Yemen foils Al-Qaeda attacks on foreign diplomats
Yemeni authorities have foiled an Al-Qaeda plan to carry out at least 13 attacks against foreign diplomats, embassies and senior military and government officials, AP reports, citing a high-ranking Yemeni security official. According to information obtained from captured Al-Qaeda members, sleeper cells were plotting a string of assassinations, bombings and abductions of foreign diplomats in the capital Sanaa, as well as in restive southern cities. Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi had already met with top security officials to discuss the new information. The report comes as the Yemeni army, backed by the US, has been trying to uproot Islamist insurgents in the south of the country for the past two months.
Israel sends new Egyptian president message of peace
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sent a letter to Egypt’s newly elected President Mohammed Morsi urging peace between the two countries, AFP reports. Report says the letter congratulated Morsi on his victory and expressed hope that both parties will observe the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty.
Libyan protesters storm election office in Benghazi
About 300 armed protesters have broken into the office of the National Election Commission in Benghazi, Libyan, reports Reuters. The men, calling for greater autonomy for Libya's east, took computers and ballot boxes out of the building and broke and burned them outside. The incident took place several days before Libya is to hold its first election since the popular uprising which ousted Muammar Gaddafi from power last year.
India floods claim over 60 lives as thousands seek shelter
At least 62 people have died in floods and landslides caused by monsoon rains, which have been pouring on north-east India for over a week, Associated Press reports. More than 2,000 villages have been flooded in Assam state. Thousands of homes have been destroyed. Some 480,000 people have sought shelter in government-run relief camps. Authorities say the flood is the strongest since 2004.
Tunisia declares desert 'closed military zone'
Tunisia’s Defense Ministry has declared the Sahara desert area a “closed military zone.” An announcement stated that special authorization will now be required to enter the territory. Permits are needed for those wishing to visit so that they can be protected, according to the ministry. More than 5,500 tourists visited the Tunisian Sahara in May.
Israel Holocaust memorial updated to give more credit to Vatican
Texts used at the exhibition for Israel's national Holocaust memorial have been amended after the original versions upset the Vatican by implying that Pope Pius XII had not do enough to help. A spokesman from Yad Vashem, the museum and memorial in Jerusalem, said the display was updated following new research, adding that the new display "better shows the complexity of the issue." The text of the memorial now acknowledges that the Pope`s neutrality in the war allowed church members to carry out some secret rescue activities. However, the text also references those critics of Pius who said he could have done more.
Israel extends demolition deadline for buildings in West Bank
Israel's Supreme Court has granted the state a four-month extension to remove apartment blocks built illegally in a Jewish settlement in the occupied West Bank. The five homes in the Ulpana neighborhood of the Beit El settlement were to be torn down by July 1. The families who lived in the buildings moved out last week to temporary accommodations nearby. The Supreme Court says the demolition can be delayed until November 15 now that the buildings are empty.
Geneva agreements mean end of Assad`s rule – France
The declaration adopted in Geneva means the end of president Assad`s rule, said French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius. The text agreed upon in Geneva proposes that a transitional government take power in Syria to end the conflict. The measure implies that Assad must go, Fabius declared in a televised interview. Moscow, however, maintains that the final text of the declaration does not order Assad to step down.
Mass protests in Hong Kong on 15th anniversary of Chinese rule
Thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators have gathered on the streets of Hong Kong to protest against the 15th anniversary of Chinese rule. Chinese President Hu Jintao visited the city earlier, swearing in businessman CY Leung as the territory's new leader. According to different estimates, between 65,000 and 400,000 people gathered to protest against growing social gap and mounting real estate prices. Beijing has a "one country, two systems" policy with Hong Kong, where residents are allowed more political freedoms than the Chinese mainland. However, protesters complain that Hong Kong authorities loyal to Beijing only elect candidates chosen by the state.
Death toll in Kenyan church attacks reaches 17
Kenyan police have reported 17 dead, including two police officers, and 45 wounded in a double terror act on churches. Seven masked militants attacked two churches in Garissa, the capital of the North Eastern Province of Kenya. They threw grenades inside of the Catholic Church and the African Inland Church and then opened fire from sub-machine guns. The town of Garissa serves as a base for the Kenyan army units operating against al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab militants in neighboring Somalia. There have been no claims of responsibility for the terror attack so far.
Egypt gets $1 billion from Saudi Arabia for food and energy
Egypt has secured an agreement with the Saudi-based Islamic Development Bank (IDB) to get $1 billion to finance energy projects and food imports to Egypt. The agreement was signed on Sunday in Cairo by Waleed Abdul Mohsen al-Wohaib, chief executive officer of the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation, a part of the IDB. Egypt is also currently in talks with the International Monetary fund to secure $3.2 billion in funds.
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