Kaohsiung (Taiwan) (AFP) – Taiwanese residents voice anguish and outrage after 46 people perished in an inferno that tore through a dilapidated housing block, as investigators searched for what sparked the island’s deadliest fire in decades.
Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) (AFP) – While tourists have long been able to mingle freely unofficially in Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, locals were confined to single-sex beaches. But now, four years into a reform drive aimed at improving the country’s image, they are enjoying more freedoms.
Kongsberg (Norway) (AFP) – Police in southeastern Norway are investigating and questioning witnesses after a man armed with a bow and arrows killed five people and wounded two others. Authorities say the suspect had converted to Islam and likely acted alone. Investigations are ongoing but authorities say they believe it to be an “act of terror.”
Jakarta (AFP) – Workers from Indonesia’s Mosque Council adjust the volume of loudspeakers at mosques in Jakarta as online complaints about noisy loudspeakers are increasing, despite a lack of anonymity and fear of a backlash meaning there are no reliable official statistics. Aware of the growing discord, the Indonesian Mosque Council is deploying teams to tackle mosque sound systems around the nation.
Beirut (AFP) – Lebanon was plunged into a country-wide blackout over the weekend after two main power stations went offline because they ran out of fuel. In recent months, Lebanese have only received one or two hours of state electricity a day and experience near round-the-clock power cuts. The Mediterranean nation is battling one of the planet’s worst economic crises since the 1850s, and has in recent months struggled to import enough fuel oil for its power plants.
As G20 leaders gather for a virtual summit focused on addressing the looming humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, German Chancellor Angela Merkel welcomes the EU’s announcement of a one-billion-euro ($1.2-billion) aid package.
