Thursday, July 29 2021

*) Residents flee as winds fan massive wildfire in southern Turkey A massive forest fire in Turkey's Antalya has spread to the town of Manavgat, with at least one person reported dead. The town mayor said flames had spread as far as the town centre, where many buildings were being evacuated. Antalya Mayor Muhittin Bocek said the fire had started at four different points and four neighbourhoods had been evacuated as yet. *) Peru's Castillo, in first speech as president, pledges to heal colonial wounds Pedro Castillo said Peru's colonial wounds still ran deep and he would seek to heal them in his inaugural speech as president. Colonial-era divisions that separated classes and races in Peru remained, Castillo said, speaking on the day that marked 200 years since the country declared independence from Spain. He sought to calm fears among the business community, who had sought to portray him as a communist, vowing a "new deal with private investors." *) Tunisian president replaces head of national TV Tunisian President Kais Saied has fired the head of the national television station – one of two dozen officials sacked since Sunday. Saied on Sunday invoked emergency powers to seize control of government, remove the prime minister and freeze Parliament in a move his foes have called a coup. Mohamed al Dahach, Wataniya's CEO, was removed after he claimed the army forbade the station from inviting union and human rights representatives to a show. The army denied the accusation. *) Cambodia imposes virus curbs along Thailand border over Delta fears Cambodia has imposed a lockdown in eight provinces bordering Thailand to prevent the spread of the Delta variant of the coronavirus. The lockdown bans people from leaving their homes, gathering in groups and conducting business. Border checkpoints with Thailand will also be closed except for emergencies. Cambodia and Thailand managed to largely contain the virus for most of last year, but are facing stubborn outbreaks driven by the Delta variant. And finally ...