injured

Aug. 27 (UPI) — At least two people were killed and 10 were injured, after a car was driven into a crowd near a train station in Normandy in northern France.

Seven of the injured were in a critical condition in the hospital after the vehicle allegedlly srruck the group of people in the city of Caen late Wednesday evening on purpose, following an altercation, local authoritiies said.

Calvados department prefect David Clavière said the car “deliberately drove into pedestrians in the street opposite the train station.”

A fight had broken out between two groups of men immediately prior to the incident, according to witnesses.

A major emergency response was mounted across the wider Normandy region, leading to the arrest of a 26-year-old Russian-born male suspect in Ouistreham, a port on the Normandy coast.

The deputy prosecutor and police said terrorism had, for now, been ruled out.

“For the moment, we are not dealing with a terrorist motive, but the investigation is only just beginning,” said the city’s deputy mayor with responsibility for security, Bruno Coutanceau.

The incident came a month after a car attack on a Pride parade in Berlin that killed at least one person and injured many more and nine months after 10 people were injured, two critically, when a man purposely drove into pedestrians and cyclists on the French holiday island of Oléron.

Six people in critical condition as a severe heatwave fuels 154 wildfires across Algeria in a single day.

At least 12 people have been killed and 54 others injured as wildfires ravaged parts of northeastern Algeria, an official said, as authorities evacuated dozens of families from the hardest-hit areas.

Minister of Interior Said Sayoud, speaking to reporters on Wednesday, said the deaths occurred in the provinces of Jijel, Bejaia and Tizi Ouzou.

“Five deaths were recorded in the prefecture of Jijel, four in that of Bejaia and three in that of Tizi Ouzou,” he said.

Sayoud made the remarks during a visit to a hospital in the city of Souk El Thenine in Bejaia to evaluate treatment for victims suffering burn injuries and smoke inhalation.

According to the official Algeria Press Service, Sayoud reported 54 burn cases at the hospital, including six people who were in critical condition.

Sayoud said Civil Protection teams recorded 154 fire outbreaks across the country on Wednesday, including 36 in Bejaia province, 18 of which had been brought under control.

The fires come as a severe heatwave sweeps across Algeria and neighbouring Tunisia.

Sayoud said firefighting teams have managed to contain the blazes in the provinces of Skikda, El Tarf, Bouira, Tizi Ouzou and Tebessa. Operations were still under way in Bejaia, where 18 hotspots remained active, and in Jijel, where fires were burning in 12 municipalities.

He added that dozens of families had been evacuated from areas affected by the fires.

Images broadcast by regional news website Jijel News showed residents seeking refuge in a post office amid thick smoke.

Algeria frequently endures deadly seasonal wildfires during peak summer months.

At least six people were killed last month alone.

In recent years, intense heatwaves and fierce winds have amplified fire risks across the country’s forested Mediterranean coastline, disasters exacerbated by drought and climate change.

USC sophomore defensive lineman Jahkeem Stewart, who was spotted over the weekend sporting crutches and a boot on his injured right foot, is expected to miss the Trojans’ season opener against San Jose State, coach Lincoln Riley said.

Losing Stewart for longer than that would be a bitter pill for USC to swallow at the start of a highly anticipated season. But while reports have suggested that Stewart is likely to miss USC’s entire nonconference slate with the injury, Riley suggested Tuesday that he could debut as soon as the following Friday, when USC takes on Fresno State in its second game of the season.

“What he’s dealing with right now is minor,” Riley said. “The plan is to probably hold him and I think he’ll be able from that point forward. But it’s certainly not long term. A little precautionary right now.”

Stewart played through a stress fracture in his foot throughout his freshman season after suffering the injury in August. He missed the season opener then as well, but elected not to have surgery, in order to keep contributing to the team.

“I could have got surgery, but I wouldn’t have felt comfortable,” Stewart said earlier this month. “I wouldn’t have felt complete as a human, knowing that I still had stuff in the tank that I could have gave to my team.”

Stewart ended up getting surgery on his foot in December. But when Stewart spoke to reporters during camp, he said his foot felt “1,000%”

But the concern now, as Stewart continues to deal with a foot issue, is whether this injury could continue to linger beyond just a game or two of his sophomore season.

Riley was not sounding that alarm Tuesday. But he also didn’t rule out the possibility that USC may be managing the situation throughout this season.

“We just gotta watch it,” Riley said. “Everybody is different in terms of their size, their biomechanics in terms of how they run and especially guys like Jahkeem who are pretty violent in the way they move and transfer energy on the ground — like there’s some force going into the ground. So yeah, I think some of these injuries are freak things that happen from time to time in this game, that’s part of it. And then there are things that as guys go, and as their bodies evolve and get bigger and stronger, you have to make adjustments on and they have to make adjustments on.”

USC was especially cautious with Stewart’s injury during the week last season, which led Stewart to sit out a significant number of practices. He still played in 11 games, missing the opener and the bowl game. But on average, Stewart played just 21 snaps per game as a freshman.

He was still named a freshman All-American, in spite of the difficult circumstances. All signs pointed toward him taking a major leap as a sophomore.

This latest injury could throw a wrench in that. But Riley expressed confidence in the depth of USC’s defensive interior, which was not something he could’ve said even this time last year.

“We’ve had some young guys emerge in that room, especially who are going to command some looks and some opportunities to play and go prove themselves on Saturdays here right away, and then you combine it with the experience we have in that room,” Riley said.

“We’ll have a good healthy rotation and be able to withstand any dings along the way.”

Aug. 21 (UPI) — A man wielding a sword entered a Swedish high school and injured three people Friday before being shot and arrested by police.

Police were called at 2 p.m. local time at Brinelskolan School in Fagersta, Sweden. The students had just returned from summer break this week.

Two of the three people were seriously injured. Local media reported that the attacker was shot in the leg by police, the BBC reported.

Eight other area schools were put on lockdown, but that has since been lifted. A state of high alert was declared for the Vastmanland region. Fagersta, a town of about 12,000 residents, is about 105 miles northwest of Stockholm.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson posted on X that a “serious incident” happened in Fagersta.

“There are reports of injured people. We do not yet know what lies behind the act, but we know that the police are working very intensively. I want to ask everyone to let the police and emergency services work undisturbed. Our thoughts are with all those affected,” the post said.

School attacks have happened in Sweden several times in recent years.

In February 2025, 11 people, including the gunman, were killed in an attack on an adult education center in Orebro. It was Sweden’s worst-ever mass shooting. After the attack, the government tightened gun laws because the suspect had legally owned four rifles. He had brought three of them to the attack.

Two teachers were killed with a knife at a high school in Malmo in 2022, and an 18-year-old later confessed to the killings.

In 2015, three people were killed in a sword attack in Trollhattan, Sweden.

Two teenagers have been seriously injured after a sword attack on a high school in Sweden, authorities have said.

Police were called to the Brinell School in Fagersta shortly after 14:00 local time (13:00 BST) on Friday, where officers arrested one man.

A third person was wounded in the attack but the extent of their injuries has not been confirmed, while reports in local media say the suspect was shot in the leg by police.

Eight other schools in the area were placed under lockdown measures – which have now been lifted – while a state of high alert was declared in the Vastmanland region following the attack.

Police have said there is currently no danger to the public.

In a post on X, Sweden’s Prime Minsiter Ulf Kristersson described the attack as a “serious incident,” and said “we do not know what lies behind the act, but we know that police are working very intensively”.

Students at Brinell School had only just returned to the classroom following the summer break, with the new term beginning either on Monday or Wednesday this week, depending on the academic year.

The school has just under 500 students on its roster, according to Sweden’s public broadcaster SVT, and is located 170km (105 miles) north-west of the capital, Stockholm.

Sweden has experienced a number of attacks on educational institutions in recent years.

The country experienced it’s worst-ever mass shooting in 2025, where 11 people, including the gunman, died at an adult education centre in Orebro.

This led to the government tightening the country’s gun laws after it was found that the suspect legally owned four rifles, three of which were found in the school where attack took place.

Two teachers were killed in a violent attack on a secondary school in Malmo in 2022 – an 18-year-old student later confessed to the attack.

In 2015, a teacher and a pupil were killed in a sword attack at a school in Trollhattan.

Aug. 19 (UPI) — At least four people riding a minibus in Ukraine‘s frontline Kherson region were killed Wednesday morning after the vehicle was hit by a Russian drone.

Kherson Gov. Oleksandr Prokudin said in an online post that five women injured in the strike in the Korabelnyi district of Kherson city were being treated in the hospital.

“This morning, the Russians hit an ordinary minibus in Kherson with a First-Person-View drone. It is clear that the bus was civilian. The brutal Russian ‘safari’ against our people in Kherson has long gone beyond what any normal person can imagine,” said Prokudin.

He added that during the past 24 hours, nine other people had been injured in Russian strikes targeting critical infrastructure and residential areas in the province, damaging three apartment blocks, a restaurant and several cars.

“These are the realities of everyday life in Ukraine’s frontline regions. While partners hesitate over additional supplies of defense equipment, the Russians have gone long beyond the bounds of what is acceptable” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on X.

The United Nations’ humanitarian chief, Tom Fletcher, just back from visiting Ukraine’s Mykolaiv and Kherson regions, told BBC Radio that Kherson was coming under attack from thousands of drones each week with civilians telling him they were the targets.

Moscow insists it only attacks legitimate military and military-related targets.

Russia overran and occupied Kherson province at the start of the war in Feb. 2022, eventually annexing the province by September, but Kyiv routed Russian forces in a fall 2022 counter-offensive, recapturing around a third of its territory, including Kherson, the provincial capital.

Ukraine’s Air Force said in an update on Telegram that it dealt with airborne attacks on the north, south and east of the country overnight involving two Iskander-M ballistic missiles and 65 drones and other munitions, of which 10 got past air defenses to strike their targets.

Falling debris from downed missiles and drones fell in another three locations.

Holidaymakers warned viral airport photo trend can turn dangerous in seconds

British holidaymakers are being warned against copying viral plane-spotting videos at a popular Greek island airport. It comes after two tourists were seriously injured by jet blast within days of each other.

Skiathos International Airport, officially called Alexandros Papadiamantis Airport, has become one of Europe’s most famous plane-spotting locations because its runway sits extremely close to the coastline and surrounding public areas. Aircraft pass remarkably low over spectators as they approach, attracting holidaymakers who gather nearby to photograph and film arrivals and departures. It features a short, narrow runway measuring 5,341 feet.

But two recent incidents have highlighted the risk when aircraft are taking off. On August 10, a 52-year-old Italian tourist suffered serious head injuries after the force from a departing aircraft reportedly knocked her to the ground.

She was initially treated at the Skiathos Emergency Clinic before being airlifted to Volos General Hospital. Just three days later, another Italian woman in her early 50s reportedly suffered a severe arm fracture after being knocked over by the jet blast from another departing aircraft.

Local authorities and the airport have consistently placed large warning signs around the perimeter fence to emphasise the serious risks of being near departing aircraft. The prominent signs displayed around Skiathos International Airport, Alexandros Papadiamantis, alert onlookers that the force of engine thrust can push people and objects away. Police and city officials keep reminding visitors to avoid congregating directly behind the runway.

Emily Matthews, travel advisor at Private Portugal Tours, says tourists should understand that standing near a runway to watch a plane land and positioning themselves directly behind an aircraft preparing to depart can expose them to very different risks. “The videos that make Skiathos famous can make the whole experience look like an unusual holiday attraction, but tourists need to pay attention to exactly where they are standing and what the aircraft is doing,” Emily said.

“Standing directly behind a departing aircraft to get a dramatic video is something holidaymakers should avoid. If there are warning signs telling you about jet blast, take them literally and move away.”

Take off is where tourists need to be particularly careful

Skiathos has sometimes been described as Europe’s answer to St Maarten in the Caribbean, where aircraft famously pass low over a beach before reaching the runway. That close approach is what many tourists travel to photograph.

However, watching aircraft take off can be more hazardous for spectators too close to the runway perimeter, as large aircraft generate substantial thrust as they depart. Warning signs at Skiathos specifically alert visitors to the danger of jet blast.

“People may arrive because they have watched a video of an aircraft flying low overhead, then assume that anywhere around the runway is part of the same experience,” Emily said. “The important distinction is what happens when a plane turns around and prepares to take off. If you are positioned behind it, you can suddenly be in the path of extremely powerful airflow.

“Do not choose your position because a video looked impressive from there. Look at the warning signs around you and keep well away from areas where spectators are being warned about jet blast.”

Do not assume the crowd means the spot is safe

Plane spotting at Skiathos is well established, and large numbers of spectators can gather close to the airport. Emily says that creates another risk for tourists: assuming that a location must be safe because dozens of other people are already standing there.

“A crowd is not a safety assessment,” she said. “It is very easy on holiday to think, ‘Everyone else is doing it, so this must be where you are supposed to stand.’

“That logic can be especially persuasive when people have their phones out and appear to be waiting for exactly the same photograph. But warning signs do not stop applying because a crowd has formed beside them.”

The August 10 incident is currently being investigated by local authorities, according to reports. The tourist was believed to have been standing at a plane-spotting area close to the airport when she was knocked down. Skiathos has also seen jet-blast injuries in previous years, reinforcing that the hazard is not theoretical.

The ‘perfect’ video is not worth standing behind a departing aircraft for

Emily also warns tourists against trying to recreate footage they have seen online frame-for-frame. Viral travel videos often show only the few dramatic seconds when an aircraft passes or begins its take-off roll. They do not necessarily show the warnings around the location, how far the person filming is from the aircraft or what happened immediately afterwards.

“Social media can flatten the difference between watching something and participating in the risk,” Emily said. “You might see people’s clothes and hair being blown around and think that is part of the fun. Once enough videos like that circulate, being hit by the blast can almost become part of the attraction.

“Two serious injuries within days should be enough to remind people that being knocked off your feet is not a harmless holiday experience.” She advises tourists who want to watch aircraft to choose a position away from the direct line behind departing planes, respect barriers and signs, and move if local staff or authorities instruct spectators to do so.

Keep children away from the jet-blast area

Families should be particularly cautious about bringing young children into crowded plane-spotting locations where departing aircraft are nearby. “Children are naturally going to be excited when a huge aircraft passes close overhead, but this is one place where parents should decide where the family stands rather than simply following the crowd.

“If you cannot clearly understand the warnings or you are unsure whether your position is exposed to departing aircraft, move farther away. You can still enjoy watching the planes without trying to stand in the most dramatic possible spot.

“Skiathos is famous for an extraordinary view that aviation enthusiasts cannot experience at many other European destinations. That does not make every position around the runway equally safe. The simplest rule is to remember the difference between the spectacular low approach people travel to see and putting yourself behind an aircraft as it powers up to leave. A holiday video is never worth ignoring a warning sign for.”

DENVER — The Dodgers are putting closer Edwin Díaz on the injured list for the second time this season, this time with inflammation on the right side of his neck, manager Dave Roberts said before the game against the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday.

The Dodgers are going to have Dr. Robert Watkins, who specializes in spine injuries, examine at Díaz’s neck in L.A. on Wednesday morning, Roberts said. He’s set to undergo imaging.

“It’s something he felt [Monday] night,” Roberts said before the Dodgers’ 7-6 win against the Rockies on Tuesday. “We don’t know if it’s something that has been there the last, call it, week or whatever but it showed its head last night. So we’re going to address it.”

The move comes after Díaz gave up nine runs and recorded three blown saves in a span of six appearances.

“I know Edwin is — I don’t know if it’s encouraged, but just know that there could be a reason why the stuff is not playing like it has in the past,” Roberts said. “And the neck, obviously, there’s ties with the whole body, the arm, and all that stuff matters. So I’m personally excited to kind of find something that kind of make us understand what’s going on.”

“We’ll know more after seeing Dr. Watkins,” Roberts said, “but given where he’s at, I don’t see a situation where he’d be out for the year.”

Díaz has only made 16 appearances for the Dodgers this season, recording an 11.85 ERA and 6.01 FIP. He spent three months on the IL after undergoing surgery to remove loose bodies from his elbow in late April.

After collecting a save in a 4-2 win over the Seattle Mariners on July 29 in his first appearance back, Díaz was unable to show command in subsequent outings. He blew saves on consecutive days against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Aug. 7-8, and then blew a 4-2 lead last Thursday against the Milwaukee Brewers — which proved critical for the Dodgers in losing the head-to-head tiebreaker against the Brewers as the division leaders jostle for playoff seeding.

During the Dodgers’ 11-5 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Monday night, Díaz pitched the ninth inning and gave up three runs and four hits.

With Díaz no longer an option in save situations, left-hander Tanner Scott is set to slide into that role.

“I just wait for the phone to ring, I don’t care when,” Scott said after a four-out save Tuesday. “You get the adrenaline rush when your name’s called and just go out there and pitch.”

On Tuesday, Roberts turned to Scott to get the final out of the eighth inning, with runners on first and second in a two-run game. He induced left-handed pinch hitter Brett Sullivan to ground out to third.

Back out for the ninth he gave up a one-out double to Jake McCarthy’s and a two-out RBI single to Willi Castro. But the run was of no consequence.

“He’s been great,” Roberts said of Scott’s contributions this year, in multiple roles. “Tanner doesn’t complain. He’s always ready, wants to pitch, wants to help his teammates, his team. And certainly, given how last year went, for him to come back and right the ship, he’s been our most consistent reliever by far. I trust him, and I feel like you can use him in any situation.”

The Dodgers also recalled right-hander Emmet Sheehan on Tuesday as a multi-inning option out of the bullpen. Sheehan, optioned to triple A at the trade deadline for a reset, made two starts for Oklahoma City.

“I got the hang of it a little bit last year in the playoffs,” Sheehan said of pitching in relief. “I have the routine that I would have for starting, and that I have for coming out of the bullpen. So comfortable doing either one or whatever they want me to do.”

Ohtani may be ready for next step

Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani appeared to throw two simulated innings in his bullpen session on Tuesday, for a total of about 45-50 pitches.

When Roberts asked how it went, he said Ohtani gave him a thumbs up.

Roberts did not rule out the possibility of Ohtani throwing live batting practice back in Los Angeles as his next step.

“I could see that,” Roberts said.

Serving as the designated hitter Tuesday, Ohtani hit a two-run homer in the third inning. It was his third homer in two games and his 30th of the season. He’s reached the 30 home-run mark in six straight seasons.

“You’ve got to be available, you’ve got to be a high-performer,” Roberts said of the feat. “And Shohei this series is back to being who he is. I like the at-bat quality. I like the swing decisions. And obviously he’s hitting homers out with breaking balls, fastballs, a curveball tonight. When he goes, it certainly adds a lot of energy to our offense.”

The Chargers were bitten by the injury bug Tuesday during a joint practice with the San Francisco 49ers in El Segundo.

Center Tyler Biadasz went down hard after 49ers defensive tackle Sebastian Valdez fell on his left leg during an 11-on-11 drill. Biadasz, who was unable to put weight on his left leg, was carted off the field and visibly upset.

“Obviously praying for the best,” Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert said. “I don’t know exactly what happened. And I haven’t heard the report back. But hoping for the best for him.”

Biadasz was replaced by rookie offensive lineman Jake Slaughter, who is among the candidates to play left guard.

“Yeah, man, that hurt me,” Slaughter said. “He’s been nothing but a wonderful mentor. He’s been such a good leader in the room, helping me see the big picture better. We’re hoping and praying he’s in a good spot, and it’s nothing serious.”

Outside linebacker Kyle Kennard exited practice with a trainer after limping off the field.

Wide receiver Quentin Johnston limped to the sideline after attempting a leaping catch. It appeared to be a lower-body injury, and trainers worked on him afterward.

The Chargers have consistently endured devastating injuries over the years.

And it seems there’s a good chance they’ll be shorthanded at SoFi Stadium during Week 2 of preseason play against the 49ers.

“I take it as a blessing that I can help the team in any way that I can,” Slaughter said about potentially starting at center if Biadasz is sidelined for an extended period of time.

Ireland’s Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan said on Monday that he condemned “in the strongest possible terms” the “reckless criminal behaviour”.

“I also want to emphasis that anyone who makes the decision to drive a vehicle deliberately the wrong way down a motorway is engaged in lethally dangerous behaviour and it must stop,” O’Callaghan said.

He said he spoke with the Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly on Monday and had emphasised to him that the gardaí “will have whatever resources they require from government in order to respond to this threat to public safety”.

The Garda Representative Association (GRA) said tougher laws are needed to deal with people driving in dangerous ways.

GRA’s James Morrisoe said people are playing “Russian roulette” with their own lives and lives of innocent members of the public through dangerous driving.

Martin added that it was the “second appalling crash we’ve seen on our roads in a matter of days as a result of the reckless driving of a car on the wrong side of the motorway, endangering the lives of innocent road users”.

He said it was an “irresponsible and dangerous act, and it is shocking that in some cases it is being done for likes on social media”.

O’Callaghan said it was important to emphasis that social media companies “have a big responsibility in respect of this”.

“They emphasis in their codes of practice that they will not allow any postings that glorify criminal behaviour.

“Regrettably, that hasn’t been happening and social media companies need to step up to the mark as well in respect of their own responsibilities.”

Irish broadcaster RTE is reporting, external that the family is from the Carlow area.

It adds that several of the boys who died in the crash had “strong links” to Carlow town and to Athy in County Kildare.

Aug. 15 (UPI) — Five people were injured by multiple shooters at Virginia State University in Ettrick, Va., early Saturday morning.

Police responded to the area outside of residence halls around 1:30 a.m. and found five people with gunshot wounds. They were taken to the hospital, and one is in critical-condition. The others had injuries that weren’t life-threatening.

The campus, which had not started fall-semester classes yet, was put on lockdown until about 8:30 Saturday morning. But police have not said if anyone has been arrested. Residence halls opened a week ago, and classes are set to begin Monday.

The Chesterfield County Police Department is investigating the incident with the help of VSU police, the Hanover County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Virginia State is a historically Black university about 24 miles south of Richmond. It has about 5,100 students enrolled in undergraduate programs.

NEW YORK — Sabrina Ionescu scored 20 points and the New York Liberty avoided one of the biggest collapses in WNBA history, holding off the Sparks 85-81 on Thursday night.

New York (21-14) led 69-41 early in the fourth quarter and looked poised to cruise to an easy victory when the Sparks scored 21 straight points to get within striking distance.

The Sparks (12-21) only trailed 82-79 with 26.6 seconds left and were in position to match the Chicago Sky for the biggest comeback in league history. The Sky rallied from 28-down to beat Las Vegas in 2022. Rae Burrell got the Sparks within one on a reverse layup with 22 seconds left. Ionescu hit two free throws with 14.8 remaining to restore the three-point advantage.

The Sparks had one last chance, but Ariel Atkins missed a three-pointer from the wing with seven seconds left and Ionescu hit a free throw with 3.2 seconds left to seal the win.

The Sparks also lost Cameron Brink earlier in the fourth quarter. She helped key the game-changing run, drawing an offensive foul on Breanna Stewart. Brink was down on the floor for a few minutes before being helped to the locker room with a towel over her head. She took a shot to the stomach area from Stewart to get the offensive foul called. A few minutes earlier Brink and Burrell banged heads.

Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said Brink was being evaluated by doctors after a “brutal hit to the ribs”, but didn’t have an update other than that.

Cameron Brink controls the ball during the first half against New York on Thursday.

(Elsa Garrison / Getty Images)

Burrell finished with a career-high 28 points.

New York got a scare in the third when Ionescu left the game. She went down awkwardly after playing defense and quickly grabbed her right foot. She subbed out soon after and jogged up the tunnel back to the locker room area. She returned about four minutes later on the game clock to a nice ovation from the crowd.

Jonquel Jones was a big reason the Liberty built a 49-32 lead at the half with 10 points and 12 rebounds. New York extended the advantage to 26 after three quarters and 69-41 before the Sparks rallied.

New York was still playing without Leonie Fiebich and Satou Sabally. Coach Chris DeMarco said that there’s no timetable on Fiebich’s return and that Sabally, who has been sidelined for over a month with a concussion, was away from the team.

Up next for the Sparks: at Washington on Saturday.

Authorities suspect narcotics dealers and gang rivalries are behind prison violence at several facilities in Sri Lanka.

Police and riot squads have been deployed after three inmates were killed and nearly two dozen others were injured in separate prison riots across Sri Lanka.

Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala told parliament on Friday that one prisoner was killed when 40 inmates broke out of their cells at the New Magazine Prison in the capital, Colombo, late on Thursday.

Two more prisoners were killed on Friday morning during a second riot at Kuruwita prison, about 80km (50 miles) from the capital, he said.

Between the two incidents, 23 inmates were injured and admitted to hospitals, Wijepala said, adding that police and special forces ‌brought both riots under control.

Additionally, police told the Reuters news agency that officers fired tear gas at protesting inmates at an open prison in the coastal town of Negombo, about 40km (25 miles) from Colombo, to bring the situation there under control on Friday.

Riot police at all three prisons worked to return prisoners who had climbed onto rooftops or moved into open areas back to their wards, the minister said.

Wijepala told parliament the violence was related to narcotics dealers and rival criminal gangs.

He said the government is trying to find out if the riots were coordinated.

“When you take all ⁠these incidents together, it appears that there is planning behind these and an attempt at sabotage. But we can only say ⁠anything further after a comprehensive investigation,” Wijepala said.

The prison disturbances happened a month after 10 ⁠prison officials and 20 prisoners died in two days of fighting at a prison in Negombo.

One inmate also died and several others ‌were injured in a riot last weekend at a prison in Mahara, about 14km (8.6 miles) from Colombo.

Overcrowding in Sri Lanka’s prisons is at crisis levels.

Facilities are highly congested, with more than 39,000 inmates crowded into a system with a total capacity of just 10,000, according to a recent speech in parliament by Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara.

“The number of prisoners in Sri Lanka today is four times the capacity,” said Senaka Perera, president of the Committee for Rights of Prisoners. “In fact, they have been patient for so long.”

A large number of inmates are suspects awaiting trial for alleged narcotics-related offences. Recent laws tightening bail conditions have resulted in prison overcrowding, Perera said.

Sri Lanka is planning to amend its constitution ‌to extend superior court judges’ tenure by two years, as part of efforts to clear a backlog of more than one million court cases and reduce prisoner numbers.

Aug. 1 (UPI) — At least three people were killed and two injured in a shooting at an In-N-Out restaurant in Idaho on Saturday, police said.

Authorities in Twin Falls responded to reports of shots fired about 2:30 p.m. in an area that included multiple major retailers and a movie theater, NBC News reported.

Videos posted on social media showed a man wearing a black shirt and carrying a large rifle in the area, Boise State Public Radio reported.

The man reportedly shot the front windshield of a parked car and later walked into the In-N-Out drive-through.

Police Chief Matthew Hicks said it was a “very chaotic scene” and confirmed the shooter was dead.

“We have literally hundreds of people that were in some way, shape or form in the area of this restaurant at the time that are being interviewed right now,” he told reporters, BSPR reported.

In a statement, Twin Falls police said roads and a nearby bridge were closed to all residents and visitors while officers responded to the incident.

“We are working to try to ascertain his identity and the motivations behind [the shooting] and we’ll be able to figure that out in the next coming days,” Hicks told reporters.

The police chief added, “Today has been a very hard day here in Twin Falls,” NBC News reported.

At least 25 people have been killed and dozens others injured in a bus crash in Algeria. The bus plunged into a ravine in the coastal town of Bourmedes, about 50 kilometres from the capital Algiers.

July 20 (UPI) — The Philippine military accused China of beating and injuring a Philippine Navy sailor with a wooden baton in the latest seaborne confrontation between the two nations over a submerged reef in the disputed South China Sea.

The incident occurred Monday morning near the BRP Sierra Madre, a derelict warship the Philippines intentionally grounded on the Second Thomas Shoal, a reef both countries lay claim to and which the Philippines calls Ayungin Shoal and China, Ren’ai Jiao.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines said in a statement that a China Coast Guard rigid-hull inflatable boat with eight people on board unlawfully approached the BRP Sierra Madre and took pictures and video of it.

While two AFP rubber boats drove it away, China Coast Guard personnel on the boat struck a Philippine Navy sailor on his head with a wooden baton. The man suffered a deep gash on his scalp, according to a picture shared online by Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela.

Video of the incident posted online by Tarriela shows some China Coast Guard members aboard a larger boat swinging long sticks down upon members of the Philippine Navy in a smaller rubber boat.

“Striking an unarmed sailor on the head with a baton — inside our own exclusive economic zone — is not law enforcement. It is unlawful aggression, plain and simple,” Tarriela said in a statement.

China has rejected the accusation, accusing the Philippines of instigating the incident.

“The Philippine personnel first launched malicious attacks on Chinese law enforcement officers using oars, long poles and other tools,” the China Coast Guard said in a statement published online by China’s Embassy in Manila.

“The Chinese side, acting in full compliance with laws and regulations, employed measures such as verbal warnings, evasive maneuvering and proportionate countermeasures to stabilize the situation on site, while exercising the utmost rationality and restraint.”

At roughly 105 nautical miles west of Palawan, the Second Thomas Shoal is well within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. The Philippines beached its Sierra Madre warship on the disputed submerged reef in 1999, which it has manned since in an effort to protect its maritime claims.

However, China lays claim to the Second Thomas Shoal and much of the South China Sea via its Nine-Dash-Line map, which has been rejected by several nations, including the United States. The Hague’s Permanent Court of Arbitration also rejected China’s sweeping maritime claims in a landmark 2016 ruling in a case brought by Manila. Beijing rejects the ruling.

Following the incident, the China Coast Guard said in a statement that it would continue to “carry out rights protection and law enforcement activities” and “firmly safeguard China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.”

The U.S. State Department late Monday issued a statement in support of the Philippines, condemning “China’s dangerous and aggressive actions against Philippine navy personnel.”

State Department spokesperson Thomas Pigott said the United States calls on China to “immediately cease its destabilizing conduct.”

“China’s troubling pattern of provocation against lawful Philippine maritime operations undermines regional peace and stability and directly contradicts China’s repeated commitments to resolve disputes peacefully,” he said.

“We stand with our ally, the Philippines, and commend the professionalism and restraint shown by the Philippine navy personnel in this incident.”

Pigott added that the United States reaffirms the 2016 tribunal ruling as final and legally binding on both China and the Philippines.

Facing Holloway at UFC 329, Irishman McGregor seemed to injure his right knee in the first round when jumping in with a kick.

Conor McGregor’s much-hyped ‌return to the octagon lasted just over a minute on ⁠Saturday after the ⁠Irishman blew out his knee and retired injured in his UFC 329 fight with Max Holloway in Las Vegas.

Former two-weight ⁠world champion McGregor, who had not fought since breaking his leg against Dustin Poirier in July 2021, attempted a flying kick to start ⁠the opening round but landed awkwardly and immediately looked in trouble.

He tried to fight on for a few seconds but looked towards the referee to signal he could not continue.

Former featherweight champ Holloway said he would discuss ‌the possibility of staging another fight with McGregor when the Irishman recovers.

“It is what it is, I’m going to sit down with the UFC,” Holloway added. “(There was) so much hype for that right there. We’ve got to run it back one more time. One more time for the boys.”

Saturday’s bout was the second between the ⁠pair, with McGregor winning by unanimous decision in 2013.

Injuries ⁠and issues away from the sport have derailed McGregor’s career.

After breaking his leg against Poirier five years ago, the 37-year-old was slated to meet Michael Chandler in June 2024, but that was cancelled after McGregor suffered a broken toe in training.

Later that year, a jury in ⁠an Irish civil court found him liable ⁠for the rape of Nikita Hand in 2018.

In October 2025, he accepted an 18-month ban for “whereabouts failures” after he missed three attempts by Combat Sports Anti-Doping to collect biological samples ‌from him in 2024. The ban was backdated and expired in March.

In the co-main event at the T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, Britain’s Paddy ‌Pimblett ‌also needed less than a minute to secure victory, choking out Frenchman Benoit Saint-Denis in their lightweight bout.

Two 13-year-old girls have been seriously injured and a 16-year-old suspect arrested after an incident at a school in Upper Bavaria, Germany.

Police said a major operation was under way in the area of Welfen-Gymnasium secondary school in the small town of Schongau.

The suspect was carrying a knife as well as a firearm, police said, and they believe they acted alone.

Neither of the girls are in life-threatening condition, but the number of other people involved and the severity of their injuries are currently being clarified, police added.

A police spokeswoman had earlier told AFP news agency it was unclear what weapon had been used in the attack, and declined to confirm reports of a knife attack.

The identity of the suspect is not known and it is unclear if they had links to the school.

The police spokeswoman added the force believe the incident to be a “rampage”.

A contact point for relatives and parents of students has been set up at a fire station in the town.

According to its website, the school was founded in 1887 and had initially been almost exclusively a girls’ school. It has been mixed gender for the last 40 years.

July 5 (UPI) — One man was critically injured in a fire in Los Angeles Friday after illegal fireworks went off, setting two vehicles on fire in a motel parking lot.

The 22-room Crescent Inn motel in the Wilmington neighborhood of Los Angeles was completely evacuated from the incident. Los Angeles Fire Department Assistant Chief Carlos Calvillo said first responders discovered a wounded man near the burning BMW when they arrived on the scene.

“This is a good example of messing with illegal fireworks, fireworks in general, extremely dangerous,” he said. “This person’s body was severely traumatized from this incident.”

Investigators said commercial grade fireworks were found near the burning vehicles.

Emergency responders were called to a report of two vehicles on fire at about 8:30 p.m. PDT Friday. The Los Angeles Police Department also responded to the scene.

A single family home next to the motel was also evacuated. Twelve people, including two children, were displaced by the fire.

The cause of the fireworks going off has not been determined. Fire officials say they believe the man was smoking in the BMW.

At least 6 people were killed and 22 injured after an explosive device detonated in a café in Damascus’ Al-Hijaz area. Emergency crews, civil defence teams and security forces rushed to the site, imposed a security cordon and began investigating the deadly blast.