Hanoi, July 11 (IANS) A total of 2,222 fires happened in Vietnam in the first six months of this year, killing 57 people and injuring 45 others, according to the country’s Police Department of Fire Prevention, Fighting and Rescue.

The fires caused property losses of some 127.9 billion Vietnamese dong (5.03 million U.S. dollars), local media reported Thursday.

The number of fires and deaths has increased compared to 2023. Majority of the fires were reported at residential areas with 823 cases, said the report, according to Xinhua news agency.

Among the 2,222 fires reported nationwide, 1,299 cases have their causes clarified, mostly due to electrical system failure, or careless use of fire and heat sources.

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Jerusalem, July 11 (IANS) Israel’s Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure on Thursday said it would lead a move to adopt Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) in the future to promote green and renewable energy.

The ministry said in a statement that the gradual adoption of SAF will allow Israel to meet international goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by promoting green aviation and sustainable energy solutions.

The green jet fuels are produced from sustainably sourced renewable waste and residues, such as used frying oil, as well as hydrogen and carbon collected from the atmosphere, reports Xinhua news agency.

These sustainable fuels have the potential to reduce carbon emissions by up to 80 percent compared to traditional jet fuels, said the ministry.

The ministry said it will set up and lead an inter-ministerial committee to discuss the adoption of SAF regulation and explore solutions, such as incentives, to encourage airlines to use SAF.

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Nairobi, July 11 (IANS) Kenyan President William Ruto on Thursday dismissed all cabinet secretaries except the deputy president and the prime cabinet secretary who is also the cabinet secretary for foreign and diaspora affairs.

“I have decided to dismiss with immediate effect all the cabinet secretaries and attorney general of the Cabinet of Kenya except the prime cabinet secretary and the cabinet secretary for foreign and diaspora affairs, and of course, the Office of the Deputy President is not affected in any way,” he said in an address to the nation on Thursday, reports Xinhua news agency.

He said the new Cabinet will be named after extensive consultations across all sectors.

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Ankara, July 11 (IANS) Turkish police have detained 47 suspects in large-scale operations against an international artifact smuggling network, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said Thursday.

Following operations conducted in 24 provinces, the police seized 6,325 ancient coins and 997 other historical artifacts in the western Izmir province, Yerlikaya said on X.

The minister added that the suspects obtained historical artifacts belonging to Türkiye through unlawful excavations and illegally sold them to auction houses abroad to gain unfair profits, reports Xinhua news agency.

An examination of the suspects’ bank account movements revealed that five auction houses in Europe and the United States transferred approximately 72 million liras (2.19 million US dollars) in foreign currency to the ringleader of the organisation and his family members.

Some 1,057 historical artifacts of Turkish origin seized in Croatia in 2020 and returned to Turkey were also taken abroad as part of the organisation’s activities.

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Damascus, July 11 (IANS) Syrian army units on Thursday repulsed multiple rebel drone attacks and conducted operations against rebel positions in the northwestern provinces of Idlib and Latakia, according to the Syrian Defence Ministry.

In Idlib, the army intercepted several suicide drones and engaged in combat with “terrorist” groups in the southern countryside. The combat resulted in significant losses in the groups’ equipment and casualties among the “terrorists,” with dozens reportedly killed or wounded, reports Xinhua news agency.

The army also thwarted attempts by “terrorists” to use suicide drones against military positions and nearby civilian areas.

Meanwhile, in the northern Latakia countryside, Syrian military units, supported by Russian air forces, targeted and destroyed “terrorist” strongholds and fortifications. The operation caused substantial casualties among the militants.

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