World Echo

Sri Lanka's public health services and hospitals are battling the worst outbreak of mosquito-borne dengue in nearly a decade, and turning to the island nation's armed forces to help curb the spread of the disease. The efforts range from air force drones tracking stagnating rooftop pools of water after monsoon rains to military and police officers helping to inspect homes, building sites and schools in a campaign to stamp out mosquito-breeding sites. With 53 deaths and 76,044 infections since it began in January, the numbers of the stricken, spread wider by a more virulent strain, are approaching the tally of more than 100,000 notched by a 2017 outbreak. "It's challenging for the doctors because it's a rapid increase in patients," said consultant Lalindra Dias in Negombo, one of the worst-hit areas, located about 35 kilometres (22 miles) north of the key city of Colombo. "All of a sudden, you ge...

The US carried out a ninth consecutive night of military strikes against Iran early on Monday, targeting command centres, missile facilities, air defence systems, maritime assets and communications infrastructure. The latest developments indicate the conflict is expanding beyond direct military exchanges, with growing implications for regional security, global energy supplies and international shipping. Here is what to know. Why are the US strikes continuing? President Donald Trump said US forces had struck Iran “very hard,” describing the operations as retaliation for the deaths of US service members in the Middle East. The latest casualty on the US side came in northern Iraq, where a service member was killed during the controlled detonation of unexploded ordnance recovered from a downed Iranian drone. According to American media, at least 17 US soldiers have been killed since Feb 28, when the US and Israel attacked Iran. Strait of Hormuz at the heart of the co...

Nearly 40,000 hectares (98,842 acres) of forest and vegetation have burned across France since the beginning of the year, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said Monday. “Just under 40,000 hectares of forest or vegetation have burned in France since the beginning of the year,” Nunez told France Inter radio. He said the area burned was significantly larger than the total recorded throughout last year and had also surpassed the figure registered at the same point in 2022, which he described as an exceptional wildfire season. Authorities have arrested 111 people in connection with fires across the country, according to the minister. “A large proportion of them have admitted to the acts,” Nunez said, adding that nine out of 10 fires were caused by human activity, either intentionally or accidentally. Read: France to activate extreme heat emergency plan for 1st time Hundreds of firefighters were deployed Monday to tackle blazes, particularly in the southern...

Israeli occupiers set fire to two houses and a mosque and injured four Palestinians in a series of attacks in the occupied West Bank on Sunday. The Palestinian Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs said in a statement that Israeli occupiers set fire to a mosque in the town of Tuwana in Masafer Yatta in Hebron, causing extensive damage to the facility. The ministry, citing local sources, said the occupiers stormed the village and used flammable materials to set the mosque ablaze before residents and civil defence teams rushed to extinguish the flames. According to the ministry, clashes broke out during the firefighting efforts with Israeli army forces, who were providing protection for the occupiers. The ministry called the mosque attack "a fully-fledged act of terrorism," saying it was part of an Israeli policy aimed at displacing Palestinians from Masafer Yatta. Read More: Zohran renews pledge on Netanyahu arrest Tuwana municipal chief Muhammad Raba’I ...

Jordanian authorities ​have not issued any decision on ‌Sunday to evacuate the airport or seaport in Aqaba, the government's spokesperson told Reuters, after the US embassy ​in Amman said they had been ​evacuated due to a credible threat. المومني: لم يسجل لدى الجهات الأردنية المختصة تهديدات محتملة خلال الساعات الماضية#بترا #الأردن #عاجل — Jordan News Agency (@Petranews) July 19, 2026 "No potential ⁠threats have been recorded by the relevant ​Jordanian authorities in the past few hours," government ​spokesperson Mohammad Al-Momani told Reuters in a written statement. "The airport and port are operating normally." The US embassy had ​said the airport and seaport were evacuated ​due to a "specific and credible threat", without providing further details. Security Alert: U.S. Embassy Amman - July 19. 2026 Due to a specific and credible threat, Jordanian authorities evacuated the international airport and seaport in Aqaba. We strongl...

Afghan security forces recovered the bodies of five people who were attempting to enter Iran illegally but died from thirst and extreme heat in the deserts of southwestern Nimroz province, local media reported on Sunday. Efforts are underway to locate another 14 people who remain missing, local broadcaster Tolo News reported, citing Nimroz police spokesman Gul Mohammad Qudrat. The deceased were part of a 19-member group attempting to cross illegally into neighbouring Iran through remote desert areas spanning Helmand and Nimroz provinces. Many Afghans, particularly young people, attempt to enter Iran illegally in search of work. Last year, dozens of Afghan migrants died from exposure to freezing temperatures while attempting to cross into Iran. from Latest World News, International News | Breaking World News https://ift.tt/vpmtSCT