News in Photos: July 18, 2012

     Events in Damascus have escalated since yesterday's post due to an attack at the national security headquarters in Rawda district in the city. Three people in President Bashar Al Assad's inner circle were killed when a bomb was detonated in the building. President Bashar Assad's >deputy Gen. Assef Shawkat, who was also his brother-in-law, was one of the men killed in the explosion. Syria's rebel commander takes responsibility for the attack, which he denies was a suicide bombing and says that those who carried out the operation are "unharmed". This is easily the top reported story of the day. (Huffington Post)

1) Greece declares state of emergency as wildfires rage near city of Patras   Source: The Guardian

A helicopter drops water on a wildfire near Patras in Greece. (Giota Korbaki / EPA)

     Hundreds of people have fled Patras after Greek officials declared a state of emergency in the country's third largest city because of raging wildfires. According to the story, authorities said the fires were burning on three fronts, coming within six miles of the city, which is home to 220,000 people. The state of emergency allows Greek authorities to call in the military if they are needed. The article also states that nine planes and a helicopters are involved in the firefighting effort at Ano Kastritsi and at Argyra, dumping water on forests.

2) Dozens killed in Zanzibar ferry sinking   Source: Aljazeera

Witnesses said some unconscious victims were being carried on stretchers. (Reuters)

     At least 24 are dead after a ferry with at least 280 people on board capsized off the east African coast of the Zanzibar archipelago, the government reported today. Details are still scarce and the exact count of those who lost their lives in the accident is strictly speculation at this point. Search and rescue are currently searching the submerged vessel for the dozens of people still missing. "The rescue operations are continuing [...] 124 people have already been found alive and we hope that others will be saved," Tanzania's Interior Minister Emmanuel Nchimbi said. It's still unclear what caused the accident but preliminary reports indicate that strong winds and waves may have been a factor. 

3) Bulgaria bus blast leaves 6 dead and dozens wounded   Source: Huffington Post

Smoke rises into the sky after an explosion at Burgas airport on Wednesday, July 18, 2012. (AP Photo / Burgasinfo)

     A bomb exploded on a bus carrying Israeli youth in a Bulgarian resort, killing at least six and wounding 32 others, officials said. The Israeli Prime Minister is calling it an 'Iranian terror attack' and has promised a tough response, according to the story on the Huffington Post. The attack coincides with the 18th anniversary of the bombing of a Jewish community centre in Argentina that killed 85 people, an attack that an Argentine magistrate has already concluded that Iran was behind. The bomb went off after tourists boarded the bus from their charter flight. No group has stepped forward to claim responsibility for the attack.