Iraq army prepares for Fallujah recapture, urges residents to leave

Here is a round-up of global news developments:

• The Iraqi army is set to launch a major operation to retake the key city of Fallujah from Daesh terrorists. The army has called on residents to leave the city. It says secure routes will be provided to help the people escape. Fallujah was overrun by Daesh in January 2014.
• The UN Secretary-General has called on world powers to push Syria’s warring sides to participate in peace talks. Ban Ki-moon says there is nothing more urgent than the Syrian crisis, describing it as a nightmare. He made the remarks in a forum for democracy and development in Qatar.
• Egyptian security forces have raided militant hideouts in North Sinai, killing seven armed men, including a leading terrorist . Five militants were also injured in the clashes. Reports say eleven terrorist hubs were destroyed and more than 70 wanted people were arrested.
• The Israeli navy has kidnapped 10 Palestinian fishermen after opening fire on them off the northern coast of the Gaza Strip. The Israeli forces also confiscated 5 fishing boats. There is no report of casualties. According to the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, Israel kidnapped 71 fishermen last year.
• Afghan authorities say Taliban leader Mulla Akhtar Mansour has been killed in a U-S airstrike. According to the Afghan intelligence agency, Mansour was targeted along with other militants aboard a vehicle in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province. The office of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has also confirmed the drone strike.
• Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived in Tehran on a 2-day visit aimed at deepening bilateral ties. Modi will meet with President Hassan Rouhani and other top officials. India will sign a trilateral contract with Iran and Afghanistan to develop Iran's southern Chabahar port.
• Turkey’s ruling AK Party has appointed Binali Yildirim as its new leader. Yildrim is now set to become the country’s new prime minister. He is the former transport minister and a long-time ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He'll replace Ahmet Davutoglu who resigned in May.
• Initial results from Austria's presidential runoff election suggest the race between the Freedom Party’s Norbert Hofer and the Greens’ Van Der Bellen remains too close to call. Projections have put the rivals well within a margin of error. If elected, Hofer will become the first far-right president of the European Union.

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