Power outage darkens Times Square in New York

Pedestrians walk in the dark after a power outage hit Manhattan in New York City on Saturday. Part of midtown Manhattan in New York City, the United States, were hit with a power outage* on Saturday evening, causing Times Square billboards to go dark, leaving people trapped in elevators and shutting down a Jennifer Lopez concert at Madison Square Garden.SD-Agencies

Small plane crashes in Sweden, 9 dead

Swedish officials said a small plane carrying parachutists* crashed in northern Sweden soon after takeoff on Sunday and all nine people on board were killed.

The accident took place a little after 2 p.m. local time on Storsandskar island. Swedish media quoted witnesses reporting that some of the parachutists were seen trying to jump off the plane just before the crash.

Swedish airport authority Swedavia said the crashed aircraft was a GippsAero GA8 Airvan, an Australian-made single-engine plane popular with parachutists, that took off from Umea Airport. The cause of the crash is not yet known.

European leaders join Macron for Bastille Day parade

European leaders including German Chancellor Angela Merkel joined French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Sunday for the traditional Bastille Day military parade, which this year honored European military cooperation.

Flags of the 10 countries of the European Intervention Initiative, a joint military pact created last year, led the parade down the Champs Elysees Avenue in Paris.

Trump called racist after tweets at congresswomen

U.S. President Donald Trump was accused of being racist and divisive* by many Democrats after suggesting that four female Democratic lawmakers, led by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, should return to the “broken and crime infested places from which they came.”

Three of the four women Trump was apparently referencing were born in the United States and none are white.

The comments, made in a three-tweet string on early Sunday, seem aimed at first-term Representatives Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts.

France to create space

command

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Saturday he had approved the creation of a space command within the French air force to improve the country’s defense capabilities.

He said the investment involved had yet to be determined. “To give substance to this doctrine* and ensure the development and reinforcement of our space capabilities, a space command will be created next September in the air force,” Macron said.

Saudi princess tried in absentia for alleged beating

The only daughter of Saudi Arabia’s King Salman was put on trial in absentia* on July 9 in Paris for allegedly ordering her bodyguard to strike a plumber* she suspected of taking photos and video at the Saudi royal family’s apartment in the French capital.

Prosecutors allege Princess Hessa bint Salman became enraged when she saw the plumber allegedly capturing her image.

(SD-Agencies)