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News Making International Headlines: 8 November 2021

Iraqi PM Survives Exploding Drone Assasination Attempt


PHOTO: FOOTAGE SHOWING DESTRUCTION AT RESIDENCE OF IRAQI PRIME MINISTER, MUSTAFA AL-KADHIMI, AFTER DRONE ATTACK

INTERNATIONAL: Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi has narrowly escaped an assassination attempt on Sunday after an explosive-laden drone targeted his residence in Baghdad, the country's military reported. While seven of Kadhimi's security personnel were injured.

The PM has called the attacks cowardly, saying that they work against a better future for the country. Al-Kadhimi calls for calm and constructive dialogue "for the sake of Iraq and the future of Iraq."

Three drones were used in the attack, including two that were intercepted and downed by security forces while a third drone hit the residence and that they had been launched from around 12 kilometres northeast of Baghdad.

A vehicle parked outside the PM’s home was seen damaged with the windows blown out, surrounded by rubble and some shutters on the ground along with debris from the impact.

No group immediately claimed responsibility. A spokesman for the armed forces commander in chief says that the security situation was stable inside the Green Zone - which houses the residence, government buildings and foreign embassies - following the attack.

Fuel Tanker Explosion in Sierra Leone, Kills at Least 99


PHOTO: TRUCKS BURNING AFTER EXPLOSION BURNT VEHICLES PEOPLE EVACUATING BODIES, CHARRED BODIES ON THE GROUND

At least 99 people died on Friday after a fuel tanker exploded in a suburb of Sierra Leone's capital, Freetown. The Director of Communications for Sierra Leone’s National Disaster Management Agency Mohamed Lamrane Bah also confirmed that several people were also in critical condition following the explosion.

The explosion has occurred after two vehicles collided on the highway while the fuel tanker was about to enter a nearby filling station to discharge its fuel, the NDMA says in a statement.

Eyewitnesses have recalled that while the collision took place, both drivers came out of their vehicles and warned community residents to stay off the scene while trying to address a leakage emanating from the collision. But some community members still rushed to the scene and took advantage of the leakage to scoop fuel and store it in nearby makeshift structures. Then the major explosion happened that resulted in the big fire disaster.

Ambulances were assembled to take charred bodies and those in critical situations to various hospitals in Freetown. Most of the victims included people who had flocked to collect fuel leaking from the tanker vehicle.

Accidents with tanker trucks in Sub-Saharan Africa have previously killed scores of people who gathered at the site to collect spilled fuel and were hit by secondary blasts.

Tragedy Strikes Astroworld Music Festival in Houston


PHOTO: AERIAL VIEW OF CROWDS ARRIVING EARLY IN THE DAY TO TO GAIN ACCESS TO EVENT STATEMENT FROM ASTROWORLD MUSIC CONCERT SOCIAL MEDIA PAGE

And…. Eight dead, 10-year-old critical, following crowd surge at Astroworld festival in Houston, Texas. Two teenagers were among the eight victims who died on Friday night during rapper Travis Scott's sold-out rap concert.

Houston Fire Chief Samuel Peña has confirmed the casualty. At around 9 p.m. the crowd that had gathered for a performance by Travis Scott, then people began to push toward the front of the stage, causing panic and injuries. It led to a stampede. More than 300 people were also treated throughout the event at an on-site field hospital.

Around 50,000 showed up for the two-day event. The second day of the festival has been canceled.


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