi, Mufdi Al-Masdi, Abdelsalam al-Abassi, Zakaria Belkhodja, Elias Ghariani, Oussama Kheriji and Lahssan Benomar.
Abdul Razzaq al-Kilani, head of the General Authority for Martyrs and Wounded People of the Revolution and Terrorist Operations was relieved as well.
Saied also sacked Taoufik Ayouni, top prosecutor of the military court.
Another nine officials in the Prime Ministry Council were sacked, including Fethi Bayar, Mohamed Ali Alrawi, Hussam Eddine bin Mahmoud, Basma Daoudi, Ibtihal Alatawi, Monji Khadraoui, Nabil Ben Hadid, Bassam El Kchaou and Rawda bin Saleh.
Saied's action was rejected by most of Tunisia's parliamentary blocs, including Ennahda, Heart of Tunisia, the Dignity Coalition and the People's Movement.
Parliament Speaker Rached Ghannouchi described the moves as nothing but a "full-fledged coup" against the Tunisian Constitution, revolution and freedoms.
Tunisia is seen as the only country that succeeded in carrying out a democratic transition in Arab countries that witnessed popular revolutions which toppled ruling regimes, including in Egypt, Libya and Yemen.

Dismissals started with premier Hichem Mechichi, minister but has reached top state officials

Tunisian President Kais Saied (Rear C) holds a meeting with security officials and military command echelon at the Carthage Palace in Tunis, Tunisia on July 28, 2021.

Tunisian president fires 24 state officials since Sunday

A former senior Daesh/ISIS member of Moroccan nationality was arrested in Greece, local media reported Wednesday.

-Greek security services on Tuesday arrested a 28-year-old Moroccan national who had held senior positions in the operational squads of the Islamic State terrorist organization in Syria- Moroccan news agency MAP reported.
Citing a security source, MAP reported that the arrest came after a “joint coordination and exchange of intelligence carried out within the framework of multilateral security cooperation, with the active contribution of Moroccan security services and their counterparts in Greece, Italy, England, and the United States.”

Greece arrests 28-year-old Moroccan national who held senior positions in Daesh/ISIS terror group in Syria

Greek security services on Tuesday arrested a 28-year-old Moroccan national who had held senior positions in the operational squads of the Islamic State terrorist organization in Syria

Report: Former senior Daesh/ISIS member arrested in Greece

A tsunami alert has been issued after a powerful magnitude 8.2 earthquake struck off the coast of Alaska, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said early on Thursday.

The quake was at a depth of 47 kilometers (29 miles) and its epicenter was 91 kilometers (56 miles) off Perryville, Alaska, according to the USGS.
Two aftershocks with magnitudes of 6.2 and 5.6 have been recorded so far, it added.

Aftershocks measuring 6.2, 5.6 also recorded

The quake was at a depth of 47 kilometers (29 miles) and its epicenter was 91 kilometers (56 miles) off Perryville, Alaska, according to the USGS

Magnitude 8.2 quake strikes Alaska, tsunami warning issued

US President Joe Biden on Tuesday accused his Russian counterpart of seeking to disrupt the 2022 congressional elections by spreading "misinformation."

-Look at what Russia is doing already about the 2022 elections and misinformation- Biden said during a trip to the office of the director of national intelligence near Washington, referring to information he receives during his daily briefing.
-It's a pure violation of our sovereignty.-He also lashed out at Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Putin has "a real problem, he is sitting on top of an economy that has nuclear weapons and nothing else," Biden said. "He knows he is in real trouble, which makes him even more dangerous in my view."
The US leader also expressed concern about the recent increase in cyberattacks, including via ransomware, which typically see hackers encrypting victims' data and then demanding money for restored access.
-If we end up in a war, a real shooting war, with a major power, it's going to be as a consequence of a cyber breach- Biden said.
The United States will hold midterm elections in fall 2022, in which all seats in the House of Representatives and one-third of the Senate seats will be on the ballot.
Washington recently accused Beijing of carrying out the massive hack in March of Microsoft Exchange, and the White House has also repeatedly called on Russia to take action against ransomware attacks originating from within the country.

It's a pure violation of our sovereignty, Biden said

Biden accuses Russia trying to disrupt 2022 elections

Three Armenian troops died in border clashes with Azerbaijani forces on Wednesday, Yerevan said, in the deadliest military incident between the arch-foes since their war last year over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.

-As a result of armed action launched following an attack by Azerbaijani forces, there are three dead and two wounded from the Armenian side as of 08:30 (0430 GMT)- the defence ministry in Yerevan said. 
It said an intense shootout took place near the village of Sotk at the north-eastern sector of the border shared by the Caucasus neighbours. 
Armenia's foreign ministry said that "the Azerbaijani side is deliberately escalating the situation as its forces remain illegally on Armenia's sovereign territory."
Azerbaijan's defence ministry accused Armenia of a military provocation, saying "two Azerbaijani servicemen were wounded" after Armenian forces opened fire towards Azerbaijani positions in the district of Kelbajar, in the early hours of Wednesday.
-Armenia bears full responsibility for the escalation of tensions along the two countries’ shared border- it said. 
Tensions between Baku and Yerevan have been running high since May, when Armenia accused Azerbaijan's military of crossing its southern frontier to "lay siege" to a lake shared by the two countries. 
The six-week war between Armenia and Azerbajan last autumn claimed about 6,500 lives and ended in November with a Russian-brokered ceasefire under which Armenia ceded territories it had controlled for decades. 
Both countries have reported occasional shootouts in recent months along their shared border, sparking fears of a flare up in the territorial dispute. 
Ethnic Armenian separatists in Nagorno-Karabakh broke away from Azerbaijan as the Soviet Union collapsed, and the ensuing conflict has claimed around 30,000 lives.

The six-week war between Armenia and Azerbajan last autumn claimed about 6,500 lives and ended in November with a Russian-brokered ceasefire

Both countries have reported occasional shootouts in recent months along their shared border, sparking fears of a flare up in the territorial dispute

Three Armenian soldiers killed in clash with Azerbaijan

The US decision to end its combat mission in Iraq requires "increased attention," the Kremlin said on Tuesday.

Russia will monitor further developments in the region amid possible escalation, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said at a press briefing in Moscow.
-Apparently, a considerable number of so-called military advisers remain, they will continue to work in Iraq. Therefore, of course, we will monitor, it is too early to anticipate events, but, of course, we would not like another territory to be added to the regional potential of instability in general. You need to look at this carefully- he said.
Peskov noted that the end of the US mission in Iraq and its troop withdrawal from Afghanistan are two different cases that cannot be compared.
-It is obvious that it is completely different and it is hardly possible to draw any parallels here. But I repeat once again, we all would like the conflict-wide potential in the region not to grow with some new episodes- he said.
Peskov added that on all the issues related to the situation in Iraq, Moscow will keep in touch with the Iraqi authorities.
On Monday, US President Joe Biden announced a formal end to the US mission in Iraq by the end of the year, Washington and Baghdad will only continue to cooperate on counter-terrorism, including against the threat posed by Daesh/ISIS.

Russia will monitor situation in Iraq, stay in touch with Iraqi authorities, spokesman Dmitry Peskov says

Russia will monitor further developments in the region amid possible escalation

Kremlin says end of US combat mission in Iraq requires 'increased attention'

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday reiterated calls for a "negotiated settlement" with the Taliban in Afghanistan, admitting the country faced a "deeply challenging" security situation as foreign troops leave.

-The security situation in Afghanistan remains deeply challenging, and requires a negotiated settlement. NATO will continue to support Afghanistan, including with funding; civilian presence; and out-of-country training- Stoltenberg wrote on Twitter after speaking to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. 
Since early May, violence has surged as the Taliban launched a sweeping assault just days after US-led NATO forces began a withdrawal which is now almost complete.
The deadly advance has seen the insurgents capture scores of districts, border crossings and encircle several provincial capitals.
The fighting continues across the rugged countryside as peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban have so far failed to reach a deal to end the war.
Most of NATO's 10,000-strong force have already pulled out of the country after a decision by President Joe Biden to bring Washington's troops home after two decades. 
The United Nations warned Monday that Afghanistan could see the highest number of civilian deaths in more than a decade if the Taliban's offensives across the country are not halted.
The US descended on Afghanistan and its Taliban government in 2001 in the wake of the 9/11 attacks by Al-Qaeda, which had sought sanctuary in the country.
There are serious fears that the Taliban's advance could see the collapse of the country and unravel the tenuous gains made in 20 years of costly involvement in the country.&nbsp;

Since early May, violence has surged as the Taliban launched a sweeping assault just days after US-led NATO forces began a withdrawal which is now almost complete

Stoltenberg: The security situation in Afghanistan remains deeply challenging

NATO chief urges 'negotiated settlement' in Afghanistan

The bodies of three mountaineers who died during a winter expedition on Pakistan's K2 have been found months after they went missing while scaling the world's second-highest peak, officials said Tuesday.

The remains of Pakistani mountaineering legend Muhammad Ali Sadpara, Iceland's John Snorri and Juan Pablo Mohr from Chile were spotted Monday near "the bottleneck", a narrow gully just hundreds of metres from the summit. 
-We are now focusing on a strategy to bring the bodies to a point from where they could be airlifted- Ayaz Shagri, an official with the Alpine Club of Pakistan, told AFP.
-The bodies of the mountaineers are intact and frozen- Shagri added, saying the climbers' remains were at an altitude of 7,800 metres (25,600 feet).
-It is very difficult to bring the dead bodies down from this high altitude- said Karrar Haidri, also from the Alpine Club, adding that the military was helping with the operation.
The trio lost contact with K2's base camp in early February, sparking a massive rescue effort that included military helicopters and planes.
Sadpara's son Sajid is in the team coordinating the recovery effort, Shagri added.
The discovery of the bodies followed the death on Sunday of Scottish climber Rick Allen, who was killed after being hit by an avalanche.
With Pakistan's borders open and few other places to go due to the coronavirus pandemic, the country's summer climbing season is attracting a large number of alpinists.
Known as "the savage mountain", K2 has harsh conditions -- winds can blow at more than 200 kilometres per hour (124 miles per hour) and temperatures can drop to minus 60 degrees Celsius (minus 76 Fahrenheit).
Unlike the world's highest peak Mount Everest, which has been scaled by thousands of climbers young and old, K2 is much less travelled.

The remains of Pakistani mountaineering legend Muhammad Ali Sadpara, Iceland's John Snorri and Juan Pablo Mohr from Chile were spotted Monday, a narrow gully just hundreds of metres from the summit

An artist puts the final touches to a portrait of Pakistan climber Muhammad Ali Sadpara in February after he went missing while scaling K2

Bodies of three missing climbers spotted on Pakistan's K2

A wall of sand over 100 metres high swallowed a city on the fringes of the Gobi desert in northwestern China, in scenes reminiscent of a disaster film.

Dunhuang, a tourist draw with a colourful history as a Silk Road outpost, momentarily disappeared in the dust clouds as the storm hit on Sunday.
A resident surnamed Zhang told local media Jimu News that the sandstorm came abruptly and swept through the city in five or six minutes.
-I couldn't see the sun- he said, adding that the city in Gansu province had not experienced such a sandstorm in several years.
-At first I was enveloped in the sandstorm's yellow dust, then it turned red and finally black.-Dunhuang is home to several major tourist attractions including the Mogao Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage site with ancient Buddhist carvings and striking desert landforms.
Sandstorms are common in the region each spring but rare in the summer, according to state-run news agency China News Service.

Dunhuang, a tourist draw with a colourful history as a Silk Road outpost, momentarily disappeared in the dust clouds as the storm hit on Sunday

Sandstorms are common in the region each spring but rare in the summer, according to state-run news agency China News Service

Sandstorm engulfs desert city in China

The UK on Monday decried a terrorist attack that killed two Turkish soldiers in northern Syria.

-The UK condemns the attack on Turkish military in northern Syria. Turkey is a close friend, a NATO ally and we call on all parties to uphold the ceasefire + international law- Jonathan Hargreaves, UK special representative for Syria, said on Twitter.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The UK condemns the attack on Turkish military in northern <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Syria?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Syria</a>. Turkey is a close friend & a NATO ally & we call on all parties to uphold the ceasefire +international law. The recent escalation in violence across northern Syria must end. A political solution is urgently needed— Jonathan Hargreaves (@UKSyriaRep) <a href="https://twitter.com/UKSyriaRep/status/1419612432021000194?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 26, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

-The recent escalation in violence across northern Syria must end. A political solution is urgently needed- he added.

On Saturday, Turkey’s National Defense Ministry said two Turkish soldiers were killed and two others injured when terrorists attacked an armored vehicle carrying troops in northern Syria.
Since 2016, Turkey has launched a trio of successful anti-terror operations across its border in northern Syria to prevent the formation of a terror corridor and enable the peaceful settlement of residents: Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018), and Peace Spring (2019).

UK special representative for Syria says ‘recent escalation in violence across northern Syria must end’

On Saturday, Turkey’s National Defense Ministry said two Turkish soldiers were killed and two others injured when terrorists attacked an armored vehicle carrying troops in northern Syria

UK condemns terrorist attack on Turkish soldiers in northern Syria

Israeli warplanes struck two military sites belonging to Palestinian resistance groups in Gaza late Sunday.

An Anadolu Agency correspondent in Gaza reported that Israeli fighter jets bombed a site in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip and another one in northern Gaza.
The Health Ministry in Gaza has not reported any casualties so far.
Early on Sunday, Israel decided to decrease the fishing zone for Palestinian fishermen in Gaza from 12 nautical miles to 6 nautical miles in response to what it said was the launching of incendiary balloons on Israeli border areas with Gaza which caused fires in three locations, according to the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth.
The incendiary balloons or kites contain flammable materials or oil-soaked rags that may ignite fires once landing on crops or dried plants.

No casualties reported so far

Israeli fighter jets bombed a site in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip and another one in northern Gaza

Israeli army bombs 2 military sites in Gaza

The US and 20 other nations condemned on Monday Cuba’s arrest of pro-democracy demonstrators, and urged Havana to “to respect the legally guaranteed rights and freedoms of the Cuban people.”

-We urge the Cuban government to release those detained for exercising their rights to peaceful protest- a joint statement said.
-We call for press freedom and for the full restoration of Internet access, which allows economies and societies to thrive. We urge the Cuban government to heed the voices and demands of the Cuban people- it added.
The US was joined by 20 countries, including South Korea, Greece, Israel, Austria and Ukraine.
One person has died and hundreds of others have been arrested amid demonstrations in Cuba. Cuba Decide, a pro-democracy group, has said that 219 people have been arrested or gone missing.
Thousands of people took to the streets on July 11 in cities and towns across the country to protest shortages of food, fuel and medicine as well as power outages amid an economic crisis. The protests are the largest upheaval to have erupted on the island in decades.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the Cuban government responded to the demonstrations “not by recognizing the voices of its own people, but by further stifling those voices through arbitrary detentions and secret summary trials lacking due process guarantees.”
-The United States and the international community will continue to provide support to the Cuban people as they seek to exercise those universal human rights and freedoms to which all individuals are entitled- added Blinken.

Nations urge Havana ‘to respect the legally guaranteed rights and freedoms of the Cuban people’

A police car and a classic car travel are seen as special forces troops patrol at Prado Avenue following the protests in Cuba, Havana on July 21, 2021.

Lebanon battles wildfires for third straight day

US scientists claim China building 2nd missile silo field

Pedro Castillo sworn in as president of Peru

Bangladesh to launch 1st-ever metro-rail services in capital Dhaka by 2022

Tunisian president fires 24 state officials since Sunday

Report: Former senior Daesh/ISIS member arrested in Greece

Magnitude 8.2 quake strikes Alaska, tsunami warning issued

Biden accuses Russia trying to disrupt 2022 elections

Three Armenian soldiers killed in clash with Azerbaijan

Kremlin says end of US combat mission in Iraq requires 'increased attention'

NATO chief urges 'negotiated settlement' in Afghanistan

Bodies of three missing climbers spotted on Pakistan's K2

Sandstorm engulfs desert city in China

UK condemns terrorist attack on Turkish soldiers in northern Syria

Israeli army bombs 2 military sites in Gaza

US, 20 nations condemn mass arrests in Cuba

World

Lebanon battles wildfires for third straight day

US scientists claim China building 2nd missile silo field

Pedro Castillo sworn in as president of Peru

Bangladesh to launch 1st-ever metro-rail services in capital Dhaka by 2022

Tunisian president fires 24 state officials since Sunday

Report: Former senior Daesh/ISIS member arrested in Greece

Magnitude 8.2 quake strikes Alaska, tsunami warning issued

Biden accuses Russia trying to disrupt 2022 elections

Three Armenian soldiers killed in clash with Azerbaijan

Kremlin says end of US combat mission in Iraq requires 'increased attention'

NATO chief urges 'negotiated settlement' in Afghanistan

Bodies of three missing climbers spotted on Pakistan's K2

Sandstorm engulfs desert city in China

UK condemns terrorist attack on Turkish soldiers in northern Syria

Israeli army bombs 2 military sites in Gaza

US, 20 nations condemn mass arrests in Cuba