Brazil deploys troops to fight Amazon fires

A volunteer firefighter fights a forest fire near Robore, Santa Cruz, Bolivia on Saturday. Backed by military aircraft, Brazilian troops on Saturday were deployed to the Amazon to fight fires that have swept the region and prompted anti-government protests as well as an international outcry. SD-Agencies

Seven killed in midair collision in Spain

Seven people including two children have been killed in a midair collision between a helicopter and a light aircraft over the Spanish island of Mallorca, authorities said.

The two aircraft crashed over the central town of Inca at 1:35 p.m. on Sunday, the regional Balearic Islands government said on its Twitter account.

Everyone aboard the two aircraft — two on the plane and five on the helicopter — perished in the crash, a police spokesman said. A couple and their two children were aboard the helicopter along with the pilot, the spokesman said.

Police fire tear gas at anti-G7 protesters

French police used tear gas and a water cannon to break up anti-G7 protesters in the southern city of Bayonne on Saturday, as leaders from the world’s leading industrialized nations arrived for their summit just a few kilometers away in Biarritz.

Since early last week, anti-capitalist activists, environmentalists and other anti-globalization groups have been flocking to a counter-summit in southwestern France.

More than 9,000 anti-G7 protesters took part in the largest protest on Saturday — a mass march over a bridge linking France and Spain that took place without incident.

Prince Andrew ‘clarifies’ ties to Epstein

Britain’s Prince Andrew said on Saturday that “at no stage” during his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein did he “see, witness or suspect” the behavior that led to Epstein’s arrest and conviction.

In 2008, Epstein was convicted on — and served jail time for — two charges of felony* prostitution. Earlier this month, the disgraced American financier was found dead in a New York jail cell where he had been awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges.

Woman cleared over baby’s death says ‘justice was done’

A 21-year-old woman acquitted* of the aggravated* murder of her baby in El Salvador has called on her supporters to fight for others like her.

A judge said there was no evidence that Evelyn Hernandez had killed her child, which was found dead in the septic tank* of the toilet where she gave birth. His ruling contradicted that of a 2017 trial, during which Hernandez was found guilty and sentenced to 30 years.

Italy PM quits amid coalition row

Italy’s Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte resigned on August 20 following a blistering attack on coalition partner Matteo Salvini. Conte said Salvini had been “irresponsible” in creating a new political crisis for Italy for “personal and party interests.”

After 14 months of bickering*, Italy’s government collapsed, plunging a key European nation already hobbled* by financial fragility and political chaos into a renewed period of crisis. The government coalition came apart after a mutinous power play by Salvini.

(SD-Agencies)