Iran pilgrims to join this year’s Hajj
AFP, Riyadh
Iranian pilgrims will participate in this year’s Hajj, Saudi Arabia said on Friday, despite ruptured ties between the regional rivals. For the first time in nearly three decades Iran’s pilgrims – which would have numbered about 60,000 – did not attend last year’s Hajj after Riyadh and Tehran failed to agree on security and logistics.
Philippines to strengthen military facilities in South China Sea
Reuters, Manila
The Philippines said on Friday it would strengthen its military facilities on islands and shoals in the disputed South China Sea and announced initial plans to build a new port and pave an existing rough airstrip.
Defense Minister Delfin Lorenzana had been scheduled to inspect an outpost on Thitu, one of the disputed Spratly Islands, but his trip was canceled because of “safety issues” and he spent the day instead at a military base where he unveiled the development plans.
Man shot dead at Paris Orly airport
Reuters, Paris
Security forces shot dead a man who seized a soldier’s gun at Paris Orly airport on Saturday and a police officer was shot and injured in a separate incident north of the French capital, the French Interior Ministry said. A bomb sweep took place at the airport to make sure the dead man was not wearing an explosive belt, but nothing was found, Interior Ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet told Reuters.
Ethiopian landslide death toll reaches 113
International Business Times
A landslide at a large garbage dump on the outskirts of the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa over the weekend has killed 113 people, local authorities said Wednesday as the search for missing people continued at the site.
The landfill is named Koshe in Amharic, which translates to “dust” in English, and has been serving the capital of roughly 4 million people for decades.
