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Armed clashes in northwestern Pakistan leave at least 35 dead and 50 injured

Armed clashes between Sunni and Shii groups in the Kurram tribal district, in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), in northwestern Pakistan, left at least 35 dead and 50 injured, the police confirmed to EFE on Saturday.

The violence that broke out last night comes two days after an ambush by an unidentified armed group to a passenger convoy in this same district, which killed 42 people, most of them Shiites, when they were traveling on a road escorted by security forces.

“Armed Shiites attacked Sunni houses and shops in the towns of Bagan and Bacha Kot, in which 35 people on both sides died and more than 50 were injured,” Mujahid Ullah, a Kurram police control officer, told EFE.

In the attack, “1,036 houses and 315 stores, mostly Sunnis, have been set on fire since the assault began around 6:00 p.m.” on Friday, he added.

Sectarian violence

Pakistan has a history of sectarian violence, but the latest clashes are claiming the highest number of victims in recent years. The Shiite Muslim minority represents about 15% of Pakistan’s 240 million inhabitants, a Sunni majority.

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“In this situation it is difficult for the police to arrest someone involved in the violence,” said today the police officer who estimates that the death toll could increase, since shootings continue in some areas.

Verified images shared on social media show markets, houses and government buildings destroyed by fire.

The attack is apparently a reaction to the one recorded on Thursday to passenger vans that resulted in 42 deaths, including women and children.

The Thall-Sada-Parachinar highway, where Thursday’s ambush took place, has remained closed as authorities struggle to reinforce an unstable peace. Both sides attack each other with heavy and automatic weapons.

“The elderly and government officials have gathered at Kurram’s headquarters, to calm the situation,” Ullah revealed, adding that educational institutions in the district are closed due to growing tension.

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No Internet or telephony

Internet and mobile phone services are also suspended throughout the district.

The Kurram district of KP is located on the border with Afghanistan, where a major land dispute that began in 2007 continued for several years and ended in 2011 with the help of a jirga of tribal elders.

According to the KP Department of the Interior, there are land disputes in eight places in the district that date back to the partition of Pakistan and India in 1947. Land disputes often turn into deadly sectarian violence.

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International

Florida officials warn against raw milk after dozens sickened

Unprocessed milk from a farm in Florida has sickened at least 21 people, prompting state authorities to issue a public health alert, U.S. media reported Monday.

The 21 cases include six children under the age of 10, all diagnosed with infections caused by E. coli and Campylobacterbacteria linked to raw milk from the farm in the southeastern U.S. state. Local authorities have also warned about the dangers of drinking unpasteurized milk.

Seven people have been hospitalized, two of whom have suffered complications, according to multiple reports.

The Florida Department of Health has urged the public to avoid raw milk consumption and blamed the outbreak on the farm involved—without naming it directly—citing poor sanitary practices.

Florida law prohibits the sale of unprocessed milk for human consumption, although it can be sold if labeled for pets. Pasteurization, which involves heating milk to kill harmful bacteria, is required under U.S. federal regulations for any dairy products sold across states.

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Despite these regulations, sales of raw milk have been increasing in recent years, fueled by online promotion from wellness influencers and advocates of unprocessed foods.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warn that raw milk can contain potentially deadly bacteria such as E. coli, Campylobacter, Listeria, or Salmonella, which can cause symptoms ranging from diarrhea, vomiting, and indigestion to severe complications like kidney failure.

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International

Massive wildfire in Southern France kills one, injures nine

Hundreds of firefighters battled on Wednesday to contain a massive wildfire in southern France that has left one person dead and nine others injured.

The blaze, which broke out Tuesday in the Aude department, is the largest recorded in France during the current summer season. Authorities have deployed 1,800 firefighters in an effort to bring it under control.

An elderly woman died in her home in the town of Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse, while two others were injured—one in serious condition due to burns—according to the local prefecture. Seven firefighters suffered smoke inhalation injuries, and one person remains missing. The wildfire has already scorched an estimated 12,000 hectares of land.

“The fire is spreading very quickly due to unfavorable weather conditions. This is one of the driest areas of the department, and strong winds are fueling the flames,” said Lucie Roesch, secretary general of the Aude prefecture. Rémi Recio, subprefect for the city of Narbonne, added, “The fire is still spreading and is far from being contained or under control.”

The A9 motorway, which runs along the Mediterranean coast between France and Spain, has been closed in both directions between Narbonne and Perpignan, along with numerous secondary roads.

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In Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse, the smell of smoke lingers over the charred hectares. A helicopter was seen drawing water from the river below the village and dropping it several kilometers away, AFP reporters observed.

A campsite and at least one village were partially evacuated, with 25 houses and around 35 vehicles damaged, according to a preliminary assessment.

French Prime Minister François Bayrou announced he will visit the affected area on Wednesday.

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International

Japan marks 80 years since Hiroshima bombing with call for nuclear disarmament

Japan observed a minute of silence on Wednesday to mark the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, a solemn reminder to the world of the horror it unleashed, amid heightened tensions between nuclear powers the United States and Russia.

At exactly 8:15 a.m. local time (23:15 GMT), the moment when the U.S. bomber Enola Gay dropped the “Little Boy” atomic bomb on August 6, 1945, the city paused to remember.

The bombing claimed an estimated 140,000 lives, not only from the devastating blast and fireball but also from the deadly radiation that followed. Three days later, another bomb dropped on Nagasaki killed 74,000 more. Japan’s surrender on August 15 marked the end of World War II.

On a sweltering morning, hundreds of students, survivors, and officials dressed in black laid flowers at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial. The city’s mayor, Kazumi Matsui, warned of “an accelerating trend toward military buildup worldwide,” citing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the ongoing war in the Middle East.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba stated that Japan has a mission “to take the lead toward a world without nuclear weapons.”

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Today, Hiroshima is a thriving metropolis of 1.2 million people, yet the skeletal remains of one building still stand at its center as a powerful reminder of the tragedy.

Wednesday’s ceremony was attended by representatives from around 120 countries and regions, including delegates from Taiwan and Palestine for the first time.

Among the attendees was 96-year-old Yoshie Yokoyama, who arrived in a wheelchair accompanied by her grandson. She told reporters that her parents and grandparents were victims of the bombing.

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