Syria ceases fire in rebel stronghold
MOSCOW -- Syrian government forces have unilaterally ceased fire in the northern Idlib province, the last major rebel stronghold, Russia said Sunday, while opposition activists reported continued shelling and airstrikes.
Fighting began in Idlib late last month, effectively shattering a cease-fire negotiated by Russia and Turkey that had been in place since September. Russia has firmly backed President Bashar Assad's government in the eight-year civil war, while Turkey has supported the opposition.
In a brief statement Sunday, the Russian Defense Ministry's Center for Reconciliation of the Warring Sides in Syria said government forces had ceased fire as of midnight. It described the move as unilateral but did not give details.
The pro-government Syrian Central Military Media said government forces responded to shelling by militants Sunday on the edge of Idlib. It gave no further details.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war-monitoring group, reported an airstrike on the town of Khan Sheikhoun, saying it inflicted casualties.
Syrian government forces intensified their attacks as of April 30 on Idlib. The area is home to some 3 million people, many of whom are internally displaced. The last round of violence also displaced some 180,000 in rebel-held areas.
Tourist bus hits bomb; 17 people hurt
CAIRO -- A tourist bus Sunday hit a roadside bomb near the Giza Pyramids, wounding at least 17 people, including tourists, Egyptian officials said.
The officials said the bus was traveling on a road close to the under-construction Grand Egyptian Museum, which is adjacent to the Giza Pyramids but is not yet open to tourists.
The bus was carrying at least 25 people mostly from South Africa, officials added.
The officials said security forces cordoned off the site of the explosion, and the wounded were taken to a nearby hospital.
The explosion damaged a windshield of another car, they said. Footage circulated online shows shattered windows of the bus. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media.
In a statement issued by the antiquities ministry, Atif Moftah, general supervisor of the Grand Egyptian Museum, said the explosion did not cause any damage to the museum.
No group has immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.
Bar shooting kills 11 people in Brazil
RIO DE JANEIRO -- Gunmen attacked a bar in the capital of Brazil's northern Para state Sunday afternoon, and authorities said 11 people were killed.
The state security agency confirmed late Sunday only that six women and five men died in the incident in the Guama neighborhood of the Para state capital, Belem.
The "G1" news website said police reported that seven gunmen were involved in the attack, which also wounded one person. The news outlet said the attackers arrived at the bar on one motorcycle and in three cars.
In late March, the federal government sent National Guard troops to Belem to reinforce security in the city for 90 days.
Brazil, with a population of about 209 million people in 2017, hit a record high that year of 64,000 homicides, 70% of which were due to firearms, according to official statistics. That same year, according to the FBI, the United States had an estimated 17,284 homicides in a population of about 325 million people.
One of new President Jair Bolsonaro's main campaign promises was that he would loosen Brazil's strict gun laws, arguing that "upstanding citizens" should have the right to defend themselves with legally bought guns. Federal prosecutors are asking the courts to block two of his decrees intended to make buying guns easier.
U.S. to lift lid on Mideast peace plan
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. will roll out the first phase of its Middle East peace plan next month at a conference in Bahrain on the economic benefits that could flow from an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the White House said Sunday.
The plan envisions large-scale investment and infrastructure work in the Palestinian territories. But the central political elements remain mostly unknown and the economic workshop June 25-26 is not expected to tackle the major points of contention: borders, the status of Jerusalem, Palestinian refugees and Israel's security.
The White House announced the forum Sunday, saying it'll give government, civil and business leaders a chance to gather support for economic initiatives that could be possible with a peace agreement. With the details of the political plan under wraps, commitments for economic development won't come easily.
"Economic progress can only be achieved with a solid economic vision and if the core political issues are resolved," said Jared Kushner, a leader of the effort and President Donald Trump's son-in-law. "We look forward to presenting our vision on ways to bridge the core political issues very soon."
The White House peace plan has been put together without participation from the Palestinians. Palestinian Authority officials have complained that White House favors Israel and have severed ties with the Trump administration.
-- Compiled by Democrat-Gazette staff from wire reports
A Section on 05/20/2019