Briefly

BRAZIL

Virus deaths surge puts nation in top 3

Brazil's death toll from the coronavirus surpassed Italy's to become the third-highest in the world on Thursday. The bleak figures from Brazil underlined the grim toll the virus is taking in Latin America, the latest epicenter in the pandemic, even as Europe seeks to reemerge from lockdown－including with a massive 600-billion-euro ($674-billion) economic stimulus measure announced by the European Central Bank. Since emerging late last year, the virus has infected at least 6.6 million people, killed more than 390,000 and wreaked havoc on the global economy by forcing millions to stay inside their homes. Brazil reported a fresh record for deaths over 24 hours, bringing the total number killed to more than 34,000. That is behind only the United States, with more than 108,000 deaths, and the United Kingdom, with nearly 40,000.

SYRIA

Air defenses respond to 'Israeli attack'

Syrian forces used anti-aircraft systems in response to a deadly Israeli attack in the western province of Hama, a monitor reported on Thursday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group reported explosions and an unspecified number of casualties in the Masyaf area, after an Israeli air raid against government positions. "The area is under the Syrian army's control and Iranians are present there," the group's chief, Rami Abdel Rahman, said. He said the target was a factory and research center producing short-range surface-to-surface rockets. Israel, which did not immediately comment on the reports, has launched hundreds of strikes in Syria since the start of the civil war in 2011.

LIBYA

Militia forces confirm pullback from Tripoli

The forces of east-based militia groups have confirmed their "redeployment" away from the Libyan capital following the United Nations-recognized government's announcement it is back in full control. On Thursday, the Government of National Accord said it had retaken the whole of greater Tripoli, finally beating off an offensive the militia forces launched in April last year. The east-based forces said the redeployment was a "humanitarian gesture intended to spare the Libyan people further bloodshed". The UN's Libya mission said on Tuesday that after a three-month suspension, the warring parties had agreed to resume cease-fire talks.

JAPAN

Outbreak knocks rock festival from stage

Fuji Rock Festival, Japan's biggest annual music event, will be canceled for the first time due to the coronavirus, its organizers said. The decision disappoints the thousands of fans who flock to the outdoor festivities every year. Since its inception in 1997, headliners at the event have included The Red Hot Chilli Peppers, The Cure and Kendrick Lamar. Last year, the event, held in the summer, attracted 130,000 people over four days. This year's festival had been scheduled for three days from Aug 21, with US rock band The Strokes among the acts.

INDIA

9 killed when truck and car collide

At least nine people were killed in a deadly collision between a goods truck and a car in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh on Friday, police said. The accident took place at Pratapgarh district, about 170 kilometers southeast of Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh. Police officials said the crash badly damaged the vehicle and rescuers had to use cutters to pull out the bodies from the mangled car. Deadly road accidents, often caused by overloading, bad roads and reckless driving, are common in India.

Agencies - Xinhua