UN urges rival Libya forces to agree humanitarian truce
AFP, Tripoli
The United Nations has called on forces loyal to Libya’s internationally recognised government and a rival administration to commit to a humanitarian truce by midnight on Friday.
The UN mission in Libya “calls on all parties to accept a humanitarian truce for Eid Al-Adha”, it said in a statement on Twitter late Thursday, referring to the Muslim festival of sacrifice that begins on Sunday.
Arkansas man charged with helping al-Qaida
AP, Little Rock
A Yemeni national living in Arkansas was charged with providing support to a terrorist organization, the U.S. Department of Justice said Friday. Bilal al-Rayanni was charged Thursday with supporting al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula between October and December of 2014 while he was in Yemen.
The 28-year-old was initially on arrested June 27 and charged July 11 with making a false statement on a passport application in May. According to the original complaint, he allegedly used the name Bilal Kassim Alawdi, which he had been using on passport documentation since he was a small child.
Power outage
creates travel mayhem in Britain
AFP, London
Nearly one million people were affected by a major power outage for several hours across areas of England and Wales on Friday, including parts of London, causing rush-hour transportation chaos. Problems with two generators caused the massive electricity cut, the National Grid said.
“This evening we had an unexpected and unusual event, the loss of two generators that connect to the GB transmission system, which led to a fall in the frequency of the electricity system,” National Grid said on Twitter.
13 dead, 16 missing as typhoon hits east China
AFP, Shanghai
At least 13 people were killed and 16 others missing in a landslide after Typhoon Lekima lashed eastern China, national television reported Saturday.
The tragedy occurred in the municipality of Wenzhou, which was in the path of the storm as it made landfall overnight, CCTV said. “Torrential rains caused a landslide on a mountain that blocked a river below,” it said. The resulting “dam” created a lake which swept downstream when it burst.
10 Turkish sailors kidnapped off Nigeria coast freed
AFP, Istanbul
Ten Turkish sailors on a cargo ship who were kidnapped by “pirates” off the coast of Nigeria last month have been freed, Turkey’s state news agency Anadolu reported Friday. The sailors, who Anadolu says are in good health, were seized by armed men who attacked the Turkish-flagged Paksoy-1 cargo vessel, operated by shipping company Kadioglu Denizcilik.
No details were immediately available on the release of the captives. A company statement cited by Turkish media last month said the ship was attacked by “pirates” on its way from Cameroon to the Ivory Coast. It was carrying no freight.
