Briefly

EUROPE

Fierce storm causes deaths, travel delays

A storm battered Europe with hurricane-force winds and heavy rains, killing at least seven people and causing severe travel disruptions as it moved eastward across the continent on Monday and bore down on Germany. After striking Britain and Ireland on Sunday, the storm moved on, leaving a trail of damage including power cuts for tens of thousands of homes across Europe. Storm Ciara－known as Sabine in Poland and Germany－caused power outages in several areas and numerous flights, train and ferry services had to be canceled, local media reported on Monday.

IRELAND

Fianna Fail wins most parliamentary seats

Fianna Fail replaced Fine Gael to be Ireland's largest party by winning the largest number of parliamentary seats in the country's 2020 general election, according to the official results announced on Monday. Fianna Fail won a total of 38 seats in the 160-seat Dail, the lower house of the Irish parliament, followed by Sinn Fein (37 seats), Fine Gael (35 seats), Green Party (12 seats), Labour Party (6 seats), Social Democrats (6 seats) and Solidarity-People Before Profit (5 seats), the Irish national radio and television broadcaster RTE reported.

BANGLADESH

At least 15 refugees drown after boat sinks

At least 15 people drowned and dozens are unaccounted for after a boat carrying refugees sank off southern Bangladesh early on Tuesday, officials said. Nearly 130 people－mainly women and children－were packed on a trawler that was trying to cross the Bay of Bengal to reach Malaysia, Coast Guard spokesman Hamidul Islam said. Seventy people had so far been rescued.

UNITED STATES

Gunman dead, 2 hurt in Walmart shooting

Two police officers were wounded and a gunman was killed on Monday morning in an exchange of gunfire at a Walmart store in eastern Arkansas, authorities said. Forrest City Police Chief Deon Lee said one of the officers was taken to a hospital about 70 kilometers to the east in Memphis where he was in surgery, and the initial prognosis is "he's going to be OK". Police formed a perimeter with yellow crime scene tape around the Walmart parking lot after the shooting. Police cars with flashing lights blocked roads to the store.

UGANDA

'Major shock' warned over locust outbreak

Uganda scrambled to respond to the arrival of the biggest locust outbreak that parts of East Africa have seen in decades, while the United Nations warned on Monday that "we simply cannot afford another major shock" to an already vulnerable region. The government has decided to deploy military forces to help with ground-based pesticide spraying, while two planes for aerial spraying will arrive as soon as possible, a statement said. Aerial spraying is considered the only effective control.

Xinhua - Agencies