IN BRIEF (Page 9)

Yemen

Houthis claim attack on Abu Dhabi airport

Houthi rebels said on Thursday that their drone attacked the international airport of Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates. "The Yemeni Drone Air Force using a new type of locally-made unmanned aerial plane, Sammad 3, attacked the Abu Dhabi International Airport on Thursday," they said in a statement. Less than an hour earlier, the UAE airport authorities acknowledged that "an incident happened in the Abu Dhabi International Airport", but did not elaborate further. The drone attack, if confirmed, would be the second of the Houthis' long-range unmanned aerial attacks in a week.

Middle East

Syrian flag raised near Golan Heights

The Syrian government forces on Thursday hoisted the Syrian national flag over the crossing between the southern province of Quneitra and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, a strategic territory bordering Israel and Jordan, a source said. Syrian army regained it from surrendering rebels, effectively bringing the whole of the border under state control. The Syrian flag was raised over the Quneitra crossing, just tens of meters away from the Israeli forces in the Golan Heights, the source said on condition of anonymity. The rebels captured the area in 2014 from the Syrian army.

Turkey

Ankara will never tolerate US threats

Turkey will never tolerate threats from anybody, the Turkish foreign minister said on Thursday. "No one dictates Turkey. We will never tolerate threats from anybody," Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said. US Vice-President Mike Pence said on Thursday that the US will impose "significant economic sanctions" on Turkey unless it immediately releases detained US pastor Andrew Brunson. Brunson was indicted on charges of having links with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party and the Fethullahist terrorist organization, which Turkey accuses of being behind a coup attempt in 2016.

United States

Thousands flee California wildfire

A fast-moving Southern California wildfire believed set by a serial arsonist forced more than 3,000 residents of mountain resort communities to flee their homes on Thursday as crews fought to save homes in the path of the flames. The Cranston Fire was one of several wildland blazes that erupted on Wednesday in Riverside County, east of the city of Hemet, that authorities said appeared to have been ignited by the same suspect. California's Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency in two counties due to fast moving fires.

Xinhua - Reuters

(China Daily 07/28/2018 page9)