IN BRIEF

Portugal

5,000 deployed to fight blazes

Almost 5,000 firefighters supported by water-dropping aircraft are deployed across central and northern areas of Portugal as the country continued its daily summertime battle against wildfires. The Civil Protection Agency said it has managed to bring under control all but one of 108 forest fires that broke out on Sunday. Portugal is blighted annually by summer wildfires, and one last month killed 64 people.

United States

High Plain region suffers drought

The High Plain region of the United States that includes the states of Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota, is suffering the worst drought in decades, according to the National Integrated Drought Information System. Local media reported on Sunday that farmers in Montana experienced the worst growing season in 30 years with few crops to harvest. Lots of unwanted livestock were headed to auction sites due to lack of food and water.

Switzerland

Five injured in chainsaw attack

A man armed with a chainsaw injured at least five people in an attack in a Swiss town on Monday, media reported. The Blick news site said police and ambulances had rushed to the scene in Schaffhausen and had sealed off the area. Witnesses, including a local shop manager, said the attacker was wielding a chainsaw and that businesses and pedestrians had been evacuated. Police were searching for the suspect, saying it was not an "act of terror".

South Korea

Moon's approval rating falls

President Moon Jae-in's approval rating fell for two straight weeks due to the recent announcement of liberal policies, such as double-digit increase in minimum wage and plan to reduce nuclear power plants, that led conservatives to withdraw support for the new leader, a weekly survey showed on Monday. According to the Realmeter poll, Moon's support rate was 72.4 percent last week, down 2.2 percentage points from the previous week. It was the second consecutive weekly decline.

India

New president to assume office

Ram Nath Kovind will be sworn in as the country's 14th president on Tuesday when incumbent Pranab Mukherjee's five-year term expires. Kovind will be administered the oath of office by the chief justice of India, J.S. Khehar, at a ceremony in parliament. It will be attended by lawmakers of both the Houses - Rajya Sabha (upper house) and Lok Sabha (lower house).

Myanmar

Floodwaters swallow pagoda

Rising floodwaters have swallowed a Buddhist pagoda in central Myanmar and sent tens of thousands fleeing their homes, as the government warned of more heavy rains ahead. Dramatic footage circulating on social media showed the riverside pagoda sinking into the floodwaters in Magway region, with shocked bystanders looking on as its golden spire collapsed beneath the waves.