Syrian Antiquities Chief calls on world to protect monuments
Militants from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant seized the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra on Wednesday. State-run media in the country reported that the outfit’s fighters managed to defeat pro-government forces in the city, who withdrew after evacuating most of the civilian population. This is the first time the militant organisation has taken complete control of a city directly from the Syrian Army. The country’s Antiquities Chief Maamoun Abdulkarim called on the world to save the monuments in the 2,000-year-old city. He said that while hundreds of statues had been moved out of the city, larger monuments and museums were still at risk of being destroyed by the group’s fighters.
US releases Bin Laden documents
The United States on Wednesday released a collection of documents belonging to ex-Al-Qaeda Chief Osama bin Laden, who was killed in a raid by the country’s forces on his hideout in Pakistan in 2011. The documents included an application form to join the militant organisation, as well books on economic and military theory. Letters written by Bin Laden instructing his aides to remain focused on fighting Americans were also released.
Burundian President postpones elections
Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza on Wednesday postponed Parliamentary and local council elections scheduled for May 26 by one week following massive protests against his decision to run for a third term in office. A spokesperson for the President’s office said that Nkurunziza reached his decision based on the recommendation of the country’s election commission. At least eight people were arrested by security forces at a demonstration in the country’s capital of Bujumbura.
UK investigating over 1,400 people for child abuse
British authorities on Wednesday revealed that over 1,400 people including politicians and celebrities had been investigated over historical child sex abuse allegations. The information released by the National Police Chief’s Council said that out of the 1,433 suspects, 216 were dead while 261 were classified as people of public prominence. A lead investigator for the NPCC said that police were projected to receive around 116,000 reports of historical child sex abuse by the end of the year.
13 militants killed in Pakistan strikes
At least 13 militants were killed as Pakistani Air Force jets struck their hideouts in the North Waziristan region of the country on Wednesday, officials said. Five militant hideouts were also destroyed by the strikes, which took place two days after a United States drone attack killed five other militant fighters in the Shawal Valley. Security officials said that one soldier was killed and another injured after their vehicle hit a bomb in the Spin Wam area of the region.
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Militants from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant seized the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra on Wednesday. State-run media in the country reported that the outfit’s fighters managed to defeat pro-government forces in the city, who withdrew after evacuating most of the civilian population. This is the first time the militant organisation has taken complete control of a city directly from the Syrian Army. The country’s Antiquities Chief Maamoun Abdulkarim called on the world to save the monuments in the 2,000-year-old city. He said that while hundreds of statues had been moved out of the city, larger monuments and museums were still at risk of being destroyed by the group’s fighters.
US releases Bin Laden documents
The United States on Wednesday released a collection of documents belonging to ex-Al-Qaeda Chief Osama bin Laden, who was killed in a raid by the country’s forces on his hideout in Pakistan in 2011. The documents included an application form to join the militant organisation, as well books on economic and military theory. Letters written by Bin Laden instructing his aides to remain focused on fighting Americans were also released.
Burundian President postpones elections
Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza on Wednesday postponed Parliamentary and local council elections scheduled for May 26 by one week following massive protests against his decision to run for a third term in office. A spokesperson for the President’s office said that Nkurunziza reached his decision based on the recommendation of the country’s election commission. At least eight people were arrested by security forces at a demonstration in the country’s capital of Bujumbura.
UK investigating over 1,400 people for child abuse
British authorities on Wednesday revealed that over 1,400 people including politicians and celebrities had been investigated over historical child sex abuse allegations. The information released by the National Police Chief’s Council said that out of the 1,433 suspects, 216 were dead while 261 were classified as people of public prominence. A lead investigator for the NPCC said that police were projected to receive around 116,000 reports of historical child sex abuse by the end of the year.
13 militants killed in Pakistan strikes
At least 13 militants were killed as Pakistani Air Force jets struck their hideouts in the North Waziristan region of the country on Wednesday, officials said. Five militant hideouts were also destroyed by the strikes, which took place two days after a United States drone attack killed five other militant fighters in the Shawal Valley. Security officials said that one soldier was killed and another injured after their vehicle hit a bomb in the Spin Wam area of the region.