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A handout picture released by the official Facebook page of the Syrian Presidency shows President Bashar al-Assad delivering a speech at the swearing-in ceremony for his fourth term, in the capital Damascus, on July 17, 2021. (Photo by AFP)

Syria swearing-in

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has been sworn in for another seven-year term after winning the May election. Assad took the oath of office for the fourth time during an official ceremony at the presidential palace in Damascus. In an address, Assad hailed the Syrian people for their resistance against the enemies’ plots. He said Syria would not be divided, adding that all bets against his country have failed. The Syrian president also appreciated Iran and Russia’s support for freeing his country from terrorists. He called it his priority to free parts of Syria that are still at the hands of terrorists, backed by Turkey and the US. Assad won the presidential election by a landslide, securing more than 95-percent of the votes cast. This was his second victory since the foreign-backed insurgency engulfed the Arab country in 2011.

Germany Belgium floods

Devastating floods in western Europe have claimed at least 160 lives. The number could rise further as rescuers are searching for hundreds still missing. Germany is the worst-hit country where police say 133 people have died as a result of the disaster. A dam at risk of collapse in North Rhine-Westphalia has forced the evacuation of thousands of people. Meanwhile, In Belgium, 27 deaths have been confirmed and the interior minister says another 20 people are missing. The deluge has also submerged homes in Luxembourg and the Netherlands. The cost of damage in Europe's worst floods in decades is estimated at several billion euros. Efforts are made to restore gas, electricity, and telephone services.

Russia surging COVID-19

Russia has reported over 25,000 coronavirus infections, taking the overall caseload to nearly six-million. Authorities also say nearly 790 people died of the disease in 24 hours. That pushes the overall COVID-related death toll to more than 147,000. The country reported nearly 800 deaths on Friday, the highest in a single day since the pandemic broke out there. Russia has been in the grip of a surge in cases with authorities blaming the Delta variant and people’s reluctance to get vaccinated. The capital Moscow and second-largest city, Saint Petersburg remain the epicenters of the recent outbreak. Russia is the worst-hit country in Europe by the pandemic in terms of both infections and deaths.


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