United Nations concerns for world heritage sites in the historic Timbuktu have been substantiated, with militants smashing ancient mosques in Mali’s north. Ansar Dine Islamist group has vowed to destroy all the shines, saying are “un-Islamic”.
2m displaced
Flooding and landslides have continued to cause devastation and heartache in south Asia. Indian officials say now two million people have been displaced by the poor weather. At least 77 people have died and 2,000 villages inundated.
Tension in Turkey
Turkey has sent several jets to their border with Syria. The move came after Syrian aircraft came close to the border. Turkey had sent troops to the region after Syria last month shot down a fighter jet without warning, prompting threats of action.
Bankers depart
The two most senior executives of Britain’s Barclays bank have quit. Chief executive Bob Diamond quit Tuesday a day after chairman Marcus Agius resigned. The bank was last week fined $450 million for manipulating its interest rates.
Hong Kong rallies
Tens of thousands of Chinese protesters have taken to the streets of Hong Kong demanding universal suffrage. Chinese president Hu Jintao was in the territory to swear in its new leader. He says Hong Kong citizens will be allowed more freedoms.
Storm carnage
Several American states are battling with a heatwave and lack of electricity after deadly storms wreaked havoc. At least 12 were killed, trees were downed and “catastrophic” power outages were caused in the midwest, mid-Atlantic and south-east states.
Pena Nieto wins
Mexicans have voted for Enrique Pena Nieto as the country’s next president. The 45-year-old lawyer attracted about 38 percent of the vote. However, his main political rival has claimed there were irregularities in electoral procedures.
Morsi, military clash
New Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi has ordered his office to look atways of returning parliamentarians to office. The move will anger the powerful military which dissolved parliament after a court found one-third of votes were void.
Legal team freed
A team of International Criminal Court lawyers detained in Libya have been released and immediately sent back to Europe. The team face ICC investigation for spying and aiding Seif al-Islam, the son of deposed dictator Moamar Gadhafi.
$3billion fine
Pharmaceuticals giant GlaxoSmithKline has been fined a total of more than $3 billion for healthcare fraud. The United States company was found to have been marketing drugs for unauthorised uses and withholding data from authorities.
Church attacks
At least 15 people were killed and dozens more injured when masked militants threw grenades into a Christian church in Kenya, before opening fire in another. Somali terror group al-Shabab, responsible for similar attacks, has been blamed.
Education protests
Guatemalan government ministers were among dozens of people injured in protests against high education reform. About 40 people were taken to hospital after clashes with police in Guatemala City. Protesters object to proposed university fee hikes.
Post published in: News