MOSCOW (Xinhua) – Strikes by Russian forces on data centers in Kyiv have led to the destruction of a quarter of the facilities providing internet access and Starlink support for the Ukrainian forces, TASS news agency reported on Saturday, citing a source from the Russian security forces. The strikes also caused a partial shutdown of Ukrainian television broadcasts and problems with social media and video services, the agency added. “The disruptions weren’t limited to television: there are problems with social media and video services, and Kyiv residents can’t access YouTube and other resources,” the source was quoted as saying.

 

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MADRID (AP) - Tens of thousands of people took to the streets in Madrid on Saturday to protest against Spain’s housing crisis and ask for protective measures for tenants, anti-fraud rules, and a ban on evictions without alternative housing. The protest came in reaction to the dramatic eviction on Wednesday of an 87-year-old woman from the Madrid apartment she had lived in for decades.

 

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MILAN (Reuters) - Flights at Italy’s Catania airport were suspended due to volcanic ash from Mount Etna’s ongoing activity and weather conditions, the company operating the Sicilian hub said. All arrivals at the airport, Italy’s fifth-busiest by passenger traffic, have been suspended. Mount Etna, Europe’s highest and most active volcano, frequently disrupts flights at Catania, but ash emissions have been particularly intense this summer, affecting thousands of travelers during the peak holiday season.

 

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KINSHASA (AFP) - An air crash in southwest Democratic Republic of Congo killed 17 people, including two of the country’s most senior military justice officials, the transport ministry said Saturday. A small plane carrying a delegation of military justice officials crashed at around 1300 GMT Friday near Kenge, in Kwango province, more than 200 kilometers (125 miles) east of the capital Kinshasa. Air transport plays an important role in the vast country, where the road network is often in poor condition. But air travel carries its own risk, as some airports and navigation equipment in the country is in a similarly poor condition.

 

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CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - Two separate mass shootings near South Africa’s two biggest cities killed at least 27 people, police said Sunday. The South African Police Service said 17 people were killed Saturday night when suspects armed with AK-47 rifles and pistols opened fire at a bar in Wedela township, southwest of Johannesburg. In a separate statement, police said 10 people were killed in a mass shooting at a store in Lwandle, near Cape Town, around 1 a.m. Sunday. The two shootings come just days after a mass shooting at a house party near the east coast city of Durban killed 11 people, including a pregnant woman.