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This is VOA News. Via remote, I'm Marissa Melton. Authorities in Afghanistan said Sunday that national security forces are locked in fierce battles with Taliban insurgents to keep them from overrunning an eastern provincial center as U.S.-led foreign troops continue to withdraw from the country. The Taliban came close to the capital of the embattled Laghman province after capturing key security outposts earlier in the day. The insurgents have made territorial gains in the province recently, seizing control of the Dawlat Shah district on Friday. The Afghan Defense Ministry confirmed late Sunday that the Afghan army chief who is also the country's acting defense minister is in Laghman along with other top security officials and is leading the counter-Taliban operations. Violence has escalated across many Afghan provinces after the United States along with NATO allies began withdrawing their last remaining troops from the country on May 1.
At least 14 people were killed Sunday in Italy when a cable car fell 20 meters to the ground in Italy's Piedmont region. Authorities said that foreign nationals were among the dead but have not released further details. The Stresa-Mottarone cable car travels between the town of Lake Maggiore to the top of Mottarone mountain. Stresa Mayor Marcella Severino said the accident may have been caused by a ruptured cable. Severino said the car overturned two or three times after crashing to the ground. Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi offered his condolences to the victims and the Italian government has announced that it would begin an investigation into the accident. The Stresa-Mottarone cable car was closed for repairs between 2014 and 2016 and only recently began operating again after a hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic. More on this and all the stories we're covering at our website voanews.com. Via remote, I'm Marissa Melton, VOA News.
