News in brief
AFP, Washington
US President Donald Trump will give a major speech on the Islamic faith during his upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia, home to the religion’s holiest shrines, the White House said Tuesday.
“He will meet and have lunch with leaders of more than 50 Muslim countries, where he will deliver an inspiring, direct speech on the need to confront radical ideology and the president’s hopes for a peaceful vision of Islam,” National Security Advisor HR McMaste r told reporters.
Tornado kills one in Oklahoma
AP, Oklahoma
A tornado tore through western Oklahoma on Tuesday evening, destroying or damaging dozens of homes and killing at least one person, media reported.
As many as 70 homes in Elk City, a town of about 12,000 people around 110 miles (180 km) west of Oklahoma City, were damaged or destroyed by the storm, CBS affiliate KWTV reported, citing officials.
Rebel chief escapes in DR Congo prison break
AFP, Kinshasa
Rebels from an outlawed political-religious group attacked Kinshasa’s central prison on Wednesday, breaking out their leader and about 50 other prisoners, the Congolese government said.
“Followers of the Bundu Dia Kongo (BDK) attacked Makala prison at dawn and broke out around 50 prisoners including their guru, Ne Muanda Nsemi,” government spokesman Lambert Mende said, indicating that police had given chase.
Two Somali soldiers die trying to defuse car bomb
Reuters, Mogadishu
Two soldiers died when a car bomb exploded as they were trying to defuse it in Somalia’s capital on Wednesday, police said.
The men were dismantling part of the car when the device went off, Major Nur Ahmed told Reuters.
Journalist shot to death in Mexico drug state
AP, Mexico City
Javier Valdez was driving in broad daylight down a street he must have known well, just a block from his office, when he became the latest victim of a wave of journalist killings that has hit Mexico.
Masked gunmen forced Valdez from his red Toyota Camry, shot him dead and left his body in the middle of the street Monday, said Riodoce, the publication he helped start.
Three workers die at Qatar military building site
AFP, Doha
Three workers have been killed and a number of other people injured following an “incident” at a Qatari military construction site, state media reported.
In a statement posted on the Qatar News Agency website late on Tuesday, the Gulf state’s defence ministry said the incident at a construction site of the Qatari Armed Forces “resulted in the deaths of three workers, in addition to a number of injuries.”
Suicide bombers kill two in Nigeria
Reuters, Maiduguri
Three female suicide bombers killed two people and injured six others in an attack on a village in northeast Nigeria’s Borno state, a police spokesman said on Tuesday.
