Pope calls meeting of cardinals to discuss documents leak
Pope Benedict XVI has conducted a special meeting of cardinals to discuss how to deal with the recent scandal over leaked Vatican documents. The Vatican press office said the meeting was added at the last minute in a bid to try to “restore a climate of serenity and trust” in the church. Earlier in June some documents alleging corruption in the Vatican have been published in the Italian media.
New government formed in Syria
Syrian president Bashar Assad has formed a new government, state television reported on Saturday. The key ministers of defense, the interior and foreign affairs have all kept their seats. The news has countered speculation surrounding Defense Minister Daoud Rajha, who was rumored to have been assassinated by militants.
Sudanese police clash with protesters
Sudanese security forces fired tear gas overnight to disperse dozens of protesters who attacked a group of policemen in the capital Khartoum. About 150 protesters were involved in the clashes. It was the sixth day of protests set off by a government austerity plan that slashed subsidies and doubled the price of fuel and food.
US embassy in Kenya warns of terror attack
The US embassy in Kenya has warned the country’s authorities of an imminent terror attack in the city of Mombasa. In the official statement, the embassy asked all its government workers to leave the coastal town, saying all government travel to Mombasa is suspended until July 1. It has also issued a travel warning to all US citizens currently in the country or planning to visit. Mombasa, the capital Nairobi and other parts of Kenya have suffered a series of grenade attacks since Kenya sent troops into Somalia last year to pursue al-Shabaab militants.
Bus crash kills 7 Czechs in Croatia
Seven Czech citizens have been killed and 44 others injured after the bus they were traveling on crashed into a guardrail in central Croatia. Police say the impact was so strong that the bus overturned. The accident took place on Croatia's most vital route connecting the capital Zagreb with the southern Adriatic city of Split.
ICC promises probe into staff behavior in Libya
The International Criminal Court has vowed to investigate the behavior of its team in Libya "following the return of four staff members" who were detained in the country on June 7. In an official statement, the ICC expressed regret over "any events that may have given rise to concerns on the part of the Libyan authorities” and promised cooperation. The four-member ICC team was detained in the western city of Zintan and has been accused of committing a “security breach.”
Penn State football coach found guilty of child sex abuse
A US court has found Jerry Sandusky, the Penn State University assistant football coach, guilty of serial child abuse committed between 1994 and 2009. The hearings lasted seven days, during which eight victims made a personal appearance to give testimony before the court. Sandusky, who had pleaded not guilty, is now facing life imprisonment. The sentence, however, is yet to be announced. The notorious Sandusky case led to a wave of resignations among Penn State officials. The dismissal of the now deceased head coach Joe Paterno triggered massive student riots at the university.
Bolivian police mutiny over salaries
A mutiny by police officers demanding wage increases has struck Bolivia, with about 4,000 officers occupying barracks. Hundreds of policemen looted the police intelligence division and disciplinary tribunal headquarters, setting files, computers and furniture on fire and destroying doors and windows. The government has proposed to increase their pay to $287 a month, compared with the current $178, in order to suspend the acts of violence. The action began on Thursday, when about 30 policemen seized an elite unit's barracks near the presidential palace. President Evo Morales stayed in the palace on Friday, under military police protection. A revolt over wages in 2003 at the same base resulted in a gunfight with soldiers that left 19 dead.
17 injured in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza
Three Israeli airstrikes on Hamas targets have left 17 people wounded, Hamas medical officials said. Iranian news agency Press TV also reported that one Palestinian was killed in the strike, though this remains unconfirmed. The strikes came just hours after another Israeli air raid on the area killed two alleged militants. Israel said it was responding to rocket strikes from insurgents in Gaza. The tit-for-tat violence put an Egyptian-brokered truce between Israel and Hamas, the Palestinian group that controls Gaza, in jeopardy. Hamas had earlier announced it would respect the truce as long as Israel ends its strikes.
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