NATO disputes report of civilians killed in Afghanistan airstrike
NATO disputes report of civilians killed in Afghanistan airstrike
KABUL, Afghanistan — The U.S.-led coalition on Sunday disputed reports that eight civilians, including children, were killed in a NATO airstrike in a remote part of eastern Afghanistan.
Afghan officials said an airstrike Saturday night killed eight members of a family, but a senior NATO official said that so far, there is no evidence of any civilian casualties. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to disclose the information.
Separately, NATO reported that three coalition service members were killed Sunday in eastern Afghanistan — two during an insurgent attack and one from a roadside bombing.
Four others, including a British soldier, were killed in the south on Saturday, bringing to 169 the number of NATO deaths in Afghanistan so far this year. The British Ministry of Defense said the soldier was killed in an explosion in the Nahr-e Saraj region of southern Helmand province. The nationalities of the other three have not been disclosed.
The coalition said it was working to find out more about allegations that civilians were killed in the NATO operation that foreign forces were conducting Saturday night in Paktia province.
Beryl near hurricane-strength as it approaches mainland
Tropical Storm Beryl was wrecking some Memorial Day weekend plans on Sunday, causing shoreline campers to pack up and head inland and leading to the cancellation of some events as the storm approached the southeastern U.S.
Beryl was still well offshore, but officials in Georgia and Florida were bracing for drenching rains and driving winds.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami said Sunday evening that Beryl was approaching hurricane strength and was expected to make landfall late Sunday or early today.
As of 8 p.m., Beryl had maximum sustained winds of 70 mph, just below hurricane-strength, which is 75 mph. It was not expected to strengthen much more, and should weaken after making landfall. The hurricane center said the Jacksonville pier was already reporting winds of 50 mph. Beryl was moving westward at 10 mph.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott urged Florida residents in the affected areas to “stay alert and aware.”
Premier urges Ireland to back EU treaty
DUBLIN — Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny has made a nationally televised appeal to voters to support the European Union’s fiscal treaty in a referendum this week.
Kenny says a strong “yes” vote in Thursday’s referendum would send the message worldwide that Ireland was committed to slashing its deficits and would remain firmly a part of the euro common currency.
“A strong ‘yes’ vote will create the certainty and stability that our country needs to continue on the road to economic recovery. This treaty will not solve all of our problems, but it is one part of the solution,” Kenny said in his 4-minute TV address Sunday night to his nation of 4.5 million.
Ireland is the only nation among 25 signatories putting the deficit-fighting treaty to a national vote.
Crowds gather for Golden Gate Bridge celebration
SAN FRANCISCO — Crowds gathered along San Francisco’s waterfront Sunday, while San Francisco Bay was crowded with pleasure boats, tug boats and other vessels as the city celebrated the 75th anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge.
Tens of thousands of people were expected to flock to the area to enjoy a number of events taking place along a section of waterfront stretching from Fort Point south of the bridge to Pier 39 along The Embarcadero.
At least several thousand people had gathered along the waterfront by Sunday afternoon, said Mary Currie, public affairs director for the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District.
By wire sources